Technology In The Workplace Essay Example for Free

Technology In The Workplace Essay In my workplace, an acute care hospital with 968 beds and a workforce of approximately 5,000 employees, technology is a huge part of the operations.   As a matter of fact, technology has become necessary and fundamental not only in the usual day-to-day activities of the hospital like keeping patients’ medical records, doctors’ schedules, employees’ salaries and the like, but also as an added accommodation for patients who have special needs or requests. The operating systems used are Microsoft Windows (Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional) and the Macintosh Operating System to avoid a sense of monopoly and hence providing a choice for the users, depending on which system they are more familiar with or which one better serves their needs.    For example, Apple Macintosh is preferred over IBM computers by some physicians for research purposes and further education in the medical field. The functionality of computers is extended from just being a set of relational databases because it can be maximized further to the benefit of both the hospital and the patients.   Since all areas of the hospital are equipped with computers that have ready access to the Internet, the inter-connectivity is taken advantage of in many ways. Networks are established within the workplace to have an easier access to information in and out of the company.   Cisco router is used for broad infrastructure and the Nortel network for remote access.   For patient documentation from multi-disciplinary venues, the UNIX server and the Sunrise Clinical Manager are used.   All patients and vendors have can have unlimited access to the Guest Wireless network through a code that can be obtained after signing up with the IT Department. Although previously used mostly in business establishments and big hotels, audio/video conferencing is also presently being provided by our hospital.   In one instance, the daughter of one of our female patients was getting married in another state.   Unfortunately, her mother was hospitalized and was therefore unable to attend the ceremony.   Knowing that this was one occasion the mother would not want to miss, the system was set up in her room where she could view the wedding and hear what was going on.   At the same time, the bride and groom could see and hear her.   The patient even dressed up for the occasion while the hospital staff provided flowers and the hospital’s communication department took charge of the hook-up. Furthermore, the hospital has a secured website that allows virtual private remote access.   The hospital employees can easily access a site to view their pays tubs.   For the public, a site provides information on the hospital’s roster of doctors and their specializations, the types of health services available including outpatient services, and general information about the hospital. In addition to all these, the hospital has two (2) patient channels from which they could view chapel services or listen to soft music while viewing scenes that allows meditation, prayer or just plain mental relaxation.   These are exclusively for in-patients’ use and are not available to the public outside the hospital. The hospital is also a teaching facility for would-be doctors and nurses but at present, it does not fully provide distance education.   It has links to the Medical Library for the use of its students and the hospital personnel, but it does not have computer-based academic programs that provide full education. Essentially, with the advent of technology, the hospital has become more than just a place where sick people go for treatment.   It has also become a sanctuary for the sick where they could listen to soothing music or take part in religious services without having to leave their hospital bed.

Demarcation Of Science And Pseudo Science Philosophy Essay

Demarcation Of Science And Pseudo Science Philosophy Essay introduction Please give a short summary of all three articles [1-3] taken together as a discussion of the difference between science and pseudo-science in general, and particularly astrology as example pseudo-science. The pseudoscience comes from a Greek prefix pseudo which means false. Pseudoscience pretends to believe in practice of methods which are not scientifically proven but appears with high probability. Pseudoscience obligation on some figures and facts are not appropriate evidence, proofs and practical tests. Science is making life of people easy and eliminates sophistication. Some people with little knowledge of science try to convince their idea without proper scientific methods in scientific domain. The following are some characteristics of pseudoscience Use of vague, exaggerated or untestable claims Over-reliance on confirmation rather than refutation Lack of openness to testing by other experts Absence of progress Personalization of issues Use of misleading language Astrology pretends to justify their work to scientist, astrologer and clients. Experiments of astrologers never be predicted and what kind of facts they will accept. Astrology tends to rely on client satisfaction arguing that if their clients are satisfied because astrology is accurate. Astrologers try to escape themselves from procedures and methods of science by saying that they can only help and guide people about their personal and hidden abilities, points that can have positive effect on their life and they can lead a better life by choosing right paths in their destination. However, science requires scientific evidence. Pseudoscience is a methodology, belief or practice that is claimed to be scientific or that is made to appear to be scientific, but it does not adhere to an appropriate scientific methodology. The word pseudo means false. The good way to find false predictions is to check it properly with best practices of scientist and researchers. Demarcation of science from pseudoscience is quite necessary. Due to high status of science, people try include their non scientific and pseudoscientific claims into scientific domain. Therefore demarcation issue is always on the pressing. Demarcation issue is important in many practical applications such as: Healthcare, Expert testimony, Environmental policies, science education etc. According to many authors, pseudoscience is a non-science claiming to be science. They also believe that to be pseudoscientific, an activity or claim has to satisfy following criteria: it is not scientific, and its major proponents try to create the impression that it is scientific. According