Dubliners & country Essay Example for Free

Dubliners country Essay Dubliners is a book written by James Joyce and published by Penguin Classics. It has a collection of 15 short stories with wonderful plot, characters, and themes. It talks about interesting tales set in Dublin and various characters which show great love for their country in general. Readers will find themselves more than interested and glued to the leaves of the book. They will feel like they are in a roller coaster ride as the stories unfold before them, shifting from success to failure then back to success again. In her stories, the author shows a hint of his disappointments in some of the people of Dublin and the way they chose to live. The book, as a whole, presents the way of living in Dublin. Reading the stories in this book can make the reader feel that he or she is really in the setting of the story while personally interacting with the characters and sharing their lifes ups and downs with them. The author used words that catch images and achieve a clearer picture through the marvelously written words on the books pages. In addition, the use of the color gold reveals that the author associated this color to his country. It is a country full of dreams and dreamers. In the book, Joyce presented contrasting themes because there are stories about the country that will attract readers to visit the place while there are parts of the book that make readers feel to never step on that place. However, later on readers will find themselves having a deep respect for the country and all the people who live there. The story â€Å"The Dead† is one of the stories of Dubliners that is not only interesting but also gives out ideas about love, marriage and relationship. It is about a failed marriage caused by relationship full of dishonesty and deception. Keeping secrets will really ruin a relationship. However, the author still showed love in the characters even though the relationship was already failing. Joyce wanted to imply that loving someone is possible despite all the problems. Loving means accepting the imperfections and giving unconditional love. Alcoholism also plays a great role in the Dubliners. The short stories entitled Little Cloud, Counterparts, and The Dead show that alcohol is a huge part of the lives of the characters. It is used by the characters to escape from reality and the problems that they have. At the same time, it is also used to enjoy and have merrymaking. The author also used alcohol to reveal the real situation during the time that he was writing the book. In fact, at that time, alcohol and alcohol abuse was really rampant. Alcohol can make or break ones personality which appears obviously on the life of the characters in the Dubliners. The book will let readers feel mixed emotions. There are happy moments but there are also moments of distress and depression. For instance, there were citizens of Dublin who escaped from the country, only to be imprisoned later on. It gives out a hopeless scenario of life during that time and shows a stagnant impression of Dublin. The short story entitled â€Å"Mother† is depressing and less entertaining. Nevertheless, the author wanted to show that the book was not only created for entertainment. It is a book that shows moving story for all ages. Words are really powerful in the book Dubliners. The author uses words that are gentle which later turns out to be full of angst. The emotion of good and bad is also shown. First you will feel the love and later on hate. There are stories which are depressing at first but end with full of hope. Upon reading Dubliners, I find myself fastened on my seat without taking any of my attention away from the stories. I was never disappointed with the way the author narrates the lives of the Dubliners. It is worthy of the time being spent on reading. It is a highly recommendable book to be read by everyone to achieve a sense of patriotism. Works Cited Joyce, James. Dubliners. London: Penguin Classics, 1956.

Extraction of Amylase Enzyme From Yam | Experiment

Extraction of Amylase Enzyme From Yam | Experiment Amylolytic enzymes are widely distributed in plant tissues, e.g. in storage tissues such as seeds and tubers and in vegetative organs such as leaves. There exist two types of amylases in some species of plants, (E.C.3.2.1.1; 1-4-ÃŽÂ ±-D-glucan glucohydrolase) and (E.C.3.2.1.2; 1-4-ÃŽÂ ²-D-glucan maltohydrolase) amylases [Thoma, J.A., J.E. Sprandlin and S. Dygert, 1971]. Beta-amylase (-1, 4-glucan maltohyrolase, E.C.3,2,1,2) is an exoamylase that attacks the non reducing ends of starches molecules, producing a-maltose and a limit dextrin as products [Thoma, J.A., J.E. Sprandlin and S. Dygert, 1971]. In starch-enriched tissues, ÃŽÂ ²-amylase may play a role in the mobilization of starch during germination or sprouting tubers [Greenwood, C.T. and E.A. Milne, 1968]. Many reports have been demonstrated that ÃŽÂ ²-amylase has a great commercial value in food and beverage industries. The enzyme is useful in structural studies of starch and glycogen. Marshal and Whelan [Marshall, J. et al 1973] report on the removal of any contaminating ÃŽÂ ²-glucosidase. The practical interest of ÃŽÂ ²-amylase was concentrated on its capacity to produce maltose syrups from starch [Biovin, P., 1997.]. ÃŽÂ ²-amylase has previously been purified and characterized from different types of plant sources and a few of microbial origin. In higher plants, the molecular characterization of ÃŽÂ ²-amylase has been carried out on enzyme purified from the organs enriched in starch such as sweet potato tubers [Balls, A.K.,1948, et al], leaves [Vikso-Nelson, A., et al 1997], bulbs [Dicko, M.H., et al, 2000], seeds of various cereal species such as barley [Shinke, R. et al 1971], wheat [Trachuk, R. et al 1966], rice [Okamato, K. and T. Akazawa, 1978] and other higher plants such as soybean [Gertler, A. and Y. Birk, 1965]. On the other hand, much less information is available on the purification and characterization of ÃŽÂ ²-amylase from root. The present study reports the pur ification of ÃŽÂ ²-amylase from Yam (Dioscorea esculenta) root to a pure state along with its characterization. Amylase is an enzyme that breaks starch down into sugar. Amylase is present in human saliva, where it begins the chemical process of digestion. Foods that contain much starch but little sugar, such as rice and potato, taste slightly sweet as they are chewed because amylase turns some of their starch into sugar in the mouth. The pancreas also makes amylase (alpha amylase) to hydrolyse dietary starch into disaccharides and trisaccharides which are converted by other enzymes to glucose to supply the body with energy. Plants and some bacteria also produce amylase. As diastase, amylase was the first enzyme to be discovered and isolated (by Anselme Payen in 1833). Specific amylase proteins are designated by different Greek letters. All amylases are glycoside drolases and act on ÃŽÂ ±-1,4-glycosidic bonds. It will start to denature at around 60C. Amylase digests not only carbohydrates but also dead white blood cells. For example, when you are low in amylase you are a candidate for abscesses (inflamed areas with pus but not bacteria). If you have a toothache and are being treated with antibiotics, but it doesnt go away, chances are you have an abscess. Amylase is involved in anti-inflammatory reactions such as those caused by the release of histamine and similar substances. The inflammatory response usually occurs in organs which are in contact with the outside world, i.e., the lungs and skin. These include skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema, hives and all types of herpes. Some lung problem including asthma and emphysema may require amylase plus other enzyme formulas depending on the particular ailment. There are many types of amylases, but of importance are: ÃŽÂ ±-amylase, ÃŽÂ ²-amylase and glucoamylase. A diagram of an amylase molecule from human saliva. 