Scientific Investigation Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scientific Investigation - Lab Report Example The steps in the entire experiment protocol include (1) GFP gene construction; (2) gene shuffling and selection; (3) mutant selection; (4) mutant characterization in E. coli; (5) CH) cell expression of GFP; (6) FACS analysis; and, (7) fluorescence spectroscopy. That is, the researchers first synthesized a GFP (green fluorescent protein) gene in an E. coli construct with optimized codon usage. This was further improved using an evolutionary process of recursive cycles of DNA shuffling of the GFP gene, combined with visual selection for the brightest E. Coli colonies. Since red-shifting the excitation maximum makes detection challenging by the naked eye, UV light was used for visual screening. The independent variable in this study is the process used to improve cell fluorescence or GFP in E. coli cells. In particular, the independent variable considered the absence of GFP, the Clontech GFP, the wildtype GFP, the cycle 2 mutant GFP, and the cycle 3 mutant GFP. On the other hand, the dependent variables that were investigated for differences in this study are the fluorescence signals and excitation signals of the E. coli genes. Technically, the control group for this study is the sample with no GFP. However, the three constructs (i.e., wildtype, cycle-2 and cycle-3) were also compared against the pGFP plasmid from Clontech, with a GFP sequence reported by Chalfie et al and contains a Q80R mutation which occurred as a PCR error as well as 24 extra amino acids from the N-terminus of LacZ. Results of the research study confirms the initial hypothesis that the combination of DNA shuffling and high throughput screening would be a powerful tool in optimizing a significant number of commercially important enzymes for which selections do not

Poverty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Poverty - Essay Example In order to be able to give an objective solution to the problem of world poverty, it is imperative to first look at the causes of world poverty. It is by eliminating the causes of world poverty that we will decisively solve the problem of world poverty. One of the main causes of world poverty especially in the third world, where children are dying of hunger is mainly corruption and mismanagement of national resources. This therefore means that in order to offer a long term solution to the problem of extreme poverty in some countries of the world, corruption should first be eliminated. With the elimination of corruption and good management of national resources, it is possible to drastically reduce the high levels of poverty in the world, thus preventing death of innocent children from hunger. Instead of proposing a concrete way of ending corruption and mismanagement of national resources as a mean of fighting world poverty, Singer argues that even with corruption and embezzlement of funds donated by the rich people for the starving children, with the contribution of approximately $200 by the wealthy Americans will be enough to feed the poor starving children in the world. However, although these funds indeed can help significantly in feeding the poor starving children, thus preventing them from dying, the donated funds will not give a long term solution to the problem of world poverty and world hunger. Singer’s solution to world hunger, therefore, offers only a short-term solution to world hunger and the short term solution cannot rid the world of poverty and hunger. The best way to fight world poverty and world hunger is to eliminate corruption, which is one of the main causes of world hunger and starvation of poor innocent children. Secondly, the solution offered by Singer in fighting world poverty can even aggravate

Performance Appraisal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Performance Appraisal - Essay Example Therefore, the value of performance appraisals should not be underestimated by any organization. Performance appraisal is a system that evaluates job performances over a given period. It is simply an annual report on the performance of employees. Performance appraisal processes differ depending on organization, but they all serve the same purpose, which is to evaluate employees. Well-structured appraisals have numerous benefits to the organization. The main benefit of performance appraisal is to offer motivation to employees. Motivation adds energy to employees, making them remain focused to organizational goals and objectives. Achieving employee motivation through appraisals occurs through several ways (Arthur, 2008). Appraisals serve as strong indicators of the need to improve on job performance. Without the knowledge on how one is performing on the job, an employee lacks the motivation to make improvements. Recognizing employee performance improves their psychological wellbeing. The important issue about performance appraisals is that they make employees feel valued by the organization. The message passed over to employees by their managers motivates the employees regardless of being a positive or negative message. Through performance appraisals, employees realize the need for personal development, growth and learning. Employees focused on taking their careers to higher levels use appraisals to advance their careers (Arthur, 2008). In cases where appraisals reveal that employees are sleeping on their jobs, a wake up signal is passed over to employees, and they realize the need to refocus and reenergize. Appraisals further increase job satisfaction in situations where employees get positive recommendations from their managers. Organizations have strategic plans, which need to be met within a stipulated period. Effective appraisals are fundamental tools, which enable an organization to meet its strategic goals. With such

