Honda Environmental Leadership Essay Example for Free

Honda Environmental Leadership Essay Honda Motor Co. is the largest motor cycle manufacturer and a leading automaker in the world. With a worldwide network of over 501 subsidiaries, Honda’s diverse portfolio includes small sized general purpose engines to scooters and sports cars. The philosophy of Honda Motor Co. is well entrenched with the Japanese culture of pursuing the ‘triple joys’. The triple joys reflect the joys of buying, selling and creating. The company has been particularly recognized world over for its initiatives in tackling environmental challenges. Although environmental concerns and need for reciprocative action became eminent in the mid 1980s, Honda’s efforts in this direction can be attributed to the 1960s when air pollution was first understood. The environmental leadership at Honda is deeply rooted in the company’s vision to be ‘a company that the society wants to exist’ (Honda Motors, 2010). Today people throughout the world have become conscious of the damages automobiles can do to our environment. Thus we see environment friendly automotive technologies emerging in response to uncovering environmental situation. The concept of Green Motoring has taken shape, which involves using alternative fuels in order to reduce air pollution. Among the efforts automotive manufacturers take to contribute to the environment, is the use of fuels generated from bio alcohols and bio mass. Green motoring is now focused on using hydrogen as a fuel (Green Field H 2008). The vision of the company is indeed too radical, at least with respect to environment protection. Wanting to see itself as an entity that the society doesn’t object, is indeed an unprecedented thought, reflecting its understanding of public thinking. This philosophy also highlights the importance it attaches to public perception of environmental degradation. The company seems to believe that the society will allow it to exist only if it is compliance with its expectations. It is therefore no wonder that Honda had taken a leadership role well ahead of its competitors, proactively. The environmental impact has been fully analyzed, encompassing its manufacturing process, the vehicles manufactured, the support activities like administration, transportation etc. The environment friendly initiatives are reflected in all its subsidiaries throughout the world. Honda seems to have made environmental concern a part of its global strategy. All Honda operations throughout the world, have a significant bearing with respect to environment protection for the countries in which they operate. Discussion Honda seeks to create new value by incorporating innovative ideas that reflect the changing needs. The company is committed to the future, by minimizing its effects on the environment and its intake of earth’s resources. A recent survey by DuPont and the Society of Automotive Industry (SAE) has identified environmental concerns as being the biggest challenge for the industry. According to Chris Murphy DuPont director, environmental considerations are transforming vehicle design and development and have become a differentiator in the marketplace. About 54% of the respondents saw fuel efficient vehicles with reduced environmental impact as being primary to the consumers (Laura 2008). On its part, Honda seeks to address climate change, produced due to higher concentration of CO2, CFC and other greenhouses gases. By introducing hybrid and fuel economizing technologies, CO2 emissions are not only reduced in Honda vehicles, but throughout its entire corporate activity. With regard to depletion of resources, Honda has been developing technologies, solar cell development and energy saving technologies. The company is well set to be ahead of the stipulations expected of it, as a vehicle manufacturer. The ongoing regulations are only expected to get tougher with time, and vehicle manufacturer in particular have to be well prepared to achieve the required standards. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requires cars and SUVs to increase their fuel efficiency by about 4% each year. Thus by 2020, a fuel efficiency of about 35 miles per gallon has to be achieved (Crawley, 2007). The compliance of Honda to environmental concerns is evident from its 1972 development of the CVCC engine in compliance with the US Clean Air Act, which was the world’s toughest emission regulation of the time. The company pursued its development of catalytic converter and other such clean emission technologies in the last four decades resulting in its vehicles emissions being reduced to 1/1000 of its 1970 levels. Honda is currently promoting its Green Factory initiative worldwide, together with energy conservation and waste reduction initiatives in its non-production activities. About 324 subsidiaries including 224 non-manufacturing companies have been covered by this (Honda Motors, 2010). The direct and indirect energy consumption at Honda Motors is shown in Appendix 1, while region wise energy, water consumption and waste are shown in Appendix 2. The genuine efforts in wanting to pass a beautiful natural environment to the future generation is reflected in the company setting up its own independent goals and working towards the same. Some of the notable concepts in Honda environmental aspirations are: Green Vehicle development: Striving towards development of zero emission for all its vehicles, Honda became the first Japanese company to comply with the recent emission regulations. The company developed a special exhaust air injection system and a programmed system for fuel injection which is currently used in its VFR motorcycle. The company’s 50cc Giorno Crea scooter is highly fuel efficient and also environment friendly. Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV): Even as early as 1986, Honda had been involved in the development of a hydrogen powered fuel cell electric vehicle, today seen in the form of FCX Clarity FCEV. The car has been the result of two decades of work by Honda’s engineers, in an effort to truly preserve the earth’s environment. The car uses an electric motor and a fuel cell stack and does not emit any CO2. When the fuel cell stack was developed for the first time in 1999, it was too large and bulky. Through continuous research and development the fuel cell stack underwent transformation to become smaller and lighter and yet more powerful (American Honda, 2010). This in turn enabled the vehicle to become elegant and comfortable. The highlights of FCX Clarity FCEV are: †¢ Only water vapor emission †¢ Reduces carbon dioxide emissions significantly †¢ Certified as a zero emission vehicle (ZEV) Green Dealer: The Green dealer concept streamlines and enables efficient use of water, electricity and paper through continuous assessments and improvements of existing systems. The concept is directed at conservation of the environment and keeping the polluting activities to a minimum (HMSI, 2007). Creating an awareness of environment among the employees and the general public is also a part of this scheme. Goal setting: Honda’s efforts towards environmental preservation are reflected through individually defined targets. In 2006 it set emission reduction goals for CO2 emission, to be reached by 2010. In 2007 the company set targets for reducing environmental impact, also intended to be achieved by 2010. The company is on track to reach targets. The future is only getting tougher for the vehicle manufacturers, though Honda is firmly set to meet the required goals. While setting environmental goals for itself, across global operations, Honda has been too detailed in its approach. The company approached the environment problem from several perspectives. As part of its global environmental policy, Honda sets specific goals with regard to its Life Cycle Assessment System, by which the environmental impact is measured and analyzed. Apart from monitoring and reducing its emissions, it also studied and monitored the impact on environment due to its emissions. The company through its suppliers and partners, thus sought solutions through innovations and technologies, to look for ways to be in harmony with nature. Honda of Canada Manufacturing (HCM) was among the first auto manufacturers to receive the ISO 14001 certification. HCM today recycles about 99% of its production waste and is working towards 100% recycling (Cambridge Center Honda, 2010). The company is credited with bringing the first Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) to Canada. In 2003 when it started production of the Civic GX, the car was rated by the EPA as having the cleanest IC engine in the world. In 2002 March, Honda introduced the Honda life cycle assessment system (LCA) to estimate the environmental impact of its products. CO2 is one of the main elements that are monitored through this assessment of products, from manufacturing to disposal. Corresponding to the levels detected, targets are set for all domains including production, sales and service, and administration, with initiatives implemented to achieve targets. In 2007 Honda introduced the product life cycle assessment system (LCA) which revolves on the CO2 emissions from a single vehicle through its lifetime. The calculations revealed that 78% of CO2 emissions are associated with product use and 6% during its emission. The company can now assess CO2 emissions more accurately, for every aspect of the vehicle’s life, thus contributing to reduction efforts. The CO2 targeted reductions are thus directed at 80% of the total emissions, with regard to LCA. Conclusion and recommendations All sectors of global economy are increasingly coming under environmental regulations to ensure that all business practices, no longer continue with disregard to the environment. The vehicle manufacturers are among the earliest to receive such stipulations as vehicles are a major contributor to pollution. These manufacturers are faced with a challenge of optimizing lean manufacturing and environment conservation. While the two aspects of manufacturing are important, the approaches to both are different, and have a huge bearing on the organization’s success. Honda is indeed an automaker with a vision for a sustained future, as evident from its setting up environment based goals and policies, proactively. The waste reduction culture at Honda indeed has obvious benefits for the environment (Maxwell, 1998). There are several societies and organizations that make up this world of ours. The culture and priorities of these are widely varied. Not all their approaches and intentions are the same. This reflects their attitude towards environment too. Although we share the same environment, there is no guarantee that competitors would be equally concerned of the environment. When some organizations take immense pain and effort to protect the environment, investing immensely in it, their competitors can easily make profits by avoiding or manipulating these. Environmental protection requires fundamentally an understanding, a concern of one’s actions on the environment. Honda has set an exceptional example by understanding its actions on the environment, and taking cautious and big steps towards ensuring a sustainable environment. The environment is a common habitat for all, whether one indulges in pollution or not. Organizations should follow the footsteps of Honda with a sense of same involvement and dedication, for only then we can give a future to the following generations.

The Neuropsychological Double Dissociation Psychology Essay

The Neuropsychological Double Dissociation Psychology Essay Uncomfortable bedfellows; according to Bishop this constitutes the relationship between cognitive neuropsychology and developmental disorders. Boyle et al. (2011) showed that one out of six children suffer from a developmental disorder. The ICD-10 (WHO, 1992) defines developmental disorders (DD) as fulfilling three categories: an early onset, a delay in developmental functions relating to the CNS or biological maturation and a lack of remission. The DSM-IV (APA, 2000) takes a different direction by categorising Pervasive Developmental Disorders as characterized by impaired development of reciprocal social interaction and communication skills and the presence of stereotyped behaviour, interests, and activities. Whilst the first definition describes DD like developmental Prosopagnosia (face blindness, DP) which affects around 2.47% of the population (Kennerknecht, Grueter T., Welling, Wentzek, Horst, Edwards, Grueter M., 2006), the latter definition matches the triad of impairments of autism (ASD) which has a prevalence of 1% (Boyle et al., 2011). Comorbidity of DD such as ASD and prosopagnosia can result (Bate, 2012). At the same time, around 20% of individuals over 18 years suffer from acquired brain disorders and diseases (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2012). Deficits in acquired and developmental individuals are commonly mapped out using functional models and explored via double-dissociations. These are usually derived from acquired disorder (AD) patients rather than DD patients. How these factors influence the debate of cognitive neuropsychology and DD making uncomfortable bedfellows shall be explored in the following. Several points will be discussed as having an influential role in the debate of cognitive neuropsychology (CN) accounting for