Global Fishing and its Impact on the Environment Essay

The demand of fish in the international market has been increasing in the last few years. This is because many researches on nutrition have revealed that consuming fish is one of the best healthy practices. Fish does not have a lot of fats and bad cholesterol and it is a good source of vitamins and natural nutrients. This paper is about the trends of fishing in the global arena and its impact on the environment. The paper will concern recreational and commercial both types of fishing and the problems they are causing to the marine environment. The current state of global fisheries, aquaculture and the environmental cost of fishing will be the main subjects of interest in this paper. Although many countries have started efforts to develop practices of sustainable fishing through developing the idea of fish farms, however, the main threat to the environment is recreational fishing. The impacts on the marine life itself and the fish population will be discussed in the paper. Current State of Global Fisheries There was a steady rise in fishing, according to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, until the mid 1990s when the trend became stable. In 2001, a study showed that the marine catch has been declining at a rate of 10% each year since the late 1980s. There have also been estimations that around 50% of the world’s fish reserves have been fully exploited, around 20% are overexploited and another 10% are depleted because of overfishing. The histogram graph below shows the increasing share of aqua culture in the total fishing, however, the largest share of the total fish catch is still for the fish being captured from free waters. Southeast Pacific regions contribute the most to the catch of fish globally. The fish that have been captured the most are anchovy and Chilean jack mackerel (Hart & Reynolds, 2004). Figure 1- (Hart & Reynolds, 2004) The research has also shown that almost 80% of the total fish captured was used for direct human consumption while other 20% went for further processing for non-consumption production. In the year 1997, the per capita consumption of fish has increased in the past 50 years from 9 kg per person to around 16 kg per person each year. This was the data for underdeveloped countries; however, the consumption in the developed countries has risen from 20kg to almost 28kg per capita per year. In the underdeveloped countries, the protein intake from the consumption of fish can form 20% of the total intake. In the developed countries and in the Southeastern Asian countries, the consumption is much higher (Hart & Reynolds, 2004). The top ten countries which are the largest catchers of the total fish catches include China, Japan, India, United States, Russia and Indonesia. However, China is the largest catcher of fish as the total amount stands to around 12 million tons of fish (FAOSTAT online database, 2010). The demand of fish is stable at the moment but as the population rises, the demand for fish will also rise. It has been revealed that the people in the developed countries are more prone to eating fish as their per capita consumption is higher than people living in underdeveloped countries. Another point of concern is that the population is rising at a very high rate in countries such as India, Pakistan, Indonesia and the Middle-East where the catch of the fish is also the highest. Figure 2 Impact of Global Fishing on the Environment Today, the exploitation of the fishery resources and reserves has become a major environmental factor of concern for the scientists and environmentalists. The worldwide declines in the population of fish species have been blamed to the excessive commercial fishing and unrestrictive recreational fishing. A recent study has revealed that the total fish harvest from recreational activities may contribute up to almost 12% of the total catch of fish globally (Cooke, Steven, & Cowx, 2004). Fish has been one of the most important food consumption resources that are at risk because of limitless recreational activities and commercial fishing. The potential contribution of fishing to the marine environment and the ecological system of the world has caused many problems in the environment already. Currently, the fish production is meeting the requirements of the population in the countries, but at a great environmental cost. The marine life is not only being endangered by the fishers but their breeding grounds have also been invaded by the commercial companies. These breeding grounds are the safe places for the fish. Though the fish are being bred in huge numbers, but their homes are being destroyed which does not allow the fish to be born. Although a fish can give birth to hundreds of its offspring in one season, but if these offspring are dead before they are born, then the ecological system in the waters is seriously disturbed. According to a research, the increasing pressure of fishing and exploitation of resources in marine life has caused a change in the ecological structure and the ecosystem. The fully developed fish and adult members of the fish are more fondly searched by the commercial and individuals as they render more profits and meat for the production. Therefore the adult population which is responsible for breeding and generating offspring are in great danger by the human activities in the seas. Climate change has also been attributed to the changes in the ecosystem which affect the marine life and decrease their population. In the future, therefore, the fish population, available for human consumption, is anticipated to fall and cause demand supply problems. The primary reasons for this are the attack of the humans on the marine life for consumption, recreational activities of the human individuals and the change in the global climate which is changing the living habitat of these fish (Planque, 2010). Aquaculture Production The term aquaculture is used for the farming of the fish and other marine species including aquatic plants, crustaceans and mollusks in an artificial environment which is fit for their breeding. This is done in order to protect the species of the fish which are getting extinct or for sustainable farming of fish. This practice is very good for the sustainability of the fish in free water as they are not hunted in their breeding grounds. When grown and fully ready, these fish are harvested by a company or an individual who has owned them throughout the period of growth and development (European Commission, 2007). This practice is the only option for meeting the demand of the human for fish consumption. Fishing for recreation has proved to be disastrous for the marine life and the water environment. The whole ecological system is disturbed because of excessive fishing. Aquaculture is mostly being performed for the human consumption but does not addresses the issue of recreational fishing. Aquaculture is also used to presence the dying species by providing the required temperature, environment and food for their existence. Many of these fish could be released in to the wild waters so that they could be used in the recreational activities (Stickney, 2009). Conclusion In order to keep the demand consistent with the supply for fish in the global market, the practice of aquaculture will have to be adopted. The main issues that the fish face are the recreational activities of the human, commercial overexploitation and the change in climate of the world. These problems are changing their habitat environment and hence these fish are getting endangered. However, we should keep in mind that all of the fish species are not being caught for human consumption. Hence, aquaculture will not be able to address this issue. Other strict rules and regulation will have to be implemented by the governments in order to stop the recreational killing of fish. Only the hunting of those fish should be allowed which are abundant in the waters. Aquaculture could be used to breed those fish which are primarily used for the consumption of human through providing an artificial environment where the fish can grow up in a protected way. Bibliography Cooke, Steven, & Cowx, I. (2004). The Role of Recreational Fishing in Global Fish Crises. BioScience , 54 (9), 857-59. European Commission. (2007). Eurostat. Retrieved May 9, 2010, from Eurostat Pocketbook: http://epp. eurostat. ec. europa. eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-DW-07-001/EN/KS-DW-07-001-EN. PDF European Commission. (2009, September). Eurostat. Retrieved May 9, 2010, from Fishery Statistics: http://epp. eurostat. ec. europa. eu/statistics_explained/index. php/Fishery_statistics FAOSTAT online database. (2010). NationMaster. Retrieved May 9, 2010, from Environmental Statistics: http://www. nationmaster. com/graph/env_mar_fis_cat-environment-marine-fish-catch Hart, P. , & Reynolds, J. (2004). Handbook of fish biology and fisheries. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing company. Planque, B. (2010). How does fishing alter marine populations and ecosystems sensitivity to climate? Journal of Marine Systems , 403-417. Stickney, R. (2009). Aquaculture an introductory text. Oxfordshire: Cambridge University Press.

Hunger Games Film Review Essay

The film the Hunger Games gives out a hot, jumpy energy that’s irresistible. It has great romance, intensity and suspense. The Hunger Games is a mysterious, intriguing and thrill-seeking movie, it’s directed by Gary Ross and it’s based on the novel by Suzanne Collins. The film is set in a place called Panem in an unknown time in the future after the mass destruction of North America. The book starts off in District 12 which is a region that is poor and not as wealthy as other districts but is well-known for producing coal. The games is organized and made by the Capitol for the 12 districts that rebelled and did things against the government. So as punishment each year on reaping day one male and female (between the ages of 12-18) are randomly selected from each district, in total there are 24 tributes that are forced to participate in the annual Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is an on-screen event where the selected tributes must fight to the death in a dangerous outside arena. The spectacular Jennifer Lawrence acting as Katniss Everdeen gives us a female warrior worth cheering and her remarkable partner Josh Hatcherson acts as Peeta Malark, in the beginning the two don’t know each other that well but eventually they become close overtime. It’s quite obvious that Suzanne Collins didn’t get to help out for the film because in my opinion I think lots of parts from the movie were missed out and several bits went wrong so it wasn’t as faithful as the book. For example in the novel, some of these deaths are long so it showed the determination of some characters in their final moments. For instance, in a scene, Katniss rests and camps not far from a young female tribute that starts a campfire. After the girl is discovered, she is attacked and nearly killed by some of her associated tributes. But when they notice that she’s alive after the attack, Peeta is sent to finish her off. Also when Cato is faced against a group of vicious mutts, he survives for several hours before Katniss finally puts him out of his misery. However, in the movie the deaths of the tributes are done quickly. The girl discovered near the campfire was dying rapidly after she was attacked and Cato’s suffering only went o n for a few moments until Katniss killed him. Another example is when the book included mutated versions of late tributes born-again as horrific and atrocious dogs. In the book, Katniss recognizes parts of the former tributes in the mutant dogs but in the film the dogs are nothing more than over-sized wild beasts. The acting exceeded my expectations, bringing the characters to life. Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss is remarkable, her performance shows a wide range of emotions from happy to sad, afraid to angry and desperate to confused. Josh Hutcherson as Peeta expresses the seriousness and courage of the character well and Liam Hemsworth as Gale shows tremendous skill at expressing so much meaning with just small movements. Among the supporting cast, Woody Harrelson as Haymitch stands out, wonderfully walking the character through an arc from drunken fatalism to bemused curiosity to persistent dedication to his mentees. Donald Sutherland plays President Snow as a deliciously understated villain; there is no cackling laugh or twirled moustache, but only the calm incisive patience of a calculating tyrant. Impressively and disturbingly at the same time, Alexander Ludwig and Isabelle Fuhrman are positively chilling as Cato and Clove, the District 2 tributes absolutely committed to the bloodthirsty vi ciousness of the Games – a stark contrast to Peeta, whose greatest fear is not death, but selling out to become the mindless monster the Capitol wants him to be. And Lenny Kravitz, too, proves why he was an inspired choice for the quiet yet influential Cinna.

