Names of Family Members in Spanish

Names of Family Members in Spanish Who are the members of your family, how many are there, and what do they do? These are among the first questions you may be asked when you meet and first become acquainted with a native Spanish speaker. Depending on your age, you may be asked about your parents and what they do for a living, or you may be asked if you are married or have any children. Learn the words on this page as well as a few words to describe your family members, then bring a photo along, and even if youre a beginner and know only simple grammar, you can engage in conversation. Gender and Family Members Keep in mind that masculine plurals in Spanish can refer to mixed groups of males and females. Thus cuatro hijos can mean either four sons or four children, depending on the context. And while it may sound strange to the ear attuned to English, padres is a grammatically correct way to refer to both a mother and father, even though padre alone refers to a father. Also, note that the word pariente means relative in general; the Spanish-English cognate  doesnt refer only to parents. Vocabulary of the Family Following are the names for the most common relatives and some of the uncommon ones: padre: fathermadre: motherhermano: brotherhermana: sistersuegro: father-in-lawsuegra: mother-in-lawcuà ±ado: brother-in-lawcuà ±ada: sister-in-lawesposo, marido: husbandesposa, mujer: wifeabuelo: grandfatherabuela: grandmotherbisabuelo: great-grandfatherbisabuela: great-grandmothertatarabuelo: great-great-grandfathertatarabuela: great-great-grandmotherhijo: sonhija: daughternieto: grandsonnieta: granddaughterbisnieto: great-grandsonbisnieta: great-granddaughtertataranieto: great-great-grandsontataranieta: great-great-granddaughtertà ­o: uncletà ­a: aunttà ­o abuelo: great-uncletà ­a abuela: great-auntprimo: cousin (male)prima: cousin (female)primo carnal, prima carnal, primo hermano, prima hermana: first cousinprimo segundo, prima segunda: second cousinsobrino: nephewsobrina: niecepadrastro: stepfathermadrastra: stepmotherhijastro: stepsonhijastra: stepdaughterhermanastro: stepbrotherhermanastra: stepsistermedio hermano, hermano de padre, hermano de madre: half brothermedia her mana, hermana de padre, hermana de madre: half sister concuà ±ado: husband of ones spouses sisterconcuà ±ada: wife of ones spouses brotherconsuegro: father-in-law of ones son or daughterconsuegra: mother-in-law of ones son or daughterprometido, novio: fiance, boyfriend, groomprometida, novia: fiancà ©e, girlfriend, bridecompaà ±ero: male partner in a couple relationshipcompaà ±era: female partner in a couple relationshippadrino: godfathermadrina: godmotherahijado: godsonahijada: goddaughteramigo: friend (male)amiga: friend (female)conocido: acquaintance (male)conocida: acquaintance (female) Miscellaneous Family Terms La familia polà ­tica  or los polà ­ticos may be used as the equivalent of the in-laws. In other words, the terms refer to people to whom one is related by marriage. (In a different context, polà ­ticos can also refer to politicians.) The term amigovio or amigovia can be used colloquially in some areas to a person with whom a person has a romantic or sexual relationship that hasnt necessarily been formalized, such as a friend with benefits or a live-in lover where there isnt necessarily an expectation of marriage. This is a word of fairly recent origin, so its meaning isnt uniform in all areas. Note that while marido refers to a husband, there is no corresponding feminine form, marida, in standard use. Sample Sentences Referring to Family Members Here are some simple sample sentences you can use as models for your own: Mi padre es carpintero. (My father is a carpenter.)Mi tà ­a es dentista.(My aunt is a dentist.)Mi madre es ama de casa. (My mother is a housewife.)Tengo dos hermanos y una hermana. (I have two brothers and a sister.)Tengo cuatro hermanos. (This sentence can be seen as ambiguous by English speakers. It can be correctly translated as either I have four brothers or I have four siblings.)Tengo nueve tà ­os. (I have nine aunts and uncles or I have nine uncles.:)Mi madrastra vive en el estado de Nueva York. (My stepmother lives in New York state.)Mis sobrinas viven en Chicago. (My nieces live in Chicago.)Mi padre est muerto. (My father is dead.)Mi prima est muerta. (My female cousin is dead.)Mi madre est viva. (My mother is alive.)Otto y Edith Frank fueron los padres de Ana Frank. (Otto and Edith  Frank were the parents of Anne Frank.)Los primos no pueden casarse segà ºn nuestra cultura. (Cousins cannot marry accoridng to our culture.)Los suegras siempre tienen mala reputacià ³n. (Mo thers-in-law always have a bad reputation.)