developmental disorders (DD). These are: modularity, plasticity and compensation, competence and performance, differences between exploring AD and DD and the role of double-dissociations in relation to developmental versus acquired disorders as displayed in CN. The association between structural and cognitive development is gaining recognition. Developmental changes in task-specific processing such as that of faces have been argued to play an important role in the amalgamation of various brain networks and experience-based growth of neural architecture (Westermann, Sirois, Shultz, Mareschal, 2006). Also, a bidirectional interaction between behavioural and neuronal development has been established as learning supposedly influences brain structuring and vice versa. Similarly, the rate of neurogenesis arguably depends on learning and environmental circumstances (Westermann et al., 2006). (Bishop, 1997, p.902) Following on from that, cognition is executed by the growing neurofunctional network. This distributed parallel processing arguably is organised into interacting modules (Table 1), which comprise of different levels of complexity depending on the cognitive task or function carried out (Jackson, 1958). This can be illustrated by Theory of Mind (Baron-Cohen, 1995) in ASD: ToM proposes developmental impairment of the ability to appreciate own and others mental states (beliefs, desires or intentions etc). Adams (2010), Brothers (1990) theory of the Social Brain and Leslies (1991) ToM Mechanism argue that key features of ToM can be explained in terms of modularity. Marchery (forthcoming) supports this as modularity poses a crucial characteristic of biological development. Arguably, deficits are not due to minor developmental brain problems in lower-level input and consequential cascading abnormal interaction between input and higher-level systems that affect all cognitive capacities (Karmiloff-Smith, 1998; 1992; Machery, forthcoming). Nonetheless, this is what Gerrans P.,T. and Stone (2008) argue. Additionally, low-level deficits such as gaze and face processing prevent ASD individuals from having the same experience as typically developing individuals, caused by a deficit in domain-general capacity. This has the aforementioned cascading interaction effect during development rather than leading to a dysfunctional mindreading module. However, Gerrans et al. do not see development as single causality. Reconciling, Baron-Cohen (1995) postulates that ToM is either seen as innate module or explained by deficits in general learning mechanisms and unifies both in the intermediate model of Social Perception of Minimalist Innate Modularity. (Amaral, Schumann, Nordahl, 2008, p.2) Figure 1 displays brain structures associated with dysfunctions in ASD. Amaral et al. (2008) join the debate of modularity suggesting that despite functional identification of modules no clear pathology has emerged yet but rather, that e.g. Schumann and Amaral, (2004) have demonstrated that the developmental trajectory itself rather than the final product exhibits most disruption and by this posing a further point against applying CN to the explanation of DD. Functions of modularity imply, on the other hand, that one zone can belong to several overlapping neuronal networks (Damasceno, 2010).Disordered brain development can lead to structural disruption and thereby to several dysfunctions which may not appear as a specific deficit but as a syndrome (a collection of symptoms) as demonstrated in the triad of impairments in ASD (Wing Gould, 1979). Similarly, lesions to a localised brain area do not always cause isolated but sometimes collective symptoms (Kolb, Brown, Witt-Lajeunesse, Gibb, 2001). These are caused, i.a. by disturbances in interconnected regions which might appear intact on functional brain imaging scans. However, changes in neurotransmission, excitatory or inhibitory processes or blood flow might cause secondary symptoms not predicted by the data. One interesting example was proposed by Sandel, Weiss and Ivker (1990): their patient was described as amnesic after traumatic brain injury. Her impaired cognition was considered a secondary deficit as her EEG and other clinical tests proved negative. No other disruptions were present until she was eventually diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. Therefore several unexpected and seemingly unconnected functional disruptions might result from a single localised lesion. These points argue against the notion of using CN in explaining DD due to the assumptions held. Advancing to the next argument, functional (mal)development following lesions or disrupted neurogenesis might also demonstrate individual differences in brain structure, due to varying input, demands and circumstances. Thomas and Karmiloff-Smith (2003) added that specialisation/modularity is not directing development but contrarily, is the outcome of this. On the other hand, the brain activity of healthy individuals supports a normalisation process to facilitate models being created for generalisation purposes. As Tager-Flusberg (1999) counter-argues, functional variation in dysfunctional individuals is similar to that of typical population. Allegedly, localisation is universally alike thereby plasticity, compensation or adaptation to damage are neglected. Examples of compensatory processes and resulting behaviour (or v.v.?) are stimming in ASD for sensory overload (Grandin, 2009) or remembering haircuts in prosopagnosics for identification (Bate, 2012). Adaptation can express itself by change in neurochemistry, psychomotor stimulants and compensatory behaviour while it is argued that the behaviour triggers alteration in neurochemistry (Kolb et al., 2001). This in turn, points to the aforementioned bidirectionality of structure and learning which has implications for acquired as well as developmental patients and goes against explaining DD in a CN framework. At this point, double-dissociations are commonly applied to provide clues to brain-behaviour relationships. In 1955, Teuber introduced the term double-dissociation referring to mirror-deficit patients. Buchaine, Parker, and Nakayama (2003) proposed the example of NM, a prosopagnosic whose abilities support previous findings (Young, Newcombe, De Haan, Small, Hay, 1993) of a double-dissociation of identity and emotion recognition. Van Peelen, Lucas, Mayer, and Vuilleumier (2009) added that emotional guidance of attention to facial expression can be unimpaired and thus functionally differ from face identification. Interestingly, Teuber did not establish double-dissociations to discover networks within cognitive architecture (Van Orden, Pennington, Stone, 2001) as localising a lesion does