Saturday, November 9, 2019
Explain what is work force planning and what are the steps that involve in work force planning Essay
Work force planning is a continuous process and one of the important activities in an organization. The work force planning process starts by analyzing the companyââ¬â¢s strategy. The result of this analysis is then taken to forecast the required demand for labor and how this is likely to be supported. Thereafter the human resource plan would be implemented which aims to deliver the right number, the right people for the business. There are 8 steps that are followed in work force planning; 1. Work force planning- Where, when and how many people are going to be needed. A company would gain many advantages if it acts strategically, proactively, correctly and efficiently. Also by thinking how it affects the strategy of the organization. For Ex: some companies in USA do not think in strategic manner. They will just meet up in a bar and just discuss how many people are required without thinking much ahead. This would lead to failure. 2. Candidate profiling- This means who do we need, what is the profile of that person that we are looking for, what should be the competency, what are the soft skills or hard skills that the company is looking at of a person etc. This comes through the process of bench marking, profiling, work of science. The company also has to really understand the position of the company, and what advantages it gives the company. It also involves predicting the personââ¬â¢s success in doing the job. 3. Employ branding- It involves the organization culture, which has things like how do we speak to our candidates, how we look after them, how do we brand ourselves etc. This is part of the strategic process of the organization. It matters as to how our organization differs from other company brandings how do we compete with them by this branding etc. 4. Source the Candidate- Most companies donââ¬â¢t source the right candidate. They donââ¬â¢t use the right way, or donââ¬â¢t brain the right people. As a result the wrong, candidate would remain in the organization and it becomes a burden to others and the department. Sourcing means how does a company go to the market and do the sourcing of candidates and how do they define it, companyââ¬â¢s approach of doing it. How does the company strategically go to the market, consistently over time, where when the company needs it, ensuring that all the potential candidates that has the skill background the company is looking for is been approached. 5. Screening and Assessing ââ¬âscreening is looking at the hard skills and assessment is looking at the soft skills. 6. Selection- This is processes of bring down the number 100,200 odd applicants to a small number by assessing through different demarcations. A methodology should be outlined in doing so. 7. Retention- after hiring them how do we keep them. The best talent acquisition strategy, the talent management strategy is to grow people. Ex: onboarding/ orientation process, 360 degree review, training initiatives, career path, career development, exit interviews, leadership development strategy, work place study strategy, are the components of what we look at after hiring somebody to keep them engaged and to make them part of the organization. 8. Technology- HRIS, time attendance, background checks etc to make that process automated. This should be given least HR time, as much attention should be given to people aspect as this can operate fully outmodedly.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
History of Pluto Exploration
History of Pluto Exploration Pluto has long been considered as the ninth planet from the sun. It is the sixth planet from the earth. It is so far away that for many centuries, astronomers and scientists were not able to study this planet as extensively as they would have wanted.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of Pluto Exploration specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But because of the rapid improvement in technology whether in computers, telescope design or even the use of spacecraft to penetrate deep space, more light has been shed on this far flung planet of the solar system. In just one hundred years much has been known about Pluto than in all the years combined after Galileo pointed his telescope to the stars. Since the time that astronomers were able to use very powerful telescopes and peer into the night sky, they were dumbfounded by a scientific phenomenon. They observed that the orbit of Neptune did not quite follow the rules of New tonian physics. According to the director of New York Cityââ¬â¢s Hayden Planetarium, ââ¬Å"Scientists saw the path of Neptune around the sun, and they saw that it wasnââ¬â¢t quite following Newtonââ¬â¢s laws of gravity. And so either Newton was wrong â⬠¦ or there was some other mass out there that they hadnââ¬â¢t cataloged yet that was influencing the motion of Neptuneâ⬠(Cruz, 2009, p.1). So from that day forward until the discovery of the mysterious mass orbiting behind Neptune astronomers labeled this heavenly body as planet X (Cruz, 2009, p.1). It only required a dedicated astronomer with the right tools to discover what is behind this phenomenon. The Discovery of Pluto In 1930 an American astronomer made a commitment to discover the explanation as to why Neptune behaved that way. His name was Clyde Tombaugh and he was working at the Lowell Observatory (Brown Thomas, year, p.1). He was not even the chief astronomer but a mere observing assistant in the fac ility made famous by astronomer Percivall Lowell (Brown