Nutritional Requirements Of Individuals With Dementia Essay

You must provide answers to each question that allow your assessor to properly assess what work duties you are doing or what role you have within your work. It expected that you would need approximately 300 words per question. The more detail you provide the less likely your account will be sent back for more clarification. You must answer each question in your own words and written in the first person meaning â€Å"I do this†. A tip is always to keep in mind the â€Å"who, why, how, where and when† in each answer. Learning Outcome 1-Understand the nutritional needs that are unique to individuals with dementia 1.1 Describe how cognitive, functional and emotional changes associated with dementia can affect eating, drinking and nutrition Symptoms associated with dementia, can have a harmful effect on individuals, if they are not addressed and resolved. In my workplace if the resident’s cognitive ability is impaired they could forget to eat and drink, as well as think that they haven’t been fed, I might also think they had a drink or eaten their food where as they might have tipped their drink down the sink or thrown their food away. If the functional ability changes it could mean that they can’t hold cutlery or hold a drink, therefore they are unable to feed themselves properly. When the emotional state changes they may become stressed and not want to eat or drink and may also forget that they need to eat and drink. For example, Miss K was a big lady who had mixed dementia. She was able to  talk and hear but needed full support at meal times due to her nutritional needs. At meal times she would normally sit at the table but she loved talking to herself most of the time. To divert her attention, as it was already lunchtime, first, I used to greet her in an appropriate manner and explained that it’s already time to eat. She used to look at me and smile. She accepted her meal with happiness and excitement on her face, as she was already hungry. I placed her food and drink in front of her on the table and after a while I left her on her own, I then noticed that she stared at her drink and I could tell that she didn’t actually know what she was doing as she had forgotten what to do with the items in front of her. Read more:  The Nutritional Requirements She used to play with her food and after a few seconds she would usually tip her drink onto the floor and throw her food onto the curtains hanging by the window. In order for her to stop this behaviour I always tried to calm her down in the gentlest way possible. After calming and settling Miss K down I carried out the cleaning and sanitising of the floor as well as the curtains to ensure proper hygiene and cleanliness thus avoiding any potential infections or contaminations. I always made sure that I documented the status of Miss K so that all events were on record for future reference. I also made it a priority to mention any changes of Miss K to the senior member of staff on duty so that they were kept up to date with her condition. After a few reports from the carers she was eventually given one to one care during mealtimes to assist and support her during eating and drinking. 1.2 Explain how poor nutrition can contribute to an individual’s experience of dementia. Poor nutrition can result Miss K becoming more confused and stressed as she is not getting all the nutrients she needs, and because of her becoming more confused which may result her in forgetting to eat and drink more then she became more distressed which made her more ill. Good nutrition helps the way all human beings look, feel and think and if someone with dementia that doesn’t get enough nutrition, it will certainly show by them losing weight and not feeling very well. Due to Miss K’s lack of interest in eating and drinking her mobility was affected. She became unsteady on her feet, which made her use the wheelchair from time to time. I always tried to give her motivation and encouragement to drink and eat as well as other staff members. It also important for me and other staff members to maintain good nutrition to prevent ill health whilst at workplace. I made sure that I am physically fit, had ate and drink well before going to work because sometimes if carers are unwell and have not eat or drink the level of patience and passion to care for the service users were affected which could make them becoming more agitated and distressed. 1.3 Outline how other health and emotional conditions may affect the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia An example of how other health and emotional conditions could affect the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia is depression, as this could lead to a loss of appetite and also a lack of interest in food and drinks. For example, Mrs B has been depressed for quite sometime due to the death of her husband. She would prefer to be on her own most of the time. As a result of her lack of socialisation she became socially isolated. This affected her nutritional needs, as she didn’t feel like eating. It took a long time until she agreed to go to the dining room at meal times. Once dinner was served she would lose interest in eating and tended to return to the lounge without touching the meal. I consistently done my best to try and encourage her to eat. I offered her the choice of what she wanted to eat in the hope that she would choose something she desired rather than not eating at all. I noticed that she became frustrated and anxious when questioned several times. When this became apparent to me I would leave her in the lounge and I would ask other staff members to try and talk to her to see if they could help. I updated her records so that other staff members could see that she hadn’t eaten. I also had to report the matter to the manager so that they were kept in the picture too. 1.4 Explain the importance of recognising and meeting an individual’s personal and cultural preferences for food and drink It is important to recognise an individual’s personal and cultural preferences to food and drink as this can make people feel like they are respected and included. This will encourage individual to eat and drink, but also it will increase their emotional and physical well-being. Asking people with dementia about  their mealtime preferences, when and where they like to eat and what foods they enjoy is vital to ensure all staff provide food and options at mealtimes that are familiar to them. People may have different views about foods depending on their cultural background. Providing range of familiar foods can help make individual feel at home, safe and welcomed. An example, Mrs E, a Spanish lady who has no dementia, is self-centred and has her own eating and drinking preferences from time to time. It is very important for me to identify what Mrs E likes to eat and drink and what she doesn’t like because she tends to shout at carers if these are unmet. If I don’t recognise these I am not meeting her preferences and that will cause her to not eat and drink instead of realising that it is something she doesn’t like. This will then make her feel unhappy, anxious and stressed. If all members of staff know what she likes the management always assure that there is always something available. Due to her nationality it is also important to identify her cultural needs e.g. religion, various times of the year where she may not eat or will only eat certain foods. Every time I am unsure and have questions regarding her diet I always double check with her care plan or I ask one of the members of staff who are more aware of her dietary needs. 1.5 Explain why it is important to include a variety of food and drink in the diet of an individual with dementia It is very important to include a variety of food and drink in the diet of residents with dementia, as they may forget what they didn’t like before and suddenly start eating it. For example, Mr M has suffered from a bowel cancer and other health problems. He was under the palliative care due to his severe condition. He was unable to chew and swallow normal food but still able to drink properly. After few weeks of not eating well Mr M had lose weight. He was checked by his GP and prescribed an Ensure drink for him, which contains the right amount of nutrients that will serve as alternative to his food. I also made sure to ask Mr M if he had any preferences of food and drink e.g. any flavour of drink or soup. He then told me that he likes chocolate flavour drinks. I then informed the senior regarding his wishes, this was immediately passed on to his GP and products were dispatched after a day. It is important that  there is always a variety for Mr M and other residents to make sure that they are always eating something and getting the right nutrients in their bodies. After giving Mr M his drink and food I then recorded it in his observation sheet so that other members of staff would be aware how much fluid intake he had and to continue to monitor Mr M’s condition. Learning Outcome 2-Understand the effect that mealtime environments can have on an individual with dementia 2.1 Describe how mealtime cultures and environments can be a barrier to meeting the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia Mealtime cultures such as meal sizes, number of courses, specific meal times, order of food etc., may not be conducive to the needs of an individual with dementia. In my workplace, cultures can be a barrier because some of the residents may not know how to eat the food that is in front of them and in the correct order. Please see example 1.1. There are some residents who don’t want to eat with other residents at the same time as everyone else in a noisy, busier environment such as communal dining rooms. Communal areas can be a distraction for an individual with dementia as they can become overwhelmed. For example, a resident who requires assistance to eat, I always make sure to ask him if he would prefer to stay in the main dining room or in a separate, more private room where he feel he won’t be watched. I always ensure that the environment for residents is calm and relaxed in order for them to be able to concentrate on the food they eat. This could avoid them becoming agitated, anxious and stressed due to distraction of other residents. Also, all staff was trained to the right standard to deal with mealtimes so that they run as smoothly as possible to avoid conflicts. 2.2 Describe how mealtime environments and food presentation can be designed to help an individual to eat and drink In my workplace, when I was assigned the kitchen duty I made sure I washed my hands thoroughly before and after entering the kitchen and before and after handling food. Before mealtimes it was my responsibility to ensure that all dining areas were neat and clean, cutlery was set on the table and that a variety of drinks were prepared and ready for the resident’s. I also checked the floor to look for any spillages on the carpet to avoid cross contamination and tripping hazards. Furthermore  it was my responsibility to distribute all the trays to the residents that remained in their bedrooms as well as the food trolley for the residents in the lounges. I made sure that the food was served in a relaxed and unhurried manner. I checked with my colleagues to make sure that all residents were ready for their meals, allowing them to feel calm and relaxed in order to focus on their meals. The presentation of each dinner table and the presentation of the food itself were important too. Prints on plates and tablecloths can be very confusing for residents with dementia, especially if they have visual perception difficulties. Foods had to be easily identifiable; plain cream plates were used and were useful in helping to show up colourful foods. The presentation of the food itself had considered colour, texture, smell, and overall appeal. No one wants to eat a plate of unappealing food, and residents with dementia respond well to sensory stimulation. 2.3 Describe how a person centred approach can support an individual, with dementia at different levels of ability, to eat and drink There should always be a person centred approach to food and nutrition to all individuals receiving care, as well as those with dementia. In my workplace, there are various courses provided to all members of staff regarding person centred approach, food hygiene and communication to make sure that they are knowledgeable and skilled enough to support individual’s nutritional needs. Ensuring that mealtimes are sufficiently staffed to provide assistance to those who need it is also greatly important when providing a person centred approach. For example, Mrs R had undergone a nutritional screening prior admitting in the home that was carried out by the line manager. This involved records of her dietary needs and preferences and any assistance she needs at mealtimes to ensure that members of staff act on this. Based on her care plan Mrs R had a normal diet, could eat and drink well but needed encouragement from time to time due to her condition. When assisting Mrs R I always ensure to respect her rights and dignity through providing assistance discreetly e.g. giving her serviettes to protect clothing, provide adapted crockery and  cutlery to enable her feed herself where appropriate. Making sure that food looks appetising and keeping foods separate to enhance the quality of the eating experience is also important. Whilst socialising during mealtimes should be encouraged, I also offer privacy to those who have difficulties with eating, if they wish, to avoid embarrassment or loss of dignity. I made sure that I give Mrs R and other residents time to eat because they should not be rushed. I made sure to not to make assumptions about their preferences on the basis of their cultural background- I ensure to ask them what their preferences are. My communication skills were also important when supporting Mrs R and others because some of them were unable to understand properly due to their dementia. I always made sure to approach and interact them in a nicest and in a properly manner. Visual aids, such as pictorial menus, and non-verbal communication were also used to help to make choices. I also ensure to record food and fluid intake of those resident’s who were monitored due to poor nutrition. As needs and abilities change, these requirements will require review, to make sure that nutritional needs are consistently met. Also knowing Mrs R, and how, where, what times, and by which method she can best consume food and drink will help to support her and her needs. Learning Outcome 3-Be able to support an individual with dementia to enjoy good nutrition 3.1 Explain how the knowledge of life history of an individual with dementia has been used to provide a diet that meets his/her preferences I was off at work when Mr O was first admitted in the home. I had no idea about his personal life, health condition, nutritional needs and preferences. When I came back to work I made sure to check his care plan and daily report form to gain knowledge about his life history before dealing with his personal needs. Having knowledge of his life history has helped me and other staff members provide a diet that meets his preferences. This helped me to find out what he likes to eat, what are his favourite foods, what he don’t like to eat and if he has any allergies to foods. By reviewing the care plan I found out that Mr O was diabetic, liked blackcurrant juice and black coffee but needed a carer to remind him to eat and drink during meal times as he  used to forget them and only sleeps if not encouraged and supervised. By using his preferences shows that I am sticking onto his care plan, wishes and desires when meeting his needs. Recording any changes on his preferences was also recorded in his daily report form and I also handed in information to the senior in charged so that other staff would be aware. 3.2 Explain how meal times for an individual with dementia are planned to support his/her ability to eat and drink In my workplace, meal times are planned according to the individual’s condition and choices, some residents will sit at the table and eat with others and some will not eat at all if they are in the company of others- these are residents who preferred to stay in their bedrooms. My colleagues and I always ensure that residents are in the most comfortable place they want to eat and drink, and that they are happy with it. In between mealtimes my colleagues and I offered them snacks with various drinks and food e.g. tea, coffee, hot chocolate, Horlicks, Ovaltine etc., biscuits and cakes whilst staying in the living room or their bedroom. There are also residents who are unable to feed themselves. I always make sure that I assist them with feeding and drinking and also be planned to make sure that they are comfortable and to know what they are going to be eating or drinking in case there is something that they do not want. Any changes on residents nutritional preferences I always checked it with my manager or other staff before giving them other choices because they may have a special diet or allergic to something. 3.3 Explain how the specific eating and drinking abilities and needs of an individual with dementia have been addressed Getting to know the specific needs and the eating and drinking abilities of an individual should be addressed when helping the individual to make a choice in what they want to eat and drink. Also knowing the individuals abilities should also be in their care plan. I always ensure to check each individual’s care plan before providing them food or drink especially when he/she is first admitted in the residential home. I also double check their dietary needs with my manager or senior care staff to avoid errors that may affect resident’s behaviour and health. In my workplace, most of the resident’s changed their mind from time to time although there was a specific preference listed in their care plan. This will depend on their situation because some residents were unable to decide for themselves and were able to. I always made sure to consult them as they may forget of what they want or they may get fed up of sticking to one drink or food all the time. For example, based on Mr O’s care plan he likes orange juice but when I offered him the drink he refused to accept it. He asked me if he could have a blackcurrant juice instead. I respected his choice and gave him the blackcurrant juice. I also passed my experience to the other staff members for them to become aware of his new preference but he might also change his mind in other time. It was also important to observe and monitor a resident before taking an action to address them in eating and drinking. Another example, Mrs C had a normal food and drink diet, as her dementia progresses, she has developed a difficulty in swallowing and drinking. When I saw her suffered I immediately called the attention of my Senior to check and observe Mrs C’s condition. She then called the GP to further assess her and also speech language therapist was involved. After few assessments Mrs C was then changed onto liquidised meal and 1 scoop of thickener in every 200mls drink. Her care plan was reviewed and this information was also documented in her daily report so that other members of staff will be informed regarding her nutritional changes. 3.4 Explain how a person centred approach to meeting nutritional requirements has improved the well-being of an individual with dementia The person centred approach to meeting nutritional requirements has improved the well-being of an individual by improving their state of mind and their physical health. Based on 1.1 examples, by giving Miss K a one to one assistance during mealtimes she was able to eat and drink properly. Her ability to stand and walk was developed and I have noticed that she was calmer, polite and gentle when responding to carers. She also took her medication without any refusal or problem. The care and support my colleagues and I have given to Miss K has improved her sleep patterns, reduced confusion and anxieties as well as infections making her live a happier and healthier lifestyle. I always ensure to record any changes and important information regarding her physical and emotional condition to help  further assessment and also this will serve as an evidence practice for future observation and findings.

Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Nursing - Essay Example These changes coupled with the escalating complexities of the ever evolving healthcare delivery system and the changing socio-political market has further heightened the pressure on nurses to be more responsible and accountable for delivery of quality patient care (Lenburg, 1999; Savage & Lucy, 2004:9). As the healthcare environment becomes more demanding with the increasing complexity and changing patterns of healthcare delivery, and the development and evolution of the nursing practice in response to the increasing health needs of clients, nurses are faced with the increasing pressures of decision making (Accountability in Nursing and Midwifery, 1997). In all these changes, what stands the same is that the nurse must exercise discretion and judgment in the management and supervision of patient care, in accepting or rejecting responsibilities, seeking consultation and even in assigning responsibilities to others who may carry out nursing care. With this increasing level of responsibility in patient management and care, the demand for nurses to be accountable for their decisions, judgment of discretion becomes more crucial for evaluating and improving quality of care. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) A-Z Advise sheet on Accountability states that "registered nurses have a responsibility to deliver safe and effective care based on current evidence, best practice, and where applicable, validated research." (NMC, 2006:1). While the NMC code of ethics also states that as a registered nurse, "you are personally accountable for your practice. This means that you are answerable for your actions and omissions, regardless of advice or directions from another professional." (NMC 2002) These policies hold grave implication for the nursing management of patient care. This paper therefore aims to look at the subject of accountability, in the light of the related concepts such as responsibility, autonomy and authority and how it affects the nurse delivery, supervision and management of patient care in the adult branch of nursing. For a start, let us take a look at what the term 'accountability' entails. According to Savage & Lucy (2004), although accountability is not a recent concept, it has however evolved over the last couple of decades from "a matter of regular reporting to an explanation of actions and outcomes and, more recently, a justification of the values informing actions and outcomes"(pg13). They argue that despite the fact that the use of the term is increasing in frequency in management and policy making circles, the term is becoming more vague as it now appears to refer to an increasing number of phenomena. However, within the nursing context, accountability has been described in different lights, by different authors. For instance, while the American association of Nurses (ANA) described nurse accountability as being Answerable to someone for something one has done. It means providing an explanation or rationale to oneself, to clients, to peers, to the nursing profession, and to society. In order to be accountable, nurses act under a code of ethical conduct that is grounded in the moral principles of fidelity and respect for the dignity, worth and self-determination of clients (Accountability in Nursing and Midwifery, 1997). The NMC considers accountability as being "fundamentally concerned with weighing up the interests of patients and clients in complex

Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Energy - Essay Example Jacobson (2008) even stated that â€Å"some late-technology turbines are gearless. The instantaneous power produced by a turbine is proportional to the third power of the instantaneous wind speed† (p.4). The advantage of the use of wind energy is that it is that it does not release any polluting gas exhausts. Wind energy is also more ecologically friendly since it does not require much land to be cleared away for zoning. Most of the time, these turbines are placed where there are strong wind currents and are generally opened areas like flat plains. Although, there are some concerns or setbacks with the use of wind energy and these also need consideration. As stated by Daniels (2005), â€Å"many concerns associated with safety, noise and aesthetics can be addressed by placing distance between wind turbines and people, property lines, roads and certain environmental areas or scenic or historic landscapes† (p.4). If a wind power turbine is not maintained well, it most certainly could cause safety hazards as well as cause noise pollution. It should also be noted that despite its practical benefits, having a wind turbine at distant wilderness could be seen as an eye sore. Of course, this is easily remedied through proper zoning and maintenance of the wind power

Learning Team Policy Analysis II Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Learning Team Policy Analysis II Paper - Essay Example If the police do not have the duty of arresting the suspects, then offenders cannot be taken through the four policies (Mackenzie 4). There would also be no offenders since the courts would not have any suspects to prosecute. The police policies mainly involve arresting suspects. The suspects can be reported by the public or spotted by the police. The police then go ahead to have statements of wrongdoing by the suspects written down in preparation for the court. This directly affects the court since the prosecutors can only prosecute the suspect according to the statements written down. Sometimes the prosecutors end up complaining about the poor quality of the statement forwarded by the police. The role of the police goes on to affect the correctional facilities, if the suspect becomes convicted of his/her offences at the court. It affects the correctional facilities by having the offender punished according to the offences he/she has been convicted of and their magnitude. Over time, drug related arrests have increased significantly. The reason behind the increase mainly involves the higher rate of testing for drugs. This led to drug related offences being the highest number of arrests made. As a result, most of the correctional facilities have too many offenders (Drakeford and Kristin 13). Due to this problem, prosecutors found it necessary to avoid prosecuting suspects possessing little quantities of drugs. As a result, the correctional officers have recorded less congestion in their facilities. In conclusion, the police play a central role in the criminal justice system. Without the police, the criminal justice system can as well be considered useless. For instance, a judge cannot pass judgement on a suspect without considering the offence that led to the suspect’s arrest. Likewise, a prosecutor cannot prosecute a suspect without considering the offence that led to the suspect’s arrest. The correctional officers then end up administering punishment

