The Roles Of Mainstream Media

The Roles Of Mainstream Media The roles of mainstream media have been widely speculated. Some say the mainstream media act as a tool used to relay the government or corporate propaganda (Galt, 2011: http://johngaltfla.com/wordpress/2011/08/25/words-that-merriam-webster-dictionary-left-out-of-the-2011-u-s-edition/) while others say it simply transmits information that is of the interest of the public. However, many skeptical scholars unanimously agreed that the mainstream media is a media organ that censor the dissemination of news by distorting information through the use of bias photos, placement bias and other forms of deception that mislead viewers into drawing incorrect conclusions (conservapedia, 2012). All in all, mainstream media are generally being perceived as an avenue for the government or controlling group to push out their policies and assume that the idea proposed generally reflects the prevailing thoughts of the majority. Diverse opinions on the effects of mainstream media The history of mass media can be traced back thousands years ago. Studies after studies reviewed that the media possess unfathomable effects. Some scholars perceive media as an invasive, malignant and cancerous force, having direct effects on viewers (manipulate them) while some scholars such as Paul Lazarsfeld believed that media had rarely direct influence on individuals. The introduction of Mass Society Theory, Magic Bullet Theory, Middle-range Theory, Critical Theory and many more further reinforces the idea that media plays an integral part in our lives, although some theories have been rejected as time goes by. Far-sighted figure such as Adolf Hitler foresees the potential of media and thus, uses the radio (a mainstream media) to influence peoples belief and ultimately pushes them to act in accordance to his whims and fancies. Although Hitlers action is one with ill-intentioned, it has proven to the world the capability mainstream media. Mainstream media is comparatively more influential than alternative media as it is the most sought after media by the majority and thus, more people are more susceptible to mainstream media. Ownership of mainstream media in Malaysia Once you understand how powerful the media can be, it is not surprising to see media literates fighting over the ownership of media. The notion Those who own the media own the minds of the people extracted from Karl Marxs greatest ideology once again reinforces how capable media is. With this in mind, the Malaysia government adopted the authoritarian theory by being involved directly in the States media ownership. Many media outlets are owned by individuals who have connection to the ruling coalition BN. The ruling party justify their ownership in the mainstream media as an effort aligned with the New Economic Policy that aims to assure the participation of Bumiputera in mainstream industry and to ensure the economic growth of the nation under the leadership of the elite group. The government or ruling party acquires or controls these media companies through various investment arms. The following list out some of the ownership of the mainstream media in Malaysia: In the newspaper industry, the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) that publishes the New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Harian Metro is a subsidiary of the Fleet Holdings, an investment arm of UMNO while The Star newspaper turns out to be one of MCA most invested property (Zaharom Nain, Mustafa K. Anuar, 2008). In the TV sector, TV3, Malaysias first private TV station too is under the control of 4 prominent political figures, known to be closely related to the previous Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (Zaharom Nain, Mustafa K. Anuar, 2008). Meanwhile the Natseven TV Sdn. Bhd. or commonly known as NTV7 is owned by the Chairman of ENCORP Group, Datuk (Dr. Effendi Norwawi) who happened to be Malaysias former Minister of Agriculture. Furthermore, the government also extended their reach in the satellite broadcasting field as Astro and Measat 1 are jointly owned by the Binariang Sdn. Bhd., headed by T. Ananda Krishnan, a manufacturing and horse racing tycoon who is a close friend of the former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad (The Star, 9/1/1996) Based on the list of ownership mainstream media in Malaysia, it is evident that the Malaysia mainstream media has never gone out of the ruling coalitions sight. For the past 50 years, the media was and is still closely related to the local authority. This clearly shows that the mainstream media in Malaysia is closely related to the system of power and authority. Media is owned through political connection and that they have a say in the content of media by only allowing content that favours the ruling coalition. With ownership of media in hand, media has been regarded as the ultimate tool to reach out to mass audiences. Role of Malaysias mainstream media What is the role of mainstream media and how it operates lies significantly in the hands of the owner of that particular media. The trendsetter ultimately determines the direction of the mainstream media and its content. For instance, what it wants the media to show to the public and what it wants the media to do, i.e. promote government policies. In Malaysia, the mainstream media is a pro-government tool. Due to the polarized system, media operators are bound to abide to the higher management, in other words, the government. If they do not do so, they might face charges under the Sedition Act, Printing and Press Publication Act, Official Secret Act and other related laws that govern the interest of the governing elites. This modus operandi of mainstream media is to advocate the government in sending the nations messages across to the masses. top-down hierarchy has further inhibited the voices of the opposing party. The statement that mainstream media in Malaysia been perceived as an important agent of change for most of the governments policies is undoubtedly true. According to Zaharom Nain and Mustafa K. Anuar (2008) from the very first Malaysias newspaper, The Prince of Wales Gazette to the launching of Malaysias first broadcast satellite, Measat 1, the ownership of mainstream media never leaves from the sight of political figures. As such, the mainstream media has been fully utilized as a means to propagate the nations policies. From the NEP in 1969 to Look East Policy in the up till Vision 2020 and now the latest and most bandied about policy 1 Malaysia. Study reveals that media is the key player in portraying the image of 1Malaysia (Hanita Hassan, Hadina Habil, Noor Aireen Ibrahim). Further, in their research on the roles of media in realizing unity in diversity, they believe that media has a powerful capacity to educate the public on the importance of unity by promoting cross-cultural understanding, tolerance and acceptance of other cultures and religion, the media is thus is the perfect means of communication between the public and the government. 