Composition of Minerals in Soil Related with Date Fruits

Composition of Minerals in Soil Related with Date Fruits Research Proposal Topic Study the Composition of Minerals in Soil Related with Date Fruits using AAS. Introduction Generally, plants require optimum mineral nutrients from the soil other than water, sunlight and carbon dioxide. Mineral is a crystalline solid of inorganic element. It has their own characteristic on physical properties such as crystalline structure, hardness, density, flammability, and color with certain chemical composition that form by natural processes. Mineral nutrients can be classified into two types of nutrients which are micronutrients and macronutrients. Essential mineral composition with sufficient quantity is important in a plant as it affect the plant productivity or fruit quality. Plants also not grow well if one or more elements are present in too large quantity which can be toxicity to the plant. This shows that the levels of elements must in balance with other nutrients. These nutrients perform a variety of functions in plants especially in the structural components of cell. Date palm or Phoenix dactylifera will involve in this research for the study of the minerals in soils and date fruits. Date palms need the specific composition of minerals in soils in order to produce fruits. Soil of plant analysis is useful for estimating trace element availability and determining the specific type of mineral presence in the soil which can prevent the deficiencies of fruit production. Determination of the minerals in fruit is important in order to study the correlation between the minerals in soils from date palm with date fruits using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Literature Review Minerals A mineral is a natural inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition such as K, Ca, Mg and Na. It is inorganic crystalline solid that has the crystal structure of long ranged order of atomic arrangement. Minerals are divided into groups based on their chemical composition with different chemical features of each groups. Characteristics and Properties Minerals can be known by their characteristics such as crystalline structure, inorganic elements, form by natural process, has particular chemical composition and specific physical properties. Minerals are crystalline solids that the atoms are arranged in repeating pattern. Mineral also comes from the organic substances which involved proteins, carbohydrates, and oils.Besides, minerals also commonly come from the inorganic compound (Geoscience News and Information, 11 November 2014). Minerals form by natural processes occurs in or on Earth. A diamond is a example of mineral that created in Earth’s crust. About 98.5% of Earth’s crust is made up of only eight elements which are oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. These are the elements that can form different types of chemical compounds of minerals and each mineral has a specific chemical composition and chemical formula. For example, quartz is the combination of two oxygen atoms bonded to a silicon atom, SiO2 (Geoscience News and Information, 11 November 2014). Minerals also presence in hard type of mineral like a diamond as it is from by strong covalent bond of carbon. Then, softer mineral also exist which contains calcium and oxygen along with carbon which is calcite. The structure of calcite shows the relationship of calcium (Ca), carbon (C) and oxygen (O).In other aspect, the physical properties of minerals include the differentiation in the mineral’s color, the color of the powder of mineral (streak), the light reflection of mineral’s surface (luster), the specific gravity, tendency to break the flat surfaces (cleavage), the mineral breaks pattern (fracture) and the hardness (Geoscience News and Information, 11 November 2014). 2.1.2Mineral Groups Minerals can be classified into groups depend on their chemical composition. Silicates are the largest mineral group exists on Earth. Silicate minerals are the first group which has silica tetrahedron compound as the basic structure. Silica tetrahedron is the combination of one silicon atom bonds to four oxygen atoms. The common examples of silicate minerals are feldspar and quartz. Both of them are rock-forming minerals. The variety of silicate minerals can be form pyramid-shaped structure is bound to other elements, such as calcium, iron, and magnesium. Silica tetrahedrons also can combine together in six different ways to produce different types of silicates (Scientific Classifications of Mineral Groups, 11 November 2014). Native elements contain atoms of one type of element. Only a few types of minerals are found in this group. The minerals in native elements group are rarely to have and very valuable. Gold, silver, sulfur, and diamond are examples of minerals in native elements group. Next is carbonates mineral group. The carbonate structure form from one carbon atom bonded to three oxygen atoms. Carbonates also include other