to Popper, the theory be falsifiable, or more precisely that statements or systems of statements, in order to be ranked as scientific, must be capable of conflicting with possible, or conceivable observations. Kuhn disapproved Poppers theory of demarcation he criticized Popper for characterizing the entire scientific enterprise in terms that apply only to its occasional revolutionary parts. Paul states a two points criterion for a theory or claim to be pseudo scientific. One of these is that the theory fails to progress, and the other that the community of practitioners makes little attempt to develop the theory towards solutions of the problems, shows no concern for attempts to evaluate the theory in relation to others, and is selective in considering confirmations and disconfirmations (Thagard 1978, 228). Many authors have put forward a list of criteria as a demarcation criterion. One such list is as under: Belief in authority. Nonrepeatable experiments. Handpicked examples. Unwillingness to test. Disregard of refuting information. Built-in subterfuge. Explanations are abandoned without replacement. Why is it important to distinguish science from non-science? Describe the problem of demarcation and its significance for science according to Sven Ove Hanssons article [1] It is in general discussion that pseudoscience is non-science as brain Baigrie says what is objectionable about these beliefs is that they masquerade as genuinely scientific ones. Authors and researchers predict about two criteria. It is not scientific, and Its major proponents try to create the impression that is scientific. It is quite inevitable to distinguish between science and non science in many ways. For example, in Healthcare, Expert testimony, Environmental policies, Science Education etc. In Healthcare Pseudoscience activities can be dangerous for patients health and life. Accurate facts and figures are required in court cases. Judges decision should be based on best available knowledge. Sometimes litigants try to present non-science claims as solid science. Therefore, justice should be able to distinguish between science and pseudoscience. Environmental experts also need to differentiate between science and pseudoscience. Best available knowledge will help them to make decisions when there are valid but yet insufficient evidence of environmental hazard. State and school authorities should take measures to protect curricula from unreliable and disapproved teachings. Sconce is our most reliable source of knowledge in daily life, its quiet inevident to differentiate science from pseudo-science. Due to importance of science, some people attempt to exaggerate the scientific status of various claims, teachings, and products. In order to tackle this issue, demarcation of science is necessary. What are the characteristics of pseudoscience according to [2] Pseudoscience has following characteristics as mentioned in article. Use of vague, exaggerated or untestable claims Over-reliance on confirmation rather than refutation Lack of openness to testing by other experts Absence of progress Personalization of issues Use of misleading language Give a short account of astrotest [3] and its results. The Article was intended to proof weather astrologers can predict or not. Author invited astrologers to take part in an astrotest. He gave the astrologers the birth data of 7 anonymous test subjects and they also receive 7 questioner filled by the test subjects. They have to match each birth chart with the corresponding questionnaire. Author offered 2500 dollars for the astrologer who matched all 7 birth chart with the corresponding questionnaire. Then he looked for suitable test subjects that are not between two ascendent or if the subject was born 5 minutes late or before the registered birth date they would have been on different sign. So he rejected such subjects to avoid ambiguity for the astrologers. The astrologers sent 10 questions each and he made 25 questions and added 24 multiple questions to it and he gave the questions to 10 experienced astrologers to give their opinion on it and none of them had a big objection to it. All 50 participants were given 10 weeks to complete the astrotest and 44 participants completed the test. Many of the participants had experience in astrology. And they were asked about their expectations and half of the 36 participants who responded the questions said they expected that they have matched all correct. But the result was very different from their expectation the most successful participant only manages 3 correct matches and half of the participants didnt score a single hit. And there were a lack of similarities between the answers of the participants. There was also a difference in response to the results between the astrologers some were surprised by the lack of agreement and others admitted that the possibilities of astrology were more limited then they had thought and others say astrology only works in actual practice and sixteen still believe science can still prove astrology right. And they gave reasons like horoscopes are too much alike, the answers of the subjects were often similar, the questions were not always answered truthfully and some said about incomplete information of subjects. Astrology and science are in conflict since astrology says its methods are testable and science focuses on astrology where as astrology focuses on client satisfaction and use words that cannot be falsified What are your conclusions on science contra pseudo-science discussion? Pseudoscience is extremely dangerous for our society. Science on other side is supported by proper methods, proofs and logics. Mankind is relying more and more on scientific methods and practices in routine life. Therefore, work should be done on emergency basis to eradicate and prevent pseudoscience entrance in the demarcation of science. In my opinion, people try to take pseudoscience too easy or as a source of amusement or fun. This can at certain times be very dangerous and Quakers are encouraged by this attitude. For example: Our political system can be sabotaged by the pseudoscience. Our education system can also become a victim of pseudoscience, and can be disastrous for our youth. Hundreds of people lives can be lost if not provided appropriate treatment in time, healthcare department should be prevented from pseudoscience. Instability can be introduced in our routine life by asserting pseudoscience in the religion A very important responsibility lies on media as electronic and other kinds of medias influence are increasing day by day in our routine life.