1.1 ÃŽÂ ²Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ­ Amylase (EC 3.2.1.2) (alternate names: 1,4-ÃŽÂ ±-D-glucan maltohydrolase; glycogenase; saccharogen amylase) Another form of amylase, ÃŽÂ ²-amylase is also synthesized by bacteria, fungi, and plants. Working from the non-reducing end, ÃŽÂ ²-amylase catalyzes the hydrolysis of the second ÃŽÂ ±-1,4 glycosidic bond, cleaving off two glucose units (maltose) at a time. During the ripening of fruit, ÃŽÂ ²-amylase breaks starch into maltose, resulting in the sweet flavor of ripe fruit. Both ÃŽÂ ±-amylase and ÃŽÂ ²-amylase are present in seeds; ÃŽÂ ²-amylase is present prior to germination, whereas ÃŽÂ ±-amylase and proteases appear once germination has begun. Cereal grain amylase is key to the production of malt. Many microbes also produce amylase to degrade extracellular starches. Animal tissues do not contain ÃŽÂ ²-amylase, although it may be present in microrganisms contained within the digestive tract. 1.1.2 CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM Digestion of carbohydrate begins in the mouth by the action of salivary ÃŽÂ ±-amylase.Only limited digestion of carbohydrate occurs, however, because salivary ÃŽÂ ±-amylase is denatured in the stomach due to the low pH. Digestion begins again in the small intestine when pancreatic ÃŽÂ ±-amylase is secreted. Starch is broken down into maltose, isomaltose, and maltotriose by ÃŽÂ ±-amylase through the hydrolysis of ÃŽÂ ±-1-4 glycosidic bonds. These products as well as any other disaccharides that were ingested must be further digested to their respective monosaccharide units by brush border enzymes (maltase, isomaltase, lactase, and sucrase) before absorption. Maltose is hydrolyzed to two glucose molecules by maltase. Isomaltose is hydrolyzed to two glucose molecules by isomaltase. Lactose is hydrolyzed to one molecule of glucose and one molecule of galactose by lactase. Sucrose is hydrolyzed to one molecule of fructose and one molecule of glucose by sucrase. After absorp tion, glucose, galactose, and fructose are transported to the liver via the portal blood. The liver can transform galactose and fructose into glucose (Gropper et al 2005). 1.1.3 REACTIONS OF BETA AMYLASE Starch + H2O in vitro breakdown of semicrystalline starch particles by beta-amylases increases significantly if they act together with glucan, water dikinase starch substrate of different sources, e.g. wheat, wheat bran, rice bran beta-amylase hydrolyzes alpha-1,4-linkage, raw starch granules from potato, wheat, rice and corn, with the granules from rice being the best substrate, beta-amylase attacks very slowly on the starch granules, hydrolyzes corn granules efficiently at 45 °C . Beta-amylase is an exo-enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of the alpha-1,4-glucosidic linkage of the substrate liberating beta-maltose from the non-reducing end, Glu-172 and Glu-367 are catalytic residues, substrate recognition mechanism, enzyme structure beta-amylase is an inverting enzyme that hydrolyzes the alpha-1,4-glucosidic linkage of the substrate liberating beta-maltose from the non-reducing end, catalytic mechanism, Glu-172 acts as general acid, Glu-367 acts as general base catalyzes the hydrolysis of alpha-1,4-glucosidic linkages of soluble starch, and liberates beta-anomeric maltose from the nonreducing ends, exo-acting enzyme, composed of two functional domains, a catalytic domain: domains A and B, and starch-binding domain: domain C, beta-amylase has three carbohydrate-binding sites aside from the active site: two in domain B named Site2 and Site3, one in domain C named Site1, roles of these sites in the catalytic reaction and raw starch-binding, beta-amylase hardly h ydrolyzes raw starch from wheat, corn, potato or sweet potato, but binds to it strongly hydrolyzes the alpha-1,4-glucosidic linkage liberating beta-maltose from the non-reducing end of substrate, enzyme/domain structure, starch binding site in domain C, catalytic mechanism starch substrate of different sources, e.g. wheat, wheat bran, rice bran starch substrate of different sources. Beta-amylase hydrolyzes alpha-1,4-linkage, raw starch granules from potato, wheat, rice and corn, with the granules from rice being the best substrate, no efficient hydrolysis of raw starch granules, very slow enzymic attack catalyzes the release of maltose from soluble starch. Malbranchea sulfureastarch substrate of different sources, e.g. wheat, wheat bran, rice bran 106.9% of the activity with amylose, soluble starch, amylose and amylopectin are the most suitable substrates, some activity against native starch, exo-hydrolase that releases beta-maltose from the non-reducing end of alpha-1,4-linked poly- and oligoglucans until the first alpha-1,6-branching point along the substrate molecule is encountered, beta-amylase should be a key enzyme in starch degradation during the germination of millet seeds, enzyme activity increases during days 1-4 of germination starch substrate of different sources, e.g. wheat, wheat bran, rice bran best substrate, pure and low quality starches, maize starch, tapioca starch maltose is the major end product, traces of maltooligosaccharides, no glucose as product. Beta-amylase is involved in starch degradation during mango ripening, which is clearly triggered by detachment from the mother-plant starch enzyme induction upon a cold shock at 4 °C leads to starch-dependent maltose accumulation, which might be required for protection of the photosynthetic electron transport chain, maltose influences the carbohydrate metabolism. Of the components of starch, amylopectin presents the great challenge to hydrolytic enzyme systems. This is due to residues involved in 1,6-glycosidic branch points which constitute about 4-6% of the glucose present. Most hydrolytic enzyme are specific for 1,4-glycosidic links yet the 1,6-glycosidic links must also cleaved for complete hydrolysis of amylopectin to glucose. Some of the most impressive recent exercises in the development of new enzymes have concerned debranching enzymes. It is necessary to hydrolyse starch in a wide variety of processes which may be condensed into two basic classes; Processes in which the starch hydrolysate is to be used by microbes or man and processes in which it is necessary to eliminate starch. In the former processes, such as glucose syrup production, starch is usually the major component of reaction mixtures, whereas in the latter processes, such as the processing of sugar cane juice, small amounts of starch which contaminate non-starchy materials are removed. Enzymes of various types are used in these processes. Although starches from diverse plants may be utilized, corn is the worlds most abundant source and provides most of the substrate used in the preparation of starch hydrolysates. There are three stages in the conversion of starch Gelatinisation, involving the dissolution of the nanogram-sized starch granules to form a viscous suspension; Liquefaction, involving the partial hydrolysis of the starch, with concomitant loss in viscosity; and Saccharification, involving the production of glucose and maltose by further hydrolysis. Galatinisation is achieved by heating starch with water, and occurs necessarily and naturally when starchy foods are cooked. Gelatinized starch is readily liquefied by partial hydrolysis with enzymes or acids are saccharified by further acidic or enzymic hydrolysis (Chaplin,2004). USES OF AMYLASE Amylase enzyme finds use in bread making and to break down complex sugars such as starch (found in flour) into simple sugars. Yeast then feeds on these simple sugars and converts it into the waste products of alcohol and CO2. This imparts flavour and causes the bread to rise. While Amylase enzymes are found naturally in yeast cells, it takes time for the yeast to produce enough of these enzymes to break down significant quantities of starch in the bread. This is the reason for long fermented doughs such as sour dough. Modern bread making techniques have included amylase enzymes (often in the form of malted barley) into bread improver thereby making the bread making process faster and more practical for commercial use. When used as a food additive, and may be derived from swine pancreas or mould mushroom. Bacilliary amylase is also used in clothing and dishwasher detergents to dissolve starches from fabrics and dishes. Workers in factories that work with amylase for any of the above uses are at increased risk of occupational asthma. 