Free Morphemes in English, Definition and Example

Free Morphemes in English, Definition and Example A free morpheme is a  morpheme (or word element) that can stand alone as a word. It is also called an  unbound morpheme or a free-standing morpheme.  A free morpheme is the opposite of a bound morpheme, a word element that cannot stand alone as a  word. Many words in English consist of a single free morpheme. For example, each word in the following sentence is a distinct morpheme: I need to go now, but you can stay. Put another way, none of the nine words in that sentence can be divided into smaller parts that are also meaningful. There are two basic kinds of free morphemes: content words and function words. Examples and Observations A simple word consists of a single morpheme, and so is a free morpheme, a morpheme with the potential for independent occurrence.  In The farmer kills the duckling the  free morphemes are the, farm, kill and duck. It is important to notice here that (in this sentence) not all of these free morphemes are words in the sense of minimal free formsfarm and duck are cases in point. (William McGregor,  Linguistics: An Introduction. Continuum, 2009) Free Morphemes and Bound Morphemes A word like house or dog is called a free morpheme because it can occur in isolation and cannot be divided into smaller meaning units...The word quickest...is composed of two morphemes, one bound and one free. The word quick is the free morpheme and carries the basic meaning of the word. The est makes the word a superlative and is a bound morpheme because it cannot stand alone and be meaningful. (Donald G. Ellis, From Language to Communication. Lawrence Erlbaum, 1999) Two Basic Types of Free Morphemes Morphemes can be divided into two general classes. Free morphemes are those which can stand alone as words of a language, whereas bound morphemes must be attached to other morphemes. Most roots in English are free morphemes (for example, dog, syntax, and to), although there are a few cases of roots (like -gruntle as in disgruntle) that must be combined with another bound morpheme in order to surface as an acceptable lexical item... Free morphemes can be further subdivided into content words and function words. Content words, as their name suggests, carry most of the content of a sentence. Function words generally perform some kind of grammatical role, carrying little meaning of their own. One circumstance in which the distinction between function words and content words is useful is when one is inclined to keep wordiness to a minimum; for example, when drafting a telegram, where every word costs money. In such a circumstance, one tends to leave out most of the function words (like to, that, and, there, some, and but), concentrating instead on content words to convey the gist of the message. (Steven Weisler and Slavoljub P. Milekic, Theory of Language. MIT Press, 1999)

Communication Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Communication Research - Assignment Example This research process begins with specific observations and gradually moving on to making broader generalizations and developing of theories based on observed facts. The process follows and develops a specific pattern based on which a tentative hypothesis is formed followed by theories. This process entails a high degree of uncertainty as compared to the deductive research process. Most of inductive research is qualitative in nature while deductive research is quantitative. This is because in most cases the inductive approach is of particular significance for qualitative content analysis while a deductive approach is more appropriate for a quantitative analysis. However at times the inductive approach allows for a strictly qualitative analysis the deductive approach on the other hand allows for either a qualitative or quantitative analysis or a combination of the two (Keyton, 2011). 2. ... e surveyed is 30 then in the absence of any specific preference it would naturally be expected that 10 of them would prefer soft drinks, 10 would prefer hot drinks, and the rest of them i.e. 10 would prefer health drinks. The use of chi square helps in comparing our observations i.e. actual fact, with what we originally expected i.e. our assumption. If on the contrary the sample selected indicated that only 2 preferred health drinks, 18 preferred hot drinks and 10 preferred soft drinks then it can be confidently stated that more students preferred hot drinks in a cafeteria, thus indicating that hot drinks are the general preference among students. However if the selected sample indicated that 9 preferred hot drinks, 11 preferred health drinks and the remaining 10 preferred soft drinks then we might be able to confidently state that hot drinks are generally preferred by students (Keyton, 2011). †¢ Independent samples t-test Research question: Do older people rely less on technolo gical gadgets as compared to younger people? Hypothesis testing helps in gaining knowledge about the sample population. Independent t-test is applied where there are two independent samples and the researcher intends to compare these two groups of individuals while the parameters are unknown. For instance if there are two groups of students who were taught using two different methods and the researcher wants to find the difference between these two independent groups then t-test can be most helpful in ascertaining the difference by evaluating the mean difference whereby samples from each population can be taken and compared on the basis of a given variable (Keyton, 2011). In the above question, there are two distinct groups i.e. samples - older people and younger people. 'Age' is an independent

Aftermath of the 2007 financial crisis in UK Essay

Aftermath of the 2007 financial crisis in UK - Essay Example The UK government has embarked on a number of missions to sustain the financial sector and the overall economy. This paper will focus on the measures taken by the UK government in the aftermath of the 2007 financial crisis to deal with the effects of the external forces on business organizations. In modern times, has been identified that global financial system is an interdependent system between all the countries (Shiller, 2008, p.xi). The current global financial crisis has created instability of economic systems in most countries including UK to such an extent that the UK government has been compelled to intrude into the financial markets in an unprecedented manner. The financial crisis although has not created problems in the UK constitutional system, nevertheless has proved that the constitution lacks flexibility to cope with financial crisis of such mammoth proportions (Black, 2010, p.1). The crisis has shown that the government has to face legal barriers arising from various u nanticipated sources. The European Union (EU) has a rule imposed on state aid which gives more power to the EU Commission than the Westminster parliament to decide the fate of taxpayers’ money. Moreover, various corporate and financial norms restrict the management capacity of the UK government of investments in the banks (Black, 2010, p.2). UK has â€Å"globally very active financial services industry with cutting edge financial innovation† (Williams, 2011, p.41). Previously, the UK government had a â€Å"tripartite† regulatory system which allowed the Bank of England, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Treasury to contribute towards maintaining economic progress in the country. However, the government felt that this system failed in three ways – a) it failed to assess any troubles that hinder economic progress, b) it could not assess appropriate steps to tackle such hindrances, and c) it failed to act effectively at the onset of the crisis ( Giudice et al., 2012, p.17). The effects of the global financial crisis first created waves in August 2007 and were enhanced throughout 2008. The impact of the crisis reached its peak in September/October 2008. Several financial institutes were rescued like the Northern Rock in UK. However, it was not before late 2008 that any major fiscal and monetary policies were established as response to the crisis. Most of the policies were put into practice only after the fall of Lehman Brothers in September 2008. Even in March 2008, the Treasury claimed that the government is duly abiding by all fiscal regulations and economy is stable. This indifferent perception was changed as a result of the events that occurred in September/October 2008. A reduction was made for a temporary period in VAT from 17.5 percent to 15 percent. In the end of 2009, it was brought back to the original rate. Moreover, the government made provision of ?3 billion for capital spending. In the beginning of the global c risis, the approximate valuation of public sector net borrowing (PSBR) was increased by 2.4 percent of GDP to 5.3 percent. Out of this, 0.6 percent was used for â€Å"discretionary budget changes† (Sawyer, 2011, p.206). In a wider context, the UK government has made plans and policies in response to the economic crisis with three main goals. First, the UK government has provided capital support to banks to reinforce their balance sheets. Secondly, the government has taken steps to enhance the competence of banks so that

