Fobe free essay sample

Description For details of this unit contact the Faculty of Business and Economics. Develop personal financial goals as appropriate to anticipated life stages. Construct and maintain a working budget using appropriate financial tools. Select appropriate investment instruments to support budget results and achieve financial goals. Recognize the features and implications Of common financial contracts. Compare and contrast different employment structures. Task Weight Due Date Linked Learning Outcomes Graduate Capabilities Brief Description See timetable in learn Tasks set for students A case study covering material in Modules 3 See course A series of online multiple choice quizzes Due Date: See timetable in learn Weight: 10% Warning This is an online course and therefore it is the students responsibility to have available and accessible to the technology to access the material and to complete the tasks. No exceptions or extensions will be granted because of issues with the students technology, the students internet provider or the students internet connectivity. We will write a custom essay sample on Fobe or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page S benison Submission is online. Module 1 assignment due by mid-night 1 lath March 2013. Module 2 assignment due by mid-night 25th March 2013. Extension No extension will be granted. Students who have not submitted their assignment prior to the due date will be awarded a mark of O for the assignment, except for cases in which an application for special consideration s made and approved. Penalties See extension. What is required to complete the unit satisfactorily In order to pass this subject, students m just pass the case study, which enables them to deem nonstarter their scum elated and integrated understanding of the unit m eternal. If perform once in the case study does not deem nonstarter this level of achieved .NET, a passing grade overall can be achieved by higher perform once in the quizzes and the assigns nets. Case study Weight: the students technology, the students internet provider or the students Submission Subs session is on-line. C ease Study answer due by m id-night 20th May 2013. Age 5 of 13 No extension will be granted. Students who have not submitted the case study prior to the deadline will be awarded a mark of O, except for cases in which an application for special consideration is m dad and approved. See extension What is required to com plate the unit satisfactorily. Due Date: See course timetable in learn weight: Subs session is on line. Module quiz 1 on the 8th Apri l 2013 Q 2 on the 29th April 2013 Q quiz 3 on the 6th May 2013 Q quiz 4 on the 20th May 2013 Module on the 3rd June 201 3 Module 5:Q quiz on the 7th June 2013 No extensions will be granted. Students who have not attempted a quiz prior to the deadline will be awarded a mark of O, except for cases in which an application for special consideration is m demand approved. What is required to complete the unit satisfactorily? Page 6 of 13 Modules 1 . Goals (anticipated student workload 4 hours) Online presentation of content Online discussion Reading/website reference Set your own goals Individually written discussion 2. Budgets (anticipated student workload 5 hours) Your Money ASIA resource and associated activities Complete, explain submit your own budget 3. Investments (anticipated student workload 50 hours) Basic Principles Interest calculations Tax Overview of Financial Scams Overview of investment options Overview of debt management Oven. IEEE of Superannuation Asset protection issues Complete on line tests 4. Common Contracts (anticipated student workload 20 hours) Introduction Overview of common contracts Online Test 5. Employment Structures (anticipated student workload 12 hours) Overview of common employment structures Again, please note: it is the students responsibility to have available or access! O the technology to access the material and to complete the assigned tasks.

U.S. States Named After Kings and Queens

U.S. States Named After Kings and Queens Seven of the  U.S. states are named after sovereigns  - four are named for kings and three are named for queens. These include some of the oldest colonies and territories in what is now the United States and the royal names paid tribute to the rulers of either France and England. The list of states includes Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Can you guess which kings and queens inspired each name? The 'Carolinas' Have British Royalty Roots North and South Carolina have a long and complicated history. Two of the 13 original colonies, they began as a single colony  but were divided shortly after because it was too much land to govern. The name Carolina  is often attributed as an honor of King Charles I of England (1625-1649), yet that is not entirely true.   What is fact is that  Charles is Carolus in Latin and that inspired Carolina. However, the French explorer, Jean Ribault first called the region Carolina when he tried colonizing Florida in the 1560s. During that time, he established an outpost known as Charlesfort in what is now South Carolina. The French King at the time? Charles IX who was crowned in 1560. When the British colonists established their settlements in the Carolinas, it was shortly after the 1649  execution of  King Charles I of England and they retained the name in his honor. When his son took over the crown in 1661, the colonies were also an honor to his rule. In a way, the Carolinas pay tribute to all three King Charles. 'Georgia' Was Inspired by a British King Georgia was one of the original 13 colonies that became the United States. It was the last colony established and it became official in 1732, just five years after King George II was crowned King of England. The name  Georgia  was clearly inspired by the new king. The suffix -ia  was used often by the colonizing nations when naming new lands in honor of important people. King George II did not live long enough to see his namesake become a state. He died in 1760 and was succeeded by his grandson, King George III, who reigned during the American Revolutionary War. 'Louisiana' Has French Origins In 1671, French explorers claimed a large portion of central North America for France. They named the area in honor of King Louis XIV, who reigned from 1643 until his death in 1715. The name  Louisiana  begins with a clear reference to the king. The suffix  -iana  is often used to refer to a collection of objects in regards to the collector. Therefore, we can loosely associate  Louisiana  as a collection of lands owned by King Louis XIV. This territory became known as the Louisiana Territory and was purchased by Thomas Jefferson in 1803. In total, the Louisiana Purchase was for 828,000 square miles between the Mississippi River and the  Rocky Mountains. The state of Louisiana formed the southern border and became a state in 1812. 'Maryland' Was Named After a British Queen Maryland also has an association with King Charles I yet, in this case, it was named for his wife.   George Calvert was granted a charter in 1632 for a region east of the Potomac. The first settlement was St. Marys and the territory was named Maryland. All of this was in honor of Henrietta Maria, queen consort of Charles I of England and daughter of King Henry IV of France. The 'Virginias' Were Named for a Virgin Queen Virginia (and subsequently West Virginia) was settled by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584. He named this new land after the English monarch of the time, Queen Elizabeth I. But how did he get Virginia  out of Elizabeth? Elizabeth I was crowned in 1559 and died in 1603. During her 44 years as queen, she  never married and she earned the nickname of the Virgin Queen. That is how the Virginias got their name, but whether the monarch was true in her virginity is a matter of much debate and speculation.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 68

Summary - Essay Example Being a vegetarian is not all about eliminating a normal part of the human diet. Rather, it is about improving the diet of a person in order to promote better health. Aside from that, vegetarians also manage to contribute towards the betterment of our environment and the advocating of animal rights through the promotion of humane treatment of animals. So maybe it is time that we give more serious thought to the vegetarian way of life. With a growing portion of our society beginning to advocate the vegetarian method of eating, there must be a number of other positive points in support of it. In the introduction to the â€Å"They Say / I Say† : The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing, authors Graff and Birkenstein provide templates designed to help the new essay writers in learning how to analyze and respond to the critical elements of the essay they are reacting to. Specifically, Birkenstein and Graff argue that the types of writing templates they offer are designed to give the writer â€Å"a launching pad or sounding board for your own views.† Although some people believe that essays are meant mostly to be argumentative and critical, they fail to see that essays are supposed to instead, offer more information on a specified topic that is meant to either support or negate the claims of the other party. Graff and Birkenstein insist that â€Å"The best academic writing has one underlying feature: It is deeply engaged in some way wit4h other peoples views. † In sum, then, their view is that essays are meant to provide more information and allow readers to make informed decisions for themselves. I disagree. In my view, these types of templates that the writers recommend are like a dummies guide to essay writing. For instance, every essay that we respond to already contains information that we wish to dispel, so why should be add any more negative information to that by making it part

How a nurse's attendance can affect professionalism, pt. outcomes, etc Essay

How a nurse's attendance can affect professionalism, pt. outcomes, etc - Essay Example The availability of nurses during their shift is essential in a number of sectors in the hospital, and for this reason a glitch in this attendance may lead to various problems that may occur as a result. Areas Affected by a Nurse’s Attendance There are a number of areas within medical facilities that can be affected by the lack of proper attendance by a nurse, some of the more essential sectors that are affected include: Doctors Nurses can be considered to be a doctor’s right hand as they assist greatly in a large number of the activities they are involved in. Nurses in some cases have actually been known to do most of the work when compared to doctors in cases that do not require issues such as surgeries (Chin, 2008). A doctor will come in and evaluate the patient to determine what their ailment is and prescribe the required medication that is needed but a nurse will usually take over the responsibilities henceforth. This will include duties such as administering the p rescribed medicine, ensuring the dosage is as per the doctor’s instructions, handle any further complications that may occur such as ensuring the patient is comfortable as well regularly checking up n them to ensure that there are no unexpected changes. If a nurse does not have a proper attendance record, this may in effect cripple the doctor’s activities as it is hard to operate without the assistance of a nurse by their side (Chin, 2008). The lack of an available nurse may mean that a doctor will faced with extra responsibilities that they will have to handle themselves leading to interference in their schedule, which would mean they may not be capable of attending to as many patients as they usually would in cases where a nurse is available. Doctors handle all the responsibilities on their own which would in return reduce the effectiveness of the hospital in general as activities will be crippled as a result (Chin, 2008). The tardiness in a nurse may lead to the nee d for another to take up extra responsibilities, which would also reduce the quality of work that is done as the said nurse struggles to keep up with both their and their fellow nurse’s duties. Patients This group of people can be considered to be the ones that are mostly affected by a poor attendance by nurses as their wellbeing relies heavily on them. A patient wound not be able to have sufficient service offered to them without the availability of a nurse as a doctor is not accountable for a large number of things that are required by inpatients as well as outpatients and the lack of a proper attendance by a nurse will lead to this innocent group of people suffering as a result (DeWit, 2009). Nurses can be considered to be the ones who take care of the patients once the doctor has finished examining them and given their verdict of what needs to be done and thus without the availability of a nurse this care would not be attainable especially by inpatients. Nurses can be con sidered to be the groups that interacts the most with patients and perform a large number of duties such as the administering of medicine that has been prescribed to them (DeWit, 2009). In some cases, a doctor may examine a patient and write down a prescription leaving it for a nurse to come and read then administer it as per the instructions. A poor attendance may lead to situations where a patient does not receive their medication within the