Thomas, year, p.1). But he was determined to discover planet X. After a year of painstaking research and the long nights of studying photographic plates, Tombaugh had his eureka moment on February 18, 1930 when he was comparing two plates taken one month before and by flicking the plates from one plate to the other Tombaugh hopes to spot the difference (Brown Thomas, year, p.1). As he was repeating the process he saw a tiny speck in the photo ââ¬â a small object a few millimeters in size but that was the planet that he was looking for. His discovery changed the way people see the solar system (Brown Thomas, year, p.1). Tombaugh on the other hand received the recognition he richly deserved.Advertising Looking for essay on astronomy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Far, Far, Away There is no need to point out that Pluto is the farthest in the solar system. It is estimated to be thirty times smaller than Mercury and therefore it is a planet that is smaller the earthââ¬â¢s moon. It is also a planet that is one over five hundredth the size of planet earth. These facts and new discoveries forced many to initiate a debate whether it is proper to call Pluto a planet or a comet or piece of rock that orbits the sun. When it comes to Pluto there are more questions than answers. Scientists are also fascinated by its different behavior as compared to other eight planets that populate the solar system. For instance, in 1979 it was first discovered that Pluto only gets to complete its orbit after more than 200 years of movement around the sun. But there is more, this planet has a highly elliptical orbit that once in its two-hundred year orbit it inserts itself between Uranus and Neptune (NASA Science, ) It is an unsettling fact for some but a source of fascination for others. The aberration in the orbit path may occur once in two centuries but it is not rectified as quickly as one will expect. As mentioned the shift in orbit was noticed in 1979 but it was only ââ¬Å"correctedâ⬠in February 11, 1999 ââ¬â almost 20 years of staying within the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. Due to its distance and position relative to the sun, astronomers always associate Pluto with ice and a frigid climate. It is also easy to dismiss it as noting more than a chunk of ice and rock (Cowen, 2010, pl1). But recent developments suggest that there is more to Pluto than what scientists believe is possible. Marc Buie a planetary scientist discovered that Pluto has undergone some dramatic surface changes that prompted him and other scientists to conclude that it has become redder (Cowen, 2010, p.1). Buie and even his colleagues do not have an explanation why Pluto is undergoing significant changes. At first they thought that it was due to elevated levels of ultra-violet frays from the sun. Now they have abandoned this explanation because th ey believe that the sunââ¬â¢s rays were constant at the time that Pluto showed these changes. They are more likely to go with the second explanation. They said that Plutoââ¬â¢s distance from the sun coupled with a 248 year orbit around it is the most likely culprit for the color change of the planetââ¬â¢s surface (Cowen, 2010, p.1). This has another major implication. It means that there is more to this planet aside from its being the outermost planet in the solar system.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of Pluto Exploration specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Scientists must continue to probe and study Pluto and not be embroiled in the current controversy whether to change its designation as the 9th planet from the sun or just a chunk of ice orbiting behind Neptune just like the other large pieces of rock that can be seen in the Kuiper Belt but are deemed to be of less importance. This sentiment is ech oed by many astronomers and scientists all over the world. According to Tyson, the director of Hayden Planetarium in New York City, it is only Americans who are obsessed with Pluto but the rest of the world in his estimation are not that interested in this planet. Fran Bagenal a graduate student at MIT said that sending a mission to study Pluto in depth was seen as an uninteresting way to spend tax-payers money to force NASA to deploy a space prove over that region in the solar system. In fact, it is the only planet in the solar system that has not been visited by any unmanned spacecraft from the earth (NASA Science, 1999, p.1). It was pointed out that even the Hubble Space Telescope was not even programmed to go near it and take images close range. According to scientists the Hubble Space Telescope was only able to take pictures of the largest features of the planetââ¬â¢s surface (NASA Science, 1999, p.1). This has to change especially in the light of recent controversy regardin g Plutoââ¬â¢s nomenclature. While there are many who are not keen in spending millions of dollars to study Pluto there are those who wanted to give it a try. One of them is Alan Stern who since 1989 were badgering his scientists friends to petition NASA to explore Pluto. He was fascinated by the fact that Pluto resembles an overgrown comet rather than an undersized planet ( ) He is also interested to know more as to a phenomenon easily observable from the earth and it is the fact that solar winds blows gases from the surface of Pluto in the same way as seeds are blown from a dandelion flower () Stern also pointed out that Pluto is covered with frozen gases but these gases evaporate every time Plutoââ¬â¢s orbit is near the sun. This evaporated gases immediately forms an atmosphere but its