Training Required To Be A Soccer Player

Training Required To Be A Soccer Player Soccer players need a combination of fitness attributes such as strength, endurance, power, co-ordination, speed and agility, in order to perform and play at a high intensity considering games last 90 minutes plus, therefore as stated by (Stolen et al, 2005) success depends on players being mentally, physically, technically and tactically prepared for competition. Within this assignment I will outline the preparation requirements for a soccer player under the following headings: Strength Training, Endurance Training, Speed Agility and Quickness Training. While doing so I will give general information on each of the three topics, and then move on to give information about the specific requirements for the soccer player. Strength Training: According to Darden, (1992) Well developed, strong, lean body parts will help any athlete or non-athlete perform better. Pg: 45 Stated by Croisier et al., (2005) Strength training is very important for any competing athlete, as it corrects muscle imbalances and reduces the risk of injury, for safety it is important for everyone taking part in strength training to use a spotter and apply good lifting technique to avoid injury. Strength training is also important for non-athletes as it enhances quality of life for people as they can go about everyday tasks such as getting out of bed, getting dressed, carrying shopping bags, walking up stairs etc. (Evans, 1999). Strength training can be divided into three phases such as absolute maximal strength, explosive power, and lastly muscular endurance. McDonagh and Davies, (1984) stated that maximal strength is the biggest force that can be exerted in a single maximum voluntary contraction. According to Stone, (1981) maximal strength is proven to increase jumping ability and motor performance. The athletes main goal is to build as much maximal strength as possible so that they can turn this strength into muscular endurance and explosive power. Explosive power can be developed using a combination of heavy, moderate and light weights (Fleck and Kraemer, 2004). Plyometric training has been shown to be one of the most effective methods for improving and enhancing explosive power (Fleck and Kraemer, 2004) which occurs when the active muscle switches from rapid eccentric muscle action to rapid concentric muscle action (Luebbers et al, 2003). The purpose of plyometrics is to improve the athletes capacity to apply more force more rapidly. Therefore, the greater the athletes ability to generate maximal force or strength to begin with, the more this maximal force and strength can be converted into sport-specific power. According to Dick, (2007) a complex form of training develops muscular endurance, circuit type training which concentrates on soccer specific exercises works well. He states that including a variety of different exercises, movements, as well as equipment combinations and training methods in the circuits will help keep athletes motivated. More sports specific exercises may include using high box step ups rather than lying leg press for the leg muscles, water resistance for training leg muscles, swiss ball for working on core stability and balance. Dynamic movements such as headers, tackling, sprinting and kicks all involve a high level of muscle strength, endurance and power. Players need strength to defend against components who try to push them off the ball while in the air or on the ground, (Cabri et al, (1988). Therefore it is important for athletes to improve their soccer specific strength in the preparation period as the athlete needs to be capable of using muscle strength and power effectively and also consistently within a game and during the season Bangsbo, (1994). As stated by Bompa, (2009) the soccer players performance during the season depends on their adaption and psychological adjustment to training and competitions, and their development of skills and abilities. The duration of each of the stages below depends firstly on the competition schedule and also on the time the athlete needs to increase their level of training and athletic shape, therefore an adequate planning schedule of training and fixtures needs to be put in place. According to Davis et al, (1992) the strength training program for the soccer player is dependent on their positions which can be broken down into four stages goalkeeper, defender, midfield, and attacker given that the athletes need to build up strength and power in relation to their position on the field and what is expected of them. Sport specific training provides a stronger relationship to the soccer player then general strength training because of the way it works the muscles, the speed of the movement and the actual sporting performance Dick, (2007). The following specific requirements for the soccer player were retrieved from Bompa and Carrera, (2005); Dick, (2007); Hoff and Helgerud, (2004); Shepard, (2006) Off season In the off-season the soccer player is in the preparation stage their training to train. After their recovery and adequate rest, soccer players work on building up muscles and a solid functional strength base, they achieve this by preparing the body for more intense work in later phases, strengthening the stabiliser muscles and working on improving imbalances in the body. As soccer players in general have over developed quads from repetitive kicking action therefore they need to work on balancing flexors and extensors also, in order to reduce the risk of injury later on in the season, Off season- Early pre season In this phase the soccer player needs to build maximal strength, since power is the overall outcome, the athlete needs to develop strength first and then convert it into soccer specific power. Late pre season In the late pre season the athlete needs to keep working on muscle power and strength endurance, converting strength gains into soccer specific power and muscle endurance. For this stage plyometrics and/or circuit training should replace weight room sessions. In season-maintance During this phase the soccer player needs to maintain the gains they have made so far in the season without over reaching and overtraining. The athlete should be balanced and muscles should not be under stress, the athletes upper and lower body should be working in cohesion minimizing shock and stress and therefore reducing the risk of injury. Bobbert and Van Soest, (1994) stated that muscle training exercises need to be affiliated with sport specific motions so that the athlete can regulate their control and therefore take advantage of their enhanced muscle properties. Endurance Training: According to Tinley, (1994) endurance training involves athletes being able to keep going for long periods of time, and it also requires a high level of stamina, to develop and maintain aerobic fitness and build endurance. Non-athletes might partake in endurance training in order to improve their quality of life, so they can walk up the stairs without wheezing or run a 10k run in six months time. Stone and Kilding, (2009) stated that soccer players need a high level of aerobic fitness in order to produce and maintain power output during repeated high intensity efforts and in order to recover quickly. Bangsbo