not imply a responsibility for dysfunctions. Further, modularity of functional networks has not been unanimously established. Nonetheless, modularity is one key feature of CN serving the notion of double-dissociations. CN informs theories of normal cognitive function by analysing the break down of cognitive systems in atypical patients (Bullinaria Chater, 1997). However, inferring theory from damage patients is full of obstacles and depends on models of normal functioning. As Caramazza (1984) argued, double-dissociations are valid forms of inference but only if the cognitive model is well developed; only single-case studies can provide information relevant to our understanding of cognitive architecture. Contradicting, Shallice (1988) argued that a double-dissociation between two tasks does not necessarily imply a double-dissociation between cognitive processes. Since the argument concerning emergence of CN models and the role of AD and DD has not been resolved yet, a need of inclusion of further aspects becomes apparent. One aspect is Residual Normality which claims that atypical development impairs only specific domains while the rest functions typically (Thomas Karmiloff-Smith, 2002). Similar behavioural impairments demonstrated by adult brain damage and infant-onset disorders are assumed to support modularity of typical neuronal system structure. Opposing the assumption of RN, compensation due to damage causes alterations in various other modules (Thomas, 2003). Shallice (1988) introduced deriving knowledge about the neuronal system from behavioural impairments in AD and DD, such as malfunctioning ToM in autism (Leslie, 1991). As argued by Bishop and Karmiloff-Smith (1997; 1998) such an inferential process within the static model of CN leads to invalid explanations of dysfunctional development. Functional Models on the other hand do not possess a developmental component, and display what is expected to happen under various conditions in terms of functionality and processes (DMello Franklin, 2011). Thus impairments can be analysed under the assumption of RN as it has been done, for example in the study of autism and prosopagnosia (Thomas et al., 2002). Examples of models are given in Figure two and three. Despite this, it has been suggested to use connectionist models where in AD the damage is applied at the end of training and for DD prior to it as this is argued to reflect actuality in a truer light. Connectionist models indeed are suitable for the investigation of DD as behavioural deficits such as in autism (Thomas et al., 2002) can be captured well following simulated atypical development. It is highlighted that AD and DD are studied using separate models, thereby arguing against functional models within CN. Figure 2: Functional model of face-processing (Wright, Wardlaw, Young, Zeman, 2006) Figure 3: Models of Autism (Anderson and Herbert, 2008) The aforementioned factors influencing whether cognitive neuropsychology is suitable for explaining DD have given a mixed picture. Jackson and Coltheart (2001) defended the use of CN in DD stating that development itself (thus distal causes like genes or background) are irrelevant for the identification of un/healthy functions, given modularity. Whether acquired or developmental proximal (what is wrong right now) and distal causes can be deduced independently from each other. Indeed, Jackson et al. argue that common architectural issues in AD and DD can be established using CN. Bishop on the other hand postulates against this as deficits are focused on while intact processes are neglected. Further, top-down and bottom-up interactions are dismissed. Karmiloff-Smith (1998) deems these highly relevant for understanding DD. Thirdly a uniform modularity is assumed without accounting for alterations in development. Bishop proposed that AD should be researched using single-case double-dissociations while for DD, as they are likely to demonstrate associated deficits, group studies are recommended. Problematically, the debate on what constitutes a module has not been clarified yet (e.g. Fodor (2000): encapsulation, Coltheart (1999): domain specificity). Until this is established functional models and CN will not carry valid explanations nor reveal (mal)development well (Thomas et al., 2002). This underpins the view against exploring DD within a CN framework. Additionally, modularity/plasticitys scope of variation in DD and AD remains unestablished (Tager-Flusberg, 2000; Thomas et al., 2003). Humphreys, Ewing, and Karmiloff-Smith (2002) proposed the example of Williams syndrome patients possessing intact face recognition which is, however, achieved by applying processes diverging from typicality. Initially, face recognition was seen as intact despite visuospatial deficits, reduced sensitivity to inverted faces and lack of progressive development of localisation (Grice, Spratling, Karmiloff-Smith, Halit, Csibra, De Haan, Johnson, 2001). Hypothetically, assuming RN, this could be seen as double-dissociation between developmental prosopagnosia and WS. Basing modelling of DD on highly debated assumptions poses a problem for validity of the framework. Additionally, CN is accused of focusing on representational (competence) rather than processing (performance) deficits (Bishop, 1997). This, however, appears to be crucial in terms of applying research to DD. Weigelt, Koldewyn, and Kanwisher (2012) demonstrated a lack of qualitative difference (how facial identity is discriminated or remembered, competence) but rather a quantitative (how well, performance) difference in that ASD patients are impaired in memory and perception despite indication of intact face identity recognition. According to Bishop, this is another argument against applying CN to exploring DD. Concluding then, the much debated assumption of modularity held in cognitive neuropsychology overshadows exploration of disruptions during the trajectory of neuronal development. Applying double-dissociations to DD arguably yields invalid results and is more suited to acquired disorders. This is due to the assumptions within CN of Residual Normality, directionality of impact within disorders and its dependence on localisation of disruption, universality of localisation, neglect of plasticity and the focus on (in)competence. All in all, it has been proposed, while certain aspects could be overlooked, connectionist models rather than functional models would yield better results. Also, cognitive neuropsychology focuses on adult processes thus damage after complete development which is hard to match onto disorders of development. In order for CN to account validly for disorders, different models have to be applied for acquired and developmental cases.