Social Media Texting: Bad Grammar

Social Media Texting: Bad Grammar LOL and OMG have been the acronyms of the decade and have become a trend in the way people communicate. Social media has expanded so much that people are becoming dependent on the Internet and are creating their own language. Social media is making the younger generation develop bad grammar. This issue is a problem because it is making society incapable of structuring coherent sentences making this generation dumb. The time being spend on social media outlets cuts down on the time focusing on their education and grammar. Although some argue that social media helps people communicate better in their daily lives, social media and texting are placing a burden on education. Social media has triggered one from learning academic and professional communication skill, promoting bad grammar, and the lack of creativity. Social media is promoting bad grammar because people accustomed to writing colloquially when they write structured essays. Bad grammar has gotten so severe that people have made several appearances on news channels about social media and bad grammar. A video that was posted on Channel 19 KYTX which is a local news station in Tyler, Texas. It talks about how students are trying to use bad grammar in their essays, which they also use on Facebook and Twitter. Living in a social media world in which people try to communicate as fast as possible people keep conversations short. Kaylee McPherson says to KYTX, I dont even put periods, question marks or anything. I just type it and go (Austin).With the generation being based on technology people ending up not just texting in acronyms but also speaking them was bound to happen. McPherson states that, Now, they actually start talking it. I hear people talking and Im like you kind of sound dumb. Not only are teenagers using shorthand on social media but also in the classroom. Melanie McNeils a high school English teacher says that when she grades papers she sees t he lingo in their essays. Melanie McPherson says, Ok, this is one I see a lot. B4=before, OMG=oh my god, u=you, y=why (Austin). Instead of McNeil giving her students no credit for that type of language used in their essays, she talks to her students about the difference between casual language and academic language and when it is the appropriate time to use the two (Austin). This web lingo has increased so much that even the Oxford English dictionary has added the words: Lol, Omg,Tweet, Retweet and even Sext. There is justification that the world is changing due to social media. Ontario Waterloo University in Canada requires students to pass an English language skills test in order to be accepted into the university. According to the statistics 1/3 are failing and students are blaming social media. Ontario Waterloo is a great educational example of how we can resolve the grammar problem. People should be happy that Universities are taking such an effect on this problem then maybe at least the younger generation will try harder to fix their grammar and spend less on social media cites. Bad grammar and social media go hand in hand people. People are so excited to send an instant message that they use shorthand of words and do not use full sentences. This is a server problem that needs to be addressed and people need to communicate effectively to change the bad grammar that our generation has developed. Being depended on social media affects people because they stop communicating and it will eventually affect them in long run. Switching from academic to colloquial language is difficult for most getting accustomed to changing the language and it is declining grammar skill. In the article, No LOL matter: Tween texting may lead to poor grammar skills by Pen State Official University News Source this article discuss how tweens who are in the age range between nine and fourteen are texting in acronyms and according to researches are decline language and grammar skills(par. 1). Text messaging may be an easy and fast way for one to communicate but according to Drew Cingel who is a Distinguished Professor of Communications and co-director of the Pen States Media Effects Research Laboratory states that, The use of these shortcuts may hinder a tweens ability to switch between techspeack and normal rules of grammar(par. 5). Teachspeak is when someone uses shortcuts while texting, on a social media site or chatting, such as U for You. Cingel gave middle school children in Pennsylvania a grammar assessment test at a 9 th grade level to see if everyone up to par she eventually stated after receiving the scores, Overall, there is evidence of a decline in grammar scores based on the number of adaptions in sent text messages(par. 8). The most people text the more they will adapt to that type of style and will not be about to distinguish whether they are writing proper or not. In High School I always experienced teachspeak, when I was in my English class the teacher would tell us to peer review each others essay. I would always notice that in every paper I would peer review I would at least see one or more tachspeak errors where someone would u instead of you .That is why researches have stated that it is affecting childrens grammar. Some may say that social media has been a way to connect with our lost love ones and some researchers have stated that social media is the downfall of the generation. The Internet is growing rapidly and it and has created many alternative ways from one to get information such as Dictionary.com, where one can look up a definition instead of grabbing a dictionary and instead of reading a book there are books online that you can use on your Ipad or kindle. Social media and texting has have a downfall on our grammar and it is getting harder to multitask. In the article, Yes, People Still Read, But Now Its Social by Steven Johnson it explains how people are reading books on a Kindle but Mr.Carrs who is the author of, The Shallows states, These distraction comes with heavy cost scientific studies show how multitasking harms our concentration(427). Due to social media such as Twitter, Facebook,and YouTube etc. being used all at once people are less likely to be able to focus. People who mul titask more are going to be faced with certain challenges in school when they are not able to concentrate in their studies. According to a study they found out that, Heavy multitasking performed about about 10 to 20 percent worse on most test than light multitasking (427). So it is true that Social media is making us dumb, people may read books on Kindle and might be happy that they are reading books but Mr.Carrs concern is that people are not thinking with a high-level mind set and people are reading pages on a screen. I feel like if society is going to depend on the internet eventually people will stop talking in complete and full sentences and will start using acronyms and that will affect peoples grammar when they are trying to write in an educational matter. The statistics for text