1 Malaysia 1 Malaysia concept was introduced by our sixth Prime Minister, YAB Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak on 16 September 2010. It is an on-going program where it involves all Malaysians to be united so that Malaysia can become a more harmonious, peaceful and efficient country. For this concept to be successful, it is important that all people cooperate as one but not as Sarawakian or Sabahan. 1 Malaysia concept must be applied and practiced all the time to ensure the values of acceptance, mutual understanding and the sense of belongings is engrained in each and every Malaysians mind. According to YAB Dato Sri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, the 1 Malaysia reflects how we see, how we act and how we think as Malaysians. As such, the government takes actions based on the needs of all ethnic groups in our country. No race shall be left out and all decisions made will not oppress one another. The concept of One Malaysia is based on the principle of People First, Performance Now, which mean the government will think from the peoples perspective, put the people as their first priority and only carry out programme that benefits the people. Performance now denotes that the government emphasizes on producing productive results, stresses on the workers efficiency in carrying out designated task as well as how fast and well government servants can complete a certain duty within a given timeframe. Furthermore, the One Malaysia concept also highlights 8 core values, namely perseverance (preserve harmony and peace), acceptance (show tolerance in other races lifestyle, religious practices and food), education (the learning of the national language), integrity (uphold the principle of being ethical and honest), meritocracy (appreciate talented personnel), humility (be humble at all times), loyalty (pledge to serve the country and its people) and the culture of excellence (rich in culture and show commitment beyond ordinary). One way of making the concept known is by the means of media. Media is the best tool to reach out to the public. According to S. Ramasubramaniam, he believed that the media has the potential to influence the desired racial attitudes especially for ethnics with minimal inter-racial direct contact. Ways to encourage the acceptance of 1Malaysia concept From NEP to Look East Policies to Vision 2020, these policies have been so widely published in almost all mainstream media. As mentioned above, mainstream media has been effectively made use of to spread the governments convictions, in this case, the 1Malaysia concept. They use several methods to coerce, pacify and encourage the public in general to accept 1Malaysia. use aggressively Repetition Lets take The Star as an example: The Star published all sorts of news revolving around the 1Malaysia concept in an exaggerating rate. For example, the establishment of 1Malaysia clinics, introduction of 1Malaysia aid schemes and the ceremony of 1Malaysia Family Day celebration. Besides, the pictures of the current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak have also been featured all the time, appearing in almost every day newspaper. On the other hand, TV stations such as RTM 1, RTM 2 and TV3 replay video clips and Public Service Announcement (PSA) pertaining to 1Malaysia concept. Even the radio stations shove the 1Malaysia concept down our throat by repeating the 1Malaysia song and messages. Frequent exposure to the 1Malaysia concept is a long term planning effort by the government. The media resorts to this method as they believe that through repetition, the public will be able to familiarize themselves with the concept and eventually take in the concept and further practice it in daily lives. Furthermore, the government uses the mainstream media because they believed in Rogers diffusion of innovation theory whereby people at large will eventually accept 1Malaysia concept after going through the 5 stages in the diffusion process. At first, the public will be aware of the 1Malaysia concept as it has been widely publicized in the mainstream media. However, being aware is simply not enough. The concept is to be believed will be accepted by a very small group of innovators who are usually heavy media users. This trend will later on be followed by opinion leaders (early adopters) who will try to comprehend the concept themselves and if these leaders find the concept beneficial, they will eventually encourage their friends (early majority) to accept the concept. The snowball effect continues through word of mouth and reaches the late majority. After an extensive period of time, even the laggards will join in the bandwagon. Therefore, 1Malaysia concept must be aired as frequently as possible and over a significant amount of time in order of this theory to sink into the minds of the people. Biased reporting Secondly, mainstream media are used to encourage the acceptance of 1Malaysia by portraying good sides of 1Malaysia concept. Parts of propaganda techniques are used in this context for example, the plain folks technique under special appeals. 