Enzyme Inhibitors in Breast Cancer Therapy Coursework

Enzyme Inhibitors in Breast Cancer Therapy - Coursework Example Among all of the different types of cancer, breast cancer is the highest cause of death in women between the ages 20 and 59, having been responsible for 32 percent of all new cancer cases in 2003. In most patients, the metastases at distant sites of the body become the main cause of death. The rates of metastasis and mortality in breast cancer patients have recently decreased with the aid of early diagnosis by mammographic screening and the implementation of adjuvant therapy. Aromatase inhibitors may be used as adjuvant therapy, first-line, second-line or even third- line therapy (Cunnick et al 2001). Third-line therapy uses the medicine if patients relapse after the second treatment, which followed an initial treatment. Adjuvant therapy, on the other hand, aids in the eradication of breast tumor cells that might have already metastasized to different organ systems by the time of diagnosis. Cancer cells are characterized as having the ability to be viable under stressful conditions. Growth and survival factors activate a variety of intracellular signal transduction pathways; these pathways play a critical role in the regulating growth, differentiation, and senescence, and have been found to prevent apoptosis under many circumstances (Ripple et al 2005). The ability of cancer cells to metastasize to other organ systems results in smaller chances of curing the disease. Common phenotypes of metastatic cancer cells have been found to be (1) unregulated growth and survival, (2) decreased cell to cell adhesion, (3) increased ability in degrading the extracellular matrix, and (4) increased motility (Zhang et al 2005). Cancer cells have been found to possess altered apoptosis signals, which are transduced by the p53 tumor suppressor gene. The said gene regulates the expression of multiply apoptosis-inducing proteins that act upon the mitochondria. Normal cells are induced to apoptosis through the intrinsic pathway, where cytochrome c is released from the mitochondria. The liberated cytochrome c binds to apoptotic protease, activating dactor-1 (apad-1), which assembles into an oligomer called the apoptosome. The apoptosome then recruits and activates caspase-9, which triggers a proteolytic cascade, resulting in cell death. In cancer cells, excessive mitotic signals activate the intrinsic pathway, as a result of mutations within signaling pathways (Mashima et al 2005; Ripple et al 2005).