et al, (1994); Franks et al, (1999) have observed training intensities deemed suitable for endurance training, during small sided soccer games and on a dribbling track. The size of pitch, intensity, duration and number of players were also seen to have an influence on reaching target heart rate zone. As stated by Bangsbo, (1994) approximately 90% of energy during a soccer game is from aerobic sources, therefore heart rate is a valid indicator of exercise intensity for most of the training. Anaerobic endurance is important for soccer players especially strikers, they require short bursts of anaerobic power when sprinting for a ball, Shepard, (2006). The soccer player requires the following endurance training for the duration of the season Off season During the off season the athlete needs adequate rest and recovery in order to start preparation for the season as soon as possible, Bompa and Carrera, (2005). Off season- Early pre season During this stage the team takes part in small sided conditioning games, dribbling tracks, interval training or circuit training that include specific movement and skill development activities. The fitness program in this stage concentrates on aerobic and short term anaerobic endurance, Lawson, (2001); Meir et al, (2001). Late pre season The team have increased emphasis on training with the ball in order to transfer the skills and movements into their competitive environment. They are still working on drills and training programs from the last stage, although intensity has increased and sports specific adoptions have been made. The athletes develop decision making and problem solving skills under pressure and fatigue, Kelly, (2009); Little, (2006). In season-maintance During the in season the team have to maintain the aerobic fitness and sport specific skills they have acquired over the pre season training stages and apply them to their performances, Stone and Kilding, (2009). Speed Agility and Quickness Training: Speed, agility and quickness (SAQ) training is important for athletes especially those who play a sport that involves a high level of dynamic movement such as, changing direction, headers, tackling, sprinting and kicks. SAQ enables athletes to develop faster reactions so that they can accelerate more quickly and effectively, move successfully in multiple directions, change direction and decelerate quickly in order improve performance on the pitch, Pearson, (2000). Stated by Brown et al., (2000) speed, agility and quickness training drills are used to develop co-ordination, balance, and optimise neuromuscular patterning and condition. Shepherd, (2006) speed can be trained and learned through repetition and overload, speed is the athletes ability to move in the right direction through the required range of motion as fast as possible. Agility is rapid changes in direction without the loss of speed, balance, or body control, it can be improved by the use of agility ladders. Quickness this is the reaction time and the ability to move fast without hesitation. The following specific requirements for the soccer player for SAQ training were retrieved from Bompa and Carrera, (2005); Polman et al, (2003). Off season The athletes need adequate rest and recovery, in order to start preparation for season as soon as possible, Bompa and Carrera, (2005). Off season- Early pre season Teams start to train with agility ladders to improve foot speed and foot to ground contact, sprints, hops in different directions, push-ups, dribbling around cones, spot running, turn and sprint drills, working at moderate to high intensity, and adequate rest between repetitions. Late pre season Teams continue speed, agility and quickness training like last season but incorporate adaptions resisted sprints, one on one games, more sport specific movements and increase intensity of training. In season-maintance To maintain speed, agility and quickness, and their reactions that the SAQ training has taught them over the pre season training and apply the above to their performances on the pitch. Conclusion: In conclusion to this assignment on the preparation requirements for a soccer player, the following headings have been explained giving general information, Strength Training, Endurance Training, Speed Agility and Quickness Training, then moving on to give specific information about the requirements for the soccer player. According to Kraemer et al, (2004) an adequate mixture of soccer specific practices and strength and conditioning programmes which require the development of aerobic capacity, strength, power, speed, and speed endurance, can sustain and develop a soccer players physical performance therefore allowing the athlete to perform at their best throughout the whole season.

Heart Of Darkness :: essays research papers

Heart of Darkness ?gHeart of Darkness?h, written by Joseph Conrad, holds thematically a wide range of references to problems of politics, morality and social order. It was written in a period when European exploitation of Africa was at a gruesome height. Conrad uses double oblique narration. A flame narrator reports the story as told by Marlow, assigned to the command of a river steamboat scheduled to transport an exploring expedition. Kurtz is a first-agent at an important trading post of ivory, located in the interior of the Congo. Both Marlow and Kertz found the reality through their work in Africa. Marlow felt great indignation with people in the sepulchral city after his journey to the Congo region because he discovered, through his work, the reality of the universe, such as the great virtue of efficiency, the darkness in society and individuals and the surface reality. When Kurtz found himself on his deathbed and he said ?gThe horror, The horror referring to his life in inner A frica, which caused him disintegration. Marlow emphasized the virtue of ?gefficiency?h throughout the story because he thought of it as the only way to survive in the wilderness. After seeing the dying natives in the forest of the outer station, Marlow described them as ?ginefficient.?h Under ?gthe devotion to efficiency,?h incompetent people were excluded from society. Only efficient people can survive. For example, since Kurtz was the most efficient agent, with regards to producing ivory, his employers respected his achievement and regarded him as an essential person. However, once he fell into disintegration, he was considered no more the than dying natives and thus was treated as if he were dead. He was then buried in the darkness. The symbol of inefficiency was the color green. Marlow illustrated a picture of dying natives, when he said, ?g[They were] black shadows of disease and starvation lying confusedly in the greenish gloom?h(20). Another example of inefficiency is shown i n the description of the body of Marlow?fs predecessor as ?gThe grass growing through his ribs was tall enough to hide his bones?h(13). Marlow realized the real darkness did not existed in Africa but in Europe, and not in Africans but in Europeans who engaged in colonial exploitation, including Kurtz. Due to the natives?f physical features and customs like cannibalism, Marlow defined Africans as the darkness. On the other hand, he considered Europeans as the light because of his illusions of civilization.