Biological Activities of Betulin and Betulinic Acid

Biological Activities of Betulin and Betulinic Acid Betulin is the one of the premier pure, crystalline natural product obtained from plants through extraction and sublimation of birch bark (Lowitz 1788). Betulin and betulinic acid are closely related to each other, often found together in varying amount in different plant species when extracted by different solvents . Early anti septic property of betulin and its use become famous to be used in plaster for sterilization of cuts and wound .Studies indicated that betulin carry wound healing, cholesterol lowering activity, hepato-protecteive, anti-bacterial, anti-leishmenial, anti-viral, anti-cancer activities (Wheeler1899). Due to the high mutagenecity of HIV-1 and cancers cells in order to improve the biological activity of betulin and its derivatives various strategies were applied and still going on (Csuk, 2014), here we are presenting a coverage of the betulin, betulinic acid and its derivatives with their biological activity. Study carried on lung injury showed that betulinic acid protects sepsis induced lung injury against inflammation and indicated it as a potential regulator of the inflammation. In another study the positive effect on the acute lung injury cured by betulinic acid. The septic lung injury is generally characterized by the severe oxidative stress response, in addition to available treatment new methods are required to improve further clinical outcomes (Lingaraju et al., 2015). Lingaraju and coworkers found the effect of betulinic acid using cecal ligation and puncture model on oxidative lung injury. They treated two groups of mice with different concentration of betulinic acid, further their lung and plasma samples were collected for analysis by sacrificing the mice at 18hr. of surgery. They concluded increased antioxidants level in blood that lead to reduced lung injury in mice. The role of betulinic acid induces programmed death of human red blood cells (erythroptosis) was reported, whi ch is mediated through membrane permeabilization and calcium ion load (Gao et al.2014). Afzal and his group (Afzal et al. 2014) studied on the hypothyroidism in female albino rate for 2 months by giving them standard drug propyl thio uracil (PTU) for the induction of lower level of TSH for two months. Later on the mice were treated with standard thyroxin at a dose of 10ÃŽ ¼g/kg and the test drug betulinic acid at a dose of 20ÃŽ ¼g/kg of body weight. Finally after the two months study betulinic acid treated animals showed marked improvement in the follicle integrity that showed betulinic acid has protective activity against hypothyroidism. Two groups of semi synthetic derivatives of betulin (BT01 to BT09) and betulinic acid (AB10 to AB16) were synthesized respectively which has shown antileishmanial combined-therapy with miltefosine (Sousa et al.2014). Leishmaniasis was previously treated by miltefosine, amphotericin B, pentavalent antimony compounds, pentamidine etc. but due to thei r toxicity and biological resistance new therapeutics as betulin and betulinic acid derivatives are new avenues for its treatment. Accordingly, it is important to continue the search for new effective and less toxic treatments. Effects on the cell cycle, apoptosis / necrosis events, morphology and DNA integrity with isobologram method were used for a comparative study in between miltefosine with some of the derivative synthesized during the study. The AB13 (28-(1H-imidazole-1-yl)-3,28-dioxo-lup-1,20(29)-dien-2-yl-1H-imidazole-1-carboxylate) and BT06 (3ÃŽ ²-Hydroxy-(20R)-lupan-29-oxo-28-yl-1H-imidazole-1-carboxylate) derivatives were found to be the most active, with IC50 values of 25.8  µM, and 50.8  µM respectively. Synergistic interactions were observed between these two compounds and miltefosine. Significant morphological changes were observed using AB13, while both derivatives (AB13 and BT06) produced anti-proliferative activity through cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Neither of these derivatives induced significant apoptosis /necrosis, as indicated by phosphatidylserine externalization and DNA fragmentation assays. Not only that, neither of the derivatives induced death in macrophage cell lines. Thus, they do not present any potential risk of toxicity for the host cells. This study identified the betulin derivative BT06 and the betulinic acid derivative AB13 as promising molecules in the development of new alternative therapies for leishmaniasis, including those involving combined-therapy with miltefosine. The solubility of betulin and its derivatives has been the most significant issue in drug development from these hydrophobic molecules . To overcome this problem nano-emulsion gels of betulinic acid were formulated(Bag and Dash 2011). They tried 20 organic solvents as well aqueous alcohol mixture to synthesize renewable nano-sized 6-6-6-6-5 pentacyclic triterpenic acid . They confirmed their results of increased hydro solubility as they found nano and micrometer length fibers using atomic force microscopy as well electron microscopy. Role of betulinic acid in manipulating the significant actions and role of xenobiotic and antioxidative enzymes in cancer initiation and proliferation were studied (Kaur and Arora 2013) . They studied on the interactio ns of betulinic acid on Sprague Dawley female rats with xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes including cytochrome b5, P420, P450, NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase, and NADH cytochrome b5 reductase (mixed function oxidases ), GST, DT-diaphorase, ÃŽ ³-glutamyl transpeptidase (phase II enzymes), alone as well as in the presence of 7,12 dimethylbenzanthracene(DMBA). The reduction in glutathione content and protein content was considered in the study to get the effect of betulinic acid. They observed the lower level of mixed function oxidases those are responsible for the conversion of carcinogen to electrophile and further increase in phase II enzymes which participated in the removal of electrophiles by sulfation or conjugation under betulinic acid treatment . Also reported that betulinic acid effectively removed or neutralized the reactive species by the action of phase II enzymes and such an effect was demonstrated from the specific activities of antioxidative enzymes which were found to b e lower as compared to positive control (DMBA-treated group) and in some cases even that of untreated control. They also found a pronounced effect of betulinic acid in protecting the animals from lipid peroxidation as evident from the reduced levels of TBARS, conjugated diene, and lipid hydroperoxide formation. Inhibition of SREBP1 activity through AMPK-mTOR-SREBP signaling pathway using betulinic acid was studied (Kim et al.2013) . Insulin-resistant HepG2 cells, primary rat hepatocytes and liver tissue from high-fat fed ICR mice were used to get insight of the mechanism responsible for anti fatty liver effect . Accumulations of triglyceride are the indication of fat deposition that was analyzed by