additional elements such as calcium, iron, and copper. For example, calcite (CaCO3) which is the most common carbonate mineral (Scientific Classifications of Mineral Groups, 11 November 2014). Halide minerals are salts that form when salt water evaporates which is involving a halogen bonded with a metallic atom. Halite is an example of halide mineral. The chemical elements in halogen group are fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine. While fluorite is a halide containing calcium and fluorine. Next, oxides contain one or two metal elements combined with oxygen. Most metals are found as oxides. For example, hematite (Fe2O3) which is form by two iron atoms combined with three oxygen atoms and magnetite (Fe3O4) is produced when three iron atoms combined with four oxygen atoms. Magnetite is one of the magnetic mineral and attraction of magnets can be made by this magnetite minerals. Both are the examples of iron oxides. (Scientific Classifications of Mineral Groups, 11 November 2014). Phosphate minerals are same in pattern of structure of atom in the silicate minerals. Phosphorus, arsenic or vanadium bond to oxygen to form tetrahedral in this type of phosphate minerals. There are many different minerals exist in the phosphate group but they very rarely to meet. Turquoise is an example of a phosphate mineral which consist of copper, aluminum, and phosphorus. Next, sulfate minerals contain sulfur atoms bonded to oxygen atoms. The sulfate group also may consist of many different minerals but it is not commonly known. Then, sulfides are formed when metallic elements combine with sulfur. Sulfides are slightly different from sulfate as it do not contain oxygen. Pyrite, or iron sulfide is a common example of sulfide mineral (Scientific Classifications of Mineral Groups, 11 November 2014). Minerals in the Soils of Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera has the long productivity period and did multiple purpose qualities. It is one of the old types of fruit tree and the first country of the top ten producers is Egypt. Date fruits production are commonly depend on pollination, fertilization, and water relations (Iqbal et al., 2004). Most of the date palms produced in Egypt are grown in sandy, loam and sandy loam soils. The presence of certain types of element such as N, P, K, Mg and B may cause the soils become deficient. It has also been recorded that large amounts of macro and microelements are produce high amount of date fruita for every single year. It shows that the best source of organic matter comes from the macro and micro-minerals especially in producing fruit. Application of organic fertilizers was found to enhance as well as to increase the structural stability and lowered bulk density of the soil. It improved moisture retention, water infiltration rate and the hydraulic conductivity of soil. In Egypt, the total amount of garbage collected from cities and villages reaches nearly 15 million tons per year and the proportion of domestic refuse is estimated to be about 68% (Hassanein Kandil, 2007). This could be a source of organic fertilization, after suitable composting in fruit orchards. Furthermore, few studies have evaluated the effects of organic and mineral fertilizers on the quality characteristics of date fruits and the amount of prduction(Shahein et al., 2003Al-Kharusi et al., 2009). Minerals in the Date Fruits Phosphorus was determined in date fruits by ascorbic acid method. While flame photometer used in determining potassium content in date fruits. Element such as Pb, Cd, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu contents were measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Model 305B). The concentrations of N, P, K, Ca and Mg were expressed as percentages, while Pb, Cd, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu were expressed as parts per million (ppm) on dry weight basis in the previous researches. Fruit nitrate (NO3) and nitrite (NO2) contents were also been measured in that particular conducted research(Marzouk Kassem, 2010). Phoenix dactylifera Phoenix dactylifera is one of the oldest cultivated fruit crops. The date palm has long been harvested for its fleshy fruit which is a common food for many people at the residential of country such as North Africa and Arabia. There are a lof of different types of this species which each of them are grown for commercial purposes and perhaps making the date palm the second most familiar palm species after the coconut palm (Cocosnucifera). It grows with an imposing tall, slender, straight trunk with spiralling pattern on the bark, and long feather-like leaves. The common names of date palm are Palma dactylifera, Palma major, Phoenix atlantica var. maroccana, Phoenix chevalieri, Phoenix excelsior, Phoenix iberica and Phoenix major (Marzouk Kassem, 2010). Physiological Disorder of Date Palm Blacknose is the abnormally shriveled and darkened tip of date. The conditions that must be avoid too high humidity, excessive soil moisture especially