5-9% of bakers have a positive skin test, and a fourth to a third of bakers with breathing problems are hypersensitive to amylase. An inhibitor of alpha-amylase called phaseolamin has been tested as a potential diet aid. Blood serum amylase may be measured for purposes of medical diagnosis. A normal concentration is in the range 21-101 Mol/L. A higher than normal concentration may reflect one of several medical conditions, including acute inflammation of the pancreas, macroamylasemia, perforated peptic ulcer, and mumps. Amylase may be measured in other body fluids, including urine and peritoneal fluid. Two amylases are common to the baking industry, alpha-amylase and beta-amylase also known as alpha-1,4-glucan glucanohydrolase and alpha-1,4-glucan maltohydrolase. Amylases convert starch into sugar : the ÃŽÂ ±-amylase will cleave the starch randomly (the so called 1-4 bonds in the starch) while the ÃŽÂ ²-amylase can only chop off two sugar units at the time at the end of the starch chain. Normally there is enough ÃŽÂ ²-amylase present in the flour but sometimes addition of ÃŽÂ ±-amylase is needed. The ÃŽÂ ±-amylase will cut the starch into smaller units called dextrins and the more ÃŽÂ ±-amylase activity there is, the better for the ÃŽÂ ²-amylase because there are more extremities available. So the substrate for the ÃŽÂ ²-amylase is either starch or dextrins and the product is maltose. Alpha-amylase is an endoenzyme that attacks linkages within the molecular structure. It randomly cleaves starch chains at interior a-1,4-glycosidic linkages producing short chains of glucose molecules or dextrins. Beta-amylase is an exoenzyme and cleaves maltose units from the non-reducing end of the starch molecule. In order for these enzymes to function, the starch granule must be ruptured so that the individual starch molecules are available for enzymatic action. Depending upon their origin, alpha- and beta-amylases show differences in pH and temperature optima, thermostability, and other chemical stability. They do not require co-enzymes for activity, although alpha-amylase activity is enhanced by the presence of calcium. The pH optimum for alpha-amylase is 4.5 and it is inactivated at a pH of 3.3 to 4.0. This pH dependence decreases the efficacy of this enzyme in sour doughs. Beta-amylase is active across a much broader pH range, 4.5-9.2, with a pH optimum of 5.3. Alpha-amylase is relatively thermostable up to 70 °C, whereas beta-amylase loses about half of its activity at this temperature. Fungal amylase is the least temperature stable, followed by cereal amylase, while bacterial amylase is stable at higher temperatures. New intermediate stability enzymes have been developed that are active above the gelatinization temperature of starch (60 °C), but are totally inactivated at the later stages of baking (80-90 °C). The objective is to maximize the anti-staling effect without creating a gummy, sticky product. INHIBITORS OF AMYLASE ACTIVITY Amylase inhibitors are naturally present in many plants and protect the plant from pests by not allowing the insect to break down starch and gain energy from it. Plants may contain separate protease inhibitors as well or amylase inhibitors may play a dual role and also inhibit proteases. Protein amylase inhibitors as well as non-protein amylase inhibitors exist. Amylase inhibitors may be active against a wide variety of amylases or may be specific to certain insect amylases or mammalian amylases (Franco, et al 2002). Structure of Proteinaceous Amylase Inhibitors The determination of the structure of a complex between porcine pancreatic amylase  and a protein amylase inhibitor isolated from bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) showed interaction between the pancreatic amylase active site and the inhibitor. Conformational changes were observed in the pancreatic amylase upon the binding of the inhibitor. The inhibitor was found to be a dimer with a disaccharide attached to one of the amino acid residues.  (Bompard G., et al, 1996). Amylase Inhibitors in yam tuber (Shivaraj, et al,. 1979) reported that sweet potatoes do not contain amylase  inhibitors while (Rekha, et al,1999) reported the presence of amylase inhibitors in 79 of  the 100 varieties tested. Cultivar differences as well as isolation procedure could account for  these differing results. Before performing amylase inhibitor assays, Shivaraj and others  homogenized sweet potato with water, allowed the samples to sit for 1 hour, centrifuged the  samples, collected the supernatant, and then subjected the supernatant to heat treatment  (80 °C for 10 minutes) to destroy native amylases. Rekha and others homogenized yam tuber in a sodium phosphate buffer containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone and sodium chloride,  stored the samples in the refrigerator, centrifuged the samples, and then performed  trichloroacetic acid precipitation to remove native amylases. Rekha and others chose to use  TCA precipitation rather than the heat treatment Shivaraj found heat treatment to be in effective at destroying all native amylase activity. YAM Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae). These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania. There are many cultivars of yam. Yam (Dioscorea spp., Dioscoreaceae) is classified as monocotyledonous but is considered to be closely related to dicotyledonous plants as a second cotyledon remains undeveloped in the embryo (Lawton and Lawton, 1967). The storage organ is probably a swollen hypocotyl (Lawton and Lawton, 1969), but is often described as a swollen root. A number of species are grown widely in the humid tropics with D. rotundata and D. cayenensis being of most importance, followed by D. alata and D. esculenta (Akoroda, 1993). These are all of African or East Asian origin, with only the minor species D. trifida being of American origin (Brà ¼cher, 1989). The tubers contain about 1-3  % protein on a dry weight basis (Coursey, 1995). Yam is source of carbohydrate; carbohydrates are one of the three major food groups needed for proper nutrition. Amylase is the digestive enzyme needed to digest carbohydrates. Carbohydrates in food are an important and immediate source of energy for the body. Starch refers to carbohydrates found in plants (grains). Vegetables and fruits are a source of sugar and are broken down to sugar or glucose. Carbohydrates are present in at least small quantities in most food, but the chief sources are the sugars are the sugars and the sugars and the starches (Wright, 1993) Uses of yam Food Yams of African species must be cooked to be safely eaten, because various natural substances in raw yams can cause illness if consumed. (Excessive skin contact with uncooked yam fluids can cause the skin to itch. If this occurs, a quick cold bath will stop the itching.) Yam is consumed in various ways, but is usually boiled and eaten. This involves cutting yam into pieces, then peeling the skin, and boiling the starchy meat. This is usually consumed with palm oil (traditional way), or with other sauces. The boiled yam can also be pounded with a traditional mortar and pestle to create a thick starchy paste known as Pounded Yam. This is also eaten with traditional stews and sauces. Another method of consumption is to sun dry the raw yam pieces. When dry, the pieces turn a dark brown color. This is then milled to create a powder known as elubo in Nigeria. The brown powder can be prepared with boiling water to create a thick brown starchy paste known as amala. This is also consumed with the local stews and sauces. The most common cooking method in Western and Central Africa is cooked boiled yam. (Wikipedia 2003). In India this vegetable is also called Garadu. In central part of India people cut small slices of the vegetable, deep fry them, sprinkle lots of spices on it and eat as snacks. In southern part of India, it is eaten with fish curry and is a local favorite.