1Malaysia concept has generally been regarded as an ideology that is created for the people. The notion We stand, we think and we act as Malaysians as envisaged by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is commonly feature in the mainstream media. It carries the meaning that all people are together as one but not as separate individuals as Sarawakian or Sabahan. Besides, news featuring on citizens benefiting from the 1Malaysia aid scheme, 1Malaysia book vouchers, 1Malaysia housing loan and the list goes on and on is ubiquitous. Besides, the mainstream media also uses transfer to associate 1Malaysia concept to a peaceful, harmonious country whereby everyone is entitled to enjoy equality. In addition, mainstream media are also used testimonial technique by quoting prominent figures, usually political figures of the National Frontier who are in support of the 1Malaysia concept. Apart from that, based on priming effects, the media believes that how 1Malaysia concept is being presented in the media will eventually heighten the likelihood that people will develop similar thoughts about those things in the real world. To translate it into the present context, the mainstream medias constant portrayal of the positive side of 1Malaysia concept will indirectly shape how the public in general perceives 1Malaysia. Therefore, as long as the media portray 1Malaysia as something good, beneficial and serve the interest of the public, 1Malaysia concept will be widely acceptable by the citizens of Malaysia. Other than that, the mainstream media also try to coerce the public into accepting the 1Malalaysia concept through advertisements and video clips that uses the appeal to fear. Local TV stations such as TV1, TV2 and TV3 air the Bersih 2.0 turned riot video clip over and over again as if to convince Malaysians that this will not happen if we were to embrace the 1Malaysia concept. As such, it indirectly sends out a message that 1Malaysia acts as a reassurance that riots will not happen as 1Malaysia concept emphasizes extensively on maintaining peacefulness and harmony The mainstream media highlight the 1Malaysia concept during ethnic festivals. It symbolizes us getting together and form a bandwagon. This is what people are doing and so should you. It is another way of the government to urge the public to assimilate the 1Malaysia concept. This scenario display people get together to uphold the 1Malaysia concept. Excessive use of logo, slogan The mainstream media also uses the 1Malaysia logo and slogan in a wide-ranging manner. According to Hanita Hassan, Hadina Habil, Noor Aireen Ibrahim, symbols are strong identification marker as it symbolizes the 1Malaysia concept and symbols or visuals are to be believed that leaves generally a greater impact than words. Flipped through the newspaper for example and you will see plentiful of 1Malaysia logo together with its most bandied about slogan: People first, Performance now (translated from Rakyat didahulukan, Pencapaian diutamakan). By repeatingly use of these logo and slogan, it aims to intrude into our sense of vision, thus, leave behind an impact. Introduction of new sections Other than that, The Star even allocates a special section, dedicated to events or programmes concerning the 1Malaysia concept. Specialized website 1malaysia website catering for this Concept that is of utmost importance to the extent, they allocate a new section to cover on 1Malaysia news Uses Agenda-setting theory as benchmark- 1Malaysia is covered frequently and prominently, the public will regard the issue as important. Therefore, government take advantage / exploit the media to implant the concept into the peoples mind. Discussion Despite all the efforts by the mainstream media, the question whether the mainstream media has successfully generated the desired outcome of the 1Malaysia concept remains arguable. It cannot be denied that the mainstream media has effect on the citizens of Malaysia. It does leave impact behind but only to a certain extent. The effects of mainstream media generally affect the average people. These average people are usually made up of those who are illiterate, living in rural or maybe suburban area whereby they do not have adequate access to the outside world except amenities provided by the government. Since these people are being confined in the comfort zone built by the government, they will only see from the perspective of the government, which is how 1Malaysia concept benefits the people. In order for 1Malaysia concept to be accepted, people must first believe in the concept itself. Government try to persuade people into accepting the concept but is it the wisest choice to use media? In my opinion, I am not convinced as the media ownership are under the control of the government. Hence it does not give me a comprehensive, transparent report on what 1Malaysia concept is all about. All we see are the good sides of the 1Malaysia. All things are bound to have its pros and cons. It makes us question the integrity of the media Whatever is reported tend to be biased, Confrim the statemet above: (methodÆ’Â   bias These owners of mainstream media are all political figures / associates who is closely related The truth monopolize the media industry. politically used-entity. Loses its credibility in reporting nothing but the truth.. 1 for people to trust them wan people to embrace the 1Malaysia and work together as one. Tyrannical make people question the integrity, accountability, reliability and credibility of media. How far can people trust the media which is publicly known to be government-sided? However, mainstream media is not almighty! Audiences are not passive in nature. They have a free choice. Even though Malaysians are deprived of their freedom of speech but we do have the freedom of choose. This freedom is further supported by the selective process whereby audiences can choose to expose to selected media outlet, choose to remember what is meaningful and the choice to alter the meaning to make to consistent with our pre-existing beliefs. Not do what they are told without comprehending Deemed to chg due to personal predisposition and strongly held beliefs. It is not necessary that they must be exposed to the mainstream media. With the advent of technology, the Internet has opened up a wide array of alternative media catering to different needs of the audience. This has allow audience to look for Malaysia Kini exposes the hidden truth behind government policies and several other socio-political blogger for example Marina Mahathir. So does the mainstream media achieved what it wanted frequently has put people off. Tend to switch channel. will be able to look elsewhere for sources of information. selective exposure, retention and perception Macroscopic political economy denotes that media institution has been turned into a selling commodity. Æ’Â   question put people off With Æ’Â   This is exactly what the Malaysian government is doing. Critical theory explains that the dominant group, i.e. government, maintain its status quo by exerting control on the people via Repressive State Approach (RSA) and Ideological State Approach (ISA) and media is a form of ISA Those who know operations of media not easily susceptible to the media as they themselves know the dirty tricks, laws, acts and vicious cycle repeating itself question the integrity, accountability, reliability and credibility of mainstream media. Question that govet intention. 