gravity is so weak that a significant portion of that atmosphere is blown away (Guterl, 2006). But most importantly Stern argues that the significance of a more detailed study of Pluto is to r eveal the mysteries that lie at the edge of the solar system (Guterl, 2006). It is indeed a project that needs to be started soon. Conclusion It was not only the 2oth century that an astronomer was able to discover the planet Pluto and designated it as the ninth planet from the sun. It is located in the outer edges of the solar system and explains why it is frigid, covered with frozen gas and requires 248 years to complete one orbit.Advertising Looking for essay on astronomy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Its distance and size may be the real reason why NASA is not going to invest millions of dollars to send a spacecraft and study it in detail. But there is more to know about Pluto. It is time to invest more in studying this fascinating planet. The more scientists probe into Pluto the more they will understand the mysteries that lie behind the solar system. Brown, M. Thomas P. Pluto and the Developing Landscape. 2010. International Astronomic Union. Web. Cowen, Ron. Pluto Blushes Red. 2010. ScienceNews. Web. Cruz, Gilbert. Astrophysicist Neil de Grasse Tyson. 21 Time. 2009. Web. Guterl, Fred. Pluto Explored. 2006. Discover. Web. NASA Science. Much Ado about Pluto. 1999. NASA Science. Web.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
A Brief Explanation of Evolution
A Brief Explanation of Evolution The theory of evolution is a scientific theory that essentially states that species change over time. There are many different ways species change, but most of them can be described by the idea of natural selection. The theory of evolution through natural selection was the first scientific theory that put together evidence of change through time as well as a mechanism for how it happens. History of the Theory of Evolution The idea that traits are passed down from parents to offspring has been around since the ancient Greek philosophers time. In the middle 1700s, Carolus Linnaeus came up with his taxonomic naming system, which grouped like species together and implied there was an evolutionary connection between species within the same group. The late 1700s saw the first theories that species changed over time. Scientists like the Comte de Buffon and Charles Darwins grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, both proposed that species changed over time, but neither man could explain how or why they changed. They also kept their ideas under wraps due to how controversial the thoughts were compared to accepted religious views at the time. John Baptiste Lamarck, a student of the Comte de Buffon, was the first to publicly state species changed over time. However, part of his theory was incorrect. Lamarck proposed that acquired traits were passed down to offspring. Georges Cuvier was able to prove that part of the theory incorrect, but he also had evidence that there were once living species that had evolved and gone extinct. Cuvier believed in catastrophism, meaning these changes and extinctions in nature happened suddenly and violently. James Hutton and Charles Lyell countered Cuviers argument with the idea of uniformitarianism. This theory said changes happen slowly and accumulate over time. Darwin and Natural Selection Sometimes called survival of the fittest, natural selection was most famously explained by Charles Darwin in his book On the Origin of Species. In the book, Darwin proposed that individuals with traits most suitable to their environments lived long enough to reproduce and passed down those desirable traits to their offspring. If an individual had less than favorable traits, they would die and not pass on those traits. Over time, only the fittest traits of the species survived. Eventually, after enough time passed, these small adaptations would add up to create new species. These changes are precisely what makes us human.à Darwin was not the only person to come up with this idea at that time. Alfred Russel Wallace also had evidence and came to the same conclusions as Darwin around the same time. They collaborated for a short time and jointly presented their findings. Armed with evidence from all over the world due to their various travels, Darwin and Wallace received favorable responses in the scientific community about their ideas. The partnership ended when Darwin published his book. One very important part of the theory of evolution through natural selection is the understanding that individuals cannot evolve; they can only adapt to their environments. Those adaptations add up over time and, eventually, the entire species has evolved from what it was like earlier. This can lead to new species forming and sometimes extinction of older species. Evidence for Evolution There are many pieces of evidence that support the theory of evolution. Darwin relied on the similar anatomies of species to link them. He also had some fossil evidence that showed slight changes in the body structure of the species over time, often leading to vestigial structures. Of course, the fossil record is incomplete and has missing links. With todays technology, there are many other types of evidence for evolution. This includes similarities in the embryos of different species, the same DNA sequences found across all species, and an understanding of how DNA mutationsà work in microevolution. More fossil evidence has also been found since Darwins time, although there are still many gaps in the fossil record. The Theory of Evolution