(Wikipedia 2003) 1.2 TYPES OF YAM Dioscorea rotundata and D. cayenensis Dioscorea rotunda, the white yam, and Dioscorea cayenensis, the yellow yam, are native to Africa. They are the most important cultivated yams. In the past they were considered two separate species but most taxonomists now regard them as the same species. There are over 200 cultivated varieties between them. The Kokoro variety is important in making dried yam chips. They are large plants; the vines can be as long as 10 to 12 meters (35 to 40 feet). The tubers most often weigh about 2.5 to 5  kg (6 to 12 lbs) each but can weigh as much as 25  kg (60 lbs). After 7 to 12 months growth the tubers are harvested. In Africa most are pounded into a paste to make the traditional dish of pounded yam (Kay 1987). Dioscorea alata A piece of cake made with Ube (water yam).Dioscorea alata, called water yam, winged yam and purple yam, was first cultivated in Southeast Asia. Although not grown in the same quantities as the African yams, it has the largest distribution world-wide of any cultivated yam, being grown in Asia, the Pacific islands, Africa, and the West Indies (Mignouna 2003). In the United States it has become an invasive species in some Southern states. In the Philippines it is known as ube (or ubi) and is used as an ingredient in many sweet desserts. In Vietnam, it is called khoai mà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¡ and is used mainly as an ingredient for soup. In India, it is known as ratalu or violet yam. In Hawaii it is known as uhi. Uhi was brought to Hawaii by the early Polynesian settlers and became a major crop in the 1800s when the tubers were sold to visiting ships as an easily stored food supply for their voyages (White 2003). Dioscorea opposita Dioscorea opposita, Chinese yam, is native to China. The Chinese yam plant is somewhat smaller than the African, with the vines about 3 meters (10 feet) long. It is tolerant to frost and can be grown in much cooler conditions than other yams. It is now grown in China, Korea, and Japan. It was introduced to Europe in the 1800s when the potato crop there was falling victim to disease, and is still grown in France for the Asian food market. The tubers are harvested after about 6 months of growth. Some are eaten right after harvesting and some are used as ingredients for other dishes, including noodles, and for traditional medicines (Kay 1987).Air potato Dioscorea bulbifera Dioscorea bulbifera, the air potato, is found in both Africa and Asia, with slight differences between those found in each place. It is a large vine, 6 meters (20 ft) or more in length. It produces tubers; however the bulbils which grow at the base of its leaves are the more important food product. They are about the size of potatoes (hence the name air potato), weighing from 0.5 to 2  kg (1 to 5 lbs). Some varieties can be eaten raw while some require soaking or boiling for detoxification before eating. It is not grown much commercially since the flavor of other yams is preferred by most people. However it is popular in home vegetable gardens because it produces a crop after only four months of growth and continues producing for the life of the vine, as long as two years. Also the bulbils are easy to harvest and cook (Kay 1987). In 1905 the air potato was introduced to Florida and has since become an invasive species in much of the state. Its rapid growth crowds out native vegetation and is very difficult to remove since it can grow back from the tubers, and new vines can grow from the bulbils even after being cut down or burned (Schultz 1993). Dioscorea esculenta Dioscorea esculenta, the lesser yam, was one of the first yam species cultivated. It is native to Southeast Asia and is the third most commonly cultivated species there, although it is cultivated very little in other parts of the world. Its vines seldom reach more than 3 meters (10 feet) in length and the tubers are fairly small in most varieties. The tubers are eaten baked, boiled, or fried much like potatoes. Because of the small size of the tubers, mechanical cultivation is possible; which, along with its easy preparation and good flavor, could help the lesser yam to become more popular in the future (Kay 1987). Dioscorea trifida Dioscorea trifida, the cush-cush yam, is native to the Guyana region of South America and is the most important cultivated New World yam. Since they originated in tropical rain forest conditions their growth cycle is less related to seasonal changes than other yams. Because of their relative ease of cultivation and their good flavor they are considered to have a great potential for increased production (Kay 1987). Dioscorea dumetorum Dioscorea dumetorum, the bitter yam, is popular as a vegetable in parts of West Africa; one reason being that their cultivation requires less labor than other yams. The wild forms are very toxic and are sometimes used to poison animals when mixed with bait. It is said that they have also been used for criminal purposes (Kay 1987). 1.3 Nutritional value Yams are high in vitamin C, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese; while being low in saturated fat and sodium. Vitamin C, dietary fiber and vitamin B6 may all promote good health. Furthermore, a product that is high in potassium and low in sodium is likely to produce a good potassium-sodium balance in the human body, and so protect against osteoporosis and heart disease. Yam products generally have a lower glycemic index than potato products, which means that they will provide a more sustained form of energy, and give better protection against obesity and diabetes. Aim and objective The objective of this experiment is to extract the amylases mainly ÃŽÂ ²-amylase from yam tuber and determine the enzymatic activities of the enzymes. At the end of the experiment, the amylase extracted from yam tuber can be made use of in the industries like; the pharmaceutical, plastic and textile industries among others in place of barley commonly made used of. This is even favorable considering the land mass covered by yam and also large usefulness of the yam. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 MATERIALS Yam (Dioscoreaceae esculenta),used was from Oja Oba Market in Iwo Osun State, Ethanol, Soluble starch, 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid, sodium hydroxide, sodium potassium tertarate, Sephadex G200 was obtained from Pharmacia fine chemicals, Uppsala, Sweden, disodium hydrogen phosphate were products of British Drug House(BDH), poole England. The distilled water was obtained from the Department of Biochemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. 2.2 EQUIPMENTS Water incubator manufactured by Grant Instruments(Cambridge) Ltd, Weighing balance made in Switzerland, Centrifuge manufactured by microfield instruments England. Spectrophotometer. 2.2 Preparation of buffer and Reagents 2.2.1 preparation of 0.016 M sodium acetate buffer, pH 4.8 To prepare acetate buffer for, 73.10 g of sodium acetate was dissolved in 900 ml of distilled water, 4.2 ml of acetic acid was added and then made up to 1 Litre in volumetric flask. 2.2.2 Preparation of 2 N sodium hydroxide To 8 g of sodium hydroxide pellets was dissolved in 100ml of distilled water. 2.2.3 Preparation of colour reagent Dinitrosalicyclic acid colour reagent, was prepared by dissolving 1.0 g of 3,5-dinitrosalicyclic acid in 50 ml of distilled water. 30.0 g sodium potassium tartrate tetrahydrate was added slowly with 20 ml of 2N sodium hydroxide. It was diluted to 100 ml with distilled water. 2.2.4 Preparation of 1% starch Prepared by dissolving 1.0 g of soluble starch in 100 ml of 0.016 M sodium acetate buffer pH 4.8. It was boiled to dissolve and cooled, diluted to 100ml with distilled water. 2.3 Method The rate at which maltose is released from starch is measured by its ability to reduce 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid according to Bernfold(1955) . One unit releases one micromole of ÃŽÂ ²-maltose per minutes at 25ËÅ ¡C and pH 4.8 under the specified conditions. 2.3.1 Mashing and Extraction of Enzymes With the use of mortar and pestle, 434.52 g of yam were ground and 400ml of homogenization buffer (i.e 0.016 M sodium acetate pH) was added and stirred, it was kept in a refrigerator for 1 hour with intermittent stirring at 10 minutes interval. It was then centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 10 minutes into components. Assay for protein and enzyme activity was then carried out after it has being stored in 70% of ammonium sulphate(212.4 g/L). 2.3.2 Purification Purification of ÃŽÂ ²-amylase: All enzymes purification steps were carried out at room temperature. Enzyme Precipitation: The crude extract was initially fractioned by 70% (v/v) ammonium sulphate. After centrifugation at 4000 rpm for 10 minutes, the precipitated pellets were collected and re-suspended in of cold buffer. The solution was dissolved in 0.016 M sodium acetate buffer of pH 4.8 and layered on a Sephadex G-200 Colum (1 x 40 cm). Fractions of 5 ml were collected. The fraction was monitored for protein at 280 nM. Elution was in 0.016 M sodium acetate buffer, pH4.8.