Animal Cruelty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Animal Cruelty - Essay Example While the focus of this paper is animal cruelty in the United States, it is important to note that it is a worldwide issue. Each form of animal cruelty simply contributes to the larger problem, the existence of the issue itself. Although animals are not cognizant like humans, their mistreatment is just as serious an issue which needs to be given the proper attention so that it can be stopped. Sadly, the history of animal cruelty dates very far back. Animal fighting, for example, has dated been dated back to the 43 A.D., when Britain was at war with the Romans. â€Å"The British, though they lost the war, delighted in the tenacity and endurance of their dogs, and began exporting them for use in pit fights against larger animals like wild boar and bulls†¦ At this point, dog-on-dog combat became the cheaper, legal alternative and the fighting dogs, as well as the taste for the brutal blood sport was exported to other countries including the United States (Villavicencio 2007),† (Animal Cruelty). Another form of animal cruelty, factory farming, became prevalent in the 19th century. The Industrial Revolution left many family owned farms competing with large corporations to sell product. â€Å"As factory farms became the norm, so, unfortunately did the systematic and prolonged abuse of animals raised for human consumption,† (Animal Cruelty). ... It is a well known fact that a variety of products are tested on animals. Usually, when you think of animal testing, you think of scientists in lab coats poking and prodding at mice. However, mice aren’t the only animals subject to animal testing. Each year, hundreds of thousands of rodents, cats, dogs, birds, and primates are put through painful treatments in inhumane conditions to satisfy the curiosity of scientist who could otherwise their hypotheses. These treatments include but are not limited to being poisoned, blinded, forced to inhale toxic fumes, force-fed pesticides, and having corrosive chemicals rubbed into their eyes. The Animal Cruelty Act, passed in 1966, was created to combat complaints about the treatment of animals during scientific testing. As the Department of Agriculture website points out, â€Å"It is the only Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers,† (Animal Welfar e Act). In the years since 1966, it has become clear that this act is not enough. â€Å"More than 100 million animals every year suffer and die in cruel chemical, drug, food and cosmetic tests, biology lessons, medical training exercises, and curiosity-driven medical experiments. Exact numbers aren't available because mice, rats, birds and cold-blooded animals—who make up more than 95 percent of animals used in experiments—are not covered by even the minimal protections of the Animal Welfare Act and therefore go uncounted,† (Animals Used for Experimentation). Although there are many organizations fighting against animal testing, it has yet to be stopped. Without ceasing to test on animals, it is impossible to end animal cruelty. Another factor contributing to the overall

Alone Together by Sherry Turkle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Alone Together by Sherry Turkle - Essay Example Subjects in this study preferred the company of robots from that of other people or their pets. The author captures our dependence on the internet by the incalculable time we spent on social media, text messaging, Blogspots and email. We use our icons and archetypes to share experiences in virtual worlds, communicate through instant messengers and email and publish news on blogs. All the while yearning for the delayed replies, ‘likes’ and ‘retweets’ that accompany such posts. The result is a population of constantly distracted individuals who hang on to their electronic devices being aloof their immediate environment (Turkle). An expert in her field, Sherry Turkle is a professor of Social Science and Technology and a licensed Clinical Psychologist (Turkle). She spent fifteen years of quality research to compile this book. It is an accurate representation of day-to-day activities in our households, schools, communities and workplaces and therefore not a misguided rant of an alarmist

Using Pop-Up Stores to Boost Sales for Online Fashion Shop Essay

Using Pop-Up Stores to Boost Sales for Online Fashion Shop - Essay Example Pop-up stores not only help in creating the awareness but in the long run it also helps in boosting sales for the organisation. I realized this issue when I tried to convince my friend to purchase an item that was available online but was not available in the local market. His reaction gave me the problems or the perception of the consumer during online shopping. This lead to my research as to how can we make people aware of the positive aspects of online shopping. This is when I came across a website discussing about pop-up-up up stores and how it helps in boosting the sales for online shopping. During the discussion in the report our focus will be to find out how does pop-up-up up stores help in making the most out of pop-up shops and offline shops or spaces in order to boost the sales and create brand awareness. Another aspect of the research will be to find out the short term and long term benefits of having an extra outlet or a physical showroom for the products and how it can help a brand in terms of increasing the sales. On doing thorough research over the web I found several discussions that have been done about pop-up-up stores. However as the topic is closely related to online shopping, I could not find much relevant data related to the particular issue. The discussions were mainly showcasing the popularity of pop-up stores and how it has been helping the retailers in boosting their profit margins. As the economy is stabilizing, there has been a decrease in the available to spaces to set up a showroom (Allen, 2013). This has gone on to encourage the rise of pop-up stores as they can be practically put up anywhere. The idea is to take the consumers by a shock because they would never be expecting something at that particular place (Pegler, 2011). Another article discussed the benefits of coming up with pop-up stores. The first benefit discussed was that it was beneficial for the landlord as pop-up stores opened

Investigating a Crime Scene Essay Example for Free

Investigating a Crime Scene Essay On TV shows like CSI, viewers get to watch as investigators find and collect evidence at the scene of a crime, making blood appear as if by magic and swabbing every mouth in the vicinity. Many of us believe we have a pretty good grip on the process, and rumor has it criminals are getting a jump on the good guys by using the tips they pick up from these shows. But does Hollywood get it right? Do crime scene investigators interview suspects and catch the bad guys, or is their job all about collecting physical evidence? In this paper, I’ll examine how a crime scene investigation really takes place. When working a crime scene there are many steps that must take place in order for any investigation to hold up in court. A proper investigation can take hours, but the end result can lead to a conviction of the guilty and justice for victim’s families. The first officer at the crime scene should do everything they can to keep all evidence in its original state. The crime scene must be blocked off immediately to avoid any contamination or loss of evidence. Boundaries should be established for each area of the scene that needs to be secluded. This will include any paths of entry or exits and areas where evidence has been discarded or located. All areas of the crime scene should be blocked off using tape, ropes, or traffic cones. If the crime took place indoors, a single room can be blocked off depending on the place of the crime and where it occurred. Police barricades and guards can help with securing the scene as well. This is a good way to monitor the area to make sure no unwanted people get through and cause loss of evidence. This will include officers that are not involved in the case, neighbors and the family of the victim. Securing the crime scene must be done in a timely manner and all persons entering the scene should be recorded, and times of the entry should be taken as well. Before anyone can enter the scene, the responding officer must first establish a walk way. This is done to ensure that no evidence is being touched and is out of the way before walking into the scene. This will include investigators or medical examiners that need to get to any victims that may be injured. Once the crime scene has been blocked off and secured, the investigators will process the area. At this time a strategy is put into place. This will start the examination of the area and documentation of all evidence at the scene. A walk through of the scene will take place by the lead investigator to establish how the scene was entered and exited at the time that the crime took place. Once the points of entry are established, the investigator will find the center of the scene using the path that the first officer established. A crime scene is three dimensional so that when making their way to the center of the crime scene, evidence will be located. It is the investigators responsibility to photograph and document these items as they are seen. There are many questions that will need to be answered during the investigation such as but not limited to: did this crime involve violence, or are there any hazardous conditions that they should be aware of? The scene should be looked over as if trying to put a puzzle together. Looking around at objects in the crime scene can tell a whole lot as to the time the accident occurred or if objects seem like they are missing. There are two categories a crime scene can fall under; one is a primary crime scene where the crime occurred or a secondary crime scene where evidence was taken to and is now a part of the crime scene. A command center needs to be put into place outside the crime scene. This is where the investigators receive their assignments, store the equipment that will be needed or where they gather to discuss or go over the case. Tasks are assigned to all of the investigators which will ensure that all aspects of the area are covered. Tasks include locating, processing, accessing, photographing and sketching the evidence at the scene. Searching a crime scene and how a crime investigation is carried out depends on the size and area of the scene being investigated. The different kind of crime that was committed can have a great toll on how the investigation is carried out as well. When doing a search of the crime scene, different kinds of flash or illumination are used to show fingerprints, handprints or other things that may be gathered as evidence. There are different patterns in which a crime scene is investigated or searched. Each pattern depends on the scene and what kind of evidence is suspected to be found at the scene. This could include: a line or strip search where two investigators walk in straight lines across the crime scene and search for evidence, a grid search where investigators form a grid throughout the scene making overlapping lines, a spiral search where an investigator works in a spiral motion from the outer part of the scene or vice versa, a wheel ray search which is done by a group of investigators that move from the boundary of the crime scene and work their way to the middle of the scene, or a quadrant or zone search where the crime is divided into sections and is split up between investigators and divided again to search more thoroughly through that section. When searching a crime scene at night difficulties will come up due to lighting. Boundaries of the scene are hard to see when trying to locate evidence. The search of evidence is determined by each crime scene, because every crime is different in its own way. Locating evidence includes footprints, weapons, blood spatter, trace fibers or hairs. When an investigator locates evidence everything should be recorded. Exact location in notes, photos and sketches must be done, and all evidence must be marked with an evidence marker once it is recorded. A search will end when all evidence is located. Once a decision has been made that the investigation has come to a close, the team will conduct a final survey. This survey will include an overview of the scene and all evidence is collected and bagged. Taking notes at a crime scene begins the moment an investigator gets a call. All notes must be specific. Notes should begin with all the information of the person who has called in, the time the call was placed and all of the information that is given about the crime, as well as the assigned case number that is given. When an investigator arrives at the scene, date, time and all persons present must be recorded. All notes should be in detail, and all movements that are taken should be documented. The lead investigator will do a walkthrough of the scene and at this time notes are taken with details of the condition of the scene. All notes taken should be in blue or black ink. Notes are very important to the investigation, and all notes should be taken at the scene and not left up to memory. This ensures that all information is recorded and nothing is left out. Notes should include all documentation of the victims, witnesses, evidence collected, tasks being performed, and when and how an object is packaged. There should be no task, detail or movement left out when taking notes at a crime scene. Photographing a crime scene is extremely important in a crime scene investigation, and should be of high quality and very clear. These photos will be used in court, so when taking the photos you need to keep in mind that the person or persons viewing the photos should be able to understand where the photos were taken and should be able to tell the story through them. The overall area of the scene should first be photographed such as street signs, street lights, addresses, and identifying objects. Photos should be taken in a clockwise direction to prevent any information from being left out. Different lenses should be used when photographing different parts of the scene as well as different illuminations, flashes and filters. The first photo should consist of a photography log that includes that case number, type of scene, date, location of scene, type of camera used, photographers name and title. Photos should be of the scene before it has been altered in any way. The photos should include the area that the crime took place, and areas where other acts occurred. Pictures should be taken from the outside of the scene working towards the middle of the scene. The photographer must be consistent when working through the scene as this will ensure that all evidence is photographed from all angles and nothing is left out. Photos should include: overview photographs which consist of the entire scene and surrounding area. These photos include all exits and entries, and should start from the outside of the scene and in all angles. And medium range photographs which show smaller areas of the crime scene. These photos should be taken with evidence markers. Sketching the crime scene is done after all notes and photographs are taken of the scene. A sketch will show the layout of the area or house where the crime was committed, as well as where the evidence was located. It is used to back up all notes and photographs already taken. All aspects of a crime scene will be shown in court and used to convict the guilty; therefore, it is extremely important that all steps of the investigation are followed exactly and with as much detail as possible to ensure that justice can be served.