â€Å"Oil Red O staining†, which suppression was reported by betulinic acid. Calcium-calmodulin dependent protein kinase kinase (CAMKK) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) both were activated by betulinic acid while on the other hand the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), pr otein levels of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), and S6 kinase (S6K) were all reduced when hepatocytes were treated with betulinic acid for up to 24 hours. Reduced lipogenesis leading to low lipid accumulation, nuclear translocation and repressed SREBP1 target gene expression in HepG2 cells and primary hepatocytes, suppression of SREBP1 mRNA expression and activation of AMPK via phosphorylation through betulinic acid were also highlighted in the study. Overall they suggested that betulinic acid could be promising molecule effectively ameliorating intracellular lipid accumulation in liver cells preventing fatty liver diseases. Reduction in skin hyper-pigmentation using betuinic acid from Vitis amurensis root and its anti-melanogenic effect and precise mechanism underlying the anti-melanogenic activity of betulinic acid in B16F10 cells were investigated (Jin et al. (2014). Betulinic acid significantly reduced 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX)-induced melanin synt hesis by inhibiting tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2 expression through the modulation of their corresponding transcription factors in B16F10 cells. In addition, phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extra cellular regulated kinase (ERK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) involved in the melanogenesis processes, were ameliorated by betulinic acid treatment. Specific inhibitors were used, PD98059 (for MEK/ERK) and LY294002 (for PI3K/Akt respectively) to confirm the role of MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in the melanogenesis. Consequently, betulinic acid inhibited melanin production by tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2 inhibition through the regulation of CREB and MITF, which was accompanied with MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt inactivation in IBMX-stimulated B16F10 cells. Finally these results expressed a novel molecular function of betulinic acid melanogenesis, which in turn enhances our understanding on the application of cosmetic therapy for reducing. Investigation were done on betulinic acid mediated fat mobilization by enhancing the level of lipolysis in adipose tissue that showed the antiobesity properties of betulinic acid with their possible mechanisms (Kim et al.2012). The lipolytic effects of betulinic acid were assayed in rat adipose tissues with inhibition of anti-lipase function and pancreatic lipase activity of betulinic acid in vitro which lead to prevent the elevation of plasma triacylglycerol levels, after oral administration of a lipid emulsion to rats where activity of cAMP-dependent phosphodiesterase was also measured. Betulinic acid inhibited pancreatic lipase activity in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations of 1.5-100à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ µM (ICà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â€š ¬ value of 21.10à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ µM) prevented the elevation of plasma triacylglycerol level after 2 hours of oral administration of the lipid emulsion at a dose of 100à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °mg/kg concluded the strong lipo lytic effect of betulinic acid which was mediated by cAMP-dependent phosphodiesterase inhibition. Betulinic acid exerted antiobesity effects by directly inhibiting pancreatic lipase, that can prevent the absorption of lipid from the small intestine. Recent studies on the chemical as well biological synthesis of the betulinic acid derivatives , they used fungi in combination with plant tissue culture of carrot and found that the most active derivative as , 3-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazono-lup-(20R)-29-oxolupan-28-oic acid, showed IC50values between 1.76 and 2.51ÃŽ ¼M against five human cancer cell lines (Baratto et al. 2013). The most selective, 3-hydroxy-20-(2, 4-dinitrophenyl) hydrazono-29-norlupan-28-oic acid, was five to seven times more selective for cancer cells when compared to fibroblasts. The cell cycle studies and apoptosis induction, with high cytotoxicity and selectivity on the tumour cell shown the efficacy of the transformed molecule. The design and synthesis of seco deri vtives from the alteration in the â€Å"A† ring of betulinic acid were carried (Hsin-Yi Hung 2014). A group of compounds were synthesized and their enhanced chemopreventive ability in vitro short term induced assays were done in Raji cells, C28 modified analogs shown significant activation. One of the modified derivative was found to shown 100% inhibition of EBV-EA at 1Ãâ€"103molratio/TPA ,73.4%, 35.9%, and 8.4% inhibition at 5Ãâ€"102, 1Ãâ€"102, and10molratio/TPA, respectively, comparable with curcumin at high concentration. In an investigation the role of betulinic acid co-regulation with vitamin D3,was reported that showed that betulinic acid improves insulin secretion with increasing glycogen content and glucose uptake in muscle tissue(Castro et al.2014). It was also reported that betulinic acid enhances the GLUT4 immunocontent and its translocation was supported by GLUT4 itself as well it does not cause hyper-calcemia that is very significant from the drug discovery pe rspective. In search of safe and natural treatment of obesity betulinic acid was tried as anti-obese drug on swiss albino male mice fed with high fat diet. Betulinic acid was extracted from ethanolic root extract of Clusia nemorosa (Rao et al. 2009).They treated mice at 50mg/kg body weight with control where they found significant control on the The therapeutic potential of betulinic acid on bone metastases and skeletal complications in breast cancer patients were investigated (Park et al.2014). They suggested the protective and therapeutic potential of betulinic acid on cancer-associated bone diseases. This is the first report indicating effect of betulinic acid on breast cancer cells, osteoblastic cells, and osteoclasts in the vicious cycle of osteolytic bone metastasis. Betulinic acid reduced cell viability and the production of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), a major osteolytic factor, in MDA-MB-231 human metastatic breast cancer cells stimulated with or without tumor growth factor-ÃŽ ². An increase in the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) / osteoprotegerin ratio was blocked by betulinic acid through down regulating RANKL protein expression in PTHrP-treated human osteoblastic cells. Not only that the inhibition of RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in murine bone marrow macrophages an d decreased the production of resorbed area in plates with a bone biomimetic synthetic surface by suppressing the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, and cathepsin