Saddam Hussein :: essays research papers

Saddam Hussein   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Middle East is an extremely volatile region of the world, and much of the current instability may be due to one man, Saddam Hussein. During the last few years, under Hussein's direction, Iraq has gone from being an oil rich country to a country that is suffering major embargoes and is low on supplies. Iraqi leaders are trying to leave as they realize how power can corrupt a man. If Hussein stays in power, the future looks bleak for the Gulf region.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iraq used to be a prosperous country. Oil was the main source of income for the area. During the Iran-Iraq War (Gulf War 1), which was from September 1980 to August 1988, Iraq went from being a wealthy country to a very poor country, nearly over night. Hussein had used all energy available in that war, and he came out of it losing over 1/3 of the entire male population of Iraq (Allman 61). Saddam feels that is actions were justified because he believes the Iran-Iraq war was a conspiracy by the US, Britain, and Israel to undermine Iraq (Kondrache 11). This leads people of the world to believe that this is a man who will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants. He was willing to risk his whole nation for a more money. High financial priorities? Survey says â€Å"yes† .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The basis on which Hussein is in power is controversial. He was not elected to his position, he took it. There was a military coup in 1968 that led him and his Ba'ath party to power. He was not elected, as until last year, there had not been an election since the coup (Cooperman 49). This says that Hussein has been a tyrant from the start, and his need for power is incredible. He wants complete domination of the Middle East, if not the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iraq is now a country struggling to survive. It is in the midst of an embargo, and the people are suffering. Death rates are up, and the amount of food available is declining. Saddam is displaced from his people, though. He is not feeling the same effects as they are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Pursian Gulf War erupted in 1990 with Hussein ordering an invasion of neighboring Kuwait, on the grounds that Kuwait was stealing oil from in Iraqi oil field. The US became involved in this war for the next year, and they successfully pushed Iraq out of Kuwait. Iraq, however, feels that it won this war. The leaders of Iraq were still in power after the war ended, so the

Cross Cultural Negotiations :: essays research papers

Cross cultural negotiation is one of many specialized areas within the wider field of cross cultural communications. By taking cross cultural negotiation training, negotiators and sales personnel give themselves an advantage over competitors. There is an argument that proposes that culture is inconsequential to cross cultural negotiation. It maintains that as long as a proposal is financially attractive it will succeed. However, this is a naà ¯ve way of approaching international business. Let us look at a brief example of how cross cultural negotiation training can benefit the international business person: There are two negotiators dealing with the same potential client in the Middle East. Both have identical proposals and packages. One ignores the importance of cross cultural negotiation training believing the proposal will speak for itself. The other undertakes some cross cultural training. He/she learns about the culture, values, beliefs, etiquette and approaches to business, meetings and negotiations. Nine times out of ten the latter will succeed over the rival. This is because 1) it is likely they would have endeared themselves more to the host negotiation team and 2) they would be able to tailor their approach to the negotiations in a way that maximises the potential of a positive outcome. Cross cultural negotiations is about more than just how foreigners close deals. It involves looking at all factors that can influence the proceedings. By way of highlighting this, a few brief examples of topics covered in cross cultural negotiation training shall be offered. Eye Contact : In the US, UK and much of northern Europe, strong, direct eye contact conveys confidence and sincerity. In South America it is a sign of trustworthiness. However, in some cultures such as the Japanese, prolonged eye contact is considered rude and is generally avoided. Personal Space & Touch: In Europe and North America, business people will usually leave a certain amount of distance between themselves when interacting. Touching only takes place between friends. In South America or the Middle East, business people are tactile and like to get up close. In Japan or China, it is not uncommon for people to leave a gap of four feet when conversing. Touching only takes place between close friends and family members. Time: Western societies are very ‘clock conscious? Time is money and punctuality is crucial. This is also the case in countries such as Japan or China where being late would be taken as an insult. However, in South America, southern Europe and the Middle East, being on time for a meeting does not carry the same sense of urgency.

The Girl with The Silver Eyes Essay -- Literary Analysis, Dashiell Ham

Hard-boiled detective fiction sets the scene for a cold and harsh reality. Dashiell Hammett’s, â€Å"The Girl with The Silver Eyes† is no exception to this rule. In this short story Hammett paints a picture of a brutally realistic urban center filled with characters that not many people would want to call friends. The realistic qualities of Hammett’s story are drawn from his own life’s experience working as a Pinkerton detective. The detective in â€Å"The Girl With The Silver Eyes† works for the Continental Detective Agency and is, therefore, known simply as the Continental Op. In the beginning of the story the Op professes, â€Å"a detective, if he is wise, takes pains to make and keep as many friends as possible among transfer company, express company and railroad employees† (27). This paper will examine this philosophy of the Continental Op, how he employs this approach to detective work and uncover if this approach is beneficial or disa dvantageous. The Continental Op is an unsympathetic character with a stickler attitude to his work. The Op believes that the case he is about to take is legitimate but states that, â€Å"I am only a hired man and have to go by the rules† (23). At the core of this statement is a man that is unwilling to bend the rules outlined by his company. People who always follow the rules are often seen as trust worthy and at the same time difficult to get along with. When you know a person is always going to go by the book, like the Op, it makes their actions predictably frustrating. Things could go a lot faster if a person were to cut a corner or two and help out. By doing this the detective might have made himself more likable to his new client. The Op shows no desire to perform this way to have friends on his side. T... ... even if this means that he has to pay a few people to be his friends. Without the help of the girl at the Marquis Hotel the Op would not have been given that lead. If it were not for the help of Porky Grout over the past three years that the detective had employed him, who knows how many cases would have gone unsolved. Even though in the end things do not workout between Porky and the Continental Op and Porky meets his fate. It is clear that the Op’s philosophy about what it means to make and keep friends is different then what other people would describe. It is the strong moral code that the P.I. is constantly reinforcing that allows the case to come to a resolution. People may not like the Op and fortunately for the general public most people to not have the personality of the Continental Op. Fact is the detective solves the case and gets his women in the end.

