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Tag Archives: bulk cooking
Tip: Why I Weigh My Ingredients
You have probably noticed by now that my recipes have measurements in both grams and cups. I have converted over to cooking by weighing my ingredients and you won’t believe how much easier it is.
Posted in Baking, Tips Tagged baking, bulk cooking, cooking, gluten free, grams, measuring, mise en place, weight Leave a comment
Tip: Sauté Onions in Bulk
There are many things I do in bulk to make home cooking easier for myself. In my last post you saw that I break out individual servings into canning jars for easy meals. I also do cooking chores in bulk that I dislike doing every time I need them. Sautéing onions is one of those chores. | https://www.creatingsilverlinings.com/tag/bulk-cooking/page/2/ |
Cooking for hormones and health doesn’t have to be stressful, some simple, minor changes can be made and it be a pleasure knowing you are making the best choices for hormones and health. Choices that will not only benefit you through menopause, but the health of those you care for too.
By substituting items and using various cooking techniques, you can not only reduce the amount of damaging fats and salt intake, but also increase the valuable nutrients in the food. Nutrients that will allow you to create greater hormone harmony, and optimum health through menopause and beyond.
Here I share my 5 healthy cooking techniques. To avoid this article being excessively long, do click on this link to find 7 healthy eating hints and tips which complement these cooking techniques and help you reduce your intake of refined sugars and carbohydrates as well as fats and salt.
I know that the microwave has transformed the way people cook their food, but it really isn’t my favourite method. The science for me is still contradictory and until I’m convinced that it is indeed healthy to eat food cooked this way, that essential nutrients aren’t lost, I won’t recommend it.
However! As always, it’s important we all do our own research and make up our own minds.
1. Steaming: Preserves nutrients, easy to prepare, food tastes great.
Steaming is one of the healthiest cooking techniques, particularly for vegetables. To preserve essential nutrients, be careful not to overcook your food, vegetables should still be brightly coloured and slightly crunchy in texture when done.
Confession 1: I didn’t eat a cooked vegetable until I was 27! I truly dislike sloppy veg (especially spinach) so steaming is my favourite method of cooking veggies to ensure they still retain that crunch.
2. Baking: Should not require additional fat.
Baking is a method of cooking inside the oven used to make breads, desserts, seafood, poultry, meats and vegetables. Use parchment paper to line baking sheets instead of greasing with oil or butter to make baking even healthier.
3. Poaching: Quick, no unwanted fats.
Poaching is a wonderful cooking technique particularly for chicken, fish and eggs. Food and water are added to a pan and simmered at low heat. Try adding (low/no salt) stock for an extra flavour.
4. Stir Frying: Uses healthy fats at medium heat threshold, quick to prepare
Food is cooked in a wok (or similar) over medium-high heat with continuous storing of the ingredients, keeping them nice and crisp without burning.
Confession 2: I am an EXPERT at ‘slightly scorching’ food.
When using healthy oils such as olive oil to cook with, it’s best to cook over medium heat to prevent exposure to oxidised or rancid fats when the heat is too high. To avoid oils altogether, you can also use a small amount of water or stock to replace the oil.
5. Sautéing: Convenient method that poses few health issues.
Sautéing is a method used to cook food quickly in a pan or skillet over a high heat with a small amount of fat (oil or butter). However, any time fats are included into a cooking practice that uses high heat, the problem of oxidising oil arises. To minimise this risk, you can replace oil with a little stock or add just a few drops of water to the oil. Alternatively, oils with high heat thresholds, e.g. coconut or rapeseed oil can be used.
All the above are simple cooking techniques, and with just a few considerations you can ensure you’re preserving nutrients and avoiding health damaging oils/fats in particular.
Click below to find 7 healthy eating hints and tips to help you further reduce harmful fats, sugars, carbs and salt, these can really help you with weight management as well as health and hormone balance..
7 healthy eating hints and tips for hormones & health
Enjoy!
Clare 🙂
Helping busy ladies naturally create harmony and health through the menopause years and beyond. Regain control, confidence, and be free to live the life they choose.
A full hysterectomy in her 30s led nutritional therapist and health coach Clare on an amazing adventure exploring the many opportunities available to manage her enforced menopause and create long-term health.
Clare prefers the natural approach, and qualifying in nutritional therapy gave her the confidence to come off HRT, take back control of her life and health, and look forward to living the best third of her life free of prescription drugs. Understanding the importance of creating harmony of health of both body and mind through menopause and beyond, she’s now on a mission to inspire, educate and empower other women, too. Help them create their ‘new life’.
Click HERE to find out more about how Clare shares her years of exploring, experience and knowledge through 1:1 consultations, speaking and online programmes, and where you can request a FREE 30 minute consultation with Clare to discuss any personal menopause/health concerns you may have. | https://www.yournewlifeplan.com/5-best-cooking-methods-for-hormones-and-health |
Ottolenghi's Chickpea Cooking Method
This is Yotam Ottolenghi's method for cooking chickpeas, which he learned from his friend Sami Tamimi's grandmother. Some people like to use this method to cook chickpeas for hummus, because it makes the skins very soft, and this results in a smoother hummus. The chickpeas are sautéed with baking soda for a few minutes, before dumping in the water to simmer the chickpeas. The baking soda makes the water more alkaline, which softens the chickpeas more quickly by weakening their pectic bonds. Also, sautéing the chickpeas with the baking soda before adding water adds a friction which helps break down the skins and gets the baking soda to penetrate the skin better. This allows them to cook much faster and puree smoother. NOTE - "preparation time" includes soaking time. This method also loosens and removes the skins on the chickpeas, so if your goal is to have whole, intact chickpeas for a recipe, this is not a good method to use.
- Ready In:
- 12hrs 40mins
- Yields:
-
- Units:
-
ingredients
- 1 1⁄3 cups dried garbanzo beans
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 7 cups water
directions
- The night before, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with cold water at least twice their volume. Leave to soak overnight for at least 12 or up to 24 hours.
- The next day, drain the chickpeas. Place a large pot over high heat and add the drained chickpeas and baking soda. Cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, skimming off any foam and any skins that float to the surface.
- The chickpeas will need to cook for 10 to 40 minutes, depending on the type and freshness, sometimes even longer. Start checking them after 10 minutes, and then check every 2 minutes after that. Once done, they should be very tender, breaking up easily when pressed between your thumb and finger. | https://www.food.com/recipe/ottolenghis-chickpea-cooking-method-509519 |
Lab 4 - Let’s get Functional!¶
In this short lab, we will be reviewing how to write our own functions in Python. The exercises are based on Chapter 7 of There Are Eels in My Hovercraft. If you have not read that chapter yet, you should review it now and try out the code examples.
Part 1: Writing Our Own Functions¶
Let’s look at structure of a function. Here is an illustration from Chapter 7 showing the basic structure of any function:
A function is just a block of code (the function body) with a name attached to it (such as
sing_verse) so that we can call the function to perform the block of statements.
The function definition doesn’t do anything until we call it.
Step through the code below using codelens. Notice that the first statement executed is
sing_verse(99). Calling the function causes the interpreter to go and execute the body of the function. When it reaches the end of the function body, it returns to point where it was called, and proceeds with the next line of code.
Function parameters¶
In order to correctly print a verse of the song, the function needs a piece of information, namely, the number of bottles currently on the wall. In order to provide that information, we use a special variable called a parameter. In this case, the parameter is called
num. This variable is defined in the parentheses of the function definition.
When the function is called, we have to supply a value for that variable, such as the number 99 in the line
sing_verse(99).
It is possible for a function to have no parameters like the one below. Notice we still need the empty parentheses!
Functions With Multiple Parameters¶
When there is more than one parameter, they are separated by a comma. Let’s write a function that takes two numbers as parameters and prints quotient and remainder.
-
sc-1-5: Suppose you are defining a function
- (A) def area(length, width):
- You don't need two parameters for a square, width and height are the same
- (B) def area(side):
- Good
- (C) def area(radius):
- Normally the word 'radius' refers to a circle
- (D) def area(length, width, height):
- You might need three parameters for a 3-d solid
areathat prints the area of a square. What should be the first line of the function definition?
Checkpoint 1¶
In Wing 101, create three files as follows.
- Create a file greetings.py and in it write a function that prints Birthday Wishes to your friend. The function takes your friend’s name as parameter and prints Happy Birthday, *name*!. Then, create a separate file **test_functions.py that tests the function by print birthday greetings for all your friends who are celebrating a birthday this month. (Be sure to include Steve, Kate, and Preeti!) Remember you’ll need an
importstatement (see the example in Chapter 7).
- Make a new file, called hypotenuse.py. For this checkpoint, write a Python function that, given the lengths of the two legs of a right triangle, prints the length of the hypotenuse. (Remember you can get the square root using
math.sqrt().) Add some test cases to your test_functions.py script.
Value Returning Functions¶
In the examples above, we write a function to produce some output. By creating a function, we don’t need to copy and paste the code when we need to the same task more than once - we can just call the function again.
However, we don’t always want a function to produce output: sometimes we just want it to compute a value and give the value back to us, so that we can use it later as we choose. This situation, in fact is much more common. Most of the Python library functions don’t produce output. For example, in the script hypotenuse.py, you called
math.sqrt to compute a square root for you. It would be pretty weird, and would mess up your code, if it also printed its own output!
To make a function give you a value, it needs a
return statement. As an example, here’s a function that computes the area of a rectangle.
In our previous examples, we would have a line of code such as
do_division(12, 5)
Notice we are using the function call as a statement: its an instruction to perform some action. By contrast, when we write the line
answer = find_area(10, 20)
the call
find_area(10, 20) is an expression with value 200. It doesn’t “do” anything, it just “is”. If you call the function, but you don’t do anything with the returned value, it will seem to have no effect. Try this:
You might also have the opposite problem. What happens if you take a function that doesn’t have a return statement, and try to use its value? Try this.
What is printed by this code? Choose the best answer below.
def sub(x, y) result = x - y x = 4 y = 10 print(sub(x, y))
-
sc-1-6: (See the code above.)
- (A) 6
- The function has no return value
- (B) -6
- The function has no return value
- (C) Error, since x is less than y
- Actually, 4 - 10 is -6
- (D) The value None
- Since there is no return value, we get the special value ``None``
If you try to examine the value of a function that has no return value, you’ll get the special Python value
None. When you see “None” in your output, it is a sign that your function isn’t actually returning a value, but you’re trying to use the value anyway.