Assembly of Functional Cellulolytic Enzymes

Assembly of Functional Cellulolytic Enzymes In the present study, we reported the assembly of functional cellulolytic enzymes using a synthetic, cell-surface engineered yeast consortium. Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase II (EGII) and cellobiohydrolase II (CBHII) and Aspergillus aculeatus ÃŽ ²-glucosidase I (BGLI) were displayed as fusion proteins with the AGA2p C-terminus of a-agglutinin on the cell surface of the diploid yeast strain Saccharomyces. cerevisiae Y5. The immobilization of each enzyme on the cell surface was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy. This type of yeast consortium allowed convenient optimization of ethanol production by adjusting the combination ratios of each cell type for inducing synergy in cellulose hydrolysis. Next, the direct ethanol fermentation from steam-exploded corn stover was investigated. The optimized cellulase-displaying consortium produced 20.4 g/l ethanol from 48.4 g cellulose per liter after 72 h in the presence of a small amount of cellulase reagent (0.9 FPU/ml). These findings suggested the feasibility of the cellulase-displaying yeast consortium for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. Currently, many technological barriers exist with respect to the economical production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomasses [1]. In the process of hydrolyzing cellulose into soluble sugars, multiple cellulases including endoglucanase (EG), cellobiohydrolase (CBH), and ÃŽ ²-glucosidase (BGL) are required [2]. Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP), which combines enzyme production, hydrolysis, and fermentation in one step, is a promising strategy for effective ethanol production from lignocellulosic materials. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the traditional microorganism used for ethanol production, but it is unable to utilize cellulosic materials and a saccharification process is required prior to fermentation to produce glucose [3-4]. Numerous attempts have been made to engineer S. cerevisiae strains to express cellulases by cell surface engineering for direct ethanol production from cellulose, and although various bifunctional or trifunctional cellulose-degrading strains have been const ructed, the efficiency of cellulose degradation has not been sufficiently improved [5-9]. It would appear that co-expression of all cellulolytic enzymes in a single cell resulted in relatively low expression levels of cellulases, which may have been due to the heavy metabolic burden and potential jamming of the secretion machinery [6,7,10]. Therefore, in this study, we adapted a new strategy of performing simultaneous saccharification and fermentation with a synthetically engineered yeast consortium having the desired properties of cellulolytic ability and ethanol production to reduce the metabolic burden. The development of a diploid yeast strain is another promising strategy for improving expression levels of heterologous genes and enhancing the fermentation performance of S. cerevisiae. Because diploid strains have better growth ability as well as stress tolerances compared with haploid strains, they are particularly suited for industrial applications. Previously, our group reported on the construction of an à Ã‚ °-agglutinin expression system for genetic immobilization ÃŽ ²-glucosidase I on the cell surface of S. cerevisiae Y5 (Patent No: ZL200810222897.7, CGMCC2660). This diploid robust yeast strain possessed many advantages, such as higher ethanol yield, higher resistance to ethanol, and higher physiological tolerance to inhibitors present in lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Here, we report on our efforts to demonstrate the assembly of functional cellulolytic enzymes using a synthetic yeast consortium. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of constructing a novel cell surface engineered diploid yeast consortium for direct ethanol production from phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC) and steam-exploded corn stover (CS), an important step toward direct ethanol production from insoluble cellulosic materials. The strains and plasmids used in this study are summarized in Table S1. Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y5 used for the yeast cell surface display of the cellulolytic enzymes was a newly developed diploid strain in our laboratory. E. coli Top 10 was used as the host strain for recombinant DNA manipulation. T. reesei was purchased from CICC (China Center of Industrial Culture Collection). E. coli transformants were grown in Luria-Bertani medium (1% tryptone, 0.5% yeast extract and 1% NaCl, pH 7.0) supplemented with 100 ug/ml of ampicillin. S. cerevisiae Y5 transformants were selected and maintained on Geneticin plates (1% yeast extract, 2% peptone and 2% glucose supplemented with 600 ug/ml Geneticin) at 30 °C , were induced in YPG (1% yeast extract, 2% peptone, and 2% galactose) at 20 °C. The fermentation medium was composed of 10 g/l yeast extract, 20 g/l polypeptone and 10 g/l PASC as the sole carbon source. The à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ lamentous fungus T. reesei was cultured in potato dextrose aga r medium (2% potato extract, 2% glucose) at 27 °C. The cDNA was synthesized from mRNA by using the First-Strand cDNA synthesis kit (Fermentas). Unless otherwise indicated, all chemicals, media components and supplements were of analytical grade standard and obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). All restriction enzymes were purchased from New England BioLabs (Ltd. Beijing). Primers used for plasmid construction are provided in Table S2. Plasmid pAGA1 for over-expression of the AGA1 gene and plasmid pBGLI for cell surface display BGLI were constructed previously [11]. Plasmid pEGII for cell surface expression of the EGII (egl2) was constructed as follows. The 1194 bp DNA fragment encoding the egl2 gene without its native secretion signal was amplià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ed with the à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst-strand cDNA prepared from T. reesei as the template using primer pairs egl2-For/Rev, this DNA fragment was introduced into the yeast display vector pYD1(Invitrogen) with Kpn I/BamH I. MAT terminator was amplified from pYD1 by using primer pairs MAT-For/Rev and then digested with BamH I/EcoR I to create plasmid pYD1-egl2MAT. The KanR fragment was obtained from plasmid YIP5-KanR by two-step cloning. First, the DNA fragment containing ADH promoter and KanR ORF was amplified from YIP5-KanR by PCR using the KanR-For/Rev primers and inserted into EcoR I/Apa I site of plasmid pYD1-egl2MAT; next, the ADH terminator digested with Bgl II/Nde I was also introduced into pYD1-egl2MAT. The resulting plasmid was named pEGII. For displaying the T. reesei CBHII gene (cbh2) in S. cer evisiae Y5, plasmid pCBHII was created. A 1344 bp gene fragment coding for the mature region of the CBHII was amplià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ed using primers cbh2-For/Rev-KT and introduced into plasmid pEGII digested with Kpn I/BamH I for replacing egl2 to form pCBHII (Figure 1). Transformation of S. cerevisiae Y5 was carried out using the lithium acetate method [12]. The plasmid pAGA1 was linearized by Apa I for chromosome integration. The plasmid pYD1 was transformed into S. cerevisiae Y5 as a negative control. S. cerevisiae Y5 clones transformed with different plasmids (strain Y5/pYD1 contained plasmids pAGA1 and pYD1, strain Y5/EGII contained plasmids pAGA1 and pEGII, strain Y5/CBHII contained plasmids pAGA1 and pCBHII) were selected and maintained on Geneticin(G418) plates. Immunofluorescence microscopy was performed as described previously [13]. Immunostaining was performed as follows. Induced recombinant yeast cells expressing cellulases were harvested by centrifugation at 6000 rpm for 5 min and washed with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). As the primary antibody, mouse anti-Xpress tag antibody (Invitrogen, R910-25) for EGII and CBHII was used at dilution rates of 1:1000. As the second antibody, Fuorescein (FITC)-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG(H+L) (Jackson, 115-095-003) was used at dilution rate 1:200. Cells and the anti-body were incubated at room temperature. After washing the cell–antibody complex with PBS twice, cellular localizations of the cellulases were observed under a fluorescence microscope. Yeast strains Y5 and Y5/pYD1were used as control. Yeast cells were induced in YPG medium for 48 h at 20 ºC and harvested by centrifugation for 5 min at 6000 rpm, washed with distilled water. BGLI activity of strain Y5/BGLI was measured using à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ²-nitrophenyl-ÃŽ ²-D-glucopyranoside as the substrate according to a previously described method [14]. Endoglucanase and cellobiohydrolase activities were determined by hydrolysis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC), respectively. PASC was prepared from Avicel PH-101 (Fluka Chemie GmbH, Buchs, Switzerland) as amorphous cellulose. The cell pellet was resuspended in a reaction mixture of 1% CMC or 1% PASC in 50 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 5.0) with the optical density at 600 nm adjusted to 1.0. After a reaction at 50 ºC for 30 min, the activities were determined by DNS method [15]. One unit of enzyme activity was defined as the amount of enzyme released 1 ÃŽ ¼mol reducing sugar from the substrate per minute. The abilities of the engineered yeast consortium (Y5/EGII + Y5/CBHII + Y5/BGLI) to fermentation ethanol from PASC and steam-exploded corn stover were investigated. The steam-exploded corn stover used in this study was provided by Henan Tian Guan Group Co., Ltd (Nanyang, Henan, China). The raw material was chopped to 2-3 cm size and treated in a steam-exploded vessel at 2.0 MPa for 5 min. The pretreated feedstock was dried at room temperature and directly used as a