at the stage of fruit development. Next is crosscut. It is a physiological disorder of fruit stalks. Crosscut or V-cuts are clean break in tissues of the fruit stalk bases and on fronds. Crop losses may be avoided by using non-susceptible varieties, or by reducing the number of fruit stalks in susceptible varieties. After that is whitenose. It is commonly occur in dry and prolonged wind. It causes rapid maturation of the fruit. The affected fruit becomes very dry, hard and has greater sugar content. Hydration may correct this condition in harvested fruits. Next, barhee disorder is unusual bending. The cause and the way to control of this disorder are unknown(Agriculture and Consumer Protection, 11 November 2014). Black scald is different from blacknose where it is a minor disorder. It consists of a blackened and sunken area with a definite line of demarcation. The disease usually appears on the tip or the sides of the fruit, and affected tissues have a bitter taste. The appearance of the disorder suggests exposure to high temperature, but the exact cause is not definitely known (Nixon, 1951). Then, bastard offshoot which is a deformed growth of date palm vegetative buds especially of offshoots fronds. It may be occur due to reduction in growth caused by an inequilibrium of growth regulators. After that is leaf apical drying that absolutely not a disease but a physiological reaction to transplantation of adult palms (injury of their root system). All palms with these symptoms recover within two to three years after their transplanting (Agriculture and Consumer Protection, 11 November 2014). Physiological disorders of date palm also include the fertilization injury. This type of injury is involving only with young tissue culture-derived palm plants (first two years after field planting) and when fertilizers (N, P, K) are applied too close to the palms stipe. The nature of fertilizers is not the cause, but rather how close to the stipe the fertilizer was applied. If the damage is severe, it could cause the death of the young palm (Agriculture and Consumer Protection, 11 November 2014). Lack or excess of water can cause the date palm having a physiological disorder. The growth of the date palm is highly affected by variations in water availability and the water content of the soil. A decrease in yield or complete failure in fruit production could result from these water variations. Although date palms are resistant to flooding, healthy growth of palms requires a well-drained soil, and it is clear that irrigation must always go hand in hand with drainage. Serious losses, sometimes irreversible may occur in neglected date plantations. In such cases signs of decline appear on palms favored by root penetration of numerous saprophytes and parasites that could lead to the death of palms (Agriculture and Consumer Protection, 11 November 2014). 3.6AAS Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy in analytical chemistry is a technique for determining the concentration of a particular metal element within a sample. This spectroscopic instrument involving atomic emission which is the flame test. When a small amount of a solution of a metal ion is placed in the flame of a Bunsen burner, the flame turns a color that is characteristic of the metal ion. A sodium solution gives a yellow color, a potassium solution results in a violet color and a copper solution gives a green color. Hollow Cathode Lamp is one of the instrument components in AAS. It is the light source and the exactly light required for analysis although no monochromator is used. The reason for this is that atoms of the metal to be tested are present within the lamp, and when the lamp is on, these atoms are supplied with energy, which causes them to elevate to the excited states. Upon returning to the ground state, exactly the same wavelengths that are useful in the analysis are emitted, since it is the analyzed metal with exactly the same energy levels that undergoes excitation. The AAS instrument is as follows. Figure 1: Schematic diagram of AAS instrumentation. 4.0Problem Statement Mineral composition in soil important for plants which affect the production of fruits. Thus, it is needed to determine the types of mineral that suitable for fruits, for example the date fruits. There are cases where the date palm from the same area can produce fruit while some of the plants have no fruit. It could be happened because the soils are from different sources during plantation process and it also has different composition of minerals. Since the date fruits production might be related to the composition of minerals in soil, the determination of minerals in soils and date fruits have to be conducted in order to study the correlation between them. Objective The objectives in conducting this research are: To determine the minerals contain in the soil from date palm. To determine the minerals contain in date fruits. To find the correlation between the minerals in the soil and the minerals in date fruits.