Beyond Romantic Ecocriticism: Toward Urbanatural Roosting Essay

One of S. T. Coleridge’s many passions was â€Å"the Science of Words, their use and abuse and the incalculable advantages attached to the habit of using them appropriately†¦ † (Aids to Reflection 7). This passion drove Coleridge to coin over 600 words, including â€Å"psychosomatic,† â€Å"romanticize,† â€Å"supersensuous,† and memorable phrases like â€Å"the willing suspension of disbelief. † (In fact, the new electronic edition of the Oxford English Dictionary lists Coleridge as #59 in the â€Å"Top 1000 sources for quotations,† only a few slots behind the Bible). He also coined the word â€Å"desynonymize† in the belief that clarity in language went hand in hand with clarity in thinking. The importance of words, and coining new ones where necessary, is precisely where Ashton Nichols begins his intriguing book. Nichols invents a word — â€Å"Urbanature† — in order forge a new understanding of our relationship to the natural world. This term (which, as Nichols helpfully points out, rhymes with â€Å"furniture†) â€Å"suggests that nature and urban life are not as distinct as human beings have long supposed †¦ ll human and nonhuman lives, as well as all animate and inanimate objects around those lives, are linked in a complex web of interdependent interrelatedness† (xiii). Likewise, Nichols refashions the term â€Å"roosting† to describe â€Å"a new way of living more self-consciously on the earth† by creating more temporary, environmentally sensitive homes in the surrounding environment (3). By engaging these terms, and examining their eighteenth and nineteenth century antecedents, Nichols hopes to renew our views of nature at a time of increasing peril for our urban, suburban, rural, and wild environments. Nichols interweaves several types of sources and methodologies in this project: Romantic and Victorian poetry and prose, the history of science, ecocriticism, and personal memoir. In taking an ecocritical approach to Romanticism, Nichols aligns his work with Jonathan Bate’s The Song of the Earth (2000); Kate Rigby’s Topographies of the Sacred: The Poetics of Place in European Romanticism (2004); and James McKusick’s Green Writing: Romanticism and Ecology (2003). But besides conversing with these earlier studies, Nichols’ book features something unusual for a scholarly monograph: personal memoir -not just in the preface and afterword, which is more common — but interleaved in the chapters themselves, where–bit by bit–Nichols reconstructs a full year spent roosting in a rustic stone cabin and select urban spots. In both idea and text this interfusion (to use a Coleridgean coinage) levels the barriers between nature and culture, city and country, academic and personal. While Robert Macfarlane’s wonderful book Mountains of the Mind (2003) also alternates between an intellectual history and personal narrative, Nichols pushes even further by fusing these genres with a manifesto for environmental action. At the heart of this book is a reevaluation of the concept of nature, a project that began, according to Nichols, â€Å"not with the environmental revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, but with a new definition of ‘Nature’ first offered by Romantic writers in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries† (xvi). In Romantic Natural Histories: William Wordsworth, Charles Darwin and Others (2004) and a fascinating website called Romantic Natural History, Nichols has already displayed his admirable command of the period’s literature and science. In this new, deeply interdisciplinary book, he examines conceptions of nature in the poetry of Wordsworth, Shelley, Erasmus Darwin, Keats, and Tennyson; in the prose of Thoreau and Hardy; and in the science of wonder cabinets, natural history museums, and zoos. Nichols finds a precedent for â€Å"urbanature† in the science and poetry of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, which both relied upon metaphors. In science and poetry alike, he shows, â€Å"the mind makes metaphors from the nonhuman (‘natural’) world as often as it does from human (‘urban’) world† at a time when â€Å"poetry (in fact all art) and natural philosophy (in fact all science) were more closely linked than they often seem today† (10). He reminds us that when Coleridge was asked why he attended so many lectures of human physiology in London, he replied, â€Å"I attend Davy’s lectures to increase my stock of metaphors. For Nichols, â€Å"the poetic-scientist needs imagination buttressed by facts, or facts fired by imagination, to make new metaphors† (142). Nichols cites Stephen Hawking’s visualization of a black hole as a contemporary example of the poetic-scientist, and the double-helix shape of DNA arriving in a dream came to my mind as well. Nichols examines the legacy of Romantic poetry through an ecocritical lens, exploring the ways in which the Romantics represent the natural world. Ultimately, however, he aims to go â€Å"beyond Romantic Ecocriticism† because â€Å"one element of Romanticism has contributed to the problems that urbanature seeks to resolve† — namely, a view that â€Å"nature is somehow opposed to urbanity, the wild is what the city gets rid of, human culture is the enemy of nature† (xxi). The goal of urbanature is to remove these harmful divisions: A look at the legacy of Romantic natural history will move beyond the word â€Å"nature† as it has been employed since the Enlightenment — and beyond the nature versus culture split — toward the more inclusive idea of â€Å"urbanatural roosting. Finally, I will argue that Romantic ecocriticism should now give way to a more socially aware version of environmentalism, one less tightly linked to narrowly Western ideas about the self, the â€Å"Other,† and the relationship between human beings and the natural world. Urbanatural roosting says that, if all humans are linked to each other and to their surroundings, then those same humans have clear obligations to each other and to the world they share. (xvii) Moving beyond Romantic ecocriticism, Nichols seeks to dissolve entirely the opposition between â€Å"nature versus culture, the natural versus the artificial, man versus nature †¦ ne of the last great Western dualisms that needs to be bridged or dissolved† (203). For Nichols, these dualistic categories are â€Å"old lines of arbitrary separation† that prevent us from seeing both city and country as â€Å"locations equally worthy of human care and concern, all equally serving of the attention needed to sustain them† (200). Despite their anthropomorphism and anthropocentrism, the Romantics did succeed in envisioning a dynamic, vital force at work in both the human and natural worlds. In certain poems by Keats and Coleridge, Nichols posits that â€Å"one unified power causes all of these natural effects [of the wind, the bird, or the frost], but this power is nothing more than a series of physical processes contained in nature, what John Locke and others had called a ‘natural law'† (27). In Shelley’s â€Å"Ode to the West Wind† Nichols finds a similar merging of the human and natural in an â€Å"autumnal and naturalistic paradise† (124-5). But rather than finding transcendence in the oem, he writes: â€Å"I want to forget about Shelley’s sentimentality (â€Å"As thus with thee in prayer in my sore need†) and set aside his characteristic overstatement (â€Å"I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed! â€Å") and think instead about precisely what he achieves in these justly famous lines of poetry. The wind here is not merely moving air; it represents the life force itself; the elan vital, the chi, a vital energy that pervades the universe† (125). For Nichols, this world is purely material: â€Å"the prophecy itself is nothing more complex that a simple truth of material nature: spring always follows winter†¦ Shelley produces a resurrection poem without any link to the supernatural. He offers a promise of natural power and organic efficacy without any reference to a world beyond the physical world, beyond the world I can see and hear and feel outside my window every day†¦. † (127). But can this naturalistic reading of the poem account for its wealth of secularized biblical imagery? For its references to prayer, the thorns of life, apocalyptic showers of black rain, fire, and hail, and most especially the prophetic stance in the concluding lines? These are, I think, spiritual and supernatural motifs that possibly engage a transcendent third category beyond nature and culture. Nevertheless, abandoning this idea of the transcendent may be the very first step necessary for realizing â€Å"urbanature. † Nichols highlights the inherent cultural bias that shapes our conceptions of nature: â€Å"what we observe when we observe nature,† he writes, â€Å"is not some Platonically pure nature in itself, but a nature that is always changing, always determined by specific circumstances, by my consciousness, and by precise conditions in each contextual instance† (188) . Our cultural