substrate without washing. The moisture content of the substrate was 8%. The composition of materials was quantitatively analyzed following the NREL Laboratory Analytical Procedure NREL/TP-510-42618 (Structural carbohydrates and lignin) (Sluiter et al., 2008)[16], as shown in Table 3. An enzyme mixture composed of equal amounts of cellulase (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) and ÃŽ ²-glucosidase (Sigma-Aldrich) was used. Yeast cells harboring different surface-display plasmid for EGII, CBHII, or BGLI, were grown in YPD medium a nd then transferred to YPG medium for 48 h at 20 ºC to express cellulase. Cells collected by centrifugation at 5000 rpm for 5 min at 4 ºC, washed with distilled water twice, and mixed in the adjustable ratio to a total initial cell concentration of 30 g/l wet weight to form the functional consortium. Ethanol fermentation proceeded at 30 ºC with 90 rpm in 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks. 1ml samples of the fermentation broth were taken periodically and stored at -4 ºC until they were analyzed for sugar and ethanol content. The total sugar was determined by the phenol-sulfuric acid method [17]. Glucose was measured by HPLC (model 1260, Agilent Technologies) equipped with a Hi-Plex H column 300 mm Ãâ€" 7.7 mm) and a refractory index (RI) detector. Samples were run at a temperature of 60 ºC and a mobile phase of 5 mM sulfuric acid at a flow rate of 0.6 ml/min. Ethanol analysis was carried out using GC (model 7890A, Agilent Technologies) equipped with a flame ionization detector and a HJ-PEG column. Samples were run under the following conditions: column oven at 120 ºC, front injection port at 200 ºC, with N2 as the carrier gas at a flow rate of 4 ml/min. The expression plasmids pEGII and pCBHII (Fig. 1) were transformed into the yeast S.cerevisiae Y5 strains, respectively. All of recombinant yeast strains had a pAGA1 plasmid for integrating AGA1 into the chromosome, and the resultant transformants were designated strains Y5/EGII and Y5/CBHII (Table S1). Upon galactose induction, the proteins were expected to be secreted and interact with the Aga1p and Aga2p anchor system by using the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor linked to the cell surface. To confirm displaying of EGII and CBHII on the yeast cell surface, immunofluorescence labeling of the cells was carried out using mouse anti-Xpress IgG antibody as the primary antibody. The green fluorescence of Fuorescein (FITC)-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG was observed for strains Y5/EGII and Y5/CBHII (Fig. 2), indicating that EGII and CBHII were displayed on the cell surface, respectively. The cells harboring the control plasmids were hardly labeled with mouse anti-Xpress IgG(Fig. 2). These results suggested that two types of cellulase were successfully expressed on the cell surface of S. cerevisiae Y5 strain. As shown in Table 1, EGII, CBHII and BGLI activities were detected in the pellet fraction of strain Y5/EGII, Y5/CBHII and Y5/BGLI, respectively. The strain Y5/CBHII and strain Y5/EGII showed moderate CBHII and EGII activity (1.14 U/OD600 and 1.27 U/OD600, respectively). The BGLI activity of strain Y5/BGLI cells was relatively low, which was only 0.72 U/OD600. No enzyme activity was detected in the culture supernatant (data not shown), and the control strain without displayed enzymes exhibited less than 0.1 U/OD600 of enzyme activity. These results clearly indicated that active enzymes were displayed on the cell surface without leakage into the culture medium. Ethanol fermentation from 10 g amorphous cellulose per liter was performed using a cell combination system consisted of three cellulase-displaying yeast populations. Cells displaying EGII, CBHII and BGLI were mixed in various ratios and the produced ethanol from PASC were measured. S.cerevisiae Y5 without displayed enzymes was the control strain. A mixture of cells with EGII: CBHII: BGLI ratio of 2:1:1 produced the highest amount of ethanol (1.76 g/l) after 84 h; the yield (in grams of ethanol produced per gram of consumed reducing sugar) was 0.42 g/g (Fig. 3). A mixture of cells composed of an equal amount of each cell type produced 0.68 g/l ethanol after 84 h (Figure 3), indicating about 1.6-fold improvement of ethanol production by optimizing the cell ratio. However, a large portion of the substrate (the amount of residual sugar after 84 h hydrolysis of 10 g/l PASC was 5.5 g/l, and the sugar consumption rate was 43.3%) remained after 96 h without being hydrolyzed because the cellu lase activities displaying on cell surface were not enough for complete cellulose digestion. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of steam-exploded corn stover (CS) as a sole carbon source was conducted for the cellulase-displaying yeast consortium of the optimized ratio 2:1:1 in the presence of commercial cellulase (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) with different enzyme loadings (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, 1.5 FPU/ml). A mixture of cells was incubated in 100 ml of YP medium (20 g/l peptone, 10 g/l yeast extract) for 1 h to remove residual carbon source, and then resuspended in YP-CS medium (YP medium containing 100 g/l steam-exploded corn stover, corresponding to 48.4g cellulose per liter). As shown in Fig. 4, in the presence of 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5 FPU/ml cellulase, 34.49, 18.71, 7.03, 2.11, 1.98, and 1.23 g/l of residual cellulose remained after 84h, respectively. Addition of 0.9 FPU/ml cellulase enabled utilization of 92.3% of the initial cellulose (Figure 4). The cellulose hydrolyzed by cellulase-displaying yeast consortium with an additional 0.9 FPU/ml cellulase was nearly the same as that by control strain S.cerevisiae Y5 with an additional 1.5 FPU/ml. These results indicate that cellulases displayed on the yeast cell surface improve hydrolysis of cellulose, although their activities were lower than commercial enzymes. Furthermore, using the optimized cell combination system, the relationship between the amount of added cellulase and final ethanol concentration was investigated. As shown in Fig. 5, in the presence of 0.9 FPU/ml cellulase, the cellulase-displaying consortium produced 20.4 g/l ethanol after 72 h, which was similar to the value (20.9 g/l) obtained by control strain in the presence of 1.5 FPU/ml cellulase (Table 2). Notably, as the ethanol yield reached 86% of the theoretical yield with 0.9 FPU/ml cellulase, the cell-surface engineered system enabled a reduction in the amount of added commercial cellulase. Hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose to glucose requires the sequential reactions of three groups of cellulases: endoglucanase, cellobiohydrolase, and ÃŽ ²-glucosidase. CBP is a one-step process where all steps occur in a single reactor and a single microorganism or microbial consortium converts pretreated biomass to ethanol with no additional commercial enzymes. The key challenge of CBP lies in choosing the optimal host to directly convert lignocellulosic materials to ethanol. In recent years, several researchers have been engaged in co-displaying multiple cellulases in a single cell for direct conversion of cellulose to ethanol [18-21]. However, the enzyme activity can be limited because of the metabolic burden [22]. Furthermore, it is difficult to control the surface expression level of each enzyme for optimal ethanol fermentation. Apiwatanapiwat et al., constructed the engineered yeast strain NBRC-5Es that co-displayed two types of amylolytic enzymes, two types of cellulolytic enz ymes (T. reesei EGII and CBHII), and A. aculeatus BGLI on the cell surface. The NBRC-5Es strain produced 1.04 g/l ethanol from 8.44 g/l of the acid-treated Avicel after 48 h of fermentation and resulted in a large portion of the substrate remaining without being hydrolyzed by the enzymes. In this study, instead of co-displaying all the enzymes in one cell, we developed a cellulase-displaying yeast consortium consisting of three types of yeast cells, each displaying different cellulases. This method allows for convenient optimization of ethanol production by adjusting the combination ratio of each cell type for inducing a synergy in cellulose hydrolysis. Diploidization is also a promising strategy for enhancing the fermentation ability of S. cerevisiae. Because polyploid yeast strains, including diploid strains, have higher cell growth rates, cell yields, and tolerances to various stresses compared with haploid strains, they are particularly suited for industrial application. Therefore, to generate an efficient â€Å"whole-cell biocatalyst† yeast strain related to cellulosic ethanol production, we selected S. cerevisiae Y5, a robust diploid strain, as the host cell based on its fermentation and inhibitor tolerance properties [23-24]. We first explored the possibility of ethanol fermentation from PASC by using the surface-immobilized yeast consortium (Y5/EGII+Y5/CBHII+Y5/BGLI). A mixture of cells at the optimized EGII: CBHII: BGLI ratio of 2:1:1 produced 1.6-fold more ethanol (1.76 g/l) than cells composed of an equal amount of each cell type. Next, the fermentation performance of yeast consortium using steam-exploded CS as the sole carbon source was further investigated. The optimized cellulase-displaying consortium produced 20.4 g/l ethanol from 48.4 g cellulose per liter after 72 h in the presence of a small amount of cellulase reagent (0.9 FPU/ml), suggesting the feasibility of the cellulase-displaying yeast consortium for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. Although several studies have been carried out on establishing a cell-displaying yeast consortium [25-27], few reports of direct ethanol fermentation from pretreated lignocellulosic material have been published. The combined cell system describ ed here could become the basis for the eventual direct ethanol production from insoluble cellulosic materials.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Four