Checkpoint 2¶
Donuts are .75 each or 8.00 per dozen. Write a module
donuts.py with a function called
donut_break that has one parameter, the number of donuts, and returns the cost for the donuts.
Write a separate script to test your function using several different values. Calculate what the answers should be and make sure your function is correct. | https://stevekautz.com/cs127f16/labs/lab4/index.html |
Python Program to find Area of a Rectangle - If we know the width and height then, we can calculate the area of a rectangle using below formula.Area = Width * Height.Perimeter is the distance around the edges. We can calculate perimeter of a rectangle using below formula.Perimeter = 2 * (Width + Height)... Students will be able to find the area of a rectangle by counting tiles and multiplying.
This Calculate Rectangle Area using Java Example shows how to calculate area of Rectangle using it's length and width.
A rectangle is one of the most common geometric shapes. It is a four-sided figure with four right angles and opposite sides have the same measure.
Here is the source code of the Python Program to take the length and breadth from the user and find the area of the rectangle. The program output is also shown below. | http://designeus.net/northern-ireland/how-to-find-a-rectangle-area.php |
SOLUTION: A rectangular solid has a base with length 5 cm and width 8 cm. If the volume of the solid is 160 cm3, find the height of the solid. [Hint: The volume of a rectangular solid is g If the volume of the solid is 160 cm3, find the height of the solid.... Although there is a formula that we can use to find the surface area of this box, you should notice that each of the six faces (outside surfaces) of the box is a rectangle.
One way (the simplest) is to measure it… If you have a situation where you know the length and the diagonal, you could find the height using the Pythagorean Theorem, a^2 + b^2 = c^2, where a and b are legs of a right triangle and c is the hypotenuse.... 28/05/2012 · The height of a rectangular box is 4 times it's width? 3.The length, width and height of a rectangular box are in the ratio 1:3:5. Find the dimensions of the box if?
Area of Triangles: Using Base and Height The area formula of a triangle is related to the area formula of a rectangle. Recall that the area of a rectangle can be determined by multiplying the length and width or the base and height.... 3) I have the width and Height of the rectangle. (W, H) (W, H) 4) I know that the top two corners of the rectangle will have equal Y values, this goes for bottom 2 corners also.
Explanation: To solve this question, you must divide the trapezoid into a rectangle and two right triangles. Using the Pythagorean Theorem, you would calculate the height of the triangle which is 4.
28/05/2012 · The height of a rectangular box is 4 times it's width? 3.The length, width and height of a rectangular box are in the ratio 1:3:5. Find the dimensions of the box if? | http://bop-protocol.org/alberta/how-to-find-the-height-of-a-rectangle.php |
01 Aug Wednesday 17:00 Python Practice – 22.07.27.
Posted at 03:56h in Wednesday 17:00 Homework 0 Comments
Question:
Write a Rectangle class in Python language, allowing you to build a rectangle with length and width attributes.
Create a getPerimeter() method to calculate the perimeter of the rectangle and an getArea() method to calculate the area of the rectangle.
Use print to show the length, width, perimeter and area of an object created using an instantiation on rectangle class. | http://www.torontokidscomputer.com/wednesday-1700-homework/wednesday-22-0727-17/ |
Multiply width by length to get the area. The answer would be 187 square inches.
If it is an actual square, 1 inch by 1 inch length by width
1/2 inchArea = (length) x (width) = (1/2 inch) x (10 inches) = 5 square inches
216 square inches.
A square inch is a measure of area. The area could have any shape but for simplicity consider squares and rectangles where the area is given by the product of length and width, lxw. The length and the width are linear measurements. You can assign any values you want to the length and width and their product will be an area. A square with sides of 1 inch will have an area of one square inch. A rectangle whose length is 2 inches and width 1/2 inch will also have an area of one square inch.
To get the square inches in the box you need to multiply the length times width so a 2 inch by 4 inch box is 2x4= 8 square inches
None. A square foot is length times width whereas a cubic inch is length times width times height.
Is the 60 inches measured diagonally from corner to corner (as is a TV screen)? If the 60 inches is the length, then what is the width? Length times by the width will give you the square measurement of the table.
length 2 inches width 1 inch
The area is 64 square inches. Multiply length by width to get the area. | https://math.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_square_inch_when_the_length_is_16_inches_and_the_width_is_12_inches |
findPerimeter that will accept two integers,
length and
width, as arguments.
You are given the length and the width of a rectangle. The goal of the function is to output the perimeter of that rectangle. I don’t know when in school you start learning simple geometry but you use this is how you calculate the perimeter of a rectangle:
perimeter = (length + width) * 2 perimeter = length + length + width + width perimeter = (length * 2) + (width * 2)
All of the examples above are the multiple ways you can get the perimeter of a rectangle. They’re all done differently but they all lead to the same answer.
Now that I helped you re-learn geometry, here are a couple of examples:
findPerimeter(6, 7) ➞ 26 findPerimeter(20, 10) ➞ 60
If you plug in those input values into the perimeter formulas above, your function will output the numbers following the arrow.
Here is a step by step process for the first example.
Length = 6 Width = 7 Perimeter = (6 + 7) * 2 Perimeter = (13) * 2 Perimeter = 26
Now that you understand this, let’s turn this into code.
1600481520
It checks all the items of the Array, and whichever the first item meets, the condition is going to print. If more than one item meets the condition, then the first item satisfying the requirement is returned. Suppose that you want to find the first odd number in the Array. The argument function checks whether an argument passed to it is an odd number or not.
1622207074
1616670795
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Tips to related online calculators
Do you want to convert length units?
You need to know the following knowledge to solve this word math problem:
We encourage you to watch this tutorial video on this math problem: video1
Related math problems and questions:
- Perimeters
A rectangle has a perimeter of 16p centimeters, it had a width of 2p centimeters. Each side of an equilateral triangle is 1/2 the length of the rectangle. Find the total perimeter of the rectangle and the triangle if p=8.
- Cube basics
How long is the edge length of a cube with volume 15 m3?
- Flowerbed 2
Around the square flower bed in a park is sidewalk 2 m wide. The area of this sidewalk is 243 m2. What is the area of the flowerbed?
- The perimeter 3
The perimeter of a rectangle is 35 cm. The ratio of the length to its width is 3:2. Calculate the dimensions of the rectangle
- Rectangle 45
The perimeter of a rectangle is 60cm. If the length of the rectangle is 20cm. a)find the width b)find the area.
- Cube 5
The surface of the cube is 15.36 dm2. How will change the surface area of this cube if the length of the edges is reduced by 2 cm?
- Extending square garden
Mrs. Petrová's garden had the shape of a square with a side length of 15 m. After its enlargement by 64 m2 (square), it had the shape of a square again. How many meters has the length of each side of the garden been extended?
- The cube
The cube has a surface area of 486 m ^ 2. Calculate its volume.
- Tereza
The cube has an area of base 256 mm2. Calculate the edge length, volume, and area of its surface.
- Rectangle from string
String 12m. Make rectangle when one side is two times longer than its width.
- Square to rectangle
What is the ratio of the area of a square of side x to the area of a rectangle of a rectangle of width 2 x and length 3
- The cube
The cube has a surface area of 216 dm2. Calculate: a) the content of one wall, b) edge length, c) cube volume.
- Value of expression
X=2, y=-5 and z=3 what is the value of x-2y?
- Rectangle
The length of the rectangle is 12 cm greater than 3 times its width. What dimensions and area this rectangle has if ts circumference is 104 cm.
- Cube V2S
The volume of the cube is 27 dm cubic. Calculate the surface of the cube.
- Arithmetic progression 2
The 3rd term of an Arithmetic progression is 10 more than the first term while the fifth term is 15 more than the second term. Find the sum of the 8th and 15th terms of the Arithmetic progression if the 7th term is 7 times the first term.
- A map
A map with a scale of 1: 5,000 shows a rectangular field with an area of 18 ha. The length of the field is three times its width. The area of the field on the map is 72 cm square. What is the actual length and width of the field? | https://www.hackmath.net/en/math-problem/40891 |
Determining the square inches (also written as in2) in any two-dimensional area is usually a fairly straightforward process. In the simplest cases, when the area in question is in the shape of a square or rectangle, the area in square inches is given by the equation width × length. The area of other shapes (circles, triangles, etc.) can be calculated via a variety of specialized mathematical equations. You can also make simple conversions to square inches from square feet or square centimeters, if needed.
Determine the length of the area to be measured. Squares and rectangles have four straight sides - in the case of rectangles, opposite sides have equal lengths, while in the case of squares, all four sides are equal. Measure any one of the square or rectangle's sides to find a value for length.
Determine the width of the area to be measured. Next, measure either of the sides that touch the side whose length you just measured. This side should meet the first side at a 90 degree angle. This second measurement is your square or rectangle's width.
Since all four of a square’s sides are equal, the "length" measure you obtain for a square will be identical to the "width" measurement. In this case, you only need to measure one side.
Multiply length × width. Simply multiply your measurements for length and width to determine the area of your square or rectangular area in square inches.
For example, let's say that, for a rectangular area, you measure a length of 4 inches and a width of 3 inches. In this case, the area within your rectangle is 4 × 3 = 12 square inches.
In the case of squares, since all four sides are the same, you can simply take the measurement of one side and multiply it by itself (also called "squaring" it or taking it to the second power) to get a square inches value for area.
A rectangle has a width of 7 inches and a length of 4 inches. Calculate the area of the rectangle.
Yes! To find a square’s area, simply multiply its length by its width. In this case, 7 inches multiplied by 4 inches gives you 28 square inches. It’s that simple! Read on for another quiz question.
Not exactly! You might have gotten this answer by adding the width of the sides to the length of the sides and then multiplying. Instead, try simply multiplying the width of one side with the length of one side! There’s a better option out there!
Find the area of a circle with the equation Area = pi × r2. To find the area of a circle in square inches, all you need to know is the distance from the center of the circle to its edge in inches. This distance is called the circle's radius. Once you find this number, simply substitute it for "r" in the equation above. Multiply it by itself, then multiply it by the mathematical constant pi (3.1415926...) to determine the square inches within the circle.
So, a circle with a radius of 4 inches would have an area of 50.27 square inches, as this is the product of 3.14 x 16.
Find the area of a triangle with the equation Area = 1/2 b × h. The area of a triangle in square inches is found by multiplying its base ("b") by its height ("h"), with both measurements in inches. A triangle's base is simply the length of one of its sides, while its height is the distance from the "base" side to the opposite corner when measured at a 90 degree angle from the "base" side. The area of a triangle can be calculated using base and height measurement for any of its three sides and the opposite corner.