KFC International in China :: Business Economics China Essays

KFC International in China The social values and history have shaped and formed the economical developments and the current environment of business in the People's Republic of China. They have determined the patterns for negotiation and the Chinese perceptions of business, and their feelings towards westerners. The implicit and explicit rules that the Chinese society has on the development of businesses, and the economy in general, are very important issues for any person going into China to understand and consider. In order to achieve a successful partnership between Chinese and Western cultures it is essential to have a basic understanding of history and cultural developments that have shaped the current environment of business. The three pillars of China are economy, culture, and society. Economy The Chinese economy has been formed as a result of centuries of history and development, which reflect the philosophy of China and its current economical position. China started as a mainly agricultural based society with the subsistence group; the family. For more than 2000 years the Chinese economy operated under a type of feudal system; land was concentrated in the hands of a relatively small group of landowners whose income depended on rents from their peasant tenants. Agricultural taxes levied by the imperial government and crop yields subject to drought and floods kept agriculture relatively underdeveloped and organized in small units with the use of primitive methods for basic subsistence. The conclusion of the Opium War of 1840 formally initiated a period of Western penetration of China from the coastal treaty ports. Railroads and highways were constructed, and some industrial development began. Such activity had little impact, however, on the overall Chinese economy. In effect, China was carved up into a number of competing colonial spheres of influence. Japan, which tried to attach China to its East Asia prosperity Sphere, was able to create only isolated nodes of a modern economy. The Chinese Communist party emerged in the 1920s in the midst of a mounting economic crisis caused by foreign intervention and increased landlord influence in the countryside. For more than two decades, it expanded its control over large rural areas by introducing an agrarian program based on the control of rent and usury, and by giving power to peasant associations.

Charlotte Perkins Gilmans Cupid in the Kitchen Essay -- Cupid

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Cupid in the Kitchen      Ã‚  Ã‚   As a reader in the 1990's it's tempting to see Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "Cupid in the Kitchen" as revolutionary and ahead of its time. She proposes the complete professionalization of the nutritive and execretive functions of society, a radical, if not revolutionary notion. However, in the light of the fin-de-siecle birth of the modern feminist movement, Gilman is but one voice in many crying for economic and social justice for women. In effect, the rhetorical situation of 1898 demanded and created this discourse as it does all discourse (Bitzer 5). Gilman's "Cupid" is a natural and elegant response to the conditions which created it: the continuing surplus of unmarried women in Britain and America as verified by census data, and the persistent injustice of the forced domestic servitude of married women.    One need only look as far as the literature of the 1890's to see that women's issues influenced the thinking of many intellectuals. The discourse of the period is obsessed with the proper roles for women, debate about suffrage, and considerations of what to do with all the "odd women" who couldn't find husbands. As early as 1860 census data indicated that more and more women were remaining single and unmarried (Showalter viii). In an essay written for The Edinburgh Review Harriet Martineau argued that because there were not enough husbands to go around, girls should be educated and trained to be self-supporting (Showalter ix). By the end of the century the numbers of unmarried women lacking economic support reached crisis proportions. This event, as much or more than any other, precipitated the feminist movement of the late nineteenth an... ... surprise. Economics drove the rhetorical situation in which "Cupid" was produced as it drives the rhetorical situation in which we return to Gilman for enlightenment now. Similarities in the rhetorical situations of reader, subject and author create the common ground that makes Gilman seem so topical, but it is the clarity of her vision and the simple logic of her proposition that makes her work so remarkable.    Works Cited    Bitzer, Lloyd F. "The Rhetorical Situation." Philosophy & Rhetoric 1.1 (1968): 1-14. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "Women and Economics: Cupid in the Kitchen." A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. ed. Lee A. Jacobus (Boston: St. Martin's, 1990) 208-19. Showalter, Elaine. introduction. The Odd Women, by George Gissing (New York: Pennguin, 1983) vii-xxvi.          *        