Ten minutes later Grace was in the Wyndham carriage, alone with the dowager, trying to remember just why she'd told Thomas he shouldn't commit his grandmother to an asylum. In the last five minutes the dowager had: Turned the carriage around. Shoved Grace out and to the ground, where she'd landed awkwardly on her right ankle. Sent the Willoughby sisters on their way without the slightest explanation. Had the Wyndham carriage brought around. Outfitted aforementioned carriage with six large footmen. Had Grace tossed inside. (The footman doing the tossing had apologized as he'd done so, but still.) â€Å"Ma'am?† Grace asked hesitantly. They were speeding along at a rate that could not be considered safe, but the dowager kept banging her walking stick against the wall, bellowing at the driver to move faster. â€Å"Ma'am? Where are we going?† â€Å"You know very well.† Grace waited one careful moment, then said, â€Å"I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't.† The dowager speared her with an angry stare. â€Å"We don't know where he is,† Grace pointed out. â€Å"We will find him.† â€Å"But, ma'am – â€Å" â€Å"Enough!† the dowager ground out. Her voice was not loud, but it contained sufficient passion to silence Grace immediately. After a moment passed, she stole a glance at the older woman. She was sitting ramrod straight – too straight, really, for a ride in the carriage, and her right hand was bent and angled like a claw, pulling back the curtain so she might see outside. Trees. That's all there was to see. Grace couldn't imagine why the dowager was staring out so intently. â€Å"If you saw him,† the dowager said, her low voice cutting into Grace's thoughts, â€Å"then he is still in the district.† Grace said nothing. The dowager wasn't looking at her, in any case. â€Å"Which means,† the icy voice continued, â€Å"that there are only a very few places he might be. Three posting inns in the vicinity. That is all.† Grace rested her forehead in her hand. It was a sign of weakness, something she usually tried not to display in front of the dowager, but there was no maintaining a stiff facade now. They were going to kidnap him. She, Grace Catriona Eversleigh, who had never so much as nicked a ha'penny ribbon from a fair, was going to be party to what had to be a high crime. â€Å"Dear Lord,† she whispered. â€Å"Shut up,† the dowager snapped, â€Å"and make yourself useful.† Grace grit her teeth. How the devil did the dowager think she could be useful? Surely any manhandling that needed doing would be performed by the footmen, each of whom stood, as per Belgrave regulations, five feet eleven inches tall. And no, she did not mistake their purpose on the journey. When she had looked askance at the dowager, the reply had been a terse, â€Å"My grandson might need convincing.† Now, the dowager growled, â€Å"Look out the window,† speaking to her as if she'd turned idiot overnight. â€Å"You got the best look at him.† Dear God, she would gratefully forfeit five years off her life just to be anywhere but inside this carriage. â€Å"Ma'am, I said – he was at the end of the drive. I didn't really see him.† â€Å"You did last night.† Grace had been trying not to look at her, but at that, she could not help but stare. â€Å"I saw you kissing him,† the dowager hissed. â€Å"And I will warn you now. Don't try to rise above your station.† â€Å"Ma'am, he kissed me.† â€Å"He is my grandson,† the dowager spat, â€Å"and he may very well be the true Duke of Wyndham, so do not be getting any ideas. You are valued as my companion, but that is all.† Grace could not find the outrage to react to the insult. Instead, she could only stare at the dowager in horror, unable to believe that she had actually spoken the words. The true Duke of Wyndham. Even the very suggestion of it was scandalous. Would she throw over Thomas so easily, strip him of his birthright, of his very name? Wyndham was not just a title Thomas held, it was who he was. But if the dowager publicly championed the highwayman as the true heir†¦dear God, Grace could not even imagine the depth of the scandal it would create. The impostor would be proven illegitimate, of course – there could be no other outcome, surely – but the damage would be done. There would always be those who whispered that maybe Thomas wasn't really the duke, that maybe he ought not be so secure in his conceits, because he wasn't truly entitled to them, was he? Grace could not imagine what this would do to him. To all of them. â€Å"Ma'am,† she said, her voice quavering slightly. â€Å"You cannot think that this man could be legitimate.† â€Å"Of course I can,† the dowager snapped. â€Å"His manners were impeccable – â€Å" â€Å"He was a highwayman!† â€Å"One with a fine bearing and perfectly correct accent,† the dowager retorted. â€Å"Whatever his current station, he was brought up properly and given a gentleman's education.† â€Å"But that does not mean – â€Å" â€Å"My son died on a boat,† the dowager interrupted, her voice hard, â€Å"after he'd spent eight months in Ireland. Eight bloody months that were supposed to be four weeks. He went to attend a wedding. A wedding.† Her body seemed to harden as she paused, her teeth grinding together at the memory. â€Å"And not even of anyone worth mentioning. Just some school friend whose parents bought themselves a title and bludgeoned their way into Eton, as if that could make them better than they were.† Grace's eyes widened. The dowager's voice had descended into a low, venomous hiss, and without even meaning to, Grace moved closer to the window. It felt toxic to be so close to her right now. â€Å"And then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the dowager continued. â€Å"And then! All I received was a three-sentence note, written in someone else's hand, reporting that he was having such a fine time that he believed he was going to remain.† Grace blinked. â€Å"He didn't write it himself?† she asked, unsure why she found this detail so curious. â€Å"He signed it,† the dowager said brusquely. â€Å"And sealed it with his ring. He knew I couldn't decipher his scrawl.† She sat back, her face contorting with decades old anger and resentment. â€Å"Eight months,† she muttered. â€Å"Eight stupid, useless months. Who is to say he did not marry some harlot over there? He had ample time.† Grace watched her for several moments. Her nose was in the air, and she gave every indication of haughty anger, but something was not quite right. Her lips were pinching and twisting, and her eyes were suspiciously bright. â€Å"Ma'am – † Grace said gently. â€Å"Don't,† the dowager said, her voice sounding as if it might crack. Grace considered the wisdom of speaking, then decided there was too much at stake to remain silent. â€Å"Your grace, it simply cannot be,† she began, somehow maintaining her courage despite the withering expression on the dowager's face. â€Å"This is not a humble country entail. This is not Sillsby,† she added, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat at the mention of her childhood home. â€Å"We are speaking of Belgrave. Of a dukedom. Heirs apparent do not simply vanish into the mist. If your son had had a son, we would have known.† The dowager stared at her for an uncomfortably sharp moment, then said, â€Å"We will try the Happy Hare first. It is the least uncouth of all the local posting inns.† She settled back against the cushion, staring straight ahead as she said, â€Å"If he is anything like his father, he will be too fond of his comforts for anything less.† Jack was already feeling like an idiot when a sack was thrown over his head. So this was it, then. He knew he'd stayed too long. The whole ride back he'd berated himself for the fool he was. He should have left after breakfast. He should have left at dawn. But no, he had to get drunk the night before, and then he had to ride out to that bloody castle. And then he'd seen her. If he hadn't seen her, he would never have remained at the end of the drive for so long. And then he wouldn't have ridden off with such speed. And had to rest and water his mount. And he certainly wouldn't have been standing by the trough like a bloody bull's-eye when someone attacked him from behind. â€Å"Bind him,† a gruff voice said. It was enough to set every pore in his body into fighting mode. A man did not spend his life so close to the noose without preparing for those two words. It didn't matter that he couldn't see. It didn't matter that he had no idea who they were or why they'd come for him. He fought. And he knew how to fight, clean and dirty. But there were three of them at least, possibly more, and he managed only two good punches before he was facedown in the dirt, his hands yanked behind his back and bound with†¦ Well, it wasn't rope. Almost felt like silk, truth be told. â€Å"Sorry,† one of his captors mumbled, which was odd. Men in the business of tying up other men rarely thought to offer apologies. â€Å"Think nothing of it,† Jack returned, then cursed himself for his insolence. All his little quip earned him was a mouth full of burlap dust. â€Å"This way,† someone said, helping him to his feet. And Jack could do nothing but obey. â€Å"Er, if you please,† the first voice said – the one who'd ordered him bound. â€Å"Care to tell me where I'm going?† Jack inquired. There was quite a bit of hemming and hawing. Minions. These were minions. He sighed. Minions never knew the important things. â€Å"Er, can you step up?† And then, before Jack could oblige, or even say, â€Å"Beg pardon,† he was roughly hoisted into the air and tumbled into what had to be a carriage. â€Å"Put him on a seat,† a voice barked. He knew that voice. It was the old lady. His grandmother. Well, at least he wasn't off to be hanged. â€Å"Don't suppose someone will see to my horse,† Jack said. â€Å"See to his horse,† the old lady snapped. Jack allowed himself to be moved onto a seat, not a particularly easy maneuver, bound and blindfolded as he was. â€Å"Don't suppose you'll untie my hands,† he said. â€Å"I'm not stupid,† was the old lady's reply. â€Å"No,† he said with a false sigh. â€Å"I didn't think you were. Beauty and stupidity never go as hand in hand as one might wish.† â€Å"I am sorry I had to take you this way,† the old lady said. â€Å"But you left me no choice.† â€Å"No choice,† Jack mused. â€Å"Yes, of course. Because I've done so much to escape your clutches up to now.† â€Å"If you had intended to call upon me,† the old lady said sharply, â€Å"you would not have ridden off earlier this afternoon.† Jack felt himself smile mockingly. â€Å"She told you, then,† he said, wondering why he'd thought she might not. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh?† So that was her name. â€Å"She had no choice,† the old lady said dismissively, as if the wishes of Miss Eversleigh were something she rarely considered. And then Jack felt it. A slight brush of air beside him. A faint rustle of movement. She was there. The elusive Miss Eversleigh. The silent Miss Eversleigh. The delicious Miss Eversleigh. â€Å"Remove his hood,† he heard his grandmother order. â€Å"You're going to suffocate him.† Jack waited patiently, affixing a lazy smile onto his face – it was not, after all, the expression they would expect, and thus the one he most wished to display. He heard her make a noise – Miss Eversleigh, that was. It wasn't a sigh exactly, and not a groan, either. It was something he couldn't quite place. Weary resignation, perhaps. Or maybe – The hood came off, and he took a moment to savor the cool air on his face. Then he looked at her. It was mortification. That's what it had been. Poor Miss Eversleigh looked miserable. A more gracious gentleman would have turned away, but he wasn't feeling overly charitable at the moment, and so he treated himself to a lengthy perusal of her face. She was lovely, although not in any predictable manner. No English rose was she, not with that glorious dark hair and shining blue eyes that tilted up ever-so-slightly at the edges. Her lashes were dark and sooty, in stark contrast to the pale perfection of her skin. Of course, that paleness might have been a result of her extreme discomfort. The poor girl looked as if she might cast up her accounts at any moment. â€Å"Was it that bad, kissing me?† he murmured. She turned scarlet. â€Å"Apparently so.† He turned to his grandmother and said in his most conversational tone, â€Å"I hope you realize this is a hanging offense.† â€Å"I am the Duchess of Wyndham,† she replied with a haughty lift of her brow. â€Å"Nothing is a hanging offense.† â€Å"Ah, the unfairness of life,† he said with a sigh. â€Å"Wouldn't you agree, Miss Eversleigh?† She looked as if she wanted to speak. Indeed, the poor girl was most definitely biting her tongue. â€Å"Now if you were the perpetrator in this little crime,† he continued, allowing his eyes to slide insolently from her face to her bosom and back, â€Å"this would all be so very different.† Her jaw tightened. â€Å"It would be,† he murmured, allowing his gaze to fall to her lips, â€Å"rather lovely, I think. Just think – you, me, alone in this exceedingly luxurious carriage.† He sighed contentedly and sat back. â€Å"The imagination runs wild.† He waited for the old lady to defend her. She did not. â€Å"Care to share your plans for me?† he asked, propping one ankle over the opposite knee as he slouched in his seat. It wasn't an easy position to achieve, with his hands still stuck behind him, but he was damned if he'd sit up straight and polite. The old lady turned to him, her lips pinched. â€Å"Most men would not complain.† He shrugged. â€Å"I am not most men.† Then he offered a half smile and turned to Miss Eversleigh. â€Å"A rather banal rejoinder on my part, wouldn't you say? So obvious. A novice could have come up with it.† He shook his head as if disappointed. â€Å"I do hope I'm not losing my touch.† Her eyes widened. He grinned. â€Å"You think I'm mad.† â€Å"Oh, yes,† she said, and he rather enjoyed her voice again, washing warmly over him. â€Å"It's something to consider.† He turned to the old lady. â€Å"Does madness run in the family?† â€Å"Of course not,† she snapped. â€Å"Well, that's a relief. Not,† he added, â€Å"that I am acknowledging a connection. I don't believe I wish to be associated with cutthroats such as yourself. Tsk tsk. Even I have never resorted to kidnapping.† He leaned forward, as if imparting a very grave confidence to Miss Eversleigh. â€Å"It's very bad form, you know.† And he thought – oh, how lovely – that he saw her lips twitch. Miss Eversleigh had a sense of humor. She was growing more delectable by the second. He smiled at her. He knew how to do it, too. He knew exactly how to smile at a woman to make her feel it deep inside. He smiled at her. And she blushed. Which made him smile even more. â€Å"Enough,† the old lady snapped. He feigned innocence. â€Å"Of what?† He looked at her, at this woman who was most probably his grandmother. Her face was pinched and lined, the corners of her mouth pulled down by the weight of an eternal frown. She'd look unhappy even if she smiled, he thought. Even if somehow she managed to get that mouth to form a crescent in the correct direction – No, he decided. It wouldn't work. She'd never manage it. She'd probably expire from the exertion. â€Å"Leave my companion alone,† she said tersely. He leaned toward Miss Eversleigh, giving her a lopsided smile even though she was quite determinedly looking away. â€Å"Was I bothering you?† â€Å"No,† she said quickly. â€Å"Of course not.† Which couldn't have been further from the truth, but who was he to quibble? He turned back to the old lady. â€Å"You didn't answer my question.† She lifted an imperious brow. Ah, he thought, completely without humor, that was where he got the expression. â€Å"What do you plan to do with me?† he asked. â€Å"Do with you.† She repeated the words curiously, as if she found them most strange. He lifted a brow right back at her, wondering if she'd recognize the gesture. â€Å"There are a great many options.† â€Å"My dear boy,† she began. Her tone was grand. Condescending. As if he'd only needed this to realize that he ought to be licking her boots. â€Å"I'm going to give you the world.† Grace had just about managed to regain her equilibrium when the highwayman, after a lengthy and thoughtful frown, turned to the dowager and said, â€Å"I don't believe I'm interested in your world.† A bubble of horrified laughter burst forth from her throat. Oh dear heavens, the dowager looked ready to spit. Grace clamped a hand over her mouth and turned away, trying not to notice that the highwayman was positively grinning at her. â€Å"Apologies,† he said to the dowager, not sounding the least bit contrite. â€Å"But can I have her world instead?† Grace's head snapped back around in time to see him nodding in her direction. He shrugged. â€Å"I like you better.† â€Å"Are you never serious?† the dowager bit off. And then he changed. His body did not move from its slouch, but Grace could feel the air around him coiling with tension. He was a dangerous man. He hid this well with his lazy charm and insolent smile. But he was not a man to be crossed. She was sure of it. â€Å"I'm always serious,† he said, his eyes never leaving those of the dowager. â€Å"You'd do well to take note of that.† â€Å"I'm so sorry,† Grace whispered, the words slipping out before she had a chance to consider them. The gravity of the situation was bearing down on her with uncomfortable intensity. She had been so worried about Thomas and what this would all mean for him. But in that moment it was brought home to her that there were two men caught in this web. And whatever this man was, whoever he was, he did not deserve this. Perhaps he would want life as a Cavendish, with its riches and prestige. Most men would. But he deserved the choice. Everyone deserved a choice. She looked over at him then, forcing herself to bring her eyes to his face. She had been avoiding his gaze as much as she could, but her cowardice suddenly felt distasteful. He must have felt her watching him, because he turned. His dark hair fell forward over his brow, and his eyes – a spectacular shade of mossy green – grew warm. â€Å"I do like you better,† he murmured, and she thought – hoped? – that she saw a flicker of respect in his gaze. And then, quick as a blink, the moment was gone. His mouth slid into that cocky half smile and he let out a pent-up breath before saying, â€Å"It's a compliment.† It was on the tip of her tongue to say, Thank you, as ridiculous as that seemed, but then he shrugged – one shoulder only, as if that was all he could be bothered with – and added, â€Å"Of course, I would imagine that the only person I would like less than our esteemed countess – â€Å" â€Å"Duchess,† the dowager snapped. He paused, gave her a blandly haughty stare, then turned back to Grace. â€Å"As I was saying, the only person I would like less than her† – he jerked his head toward the dowager, not even honoring her with a direct glance – â€Å"would be the French menace himself, so I suppose it's not that much of a compliment, but I did want you to know that it was sincerely given.† Grace tried not to smile, but he always seemed to be looking at her as if they were sharing a joke, just the two of them, and she knew that it was making the dowager more furious by the second. A glance across the carriage confirmed this; the dowager looked even more starched and upset than usual. Grace turned back to the highwayman, as much out of self-preservation as anything else. The dowager showed every sign of an imminent tirade, but after her performance the night before, Grace knew that she was far too besotted with the idea of her long-lost grandson to make him her target. â€Å"What is your name?† Grace asked him, since it seemed the most obvious question. â€Å"My name?† Grace nodded. He turned to the dowager with an expression of great scolding. â€Å"Funny that you haven't asked me yet.† He shook his head. â€Å"Shameful manners. All the best kidnappers know their victims' names.† â€Å"I am not kidnapping you!† the dowager burst out. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence, and then his voice emerged like silk. â€Å"I misunderstand the bindings, then.† Grace looked warily at the dowager. She'd never appreciated sarcasm unless it emerged from her own lips, and she would never allow him the last word. And indeed, when she spoke, her words were clipped and stiff, and colored blue with the blood of one secure in her own superiority. â€Å"I am restoring you to your proper place in this world.† â€Å"I see,† he said slowly. â€Å"Good,† the dowager said briskly. â€Å"We are in accord, then. All that remains is for us to – â€Å" â€Å"My proper place,† he said, cutting her off. â€Å"Indeed.† â€Å"In the world.† Grace realized that she was holding her breath. She could not look away, could not take her eyes off his when he murmured, â€Å"The conceit. It's remarkable.† His voice was soft, almost thoughtful, and it cut to the bone. The dowager turned sharply toward the window, and Grace searched her face for something – anything – that might have shown her humanity, but she remained stiff and hard, and her voice betrayed no emotion when she said, â€Å"We are almost home.† They were turning down the drive, passing the very spot where Grace had seen him earlier that afternoon. â€Å"So you are,† the highwayman said, glancing out the window. â€Å"You will come to regard it as home,† the dowager stated, her voice imperious and exacting and, more than anything else, final. He did not respond. But he didn't need to. They all knew what he was thinking. Never.