Therefore, if you choose a base side with a length of 4 inches, and the corresponding height is 3 inches, your result will be 2 x 3 = 6 square inches.
Find the area of a parallelogram with the equation Area = b × h. Parallelograms are similar to rectangles, the only difference being that their corners don't necessarily meet at 90 degree angles. Appropriately, the way to calculate a parallelogram's area in square inches is similar to the way to calculate a rectangle's - simply multiply a parallelogram's base by its height with both measurements in inches. Its base is the length of one of its sides, while its height is the distance from the opposite side to the first side when measured at a right angle.
Thus, if the length of a chosen side is 5 inches, and the height is 4 inches, the resulting area will be 5 x 4 = 20 square inches.
Find the area of a trapezoid with the equation Area = 1/2 × h × (B+b). A trapezoid is a four-sided shape with one set of parallel sides and one set of non-parallel sides. To calculate its area in square inches, you must take three measurements (in inches): The length of the longer parallel side ("B"), the length of the shorter parallel side ("b"), and the trapezoid's height ("h") - the distance between the two parallel sides, measured at a right angle. Add the lengths of the two sides together, multiply that by the height, then halve the result to find the trapezoid's area in square inches.
So, if the long side of your trapezoid is 6 inches, the short side is 4 inches, and the height is 5 inches, the result is ½ x 5 x (6+4) = 25 square inches.
Find the area of a hexagon with the equation Area = ½ × P × a. This formula works for any regular hexagon, which means it has 6 equal sides and 6 equal angles. P represents the perimeter, or 6 times the length of one side (6 x s) for a regular hexagon. a represents the apothem — the length from the center of the hexagon to the midpoint of any one side (that is, halfway between any 2 angles). Multiply these and halve the result to determine the area.
Thus, if your hexagon has 6 equal sides of 4 inches each (which means P = 6 x 4 = 24) and an apothem of 3.5 inches, the calculation is ½ x 24 x 3.5 = 42 square inches.
Find the area of an octagon with the equation Area = 2a² × (1 + √2). For a regular octagon (which has 8 equal sides and 8 equal angles), you only need to know the length of one side (“a” in the formula) to determine the area. Plug that measurement into the formula and you’ll have your result.
Therefore, if your regular octagon has a side length of 4 inches, you would calculate 2(16) x (1 + 1.4) = 32 x 2.4 = 76.8 square inches.
A triangle has a width of 6 inches and a height of 7 inches. Calculate the area of the triangle.
Yup! To find the area of a triangle, find the base multiplied by its height, then halve the product. In this case, 6 x 7 is 42. Divide 42 by 2 for an area of 21 square inches! Read on for another quiz question.
Try again! You may have gotten this answer by multiplying the triangle’s base by its height, then multiplying that product by 2. Remember, the formula for area of a triangle is given by area = ½ bh. You divide the product of 6 and 7 by 2, not multiply it. There’s a better option out there!
Multiply by 144 to convert from square feet to square inches. 1 square foot is literally 1 foot squared (or 1 foot times 1 foot); this means it is also 12 inches times 12 inches, or 144 square inches. So, if you have an area in square feet, simply multiply it by 144 to determine the area in square inches.
For example, 400 square feet = 400 x 144 = 57600 square inches.
Multiply by 0.155 to convert from square centimeters to square inches. 1 centimeter equals roughly 0.394 inches, and 0.394 squared (0.394 x 0.394) equals 0.155. Thus, if you need to convert a result of 250 square centimeters, multiply 250 times 0.155 to get 38.75 square inches.
Also, 1 square meter equals 10,000 square centimeters, and one square kilometer equals 10,000,000,000 square centimeters. So, one square kilometer = 10,000,000,000 square centimeters x 0.155 = 1,550,003,100 square inches.
A gymnasium is 350 square feet, but you want to know its area in inches. Convert its area in feet into square inches.
Not exactly! You might have gotten this answer by dividing 350 by 144. Instead, you should multiply 350 by the number of inches in a foot squared! Guess again!
Nope! You may have gotten this answer by multiplying 350 square feet by the number of inches in a foot (12). Remember, you should multiply by the number of inches in a foot squared (144)! Pick another answer!
Correct! To convert square feet into square inches, simply multiply by 144. 350 multiplied by 144 gives you 50400 square inches! Read on for another quiz question.
How do I convert square inches to square feet?
Divide square inches by 144 (the number of square inches in one square foot).
How many square inches is 90 inches by 36 inches?
Area is length times width, so just multiply the two numbers together and you will know.
How do I figure the square inches if I have the length, height and width?
What is the volume of a tank that measures 10" deep by 7" by 6"?
Multiply length by width by depth (height).
What is the area in square inches of a circle with diameter 2 inches?
You can take the radius which is half of the diameter, so 1, and square it, so 1, and multiply that by pi (3.141593). 1 times pi is pi so your answer would be 3.141593 square inches. You can round as you need to. The formula for area of a circle is Area=pi(radius²).
How do I find square centimeters?
Multiply square inches by 6.45.
How can I determine a radius in square inches?
A radius is not measured in square inches.
How much liquid does it take to fill a square pan three inches deep and three inches wide?
3" x 3" x 3" = 27 cubic inches, which is about 15 U.S. fluid ounces.
If the perimeter is 122 inches and the width measurement is 25 inches, what is the square feet?
Assuming the shape is square or rectangular, subtract 50 (twice 25) from 122, which equals 72. Half of that (36) is the length. Multiply the width by the length to get the area.
How do I calculate square inches of material if I am weighing it in bulk, but have to pay according to square inch?
How many inches is 24 square inches?
How do I determine how many square inches can fit in another square?
To determine the square inches in a square or rectangle, measure the length and the width of the shape in inches. If the shape is a square, you only need to measure one side, since the length and width will be the same. Multiply the length by the width to determine the area of the shape, and write the answer in square inches. To learn how to determine square inches in a circle, read on!
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 307,977 times. | https://www.wikihow.com/Determine-Square-Inches |
A rectangle has a length of and width of . Solve for the perimeter.
Example Question #1 : Quadrilaterals
A farmer decides to build a fence two feet around his rectangular field. The field is feet long and feet wide. How long should the fencing be in order to build the fence around the field?
The fence is 2 feet around the field. Therefore the area actually enclosed by the fence is 4 feet longer and 4 feet wider than the field.
The length of fencing needed is the perimeter of the area enclosed which is calculated as follows:
The fencing should be 90 feet.
Example Question #1 : Quadrilaterals
If a rectangle has an area of and a length of , what is its perimeter?
To find the perimeter, we need the length and the width. We are only given the length, so first we must find the width using the given area:
The perimeter is simply two times the length plus two times the width, so we can now use the known length and width to calculate the perimeter:
Example Question #1 : Quadrilaterals
The diagonal of the rectangle is cm long and is cm long. What is the perimeter of the rectangle?
We can see that the hypotenuse AD of triangle ABD is 15 cm. We should check whether ABD is a Pythagorean Triple, whose sides are in the ratio , where is a constant. Since AD is 15 and BD is 9, the triangle must be a Pythagorean Triple with , therefore AB must be 12 cm long. Now we know all the lengths of the sides of our triangle, we can find the perimeter which will be given by , which gives us 42, our final answer.
Example Question #360 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning
The area of rectangle is , and the diagonal has length . What is the perimeter of rectangle ?
Given the information we are provided, we could set up an quadratic equation, however, this equation would be really complicated to solve, instead we should try to find whether the diagonal of this rectangle can be the hypotenuse of Pythagorean triangle. The hypotenuse AD of triangle ADC, has length 10, therefore if it is a Pythagorean Triple, its other lengths must be 6 and 8, since the sides are in ratio where is a constant. By testing, we see that if and we get an area of 48 for this rectangle, by multiplying DC by AC. This is the original area of our rectangle, therefore, these must be the right lenghts and the final answer is given by , which is 28.
Alternatively, we could have found the missing lengths with trial and error, by doing so, we would have picked length for which, the area is 48 and tried to see whether the diagonal would remain 10, until we get the working set 6 and 8.
Example Question #121 : Geometry
The width of a rectangle is twice the length. Find an equation representing the perimeter.
The perimeter of a rectangle can be found by adding up all the sides:
We are told the width of the rectangle is twice its length so , inserting this into our equation for the perimeter leaves us with:
, which is II
Example Question #12 : Rectangles
Find the perimeter of a rectangle whose width is and length is .
To solve, simply use the formula for the perimeter of a rectangle:
Example Question #1 : Calculating The Perimeter Of A Rectangle
Note: figure NOT drawn to scale
Give the perimeter of the above rectangle. | https://www.varsitytutors.com/gmat_math-help/calculating-the-perimeter-of-a-rectangle |
This section of my java tutorial, we will be showing an example source code on how to convert a String into an Integer Object. Converting a string to Integer requires only a call to a static method of Integer class parseInt(String input). This method accepts a string parameter which of course gives as an Integer output.
Instructions in String to Integer Conversion
- Get the length and width of a rectangle from user input
- Convert the input to Integer
- Calculate the area of rectangle using the formula Area = Length * Width
- Make sure to provide mechanism to catch any invalid user input.
API that has been used on this example
The java.util.Scanner can parse the tokens into primitive data types using java regular expressions. One of the constructor of the Scanner class can take InputStream which would be leveraging to get the user input from console.
- nextLine() – This method returns a String which corresponds to the skipped line of the Scanner object.
- close() – this is required to avoid memory leak
Apart from using Scanner, we need to use also one of the methods of Integer class.
- parseInt(String strVal) – is used primarily in parsing a String method argument into an Integer object
Java String to Integer Conversion
This sample source code demonstrates a practical example on the usage of parseInt static method of Integer class. This method converts a String input to Integer format and we would be leveraging that to give a more concrete example on calculating an area of a rectangle. This program takes two input, the Length and Width. Afterwards we will convert this into Integer format and then we will be using it to calculate the area of a rectangle. Since we are dealing with number it is imperative to validate the user input. A try catch block was in place on this java tutorial source code to handle any error on the input. | https://javatutorialhq.com/java/example-source-code/string-conversion/convert-string-integer/ |
how can i find polygon's length and width in Qgis(regular polygon and irregular polygon)? i have area and perimeter but possible to have length and width ?.