“Piano Lesson” Analysis Essay

A title of a work is carefully chosen to not only strike interest but also to give some sort of clue as to the significance of the work. In the case of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, the title, though a play on words, reveals how important the piano is to the message Wilson is trying to convey. The piano, as an object, moves the plot of the play along since the conflict is the two main characters fighting over it. On the other hand, the piano, as a symbol, represents the perseverance of history in an individual’s lives. It’s presence and symbolism work hand in hand to communicate the lesson that family history remains with a person and it’s their responsibility to decide how to use it. Looking at the different character’s and their views on the piano provides evidence of this message. The play begins with Boy Willie barging into the house where his sister, Berniece, lives with his uncle, Doaker. Boy Willie’s purpose for being there is to sell the piano that Berniece keeps so that he can buy the land from his relative’s former slave owners. He knows the importance of the piano but views it as an object and a means for achieving his own success so that he can prove that he deserves as much respect as the white man. He says, â€Å"The only thing my daddy had to give me was that piano†¦I ain’t gonna let it sit up here and rot without trying to do something with it† (1.2). In his mind, keeping his family’s legacy isn’t with remembering them through the piano but using the piano as a means of making money, which to him will honor them in the long run. He tells his sister, â€Å"I’m supposed to build on what they left me†¦now the kind of man my daddy was he would have understood that† (1.2). He does acknowledge though that the past is something to be proud of. He lectures Berniece, â€Å"You ought to mark down on the calendar the day that Papa Boy Charles brought that piano into the house†¦and every year when it come up throw a party. Have a celebration. If you did that [Maretha] wouldn’t have no problem in life† (2.5). Boy Willie’s sister, Berniece, takes an entirely different approach when it comes to her choice of how the piano is used. Berniece is a character that lives in the past in an unhealthy way. The past has hardened her and it shows in the way she raises her child, Maretha, telling her not to go off â€Å"showing [her] color† (1.1). When Doaker comments on Berniece keeping the memory of her deceased husband saying, â€Å"she still holding onto  to him† (1.2) is further evidence of her clinging to the past but not using those memories in a productive manner. Unlike Willie, she views the piano as a symbol of her family’s heritage but fears it. She scolds Boy Willie for trying to sell it when she says, â€Å"You always talking about your daddy but you ain’t never stopped to look at what his foolishness cost your mama†¦cold nights and an empty bed†¦For a piano? To get even with somebody?† (1.2). She shows her resentment to the past by refusing to play the piano and refusing to tell her daughter of it’s history. Berniece is also afraid of the piano because of those who died because of it. Her mother died honoring it and her father died trying to get it. She explains to her suitor, Avery, â€Å"I don’t play that piano cause I don’t want to wake them spirits† (2.2). She faces that fear when Boy Willie comes to the house bringing a ghost with him; however, the ghost isn’t their dead relatives but Sutter’s. The presence of the ghost forces Berniece to face the past and Boy Willie to acknowledge that the past matters just as much as the future. The play concludes when Avery, who is a preacher, comes to the house to get rid of the ghost. The ghost protests and â€Å"fights† with Boy Willie. It is then that Berniece plays the piano to call on the spirits of her dead relatives singing, â€Å"I want you to help me† (2.2). By doin g this she learns the lesson that the past isn’t there to burden her but to give her strength for the future. Boy Willie also learns the lesson that the past is alive and that using it doesn’t have to be materialistic. It can simply be used to remember who you are. The lesson that the two characters learn is Wilson’s way of communicating to the audience how important family legacy is. The character’s growth in terms of their views on the piano display how easily one can lose sight of what is important in terms of being a person. Boy Willie thinks being somebody is materialistic while Berniece hides from being somebody at all. Though the main characters take a big part of the play the piano’s reoccurring presence and symbolism is the central focus of the play since it is through it that the conflict comes together, through it that the characters learn their lessons, and through it that family history is brought to life.