Purification of Alcohol Dehydrogenase From Bovine Liver

Purification of Alcohol Dehydrogenase From Bovine Liver Jekathjenani Ratnakumaran Namrata Verma Introduction: In the world of chemistry, there are millions of enzymes, but in this lab the enzyme used is bovine alcohol dehydrogenase. This enzyme occurs in various mammalian tissues, but generally found in high concentrations in the organs such as liver and kidney. According to its name Bovine alcohol dehydrogenase, which implicates that it is collectively formed from bovine (cow), alcohol and the enzyme dehydrogenase. The protein was extracted from the liver of bovine. Alcohol is an organic compound which contains carbon atom (single bonds) and hydrogen atoms. This alcohol is available in various forms of liquid and used for a variety of purposes. According to its properties, alcohol is a hydroxyl group which has a sweet odor similar to fruit. Alcohol are further divided and identified into different groups and also they are polar. As they possess hydrogen bonding they have higher boiling points. Dehydrogenase is a type of an enzyme which oxidizes a substrate by a reduction reaction that trans fers one or more hydrogen H- to the electron acceptor which is NAD+ /NADP (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) or FAD Flavin coenzyme (Shibusawa et al, 2004). Collectively, it forms alcohol dehydrogenase, which is ADH persuaded by ethanol and acetaldehyde as they relate to carbon catabolite repression. It is also zinc containing enzyme which is activated by glutathione and EDTA, which contains heavy metals (Pateman et al, 1983). Many organisms contain an alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme which catalyzes the NADPH dependent of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes into subsequent alcohols and catalyze the reduction of glyceraldehyde to glycerol (Arslanian et al, 1971). Alcohol dehydrogenase contains a several isozymes which catalyze the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to convert into aldehydes and ketones (Arslanian et al, 1971). The molecular weight of this enzyme is 39677.13 Da and it is made up of 374 amino acid sequence. The monoisotopic mass of this enzyme is 39651.32 and its p H value ranges between 8.6 to 9.0 with an extension coefficient of 12.6 and an isoelectric point at 5.4, its theoretical pI is 7.46.The alcohol dehydrogenase is also known for its battle against alcohol , its toxic molecules which negotiates with the nervous system so, the body organs which consist of high toxic of alcohol are liver and stomach which converts alcohol to acetaldehyde which is even more toxic substance and further it is conversted to acetate which is utilized by the cells present within our body (Goodsell et al, 2001). So overall, alcohol dehydrogenase converts potentially dangerous molecule into food ustilized by the cells preent within the body.In human bidy, alcohol dehydrogenase can create upto nine different kinds of alcohol dehydrogenase each having different properties. For example in liver beta3 enzyme(Goodsell et al, 2001).These each enzyme is formed of two subunits and they can be mixed and match to create mixed dimerss which are more active.Alcohol dehdroge nates also modifies certain other alcohols with giving outcome of dangerous products such as methanol. These by products are converted into formaldehyde by help of alcohol dehydrogenase (Goodsell et al, 2001). Catalytic activity of alcohol dehydrogenase: NADPH + an aldehyde NADP+ + an alcohol Methods: In order to conduct this laboratory experiment, All the required apparatus and materials were provided during the lab. Certain precautions and safety rules were followed such as gloves, safety glasses and lab coat. This lab was conducted for about duration of 11-12 weeks. According to the article (Arslanian et al, 1971) most of the steps and procedure was followed. Purification of the enzyme was carried out by following up eight steps. Precautions were made while the experiment was performed. Equipments were rinsed with distilled water before starting the experiment. The reagent and buffer solution were prepared with distilled water. All procedures were carried out at 0-40C. Buffer Preparation: The first step involved in the buffer preparation. The stock solution, 0.1M Tris HCl at pH 7.6 was prepared by dissolving 12.14 g of Tris base with 1000 ml of distilled water and the pH was adjusted to 7.6 by adding diluted HCl. The Tris HCl buffer solution with different concentrations such as 10mM (pH 7.5), 40mM (pH 7.6) and 50mM (pH 7.5) were prepared by diluting the stock solution with distilled water. Sodium Chloride elutant buffer (0.16M NaCl) was prepared by dissolving 9.3504 g of NaCl with 1000 ml of distilled water. Preparation of Homogenate: The second step involved the preparation of the homogenate. The bovine liver was homogenized in a Waring blender in 90 ml of 0.32 M sucrose in 10mM Tris HCl buffer at pH 7.5. Approximately 27.39 g of sucrose was added in 250 ml of 0.01M Tris HCl to make 0.32M sucrose in 10mM of Tris HCl at pH 7.5. The homogenate was centrifuged at 15000 RPM for 30 minutes using centrifuge-Sorvall RC5 refrigerated centrifuge SS 34. Ammonium Sulfate Fractionation: Step three involved ammonium sulfate fractionation. The homogenate was 35% saturated and equilibrated with ammonium sulfate by dissolving 20.9 g of ammonium sulfate in 250 ml of distilled water. The supernatant was centrifuged at 15000 RPM for 30 minutes and the precipitate was discarded. Then, concentration was increased to 60% saturated ammonium sulfate by dissolving 16.4 g in 500 ml of distilled water. The suspension was centrifuged at 15000 RPM for 30 minutes. The obtained gray pellet was dissolved in 40mM Tris HCl buffer at pH 7.6. Then, the solution was dialyzed against 2L of 0.04M Tris HCl at pH 7.6 for 24 hours and again dialyzed with same buffer for another 24 hours. Performing DEAE-Sepharose Chromatography: The fourth step involved DEAE-Sephrose Chromatography. DEAE-Sepharose column that can hold up to 10ml volume was applied. The column was equilibrated by applying four times of 10ml of 40mM of Tris HCl, pH 7.6 buffer. About 10ml volume of centrifuged and dialyzed material was applied through the column. The column was washed with the same buffer (40mM of Tris HCl, pH 7.6) and then eluted by 40mM of Tris HCl with 50mM of NaCl. About 1 ml volume of twenty fractions of enzyme solution was collected using microfuge tubes. Enzyme Activity Assay: Fifth step involved measuring enzyme activity using a spectrometer. The enzymatic activity was initiated with 1mL of volume of blank solution containing 20  µl of distilled water, 10  µl 33mM of ethanol, 10  µl of 0.26mM of NAD+ and 960  µl of 0.1M of glycine buffer. Enzymatic assay activity was measured by taking total volume of 1000  µl containing 20 µl of enzyme solution, 10  µl 33mM of ethanol, 10  µl of 0.26mM of NAD+ and 960  µl of 0.1M of glycine buffer. The wavelength was set up at 340nm and measured using Cary 50s and 60s spectrometer. One unit of activity equals 1 µmol NADH produced per min based on the absorption coefficient of 6220 mol/l/cm for NADH at 340 nm. The above procedure was repeated for kinetic analysis and the range of ethanol concentration used was 20 to 25 mM. The observed data were fitted using Lineweaver -Burk kinetic plots. Gel filtration: The sixth step involved gel filtration. The enzyme was precipitated by 62% saturated ammonium sulfate and dissolve in 10ml of 50 M Tris-HCl, pH 7.5. The suspension was centrifuged for 20 min at 10000 RPM. Then, the column of Sephadex G-50 was run with 10 ml of enzyme solution. The column was equilibrated and washed with 50 M Tris- HCl buffer, pH 7.5. Then, the column was eluted by 50mM of Tris HCl with 50mM of NaCl. Around 10 fractions were collected at the rate of 1 ml/min in a microfuge tube. The highest highest specific activity fractions were precipitated by 62% saturation with ammonium sulfate. In the final step, the enzyme was redissolved in 5 ml of same buffer and apply to the column of Sephadex G-50 under the same conditions. Again, the highest specific activity fractions were precipitated by 62% saturation with ammonium sulfate. Performing CM-Sephadex chromatography: The precipitated enzyme was dissolved in 1 ml of potassium phosphate buffer contain 0.02M of NaCl, pH 7.0 and the enzyme solution was dialyzed against the same buffer for 2 hours. 10ml of non diffusible material was applied to a CM-Sephadex column. Then, the column was equilibrated with the same buffer. Then, the enzyme was eluted from the column with two column volumes of 0.16 M of NaCl (20ml). 