1malayisa= media practices democratic-participant theory that advocates media support for cultural pluralism at a grass root level , to stimulate and empower pluralistic group. developmental theory call for government and the media to work hand-in-hand to ensure that media assist in the planned, beneficial development of a country. In short, mainstream media have effect on So back to the question: is I would say not. Unless the ownership of media is dissolved and is equally shared among the community, separate it as an independent entity, only then can be put our faith into the mainstream media. due to credibility, accountability, reliability. However boundaries between mainstream media is getting vague as time goes by as one new media emerges, media ownership has changed. Doubts are arising as media now portray what is desired by the controlling group instead of the voice of the masses (Under the control of media conglomerate or elites)- due to polarized system and the top-down hierarchy. Look at the ownership of media. Media is a tool for manipulation. Cannot be denied that media does not have effect as the very moment you are exposed to the media. Misuse media distort the original value of media MSM is a polarized system, meaning one-way information to be transmitted/ passed down. This is a situation known as Agenda-setting. Diffusion of information People see Mainstream media (MSM) as an avenue to transmit / bridge between the public and government. Some see MSM as a tool used by those who are in power, i.e. global company owner, the government, private sector. Media are supporting roles in govt policies Acts + Media ownership Æ’Â   limit / put constraints http://www.mediaprima.com.my/aboutus/our_profile2.aspx Media Prima- leading integrated media investment group. (media conglomerate) own 100% in TV3, NTV7, TV8, TV9, NSTP (The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad)Æ’Â   NST, The Malay Mail Berita Harian, harian Metro, Fly fm, Hot Fm, One fm Clearly show media are generally/ widely use to propagate govt ideology Discussion part: usage Æ’Â   emergence of new media Audience are not passive. Relaisation whos behind the mediaÆ’Â   increase erosion of the medias credibility Demand for greater transparency, accountability and democracy. Demand for proof / seek reinforcement) Some responded that mainstream media fails to meet the communication needs of certain groups (esp minority) Media is merely a tool To use it wisely or to misuse it (distort it) is up to an individual and the As long as it is under the grasp of the government, freedom of speech can never be truly realised!

Overview of Applications to Flavonoids to Cancer

Overview of Applications to Flavonoids to Cancer Flavonoids and its effect on the proliferation of the cells: Published date suggested that flavonoids have capability to inhibit phosphate protein kinases on their specific sites. Flavonoids interact with Akt/PKB (protein-kinase B), tyrosine kinase P1KC (protein-1 kinase C), PI3-kinase (phosphoinositide 3-kinase), and MAP (mitogen-activated protein) kinase signaling pathways. Flavonoids have been reported to activate and inhibit the effects on these signaling pathways by modulating of their gene expressions (Williams et al., 2004). Flavonoids inhibitory mechanism has been proved by altering their receptor phosphorylations or blocking growth factor receptor binding. Flavonoids also inhibit Fyn and Lck protein kinases, involved in T cell signaling transport (Calic et al., 2005). PI3K catalyze productions of PIP1 and PIP2. PIP3 may activate the PDK1 which stimulates the Akt/PKB. Of these effects PDK1 is essential for regulator of cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, migration and apoptosis. Bad, Bcl-2, and caspases proteins are responsible for apoptosis, these can be inhbitied by Akt pathway. Several data have been suggested that flavonoids directly inhibit the PI3K pathway by their interacting their ATP binding sites. MAPK pathway ((ERK2, JNK1 and p38) are responsible for releasing of many survival genes (c-Fos, c-Jun) and those genes which are involved in the antioxidant activity (detoxification enzymes, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione-reductase) have also been activated by low level of quercetin. Anti-cancerous properties of the flavonoids: Flavonoids also have anticancer activities by blocking their cellular mechanism. Flavonoids targets the cell cycle regulator proteins (cycline-dependent kinases and their inhibitors, protein p53 and Rb, E2Fs, ATM/ATR and surviving transition-controlling points G1/S and G2/M) (Sing et al., 2006). Flavopiridol properly inhibits the CDK1-and CDK2 cell regulating pathways (Vermeulen et al., 2003). Cell proliferation and cell viability ratio of the prostate cancer decreased with treatment of quercetin. Quercetin induced apoptosis with down-regulating mechanism of Hsp90 expression of proteins, resulting in the death of cancer cells by inhibiting the cellular growth. (Aalinkeel et al., 2008). Inhibiting cellular growth and DNA synthesis and blockage of cell cycle at S-phase in squamta cells have been reported with quercetin (Haghiac et al., 2005). Querecetin also prevents growth of nasopharyngeal cancer cells via arrest of cell cycle at G1/S phase (Ong et al., 2004). ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) pathway stimulates the lung cancer which is derived from the A549 cell proliferation have been reported combine inhibitory effects of querecetin and kaempferol (Hung et al., 2007). Quercetin stimulates the protein expressions of p21 and p22 which inhibited the cell cycle in H epG2 cells (Mu C et al., 2007). Quercetin at the concentration of (248uM) down-regulates the mutantp53 expressions which is almost untraceable in the cell lines of the breast cancer. Negative control was too lower as compare to normal gene p53. Quercetin at the dose of 70 uM, having inhibiting activity on cell division, and trysine kinase activity, is an enzyme placed on the cell membrane and is involved in growth factors and signaling transduction in nucleus (Lamson et al., 2000). Scientific data have been reported that flavonoids especially the quercetin having oral anticancer properties. Quercetin inhibits the cellular growth and DNA synthesis depending the dose and timing of the administration. Quercetin induced apoptosis with treatment of caspase-3 proteins after 72 hours, and cell necrosis after 24-48 hours in SCC-9 cells. Flow cytometer studies confirmed cell cycle blockage at S-phase with the treatment of quercetin (Haghiac et al., 2005). Quercetin induced cell proliferation of B16-BL6 after 72 hours and also caused apoptosis in B16-BL6 cells and reduced the expressions of Bcl-2 and anti-apoptotic proteins (Zhang et al., 2000). Anti-apoptotic properties of the flavonoids: Flavonoids have been reported to induce apoptosis process by activating and modulating cellular signaling pathways resulting in death of pre-cancerous and maligne cells, which terminates cancer development or progression. Human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP, treated with different concentrations of quercetin shown to inhibited cell death after 24 hours. Inhibition of Akt survival signals have been activated in the treated cells. Rapid decrease in Ser 136 phosphorylation in Bad that is a Akt target have been reported with treatment of LNCaP and 100 uM of quercetin. Quercetin have been shown to reduce the Bcl-XL, Bx ratio and enhances translocation and multimeriation of Bax in the mitochondrial membrane; cytochrome-c released by translocation, and the caspase 3, 5, 9 proteins and PARB (poli(ADP-ribose)polymerase). Remarkably, quercetin does not induce cellular viability or apoptosis at same concentrations in normal prostatic epithelial cells (Zhanget al., 2000). Exposure of cells for longer time on quercetin induced apoptosis intervened by reduction of thymidylate synthase (Ong et al., 2004). Quercetin induced apoptosis in CNE2 and HK1 cells after 24 hours of treatment and treatment was continued when necrosis was observed. HeLa cells have been exposed on non-toxic flavonoid concentrations which slightly susceptible to TRAIL induced cell death. TRAIL mediated cytotoxicity in HeLa cells was increased by apigenin and ginstein but no effect have been documented with kaempfeol and quercetin (Leeet al., 2008). Luteoline induced cell cytotoxicity by suppressing PI3K/Akt (phosphattidylinositol 3-kinase), NF-kB (nuclear factor kappa B) and XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein) and activates of apoptotic pathways, such as p53 protein (Lin et al., 2008 and Lopez-Lazaro., 2009). At high doses majority of the flavonoids suppressors AP-1 activity (activator protein 1) by MAPK (mitogen – activated protein kinase) pathway (Gopalakrishnan et al., 2006). Activation of cellular signaling pathways in cancer and flavonoids: Figures-9. Sources of inflammatory mediators and their origin Figure-7. Some diseases and cancers associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) Conclusion: Oxidative stress brings the changes into the cells resulting in gene mutation which leads to the carcinogenesis. It brings direct or indirect intra and inter-cellular and intercellular transduction and transcription changes by antioxidants. The role of oxidative stress in carcinogenesis and tumor bearing conditions is complex and various mechanisms and substances are involved. Clinical evidence suggests that oxidative stress and inflammation linked to free radicles over generation may be the key factor in development of chronic diseases, insulin resistance, diabetes, cardiovascular and other diseases. Excessive nutrition, stress in combination with sedentary lifestyle, can independently result in overburden of glucose and fatty acid accumulation with musle, adipose tissue and pancreatic cells. All these factors lead to chronic inflammation resulting in chronic diseases. Published data suggested that the key role of polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids as therapeutics agents in the inflammatory diseases including obesity, T2DM, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases cancer and aging. Flavonoids are the key modulators of inflammatory molecules. Flavonoids inhibits the AMPK one of the major pathway of inflammation and cancer. Activation of AMPK by flavonoids causes to increase the cancer cell apoptosis, inhibit cell proliferation and some studies suggested that it a neoplastic agent Furthermore, inflammation stimulates various inflammatory mediators, chemokine’s, cytokines, signaling transductions and transcriptional factors; overproduction for long periods may lead to chronic inflammation which in turn to chronic diseases such as neurological diseases and cancer. Better clarification of these mechanisms will be beneficial to the development of efficacious prevention and therapies of inflammation associated cancers. Moreover, effects of flavonoids at molecular mechanism and study also should be carried out on modulatory action; effects on transcription levels of the flavonoids should be studied. Fig-4. Anti-inflammatory activities of the flavonoids SOD- Superoxide dismutase 2- CAT- Catalase 3- GPx- Glutathione peroxidase 4- GR- Glutathione reductase 5- GST- Glutathione S-transferase. 6- ÃŽ ³GCS- ÃŽ ³-glutamylcysteine synthetase 7- NADPH:NQO1- quinone oxidoreductase-1. 8- HSP70- heat shock proteins. 9- MPO- myeloperoxidase 10- iNOS- inducible nitric oxidase synthase. 11- OH Hydroxyl radical. 12- O2 -superoxide radical. 12- MDA- Malondialdehyde 13- IL-2 interlukins-2 14- FMLP- Formyl-Methionyl-Leucyl-Phenylalanine. 15- TNF-ÃŽ ±- Tumor necrosis factor ÃŽ ±. 16- LTB4- Leukotriene B4. 17- LTC4- Leukotriene C4. 18- TXB2- Thomboxane B2 19. PGE2- Prostaglandins e2. 20- NF-ÃŽ ºB- Nuclear Factor Kappa Beta 21- ICAM-1- Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 22- VCAM-1- vascular cell adhesion molecule-1