K in RANKL-induced osteoclasts was observed by betulinic acid. Furthermore, oral administration of betulinic acid inhibited bone loss in mice intra-tibially inoculated with breast cancer cells and in ovariectomized mice causing estrogen deprivation, as supported by the restored bone morphometric parameters and serum bone turnover markers. Taken together, these findings suggest that betulinic acid may have the potential to prevent bone loss in patients with bone metastases and cancer treatment-induced estrogen deficiency. A pioneer study on athymic nude mice, bearing MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma xenografts was taken as in vitro cytotoxic and in vivo anti-tumor model (Damle et al. 2013). The antitumour activity of betulinic acid was studied at 50 and100 mg/kg body weights, whereas cytotoxic activity of MCF- 7 cells with IC50 value of 13.5 µg/ml was studied by MTT assay. Betulinic acid treatment shown significant reduction in tumour size of 77 and 52% tumour size (100 and 50 mg/kg body weight respectively) in addition decreased angiogenesis, proliferation and invasion in betulinic acid treated mice were also highlighted through histopathological studies. Through topomer CoMFA , some 35 derivatives of betulinic acid were prepared and tested against HT29 human colon cancer cells (Ding et al.2013) . The contour maps showed that bulky and electron-donating groups would be favorable for activity at the C-28 position, and a moderately bulky and electron-withdrawing group near the C-3 position would improve this activity. Few of the betulin derivativeswere designed and synthesized as per the modeling result, while groups such as maleyl, phthalyl, and hexahydrophthalyl (bulky electronegative groups) were directly introduced at the C-28 position. They also found consistency with predicted and actual IC50 value of the given analogsagainst HT29 cells, proving that the present topomer CoMFA model is successful and that it could potentially forward the synthesis of newbetulinic acidderivativeswith high anti-cancer activity. Five tumour cell lines were tested against three newly synthesized derivatives where 28-O-hexahydrophthalyl betulin shown the greatest anti-cancer activities and its ICà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â€š ¬ values were lower than other tumour cell line except DU145.In an investigation Prunella vulgaris was used for betulinic acid and ursolic acid extraction those were responsible for the anti-estrogenic effects, suggested their potential application against estrogen-dependent tumors (Kim et al. 2014).In this study Prunella vulgaris constituents were isolated and tested their individual anti-estrogenic effects. Betulinic acids, ursolic acid, Rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, oleanolic acid, hyperoside, rutin, were isolated from the flower stalks of P. vulgaris var. lilacina Nakai (Labiatae) which showed anti-estrogenic effects as a decreased level in the mRNA of GREB1,revealed significant anti-estrogenic effects of betulinic acid and ursolic acid, on estrogen receptors .They also demonstrated the

My Relationship With Alcohol Essay -- Alcohol Use

Question: Name two prevalent authorities in your life that have shaped how you use, or do not use, alcohol. Explain how and why they have shaped you so. The strongest and most influential person who modeled alcohol use in my childhood was a male relative. I was not completely aware of many of these impacts until adolescence. As a child, I did not know what alcoholism was, I just assumed that the Beefeater Gin stench coming from my relative was his cologne. However, as I grew older and was exposed to a greater variety of people and circumstances, I slowly became aware of alcoholism. I began to incorporate the new experiences I had in relation to alcohol use with a deeper understanding of my extended family. This new awareness was unsettling and painful to me. Many of my relatives were alcoholics. There was never a family brunch, dinner, or casual gathering that was not centered around alcohol. The excessive and consistent reliance on alcohol fueled the arguments and shouting matches I witnessed between my male relatives. Their arguments were always laden with racist, sexi...

The Minimum Wage Should be Raised Essay -- Increase Minimum Wage Essays

Minimum wages go all the way back to 1938, during the great depression, when the stock market crash and bank loan were failing. Families need income of some type, were they wanted to make it fair were individual could get pay the same without a college degree. I am going to start off with a little about minimum wages history and how this could help our Economic. In 1892 Federal Government adopt an 8 hour workday and other wages standard for employee. In 1903 Congress create the U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor. In 1933 Congress passes the National Industrial Recovery Act covering private sector wage hour (Congressional Digest). â€Å"On Saturday, June 25, 1938, to avoid pocket vetoes 9 days after Congress had adjourned, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed 121 bills. Among these bills was a landmark law in the Nation’s social and economic development- Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938† (Jonathan Grossman, Dol.gov). Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 becomes basic federal statute governing minimum wage, working hour, equal pay, and child labor. Minimum wages was set at .25 cents an hour (Congressional Digest). Congress could raise minimum wages if our economic growth was better. Congress just cannot change minimum wage overnight. This take time and also studies to make sure the United State business can afford to pay more. But also now that minimum wages is only $7.25. Now, somehow the President and Congress think that a low-income family can live off less than $15,080 a year in 2012, according to David and Doug. Minimum wages did not fall pass the poverty line till about 1980. But also the value of a dollar was worth way more back then. During are economic growth has expanded, in which it means more people, and not enough job... ... in better shape today we would be making more than $7.25. But the value of a dollar is not worth what it once was. I believe that today minimum wage should be raised because everyone will need to have health insurance because it became a law in 2014. Works Cited Cooper, David, and Doug Hall. "Raising the Federal Minimum Wage to $10.10 Would Give Working Families, and the Overall Economy, a Much Needed Boost." N.p., 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. "Fair Labor Standard Timeline Evolution of Fedral Minimum Wage Law." Congressional Digest. N.p., Mar. 2007. Web. 1 Dec. 2013. "Home - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - U.S. Department of Labor." Home - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - U.S. Department of Labor. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2013. "Rebuilding an Economy That Works for All of Us." Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.