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2That's very complicated, the length and width of an irregular polygon is something that's easy for a person to discern but very difficult for a computer to establish. For building outlines you could try finding the longest side, rotating based on this side such that the side is flat and then reading the envelope length and width - this will give an answer that may be satisfactory; alternately you could find the longest transverse line as a hypotenuse and use the opposite and adjacent as length and width, again not accurate but might be good enough. – Michael Stimson Apr 23 '14 at 5:53
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Oh, and I should add that either (or indeed any) option will require some programming. – Michael Stimson Apr 23 '14 at 5:55
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If it's just several regular polygons you're wanting to find the length and width for then you can use the MEASURE LINE function from the Attributes selection. If you're wanting to do it for a lot of polygons and/or for irregular ones then I think Michael has given good advice. – Joseph Apr 23 '14 at 11:15
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1Not sure if this would work - but could you not convert the polygons into lines with an identifier, calculate the length of each line. This would give you the length of each of the edges. Depending on the nature of your polygons you could identify the length and width by doing that. You could also use the start and end geometry to figure out which direction the line is going in. Would that work for you? – Neil Benny Apr 28 '14 at 9:36
You could use the "Oriented minimum bounding boxes" first then run the "Polygons to lines" tool.
The output of Polygons to lines will have area, perimeter, angle, width and height of the minimum bounding box already calculated.
These results will be exact for square and rectangular shape and get worse the more your input polygon is irregular.... | https://gis.stackexchange.com/questions/93848/length-and-width-of-polygon |
Finding the Dimensions of a JPEG file in Python
For a project I am working on I had to quickly throw together a Python function to grab the width and height of JPEG files on disk . There is nothing in the python standard library to do this and although some third party projects that read JPEG files (micro-jpeg-visulaizer, PIL) they seem like overkill if all you want are the dimensions.
A quick trip to the JPEG standards document provided the information I needed. In case anyone else needs something similar, here is what I came up with:
from struct import unpack def GetWidthAndHeight(stream): """ Extract the dimensions from a jpeg file as a tuple (width, height) Keyword arguments: stream -- a stream (eg: open()ed). Must be opened in binary mode Author: Andrew Stephens http://sandfly.net.nz/ License: use in any way you wish """ while (True): data = stream.read(2) marker, = unpack(">H", data) # some markers stand alone if (marker == 0xffd8): # start of image continue if (marker == 0xffd9): # end of image return; if ((marker >= 0xffd0) and (marker <= 0xffd7)): # restart markers continue if (marker == 0xff01): # private marker: continue # all other markers specify chunks with lengths data = stream.read(2) length, = unpack(">H", data) if (marker == 0xffc0): # baseline DCT chunk, has the info we want data = stream.read(5) t, height, width = unpack(">BHH", data) return (width, height) # not the chunk we want, skip it stream.seek(length - 2, 1)
This should be quicker than other solutions since it skips over parts of the stream it doesn't need and is flexible enough to work on anything that looks like a seekable file. Beware, it may misbehave on malformed files.
Usage is simple: | https://sheep.horse/2013/9/finding_the_dimensions_of_a_jpeg_file_in_python.html |
... to find the areas of many common shapes. The areas of irregular polygons can be calculated using the "Surveyor's formula".
www.math.com/tables/geometry/areas.htm
(pi = pi = 3.141592...) Area Formulas. Note: "ab" means "a" multiplied by "b". "a2" means "a squared", which is the same as "a" times "a". Be careful!! Units count.
www.mathgoodies.com/lessons/vol1/area_rectangle.html
The formula is: [IMAGE]. A = L x W , where A is the area, L is the length, W is the width, and · means multiply. A square is a rectangle with 4 equal sides. To find ...
www.mathsisfun.com/area.html
Example: What is the area of this rectangle? Area Count. The formula is: Area = w × h w = width h = height. We know w = 5 and h = 3, so: Area = 5 × 3 = 15 ...
www.science.co.il/formula
Area and Volume Formula for geometrical figures - square, rectangle, triangle, polygon, circle, ellipse, trapezoid, cube, sphere, cylinder and cone.
www.virtualnerd.com/pre-algebra/perimeter-area-volume/perimeter-and-area/area/rectangle-area-formula
virtualnerd.com/pre-algebra/perimeter-area-volume/perimeter-and-area/area-formulas-examples/rectangle-area-example
This tutorial will show you how to find the area of a rectangle. Check it out! ... length; width; area; rectangle; solve for area; formula; plug in; rectangle area ...
www.khanacademy.org/math/basic-geo/basic-geo-area-and-perimeter/parallelogram-area/v/intuition-for-area-of-a-parallelogram
Understand why the formula for the area of a parallelogram is base times height, just like the formula for the area of a rectangle.
www.mathexpression.com/formula-for-area.html
Formula for area of a square, rectangle, circle, parallelogram and triangle. Examples and lessons are included.
www.mathopenref.com/squarearea.html
Area of a Square. From Latin: area - "level ground, an open space,". The number of square units it takes to completely fill a square. Formula: Width × Height. | http://www.ask.com/web?qsrc=3053&o=102140&oo=102140&l=dir&gc=1&q=What+Is+The+Formula+For+Area |
- Mutations are a change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA.
- Mutations are broken into two different types: base and chromosomal mutations.
- Base mutations involve changes to individual bases in the DNA sequence.
- Examples include silent, missense, nonsense and frameshift.
Content
Introduction: What are mutations?
A mutation is a change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA. DNA is the genetic material that codes for who we are, and depending on when mutations occur during our development, these changes in our DNA could lead to physical changes to our body.
What are the different types of mutations?
Mutations are best divided into two sections: Base and chromosomal mutations. This blog goes through base mutations, but if you want to read about chromosomal mutations, click here.
- Base mutations occur when bases in a DNA sequence are added, deleted or exchanged for a different base. Remembering that DNA is just a long string of nucleotides (A, T, C, G), base mutations could be like changing a C to a G.
- Chromosomal mutations are when sections of whole chromosomes are affected. This is on a much larger scale than base mutations, as thousands, or potentially millions, of bases are affected.
Types of Base Mutations
Silent mutations
A silent mutation is a type of substitution mutation (one base is replaced with another). This results in no change to the resulting protein and thus has almost no effect on an organism.
To understand silent mutations, recall that there are redundancies in the genetic code; that is, a single amino acid may be encoded for by multiple, different codons.
- This means that if the base substitution results in a different codon encoding for the same amino acid, there will be no change to the polypeptide sequence and therefore the mutation is silent. See below the genetic table, which shows which codons code for which amino acids.
Missense mutations
When base substitutions do change the amino acid sequence, we call this a missense mutation. A missense mutation involves a change in one of the amino acids in a polypeptide sequence, but the whole polypeptide is still produced.
Note, however, that there are still seven amino acids in this sequence before the stop codon. The length of the polypeptide has not changed.
Nonsense mutations
Sometimes, a base substitution results in an early (premature stop codon). In such a case, polypeptide synthesis stops early and the protein is truncated. This type of base substitution is a nonsense mutation.
Truncated proteins are highly unlikely to function properly so, in most cases, nonsense mutations result in non-functional genes.
Frameshift Mutations
Sometimes, instead of simply substituting a single base, a base is inserted or deleted in the sequence. This results in a frameshift mutation that changes the reading frame during polypeptide synthesis. Frameshift mutations mean that any codon after the mutation will be read incorrectly. This results in drastic changes in the protein product, which renders the protein non-functional.
Conclusions
So there you have it! Base substitutions in a nutshell. Click here if you want to learn about chromosomal mutations, the next and final types of mutations you need to know. If you enjoyed this blog and want to know more about how we teach biology at Dymocks Tutoring, give us a ring at (02) 8774 2610 or book a free trial with us! | https://www.dymockstutoring.edu.au/hsc-biology-types-of-dna-mutations-base-mutations-2/ |
PLIN2 belongs to one member of PAT (Perilipin, Adipophilin and Tip47) family, which plays an important role in regulating lipid storage and could be regarded as a candidate gene for intramuscular fat deposition in pigs. This study tried to clone the coding domain sequence (CDS) of PLIN2 gene, compare the nucleotide acids and deduced amino acids sequence, physiological characteristics, structure and the expression level between Wujin (fatty breed) and Landrace (lean breed) pigs. The results showed that the mutation of nucleotide acids led to the mutation of deduced amino acids between two pig breeds.
ESBL-Producing E. Coli in a Patient on Automated Peritoneal Dialysis
Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) is one of the 3 well-established modalities of renal replacement therapy used in patients with renal failure. Despite its significant role as a successful method of renal replacement therapy, PD is highly associated with peritonitis and catheter-related infections.
Functional Protein Domains Evolve Very Specifically Over Mutations
Mutation in a single nucleotide of a gene has the potential to change the structure and/or function of its protein. Albeit simply saying, it is not observed to be a general phenomenon. The effect of mutation is primarily determined by the stereochemical nature of the amino acid which has replaced the previous amino acid, resulting in the residue location being affected. Here we show that despite a change in the frequency of occurrence of a particular amino acid in a particular protein in different types of organisms, the overall function of the protein can still remain unaffected, even when the resultant protein conformation is relatively altered. | http://www.annexpublishers.com/tag/ADP/ |
There are a number of ways to classify gene mutations. Some classification schemes are based on the nature of the phenotypic effect—whether the mutation alters the amino acid sequence of the protein and, if so, how. Other schemes are based on the causative agent of the mutation, and still others focus on the molecular nature of the defect. The most appropriate scheme depends on the reason for studying the mutation. Here, we will categorize mutations primarily on the basis of their molecular nature, but we will also encounter some terms that relate the causes and the phenotypic effects of mutations.
Base substitutions The simplest type of gene mutation is a base substitution, the alternation of a single nucleotide in the DNA (Figure 17.3a). Because of the complementary nature of the two DNA strands (see Figure 10.14), when the base of one nucleotide is altered, the base of the corresponding nucleotide on the opposite strand also will be altered in the next round of replication. A base substitution therefore usually leads to a base-pair substitution.
Base substitutions are of two types. In a transition, a purine is replaced by a different purine or, alternatively, a pyrimidine is replaced by a different pyrimidine (Figure 17.4). In a transversion, a purine is replaced by a pyrimidine or a pyrimidine is replaced by a purine. The number of possible transversions (see Figure 17.4) is twice the number of possible transitions, but transitions usually arise more frequently.