Marbury v. Madison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marbury v. Madison - Essay Example In the confusion of changing from the Adams administration to the Jefferson administration Marbury’s commission was not delivered. Madison, following Jefferson’s orders, did not deliver the commission but withheld it from Marbury because he was a Federalist. The commission was signed by Adams and all was in order except the commission was not delivered. Marbury was denied his commission and prevented from becoming a Justice of the Peace in Washington. At the time of the Jefferson administrations refusal to deliver the commission to Marbury the Supreme Court had been appointed but was a relatively weak institution. John Marshall (a Federalist and cousin to Jefferson) was the Chief Justice and was appointed by Adams during his administration. Although Jefferson was Marshall’s cousin, both disagreed greatly when it came to politics. Jefferson was a Democratic Republican while Marshall was a Federalist. So, it was assumed that when Marbury brought his case to the Supreme Court he would receive a ruling that, influenced by a Federalist, would benefit him. William Marbury did bring his case directly to the Supreme Court and requested a ruling that included a Writ of Mandamus which forces a government official to follow through with official duties and, in this case, deliver the commission. Marshall was in a tough predicament as he needed to deliver a fair ruling but knew that the Supreme Court had little power. Jefferson could have possibly ignored a ruling that did not benefit his administration further degrading the power of the Supreme Court. Marshall was tasked with answering three questions (from Supreme Court Cases: The Dynamic Court): With these questions in mind Marshall deliberated with the court and then delivered the unanimous ruling of the Court. The ruling was given on February 24th of 1803. The ruling concluded that Jefferson and Madison were wrong in denying Marbury the commission as Marbury had a right to the job as

Expansion Joints Issues and Concepts PowerPoint Presentation

Expansion Joints Issues and Concepts - PowerPoint Presentation Example Some structures would not support ground movements such as earthquakes leading to destruction of buildings and bridges. This led to the idea of expansion joints that would later solve the problem (Rosignoli, 2002). Functions of expansion joints The main function of expansion joints is to safely absorb the high temperatures of various construction materials as a result of the constant expansion and contraction. As explained earlier the contraction and expansion is due to the changing weather conditions (Brown, 2001). The expansion joints therefore make structures to remain intact thereby they become safe for public use. There are many types of expansion joints and each is designed to solve a specific problem though the purpose or function still comes back to absorbing stress to avoid damage. Types of Expansion joints used in bridges in Australia Bridge expansion joints are joints that are designed to allow traffic to cross the bridge structure while at the same time permitting the mov ement of the bridge deck due to thermal effects, wind, traffic loading, seismic effects among others. The joints should provide a watertight connection for the lifetime of the bridge as the lack of it could reduce the durability of the main bridge structure that may result in the need for major remedial works. These kinds of joints are rather unique because of their relatively delicate construction and severe loading conditions and therefore need to be replaced several times during the life time of the bridge (Gottermoeller, 2004). Bridge expansion joints can be broadly classified into two types: open joints and closed joints. The open joints are not water proof. Water and debris are allowed to fall through the joints. The water erodes the soil under the structure, strains the bent cap and columns, is detrimental to adjacent steel girders, diaphragms, bearings and is a nuisance to any traffic under the structure. The closed joints on the other hand are water proof and have become an alternative to open joints due to the many advantages that they provide (Blockley, 2010). There are three most common types of open joints used in Australia. The butt joints provide an open space between adjacent edges of the deck. They are used where the movements are of a rotational nature or where the thermal movements are small. The edges are usually protected with metallic armor which is subject to corrosion (Lima, 2006). The open space frequently fills with debris making the joint less effective. Period maintenance is mandatory to clear up the joint and the debris. The second type is the plate joint which accommodate greater movements than the butt joints, usually between one and three inches. A sealant is placed in the joint that prevents some water from passing through. It also prevents the accumulation of debris that can make the joint ineffective. The third type of joint is the tooth joint or the finger joint (Gottermoeller, 2004). They are usually used on long bridges to accommodate large movements. They are usually placed in the span near the point of contra flexure. Drains are placed to prevent drainage across the joint if feasible. In some areas they are provided with a drainage system to collect the water passing through. These joints are used where water and debris passing through cannot damage anything below the bridge. The performance of these joints