Learning Theology Essay

In Learning Theology with the Church Fathers, Christopher Hall discusses the doctrinal beliefs of the early Christian leaders while Christianity was in its fledgling state of development. Much of what is discussed by Hill in his book is the standard for what the beliefs on the subject will be throughout the church’s history. The topics in Hill’s book are important because the church father’s findings concern these issues establishes the church’s beliefs on these doctrinal topics. Hill’s approach in his book is to take a subject that was highly contested in the life of the early church and follow one or two of the major leading authorities on the subject from the time period. A benefit to looking at the topic this way shows what the prominent thinking of the day was and if it still relates to Christians today. The first major theme that the book addresses is to describe the attributes of God. Hill looks at the various aspects of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Within discussing the parts of the Holy Trinity, Hill shows the various thinking the early church had concerning the three, what each of their roles are, and discusses how each of the three had equality together without either being subordinate to another. The second theme addressed by Hill is that of God’s interaction with humans. Hill explains the teachings concerning man’s sin and how the church fathers understood God’s forgiveness toward man. Hill also speaks of man as being instilled with God’s goodness. Man’s natural instinct is not bent on doing what is inherently good, but it is within God’s instilled grace that God’s best for man is placed within himself (Hill, 130). Hill also writes in discussion of God’s providence to man as being loving, transcendent and wise. The third theme Hill discusses are those things that are directly relatable to Christians in their relations with God. These things consist of the Christian’s relation to the scriptures, the apostolic founded church, and a Christian’s resurrected body and eternal life. Hill also discusses the early church father’s apologetics to the scripture’s authority and how the scriptures were His perfect gift given through His perfect knowledge (Hill, 209). Hill also discusses the differing roles of the church and what the members communal roles are and the differing thoughts on discipline. One of the most important topics discussed by Hill is that of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit. The discussion that was taking place during the fourth century was what is the Holy Spirit and what role does it play in the character of God? Many believed that the three persons of God were not triumvirate but actually three different Gods making Christianity polytheistic. Basil the Great’s writings on the subject is the focal point of Hill’s discussion. Basil’s writings addressed the variable confusions that surrounded the Holy Spirit. The topics Hill highlights from Basil is that of the Holy Spirits equality with the Father and the Son. One point that Hill singles out which gives credence to a Holy Trinity is that the argument for differing levels of power in the Holy Trinity is not arguable. Hill contends that people cannot comprehend the relationship between the three because they all three transient time and age, thus making it impossible for man to give rank to one over another (Hill, 105). This is rational argument because if something transcends time and age, does another being transcend time and space more? To have this distinction is not a more or less argument but a yes or no argument in defining a deity’s self to which Hill discusses well. Another positive from Hill’s book is the explanation of the Holy Spirit and the description of the divine community that is the Holy Trinity. If the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not three different gods, what is the purpose of their being three separate beings? Hill examines this by giving each of the three different roles in the actions of the world. Hill defines the Father as the creator, the Son and the initiator, and the Holy Spirit as the perfecter (Hill, 115). This understanding of the Holy Trinity shows how the three are not separate but how each are one with different roles in dealing with man. Hill also explains that neither entity usurps the other’s tasks, but remain separated in their roles showing that neither is superior to the other entities. This is a useful distinction because it helps understand the functioning of the Holy Trinity and how it relates to man. When those tasks are known man has a better appreciation for each part of the Holy Trinity and honor can be given to the each part of the deity including the Holy Spirit (Hill, 118). The theme of man’s relation to God is another well outlined discussion. Hill addresses the subject of man’s sins in a way that explains how it was problematic for the church fathers. Following the writing of Irenaeus, Hill discusses the issue of man’s goodness. The discussion during the time of Irenaeus was whether man was naturally good or was goodness implanted in man by God? Hill’s conclusion eventually is man’s sin nature is prevalent before his conversion and after his conversion God bestows a sense of goodness through His love in man. God’s redemptive spirit is given to man and reflected through the actions of man (Hill, 130). Hill’s explanation that the church fathers did not think man naturally good is logical because if man is naturally good then their is no purpose for salvation. Yet while it is said human nature is without good, man is still given a choice and sometimes makes the moral decision. A limited amount of time was given to explain how God allows man to make his own choices. Hill says that God gives the choice to man to decide but does not fully expound on why man sometimes goes against his nature to make moral decisions. In all, Hill does a good job on explaining the church father’s thinking concerning the formation of early church doctrine. His description of their writings helps the reader understand the issues that spurred their theology and the content of their messages. Learning Theology with the Church Fathers gives an good summation of how Christian beliefs came to formation and who the writers were that God used to frame early Christianity’s doctrine. Bibliography Hill, Christopher. Learning Theology with the Church Fathers. Downers Grove: IVP Academy, 2002.