messages have increased over the years. According to the Chicago Tribute that stated that Pew Research claims, 72% of adults and 87% of teens send and receive text messages(par.2). It is not only the teenagers that are constantly texting but also adults who are texting away. An executive editor of the American Heritage Dictionary named Steve Kleindetr says that when you text you may want to pay close attention to your attention. Kleinder gives us an example, If youre texting a friend who has difficulty with loose grammatical standards, be sure to spell out u (par. 2). This is a great point that Kleinder stated one must always think about the audience if it is either sending a text message or an email. No one will send an email to their boss saying Sup, cant make 2 wrk L8ts and especially if you had a friend who struggles with grammar you would write out everything clearly. Grammar is a huge part of our society and, People will always judge you, so write with that in mind, Kleinedler says. I personally have never wrote in short hand reason being that I struggle in English and I am not a very good speller, and if I were to write colloquialisms I would not help myself. That is why I made a pact with myself to always write in complete sentences if I am either texting on Facebook or Twitter no matter what. This has actually been beneficial to me because I have never written colloquiums in my essays I might still be a bad speller but at least I do not do it on purpose. Our generation will never be the same the Internet will always have some sort of power over us and with the development of technology increasing there is nothing we can do but educate ourselves. Just because everyone is texting and on Facebook sounding illiterate does not mean we have to do it too. We must take a stand and show society that the generation might be powered with technology but we are using it for our education and other beneficial things. Grammar will always be a problem and it can be fixed but with so many Social media outlets using Weblingo there is no way everyone will stop trying to be cool and rebel against it. Some people will not want to do it but they are dumb-ing themselves down. People need to learn how to talk proper and how to communicate instead of through Facebook and over a text. If this issue is not fixed our generation will be destroyed and there will be no way to fix it. Septic Shock Case Study: Causes and Effects Septic Shock Case Study: Causes and Effects Introduction Septic Shock is a serious circulatory disorder often characterised by a whole- body inflammatory state and the systemic response to infection (Titheradge, 1998), with the most common cause being the contamination of blood with bacteria. Septic shock is defined as sepsis with hypotension which develops in almost half of all septic patients as a complication with a mortality rate of 40-60% (Titheradge, 1998). Septic shock often results in a progressive failure of the circulation to provide blood and oxygen to vital organs of the body resulting in impaired tissue perfusion and oxygen extraction (Thiemermann, 1997). The key symptoms include a severe fall in blood pressure (hypotension) with hypo-reactivity to vasoconstrictor agents (vasoplegia) which may lead to the dysfunction or failure of major organs including lungs, liver, kidneys and brain (multiple organ dysfunction, MODS) and ultimately death (Goligorski et al., 1997). Presently it is widely assumed that septic shock rarely shows similar symptoms in affected individuals and therefore it is difficult to detect and then consequently treat it (Groeneveld and Thijs, 1986). It is, however, also agreed that most of the therapeutic interventions invariably focus on the primary aim of fighting the refractory hypotension by the use of aggressive fluid infusions, glucocorticoids, large doses of vasoconstrictors (Baumgartner and Calandra, 1999) and occasionally renal replacement therapy (Wheeler Bernard, 1999). Yet these interventions do not offer consistent success (Parratt, 1997). In recent times, our understanding of the pathophysiology of septic shock has developed significantly through experimental and clinical trials, though the discovery of a suitable treatment with therapeutic efficacy is proving elusive (Baumgartner and Calandra, 1999). This is probably because of the heterogeneity of the clinical situations and the differences in host response to i dentical pathogens. Moreover evidence suggests that different pathogens which cause septic shock respond differently to the conventional treatments. Still, no effort has been made to treat patients according to the nature of the infecting organism (Gao, Anonymous, 1992). During the early 1990s nitric oxide (NO) emerged as a potentially substantial step towards the treatment of septic shock. This finding directed scientists to carry out numerous clinical trials and animal experiments with the objective of finding out more about the interrelation of NO and Sepsis (Cobb, 1999; Kilbourn, 1999). Later, the discovery of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) made this enzyme the primary target of therapeutic agents (Rosselet et al., 1998). However, recently a substantial amount of literature has been published with evidence contradicting the discoveries of earlier studies. Today more than a decade has elapsed without any resolution to the matter and even in this 21st century Septic Shock is invading the developing countries rapidly (Cobb, 1999; Kilbourn, 1999). This problem of a lack of significant advances in this field can be highlighted by the fact that 17 years have passed since the final publication of the Consensus Conference on sepsis and sepsis related syndromes (Rangel-Frausto, 2005). This paper conclusively defined sepsis and its symptoms with the hope of finding a suitable treatment in order to eradicate the disease (Rangel-Frausto, 2005). Today, however, the situation has not changed significantly with up to 750,000 new sepsis cases every year and 215,000 annual deaths in the United States (Trzeciak et al., 2008, Mitchell M. Levy, 2007). Additionally, in the population that survives such attacks, there is considerable morbidity with many scoring low in health related quality of life assessments (Kaarlola et al., 2003, Perl et al., 1995). Hence the 5 million lives campaign instigated by the US Institute of Healthcare Improvements, aims to minimize the prevalence of nosocomial sepsis (sepsis originating in a hospital) (Gao et al., 2008). This campaign aimed specifically at increasing safety and transforming the quality of hospital care (McCannon et al., 2007). Moreover, the Surviving Sepsis Campaign aims to improve the quality of life of septic patients using the best evidence available currently (Dellinger et al., 2004). Though the world mortality rates have declined in recent times, sepsis is gradually becoming more prevalent in the elderly in the developing countries (Gao et al., 2008).This is mainly due to the extended longevity of patients with chronic illnesses, the increased occurrence of immunosuppression, and the more frequent use of invasive procedures (Bone, 1991; Parrillo, 1993). Sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock and multiple organ failure still dominate the mass cases of non coronary intensive care units (ICUs). This essay will attempt to explore the fundamental mechanisms leading to tissue and organ damage in septic shock through the investigation of a case study. Following this, the discovery and general biology of nitric oxide (NO) shall be discussed, and the experimental evidence implicating NO as an effector in sepsis, will be examined in detail. The results obtained from various pharmacologic interventions directed at NO in animal studies will also be considered. This report will also give an account of conventional and innovative treatments for the management of septic shock. Finally, data from the few available relevant clinical trials will be reviewed and possible future avenues of interest will be discussed. Systemic Inflammatory response syndrome and Septic Shock (Clinical Manifestation) Sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock were inaccurately defined until a recently reviewed consensus conference in 1992 (Bone et al., 1992, Dellinger et al., 2004). In this meeting the term systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) was invented insinuating a clinical response arising from a nonspecific tissue damaging event (insult) (Rangel-Frausto, 2005). Sepsis as mentioned earlier is the result of substantial release of inflammatory mediators in response to an infection. However, often the same mediators are released in the absence of a documented infected in several medical conditions such as cardiopulmonary bypass (Wan S. et al., 1997), pancreatitis and trauma (Shanley TP. et al., 2006). Due to this, the early definitions of sepsis or septic shock were found to be misleading hence a North American consensus conference proposed a new terminology. In this conference sepsis was defined as a condition in which critically ill patients meet criteria for SIRS, in the context of infection. SIRS was defined as two or more of the following: 1) heart rate >90/min; 2) temperature >38Â °C or 12,000 or 20/min or a PCO2 3.5 L min-1 M-23; 2) hyperglycaemia (plasma glucose >120 mg/dL) in the absence of diabetes; 3) significant oedema or positive fluid balance (20 mL/kg over 20 h); 4) inflammatory variables: plasma C-reactive protein >2 SD above t he normal value or plasma procalcitonin >2 SD above the normal value and 5) mixed venous oxygen saturation (SVO2) >70% . (Dellinger RP et al., 2004). SIRS is generally not considered as a disease and its recognition does not provide any clinical conclusion. However, since it has proven to be a very useful for the identification of sepsis and its sequelae namely severe sepsis and septic shock it is regarded as a very important tool (Shanley TP. et al., 2006). Case Study: A 3-year-old boy was admitted to the intensive care unit because of fever, hypotension, and lethargy. A purpuric rash was noted on his arms and legs. Arterial blood gas analysis demonstrated hypoxemia and metabolic acidosis. The arterial lactate level was 10 mmol/L. He was intubated, resuscitated with crystalloid solution, started on broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, and given dopamine to maintain a MAP above 55 mmHg. His chest radiograph revealed bilateral interstitial-alveolar infiltrates with a left sided predominance. Gram stain of the cerebrospinal fluid showed gram-negative cocci. The dopamine infusion was increased to 18Â µg kg-1min-1 for persistent hypotension and oliguria. Pulmonary and radial arterial catheter data yielded the following blood pressure, 85/30 mm Hg; MAP, 48 mm Hg; heart rate, 140 beats per minute; CVP, 10 mm Hg; pulmonary artery pressure, 22/14 mm Hg; PCWP, 12 mm Hg; cardiac index, 2.5L min-1m-2; and SVRI, 1226 dyne-sec-cm-5m-2. The boy was treated with ad ditional saline and an epinephrine infusion, which increased the MAP, cardiac index, and urine output. Arterial lactate levels decreased over the next 12 hours. Subsequent cultures of blood and cerebrospinal fluid grew Neisseria meningitidis. In this case the patient with acute organ failure and hypotension was diagnosed with septic shock. The young boy with meningococcal septic shock had a borderline-low cardiac index. Due to this a decrease in the cardiac index in this patient by the administration of an NOS inhibitor might not be desirable. This is suggestive of the fact that NO or its synthesising means cannot always be targeted in order to battle septic shock. I will attempt to go into further details with regards to this statement as we go along the essay. Nitric Oxide discovery: Joseph Priestly first identified gaseous NO in 1772. NO also named Nitrogen Monoxide is a very simple and tiny molecule consisting of one nitrogen and one oxygen molecule. Unknown of its fundamental physiological roles in the mammals, until the 1980s NO was widely considered as a mere toxic atmospheric pollutant (Konstantin J. Ovodov et al., 2000). In the 1980s researchers were examining how blood vessels expand (dilate) hence regulate the mean arterial blood pressure. Dilation of blood vessels, also termed vasodilation is a very important physiological response which partly regulates the blood pressure. By increasing the diameter of blood vessels, vasodilation causes the blood to travel more freely due to lower resistance (RF Furchgott, 1980). Since the blood vessel lumen widens during vasodilation, the blood imposes less outward pressure on the vessel wall hence reducing the blood pressure. In opposition, vasoconstriction reduces the diameter of the lumen increasing the BP. These physiological responses occur all the time in the human body regulating the BP and therefore are one of the most fundamental mechanisms of the human body. Dr Robert Furchgott and his group, later in 1980s investigated the role of acetylcholine in the smooth muscle relaxation and found that relaxation only occurred if a special class of cells called endothelial cells were present (RF Furchgott, 1980). These cells line the interior surface of blood vessels, forming an interface between circulating blood in the lumen and the rest of the vessel wall. Behind the endothelial cells are the smooth muscle cells which either relax or contract thus regulating the vascular tone (RF Furchgott, 1991). The same research group also discovered that smooth muscle were only able to vasodilate the blood vessels in the presence of endothelial cells. This indicated that there was some kind of factor that was being released by the endothelial cells which was involved in the dilation of the blood vessel. This factor was named Endothelium Derived Relaxing Factor (EDRF) and subsequently specified as NO (S Moncada et al., 1997). In 1977, Ferid Murad independantly investigated the mechanism of action of nitroglycerin and found that it worked by inducing the release of NO which in turn was able to cause relaxation of smooth muscle cells (F Murad et al., 1977). Louis Ignarro in 1986 finally resolved the whole perplex of EDRF and NO by declaring that EDRF was in fact NO. It was stated that both molecules showed identical properties when he compared gas Nitric Oxide and EDRF (Ignarro, L. J. Et al. 1987). In 1998, Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine was awarded to Drs. Robert Furchgott, Louis Ignarro, and Ferid Murad for their discoveries that vascular endothelial cells make nitric oxide (NO) and that such endothelium-derived NO stimulates cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) synthesis in the underlying vascular smooth muscle, causing relaxation (Kilbourn, 1999). Since the discovery of NO, vast number of its physiological roles in normal conditions have been reported including in the immune system, nervous system, reproductive system and other cellular functions. It has also been found to play important roles in variety of species ranging from mammals, to insects and plants. Role of Nitric Oxide in Biology Since it was first discovered to play a role in the dilation of blood vessels many new roles for Nitric Oxide (NO) have been discovered. In human body, NO is metabolised by its diffusion into red blood cells where it oxidizes the ferrous iron of oxyhemoglobin yielding methemoglobin and nitrate ions (NO3-) (J.M. Hevel et al., 1994 and Konstantin J. Ovodov and Ronald G. Pearl, 2000). This meachanism limits local NO build up and is particularly important in keeping NO concentration in naomolar range, at least in nonhydrophobic compartments (i.e. outside cell membranes) (Beckman Koppenol, 1996). Nitric oxide has been found to be produced by effectively every cell type in vivo and plays an important role in both controlling the normal function of cells as well as in regulating larger scale processes such as the reproductive, immune and nervous systems. A few of these biological functions for NO are described in more detail below. The Immune System Nitric oxide plays many important roles in the immune system although it is expressed in many cell types following endotoxin or pro-inflammatory cytokine treatment (C. Nathan et al., 1991 and R.G. Knowles et al., 1994). NO, in immune system, is produced in high