17.4 A transition is the substitution of a purine for a purine or a pyrimidine for a pyrimidine; a transversion is the substitution of a pyrimidine for a purine or a purine for a pyrimidine.
sequences that encode proteins may lead to frameshift mutations, changes in the reading frame (see p. 000 in Chapter 15) of the gene. The initiation codon in mRNA sets the reading frame: after the initiation codon, other codons are read as successive nonoverlapping groups of three nu-cleotides. The addition or deletion of a nucleotide usually changes the reading frame, altering all amino acids encoded by codons following the mutation (see Figure 17.3b and c). Many amino acids can be affected; so frameshift mutations generally have drastic effects on the phenotype. Not all insertions and deletions lead to frameshifts, however; because codons consist of three nucleotides, insertions and deletions consisting of any multiple of three nucleotides will leave the reading frame intact, although the addition or removal of one or more amino acids may still affect the phenotype. These mutations are called in-frame insertions and deletions, respectively. | https://www.guwsmedical.info/eukaryotic-cells/types-of-gene-mutations.html |
With a variety of accessible Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) data on human p53 gene, this investigation is intended to deal with detrimental SNPs in p53 gene by executing diverse valid computational tools, including Filter, SIFT, PredictSNP, Fathmm, UTRScan, ConSurf, Phyre, Tm-Adjust, I-Mutant, Task Seek after practical and basic appraisal, dissolvable openness, atomic progression, and analysing the energy minimization. Of 581 p53 SNPs, 420 SNPs are found to be missense or non-synonymous and 435 SNPs are in the 3 prime UTR and 112 SNPs are of every 5 prime UTR from which 16 non synonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) as non-tolerable while PredictSNP package predicted 14 (taking consideration SNP colored green by two or more than 2 analyses is neutral). By concentrating on six bioinformatics tools of various dimensions a combined output is generated where 14 nsSNPs are prone to exert a deleterious effect. By using diverse SNP analysing tools we have found 5 missense SNPs in the 3 crucial amino acids position in the DNA binding domain. The underlying discoveries are fortified by I-Mutant and Project HOPE. The ExPASy-PROSITE tools characterized whether the mutations located in the functional part of the protein or not. This study provides a decisive outcome concluding the accessible SNPs information by recognizing the five harming nsSNPs: rs28934573 (S241F), rs11540652 (R248Q), rs121913342 (R248W), rs121913343 (R273C) and rs28934576 (R273H). The findings of this investigation recognize the detrimental nsSNPs which enhance the danger of various kinds of oncogenesis in patients of different populations’ in genome-wide studies (GWS).
1. Introduction
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) is the most prevalent form of genetic mutation occurs in human. About 93% of human genes are represented by single SNP . SNPs are responsible for originating most of the variations among the people. SNPs can be in the coding regions, non-coding regions, and in the intergenic area between two genes -. Although coding SNPs and non-coding are phenotypically neutral, nsSNPs are supposed to influence phenotype by altering protein sequence -. As nsSNPs alter the amino acids in their corresponding protein, it could have deleterious effects on the structure and function -. They are associated with various human diseases and disorders. Several studies confirm the association of nsSNPs in susceptibility to infection and the progression of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders -. About 50% of the mutations inclined with hereditary genetic disorders are nsSNPs -. As a result, many of the researchers are focusing on nsSNPs in cancer biology, precisely, in cancer-causing genes.
Mutations in the tumor suppressor gene p53 account for ∼50% of human cancers -. p53 is a critical regulator of tissue homeostasis which binds to stabilize DNA as a tetramer that leads to the regulation of genes mediating key cellular processes including cell-cycle arrest, DNA repair, senescence and apoptosis -. The regular allele of p53 encodes a 53-kD nuclear phosphoprotein which plays an important role controlling cell proliferation -. However, in human tumors, point mutations, rearrangements, allelic loss and deletions are found in the p53 gene -. These abnormalities, together with the changes of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, consist the network of mutations that leads to malignancy. Despite the importance of p53, no computational studies have been reported that detects the deleterious nsSNPs in p53 gene. Therefore, in this current investigation, we carried out an in-silico analysis of p53 gene in order to characterize the deleterious mutations. Our study encompasses (i) retrieving SNPs in p53 gene from available databases, (ii) Allocating deleterious nsSNPs to their phenotypic effects based on the sequence and structure-based homology and identifying the regulatory nsSNPs responsible for altering the patterns of splicing and gene expression, (iii) predicting the role of the amino acids substitution on the secondary structures based on solvent stability and accessibility, and (iv) predicting the effect of mutations in the domain structures.
2. Materials and Methods
The Flow Chart expounds the whole process of our study in identification and characterization of detrimental SNPs in p53 gene. Both the structural and functional consequences have been analysed upon missense mutation (Figure 1).
2.1. Retrieval of SNP Datasets
Data for human p53 gene was retrieved from an online web-based data sources such as Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) . The SNPs information both protein accession number and SNP ID of the p53 gene was retrieved from the NCBI dbSNP (Database of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) , and the protein fasta sequence was retrieved from UniProt (http://www.uniprot.org/)
2.2. Analysis of Functional Consequences of nsSNPs
To sort out which SNP is Intolerant and which one is tolerant an online tool SIFT was employed to identify the deleterious coding nonsynonymous SNPs . This program assumes that major amino acids will be conserved in the protein family and changes at particular positions have a tendency to be anticipated as harmful -. During mutagenesis studies in human SIFT can easily differentiate between functionally neutral or innocuous and detrimental polymorphisms . SIFT programs algorithm was designed to use SWISSPROT, nr, and TrEMBL databases to find out homologous sequences with a query. In our study, the rsIDs (identification number) of each SNP of the human p53 gene obtained from NCBI were submitted to SIFT as a query sequence for homology searching. The SIFT score ≤0.05 was set to indicate the deleterious effect of a nonsynonymous mutation on protein function.
2.3. Characterization of Functional nsSNPs
For characterization of functional nsSNPs, we used PedictSNP web server (http://loschmidt.chemi.muni.cz/predictsnp) . It was constructed from 3 independent datasets by eliminating all inconsistencies, duplicities, and mutations that were used before in the preparation of assessed tools. The standard dataset comprising over 43,000 mutations was taken for the impartial assessment of eight well-known prediction tools: nsSNPAnalyzer, MAPP, PANTHER, PolyPhen-1, PhD-SNP, PolyPhen-2, SIFT, and SNAP. The 6 best-performing tools were shared into an accord classifier PredictSNP, ensuing into drastically better prediction implementation, and simultaneous time returned results for all mutations, approving that unanimity prediction denotes an accurate and vigorous alternate to the predictions delivered by individual tools .
2.4. Prediction of Cancer Promoting Mutations
Some mutation may have an association with cancer. To predict cancer-associated SNP of p53 gene, we used the Functional Analysis through Hidden Markov Models (Fathmm) web server available at (http://fathmm.biocompute.org.uk/cancer.html) . Fathmm allows to combine sequence conservation within hidden Markov models (HMMs) . Fathmm server is well known as a high-throughput web server that is often employed to anticipate phenotypic, molecular, and functional consequences of protein variants on coding as well as the noncoding region. Fathmm employs two algorithms unweighted, sequence/conservation based and weighted, combined by sequence conservation with pathogenicity weights. In Fathmm server the default prediction threshold is set at −0.75 where prediction with a score less than this value predicts that the mutation is considered to be potentially associated with cancer. Cancer-promoting mutations is detrimental to our body, these types of mutations play a critical role in cell cycle regulation and mutations falling in the conserved region can depress the nature of the domain.
2.5. Identification of Functional SNPs in Conserved Regions
Functional amino acids remain conserved throughout evolution. Evolutionarily conserved amino acid residues in the p53 protein were anticipated by ConSurf web server available at (http://consurf.tau.ac.il/2016/index_proteins.php) by using a Bayesian algorithm (conservation scores: 1–4 variable, 5-6 intermediate, and 7–9 conserved) -. Protein Fasta sequence was submitted and the conserved regions were predicted and shown by means of coloring scheme and conservation score of the amino acids. It also predicts the functional and structural residues of the protein. Highly conserved amino acids located at high-risk nsSNP sites were selected for further analysis.
2.6. Scanning of UTR SNPs
UTRs are known to play vital roles in the post-transcriptional instruction and regulation of gene expression, comprising modulation of the transport of mRNAs out of the nucleus and of translation competence, subcellular localization, and constancy . To find the functional SNPs we employed UTRScan a web server , an alignment matcher which searches nucleotide (RNA, tRNA, DNA) or protein sequences to find UTR motifs and is able to locate, in a particular sequence, motifs that distinguish 3’UTR and 5’UTR sequences. Such motifs are well-defined in the UTRSite Database, a compilation of functional sequence arrangements located in the 5’- or 3’-UTR sequences -. If a SNP with a different nucleotide at each UTR is found to have dissimilar working patterns, this UTR SNP is expected to have an impact on the mRNA stability. To perform this, 5’- and 3’-UTR SNPs from NCBI were submitted in FASTA format and the results showed predicted UTRs at the specific region.
2.7. Identification of a deleterious mutation in the functional domain
The functional domain of the product of p53 gene was identified using InterProScan. InterProScan connects diverse protein signature identification methods from the InterPro consortium associate databases into one resource. A web-based version of InterPro is accessible for academic and profitable organizations from the EBI (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/InterProScan/) . Using InterProScan tool allows scanning protein sequence for matches against the InterPro protein signature databases. InterProScan takes protein sequence in FASTA format. After analyzing the deleterious mutation from the SIFT mutation among them which mutation is in the functional domain of the p53 protein is identified.
2.8. Modelling of the Mutated Protein
Phyre2 (Protein Homology/ Analogy Recognition Engine) , one of the most common online protein fold detection server, was employed to generate a 3D model of the protein. Virtual Mutation (VM) denotes the substitution of a single or multiple amino acids in the atomic 3D model of the molecule -. Accelrys Discovery Studio 4.0 was employed to create a mutated sequence for the corresponding amino acid change . Regenerated mutant sequences were used further for the purpose of mutant modelling. The modelling of mutated proteins was also performed through, Phyre2 Protein Fold Recognition Server. Phyre2 nominate the best-matched template and generate a model through successive phases, such as similarity analysis, profile construction, and structural properties. We selected intensive mode of protein modelling to obtain an accurate model. The input sequence of the proteins was given in FASTA layout.
2.9. Energy Minimization and RMSD Calculation of the Protein Models
TM-align is an algorithm used for the protein structure similarities. TM-align combines the TM-score rotation matrix and Dynamic Programming (DP) to identify the best structural alignment between protein pairs. This server was used for RMSD calculation of the protein structures . YASARA-minimization server was employed to perform the energy minimization of the generated mutated protein models. YASARA (Yet Another Scientific Artificial Reality Application) is a modelling and simulation software with variety of application. YASARA-minimization server uses YASARA force field for energy minimization that can optimize the damage of the mutant proteins and thus precisely calculates the energy that is reliable. To perform this task, the PDB file of the mutant proteins were inserted as input data and the result was additionally examined for imminent advance .