Blueprint Professional & Personal Growth Part II Essay

This paper is my analytic theorem to my Blueprint of Professional and Personal Growth from the course â€Å"Dynamic Leadership†. It gives a brief breakdown of my path to achieving my MBA. An executive summary is presented to show how the course educated me in a more systematic way and how it helped me identify my qualities as a leader and my values. Furthermore, in detail is three (3) goals I plan to achieve in my personal and professional development. Executive Summary Throughout this course, Dynamic Leadership has educated me and enlightened me in three aspects – being a leader, a follower and recognizing your personal values. Both leader and follower have a similar notion but with different service to offer – one portrays his dream and plans his mission and the other help to achieve this goal. Each of them have values, principles and ethics they live by whether in their work paradigm or at home. As this course engulfed me with so many different stages, I was able to identify different qualities of leaders and followers, what are their competencies, their different leadership styles and other leadership theories, how followers contribute to achieving the set goals, their weakness and strengths, their passion and purpose, the right timing to a right decision making, how values, principles, ethics and goals intertwine with ones personal and professional lives – individually and eventually to where it clarified profoundly, my Blueprint for Professional & Personal Growth. In general to be precis, Dynamic leadership shown me how to distinguish my leadership style(coercive, authoritative, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting and coaching styles) and projected theories to help me improve my direction as a leader in my organization. I was able to extricate my weaknesses and transform them into strengths. Not only I was able to listen more to my followers – opinions and advices, I was also guiding and sharing my experiences with them, involving them into my goals and boost their motivation. I was authoritative and afraid as I couldn’t trust my staff to delegate and take initiative. But this course has given me insight to better understand how effeicient and effective a leader should be and given the ability to self-manage. I learnt that to be adaptable in leading todays world of business requires strategic sense of personality infliction – meaning flexibility in switching leadership styles with your staff in order to maintain balance and result into productive work and innovation. Likewise, I was able to understand the different competency in followership and how to guide my followers inorder to be effective in their job. Through the interesting stories of successful leaders, my passion did find its purpose by instilling creative ideas, how to lead a diversity of different nationals, globalization, the power of technology merged with business (e-business), adapt to change and have a sight for long term goals. I realized how confusing my goals were, until I took the Personal Value Survey, it enlightened me in details and more clarification how to set my goals smartly, calculating time, recognizing my milestones and how to achieve them. Fascinated by the discussions of different points of views from my peers, made me relish the successful results I gained. Not forgetting few resonating statement, an interview with Kimberly Carter, â€Å"How would I know wether I could be successful at my venture if I didn’t try†¦. A sense of responsibility to encourage others by helping them recognize that they cannot grow unless they realize they don’t fit in any predefined box†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Her story made me put out my capabilities without fear, voicing out what I believe is right or wrong, allowing me to take risks and be prepared for any challenges and moreover to recognize the efforts of those contributing to achieve the goals by understanding them and allowing for innovation by giving them the initiative. Furthermore, Deb Henretta’s interview also displayed so many reflections in the way she runs her business as I have a little similarity managing and leading mine. Some important factors that she tackled in correspondence to other articles that I have read in the book of â€Å"Passion and Purpose† which have connections in how I run and manage my organiztaion. Such as the importance of your personnel satisfaction that will result into better use and expansion of their abilities in which it is also stated in an article by Dominic Barton (Coleman et. al, 2012g), the importance of working with the team of diverse individuality â€Å"Embracing the Global Generation† (Coleman et. al, 2012) and also recognizing the distinctiveness of every staff regardless of their gender, sex or race â€Å"Nonconforming Culture† by Kimberly Carter(Carter,2012). In conclusion, by recognizing my values, principles and goals, I was able to have a picture of how long I can achieve my set objectives and more precisely how I go about in attaining it. With my MBA, I believe not only I can change certain things but also develop it into a higher success for a longer term effects. The shared practices within the forum, helped me to be more analytical and logic. Reading from my peers their diverse experience and goals, not only powered me to achieve more, open other types of companies, listen more, better creative ideas, but most importantly they give me the â€Å"determination† in achieving them without fear and be prepared to face predicted chalalnges. Below is three (3) goals I am driven to achieve within the time frame of 5 years and even more, given that one of my goals is to instill for a longer term. Blueprint for Professional & Personal Growth Part II Action Plans During the shared practices and articles read during week 6 & 7, I was able grasp the significance in the ability to draw out the values, principles and goals wether you are a leader, a follower or an individual. I was able to draw out many short and long term goals and have them prioritized. From the action plan that I have set, I am actually thinking of acquiring another MBA in Marketing. My mother said to me once that she has always seen the lady of substance in me. Through this clarification of my personal values I plan to be more than what she portrays me to be and someday be a renowned strong wealthy business woman – like those popular strong business men in Forbes magazine. My definition of wealthy is not by any fical monetary terms but by the power of accruing knowledge and wisdom.

Film Study: the Shining

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