Controversy Today, the theory of evolution is often portrayed in the media as a controversial subject. Primate evolution and the idea that humans evolved from monkeys has been a major point of friction between scientific and religious communities. Politicians and court decisions have debated whether or not schools should teach evolution or if they should also teach alternate points of view like intelligent design or creationism. The State of Tennessee v. Scopes, or the Scopes Monkey Trial, was a famous court battle over teaching evolution in the classroom. In 1925, a substitute teacher named John Scopes was arrested for illegally teaching evolution in a Tennessee science class. This was the first major court battle over evolution, and it brought attention to a formerly taboo subject. The Theory of Evolution in Biology The theory of evolution is often seen as the main overarching theme that ties all topics of biology together. It includes genetics, population biology, anatomy and physiology, and embryology, among others. While the theory has itself evolved and expanded over time, the principles laid out by Darwin in the 1800s still hold true today.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Continuing case report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words
Continuing case report - Research Paper Example The planning function enables management to think strategically and align or re-align its objectives. Hence the emphasis from relying on muscle cars such as Hummer shifted from much fuel efficient, electronic car models such as Chevy Volt. Being proud of its legacy, it was about time that GM reinvented its ways and launched a car that suites its customers and the market. With the big idea of Chevy Volt, the company also invested in smaller innovations that can complement its existing products. Planning ahead for future requires a visionary mind-set something GM was lacking for a long time but recent plans are proving fruitful. The change that GM went through was phenomenal, understanding the needs of the customers and the environment gave them much deserved success. The skills involved in such an Endeavour may range from problem solving skills, forecasting, decision making and inevitable change management skills besides the obvious leadership and managerial skills. The shift from mus cle to green fuels was a turnaround from traditional ways, something that helped the company gain increased market share and loyalty from customers. Question 2 The automotive industry, much like many other industries has undergone immense changes. The traditional reliance on carbon based fuels led to the deterioration of environment, besides being a costly fuel that saw increase in the global market. With harsh economic conditions customers started preferring smaller cars with small engine size with cheap maintenance costs. European Union and other advanced regions capped the CO2 emission standards that were not followed by models manufactured by GM. The awareness related to environment enhanced over time and countries started to introduce laws that would restrict car manufacturers from making traditional cars. Most competitors of GM started research and development on the subject matter decades before GM resulting in smaller more fuel efficient cars that became an instant hit in th e car market. The society that once preferred cars that are meaner with big engines and power started rethinking its preference and started opting for cheaper cars with fuel efficiency and less carob emissions. GM resisted this change and started making fewer units to attract its niche customers that were still in love with the muscle cars. Although the realization that society and political institutions would not approve of similar cars anymore the management reinvented its approach and after much wait and deliberation the first electronically fuelled car was launched. During this transition GM came close to getting bankrupt and was bailed out by the US government. With its existence at stake the management had no option but to discontinue its traditional muscle models and manufacture a car that would satisfy the needs of society and adhere to regulations posed by political institutions while remaining affordable for the customers. Question 3 GM is a pioneer in the automotive indus try; it remained the market leader in the America and had strong shares in other regions for decades. It created a strong brand image fuelled by its inventiveness and uncompromising quality products. It grew rapidly and owning a GM model was seen as prestige among the American citizens and nationalities. Based on its success and huge market share it started manufacturing hoards of cars that would appeal to
Thursday, October 31, 2019
IT - Radio Frequency Identification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