Assessment of the Connection between Unlawful Acts and Genetic Make-Up

Assessment of the Connection between Unlawful Acts and Genetic Make-Up It is argued that violent criminal behaviors are the unfortunate results of genetic transmissions of mental and psychological problems from one generation to another. Research in neurochemistry and advanced technology has supported this notion by indicating that various violent behaviors and emotional disorders result from disruption of the normal activity of the brain. The disruption of the normal activities of the brain, results from altered gene and various environmental factors that lead to violent behaviors. Despite the claims that have often been made, humans do not have an instinct to kill nor a special aversion to it. Instead, as this paper maintains, the propensity to kill results from a subpersonal level due to genetics. Each one of us is a product of genetics, the predisposition of nongenetic constitutional proclivities and aversions, of motives and compromises determined by our interpersonal and somatic experiences. Research showing a family connection to criminality often attracts extensive media attention. The news coverage of research on a Dutch family found to have had a genetic mutation that seemed to predispose its males to aggressive behavior sounded like reports of pathological families in the early part of the century. Although journalists will consistently quantify, showing that family patterns do not settle the debate over root causes, they tend to promote the theories of scientists who believe that genetic predisposition is an underlying basis of violent behavior. Research guided by Charles Darwin’s (1809-1882) theory of evolution, hypothesized that aggression associated with violent behaviors, like most forms of aggressive behaviors, an innate characteristic of the human species. Darwin believed that at any particular point, the features of every life form, from the smallest microbe to the largest mammal which includes human beings are the result of changes brought about over several generations through a process of â€Å"natural selection (Wright, 2014)..† Natural selection happens because, in every species, there is a genetically influenced variability among people in terms of behavior and appearance. People whose inherited characteristics help them in adapting their environment through eluding predators, withstanding the elements, and finding food and water are the most likely to survive and mate successfully procreate and mate, thus passing on their genetic heritage to the next generation. The genes of those without adaptive characteristics are more likely to die out along with unfortunate individuals who carried them. While considering the evolutionary roots of crime, psychologists have maintained that people have inherited genetic propensities for aggression from early ancestors and that violent behaviors have helped human species in adapting and surviving during thousands of years of changing environmental demands. Others have maintained that the aggression is adaptive even today, still required in making sure that human species survive. Evolutionary theories note that all through the history of mankind, males have been more active compared to a female individual in terms of survival associated activities like hunting for food, finding and fighting for mates, and protecting close relatives and territory. So, it does not come as a surprise that compared to females, human males, are considered more aggressive and still retain the physical as well as hormonal features essential in displaying aggression. These aggression-related features have survived because they have been seen to work out. The book by Barabara Oakley â€Å"Evil Genes: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed, and My Sister Stole My Mother’s Boyfriend† provides explanations on the impact of genetics in our neurobiology and the way in which genes have effects on peoples habits towards sociopathy and selfishness. The argument that the author brings forward proposes that some people may be inclined to take advantage of others or be â€Å"born bad† due to personality disorders that were present during birth. Even though the Y chromosome theory, was for the most part media hype, research on the genetic influence of chromosomes is promising. Since males only have a single x chromosome, in any case, that chromosome is a mutated gene, men tend to be stuck with dysfunctional copy, while women have a backup copy safeguarding against this problem. The MAOA gene, found in the x chromosome is said to result in aggressive behavior in cases of abnormal versions