context today is more variegated and includes a greater familiarity with atheistic, agnostic, and non-Christian spiritual traditions as well as wider gaps between science, literature and religion. Nichols is consistently forthright in his desire to refashion the term â€Å"nature† for our times. Towards the end of the book especially, the manifesto-like rhetoric gains strength: â€Å"Like ecocentrism, urbanatural roosting will not be so difficult. All it will require is that every one of us should think about, care about, and do something good about every place, every person, every creature, and everything that each of us can effect on planet earth† (206-7). Nichols calls for nothing less than a new ethic, an â€Å"ecoethic† that recognizes the intrinsic value of both animate and inanimate nature. Nichols has a gift for writing about the history of science: the best chapters in this book elucidate emotional responses to science in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. He sees pleasure â€Å"as a concept that links Romantic poetry to Romantic science in significant ways. Pleasure located in the nonhuman world, and pleasure taken by humans in the natural world, are concepts that comingle in a whole range of Romantic metaphors and writings: anthropocentric, ecocentric, and otherwise† (88). Nichols salutes the galvanizing force of wonder in Romantic science, a topic also brilliantly explored by Richard Holmes in The Age of Wonder (2008). â€Å"Zoos and other forms of live or dead animal displays,† writes, Nichols, â€Å"-as I have already suggested in my reflections on natural history museums — emerged out of precisely the combination of scientific curiosity and fascination with spectacle †¦ To see something new and amazing is often to learn something new, but the experience is also about being excited, titillated or amazed†¦ (153). But he also charts darker terrain. For colonizing scientists, he notes, â€Å"it was ethically acceptable to cage other creatures, even human creatures, as long as the knowledge thus gained could be codified or organized as part of the great encyclopedic project† (154). He gauges too the sheer volume of death implicit in Darwinian natural selection and the horror of deep time, necessitated by new geological and fossil evidence, that demonstrated â€Å"how insignificant human life — and all of human civilization -seemed in the face of the timeline required for these incremental biological changes to occur† (61). These are riveting pages. There is no question that Nichols has written a wondrous book, innovative in its merging of genres, richly veined with intellectual history, literary criticism, and a passionate vision for the future of environmentalism. I read it with great pleasure and wonder, and wrestled with the questions it presented for many days. Indeed, taken as a whole, the book resembles two metaphors Nichols draws from the history of science: Darwin’s famous â€Å"entangled bank, clothed with many plants of many kinds, with birds singing on the bushes, with various insects flitting about† and all of its â€Å"endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful† (16) and wonder cabinets, a subject dear to my heart. In both the entangled bank and the curiosity cabinet, a sense of wonder leads to a deeper engagement with nature. Nichols’ best nature writing — including chronicles of intense I-thou encounters with a bobcat and dolphins — also resonate with wonder. Perhaps cultivating this sense of wonder is the Romantics’ greatest legacy for modern environmentalism, one that could help heal the divisions that imperil our world today.

Marketing Quiz

University of the Southern Caribbean School of Business Principles of Marketing Take Home Assignment on Chapter 13-16 Name: __________________________________ ID_______________________DATE__________ Refer to the scenario below to answer the following questions. Section 1. In the 1970s, Shipshewana was only a small town with a hardware store, a grain mill, a shoe store, a small restaurant, and a grocery store. Over the next two decades, the small town transformed into an international tourist attraction, attracting thousands of tourists who are intrigued with the lifestyle of Shipshewana's largest population the Amish.Ben and Mary Miller, having grown up within the Amish faith, decided to capitalize on their town's popularity and their woodworking skills. Their shop, Indiana Wood, began with a small display of handmade hickory rocking chairs, Ben Miller's specialty. But within a few months, the display at Indiana Wood included picnic tables, flower boxes, and small handmade novelty it ems. No other shop offers the same. Mary Miller decorated the shop's display room with authentic Amish decor and eventually hired three Amish friends to sew and embroider napkins and other textiles per customer request.In addition, two women from the Amish community sought permission from the Millers to display home-baked pastries and jellies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the town's busiest tourist days, when Shipshewana attracts swarms of visitors to its flea market on the south edge of town. â€Å"Shipshewana is full of specialty shops,† Mary Miller stated. â€Å"People don't come here to buy things made in China or Taiwan. They want real, Amish-made goods. † 1. Indiana Wood is best classified as a(n) ________ retailer. A) full-service B) self-service C) limited-service D) discount E) off-price 2.Which of the following is most critical to Indiana Wood's success? A) place B) price C) differentiation D) store atmosphere E) services mix 3. The Amish decor and shop workers give customers an authentic impression of the pride and skill built into the shop's products. These aspects also contribute to the store's ________. A) product assortment B) services mix C) atmosphere D) segmentations E) targeting 4. Which of the following would be the most logical way for Indiana Wood to expand? A) establishing an online presence B) pursuing retail convergence C) implementing RFID inventory trackingD) establishing a community-gathering environment in the store E) joining a producers' cooperative Refer to the scenario below to answer the following questions. John Mayes opened Sparkle Janitorial in 1999. John began by acquiring two contracts for office cleaning services from two local manufacturing facilities. For two years, John and his wife, Barb, performed the cleaning services alone. After acquiring three additional cleaning contracts in 2001, John hired two employees. â€Å"Up to that point, we had room to grow but we really had no advertising plan,† Joh n stated. We were relying mostly on word-of-mouth. † By 2003, Barb hired another two full-time employees to begin Sparkle's new endeavor: carpet cleaning in homes and offices. â€Å"Competition was getting tough for both of our services at that point,† Barb added. â€Å"We ran a local radio spot three times each week. Then we had an advertiser print coupons on placemats. That gave us a little more exposure. † John and Barb Mayes admit that they never realized the value of a sound promotional plan before now. â€Å"We wish we would have put together something catchy with a jingle way before now,† they said. 5.Which of the following would be the LEAST effective way for John and Barb to reach new potential customers? A) word-of-mouth influence B) buzz marketing C) public relations D) network television advertising E) direct marketing 6. In a recent radio spot, John and Barb gave a quick explanation of Sparkle's cleaning process and a description of the value consumers receive for their money. This is an example of a(n) ________. A) emotional appeal B) standard appeal C) rational appeal D) moral appeal E) social appeal Most of the clientele at Second Avenue have learned about the store through word-of-mouth communication.This small retailer of quality second-hand children's clothing thrives on the sale of a vast inventory of children's clothing placed there on consignment. â€Å"Because small children grow so quickly,† Second Avenue's owner commented, â€Å"they often outgrow many of their clothes before they've hardly been worn! † Second Avenue provides a way for people to sell their children's clothing, earn a few dollars, and buy the next larger size. â€Å"We're extremely picky about the condition of the clothing we stock,† the owner stated, â€Å"but we sell most items at a 60 percent discount. 