IT - Radio Frequency Identification - Essay Example This arises because of the simple reason that an wireless monitoring system is capable of checking the work that a person does or claims to have done in addition to even the personal chores that one might attend to. It is like any other personal monitoring system, like say a video-graphy station in a parking lot. There will of course, be occasions when the monitoring station infringes in to the privacy of the individual. The user of such devices has to exhibit caution and responsibility in addition to technical prowess. RFID comes under two basic technological models. One, we call the passive RFID tag and the other an active RFID tag. While the passive RFID tag has a pretty long life with no supporting batteries inside the tag, the active RFID tag has a battery inside it which makes the life of the tag relatively lesser though the power consumption of such tags are very small1. The corollary of such a limited life is that, the RFID tags cannot be embedded permanently inside any object or an animal body including man. If it has to be done, then it has to be a passive tag. The passive tags have another major limitation being that they cannot be read from a distance that is greater than two feet effectively. There are passive tags that are supposed to read even from greater distances but are not found effective. Technologically this limitation arises because of the fact that the RFID tag uses the induction technology of the radio frequency waves. There is always an RFID reader that is placed at strategic points. These readers emanate radiations all around and get triggered once it senses a response. These readers are generally directed and emit radiations only in one direction. In case of a passive tag, the waves sent out by the reader induces a current in the tag itself. This powers the operation of the tag and it passes to the reader a specific number or identification that forms the basis of communication between the two. However, in case of an active tag, the active tag receives the signal and is able to boost it and send it back to the reader. Since this has an internal source of power, the active tags can respond to even very feeble signals from the readers. This is the reason why while passive tags can be read out of a distance of one and half feet to two feet, that of the active tag is much more. And as we have seen earlier, the same reason also has a disadvantage that of life time limitation. RFID provides its users the facility of storage, retrieval, erase and rewriting of the data in the RFID tags from the remote reader. This makes the RFID immensely powerful and enables it to have details like the entire patient history in case of hospitals, payment histories in case of customers / vendors and production data in case you need to monitor the work in progress. Remote reading and writing of data into the RFID tags also make it the right kind of tool to monitor animals in a farm and assets or library books that are issued and returned or routed to some body else. All these are massive advantages for industries. However, these can also be misused by having and storing data that goes into the
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Elite Running Inc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Elite Running Inc - Case Study Example The inventory of Elite rose by 39% in 2003 as compared to 2002. The rise in the level of inventory was preplanned by the management in order to be prepared to grab the offers from the suppliers when they offer favorable prices for the company. The changes also indicate that while the sales have declined for the company by 24%, the gross profits have declined by 53.8%. This fall in gross profits was mainly due to the changes in the product prices due to the change in competitive market scenario with the appearance of a new entrant named, Stampy. The other significant changes include fall of retained earnings of the company by 11.2% and the fall of equity by 8.4%. Explanation for tick-marks b, e & k The explanation for the tick-marks has been explained as follows. Tick-mark b The fall in the accounts receivable of Elite Running Inc. in 2003 as compared to the value of 2003 could be explained by the fall of sales figures of the company. Due to the fall in the level of sales volume of th e company, the credit offered for sales also reduced. Thus the accounts receivable also declined in 2003 as compared to 2002. Tick-mark e The inventory of the company increased by 17 million dollars which is a rise of 39% in inventory level of 2003 as compared to that of 2002. ... Tick-mark k Elite running Inc. has faced unprecedented competition in 2003. The management forecasted a 10% rises in the sales as compared to 2002. However, due to entry of a new competitor and offers of a similar footwear and apparel product by the competitor eroded their market share as the customers inclined towards the products offered by Stampy. This led to the fall of revenue earnings of the company. In order to respond to the changed external environment, the company reduced its product prices. Although, it allowed the company to retain a large number of customers, the gross profit of the company declined. Discussion: auditing and accounting issues for identified changes The accounting and auditing issues identified in the valuation accounts receivable suggest that the valuation of accounts receivables should have been $51m instead of $60m that has been recorded in the books of accounts. The issue behind this gap is that the management has influenced the accountant and the aud itor in disclosing consistent value of aging account (AICPA 18). The accounts receivable figure for a period of less than 30 days has also been suggested to be maintained at 85%. In order to do this, the accounts receivable from the three sales transactions of the new sales and marketing tool of the company, named Andy Dufresne has not been recorded under the assurance of the management. This is an auditing issue as it shows clear deviation from standards of accounting (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 1). The accounting and auditing issue involved in the rise of inventory level of Elite Running Inc. questions the gap between the available information on the receipt of supplier materials as the reason for rise in inventory and the