Eastern European Conclusions :: Russian Government Essays

Eastern European Conclusions The year 1989 represents a paradox of the modern history. Not long ago the USSR was the biggest fear of the whole world. The Soviet Union exemplified an enormous political, economical, and military power. The revolution of 1917 gave birth to a giant child. That creation walked the earth very fast, and, by the end of 1960, it enforced communist structures all over the world. China, Cuba, Poland, Czechoslovakia illustrate ramifications of the system. In 1989 the child suddenly vanished. The German reunification, the rejection of the communist rules by the liberal Hungarian government, and the Romanian revolution, which solved with the execution of Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, speak about the instability of that time. It was the end of a historical epoch. Ten years have passed since those days. I still remember learning to write using the Latin alphabet instead of the Cyrillic, the Popular Front movement in Moldova, and the impressive demonstrations and rebellions showed on television. I was just a young child. Everybody was happy and excited. New bright times were supposed to come, and they did, but not for everybody. People soon found that the new discovered capitalism meant a drop in living standards, rising unemployment, reduced social benefits, and growing inequality. This started the period of transition, but life would improve... Life did improve. Hungary, Poland, and the Baltic countries proved that capitalism meant a brighter future and a better life. The statistics regarding the economical condition of Hungary show that the country obtained immense achievements and important developments in the political and economical spheres of life. (Nations, Online) The situation of the Baltic countries is not much different from those in the Western Europe. What happened to the rest of the post-soviet countries? Why is the present situation in Eastern Europe so deplorable? Corruption affects all level of society, but it has the worst effects when it comes from the top. The whole political and economical structure of the former USSR is influenced by this social malady. The analysts are looking for a drug to treat the disease, but this virus adapts with an incredible speed. Everybody is corrupt. Such a statement sounds very paradoxical, but it is very close to reality. "The American headlines about corruption in Russia are revolving around two separate and so far unrelated allegations. One is that Yeltsin and his daughters,

Fed Ex vs UPS Case Analysis Essay example -- essays research papers

Executive Summery The parcel service industry is made up of four main competitors. These competitors are UPS, FedEx, Airborne Express, and the U.S. Postal Service. Since 2000, American consumers have spent more than $50 billion to ship parcels, packages, and overnight letters. New parcel distribution patterns developed due to the way U.S. manufacturing companies are operating. The Internet has expanded the reach of direct marketing, particularly with retail transactions requiring home delivery. Globalization has also created the need for parcel carriers to expand worldwide. UPS and FedEx are the leading parcel carriers in the U.S. FedEx has significantly expanded their capability to compete with UPS’s dominant ground delivery service. UPS has continued its strong marketing efforts in overnight and deferred air services. Both of these carriers have introduced information systems, which include user-friendly Internet interfaces. The carriers have also expanded logistical services and improved integration with customer supply chains. State of the Environment State of the General Environment More and more people are using computers and the Internet. Dual income families have increased spending; therefore more people are ordering products over the internet at a high rate. The Internet offers customers a one stop source for global shipping. Due to this, there has been an increase in using information technology and the Internet for businesses. This has created an increase in trade and investment along with global shipping logistics and supply chain solutions. With the increase in globalization, companies have had to adapt to the diverse work force and the culture of the countries in which they are conducting business. The parcel service industry is controlled by strict regulations and federal law. For example, September 11 brought stricter laws and regulations in the parcel service industry. Operations must maintain federal approval to operate in the United States. State of the Industry Environment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The parcel service industry is dominated by four carriers that make up 95 percent of the industries domestic revenue. Over the years, the industry has had an increase growth rate over time and an increased role in the economy. This is due to the way manufacturing companies are now operating. With the growth of the parcel service ... ...hich means that a business can get paid quicker, lower its capital requirements, minimize management headaches, manage change and gain competitive advantage. UPS focus is to help their customers consistently achieve these results. The core of UPS is the distribution of goods and the information that accompanies them. UPS has branched out to focus on services. The company’s expertise in shipping and tracking positioned it to become an enabler of global commerce and also a facilitator of commerce, which includes goods, information, and capital. To fulfill the vision of offering new services, UPS strategically acquired existing companies and created new kinds of companies that did not previously exist. Through these acquisitions and creations, UPS serves its customers by providing unique supply-chain solutions. UPS allowed its customers to better serve their own customers, and focus on core competencies. UPS has a Logistics Group to provide global supply chain management solutions and consulting services based on customers ´ individual needs. UPS has a mission to provide a list of options of integrated financial products and services that enable companies to grow their business.