10 fractions were collected and precipitated with 62% saturated ammonium sulfate. Bradford Assay: The eighth step involved Bradford Assay. The data (absorbance) observed from Bradford Assay Standards was used for calculating the mass of BSA in  µg. The final step used in this experiment was SDS PAGE method. About 20 µl of enzyme with loading buffer was loaded on the gel and by observing the gel, the mass of the protein was calculated. Results: Bovine Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH) was purified by following up few methods. The experimental results were observed and recorded for appropriate methods. Using DEAE Sepharose Chromatography, fractions were collected and all the fractions were appeared colorless. The enzymatic assay activity was measured at 340nm using spectrometer. The figure 1 indicates that the enzyme activity was increased by absorbing the NADH. The highest specific activity was selected based on the graph obtained in the enzyme kinetic activity. However, this method failed, resulting no increased activity. The enzyme kinetic activity had done for all the fractions, but none of them shown the accurate result. The graph obtained from the spectrometer does not show the increased activity of the enzyme to conclude the presence of protein. The result of the enzyme activities of collecting fractions was shown in figure 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 respectively. However, the Bradford assay method was performed and the absorbance of the standards and the enzyme were recorded in the following tables. Based on these values, the graph of standard curve of absorbance versus mass of BSA was plotted. Table 1: The following table represents the recorded values of absorbance at 540 nm and calculated the mass of the BSA using the Bradford assay method Figure 1: Represents the enzymatic activity obtained from the purified protein ADH after ammonium fractionation method had performed and the peaks are showing that activity is increased. The above plot was obtained at 340 nm using Cary 50s-60s spectrometer and it was run as two parts for 4 minutes. Figure 2: Represents the standard curve of A595 versus mass of ADH protein obtained from the Bradford assay method. From the slope value obtained from the curve, the mass of the ADH protein was calculated. The mass of the protein calculated from the figure 2 is 4.766  µg and concentration of the protein is 4.766  µg / 25  µl SDS-PAGE method: Table 2: Represents the recorded values of SDS-PAGE method for the determination of molecular weight of the ADH purified protein Protein Molecular weight (Dalton) Log (Molecular Weight) Mobility (cm) Strand 1 60000 4.778 4.8 Strand 2 50000 4.699 5.1 Strand 3 40000 4.602 6.5 Strand 4 25000 4.398 7.0 Strand 5 20000 4.301 9.3 Figure 3: Represents the SDS-PAGE analysis of purified protein bovine Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH). The graph was plotted with log of molecular weight versus mobility of protein based on the SDS-PAGE values. Figure 4: Represents the single band on an SDS-PAGE gel (9th lane). This figure shown the proof of the protein ADH present in the enzyme solution and mass of the protein was calculated based on the obtained SDS-PAGE results. From the figure 3 and 4, the mass of the protein calculated is 345143.74 Da Figure 5: Represents the enzymatic activity obtained in the fraction 9th of the purified protein ADH and the peaks are obtained at 340 nm using Cary 50s-60s spectrometer. Figure 6: Represents the enzymatic activity obtained in the fraction 10th of the purified protein ADH and the peaks are obtained at 340 nm using Cary 50s-60s spectrometer. Figure 7: Represents the enzymatic activity obtained in the fraction 12th of the purified protein ADH and the peaks are obtained at 340 nm using Cary 50s-60s spectrometer. Figure 8: Represents the enzymatic activity obtained in the fraction 13th of the purified protein ADH and the peaks are obtained at 340 nm using Cary 50s-60s spectrometer. Figure 9: Represents the enzymatic activity obtained in the fraction 14th of the purified protein ADH and the peaks are obtained at 340 nm using Cary 50s-60s spectrometer. Discussion: According to the experimental study, the outcome results were not satisfying, so overall the experiment was not successful it failed. Based on the SDS-PAGE, ADH purified protein was not much visible clearly on the gel. Proteins are viewed as bands. SDS-PAGE results indicates that smaller protein molecules are at the bottom of the gel and larger molecules are at the top of the gel. This is showing that SDS-PAGE gel separate the protein molecules based on the size and mass of the protein. Most of the protein bands are viewed in between the molecular weight, 100 kDa and 30 kDa. Determining mass and purifying the protein, Bovine Alcohol Dehydrogenase using the Bradford assay and SDS-PAGE procedure was conducted successfully using this experiment. The result obtained in the SDS-PAGE and Bradford Assay are differ from the standard value and the concentration of the protein was determined using these methods. Based on the molecular mass on the EXPASY website, the standard molecular mass of the ADH protein is 39677.13 Da. The experimental mass of the ADH protein is 345143.74 Da. The mass difference is a large number. This could occur due to the experimental errors. The experimental errors can be avoided by handling equipments and following the instructions in a proper manner. Predicting the protein band on SDS-PAGE gel could cause the error. Moreover, the purification method such as DEAE Sepharose Chromatography was performed to test the enzyme activity of the protein. The obtained results are shown as a figure 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in the results section. The overall results obtained in these figures indicated that the experiment was not turned successful. The figure 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 shown that enzyme activities are decreasing and wiggling. They are not constantly increasing or decreasing. Therefore, it was concluded that the purification of the enzyme was not turned positive and it could be due to the human errors occurred while conducting the experiment. This could be po ssible due to various reasons such as, during measurements for making the solution at the very beginning may be the concentration required was not appropriate, due to human error it was not properly mixed. It could also be possible that while grinding the liver , certain chunks of the liver were still not properly collected due to which the amount of liver used was not effective to obtain supportive and positive results.The variability of the results presented here is loss of certain atoms during the process of purification as their was no enzyme activity observed.The substrate studies of the alcohol dehydrogenase isolated from the bovine liver have demonstrated the hydrophobic site for binding alcohol (Arslanian et al, 1971). The article mentioned that the buffer that has a low ionic strength is used for the enzyme adsorbtion which caused the incomplete deactivation of enzymes and it was proven evidently (Arslanian et al, 1971). Moreover, as there is no enzyme activity measured in step 5 (DEAE- Sephrose Chromatography), the gel filtration and CM-Sephadex Chromatography method was not performed for this study. The enzyme purification might get succeeded if the study has performed these two methods. The article mentioned that gel filtrations on Sephadex G-100 has successive ability to separate the enzyme from non enzyme protein (Arslanian et al, 1971.) For further studies, more information is required before conducting the study as well as the time allotted was less, due to which it could suggest certain results and test were not done at the appropriate time. In conclusion, the study was conducted by following the method listed in the article. This studys report discussed the properties and successful method for the purification of enzyme, Bovine Alcohol Dehydrogenase. Even though article procedures were followed, errors occurred which resulted in deviations in results. However, the methods of Gel filtration and CM Sephadex Chromatography where successive but could not be conducted in this lab because the enzyme activity was limited after DEAE Chromatography was performed. More caution should have gained while conducting the experiment. It is emphasized that further research on enzyme purification method could improve the results and find success in the study. Appendix: Sample calculation 1: Volume of one microliter= 0.001mL Volume of 20 microliter= (0.001 ml x 20  µL) / 1  µL = 0.02 ml Therefore, mass of protein in 1mL of stock solution= 0.10 mg Mass of protein in 0.02 ml of stock solution = (0.10 mg x 0.02 ml) / 1 ml = 2 x 10-3 mg To convert mg to  µL, multiply by 1000, Mass of protein= 2 x 10-3 x 1000 = 2  µg Absorbance of the ADH purified Protein, y = 0.2544 Slope Line of equation: Y=mx+b Y= 0.0505 x + 0.0137 0.2544 = 0.0505 x + 0.0137 The mass of the protein, x = (0.2544 0.0137) /0.0505  µg = 4.766  µg Concentration of the protein, C = mass/ volume = 4.766  µg / 25  µl = 0.19  µg/  µl Total mass that recovered= Conc. X Total volume = 0.19 x 1000  µl = 190.64  µg SDS- PAGE method: Absorbance of the ADH purified Protein, y = 0.2544 Slope Line of equation: Y= mx+b Y= 6.0902 x + 33.982 0.2544= 6.0902 x + 33.982 X= (0.2544 33.982) / 6.0902 = 5.538 The mass of the protein = 105.538 = 345143.74 Da References: Arslanian,M.J., Pascoe,E,. and Reinhold,J.G., (1971) Rat Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase.Dept. of Biochem.School of Medicine, American University of Beirut.125,1039-1047. Alcohol Dehydrogenase(ADH)The university of Minnesota Biocatalysis/Biodegradation Database.Calzyme. Lab.inc. Shibusawa,Y.,Fujiwara,T.,Shindo,H., andIto,Y. (2004) Purification of alcohol dehydrogenase from bovine liver crude extract by dye-ligand affinity counter-current chromatography, J. Chromatogr. B. Analyt. Technol. Biomed. Life Sci.799(2):239-44. Pateman,J.A., Doy,C.H.,Olsen,J.E.,Norris,U., Creaser. E.H., and Hynes,M.(1983) Regulation of Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH) and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDDH) in Aspergillus nidulans.Proceedings of the Royal society.Bio.Sci.217, 243-264. Ward,W.W., and Swiatek,G.,(2009) Protein purification.The state University,, Scool of Environmental and Biology Science,Department of Biochem. And Microbio.76,1- 21. Goodsell,D.(2001) Alcohol Dehydrogenase.Molecule if the month. RCSB.Protein Data Bank.doi: 10.2210.