amounts from specific cells called macrophages. Proceedingly to an infection, chemicals known as cytokines are release in vivo which activate the cells of the immune system such as macrophages, and help guide them to the site of infection (S. Moncada et al., 1991 and C. Nathan et al., 1991). NO produced by the macrophages is toxic to the bacteria and play an important role in their destruction (Fig 1). The production of nitric oxide in this way also helps protect against other types of infection including parasites and viruses (S. Moncada et al., 1991). However, too much nitric oxide production can not only lead to septic shock but has also been implicated in conditions where the immune system is too active autoimmune diseases like arthritis (Jang D and Murrell G A, 1998). The Nervous System Nitric oxide has been shown to be involved in both the peripheral and central nervous system. The three nitric oxide producing isotypes of enzyme (iNOS, eNOS, nNOS) (see section) in humans, one isotype (neuronal NOS (nNOS)) is found almost exclusively in the nervous system (Forstermann et al., 1995). nNOS is thought to be involved in promoting the transfer of interneuronal nerve signals. This is thought to take place by the stimulation of exocytosis (release) of endogenous chemicals called neurotransmitters of one neurone (Moncada et al., 1991; Forstermann and Kleinert, 1995). These NT then diffuse across the synaptic cleft (gap between neuronal terminals) and stimulate the neighbouring nerve cell terminal to transmit the signal (Otto Loewi, 1961). NO has shown to play a substantial role in diseases of the nervous system like Alzheimers and Parkinsons. In both diseases, the inhibition of NO has shown to slow down the progression of the disease in mice (Weill Cornell Team, 2005 and Jo hns Hopkins et al., 2004). Reproductive Biology Nitric oxide is one of the most important molecule in the course of reproduction and is involved in many aspects of it. As well as dilating the blood vessels and thereby helping to regulate maternal blood pressure, NO is also involved in implanting the early embryo in the uterus (Rogers, 1995). During pregnancy, nitric oxide is also suggested promote angiogenesis (a process in which new blood vessels are formed) (RayChaudhury et al., 1996). It is also known to play a role in the survival of trophoblasts (form placenta) (Enders et al., 1978). Furthermore deficiency of NO has been found in patients with preeclampsia (a medical condition in pregnancy) suggesting its partial role in growth of embryo (Yallampalli et al., 1994; Liao et al., 1996). In addition, drugs (Viagra) used to treat erectile dysfunction also affect nitric oxide signalling. Cellular function A notable number of cellular activities can be controlled by nitric oxide including cell division, cell movement and cell survival. The majority of cells in human body have the ability to undergo programmed cellular death. This is a self-destructive mechanism usually called apoptosis which often occurs when a cell is damaged and beyond repair, infected with a virus, or undergoing stressful conditions such as starvation (Kerr et al., 1972). Cells in these conditions go through apoptosis so that they dont hinder the proper functioning of the rest of the tissue. During apoptosis, the structures of the cell break down in an organised manner, forming a packaged cell that is smaller in size so that it can be easily removed by the cells of the immune system (Kerr et al., 1972). Nitric oxide was first shown to inhibit apoptosis hence promoting cell survival in human B lymphocytes (Mannick, J. B. Et al., 1994). Subsequently similar finding were reported in an ample number of other cells. However, high doses of nitric oxide also have deleterious effects. They can be toxic to many cell types and can lead to septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in which case NO causes cell death instead of promoting cell survival (Beal Cerra, 1994). Nitric Oxide and Inflammation (Pathophysiology of septic shock) This section will deal with mechanism by which wall fragments of Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria and other inflammatory agents induce nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in cells and tissues. Exogenous toxins which enter the circulation stimulate the synthesis and release of a number of endogenous cytokines. During a gram-negative infection which can lead to septic shock, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and endotoxins present on bacterial wall and many other inflammatory agents bind to a co-receptor (CD14) on the surface of specific immune cells like macrophages, resulting in their activation (J.C. Lee et al., 1996). LPS also bind to LPS-binding proteins which are produced by the liver. These proteins facilitate LPS binding to the CD14 co-receptor of the macrophages. The CD14 co-receptor is activated through the binding of LPS to a toll-like molecule (TLR4), (Re F, Strominger J. Et al., 2001) which is responsible for initiating the transmembrane signaling. TLR2 molecules act in the same way as TLR4, (Leppper PM et al., 2002) though; these are activated by gram-positive bacteria, mycobacteria and yeast. Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus have further additional wall fragments such as peptidoglycan (PepG) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA). Both PepG and LTA have been shown to synergise to produce the characteristic features of septic shock, MODS and ultimately death in rodent models (S.J. De Kimpe et al., 1995 and G.M. Millar et al., 1997). These effects were not observed with either LTA or peptidoglycan alone, although high doses of LTA can cause circulatory failure but not MODS (S.J. De Kimpe et al., 1995). Gram-positive bacteria may also release other enterotoxins and exotoxins, for example toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, which are involved in the pathogenesis of sepsis (reviewed in (R.C. Bone et al., 1994)). The additional fragments released by Gram-positive bacteria bind to unknown receptors however, like LPS binding, cause the release of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-a, IL-1ß, and IFN-? (Thiemermann, 1997, Titheradge, 1999). These cytokines as well as IL-6 are often produced in response to immune stimulation of macrophages and monocytes hence also in septic shock patients. IL-1 and TNF each occur in two forms, a and ß. TNF- a and both forms of IL-1 are made by activated monocytes and macrophages, whereas TNF- ß is made by activated T lymphocytes (Review by J. Saklatvala et al., 1996). There are two receptors for both IL-1 and TNF and the two forms of each cytokine interact with the same receptors. IL-1 a and ß interact with the type 1 IL-1 receptor for signal transduction, whereas type II does not appear to transmit any signal and functions as an inhibitor of IL-1 action (J. Saklatvala et al., 1996). The two types of TNF receptor, p55 (type I) and p75 (type II) have different end effects; p75 mediates the proliferative actions of TNF- a while p55 receptor signals the inflammatory response and apoptosis (J. Saklatvala et al., 1996). Complex interactions between these different mediators produce intense pathophysiological modification, which eventually lead to diffuse tissue injury and ultimately sequential system failure (multiple organ dysfunc tion syndrome), which accounts for the majority of deaths among patients with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock (Beal Cerra, 1994). IL-1ß and TNF-a have a very short half life compared to IL-6 and therefore IL-6 is a very good indicator of cytokinemia. The initial studies of septic shock, showed a very strong positive correlation between IL-6 levels and fatal outcome (Casey L. Et al., 1993). NO is equally a very short lived molecule with an estimated in vivo half life of only 0.1 seconds hence again it is hard to measure its levels in order to detect the severity of cytokinemia hence the severity of sepsis or septic shock. There are several molecules that contribute to the pro and anti-inflammatory responses in septic shock (Table 4); however I shall only focus on a few due to the