2.10. Effect of Mutation in Protein Stability
I-Mutant 3.0 server was employed to perform the prediction of the alteration in stability upon mutations. I-Mutant is a high throughput support vector machine (SVM) based tool server, which can automatically anticipate the alteration in stability of the structure by examining the structure of the protein sequence. I-Mutant 3.0 can be utilized as a classifier to predict the sign of stability with mutations and a regression calculator which anticipates the distinction in Gibbs free energy. The resulting DDG value indicates the difference between the Gibbs free energy of mutated protein and wild-type protein in kcal/mol..
2.11. Prediction of Structural Effects upon Mutation
Project HOPE (Project Have your Protein Explained) was employed to understand the effect of the amino acid substitutions . HOPE (http://www.cmbi.ru.nl/hope/input/) server was utilized for molecular dynamics simulation to observe the effect of the mutations on the structure of p53. This web server performs a BLAST against the PDB and builds a homology model of the query protein if possible through YASARA and collects 3D structure data from What IF web services and then get the sequence from the UniProt database and get features like an active site, motifs, domains and so forth. Finally, to predict the features of the protein it uses Distributed Annotation System (DAS) servers through which it can exchange annotations on genomic and protein sequences .
3. Results and discussions
3.1 SNP database from for p53
The polymorphism data is available in many databases, NCBI dbSNP housed extensive data for different gene NCBI has the largest database that is helpful for analysing single nucleotide polymorphism. 581 SNPs have been found for cellular tumor antigen p53, (NCBI Reference Sequence: NP_000537.3) among them 420 SNP found to be missense or nonsynonymous among 581 there are 435 SNP in 3 prime UTR and 112 in 5 prime UTR region. Only the missense, 3 prime, and 5 prime UTR SNPs have been selected for further analysis.
3.2 Prediction of detrimental nonsynonymous SNP
An online tool SIFT was employed which analyse conservancy of an amino acid by sequence homology to determine the conservation of a specific position of any amino acids in a protein. SIFT does the alignment between paralogous and orthologous protein’s amino acid sequences to determine the effect of an amino acid replacement analysing its functional importance and physical characteristics. SIFT takes rsID as input. In our analysis, we found 16 missense SNPs among 420 to be predicted as deleterious by SIFT webserver.
3.3 Analysis of SIFT predicted deleterious SNPs
In SIFT analysis, 16 SNPs have been found to be detrimental. These 16 SNPs was also analyzed in an online SNP analyzing tool PredictSNP which is a package system where other SNP analyzing method has been assembled. PredictSNP takes input protein sequence as FASTA format and then the SIFT result mutation was done in PredictSNP and the impact of the mutation of analyzed by choosing nsSNPAnalyzer, MAPP, PANTHER, PolyPhen-1, PhD-SNP, PolyPhen-2, SNAP and SIFT tool. PredictSNP shows result of different SNP in which percentage they are detrimental or neutral the percentage value indicates the confidence of the result. SNPs that were found to be predicted as neutral by more than one tool have been excluded from our study.
3.4 Identification of cancer associated SNPs from predicted deleterious SNPs
SNPs that were predicted as deleterious were then analysed using Fathmm to test whether they are associated with cancer or not. In our analysis, we have found that each and every SNPs that were predicted as detrimental are also predicted as having their association with cancer. In Fathmm server, the default prediction threshold is –0.75 where prediction with a score less than this indicates that the mutation is potentially associated with cancer. In our result, we find that predicted score is very low than the threshold that indicates that there is much higher potentiality of having a relation of these SNP in cancer.
3.5 Identification of functionally important SNPs in the conserved regions
Some amino acids are found to be crucial for the function of a protein. Essential amino acids for showing function are tend to be evolutionary conserved. To identify the evolutionarily conserved amino acids along the protein we used the online tool consurf. Consurf gives result in a tabulated form where conserved amino acids in a specific position are shown with CS and color value where the lower the CS and higher the color value indicates the higher conservancy.
3.6 Functional SNPs in UTR identification
3 prime UTR region has a significant effect on gene expression due to the defective ribosomal RNA translation or by affecting RNA half-life. 5 prime UTR also play important role in mRNA stabilization. The UTRscan server was used to analyze 77 3’UTR SNPs and 129 5’ UTR SNPs of p53 gene. The UTRscan server looks for patterns in the UTR database for regulatory region motifs and according to the given SNP information predicts if any matched regulatory region is damaged. UTRscan found 8 UTRsite motif matches in the p53 transcript. Total 141 matches were found for 5 motifs
3.7 Prediction of deleterious mutation in the functional domain of p53
From InterproScan tool analysis we found that there are three functional domains in the p53 gene. InterProScan takes FASTA format of protein sequence as input and allows to scan matching protein sequence against the InterPro protein signature databases. InterProScan also predict the function of the residues. It also provides the consensus amino acid for protein function and whether the predicted deleterious mutation SNP is necessary or not for function. If the predicted deleterious SNP found to be in the amino acid in the functional domain or functioning residue then we can authenticate our prediction. The InterProScan result is tabulated in table 6.
3.8 Comparative Modeling of High-Risk Nonsynonymous SNPs and RMSD calculation
We used the Phyre2 protein model prediction tool to get the 3D structure human p53 protein with the predicted SNPs. Then introduced the following nonsynonymous mutations in the DNA binding domain: S241F, R248Q, R248W, R273H, R273C using Accelrys Discovery Studio 4.0. The models were then subjected to YASARA energy minimization server for energy minimization. Energy minimization results showed decreased free energy for all the mutant models than the wild-type models. The results are shown in Table 8. RMSD was calculated using the Tm-Align tool where the results were shown to be 2.99 for S241F, 1.97 for R273C and 1.45 for R248Q. These outcomes demonstrate a critical change in the proteins structure which can alter its natural function.
After mutation of the wild-type, it was found that in every case energy after minimization is higher (more positive) than wild-type that indicates that these mutations destabilize the structure of the protein and in case of a mutation in the 273rd arginine amino acid position by histidine and cysteine affects the structure of the protein more.
3.9. Prediction of Protein Structural Stability
We used the neural network based routine tool I-Mutant 3.0 for studying the potential change in the stability of protein upon mutations. This tool took the input of the mutated protein models derived from PHYRE-2 server in PDB format. I-Mutant 3.0 creates results taking help of ProTherm database. This database housed the extensive amount of experimental data on free energy alterations due to mutations. In addition, this tool predicts score of free energy change due to mutations incorporating the energy based online tool FOLD-X. This increases the precision to 93% on one-third of the database if the FOLD-X analysis is incorporated along with I-Mutant. Models with following mutations: S241F, R248Q, R248W, R273H, R273C were subjected to the server to predict DDG stability and RSA calculation. Result shows that everymutations decreased the stability of protein. Mutation R273H was responsible for the lowest DDG value (−1.62 kcal/mol) which followed by R273C (−1.52 kcal/mol).DDG values for other mutations ranged from −0.51 kcal/mol to −0.93 kcal/mol; this negative DDG values indicates decreased protein stability. The results are shown in Table 9.
3.10 Analysis of structural effect upon mutation in DNA binding domain
The InterproScan tool was used to find the functional domain in p53 protein and map the predicted deleterious mutations in the functional domains for anticipating the changes they might cause in the domain structures. Among predicted 14 detrimental SNPs by different SNPs analyzer tool, we found that 5 missense SNP in the 3 important amino acids located in a domain which is responsible for DNA binding. These amino acids are essential for the functional activity of the domain. Therefore, a mutation in this amino acid position could change the protein structure as well as the function. We observe the effect on the structure of p53 under this 5 missense SNP using an online tool HOPE.
In figure 2A, the wild-type residue has positively charged Arginine (R). However the mutation from Arginine to Glutamine (Q) at 248thposition makes the mutant is neutral. In figure 2B, Serine (S) mutated into Phenylalanine (F) at 241th position. The mutant residue is bigger and hydrophobic than the wild-type. In figure 2C, Arginine (R) mutated into Histidine (H) at 273th position and the mutant residue is smaller and neutral whereas wild-type is positively charged. In case of figure 2D, the Arginine(R) mutated into Cysteine (C) at 273th position and the mutant residue is smaller and neutral but the wild-type is positively charged. In the last figure 2E, Arginine (R) mutated into a Tryptophan (W) at 248thposition. The mutant residue is bigger and neutral whereas wild type is bigger and positively charged.
Conclusion
In this study different SNP analysing tools has been employed for analysis of the available data from the NCBI dbSNP database for the tumor suppressor gene P53. The predicted deleterious SNPs were evaluated for their potential detrimental effects on the protein function and stability. Five SNPs were predicted deleterious; those are rs28934573 (S241F), rs11540652 (R248Q), rs121913342 (R248W), rs121913343 (R273C) and rs28934576 (R273H); and they have the most probability to increase P53 susceptibility. Henceforth, it is very likely that there are unreported nsSNPs increasing disease predisposition by altering protein function or structure. The findings of this study might be helpful in early diagnosing the detrimental SNPs that has probability to increase the risk of different types of cancer formation. Individuals diagnosed with the above nsSNPs can take precautions to avoid other risk factors associated with cancer establishment as they are susceptible to cancer due to these nsSNPs in P53; a major tumor suppressor gene. However, population based studies and wet lab experiments are beyond our scopes for the verification of the findings of the current study. Therefore, extensive and clinical studies are required to characterize the vast SNP data.
Conflict of Interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests that may arise from third parties.
Acknowledgment
The authors are grateful to the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh and the Department of Biological Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, New York 11439.
Reference
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Francis Crick proposed the "adaptor hypothesis" for the function of tRNA. Why did he choose that description?
He believed there wouldn't be sufficient affinity between amino acids and nucleic acids for protein synthesis. With an adaptor molecule, specific hydrogen bonding could occur between nucleic acids, and specific covalent bonding could occur between an amino acid and a nucleic acid tRNA.
During translation, what molecule bears the codon? the anticodon?
The sequence of base triplets in mRNA constitutes the sequence of codons. A three-base portion of the tRNA constitutes the anticodon
The a chain of eukaryotic hemoglobin is composed of 141 amino acids. What is the minimum number of nucleotides in an mRNA coding for this polypeptide chain?