of the gene (Baum, 2013). The protein in the MAOA assists the body in metabolizing and taking control of the chemical messenger known as neurotransmitters. For the people who cannot make the MAOA protein, they are exposed to the suffrage of borderline intellectual disability, the lack of impulse control, violent behavior and aggression. Often, human beings can inherit some form of a gene that is less effective in producing the MAOA protein hand has been associated with violence. For instance, a recent study discovered that a variant of the MAOA gene that is less effective in producing proteins leads to increased possibility of violent behaviors, but this only happens when the person has undergone childhood abuse or maltreatment. And even though still in their childhood stages as a legal defense, genetic influences are currently being introduced as mitigating circumstances in cases involving murder, with different outcomes. An example is the case of a convicted murderer Abdelmalek Bayout, who stabbed and killed a man and had his sentence reduced in court because he had a low-activity MAOA gene (Farisco, Petrini, 2012). He had his sentence reduced from 12 to 9 years, even though he was still considered responsible for the behaviors he committed, the mitigating circumstance of having an aggressive gene was important during the sentencing. Therefore, genes have a connection with antisocial behavior and empathy, but these featuring characteristics relate to the environment. The DNA of some people may make them look for dangerously exciting environments, which results in the reinforcement of the genetic effects. Genes alone, however, do not determine behavior, but instead, it is a combination of genetics and life events and circumstances that might contribute to violent behavior. Genes are often used in explaining frequent and troubling contradictions of violent behaviors. Why do some people, despite extreme challenging childhood experiences, become productive, even celebrated members of society, while others who had every advantage and opportunity, turn out badly? Based on the literature review above, it can be concluded that genetic contributes to violent behaviors at an approximate rate of fifty percent. On the other hand, environmental factors also account for the other fifty percent of the unexplained cases involving violent behavior. Acts of murder, rape, serial killings and destruction caused on people; family violence, gangs wars; and even terrorist activities are examples of violence that arise from intergroup rivalry, from the need to have a higher status to striking fear in others. Currently, the age-old habit of human beings to divide into status-differentiated groups like victors and vanquished or interpersonal violence continue to lead others to believe that in an era of weapons of mass destruction, the same genetically influenced behaviors that have long ensured the survival of human species will eventually lead to its demise.

Social Dimensions of the Economic Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Social Dimensions of the Economic Growth - Essay Example This paper is an attempt to look on economic development not just as a measure of a country’s or the world’s economic progress, as a whole, but as a human development issue, incorporating the social dimension in the context of the economic development. Economic development is understood as the analysis of economic progress of nations. However, looking at the core of it, it becomes more than just the monetary computation of the economic value of the country, rather it is an amalgam of sociology, anthropology, history, politics and, all-too- often, ideology. Development is a social phenomenon that involved more than increasing per capita output, but necessitates eliminating poverty, unemployment and inequality as well A country’s economy is measured in terms of Gross Domestic Product. GDP is the total money value of goods and services produced in a country in one year, while GDP per capita is a measure of the value of products made and services provided by each person, a measure of the average productive capacity of people. Despite economic developments rates of some countries, the world still watches its people go hungry. The world through the different agencies like the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund have been vigilant about this global issue. Economic growth is more than the numbers. If the supposed economic development does not trickle down to feed the hungry mouths at the grassroots level, the numbers are insignificant. What will matter in the end are its people and their development as humans.