Fibromyalgia: No Longer a Catchall Diagnosis Essay -- Biology Essays R

Fibromyalgia: No Longer a Catchall Diagnosis [2] I first developed an interest in fibromyalgia syndrome through my mother. About ten years ago, she began complaining of achiness, sharp pain in various parts of her body-specifically the neck, and constant fatigue and insomnia. Being treated for clinical depression, however, my mother put these annoyances off as simply more symptoms of her depression and the results of extreme stress and tension. It was only very recently, within the past year while receiving massage therapy, that her masseuse happened to mention that my mother might have fibromyalgia, a relatively recent syndrome to enter into medical circles. Since then, my mother has been diagnosed as having fibromyalgia. This information does little good outside of peace of mind, as both the causes and the cures of these syndromes are not certain. Fibromyalgia is characterized most prominently, of course, by pain[1]. Pain can be experienced both as widespread and general 'achiness' felt throughout the body and also at specific 'trigger points,' which are areas that radiate intense pain in the muscle fiber. To meet the medical definition of 'fybromyalgia' the patient must respond to eleven out of the eighteen most common trigger points, the patient must have trigger points in all four quadrants of the body, and the patient must have experienced continuous pain for at least three months[3]. I will discuss these 'trigger points' in more depth later in this paper. There are multitudinous other symptoms which are also known to be associated with fibromyalgia. A few of the most significant among these are difficulty sleeping, intense fatigue, weight gain and loss, muscle spasms and loss of muscular control, mood swings and o... ...lgia. Particularly in the past few years as knowledge of fibromyalgia has become increasingly integrated into the scientific community, there has been a greater push towards the development of possible treatments-the two major possibilities being guaifeneson and Pycnogenol ®. Sources Cited 1. CFS Days http://www.sunflower.org/~cfsdays.htm 2. Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Dr. Starlanyla and J. Nickson http://corp.sover.net/devstar/index.htm 3. Fibromyalgia Symptoms http://sunflower.org/~cfsdays/symptom2.htm 4. Fibromyalgia Treatment http://www.medhelp.org/www/piic/piic3.htm 5. A Guide For Patients http://www.sunflower.org/~cfsdays/nye-pt.htm 7. Pycnogenol ® http://www.mt.net.au/~willieb/pycnogenol/index.htm 8. The Use of Uricosuric Drugs in Fibromyalgia http://sunflower.org/~cfsdays/urico96.htm

Micah

How does the life and ministry of Jesus reflect the words of this verse from Micah? Christians believe that Jesus Christ was a man who lived about 2,000 years ago in Palestine and that he was the Son of God. By his death and Resurrection, Christians believe Jesus saved people from their sins. They try to follow Jesus’ example in their daily lives and use his teachings as a guide to how God wishes them to live. In Micah chapter 6 verse 8 stated that â€Å"he has showed you, o man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.† This would mean that God requires us to do things justly and treat others without partiality; thus, loving other people regardless of his race, background and weaknesses and be sober in spirit. In addition, this verse talks about the very nature of Jesus Christ. We learn that Jesus Christ is the son of God who is full of compassion and believes as the author of perfect love. He comes to the world in obedience and love to the father in order to show his great love to everyone that while we are still sinners Jesus Christ die for us. Jesus Christ knows that our final destination is on hell because our impurities separate us from God. But because of his love, he does an amazing decision that will help us to be in heaven. Jesus Christ has been compassionate to those who are poor (especially to those who are spiritually blind and gone astray). His ultimate expression of love is when he obeys God the father to lay down his life for the benefit of everyone in spite of the fact that he is not guilty of sin. Jesus Christ doesn’t deserve the death that he is been through but he sacrifices himself in exchange for the salvation of the mankind; thus, he has never been selfish and never withholds his life because of his great love for his people. He doesn’t want to see everyone perish but come into repentance. He wants everyone to have an access to God the father through his death and resurrection. It is been written in the Bible that without the remission of blood there is no forgiveness so once and for all, Jesus Christ die for us so that we can receive forgiveness through his name and to end our sacrificial offering when we sin. Jesus Christ becomes our sacrificial lamb and his precious blood cleanses us as we ask forgiveness from him. He has done everything because of his great love for us. Moreover, Jesus Christ is a just individual. He does not condemn people who sin or commit mistakes but he listens heartily and forgives them if the individual confesses his sins. Just like the Samaritan woman who has many husbands. The woman is guilty of sin because she commits adultery. When Jesus meets her on the well, he never rejects her but is able to talk to the woman and asks for a drink. The woman tries to make alibis but Jesus talks to her in a sober manner. He even asks her about her husband and the woman is convicted of her sin so she replies that she has many husbands. Jesus already learns about it because he is an all-knowing God but despite of that, Jesus never judge the woman but instead tell her to go to her husband and sin no more. The woman feels such joy because that is the first time she has not been condemned by a Jew and most especially a Savior has forgiven her sin. Although Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100 % man and owns the riches that we can never think of yet he walks humbly with his people. He never brags his riches. He comes to the world to serve and not to be served. He walks with different kinds of people; may it be rich or poor. Jesus Christ even associates with out cast people who are suffering from leprosy. Many officials especially the Pharisees question his motives yet they cannot find any fault on him because they know that Jesus Christ has perfectly obeyed the word of God. Many scholars try to scrutinize the authenticity of divinity of Jesus Christ. This is not new anymore because even during the time of Jesus, there were people who â€Å"doubt† his identity especially the Pharisees because they were threatened by his presence. For other religions, they consider Jesus as prophet and not a God. But of all the prophets that we have on the face of the earth, only the name of Jesus Christ that was ever recorded in the history that he himself raised from the dead and through his name, an individual can cast out demons. Isn’t that amazing?   