Network Hardening

Network Hardening Unit 8 Assignment 1 It is very important to go through the process of hardening. Hardening is where you change the hardware and software configurations to make computers and devices as secure as possible. I picked the network layout 1-the workgroup . First with the workstations and laptops you need to shut down the unneeded services or programs or even uninstall them. I would also have some good anti-virus software on the workstations. You also need a hardened image for all of your workstations.To do this you need to install a new copy of the operating system and then harden it. After you have one good hardened workstation you can use it as a model for all other workstations and also laptops. For the router you definitely need to protect it from unauthorized access. The router needs to be password protected and you should periodically change that password. For the cable modem you should keep all unwanted ports closed. I would also schedule a regular scan of all the systems. Now for some of these next things I am talking about they will apply to all devices .Disable remote administration. Administration of your router / access point should be â€Å"local only†, namely, there is no reason to let people from another country access to your network hardware. If you need to make changes, you should be local to the device. Update the firmware. Believe it or not, consumer network hardware needs to be patched also. Check the support site of the vendor of the device when you get it and check for an update. Sign up for e-mail alerts for updates, if available, or check back on a regular basis for updates.

Discuss Role Of Rewards And Performance Tourism Essays

Discuss Role Of Rewards And Performance Tourism Essays Discuss Role Of Rewards And Performance Tourism Essay Discuss Role Of Rewards And Performance Tourism Essay Overview of Hotel Industry Tourism growing since 2005 until 2011. With it demand for adjustment are high particularly hotels within shopping promenade. Since hotel growing non merely 5 stars luxury resorts besides hotels within shopping promenade where it aim visitants short stay who want easiness of shopping where it supply nutrient and drink installations such as eating house, fast nutrient service with sensible rates. Hotels in metropolis promenades recent tendency turning 1Borneo KK Times Square Waterfront Warisan Square South Chinese Sea Place Demand for employees continue to lift in peculiar proviso of quality service. If we consider occupancy degree are high so occupation public presentation is clearly an of import issue. In other word, occupation public presentation possibly the factor which provides competitory advantage for these issues. Discuss function of Rewards and Performance- The wages either can impact public presentation is a major issue in an organisation. Employees whether they are bluish neckband or white collar worker are motivated by wagess. It is a challenge for organisation to actuate employees to remain on the occupation and increase their public presentation. Human resource director s is to help general director in maintaining employees satisfied with their occupations. If the wages do non actuate employee, employee will diminish their public presentation or quit for the occupation. This phenomenon peculiarly happens in developed states ( Petcharak, 2002 ) . If director understand employees demands and supply the suited motivational attack, employees will fit their end with the organisation end and they will increase their attempt or work hard for the organisation. As a consequence, employee get wagess and organisation will be more successful ( Petcharak, 2002 ) . Danish ( 2010 ) position that if an employee performs successfully, it leads organisation to honor employee and as a consequence motivational factor of employees prevarications in their public presentation. Majority of organisation require their employees to work harmonizing to the regulations every bit good as occupation demand. However, the thing that it may accomplish is by honoring employees. The extremely motivated employees serve as a competitory advantage for organisation because their public presentation leads an organisation to well achievement of its end. Rewards play a critical in finding the important public presentation in occupation and it is positively associated with the procedure of motive. In general footings wagess plans come from the construct of compensation schemes which define as the calculated use of the wage system as an indispensable integration mechanism through which the attempts of assorted sub units or persons are directed towards the accomplishment of an organisation s strategic aims . It was a direction tool which it is efficaciously influence employee behaviour. All concern use wages to promote high degree of public presentation. So, there is an mutuality relationship between organisational public presentation and employee public presentation ( Ali and Ahmed, 2009 ) . Dieleman M, Viet Cuong P, Vu Anh L, Martineau T ( 2003 ) stated that to supply good quality of service, it is of import to develop schemes which influence staff motive for better public presentation. The most common schemes to act upon staff motive towards public presentation are by honoring them. Compensations systems play a critical function in act uponing organisational public presentation. Service industries are particularly dependent on worlds to present high quality services. Therefore, HR patterns that aid the hiring and keeping of quality employees is of strategic importance. Appropriately intentional wage systems motivate public presentation, aid pull and retain employees, and is considered to be a nucleus component of any employer-employee relationship ( Wah, 2000 ; Bloom and Milkovich, 1996 ) . Baum et Al. ( 1997 ) indicated that in the touristry and cordial reception industries direct and indirect compensation is really of import to engaging and retaining quality employees. McCaffery ( 1989 ) examined the impact of indirect compensation on organisational public presentation and suggested that it is of import to incorporate compensation programs with organisational scheme. Shields ( 2007 ) give a item definition on public presentation. He province that employee provide work inputs such as cognition, accomplishments, abilities and attitudes apply attempt or work behaviour to bring forth a certain measure of goods or services of a certain quality and certain period. However, public presentation non merely base on single public presentation but besides group public presentation and organisational public presentation. Performance is a portion of a map on ability and motive, therefore occupation public presentation is as follow. Job performance= degree Fahrenheit ( ability ) ( motive ) Beginning: Sabnam and Rubab ( 2007 ) Ability is depends on instruction, experience and preparation and its betterment is slow and takes clip. However, motive can be improve rapidly. Level of public presentation is frequently increasing map on the sum of motive. Sabnam and Rubab ( 2007 ) pointed that public presentation addition consequence to an addition in wages in order to acquire successful public presentation. So, it should actuate employee by honoring them at a sensible degree so that the public presentation can keep or heighten public presentation. 1.2 Problem Statement The job statement in this survey is How does a non-monetary wages influence the public presentation of the employee in hotel sector? This job statement ensuing from the issues discuss base on old literature. Wagess might play a important function. Wagess cover two portion which are pecuniary and non-monetary. This research examines the relationship between non-monetary wagess and occupation public presentation of employees at hotel sector. Harmonizing to Pfeffer, J. ( 1998 ) , reward are defined as something that increases the frequence of employee action. In other words, when an employee is given reward, the organisation in hotel industry will expected that the employee will prosecute in new behaviours and produce better consequences which describe as occupation public presentation. The intent of non-monetary wagess is to honor employees for first-class occupation public presentation through chances. Non-monetary inducements include flexible work hours, preparation, pleasant work environment and occupation satisfaction. A balance between pecuniary and non-monetary wagess should be used to fulfill the diverse demands and involvements of the employees. Non-monetary inducements vary in their functions, effectivity, and appropriateness, depending on the type of inducement ( Alfie Kohn, 1993 ) . Assorted sort of non-monetary wagess can be really effectual incentives if the hotel industry activate people s demands and desires or related to employees ground for working. One of the jobs is that what motivates one individual leaves another indifferent, yet to handle people reasonably will necessitate to honor with equal value for equal public presentation ( John R. Walker and Jack E. Miller, 2010 ) . These methods of triping motive Begin with carrot rule of swinging wages for good public presentation. It demonstrates about people need or wants for the wages will act upon the employee to work hard in outlook of acquiring it. If the employees do now desire the carrot, it has no consequence. The employees need to hold motive which activates the desire by the outlook of wages. Motive can be known as human being demands and desires ( Shahid an d Chavakkad, 2009 ) . Herzberg theory point out factors of motive which is actuating factors such as position, acknowledgment, publicity, a sense of personal accomplishment and personal growing ( Agomo, 2008 ) . The motive theories acknowledge the direct nexus between a worker s public presentation and motive. These theories offer some guideline for planing wagess either fiscal wagess or nonfinancial wagess to actuate employees in order to increase public presentation. Organization should offer different inducement to employee with the intent of motivate them. Based on Tom Baum ( 2006 ) , the chief drawback, in the eyes of employees that works in hotel sector are long and hard hours, many occupation are soiled and on pess a batch. Staff wages in the hotel industry is normally related with concern theoretical account of Service Profit Chain by Heskett, et Al ( 1997 ) . Net income made by the hotel industry is related to client trueness which is end point of client satisfaction. Satisfaction is influenced by the value of services provided by hotel employees. Therefore, if the employees are motivated by the wages given, they will in bend provide good service towards the hotel invitees. Basically, the survey can assist the hotel direction to understand and place what types of wages non-monetary wagess that truly boosts up the public presentation of the employees. In other words, the survey will assist the hotel direction to make more effectual types of non-monetary wages which reflect them to work more efficient and effectual in their service toward hotel invitee. The survey besides helps the top direction to look at whether the wages system satisfied the employees in order to keep their occupation public presenta tion every bit good as the overall organisation s public presentation. 1.3 Research Questions Overall aims of the survey are to analyze the relationship between independent variables and dependent variable. The research inquiries are done so that it guides to make the aims of the survey. Basically, this survey effort to reply these three inquiries so that it reach the aims in the research. Is there a important relationship between publicity and occupation public presentation amongst employees of hotels located within shopping promenades? Is there a important relationship between acknowledgment and occupation public presentation amongst employees of hotels located within shopping promenades? Is there a important relationship between preparation and development and occupation public presentation amongst employees of hotels located within shopping promenades? 1.4 Aims of the Study From above literature, this survey is conducted to accomplish few aims from the point of position of hotel direction to assist to happen the suited solution in supplying non- pecuniary wagess in order to develop better occupation public presentation among hotel employees. For the intent of this survey, it is really of import to look at the relationship between occupation public presentations with non-monetary wagess. Hence, the aims of the research are as follows: To look into whether there is a important relationship between publicity and occupation public presentation amongst employees of hotels located within shopping promenades. To look into whether there is a important relationship between acknowledgment and occupation public presentation amongst employees of hotels located within shopping promenades. To look into whether there is a important relationship between preparation and development and occupation public presentation amongst employees of hotels located within shopping promenades. 1.5 Scope of Study The range of this survey is limited to employees employed in hotels located within shopping promenades in Kota Kinabalu. Even though hotel concern consists of activities like loosen uping and pleasance, Eisenhardt ( 1989 ) had stated that wagess represent of import mechanisms by which employee behaviours can be aligned with the involvements of the organisation. By carry oning this survey, random employees will administer with questionnaire and acquire the consequence for this research. 1.6 Significance of the survey Theoretical will lend to literature on hotel employees and occupation public presentation. Practical it cover new angle. Operational Definition of Variables 1.7 Organization of the Study Chapter one has provided an overview of the survey which includes the job statement, research inquiries, the range and aims of the survey and the significance of the subject chosen. Chapter two covers the literature on the topic being studied. It looks into past research on the topic of wages and public presentation. It besides covers other variables such as fillip, rewards, interesting occupation and acknowledgment that would act upon hotel employee s public presentation. Chapter three outlines the theoretical model and the research methodological analysis that is used in the survey. It includes the type of the survey, research design, unit of analysis and measuring, population sample, informations aggregation and informations analysis methods. Chapter four is concerned with the informations analysis and findings of the survey. This chapter presents the respondents profile ; and the treatment of the findings on this survey. Chapter five is the concluding chapter, which recapitulate the determination, and provided the treatment and recommendations based on the findings of the survey. This chapter besides highlights the restrictions of the survey and offers some suggestions for future research.

How does J B Priestley create atmosphere and tension in Act I of An Inspector Calls Essay Example