An Analysis Of The Nagorno Karabakh Conflict Politics Essay

An Analysis Of The Nagorno Karabakh Conflict Politics Essay This dissertation focuses on the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh; the origins of the conflict, its present state and the possible future. Throughout the dissertation several key aspects and theories of International relations are analysed, such as: peoples right to self determination, the concept of nation-state and conflict resolution. Firstly, the relevant theories of International relations are explored and an attempt is made to compare them with reality and to show their use in the real world. Secondly, a historical background of the conflict is described, followed by a description of the conflict from 1988 to 1995 and the peace talks. Thirdly, an analysis of the future of NK is examined, pointing out possible solutions and forms of reconciliation. Moreover, relevant questions are individually looked at. For over ten years NK has been on a path of nation-state building. NK sees itself as an independent republic, even with lack of international recognition. NK has a population of 141,000 and an area that covers 11,458.38  km2. (Official website of the President of NK, http://www.president.nkr.am/en/nkr/statePower/ , accessed on March 2, 2011). The map below show the situation of NK, they show both the NK Autonomous Oblast and the present NK state boundaries that include the occupied territories of Azerbaijan: As this dissertation deals with the de facto state of Nagorno-Karabakh, it analyses and explores International Law concerning peoples right to self determination and the consequent recognition of their state. Chapter 1, Article 1, part 2 of the United Nations Charter created in 1945 states that the aim of the UN is to: Develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace. Article 1, part 1, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 states the following: All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. (United Nations Charter 1945, available at: http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/ [accessed March 2 2011]) Moreover, the Declaration of Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation Among States in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations of 24th October 1970 declares that: By virtue of the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, all peoples have the right freely to determine, without external interference, their political status and to pursue their economic, social and cultural development, and every State has the duty to respect this right in accordance with the provisions of the Charter. (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966, available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm [accessed march 2 2011]) The establishment of a sovereign and independent State, the free association or integration with an independent State or the emergence into any other political status freely determined by a people constitute modes of implementing the right of self-determination by that people. (UN General Assembly, Declaration of Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation Among States in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, 24 October 1970,  available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3dda1f104.html  [accessed March 2 2011] ). These legal statements show the core understanding and acceptance of the international community regarding the idea of peoples right to self determination. Even though some core aspects of these declarations can be vague in their practical sense, their overall message is not contested. By taking into account these and other declarations, the case for the people of NK becomes clearer. Presently, the problem lies with the idea that NK peoples right to self determination collides with Azerbaijans right to sovereignty, so what is the solution? According to Dr. Otto Luchterhandt, the director of East European Research Department (University of Hamburg): The right to self-determination is not only a political principle but a rule of existing international law. The people of Nagorny Karabakh are the subject of the right to self-determination. The people of Nagorny Karabakh can claim for the highest level fulfilment of the law of self-determination secession from the state of Azerbaijan because on the one hand its restriction to the status of a national minority stands in no reasonable relation to its legitimate interests in development and protection, and on the other hand the measure of its oppression has reached such unbearable proportions, that remaining in the federation of Azerbaijan has become unacceptable and it has announced it will for self-determination in an unmistakable and convincing manner. (Luchterhandt, Nagorny Karabakhs Right to State Independence According to International Law, Boston, 1993) To use international law in a discussion in the case for NK, specific proof has to be shown. There is also the argument that juridical legitimacy of borders and territorial integrity works against the self-determination principle, however this cannot be taken into account in the case of Azerbaijan SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic). Firstly, it must be stated that NK was an autonomous oblast (an administrative unit) within the Azerbaijan SSR, and that Azerbaijan SSR was not defined by state borders, it was defined by administrative borders, therefore the Helsinki Agreement Final Act in 1975 concerning territorial integrity cannot be applied. As Francois Mitterrand said: Why should the interior administrative borders of a state be automatically recognised as international ones? (Zargarian,1999). Secondly, on the 31st August 19941 the Azerbaijan SSR confirmed the restoration of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan that had been created from 1918 to 1920. This declaration leaves to question the legality of the present Azerbaijans borders, including the territories of NK, territories surrounding NK and Nakhijevan, as none of these were part of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan. In addition, it is well documented that in December 1920, Azerbaijan SSR accepted the territories of NK and Nakhijevan as belonging to Armenia. These declarations were later altered by Stalin, which at the times was Commissar of Nationalities. To further analyse, the value of state sovereignty of Azerbaijan should be graded as lower than the importance of sovereignty of a state in a normal situation, with reference to the system of states in the League of Nations, therefore it is lower than the NK peoples right to self determination. (Raschhofer, 1960) This notion gives support to the national right to self-determination of NKs people in right to secession over Azerbaijans state sovereignty. (Luchterhandt, 1993). To conclude, as the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh was founded after a referendum on state independence on 10th December 1991, resulting in a 98% acceptance, and in agreement with international and Soviet law, it should ultimately be acknowledged as genuine under international law. Moreover, precedent of Eritrea can be used, which showed that self proclamation leads to be under the power of international law. NK relationship with other countries, international organisations, and treaties such as the Geneva Convention, all give power for self-determination. HISTORY The name Nagorno-Karabakh has a mixture of 3 languages; Nagorno is in Russian meaning mountainous, and Karabakh is in Turkic and Farsi meaning Black Garden. However, the Armenians call it Artsakh, as it was one of the provinces of Greater Armenia, and it is mentioned as early as second century BC: the ancient provinces of Artsakh and Utik, situated between Lake Sevan, river Kara and river Araxes. (Strabo, 1st century BC.) During the centuries, NK has been mainly populated by ethnic Armenians, however there were periods in which during conquests other ethnic groups would settle, such as Caucasian Tatars, Caucasian Albanians (no connection to Albanians in Balkans), Persians and Turkic tribes. The recent conflict with Azerbaijan has unleashed a historical fact finding war, where the Azeris lay historical claims to these lands, and the Armenians refute them. The people living in NK point out to the obvious evidence, such as hundreds of ruins, ancient monuments, religious building, churches and monasteries. (Tchilingirian,1999). As one farmer said in regard to this: This monastery (Monastery of Gandzasar) kept us Armenian, the writings on these walls made us know who we are. There is a khachkar (cross-stone), the size of a car, on top of this mountain; our ancestors placed it there to indicate that this is Armenian land (Martakert, 1995). To review the history of Artsakh a new dissertation can be written, therefore to keep in line with this dissertation, a review of more recent history is made. After 1918, when the Georgians, Armenians and Azeris took advantage of the chaos of the Russian Revolution to establish independent states, war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan, however by 1921 all three republic were under the rule of the Red Army. (Swietochowski, 1985) Originally, the Bolsheviks determined NKs problem: The Chairman of the Azerbaijani Revolutionary Committee (Azrevkom), Narimanov declared: The government of Workers and Peasants of Azerbaijan, having heard the news of the proclamation in Armenia in the name of the insurgent peasantry of the Soviet Socialist Republic, salutes the victory of the fraternal Armenian people. From this day forward, the former borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan are suspended. Mountainous Karabagh, Zangezur, and Nakhichevan are recognized as integral parts of the Socialist Republic of Armenia. Long live the fraternity and union of workers and peasants of Soviet Armenia and Azerbaijan. (L. Chorbajian, P. Donabedian, C. Mutafian, 1994) The decision by Narimanov was acclaimed by the ethnic Armenians which thought that it was a fair decision. Moreover, Narimanov declared: no territorial conflict will cause bloodshed between these two age-old neighbourly peoples. ( Chorbajian, Donabedian, Mutafian, 1994). Yerevans central authority henceforth declared: Based on the declaration of (Azrevkom)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is hereby declared that Mountainous Karabagh is henceforth an integral part of the Socialist Soviet Republic of Armenia (Libaridian, 2004) This announcement was never realised, even if it was at the beginning supported by Stalin. Stalins view was that Karabagh should be given to Azerbaijan, in an effort to increase friendly relations with Turkey, which by then had aspirations to be a communist state. (Lane, 1992) It must be understood that Turks and Azeris are ethnically the same people. Even though the decision over NK was reached on July 4th 1921 in the Kavburo (Caucasian Bureau of the Communist Party): Based on the declaration of (Azrevkom)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is hereby declared that Mountainous Karabagh is henceforth an integral part of the Socialist Soviet Republic of Armenia (Libaridian, 2004) The Kars and Moscow treaties were signed in October, giving Azerbaijan the control of NK. Thus, NKs Armenian populations (90% of NK) desire to unite with Armenia was ignored, creating ethnic tensions that would eventually end in full scale war. The Armenians tried to relocate NK to Armenia SSR in 1929, 1935, 1963, 1966, 1977 and 1987. The main reasons were the anti-Armenian discrimination, demographic shifts and economic underdevelopment. (Ulubabian, 1994) The Armenian population had declined by 25% from 1920 to 1979, due to hardships created by these discriminatory attitudes. The modern conflict started on February 1988, when due to the glasnost policy created by Gorbachev and its subsequent openness, the NK authorities asked to transfer the NK Autonomous Oblast to Armenia SSR. The reaction in Azerbaijan SSR was negative, as in 13th June it rejected this demand, on the other hand Armenia SSR on 15th June gave acceptance to this request. Due to the argument between Azerbaijan SSR and Armenia SSR, Moscow had to decide, and since Articles 73 and 78 of the 1977 USSR Constitution states that borders may only be changed if both republics agree on the change, NK stayed under Azerbaijans SSR