Capabilities and Resources of LinkedIn Case Study

Capabilities and Resources of LinkedIn - Case Study Example The company has grown tremendously. As at 2011 December, the revenues had reached $522, 189 with the number of employees also increasing to 2,116 employees. It has also been able to establish its headquarters in Mountain View, California, and 14 other regional offices. Â  The social media industry is ripe and there are many opportunities for LinkedIn. The Asian market remains not fully exploited. In addition, there are other social networking platforms that the company can use to expand its operations and hence profitability. The company should stick to its focus on professionals in order to occupy its market niche. Despite these, various issues that confront the company. Firstly, there is high competition; Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Xing provide a big competition that has kept the stake of the company on medium in the social media industry. Secondly, the number of unique visitors is relatively low. Thirdly, the site has limited strategy of getting new subscribers; it usually occurs through referrals. Finally, the amount of time that is spent on the site is relatively lower. Â  LinkedIn is one of the major social networking sites in the world today. The site was started in December 2002. He was joined hands by his forms colleagues at PayPal, Stanford University, and Socialnet.com. The company has been growing since then courtesy of a number of facilitators such as technology, management, and the socio-economic environment. Reid Hoffman who is the president of the company founded the company; he was initially the chief executive officer (CEO) before the company hired its first CEO, Dan Nye in 2007. Nye resigned in December 2008 making Hoffman reassume the role of a CEO.

Network Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Network Security - Research Paper Example Secondly, internal and physical security will discuss human threats, physical access to server rooms and servers, sensors and sprinklers etc. Moreover, protecting accidently shutting down system will also be discussed. After evaluating vulnerabilities associated with these three domains, controls will be proposed and justified accordingly. Furthermore, incorporation of Scilly University network architecture will also be utilized for better insights. 2 Research Methodology and Literature Review We will utilize Scilly University in our research as a basis of our discussions. Moreover, we will focus on qualitative research on information security, tools, assessments and statistical data in some cases. It has been concluded by some experts that the year 2012 is considered to be the worst year in terms of computer network security breaches (Schirick, 2012). Likewise, the year that has not even passed the half year mark, some of the foremost companies were sufferers of network security bre aches resulting in massive losses (Schirick, 2012). However, the news buzz only highlights Sony and Citibank to be victims of network security breaches, as these companies are popular among the public. The other sides of the picture highlights organizations of all sizes are affected by the consequences of network security breaches. Likewise, it can be concluded that network security risks are continuously evolving, modifying and growing at a rapid pace. Organizations normally install a firewall and even intrusion detection systems that triggers alerts of any suspicious activity, as these two components only covers the technical domain and not the human and physical domain. The current network scenario is utilizing a Virtual Private Connection that is connecting one or more sites. However, the VPN connection is also entitled to allow internet traffic on the same dedicated line from the Internet Service Provider. Moreover, the current network only utilizes a single firewall that is lo cated at the main campus of the university. It concludes that the rest of the two remote sites are only protected via a simple Network address translation function that is incorporated in a DSL modem. Moreover, there are no advanced security appliances such as Intrusion detection systems for analyzing and monitoring any suspicious activity that may possibly become a threat to the University’s computer network. Moreover, there is no patch management for updating security patches in the workstations connected to the network. There are no indications of hardening servers for instance, email server, application server, centralized server and database server must be hardened and needs physical protection as well. The network security vulnerabilities will be accessed in three categories i.e. logical security, internal security and external security. As far as logical security is concerned, we can see that the fig 1.1 demonstrates a firewall, Microsoft Internet Security and Accelera tion (ISA) server and a domain controller with Microsoft Active Directory. The three categories for network vulnerabilities are categorized as below: 2.1 Logical Vulnerabilities The current logical controls for protecting information assets within the network are Microsoft Active directory, ISA server and a Firewall. The Microsoft active directory is not primarily a security control, as