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Drosophila Immunohistochemistry Practical
Drosophila Immunohistochemistry Practical Abstract Immunohistochemistry uses monoclonal antibodies to detect specific proteins in tissue samples with a visible label. For this practical, immunohistochemistry was used to visualise the distribution of protein in the 3rd instar Drosophila melanogaster larvae brain. The distribution of protein was visualised using a primary monoclonal antibody, and this primary antibody was then detected by a secondary antibody. Detection of the secondary antibody is via an enzyme reaction which produces a coloured precipitate. The secondary antibody used is a monoclonal antibody that recognises IgG from a mouse which is attached to alkaline phosphatase. Looking at the protein distribution pattern in the larval brain the antibody used was detected. Brain samples were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at room temperature for 20 minutes, then washed four times with PBST prior to blocking with 10% donkey serum for 45 minutes. The primary antibody was added, and the brains incub ated at 4à °C overnight. The antibody used was embryonic lethal abnormal vision (ELAV). This is because there are domains in the optic lobe which look like dots and webs from binding of ELAV to the specific proteins in the brain. Introduction Immunohistochemistry is the use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to detect specific proteins in sections of tissues. Applications of immunohistochemistry has been used by pathologists for the diagnosis of cancers. This is because certain antigens particularly tumour antigens are expressed in certain cancers (Kaliyappan et al, 2012). The main principles of immunohistochemistry include a primary antibody which binds to a specific protein of interest. Then a complex of an antibody binding to a specific protein is formed from incubation with a secondary antibody. Finally, in the presence of a substrate and chromogen, an enzyme catalysis happens to generate a coloured precipitate at the antibody-protein specific binding sites (Immunohistochemistry.us, n.d.). Monoclonal antibodies are specific antibodies produced by a B lymphocyte cell which recognises a specific protein such as an antigen. Polyclonal antibodies on the other hand are antibodies produced by a collection of different B lymphocytes. They are able to recognise specific epitopes on an antigen (Lipman et al., 2005). Primary antibodies are antibodies which bind to a specific antigen. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies are classified as primary antibodies (Cheriyedath, 2016). Secondary antibodies are the antibodies which bind to the primary antibody to allow detection of the primary antibody under a microscope (Rockland-inc.com, n.d.). Primary and secondary antibodies are used because primary antibodies detect a complimentary protein which is of particular interest whilst the secondary antibody is raised against immunoglobulins associated with the primary antibody. The secondary antibody then associates with a linker molecule which then recruits reporter molecules or the antibody binds directly to the reporter molecule. Drosophila is used as a model organism because their genome is very closely related to the human genome. This means that human genes can be mapped to drosophila genes. Genes in human s which cause disease are also in drosophila. Many generations can be observed in drosophila because they have a short reproductive cycle. They are small so a lot of them can be kept in a laboratory. Fruit fly genes can be altered very easily. Transgenics can be easily produced in the flies and studied. A huge amount of biology is known for these fruit flies due to a lot of research and history in these flies (Jennings, 2011). Tumour-associated stromal cells can act non-autonomously to produce epithelial cancers. Using the drosophila model organism mutations have been identified in the human tumor susceptibility gene 101 (Tsg101) as a cause of these cancers. The Tsg101 homolog leads to Notch signalling and secretion of the JAK-STAT ligand, making neighbouring cells to grow. Drosophila serves as a model for cancer. The most present malignancies in the central nervous system include gliomas. Pathways for the gliomas in drosophila using the GAL4 system causes glias to increase and dama ge brain cells. (Spradling et al, 2006). The aim of this experiment was to use immunohistochemistry in order to detect protein distribution in the brain of the third instar Drosophila melanogaster larvae. By analysing the immuno stained sample the primary antibody used can be detected. Methods Steps of immunohistochemistry include: tissue preparation by fixation, protein retrieval, endogenous blockage and antibody labelling. In tissue preparation, tissues samples are preserved so protein and tissue architecture does not breakdown. Samples may be also need to be perfused for prevention of detecting non-specific proteins which can interfere with the detection of the target protein. In order for protein and tissue to not breakdown fixation is required. Steps of fixation include perfusion, immersion and freezing. In perfusion, tissues are perfused with a fixative to allow rapid fixation. During immersion tissues are immersed in the fixative to allow the fixative solution to diffuse through the tissue or cell sample. In the final step samples with protein that cannot survive fixation are frozen in liquid nitrogen whilst being embedded in a cryoprotective embedding medium. Once fixation is done the sample needs to be sectioned and mounted. The