authority, until the Soviet Union broke down in 1991. The conflict itself started with violence and ethnic-cleansing, with guerrilla warfare. Pogroms against Armenians started in Sumgait (near Baku) in February 1988 and in January 1990 in Baku. The Armenians of Baku (approximately 220,000) and from other parts of Azerbaijan were forced to flee, except in areas of NK. In return, Azeris in Armenia (160,000) were forced to leave, however no pogroms and mass violence was recorded, unlike in Baku. It was not until Yeltsin came to power that Russia sided with the Armenians, as before the USSR broke down the USSR Army was helping the Azeris. The Russians helped the Armenians with weapons, fuel and logistical support. The reason the Russians sided with the Armenians was because it was against Azerbaijans pro-Turkey and pro-Western positions. (Betts, 1999). Russias view was that Armenia was its only ally in the South Caucasus, and due to its geopolitical situation in regard to Turkey in Iran, help should be given. Full scale war broke out between 1991 and 1994 among the Azeri Army and the irregular Armenian guerrilla fighters. At the beginnings of 1992 the Azeris were in control of nearly half of NK, forcing out Armenian civilians as they advanced. Spring 1992 was when the advantage turned towards the Armenians, as their offensive pushed the Azeris to retreat. Once the city of Shushi was captured in May 8 1992, the Armenians had control of NK and the surrounding territories. It must be noted that the Armenian side was mostly fought by guerrilla fighters, which did not respond to any central authority in NK or Armenia. Most of the fighters or Fedayeen (Freedom Fighters), as the Armenians call them, were ordinary people without training or military weapons. The Armenians were helped by the Diaspora, which sent money, weapons and volunteers to help. The Azeri side brought mercenaries from Chechnya and mujahedeen from Pakistan and Afghanistan (approximately 3,000 fighters). (Taarnby, Michael. 2008 ) In May 1994 a cease fire was signed with Russia as intermediary in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The ceasefire was signed by the Azerbaijani authorities and General Babayan from the NK Armed forces. The result of the war was that the Armenians ended up controlling 20% of Azerbaijans territory. An estimated 4,500 people died and 25,00 wounded from the Armenian side, and an estimated 30,000 died and 60,000 wounded on the Azeri side. (De Waal, 2003). CEASE FIRE AND PEACE TALKS Before the ceasefire agreement mediated by Russia, several attempts were made to find a solution. The first attempt was by Boris Yeltsin and Nursultan Nazarbayev on September 1991, it gave no fruit. Next mediation was by Iran on February 1992. Since Irans historical relationship with both the Armenians and the Azeris was close, it attempted to increase its dominance in the region, especially to push Turkey aside. The Tehran conference did not reach to any agreement. After this, CSCE (Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe) started to arbitrate, it also pressed Iran out of the negotiations, as the latter was not a member of CSCE, On August 1992, Nazarbayev tried again, but the mediation led to nowhere. CSCE tried on several occasions from 1992 until December 1994 to reach an agreement for both sides, but its inexperience and Russias parallel involvement made it fail. From May 1994, when the ceasefire was signed, several propositions were laid on the negotiation table, but NK was only to agree to a complete package, while Azerbaijan pushed for a step by step approach. (Mo oradian, 1999) To date, there has been no concrete agreement between the two parts. The main mediator is the Minsk Group, created in 1993 by the CSCE (now OSCE), even though the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have met on various occasions, NKs government is still left out of any negotiations. CAN KOSOVO BE USED AS AN EXAMPLE? After the recognition of Kosovos independence, many other de facto states looked closely to see if it would set an example. Even though the states that have recognised Kosovo state that Kosovo cannot be used as a precedent, others may argue that it can and has. The main reason the international community uses to implicate the uniqueness of Kosovo is that it has been under UN and international control, while other de facto states like NK, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have not. To analyse the relevance of Kosovo, a comparison is made. The similarities with NK are various: both consist of a minority that sees itself discriminated, both conflicts started in an era of transition brought by the disintegration of the Soviet Union, both held referendums and used the peoples right to self determination idea. The differences must also be noted: NK can argue that before the transition era, it already was an Autonomous Oblast. NK has existed for longer, with relative better stability, and has made more progress on state-building, even though it received less international attention and financial support. (Murinson, 2004) Other differences are that NK is not accepted as a negotiating part in the peace process, Armenia acts as its representative. It can be argued that the Kosovo can be used as an example of a state gaining independence, however, the international community argues that it is a unique case, however this does not limit the political ramifications it has brought. Kosovos independence has given hope to other de facto states, who argue that in all, they should have a better chance in gaining independence than Kosovo. As the former President of NK stated: If the world community is ready to recognize the independence of Kosovo, I think it will be very hard for them to explain why they do not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh (Yakubyan, 2006) And as the Speaker of NK Parliament said: A serious basis for the international recognition of our sovereignty, we have held free elections for 16 years, law-enforcement bodies are formed, powers are divided, [the] army is under civil control (Karabakh Has Serious Grounds for International Recognition of Sovereignty «, in: Karabakh Open, 20 February 2008) To explain why Kosovo deserves international recognition and other de facto states in very similar positions do not is very hard, even by the same international community that accepted Kosovos independence. The reasons can vary from the official statement that Kosovo has been under international control, while other have not, but it is also correct to assume that other factors such as mutual interests among regional powers. Russias involvement in the NK peace process has many times thrown the Minsk Groups propositions away, as Russia can benefit from the no peace no war situation over NK: it sells arms and heavy weaponry to both Armenia and Azerbaijan, arming both sides. WHY HAS ARMENIA NOT RECOGNISED NKS INDEPENDENCE? This question is very interesting in the sense that it would be logical that Armenia should be the first country in recognising the independence of NK, however there is one main reason of why it has not. The official Armenian response to these questions is that since Armenia has started: An international legal process of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh  conflict, and this is why Armenia has still not recognized the enclaves independence It  is for  the  same reason that Armenia has not recognized the independence of Kosovo, Oleg   Yesayan,   Armenian   ambassador   to   Belarus. (Alima Bissenova. (2008). Armenia links issue of Abkhazia, S. Ossetia to N.-Karabakh. Available: http://www.cacianalyst.org/?q=taxonomy/term/4page=6. Last accessed 20th January 2011.) However, due to the recent statements by Azerbaijan of taking NK back by force has made the Armenian side declare that it would recognise NK if war started: Armenia is categorically against a military resolution of the problem. In the event Azerbaijan unleashes a new military venture, Armenia will have no other choice but to recognize de jure the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and provide for the safety of its population through all means, President of Armenia, Serge Sarkisian Astana, Kazakhstan, December 2010. EuroAsia. (2010). Armenia Says Will Recognize Karabakh In Case Of War. Available: http://www.eurasianet.org/node/62556. Last accessed 20th January 2011 One could argue that Armenia should recognise NK, in the same manner as Russia has recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The recognition of NK would give Armenia legal right to aid NK in case war started with Azerbaijan. Moreover, some argue that if Armenia does not recognise NK in the foreseeable future, the status and issue of NK could be forgotten to history, as it would lose its momentum in the pursuit for recognition. RECOMENDATIONS From the overall analysis of the NK conflict and other similar conflicts around the world, some basic and concrete to the NK case recommendations can be made: OSCE and other international peace organisations should look to include NK in the negotiation process as an independent actor, like they did with the ceasefire agreement. International organisations should pave the way to stipulate better assurances for non resumption of armed conflict. The line of fire should be closely observed for ceasefire violations. Programs should be developed in order to teach both societies about tolerance, reconciliation and mutual respect. International organisations should look to integrate the public in debates and discussions, and rely less on top-down approaches. (Faber, 2005) International organisations should push for a peacekeeping force to be deployed on the contact line, it should also try to organise a new referendum under the eyes of international observers, henceforth push for a lawful democratisation and a peace settlement. (Freizer, 2006) Governments in Armenia, NK, and Azerbaijan should start to include conflict resolution and prevention, peace building and peacekeeping, human rights programmes at schools and universities, in order to increase public awareness. NGOs should create projects along with the civil society to educate the population about the conflict and conciliation for peace. Finally, an international recognition of NK would ensure a peaceful settlement of the conflict, and would make NK answerable to international law. Moreover, NK would have access to loans from the IMF or the WB, thus being able to develop better as a state. Open borders with Azerbaijan would bolster trade, and maybe bring trust between the people. CONCLUSION The conflict of NK is very complicated to be able to analyse without going into much detail. There are many arguments for and against certain strategies, using international law, international recognition, state sovereignty, refugees, and many others, but one thing is being ignored; the fact that NK has been acting like any other recognised democratic state for over 15 years. NKs human rights violations, degree of democracy and transparency and corruption are all better than Armenia or Azerbaijan, (Freedom House, 2011) yet still there is little advance among the international community in recognising NK. Some may add that the West uses double standards: Weve got used to the double standards of the West. I believe that the people of South Ossetia have much more reason for gaining independence than the Kosovan Albanians. (Yuri Morozov, Prime Minister of South Ossetia). In my opinion, the West does not fully use double standards, but approaches the question very surgically, since it und erstands the uniqueness of every conflict, and that it could be disastrous to use one peace settlement in another area, as every conflict has its own inimitable dynamics. I think that NK pace to independence is correct, as sooner or later it will have to be recognised, it should continue developing its government in order to set an example. In the near future two outcomes are possible, either an international recognition of NK or war will break out, it is inevitable, as both sides continue arming themselves, therefore it in my opinion it is in the best interest that of the international community to prevent such hostilities by recognizing NK. As Chekov said: If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise dont put it there. (A. P. Chekhov, in Teatr i iskusstvo 1904, No. 28, 11 July, p. 521)