limited word allowance. In response to inflammatory agents in septic shock, the released cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1ß, and IFN- ?), bind to their specific receptors activating a protein kinase called tyrosine kinase leading to both the activation of the nuclear factor-kB (NF-?B) (a transcription factor) and the phosphorylation of intracellular protein (Gao et al., 2008). A precise mechanism by which these cytokines act was proposed by J. Saklatvala et al. in 1996 however this has yet to be confirmed. Nitric oxide producing cells contain I-?B which is an inhibitor of NF-?B. For the activation of NF-?B, proteolytic cleavage of I-?B from NF-?B is required which forms NF-?B. This biological change allows the activated NF-?B to translocate to the nucleus, where it binds to the promoter region of the iNOS gene inducing transcription. It has also been reported to induce other inflammatory agents, such as cytokines and leukocyte-endothelial adhesion molecules (Janssen-Heininger et al., 2000). Tyrosine kinase present inside the cell acts as a messenger molecule involved in the proteolytic cleavage of I-?B/NF-?B and hence in the activation of NF-?B and iNOS expression (Hecker M, et al., 1996). In septic shock, the translated products of iNOS mRNA subsequently assemble forming the iNOS protein which in turn causes local NO proliferation (Thiemermann, 1997). Fig 2 shows the signal transduction pathway of iNOS expression in response to inflammatory agents. The physiological role of iNOS is to enhance the formation of NO (due to iNOS activity), which in turn may contribute to either the pathophysiology of septic shock (clinbical symptoms) or the host defence (Reviewed in Gao et al., 2008). Fig 3 shows a simplified schematic of the Anti Inflammatory cascade in the context of septic shock. Excess NO produced by iNOS has been reported to both induce and inhibit NF-?B (Kalra et al., 2000; Umansky et al., 1998). In year 2000, it was proposed that low levels of NO may induce further NO production while high concentrations do the opposite exhibiting a feedback mechanisms that would oppose the over expression of genes regulated by NF-?B (Janssen-Heininger et al., 2000). In addition NO at high concentrations competes with O2 at the active site of NOS, thus providing a feedback mechanism of its own synthesis (Griscavage et al., 1995; Rengasamy Johns, 1993). Biological Synthesis of Nitric Oxide (Nitric Oxide Synthases) NOS structure and substrates for NO production: In mammals, NO is exclusively formed from the enzymatic oxidation of one terminal guanidino nitrogen of the amino acid L-arginine. When expressed in moles, this reaction utilizes 1 mol each of arginine and O2, and 1.5 mol of NADPH, yielding 1 mol of NO, 1 mol of L-citrulline and 1.5 mol of NADP (R.G. Knowles et al., 1994). The reaction sequence involves the generation of an Ng-hydroxy-L-arginine intermediate, followed by the oxidation of Ng-hydroxy-L-arginine in presence of molecular oxygen to form L-citrulline and NO (Dennis J. Stuehr et al., 1991 and R.G. Knowles et al., 1994). The enzymes that accelerate the reaction above are a family of relatively large heme proteins known as NO synthase (NOS) which resemble cytochrome P450 structurally (M. M. Chan et al., 2001 and Francois Feihl, 2001) (The general mechanism of NO production from NOS is illustrated in Fig 4). All members of this family share a similar homodimeric structure, where each monomer consists of a an oxygenase domain and a reductase domain, separated by a short amino acids (30aa) sequence for the attachment of the Ca2+-binding protein calmodulin. In addition to calmodulin attachment, enzymatic activity requires the presence of four cofactors: FAD, flavin mononucleotide (FMN), tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), and heme (Francois Feihl, 2001). Fig 5 shows the general structure of the NOS enzymes. Nitric Oxide Synthase isoforms and their locus in the Human Body: There are three known isoforms of NOS, each the product of a different gene: neuronal NOS (nNOS or NOS-1), inducible NOS (iNOS or NOS-2), and endothelial NOS (eNOS or NOS-3). nNOS and eNOS were first described in rat cerebellum and bovine aortic endothelial cells, respectively, but their tissue distribution is far wider than suggested by their names. eNOS and nNOS are involved in regulating vascular tone (R.G. Knowles et al.,1992 and S. Moncada et al., 1991) and neurotransmission respectively, whereas iNOS is involved in the immune defence although it is expressed in many cell types following endotoxin or pro inflammatory cytokine treatment (R.G. Knowles et al., 1994). nNOS is typically expressed in skeletal muscle and myenteric plexuses. eNOS is ubiquitous in vascular endothelium, but may also be found in the kidney tubular epithelial cells, placenta (Forstermann et al., 1995), and neurons (Nathan Xie, 1994). In these tissues, the expression of nNOS and eNOS is constitutive, although it may be regulated (Michel Feron, 1997). For instance, the levels of transcript for eNOS in vascular endothelial cells is increased by shear stress (Topper et al., 1996; Uematsu et al., 1995) and exercise (Wang et al., 1997), reduced by inflammatory stimuli such as TNF-a (Nathan Xie, 1994) and variably affected by hypoxia (Le Cras et al., 1998; Toporsian et al., 2000). In the physiological state, the iNOS isoform is only present at a few locations, notably the respiratory epithelium, the gravid uterus (Nathan Xie, 1994), and perhaps the ileal mucosa (Hoffman et al., 1997). iNOS expression has been demonstrated in numerous cell types including macrophages, neutrop hils, vascular endothelial (Hoffmann et al., 1999), smooth muscle cells, endocardium, myocardium, fibroblast, mesangial cells, renal tubular epithelium (Kunz et al., 1994), neurons, hepatocytes, pancreatic islet cells and astrocytes (Nathan Xie, 1994). iNOS can be induced by a number factors including UV light; cyclic AMP-elevating agents; trauma; ozone and bacterial products described earlier (see section). On the other hand, many endogenous agents may oppose cytokine induction of iNOS. These include anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10, chemokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and growth factors such as tumor growth factor-ß (Forstermann et al., 1995). In all NOS isoforms, calmodulin binding is an absolutely vital for enzymatic activity. In the cases of eNOS and nNOS, this binding necessitates relatively high concentrations of Ca2+ (see Fig 7), in the range of 0.1-1 mM (Forstermann et al., 1995). In contrast, iNOS is able to bind calmodulin virtually independ ant of Ca2+ (Table 2). Therefore, once iNOS is expressed, NO synthesis may only be limited by the availability of substrates and cofactors (J. Stuehr, 1990). As NO produced from iNOS predominantly depends only on iNOS expression, it lasts much longer than NO formed from the other isoforms of NOS. In addition iNOS produces much higher concentrations of Ca2+ compared to the consecutive forms of NOS (Cobb et al., 1996). The production of NO by eNOS and nNOS, compared to iNOS, can be controlled relatively easily by decreasing or increasing intracellular Ca2+, whereas iNOS can only be controlled through transcription (Cobb et al., 1996). In most cell types iNOS protein levels are either very low or undetectable. However, stimulation of these cells by cytokines or growth factors, can lead to increased transcription of the iNOS gene, with subsequent production of NO. On the other hand, for the prevention of iNOS expression through endotoxins, TGF-ß (Szabo, 1995) and anti inflammatory gl ucocorticoids can be administered which lower the magnitude of vascular hyporeactivity. Glucocorticoids such as Dexamethasone inhibit iNOS activity by blocking arginine transport and inhibiting tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthesis (A.J.B. Brady et al., 1992 and Thiemermann C et al., 1993). Regulation of NO production In the normal as well as in extreme physiological states (e.g. during infection), nitric oxide is considered as one of the most important signalling molecules in vivo. It is however also highly reactive