tissues which have been fixed with a paraformaldehyde solution are sectioned into slices which measure 4-5à µm using a microtome. After sectioning the sections are mounted onto a glass slide which is coated with an adhesive. Once mounting has been done the sections are dried and then deparaffinization takes place (Thermofisher.com, n.d.). The next major step is for the target protein to be retrieved. Paraffin is removed in order for the antibodies to reach the protein. Heat induced epitope retrieval is the most common used method to retrieve these proteins. This involves heating the slide at PH6 or PH9 depending on the antibody (Biosciences, 2014). Endogenous blocking needs to place because reagents which are present during immunohistochemistry are also present in cells. This can interfere with protein detection because of unwanted signals being produced that mistakenly detect an protein. Finally, the antibodies are labelled to detect the target antigens. The primary and secondary antibodies are diluted into a buffe r in order for the antibody to be stabilised. Rinse buffers are used between antibody applications to remove unbound antibodies (Thermofisher.com, n.d.). Once they are labelled the samples are viewed under a microscope (Biosciences, 2014). Results The primary antibody based on the protein distribution in the drosophila brain sample is the embroyonic lethal, abnormal vision (ELAV). A`ntenna A pair of appendages used for sensing. Eye disc The raised disk on the retina at the point of entry of the optic nerve, lacking visual receptors and so creating a blind spot. Optic stalk The constricted proximal portion of the optic vesicle in the embryo which forms the optic nerve. Optic lobe The lobe in the midbrain from which the optic nerve partly arises. Ventral nerve cord A chain of connected segmental ganglia which lies against the body wall in the body of the drosophila. Discussion In this practical, distribution of protein in the 3rd instar Drosophila melanogaster larvae brainwas detected using a primary antibody which binds to the specific antibody. Using a secondary antibody, the protein distribution was able to be visualised under a microscope by binding to the primary antibody. Based on the protein distribution visualised under the microscope the primary antibody used to bind to the proteins to produce the protein distribution was identified. The identified antibody was ELAV because there are domains in the optic lobe which look like discrete dots and webs. Embryonic lethal abnormal vision protein (ELAV protein) is a protein which binds to RNA thus an RNA binding protein expressed in brain cells of drosophila after birth. Repeats of an RNA binding domain approximately 80 amino acids in length is in these RNA-binding proteins. ELAV distribution has a similar distribution to many different splicing factors. Variants of genes which are correctly spliced in neurones are regulated by this ELAV protein. Additionally, this ELAV protein plays a role in the formation of the n-arm transcript of the drosophila armadillo. It is generated by splicing from exclusion from exon six of the ubiquitous arm. In mutant ELAV the amount of n-arm is reduced (Broody, 1996). Mutant ELAV have a short life span (Toba et al, 2010). Loss of function alleles for ELAV causes the drosophila embryo to be lethal with also mutant embryos having an abnormal neuropil. Also mutations produce abnormal eye structures, defective electroretinograms and flight defects. Mutant clo nes analysed in mosaic flies has shown that there is a post-embryonic role for ELAV for photoreceptor cells, optic lobe and associated neuropil areas to maintained. Because of this, phenotypes that appear to be a mutant has a role for ELAV in the formation and maintenance of the nervous system (Koushika et al, 1996). Significant divergence between humans and mouse has caused orthologous disease genes to arise. Orthologous genes arise due to speciation in homologous genes. An example is the TDP1 gene. This is a gene which has a role for Topo I DNA complexes to be repaired. TDP1 orthologs for expression in the inside of cells with localizations has been located in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Mutations in the TDP1 gene has been seen to have a causative link to spinocerebellar ataxia with axonal neuropathy (SCAN1) disorder. This mutation is not present in mouse ortholog. TDP1 expression in human and mouse are different and produce different phenotypes. Selectins P and E for inflammation is different when compared between humans and mouse. The orthologous human version of selectin P from mouse does not have the pathway needed for regulation (Gharib and Robinson-Rechavi, 2011). Immunohistochemistry is a useful technique because it is used in research and pathology laboratories where immunohistochemistry can help with diagnosing neoplasias and pseudo-neoplastic lesions (De Matos et al, 2010). IHC is used to test efficacy of pharmaceutical drugs by detecting the activity or the regulation of disease targets. Immunohistochemistry is a technique specifically for detecting proteins such as antigens in a tissue sample. In situ hybridisation involves finding the location of targets for specific nucleic acids in tissues and cells which have been fixed to gain information for expression of genes and genetic loci (Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, n.d.). RT-PCR is used for RNA expression analysis. Knowing the mRNA is important to understand what gene it is and protein distribution allows us to understand what affect the gene has in an organism. Questions à à The point