Gangs Essay -- essays research papers

Being that the closest that I have ever come to gangs or gangs violence is in television of movies, this topic intrigued me. What makes a person want to become part of something that is so violent and dangerous? Why would someone risk everything to put their lives on the line for people that are not even their blood relatives? As I read the material that I found in the library about gangs, I found out a lot about how this children's' though process works. They believe that the gang members are their family; to them it is not seen as the sinister organization of careless violence as it is to us "normal" Americans. To them the gang is their family. Children are joining gangs at younger ages; our current juvenile justice system is no longer adequate for today's hardened young gang members. According to recent studies in demographics the problem is not going away. This problem if ignored is going to lead to the decay of our society. In many of the articles that I read about gang violence they warned of the impending youth crime crisis. Youth violent crime has been rising dramatically for more than a decade. An upward surge in youthful perpetrators of violence is complemented by an unprecedented growth in youth living with little or no adult supervision. For decades mostly adults drove violent crime, with kids involved mostly in property crime. What has been changing is that juveniles are becoming much more ...

Angiosperms and Gymnosperms

PRACTICAL 6 Seed Plants (Gymnosperms and Angiosperms) OBJECTIVES: 1. To describe the features of seed plant life cycle and the concept of the dominant generation. 2. To describe the life histories and related reproductive structures of gymnosperms and angiosperms. 3. To summarize the features that distinguish gymnosperms and angiosperms. 4. To discuss the advantages of seed plants to dominate land and their evolutionary adaptations on land. EXPERIMENT 1: Gymnosperms INTRODUCTION:Gymnosperms (720 species in 65 genera) are ancient seed plants that include ginkgos (Division Ginkgophyta), cycads (Division Cycadophyta), conifers (Division Coniferophyta), and gnetophytes (Division Gnetophyta). The term gymnosperm derives from the Greek wood roots gymnos, meaning â€Å"naked†, and sperma, meaning â€Å"seed†. They are naked-seeded plants meaning that the ovule, which becomes a seed, is exposed on the sporophyte at pollination. Mature seed are not enclosed in a fruit as are tho se of flowering plants. Gymnosperms are best known for their characteristic cones, called strobili.These strobili display sporangia and their subsequently developing ovules and pollens. Gymnosperms do not require water for sperm to swim to reach the egg as do seedless plants. Instead, immense amount of windblown pollen are produced. Most gymnosperm cones, including the familiar pine cone, are complex whorls of leaflike, woody scales around a central axis. The smallest cones include those of the junipers (Juniperus) which have flesh scales fused into a structure resembling a berry. The larger cones may weigh 45 kg and are produced by cycads.In most gymnosperm species, the female megastrobilus is larger and distinctive from the male microstrobilus. MATERIALS: 1. Living or preserved specimens of * Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) * Cycad (Cycad sp. ) * Pine (Pinus sp. ) 2. Prepared slide of gymnosperms 3. Compound microscope 4. Dissecting microscope 5. Slide and coverslip 6. Forceps 7. Distilled water PROCEDURE: A ginkgo: 1. A prepared slide of male strobilus of Ginkgo biloba is examined. The microsporophyll, microsporangium, and strobilus axis are identified. 2. A prepared slide of female strobilus of Ginkgo biloba is examined.The megasporophyll, megasporangium, and strobilus axis are identified. A cycad: 1. A female cycad is examined. The leaves, megasporophylls, megasporangia and developing seed are identified. 2. The pollen cone bears on male cycad. Pollinated cone is examined and microsporophyll, microsporangia, and pollen grains are identified. A pine: 1. A male cone and female cone of Pinus sp. are obtained. 2. A prepared slide of longitudinal section of female cone is examined. The megasporophyll, megasporangia, and ovule are looked. 3. A prepared slide of longitudinal section of male cone is examined.The microsporophyll, microsporangia, and pollen grains are looked. 4. Fertilization occurs after the pollen tube penetrates the megasporangium and allows sperm to ent er the archegonium and fuses with the egg. The zygote will form after fertilization. A prepared slide of the developing embryo of Pinus sp. is examined. 5. Mature seed cone is obtained. The seed with wing attached to the ovuliferous scale is found. 6. The anatomy of pine leaf one needle is examined. The following: epidermis, stoma, photosynthetic mesophyll, endodermis, phloem, xylem, and resin duct are identified.RESULTS Cross section of Ginkgo Biloba Cross section of Cycad Cross section of female pine Cross section of male pine EXPERIMENT 2: Angiosperms INTRODUCTION: Angiosperms are the most abundant, diverse, and widespread of all land plants. They are successful because they are structurally diverse, have efficient vascular systems, share a variety of mutualisms (especially with insects and fungi), and have short generation times. Flowering plants are important to human because our world economy is overwhelmingly based on them.Indeed, we eat and use vegetative structures (roots, stems and leaves) as well as reproductive structure (flowers, seeds, and fruits). You will find that many of the vegetative structures are quite similar to those of more ancient plants shown. The roots, stems, and leaves of flowering plants function just as those of ferns and cone bearing plants. Flowers and fruits, however are unique adaptations of angiosperms. Biologists believe that the extraordinary adaptiveness of these structures has led to the proliferation of the incredible diversity found among flowering plants. MATERIALS: 1.Living specimens of angiosperms (dicots & monocots) with roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. (Imperata cylindrical, zea mays, Carica papaya, Phaseolus sp. ) 2. Prepared slide of angiosperms (dicots & monocots) 3. Compound microscope 4. Dissecting microscope 5. Slide and coverslip 6. Forceps 7. Distilled water PROCEDURE: Roots: 1. A root of dicots and monocots are obtained for morphology and anatomy study. 