Since each amino acid is coded by 3 nucleotides and there is one additional stop codon that does not code for any amino acid but stops the translational process.
So the minimum correct number should be:
(141 x 3) + 3 = 426 nucleotides.
Assuming that each nucleotide in an mRNA is 0.34 nm long, how many triplet codes can simultaneously occupy the space in a ribosome that is 20 nm in diameter?
20/0.34 = 58.82 nucleotides or 59 nucleotides
Summarize the steps involved in charging tRNAs with their appropriate amino acids
see pic
When a codon in an mRNA with the sequence 5′UAA3′ enters the A site of a ribosome, it is not recognized by a tRNA with a complementary anticodon. Why not? What
instead?
...
Discuss the potential difficulties of designing a diet to alleviate the symptoms of phenylketonuria.
Too little phenylalanine will restrict protein synthesis
Too much of phenylalanine and its derivatives cause PKU in phenylketoneurics
Phenylalanine is required for protein synthesis.
Phenylketoneuria is a autosomal recessive disorder where dietary phenylalanine instead of getting converted to tyrosine, get converted to phenylpyruvic acid which is detected in Urine.
Designing a diet for PKU affected is a difficult task as, the diet must have a very restricted intake of phenyalanine right from infancy. This also poses a problem that levels of Phenylalanine should not reduce too much, as it is important for protein synthesis. The diet should be strict, so that very minimal Phenylalanine is supplied from outside. Along with this some medicated foods containing other essential amino acids is also given so that the patient is not deprived of other amino acids through this restrict diet.
Individuals with phenylketonuria cannot convert phenylalanine to tyrosine. Why don't these individuals exhibit a deficiency of tyrosine?
Both phenylalanine and tyrosine can be obtained from the diet. most natural proteins contain these amino acids.
Early detection and adherence to a strict dietary regimen have prevented much of the intellectual disability that used to occur in those with phenylketonuria (PKU). Affected individuals now often lead normal lives and have families. For various reasons, such individuals tend to adhere less rigorously to their diet as they get older. Predict the effect that mothers with PKU who neglect their diets might have on newborns.
developmental delays & permanent intellectual disability
Infantile cardiomyopathy is a devastating disorder that is fatal during the first year of life due to defects in the function of heart muscles resulting from mitochondrial dysfunction. A study, per-formed by Götz et al. [(2011). Am. J. Hum. Genet. 88:635-642), identified two different causative mutations in the gene for mitochondrial alanyl-tRNA synthetase (mtAlaRS). One mutation changes a leucine residue at amino acid position 155 to arginine (p.Leu155Arg). The other mutation changes arginine at position 592 to tryptophan (p.Arg592Trp). The mtAlaRS enzyme has an N-terminal domain (amino acids 36-481) that catalyzes tRNA aminoacylation and an internal editing domain (amino acids 484-782) that catalyzes deacylation in the case that the tRNA is charged with the wrong amino acid. (a) Consider the position of the disease causing missense mutations in the mtAlaRS gene in the context of the known protein domains of this enzyme. What predictions can you make about how these mutations impair protein synthesis within mitochondria in different ways? (b) Which mutation would you predict has a more severe impairment of translation in mitochondria, and why?
a) the missence mutation in the mtAlaRS gene may occur at two positions. the one in which leucine is substituted by arginine at 155th position. leucine is a non-polar/ hydrophobic amino acid while arginine is a polar amino acid with basic charge. therefore, the folding pattern of protein related to the sequence of amino acids and thus its function will be altered. in mitochondria, tRNA (transfer ribonucleic acid) aminoacylation will get affected by this mutation. similarly, at position 592, arginine is substituted by trytophan. tryptophan is an amino acid with an aromatic ring which means the molecular weight is high compared to the arginine. thus, it also alters the structure and folding pattern of protein leading to malfunctioning. in mitochondria, diacylation in the case when tRNA is charged with wrong amino acid will not take place, leading to the incorporation of wrong amino acids in the polypeptide chain.
b) the second mutation i.e., the substitution of arginine by tryptophan is more severe. because, the result of it would be no proofreading system on the addition of wrong amino acids, and completely different (maybe lethal) protein may get synthesized. | https://quizlet.com/570831072/biol-301-chapter-14-flash-cards/ |
What Is A Mutation?
A mutation is a modification while copying or replicating DNA molecules resulting in variants of DNA which can be passed onto the subsequent generations. These are caused by mutagens which are agents causing mutations. Mutation can occur in a part of the DNA or the entire DNA alteration can take place.
Types Of Mutations
There are many ways in which mutations can occur in DNA, listed below are types of mutations:
Base substitution/Point mutation
Point mutations are the single base substitutions. They are further subdivided into two types:
- transition
- traversion
Point mutations can either be of these three mutations:
- Missense mutations – A missense mutation causes a single base pair substitution to modify the genetic code to produce an amino acid differing from the normal amino acid at that location. A missense variant modifies the functionality of a protein.
- Nonsense mutations – This mutation of the DNA causes an incomplete and shortened protein product wherein a base untimely stop reading mRNA causing the polypeptide chain to end abruptly and the resultant is a protein product that is truncated and non-functional. This mutation alters a codon to a stop codon.
- Silent mutations – Silent mutations are the mutations wherein a change in the DNA does not alter the amino acid it generates and hence does not affect the functionality of the amino acid. The phenotype of the individual is usually not affected in this type of mutation.
A frameshift mutation occurs due to an insertion or deletion of a base pair that are usually not in the multiples of three. It causes the transformation of the genetic code in an unreadable format or a reading frame from the location of the mutation up till the end of the gene. It differs from the substitution mutation in a way such that replacement of nucleotides does not occur. Frameshift mutations have no effect on the amino acid sequence, however, there may be a change in the protein regulation.
Insertion
Addition or insertion of an additional base pair causes a frameshift which is dependant on whether added base pairs are in multiples of three or not.
Deletion
Frameshift may occur as a result of a deletion of one or multiple base pairs from the DNA sequence. This causes modification in the translational frame due to the deletion of two or more base pairs thereby generating a nonfunctional and a distorted message. But, if three or more base pairs are deleted, the reading frame stays unimpaired.
Three Things That A Substitution Mutation Can Cause
One of the types of mutations is the substitution mutation. A substitution mutation switches one base for another, change in only one chemical letter takes place. This switch can be due to many sources which could be related to the storage and the reading of DNA. Due to the process of depurination, nucleotides tend to fall off. Since there are only four nucleotides to choose from, the proteins that manage the DNA tend to mistake in order to replace these nucleotides. This should be substituted by other proteins in the sequence to look up for errors in DNA.
It is probable to replicate this DNA if the substitution mutation is missed. The process of deamination is another driving factor. The only way a protein can discriminate between nucleotides is via the associated amino groups. The protein machinery tends to misidentify the nucleotide and hence supply the wrong nucleotide pair. The new nucleotide establishes in a new cell line during DNA replication. External factors such as sunlight and carcinogens can also cause nucleotide swaps. Carcinogens are chemicals that hinder the protein machinery and cause a lot of mutations. A substitution mutation can cause the following:
- Change in the coding of amino acids codon to a particular stop codon resulting in an incomplete protein, which is usually non-functional.
- Can cause Silent mutations where a codon change can encode the same amino acid resulting in no changes in the protein synthesized.
- Change a codon which encodes a variant amino acid that brings about a small change in the protein synthesized, an example of this is sickle-cell anaemia.
For more information on mutation and other related topics, please register at BYJU’S.
Also Read: | https://byjus.com/questions/what-are-3-things-that-a-substitution-mutation-cause/ |
Flashcards in Module 1 - Unit 2 Deck (72)
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1
Identify the Monomer for Proteins
Amino Acids
2
Identify the Monomer for DNA
Prosphate
deoxyribose and
4 bases ( Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, Cytosine)
3
Identify the Monomer for RNA
RNA: Nucleotide containing, adenine, cytosine, guanine and uracile
4
What is the monomer of a lipid?
Glycerol and 3 fatty acids is the monomer of a lipid.This is also the basic structure of a lipid.
5
What are the monomers of sucrose?
glucose and fructose
6
what are the monomers of lactose?
glucose and galactose
7
What are the monomers of maltose?
2 glucose molecules
8
Describe the primary structure of a protein
• Primary:
○ Refers to the amino acid sequence or polypeptide backbone
○ Determines the 3 dimensional shape
○ 2-Dimensional
9
Describe the secondary structure of proteins
• Secondary:
○ 3-dimensional
○ Takes shape when the string is raised off the table and the side chains interact causing the string to fold
○ Refers to the folding of the polypeptide backbone in the protein
10
Describe the tertiary structure of a protein
Tertiary
○ Most proteins fold into shapes that are classified as globular and some form long fibers.
○ This structure is stabilized by mostly non-covalent forces
§ Hydrophbic interactions
§ Ionic bonds
§ Hydrogen bonds
11
Describe the quaternary structure of proteins
• Quarternary
○ Interaction of 2 or more polypeptide chains that associate to form a larger protein is the next conformational level
12
What type of bonds hold primary structured proteins together?
Peptide Bonds
13
What type of bonds hold secondary structured proteins together?
Hydrogen Bonds
14
What type of bonds hold tertiary structured proteins together?
Hydrophobic interactions
Ionic bonds
Hydrogen bonds
15
Briefly describe how proteins can be denatured and explain the biological impact.
Denaturation is the term used for any change in the three-dimensional structure of a protein that renders it incapable of performing its assigned function. A denatured protein cannot do its job. (Sometimes denaturation is equated with the precipitation or coagulation of a protein; our definition is a bit broader.) A wide variety of reagents and conditions, such as heat, organic compounds, pH changes, and heavy metal ions can cause protein denaturation
16
What are some differences between DNA and RNA?
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is like a blueprint of biological guidelines that a living organism must follow to exist and remain functional. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, helps carry out this blueprint's guidelines. Of the two, RNA is more versatile than DNA, capable of performing numerous, diverse tasks in an organism, but DNA is more stable and holds more complex information for longer periods of time.
17
What are the two major stages in protein synthesis?
- Transcription
- Translation
- inititiation
- elongation
- termination
p.49-50**
18
What are the different types of chromosomal mutations?
○ Deletion of a gene: Gene becomes unattached to the centrometre and is lost.
○ Duplication of genes: The mutant genes are displayed twice on the same chromosome. This can prove to be advantageous as no genetic material is lost or altered and new genes are gained. The new chromosome posseses all its initial genes plus a duplicated one, which is usually harmless.