and highly diffusible due to it being a free radical (one unpaired electron) (see fig 8). It is therefore important that there is strict control and regulation of nitric oxide production. The synthesis of NO within cells can be regulated in several ways such as the cellular distribution of NOS, changes in NOS gene expression, enzymatic activation by phosphorylation and the presence of cellular inhibitors NOS activity. Intracellular distribution of NOS Nitric oxide is principally regulated through strict control over the location of NO production. The NOS isoforms can be targeted to different regions of the cell, where NO will be produced in close contact with its target proteins. The image below shows the distribution of iNOS (shown in green in image 1) and eNOS (shown in red) in a trophoblast cell. The nucleus is shown in blue. Co-localisation between iNOS and eNOS will show up as a yellow colour (Phil Dash, University of Reading). The image shows that eNOS and iNOS are fairly variably distributed inside the cell, with hardly any yellow colour suggesting very little overlap in their cellular distribution (Phil Dash, University of Reading).Although both iNOS and eNOS produce NO it is likely that their different cellular distribution will lead to NO interacting with different targets and therefore having different effects (Phil Dash, University of Reading). It is very likely that the distribution of NOS isoforms is an important mechanism for regulating when and where NO is produced. Therefore the current research on NOS mainly focuses on how endogenous signals trigger NOS transport and redistribution (Rahul S. Koti et al., 2005). Activation of NOS activity NOS enzyme synthesis is principally regulated by changes in intracellular calcium levels. The constitutive isoforms of NOS, (eNOS and nNOS) have shown to proliferate following increases in Ca2+, and therefore calmodulin levels, in the cell (Rameau et al., 2003). Additionally both nNOS and

Analyze Hawthornes Rhetorical Strategies

The Scarlet Letter Essay In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne depicts major themes of the book through usage of various symbols. By utilizing symbolism, Hawthorne portrays humanity’s disposition towards those rejected by society and the effects of being an outcast, along with other various meanings conveyed in Hawthorne’s novel. The most obvious symbol, and the most important, is the scarlet letter that Hester is burdened to wear due to her conviction of adultery. Such symbols convey an intriguing message of hypocrisy that lies beyond the naked eye. Through his use of symbolism, a hidden message portraying hypocrisy is revealed line after line. Early in the novel, as the crowd awaits Hester to emerge, Hawthorne vividly describes a prison in which the puritan disciplinary system is symbolized. Hawthorne writes that â€Å"†¦ whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness†(Hawthorne 45) the founders hoped to achieve, but â€Å"Hawthorne deflates the tradition of American dreams of Utopia and new social orders†(Pearl) by pointing out that both a cemetery and a prison were among the first structures to be built. However, Puritan society is based on religious enlightenment, yet despite their morals, the first structure to be built in Boston was a prison, a place of punishment, darkness, and sin. Puritan morals expect tranquility within the society and to surely repress sin, but by building a prison, they almost antagonize sin to be committed as the prison proves to be â€Å"†¦ borne the black flower of civilized society†¦ † (Hawthorne 46). The prison symbolizes corrupt society plagued by hypocrisy within the religious system as it defies puritan beliefs of a sin-free environment by bringing darkness upon social life in Boston. Hawthorne brings light upon the darkness by contrasting the prison with a rose bush that â€Å"†¦. had merely survived out of the stern old wilderness, so long after the fall of the gigantic pines and oaks that originally over-shadowed it ,- or whether, as there is fair authority for believing.. † (46). The rose bush signified â€Å"Sweet moral blossom† (46) that emerged from the hypocrisy of Puritan society. Hawthorne makes several reference to the rose bush throughout the novel as in chapter 8 when pearl claims she was â€Å"plucked by her mother off the bush of wild red roses that grew by the prison door†(102). Salvation for the prisoners is depicted by the rose bush, this symbolizes that Pearl is the key to salvation for both Hester and Dimmesdale. Pearl was born through an act of sin, as she lives in a world of sin she must be sanctified along with serving as salvation to all the characters as she represents light among darkness. To truly understand the nature of Hawthorne’s symbolism used to depict hypocrisy, one must understand the meaning of the infamous Scarlet Letter â€Å"A†. Throughout the novel, the scarlet letter â€Å"takes on several different meanings† (Pearl) for each of the characters. For the public, the letter is â€Å"taking Hester out of the ordinary relations with humanity and inclosing her in a sphere by herself†(51). Due to Hawthorne’s unique usage of symbolism â€Å"†¦ we are invited to enter a separate sphere, where both imagination and moral growth can occur†(Pearl). As Hester becomes accustomed to wearing the lettter, the meaning of the â€Å"A† gradually transcends from meaning â€Å"adulterer† to symbolizing â€Å"able† or â€Å"angel†. Apart from symbolizing the obvious, the letter also depicts a major theme of the book, hypocrisy. Puritans believe that people should not be punished for sin, however the Puritan leaders made Hester face a lifetime of embarrassment by making her wear the letter. Keep in mind these leaders are also the leaders who preach the word of God while condemning Hester revealing their nature of hypocrisy. Hawthorne’s symbolism usage leads the reader to reflect on why followers of a religion that stood for forgiveness would merciless condemn its own for the most rational actions. Symbols portrayed in The Scarlet Letter range from representing the hypocrisy and corruptness of Puritan society, to showing how salvation can exist in a world full of sin.

Essay about Media Stereotyping of Men and Women - 770 Words

After watching television and flipping though ads and articles in several magazines, the stereotyping of men and women is so apparent but at the same time society is so blind to it. In society parents teach their children gender roles at a very early age. Gender roles refers to the attitudes, behavior, and activities that are socially defined as appropriate for each sex learned through the socialization process. Males are traditionally expected to show aggressiveness and toughness, and females are expected to be passive and nurturing. For example, little girls play with baby dolls and play house and little boys play with toy guns and play cops and robbers. Mass media are powerful factors that influence societys beliefs,†¦show more content†¦Men are in most of the commercials about financial matters – Business matters, debt consolidating, mortgages and car commercials. Major purchases, business relations and financial problems are to be handled by men. Why are women so underrepresented in industry and business? Clearly it is because of the double standard that society holds women to. Females are forced to adopt the masculine administration practices of proficiency and boldness. However, women who do this have been rated as less proficient and sufficient. Studies have demonstrated that women who exhibit these qualities are discriminated against. These negative reactions are more specifically those of males because they feel intimidated by it. The effect of this extra stress is so extreme that women are held out of nearly all corporate management positions (Fox). So, a woman must change her personality to one more feminine and submissive in order to become more profitable and desirable in the corporate job market. This is a result of the distinctions between genders created by society. Another example of gender stereotyping is sports coverage. 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