Dave Chappelle Satire

Dave Chappelle's comedy has made numerous aspects of American race relations and racial stereotypes subject to ridicule in a manner that has both united and divided. On one hand, his name became synonymous with comedy for the younger generations; on the other, his values caused him to question his own comedy, leading him to effectively terminate his career. In the Wake of ‘The Nigger Pixie': Dave Chappelle and the Politics of Crossover Comedy† by Bambi Haggins demonstrates that Chappelle's comedic style is the result of numerous elements of comedy in the African American community coming together and that it came about as a result of his experiences. It gives and expands upon the reasons that Chappelle left Chappelle's Show and presents them in an optimal setting.Chappelle's roots are established as guiding him through his comedic career, his desire to share his comedy with the masses without accommodating the tastes of the networks or what they would think would be †Å"palatable† to their audiences. Haggins' analysis of Chappelle's comedic style for the duration of Chappelle's Show explains how Chappelle was able to blend older styles of African American comedy into his unique comedic style by using his sketches to support her claims.Haggins knows how to blend this mixture artfully into an essay piquing the interest of others on the topic of Chappelle's career and comedic style. Haggins begins the chapter with a quick explanation of why Chappelle eventually left the show. Chappelle explains that the â€Å"loud and long laughter† (233), emanating from one of the white crew members was â€Å"the beginning of the end† (233) for him. This depicts the time in his life when he started to think that rather then diluting them, his skits sometimes reinforce these stereotypes.Something he never intended to do. The biggest thing that separated Chappelle’s show from the rest is his seamless ability to achieve the de facto crossove r consistently in his show. His gift at portraying stereotypes and social conflicts while appealing to a wider audience is what led him to the top of sketch comedy. But this soon becomes problematic for him as he struggled with himself to decide what was crossing the line. As his success gave him the ability the push the line even farther, it also reminded him how important it was to not cross the line.Another big factor that provided Chappelle with the chance he needed to really show everyone what he could do is by taking a risk with Comedy central. The Chappelle’s Show co-creator Neal Brennan explains, â€Å"We went to a place, Comedy Central, that sort of needs us and gave us a lot of freedom†¦. We didn’t get much money, but that was the trade-off-you get control† (236). This gave Chappelle the ability to reach a wide audience while still having the control of the material that goes into each show, thus promoting his real comedic self and rocketing him t o success and fame.While staying at the top Chappelle constantly was balancing on a delicate line, â€Å"Chappelle’s show walked the razor edge of provocative comedic sociopolitical discourse† (237). Haggin’s in depth analysis of both his argument and Chappelle’s descent into racial stereotyping is prevalent through his specific examples of the comedian’s sketches and then providing commentary about the concept as a whole. In his article, the author uses Chappelle’s â€Å"Racial Draft†, â€Å"Black Bush†, and â€Å"Nigger Pixie† as clear cases where racial satire went too far. The author begins with Chappelle’s background and his emergence into the television world.This is an effective rhetoric strategy because it allows the audience to see Dave Chappelle before the Chappelle’s Show. However, if one reads closely, they can clearly tell that Chappelle had never changed throughout his years of comedy and kept the â€Å"openness and fluidity†(236) in his comic persona. Haggins also points out the element that the comedian always had an ability to attract viewers from all areas and speak â€Å"for and to Gen X and Gen Y subcultures in both black and white communities† (234). This was especially evident in Chappelle’s Show and added greatly to its popularity.Finally, the method in which the author used examples by including specific skits in the â€Å"Lost Episode† where Dave Chappelle went beyond boundaries to point out the racial stereotypes that are present in everyday life is very effective. Through his fluid diction and terrific explanation of each skit, Haggins is able to â€Å"paint a picture† in words for the reader. When reading the article and each sketch that Chappelle acted out, the audience can clearly see that the comedian’s racial satire was humorous, yet lie awfully close to the reinforcement of racial stereotyping.This is the reaso n the â€Å"Nigger Pixie† sketch example is so significant. By playing a black-faced minstrel, Chappelle only emphasized the idea of harsh racism and the stereotypical black want for fried chicken. The author analyzes how numerous comedic styles from the African American community coalesced on Chappelle's Show by using specific sketches as supporting evidence. One example, Haggins' analysis of the â€Å"Reparations† sketch (Haggins 240-241), demonstrates that numerous styles blended quite clearly.Her use of the sketch, which describes the ludicrous amount of economic prosperity that would occur if reparations for slavery were given to the descendents of formerly enslaved African Americans (Haggins 240), outlines how â€Å"the ‘white' media† (Haggins 240) would report such an occurrence, and that while the sketch â€Å"[offers] a cringe-worthy embodiment of stereotypes, [it] (somewhat) congenially calls the audience out while also acting as a reminder of t he issue of reparations for the legacy of slavery that still informs aspects of the African American experience† (Haggins 241).Her demonstration of the older styles of African American comedy coming together one one television program was effective. After all of this occurred and Comedy Central aired the shows despite the wished of Chappelle, he found it impossible to continue his relationship with Comedy Central and he left the show.The argument made throughout the chapter is further solidified in the end when Haggins states, â€Å"As long as the assumptions implied by the race-baiting little demons (the Nigger Pixie and his brethren) resonate in the hidden recesses of popular consciousness-not as critique but as confirmation-the road for social satire, regardless of media outlet-will be arduous† (248). To revisit what was discussed earlier, as long as racism exists, â€Å"doing racial satire will be problematic† (248).