2. The root systems of representati ve dicot and monocot are looked. 3. Cross section of dicot root shows the central stele is surrounded by a thick cortex and epidermis.The following: epidermis, cortex, parenchyma cells, starch grains, pericycle, endodermis, phloem, and xylem are identified. 4. Cross section of monocot roor shows this root has a vascular cylinder of xylem and phloem that surrounds a central pith. The following: epidermis, cortex, endodermis, Casparian strip, pith, phloem, and xylem are identified. 5. A prepared slide of the roots for some other species is obtained and their structure is identified. Stems: 1. The longitudinal section of shoot tip of representative dicot and monocot is studied.The following: leaf, leaf primordium, apical meristem, ground meristem, axillary bud, vascular bundle, and pith are identified. 2. A dicot and monocot is obtained and a cross section of the stems is made and the arrangement of vascular bundles is examined. The anatomy between this dicot and monocot is compared. 3 . For both type of plants, epidermis, cortex, phloem, xylem, cambium, pith, and vascular bundle are identified. Leaves: 1. Fresh specimen provided in lab is looked. Flowering plants show a variety of morphology to identify, such as, leaf arrangements and leaf venation. 2.Using fresh prepared slide or prepared slide of some flowering plants, the structure of the leaves is studied. The leaves have common features: cuticle, air space, lower epidermis, upper epidermis, palisade mesophyll, spongy mesophyll, and vascular bundle are noticed. Flowers: 1. The longitudinal section of some flowers is looked. The parts of a flower: stigma, pistil, style, ovary, sepal, receptacle, peduncle, petal, filament, stamen, and anther are named. 2. A prepared slide of a cross section of mature anther (lily anther) is examined. Sections of the four microsporangia are found.Pollen grains within a microsporangium is looked. 3. A prepared slide of a cross section of an ovary (lily ovary). The several ovules are found. Megaspore mother cell within megasporangium is looked. The megasporangium develops is studied. The placenta, integuments, microphyle, egg cell, central cell, and polar nuclei are identified. 4. The demonstration slide of double fertilization is observed and the zygote, primary endosperm nucleus, and central cell of the female gametophyte are identified. Fruits and seeds 1. A sample of dry, dehiscent fruits (peanuts) is obtained.The fruit wall, cotyledon, plumule of embryo, embryo, radical, cotyledon, and seed coat are identified. 2. A sample of simple flesy fruits (tomato, a berry) is obtained. Pericarp, mesocarp, endocarp, locule, seed and placenta are identified. 3. A prepared slide of corn grain (Zea mays), a caryopsis fruit is examined. The pericarp of a corn grains is tightly united and inseparable from the seed. The pricarp, endosperm, cotyledon, coleoptiles, plumule bud, embryo, radical, and coleorhizae are identified. RESULTS Cross section of root Cross section of stemCross section of leaves Cross section of flower Cross section of seed DISCUSSION For the lower vascular plants the important evolutionary development was in the water and food conducting tissues of the sporophyte. As we move on through the plant kingdom the next important development was the seed. The free living gametophyte is a vulnerable phase of the life cycle. Reproduction by seeds is a less chancy procedure and has other advantages for plant survival and dispersal. Seeds can be remarkably tolerant of environmental extremes heat, cold and drought.Unlike free-living gametophytes seeds can postpone their development until conditions are right. And, of course, we find them very convenient for plant propagation. Already in the coal-measure forests there were plants that reproduced by seeds. Some were the so-called â€Å"seed ferns†. Others were the ancestors of the plants we now know collectively as â€Å"gymnosperms†. In these plants the seeds are not enclosed i n an ovary, as in the flowering plants; they grow on the surface of a modified leaf in a strobilus or cone. â€Å"Gymnosperm† means naked seed. Alternation of generations is still involved in the reproduction of these plants.They are all heterosporous: the microspores are shed as pollen, whereas the megaspore germinates in the strobilus to produce the female gametophyte. The archegonia in this gametophyte get fertilized by sperm from the male gametophyte and the zygote grows to produce an embryo which is enclosed in a seed coat of tissue from the parent plant. Gymnosperms were the dominant land plants in the age of dinosaurs, the Cretaceous and  Jurassic periods. The surviving gymnosperms in the Coniferophyta, Cycadophyta and Ginkgophyta are similar in their woody habit and pattern of seed development but are not closely related.The characteristic feature of angiosperms is the flower. Flowers show remarkable variation in form and elaboration, and provide the most trustworth y external characteristics for establishing relationships among angiosperm species. The function of the flower is to ensure fertilization of the ovule and development of  fruit  containing  seeds. The floral apparatus may arise terminally on a shoot or from the axil of a leaf (where the  petiole  attaches to the stem). Occasionally, as in  violets, a flower arises singly in the axil of an ordinary foliage-leaf.More typically, the flower-bearing portion of the plant is sharply distinguished from the foliage-bearing or vegetative portion, and forms a more or less elaborate branch-system called an  inflorescence. There are two kinds of reproductive cells produced by flowers. Microspores, which will divide to become  pollen grains, are the â€Å"male† cells and are borne in the  stamens  (or microsporophylls). The â€Å"female† cells called megaspores, which will divide to become the egg cell (megagametogenesis), are contained in the  ovule  and enc losed in thecarpel  (or megasporophyll).The flower may consist only of these parts, as in  willow, where each flower comprises only a few stamens or two carpels. Usually, other structures are present and serve to protect the sporophylls and to form an envelope attractive to pollinators. The individual members of