How does J B Priestley create atmosphere and tension in Act I of An Inspector Calls Essay Example How does J B Priestley create atmosphere and tension in Act I of An Inspector Calls Essay How does J B Priestley create atmosphere and tension in Act I of An Inspector Calls Essay Essay Topic: Literature J. B Priestleys play, An Inspector Calls, includes many techniques to create tension. Written in 1945, but set before the first world war, irony is present as Priestley subtly mocks the audience, as he uses Birling to explore the faults of capitalism. In 1946, when the play was first performed, the stereotypical spectator to the post-war play would have been those typically of Birlings societal class. In contrast to his own personal beliefs, Priestley creates Birling to be a strict capitalist, common to the period in which the play was set. Dramatic irony is established as the audience know the outcomes of Birlings ignorant predictions in Act I Scene I. Priestley wrote the play to show the divisions between the classes before the war, and the general middle class persons disposition; ignorant, impatient, and selfish. Priestley manipulates stage directions, such as lighting, props and setting to create tension. As an example of this, in the primary scene, as the Inspector enters, the lighting is brighter, as though the family are under spot light interrogation. Characterisation, the integration between characters and how we perceive them, as well as the language they use, can create tensional suspense by revealing only elements of an individuals personality at a time. This is also aided by the actions and gestures performed by the specific character. Act I Scene I depicts the family having, what seems like, an ordinary family party. An Inspector visits them to enquire about a young girl that committed suicide, and it rapidly becomes evident that the entire family will be involved somehow. The interview stretches from Birling, to Sheila, and is about to commence on Gerald, when the act is left on a cliff hanger. In contrast to the reality of the Birlings family life, the initial lighting is intimate and soft. This also conflicts with the characterisation of the individuals, as Mrs Birling is described as a cold woman, and suggests that she doesnt assimilate with the surroundings. The lighting is stressed to be pink and intimate, as Sheila and Gerald are seemingly passionately in love. The celebration is kept to a minimum of family, and the lighting can reflect the care and affection shared between all on set. As the Inspector enters the room, the lighting becomes brighter and harder. This could suggest the Inspectors strong will and determination to succeed in his case. This seems to create an uneasy atmosphere, as Birlings selfishness contributes to his lack of enthusiasm in aiding the Inspector in his job. The opening stage directions and setting of the scene establishes the wealth of the family, but also uncovers the atmosphere of societal tension. The descriptions of the characters, Birling being a portentous man, provincial in his speech, Mrs Birling simply being a cold woman suggests that it is her that is the societal superior. The pressure of society on people of the Edwardian era is evident as the wealth of the family is constantly reinforced; the Birlings house is depicted as a large suburban house. The cigar box present in the opening settings is also an indication of wealth. The furnishings and general atmosphere of the house is described to be heavily comfortably, but not cosy and homelike. This is intimidating for any potential visitors like the Inspector, though he doesnt seem fazed, and tension is created through juxtaposition, as the words comfortable and cosy, typically used as synonyms of one another, are used in contrast with each other. The creation of Inspector Goole is mysterious from the beginning, as the name Goole is a homophone to the word ghoul. The audience instantaneously perceives the Inspector as fake or unreal. This use of language device could also initiate an air of secrecy about him, which is added to by the fact that the picture of Eva Smith is never shown to the audience, and is only visible to one character at a time. Through this, he adds pace and tension to the play, which creates intrigue for the audience. The stage directions of the moment that the Inspector enters say that he creates at once impression of massiveness and solidity. Although he is not especially tall or prominent, the Inspector has a sense of intensity about him, making him intimidating. The audience can tell from this that tension will be created between the characters of Birling and the Inspector, as they are, for different reasons, mutually intolerant of time-wasting; both the Inspector and Birling wish for the interrogation to be over quickly, as the Inspector wants his information and Birling wants to resume his celebratory evening. Tension is built up between the pair when Birling persists in cutting in to the Inspector. Additionally, whereas Birling is acquiring an angrier tone throughout the interview, the Inspector has a steady ambience all the way through. Birling has an entirely different relationship with his son-in law Gerald, though. Birling is almost sucking up to Gerald, as he and Geralds father are in the same business. He even states that Gerald could have done better for himself than Sheila. This shows some cracks in the family unit, and reveals Birlings desperation for success. Sheila and Geralds relationship also sparks some tension within the household. Its is obvious that their relationship lacks the bonding and trust it should possess, seeing as they are engaged. Sheila says Now I really feel engaged on receiving the ring, suggesting that she didnt feel like that before. This is also collaborated when Sheila mentions last summer, when she didnt see Gerald much. He says he was on business, to which she replies Thats what you say. Gerald goes on to admit his guilt near to the end of the act, but insists that that the Inspector doesnt have to know about it. The Inspectors intelligence goes further than he is currently letting on, which Sheila is aware of, so she replies (laughs ysterically) he knows Youll see. Youll see. The Inspector creates an atmosphere in the house, by simply doing his job, and exposing the faults of each individual character. He identifies Sheilas temper and jealousy when he reveals the story of Sheilas involvement in his case. He also uncovers Geralds infidelity, separating the fantasy from the reality in terms of the perfect, high class family. It seems as though the family members are exploring each others personalities as much as the Inspector is, which creates an uneasy atmosphere, as they all discover something about the others that they wish they hadnt. The timing of Inspector Gooles arrival is also atmospheric. Just as Birling is telling Gerald that a man has to look after himself and his own, the Inspector appears to show him the result of people living that way; a girl loses her job twice and kills herself. The audience can also perceive how the characters react to the photo, and to themselves, as a further indication of the personality of the character, and their involvement in the suicide of the girl. Subtle hints given by Priestley also play a part in producing atmosphere and tension. From early on in the play, the atmosphere seems slightly false or forced, just as when Birling informs Gerald that he is too good for his daughter. Gerald replies that both he and he parents are very happy with the engagement, therefore it is interesting for the audience that Lord and Lady Croft did not attend the engagement party. It is also obvious from the first act that Eric is nervous about something, as he is drinking quite heavily, and what little he does say, is irritable. The simile like bees in a hive is used to describe Birlings contempt for equality; the imagery symbolises everyone working together and being the same as one another. Bees also sting, so this is suggesting that he thinks equality and working together can have a negative effect. Birling continues by calling a socialist society nonsense, also proving his disdain for equality. This could create tension between the characters and the audience. Language devices are used to explore tension in Act 1. Dramatic irony is a dominant device, present throughout the act. It is established as the audience know the outcomes of Birlings ignorant predictions in Act I Scene I. Declarations that the Titanic was unsinkable and that in his opinion, there is no chance of war were dissimilar from the reality, as the audience would have already experienced. This gives the audience an advantage and gets them more involved. Structure of the play adds slight tension, but also realism, to the text, as people dont always wait for the other person to finish. Birling practises this frequently, for example, when he cuts off the Inspector to reinforce his innocence. Birlings monologue also tells the audience a lot about him, as he shows his stupidity and ignorance throughout. Birling attempts to show his knowledge in his speech, along with his importance, but the outcome has the completely opposite effect, as the audience merely think him ignorant. The climax aids the tension of the act by leaving a cliff hanger and creating suspense. The Inspector says Well? to Sheila and Gerald after they have had a discussion outside, and discovered Geralds deceitfulness. It was almost as if the Inspector knew what they were discussing, and was waiting for them to uncover it themselves. This adds to the atmosphere because it seems like the Inspector knows all that he needs to, he is simply trying to make the family realise that just because they have money, doesnt mean they are any different to anyone else of a lower class. In conclusion, J. B Priestley uses many techniques to create atmosphere and tension in Act I Scene I. Stage directions are used by, for instance, Birling, as he shows his true character by interrupting others and possessing an angry tone. Lighting is used to symbolise the change of mood and presence, adjusting to the new balance of characters onstage. The Inspector himself brings a number of unanswered questions with him, some unconnected to his case, with his name and manner. The language and actions also contribute to the shift of atmosphere in the scene, by revealing extensions of each character bit by bit. Subtle hints from Priestly, alongside the climax of the scene, bring additional tension and suspense, as the audience can get involved with whats going on. The details of the scene are what really consume the audience, enveloping them with interest and intrigue, so they can perceive events how they wish, to generate tension of their own.

PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (REPORT) Essay

PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (REPORT) - Essay Example The corporate industry as well non-corporate fraternity, both have changed the methods of recruitment with time. The institutions and the organizations have identified the recruitment process as one of the most important processes and are found to utilize considerable amount of scarce resources to develop, design and implement a robust method of recruitment and selection. In order to recruit the best of the talents available in the industry, the institution or the organization (as the case may be) should be able to identify the organizational objectives at the first place. As Margaret Dale observes that the requirement of the organization and the definition of the job hold the fundamental importance for effective performance. Dale further maintains that there are few initial questions that are to be answered at the outset which are as follows: In this particular case of recruitment of assistant teachers too, due emphasis should be laid to chalk out the exact objectives that the assistant teachers would be expected to accomplish. Such emphasis would help to identify the candidates with the right traits. As the particular objectives are identified for which the recruitment and selection is to take place, the next step is about designing such methods of recruitment. But prior to that, there lies another important aspect. The recruitment process should essentially be fair and should be free from all sorts of discriminations. Discriminations can be of various types. As Gareth Roberts opined, discrimination can be direct, indirect and victimized. The direct discrimination is such a situation where the particular person is outwardly rejected because of their certain activity or belief or any other reason. The indirect discrimination is not so expressive. Rather, it is basically targeted towards a group of people and is often not personal. The third method i.e. the

Proposal outline Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Outline - Research Proposal Example Millions of citizens probably could be out of employment. Therefore, countries wishing for high employment levels can do this only via changes in investment magnitude, which will in turn increase national income. The independent variable in the research study is the wellbeing of the population while the dependent variable will involve the national income level and its determinants. The independent variable will change with varying levels of employment and investment that determine the national income level. Most of the data on the determinants is to be found in literary works, and government records, therefore, there will be minimal reliance on data from professional practice. This will necessitate qualitative research to integrate document analysis into the research design. The research will be interested in identifying the determinants of national income and the way the income correlates with the population’s national wellbeing. Through combining with data on population, national income, can give a clear measure of wellbeing based on the country’s per capita income, as well as its growth with time. National income can also be combined with data on the country’s labor force in the assessment of productivity’s level and rate of growth. National income could also give, in combination with monetary and financial data, a guide to the country’s level of inflation. The study’s conclusion reveals that in the presence of full equilibrium of employment scarce resources can be allocated to alternative employments, as well as preservation of free enterprise, which would see income being distributed on input market pricing factors. This would come with appropriate safeguards for the disadvantaged, which would improve general wellbeing of majority of the population. The necessary determinants were provided that could be used to explain the manner