of fixation is to fix the tissue sample so that putrefaction and autolysis does not occur. Fixation allows the tissue sample to kept in its natural state. This is important so that the structures in the cell do not fall apart and diffuse away. The fixative used in fixation disables intrinsic biomolecules, protects the tissue from extrinsic damage and also alters the tissue on a molecular level to increase their mechanical strength and stability. The step is very critical because proteins need to be localized because otherwise they will diffuse away from their initial location. Protein immobilization occurs before translocation. The final thing for fixation is that it achieves the most rapid reaction possible at a low temperature (Berod et al, 1981). Antibodies bind to epitopes on their complementary antigen. However sometimes these antibodies can bind to non-specific antibodies that is similar to the binding site on the target antibody. Because of this binding of non-specific sites, background staining can be created that can mask the detection of the target protein. To get rid of this background staining tissue samples are incubated with a buffer that blocks the reactive sites which are not 100% complimentary to the primary and secondary antibodies (Thermofisher.com, n.d.). NTMT solution is a buffer used for the blockage of non-specific binding sites (Ebioscience.com, n.d.). The colour reaction is the final step which involves visualising the tissue sample where a specific antibody binds to the tissue sample. After this the primary antibody is detected in two ways, directly or indirectly. The direct method is the colour producing reaction. The primary antibody is tagged with a peroxidase enzyme which is used in a reaction to generate a coloured product (Heyderman, 1979). Bibliography Berod, A., Hartman, B. and Pujol, J. (1981). Importance of fixation in immunohistochemistry: use of formaldehyde solutions at variable pH for the localization of tyrosine hydroxylase. Journal of Histochemistry Cytochemistry, 29(7), pp.844-850. Biosciences, I. (2014). Getting started with Immunohistochemistry Bitesize Bio. [Online] Bitesize Bio. Available at: http://bitesizebio.com/20929/getting-started-with-immunohistochemistry/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2016]. Broody, T. (1996). Interactive Fly, Drosophila. [Online] Sdbonline.org. Available at: http://www.sdbonline.org/sites/fly/neural/elav.htm [Accessed 15 Dec. 2016]. Cheriyedath, S. (2016). Primary and Secondary Antibodies: Whats the Difference?. [Online] News-Medical.net. Available at: http://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/Primary-and-Secondary-Antibodies-Whats-the-Difference.aspx [Accessed 10 Dec. 2016]. De Matos, L., Trufelli, D., da Silva Pinhal, M. and de Matos, M. (2010). Immunohistochemistry as an Important Tool in Biomarkers Detection and Clinical Practice. Biomarker Insights, 5(5), pp.9-20. Ebioscience.com. (n.d.). IHC Buffers and Solutions. [Online] Available at: http://www.ebioscience.com/knowledge-center/application/ihc/buffers-solutions-for-ihc.htm [Accessed 11 Dec. 2016]. Gharib, W. and Robinson-Rechavi, M. (2011). When orthologs diverge between human and mouse. Briefings in Bioinformatics, 12(5), pp.436-441. Heyderman, E. (1979). Immunoperoxidase technique in histopathology: applications, methods, and controls. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 32(10), pp.971-978. Immunohistochemistry.us. (n.d.). Immunohistochemistry Principle (IHC Principle). [Online] Available at: http://www.immunohistochemistry.us/IHC-principle.html [Accessed 10 Dec. 2016]. Jennings, B. (2011). Drosophila a versatile model in biology medicine. Materials Today, 14(5), pp.190-195. Kaliyappan, K., Palanisamy, M., Duraiyan, J. and Govindarajan, R. (2012). Applications of immunohistochemistry. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences, 4(6), pp.307-309. Koushika, S., Lisbin, M. and White, K. (1996). ELAV, a Drosophila neuron-specific protein, mediates the generation of an alternatively spliced neural protein isoform. Current Biology, 6(12), pp.1634-1641. Lipman, N., Jackson, L., Trudel, L. and Weis-Garcia, F. (2005). Monoclonal Versus Polyclonal Antibodies: Distinguishing Characteristics, Applications, and Information Resources. ILAR Journal, 46(3), pp.258-268. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. (n.d.). In Situ Hybridization (ISH). [Online] Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/probe/docs/techish/ [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Rockland-inc.com. (n.d.). Secondary Antibody Overview. [Online] Available at: http://www.rockland-inc.com/secondary-antibodies.aspx [Accessed 10 Dec. 2016]. Spradling, A., Ganetsky, B., Hieter, P., Johnston, M., Olson, M., Orr-Weaver, T., Rossant, J., Sanchez, A. and Waterson, R. (2006). New Roles for Model Genetic Organisms in Understanding and Treating Human Disease: Report From The 2006 Genetics Society of America Meeting. Genetics, 172(4), pp.2025-2032. Thermofisher.com. (n.d.). Overview of Immunohistochemistry | Thermo Fisher Scientific. [Online] Available at: https://www.thermofisher.com/uk/en/home/life-science/protein-biology/protein-biology-learning-center/protein-biology-resource-library/pierce-protein-methods/overview-immunohistochemistry.html [Accessed 10 Dec. 2016]. Toba, G., Yamamoto, D. and White, K. (2010). Life-span phenotypes of elav and Rbp9 in Drosophila suggest functional cooperation of the two elav-family protein genes. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, 74(4), pp.261-265.
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