7. Which of the following media options would MOST benefit Second Avenue's promotional efforts given the store's limit ed budget? A) periodic advertising in a local newspaper B) daily advertisements on a local radio station C) weekly commercials during the local evening news D) a billboard placed on the interstate E) a link on the city's Chamber of Commerce Web site 8. Second Avenue wants to create a postcard to be sent to local families with young children. The postcard will include information about the store's typical inventory, store hours, and directions.Which of the following format elements can make the biggest difference in the success or failure of the direct mailing? A) copy B) headline C) illustration D) font E) color 9. The owner of Second Avenue wants to establish a community clothing drive to collect clothes for a local children's shelter. The owner will set up collection barrels outside Second Avenue. Which of the following public relations tools is the owner using? A) press relations B) product publicity C) lobbying D) development E) public affairs 10. At Finley's Fine Goods, members of the sales force and marketing epartment tend to have disagreements when things go wrong with a customer. The marketers blame the salespeople for poorly executing their strategies, while the salespeople blame the marketers for being out of touch with the customer. Which of the following steps should upper-level management at Finley's Fine Goods take to help bring the sales and marketing functions closer together? A) establish a customer sales force structure B) establish a complex sales force structure C) appoint a new sales force manager D) adopt a sales force automation system E) appoint a chief revenue officer 11. Ultra-Tech, Inc. as decided to switch to a customer sales force structure. Which of the following advantages is the company now LEAST likely to enjoy? A) The company can become more customer-focused. B) The company can better serve different industries. C) The company can build closer relationships with important customers. D) The company can better serve current cus tomers and find new customers. E) The company can expect salespeople to develop in-depth knowledge of numerous and complex product lines. 12. Johnson Business Solutions, Inc. , maintains one sales force for its copy machines and a separate sales force for its computer systems.Johnson Business Solutions utilizes a ________ structure. A) product sales force B) customer sales force C) territorial sales force D) a combination of B and C E) complex sales force 13. Morrill Motors splits the United States into 10 sales regions. Within each of those regions, the company maintains two sales teams? one for existing customers and one for prospects. What type of sales force structure does Morrill Motors use? A) territorial B) product C) customer D) complex E) workload 14. An IBM sales representative is giving a product demonstration to a Best Buy representative.Assisting with the demonstration are an engineer, a financial analyst, and an information systems specialist. If IBM wins the Best Buy account, then all four IBM representatives will service the Best Buy account. This is an example of ________. A) team selling B) territorial selling C) inside selling D) prospecting E) sales promoting 15. Sales have been slow recently at B & B Materials, so management has organized a training program to improve the performance of its sales force. Which of the following would most likely lead to improved sales for B & B Materials?A) tests to measure the analytic and organizational skills of the sales force B) information about the marketing strategies used by competitors C) tests to identify the personality traits of sales force members D) a time-and-duty analysis for each salesperson E) instructions on completing expense reports 16. The CEO of Comfy Carpet, Rick Hadley, was skeptical about Web-based training until his sales manager explained that online training is ________. A) time consuming and difficult to use B) used by all small companies C) dynamic and interactive D) cost comp etitive and efficientE) useful to customers 17. At Deck Decor, a manufacturer of outdoor furniture and accessories, the marketing and sales force objectives are to grow relationships with existing customers and to acquire new business. Which of the following compensation plans should management establish to encourage the sales force to pursue both of these objectives? A) straight salary B) straight commission C) salary plus bonus for new accounts D) commission plus bonus for new accounts E) salary plus commission plus bonus for new accounts 18. Mary Conti is sales manager for National Computer Training.She wants to evaluate the performance of her sales force that is responsible for the New England territory. Mary will most likely review all of the following in her evaluation EXCEPT ________. A) call plans B) sales reports C) call reports D) expense reports E) territorial sales and profit reports 19. The sales force of Conway Pools has qualified a number of leads. Which of the follow ing will most likely occur next? A) The outside sales force will call on all prospects. B) The outside sales force will close the deal with one of the prospects. C) The outside sales force will learn as much as possible about the prospects.D) The inside sales force will attend meetings with qualified prospects. E) The inside sales force will put together a presentation for the prospects. Section 2 1. The wheel-of-retailing concept deals mainly with wholesalers rolling out reduced service levels. 2. The life cycle of new retail forms is getting longer. 3. Unlike mass marketers, niche marketers expect to see continued growth in their online sales. 4. Retail convergence means greater competition for retailers and greater difficulty in differentiating offerings. 5. The number of retailers creating communities for their customers is declining. 6.Like retailers, a wholesaler must decide on segmentation and targeting, differentiation and positioning, and the marketing mix. 7. In an automat ed warehouse, orders are fed directly from the retailer's information system to the wholesaler's, and the items are picked up by mechanical devices and taken to a shipping platform 8. The distinction between large retailers and large wholesalers is becoming blurred. 9. Mass marketers can expect consumers to distinguish between commercial message sources to maintain a clear image of a company and its brands. 10. The integrated marketing concept ties together all of the company's messages and images. 1. Integrated marketing communications allows brand messages to be developed by different departments within an organization. 12. A marketing communications director has overall responsibility for the company's communications efforts. 13. The communications process should start with mass media advertising to reach many consumers. 14. The four major communication functions are encoding, decoding, response, and noise. 15. Encoding is the process by which the receiver assigns meaning to symb ols. 16. Decoding is the process of putting thought into symbolic form. 17. Awareness, knowledge, and preparation are buyer-readiness stages. 18.Teaser† advertising is most closely associated with the buyer-readiness stage of liking a product. 19. There are three types of appeal from which marketers may choose as they design their message content. These types are rational, emotional, and moral appeals. 20. The â€Å"Stop. Think. Tylenol. † ad is an example of a moral appeal. 21. Although television advertising is expensive for corporations, the cost per exposure is relatively low. 22. Direct mail is one of the least expensive media on a per exposure basis. 23. The communication effects of advertisements and ad campaigns are more difficult to measure than the sales and profit effects. 4. In small and large companies, advertising is typically handled by an individual or team in the sales department. 25. Today's advertising agencies are staffed with specialists who can oft en perform advertising tasks better than a producer or retailer's own employees can. 26. Recently, the increased use of online social networks and video sharing has reduced the need for advertising standardization for global brands. 27. Since China has lifted many of its international trade restrictions, corporations such as McDonalds and Coca- Cola now have only limited censorship rules governing their TV and radio advertising. 8. In an attempt to change the perception that milk was unhealthy, the National Fluid Milk Processors Education Program established an advertising campaign featuring celebrities with milk mustaches and the tag line â€Å"Got Milk? † 29. A company typically spends comparable budgets on public relations and advertising. 30. A company's Web site can be an important public relations vehicle. 31. What types of products may be sold through category killers? 32. What types of products do specialty stores carry? Give an example of a specialty store. 33. 34.De scribe the differences between chain stores and franchises. 35. Describe public relations and three of its main functions. 36. Identify four of the major media types and identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of each type. 37. Why do many companies invest in ongoing training for their salespeople? 38. Compare the four types of compensation plans available to salespeople. 39. Name and define the four major communication functions. 40. Explain how advertising may change as a product moves from the introductory stage to the growth stage of the product life cycle.