these surrounding structures are known as  sepals  and  petals  (or  tepalsin flowers such as  Magnolia  where sepals and petals are not distinguishable from each other). The outer series (calyx of sepals) is usually green and leaf-like, and functions to protect the rest of the flower, especially the bud.The inner series (corolla of petals) is, in general, white or brightly colored, and is more delicate in structure. It functions to attract  insect  or  bird  pollinators. Attraction is effected by color,  scent, and  nectar, which may be secreted in some part of the flower. The characteristics that attract pollinators account for the popularity of flowers and flowering plants among humans. While the majority of flowers are perfect or  hermaphrodite  (having both pollen and ovule producing parts in the same flower structure), flowering plants have developed numerous morphological and  physiological  mechanisms to reduce or prevent self-fertilization.Heteromorphic flowers have short carpels and long stamens, or vice versa, so animal  pollinators  cannot easily transfer pollen to the pistil (receptive part of the carpel). Homomorphic flowers may employ a biochemical (physiological) mechanism calledself-incompatibility  to discriminate between self- and non-self pollen grains. In other species, the male and female parts are morphologically separated, developing on different flowers. POST-LAB QUESTIONS: 1. How to distinguish between a male and female cone of pine?The male cone will form at the bottom of the tree and it is much smaller than the female and the male produces the pollen grains and the female produces the ovule and forms at the top of the tree. 2. Explain the characteristics of gymnosperm seeds to aid in dispersal. Many gymnosperms have winged seeds that aid in dispersal. Generally, gymnosperms have heavy seeds so the wings only assist in moving the seed a short distance from the parent plant. 3. List some uses for conifers. Economically, conifers are very important as they are a major source of timber.The majority of the world’s sawn timbers come from conifers. Exploitation of this resource from wild growing forests is still going on in many parts of the world, but there is an obvious trend especially in the developed world to phase this out and use more sustainable planted or seeded resources. There are many species with highly different wood properties, some of these are extremely valuable and used for fine cabinet making or expensive applications in construction. Wood from conifers is also an important source of pulp for paper and cellulose fibres such as rayon.Conifer s also very important in horticulture, especially in regions with a temperate climate. Several species have yielded hundreds of different cultivars and new ones are constantly appearing on the market. In some countries conifers have a role to play in traditional medicine and in religious ceremonies and, of course, our Christmas trees can be seen as a form of this kind of use. A few conifers even have edible seeds; well known are those of certain pines. 4. Lists the common characteristics of seeds plants. i. They have vascular tissue ii.They use seeds to reproduce iii. They all have body plans that include leaves, stems, and roots. 5. Contrast between dicots and monocots, the two classes of flowering plants. Monocots| Dicots| Herbaceous| May be woody or herbaceous| Embryo with single cotyledon| Embryo with 2 cotyledons| Flower parts in multiple of three| Flower parts with multiple of 4 or 5| Parallel-veined leaves| Net-veined leaves| Bundles of vascular tissue are scattred throughout the stem| Vascular bundle in the stem forms rings| Roots are adventitious| Root develop from radicle| . Discuss the features of plant flowering fruits and seeds. Seeds  develop from ovules in the ovary, and at maturity consist of an  embryo  and a reserve food supply surrounded by a protective covering, the  seed coat. The diversity of flowering plants assures diversity among their seeds, but, unlike fruits, which have numerous variations, structural plans for seeds are few. The reserve food can be stored either in or out of the embryo and the  cotyledons, the seed leaves can remain either below ground or be elevated above the surface when germination occurs.Fruits are ripened ovaries containing seeds with sometimes additional flower or inflorescence tissues associated with them. Only angiosperms produce flowers and fruits. From a botanical viewpoint, many of the foods we eat as vegetables are fruits, for examples, tomatoes, green beans, squash, eggplant, and peppers. Fru its apparently arose as a means not only of protecting the seeds, but as a way to ensure their dispersal. REFERENCES 1. http://faculty. unlv. edu/landau/gymnosperms. htm 2. http://www. kew. org/plants/conifers/uses. html 3. http://edhelper. com/ReadingComprehension_37_251. html

Analysis of Alex Pardee’s Artwork

What is a leper anyway? In the past, it was simply a disease. When you caught this disease you were isolated. Taken out of society, never to return again. Your life would never be the same again. As time passed this disease obviously died out. Nowadays not many people have leprosy in its serious form. But we do have leprosy of a different sort. This leprosy is even worse than the physical illness. It is something that gets worse over time and will continue to do so unless we as human beings decide to change our actions. Today, those who are different are thought to be lepers. These people should be rejected, shunned. They are unusual, strange; we cannot accept what they believe in. Why is this so? Why have we been brainwashed so thoroughly by the media that we don’t see that being different is something we humans create in our minds. People are â€Å"different† only because we label them to be that way. They are lepers, only because we make them so. What is so bad really about being a leper? Being different? This image addresses these questions. We can see that in the image there are two odd looking creatures who are bleeding onto a hand with a chicken’s head. This chicken’s head is dripping in blood while there is a small bar of soap at its feet. The only thing in colour is the blood which signifies that it symbolises something important. And so he bathed in the blood of the lepers. By this phrase we understand that the creature in the middle is the object which is â€Å"bathing in the blood†. Again, why would anyone want to bathe in the blood of leper? Well why not? In this case the two odd looking creatures would be the lepers. If the lepers in this image represent people who are different, then it could also mean that these people are so different that they could be considered to be a subculture of some sort. It is understandable to believe that some subcultures are actually desirable to some people. This obviously depends on the person’s personal taste. They may want to be involved in the subcultures of nerds, jocks, emo’s, scene kids, goths, etc etc. The leper character may not even be focusing on a particular sub culture. They can also represent the chameleons of society, changing themselves to appeal to people. Again, this depends on your perspective. The leper character only represents a chameleon of society if you choose to believe that it does so to persuade you to join the subculture that it is portraying itself to be. Why would people choose to believe this? Only to feel accepted. They may be so rejected that all they want and need is a feeling of belonging even if it is found a way which is not entirely truthful or right. Rather, it is an illusion. So do we humans warp what is there to suit our cases and make certain situations more pleasurable to us? Definitely. This leads us to the importance of the blood in the image. The blood can be viewed as the initiation process. The blood, which is the only coloured thing in the image symbolises this initiation process. This is the only part of the image in colour, because this process is the most important part of belonging to a group of people or a subculture. Bathing in the blood would be catching the leper’s disease, or otherwise, finally being a part of the lepers. The feeling of belonging settles in for the first time. Now that the person is a part of the lepers, can they really think of themselves as lepers? They are now able to understand and empathise with the subculture they have joined so would it actually seem so different to them now? No it wouldn’t, further underlining the fact that we only label people as being different, of being social lepers, only because we do not understand them. However if we were a part of what they believe in, i. e. a part of their subculture, then we would no longer think they are so different. Only an outsider to this subculture would consider them to be lepers. Again, we humans label that which is not. We have established what it means to be different and why it is important, but what about the bar of soap at the chicken hand creature's feet? What would this symbolise? This symbolises the other perspective of this two sided argument of acceptance. The soap represents the cure for leprosy. The means to be cleaned from this disease. In the modern world this soap bar would represent the views of people who believe that removing yourself from a subculture is the true path to acceptance. However, like the size of the soap bar, these people are very few because we all have an innate need to belong to a community, society, club, culture or subculture. In short, we all need to feel like we belong somewhere, no matter how much of an illusion this feeling of belonging is. We desire to be persuaded to believe in something only to feel accepted and wanted by a community. This image drawn by the talented Alex Pardee shows us all these innate human desires in a way which persuades us to believe that we do have them. Of course this is achieved by this talented artist by using a great many visual techniques. First of all the area of the image with the highest salience is the blood because like we established, the blood – which represents the initiation process – is one of the most important aspects of the process of belonging. The importance of this transition stage is further underlined by the fact that the rest of the image is black and white hand sketches making the blood also the area with the highest colour modality. When we look further into the image and analyse the finer details we notice that the background is non-contextualised, in fact, it is completely white. This helps us to not stray from the main message that the image is trying to give. It keeps us focused on the foreground while also giving extra information on what might be going on in the image. This information is given to us in the text written at the top. The foreground in question is the chicken hand with the blood being poured onto it. It is not in fact the text. This is because the image is in the centre and the gushing blood attracts us to the image at hand. This image would also be the focal point again highlighting the important message being given by the image. The perspective that we see the image also gives us a whole new view on the scene. We see the main subject (the chicken hand) in the frontal view. Seeing as the subject is the most important part of the image, it is safe to say that the whole image is viewed in the frontal perspective. However, it is important to note that we see the â€Å"lepers† side on. This suggests to us that we are not part of the lepers, that we are detached from them, that in fact they are different from us. The gaze of the subject is demanding. It is looking straight at the audience as if it wants to get its message across. Its message that it wants to be involved and included. The lepers on the other hand do not even have eyes. This suggests that they have nothing they want to communicate to people and are unaffected by what people think of them. The image in general is in a low modality because it is already trying to communicate a complicated message. By keeping it in simple sketches, the artist is making it easier for the audience to understand the message. The artist uses all of these visual techniques with one purpose in mind: to get the message across. The message that being different is not a negative thing. It is simply a means of feeling like you belong. Being a leper does not mean everything is lost. There will be a deformity, but one ought to bear in mind that they still have their God-given potentials in them. It is the duty of society, to give a helping hand, in order for these â€Å"lepers† to exhibit what they have in them to world. You see, it’s not them. It’s you.