○ Inversion of genes: The order of particlular genes are reversed. The new sequence may not be viable but may also be advantageous.
○ Translocation of genes: Information from one of two homologous chromosomes breaks and binds to the other. This usually is lethal.
19
Name the mutations caused by alternation of the genes
○ Deletion: Loss of one nucleotide uridine in the example below leads to different sequence of amino acids.
○ Insertion: A nucleotide is inserted into a sequence. This alters the chain as in the above example and is called a frameshift alteration.
○ Inversion: This is where a particular nucleotide sequence is reversed. This may or may not be serious depending on the final amino acid that is inserted.
○ Substitution: This is where a certain nucleotide is replaced with another. An example of this type of alteration is discussed in the Case History on Sickle Cell Anemia. In this condition, the 6th amino acid on the hemoglobin beta-chain calls for glutamate but in sickle cell anemia the amino acid coded for this position calls for valine. This change has physiological consequnces as discussed in the case history. NOTE: A change in base pairs results in an amino acid change but if the new amino acid has the same chemical properties as the old one then it is unlikely to have a deleterious clinical outcome.
20
In what form is glucose stored in muscle?
Glycogen
21
Which of the following carbohydrates is a polysaccharide?
a) starch
b) sucrose
c) lactose
d) glucose
Starch
22
One of the following is not consistent with the structure of a phospolipid ?
a) glycerol
b) 3 free fatty acids
c) 2 free fatty acids
d) phosphate
3 free fatty acids ( it's only 2 fatty acids)
23
8. What substance is a precursor to all steroid hormones?
a) fatty acids
b) cholesterol
c) triglycerides
d) phospholipids
Cholesterol
24
In serum electrophoresis when a buffer solution of pH 8.6 is used, which of the following characterizes the proteins?
a) net negative charge
b) net positive charge
c) net zero charge
d) migrate to the cathode
A net negative charge
25
Which of the following bases are not associated to DNA?
a) adenine
b) guanine
c) uracil
d) cytosine
Uracil
26
What distinguishes 1 amino acid from another?
R-group
27
How many different amino acids exist?
20
28
The charge of an amino acid can be positive, negative or neutral. What can the nature of the charge affect?
1- Net charge of a protein
2- Effect on the ion distribution
3- Buffers
4- Structural effects
* see p. 6 for further detail)
29
How many of the 20 amino acids are synthesized by the human cells?
10
the remainder or essential amino acids must be obtained by our diets. | https://www.brainscape.com/flashcards/module-1-unit-2-2842007/packs/4725742 |
The large amount of available human mitochondrial genome data from Ingman and Gyllenstein and from Ruiz-Pesini et al [see http://www.mtdb.igp.uu.se/, 1 and http://www.mitomap.org/MITOMAP, 2] enables to study in some detail the spectrum of mutations observed within this species’ mitochondrion. DNA mutations have two main causes: spontaneous chemical alterations of nucleotides, from one nucleotide ‘species’ to another, such as hydrolytic deaminations from C->T and A to hypoxanthine, which pairs with C and leads to its replacement by G (in the following summarized as A->G); and inaccuracies by the enzymatic machinery that is responsible for the polymerization of new DNA strands from the template of the existing DNA during DNA replication. Here I explore the tendency for mutations from different genes and mutation types to be explained by the first (physico-chemical), or the other (more enzymatic/biological) factor, also in relation to adaptive constraints (natural selection is weaker against DNA mutations that cause no or only conservative changes at the protein level). The relative importance of these various factors affecting mutation spectra is investigated for observed human mitochondrial mutations in relation to different types of substitutions and different genes. I also explore nearest neighbour effects on the different mutation types, though the relative contribution of this factor in relation to others is not evaluated here.
The main, presumably sole DNA replicating enzyme in vertebrate mitochondria is the DNA gamma polymerase, which evolved from a bacterial tRNA synthetase . Twelve types of substitutions of one nucleotide by another nucleotide occur at different frequencies. The most frequent changes occur within each of the nucleotide families, purines (adenosine, A, and guanine, G) and pyrimidines (cytosine, C, and thymidine, T), as these involve less changes in molecular structure. These four purine to purine or pyrimidine to pyrimidine mutations are called transitions, the eight mutations from one chemical group to another are called transversions. A simplistic model predicts the frequencies of all substitutions, based on the dipole moment of the nucleotides , for a DNA region supposed to have no function, a pseudogene , so that observed substitution frequencies are believed unaffected by natural selection. The partial dipole moment of a chemical bond is proportional to the distance of an electron’s mean position, in the chemical bond between atoms, from mid-distance between these atoms. The dipole moment of a molecule is the product of all partial dipole moments. G and C have high dipole moments, A and T have low dipole moments . The hypothesized model assumes that a high dipole moment indicates high chemical reactivity, and hence probable alteration by chemical processes. Indeed, observed frequencies of mutations in pseudogenes of one nucleotide into another nucleotide are proportional to dipole moment changes: nucleotides with low dipole moment substitute those with high dipole moment.
Independently of the dipole moment hypothesis, some spontaneous chemical reactions, deaminations, A->G and C->T, occur preferentially while the heavy DNA strand is in the single stranded state [7, 8]. This occurs mainly during replication and transcription (DNA and RNA polymerization). Distances from replication origins and for transcription, from promoters [9, 10], determine durations that different DNA regions remain single stranded, creating gradients in deaminations in genomes with asymmetric replication, such as mitochondrial genomes (reviewed in [11, 12]). Hence gene position affects transition frequencies. Site-specific mutation rates estimated by phylogenetic reconstruction suggest that mutation gradients might also exist for some transversions [13, 14], indicating that singlestrandedness might affect also substitutions that are not A->G or C->T.
Here I analyse mutation patterns observed in the 13 human mitochondrial protein coding genes, to estimate relative contributions of different processes to observed mutation patterns: replicational gradients [13, 14, 15], dipole moments [6, 16], selection against mutations that alter coding properties at the protein level and gamma polymerase misincorporation , and potential interactions between these processes. I also explore nearest neighbour effects on mutation rates. The present analyses are also original in the sense that they are based on comparative analyses of sequence data, all the data originating from a single species, and not, as previous ones (i.e. [13, 14]), from comparisons between different, frequently evolutionarily distant species.
The estimation of process-specific contributions of different mechanisms to a given phenomenon requires considering dependence among processes. Dipole moment effects are independent of the deamination gradient model which predicts a gradient in C->T, consistent with the model of dipole moment decrease, but an A->G gradient is inconsistent. This means that one deamination gradient fits into the dipole moment model, and the other does not, making both approaches approximately unrelated.
The issue of the accuracy of the gamma polymerase is more complex. It is indeed plausible that nucleotide misinsertion results from misrecognition of nucleotides by the polymerase, the latter due to physico-chemical similarities between nucleotides. This principle is also suggested by the high average misincorporation rates resulting in transitions (447.25±375.22) as compared to misincorporation rates causing transversions (121.64±186.6), explaining 33 percent of the variation in rates between different misincorporation types . If so, the absolute value of the difference between dipole moments of nucleotides (from ) should be inversely proportional to misincorporation rates (‘kd’ in ), high rates occurring for nucleotides with similar dipole moments. This model differs from the model of dipole moment decrease, as it deals with the absolute value of the difference between dipole moments, and not the signed difference.
Misincorporation versus absolute difference between dipole moment of substituted and substituting nucleotide. Transitions (filled symbols) have high kds, but similar dipole moments decrease misincorporation kds.
The dipole similarity model for polymerase misincorporation rates can be dismissed at this point. Misincorporation rates increase, not decrease as expected, with absolute values of differences between dipole moments (r = 0.80, Figure 1). This unexplained association could reflect effects of other properties on misincorporation rates, properties that are inversely correlated with dipole moments. Note that after controlling for differences between transitions and transversions, the correlation shown in Figure 1 decreases (r = 0.54, not shown), yet the analysis confirms the principle that nucleotide substitutions with high kds tend to be substitutions between nucleotides with highly divergent dipole moments.
It is also possible that many nucleotide misincorporations result from the delay occurring between nucleotide recognition by the gamma polymerase and its incorporation in the elongating DNA polymer. One could suppose that some misincorporations are not due to misrecognitions, but to spontaneous mutations occurring after the nucleotide’s accurate recognition by the polymerase, and before its incorporation. In that case, misincorporation rates should match the dipole moment model for decreased dipole moment: high rates are observed when substitutions decrease the dipole moment. This hypothesis cannot be ruled out, as misincorporation rates increase with the signed difference between nucleotide dipole moments (r = 0.50, not shown). Controlling for differences in kd between transitions and transversions, this positive association increases (r = 0.60, Figure 2).
Adjusted misincorporation kd as a function of difference between dipole moments of substituted and substituting nucleotide. High kds imply dipole moment decrease.
Note that if causal interpretations of the associations in Figures 1 and 2 are relevant, it would be the dipole moment that affects kds. An alternative explanation to the trend in Figure 2 is that the gamma polymerase binds more readily nucleotides with low than high dipole moment, hence resulting in this biased misincorporation trend. Such a pattern could easily be caused by an overall relatively hydrophobic nature of the residues that constitute the polymerase’s binding site (low dipole moment implying relative hydrophobicity). Even a very small bias for hydrophobic interactions would cause strong biases in analyses focusing on misincorporation rates. However, this hydrophobicity hypothesis does not seem to fit, at least in its simplistic form, what is known about the active site of the gamma polymerase according to the crystal structure published by Lee et al . The active site consists of amino acids E895, Y951, R943 and Y955, among which one residue is positively charged (E, glutamic acid), one negatively (R, arginine) and two are hydrophilic (Y, tyrosine). Note that none is classified as a hydrophobic amino acid. Hence the positive association in Figure 2 does not seem explained by active site hydrophobicity. Speculatively, electrostatic neutrality could favour misprocessing in active sites where each positive and negative charges occur, while high dipole moments would promote efficient processing.
These preliminary analyses suggest several important points on gamma polymerase fidelity: a) the causes for effects of similarity between nucleotides on misrecognition are unknown, structural similarity having effects opposite to those of dipole moment similarities; b) nucleotide properties affecting misrecognition are unknown but correlate with dipole moments; c) separating, even only conceptually, polymerase misrecognition from misincorporation, could be useful to understand polymerase accuracy; d) many misincorporations might be due to spontaneous mutations (with rates proportional to the dipole moment model) in the nucleotide occurring after accurate recognition by the polymerase, but before incorporation, resulting in misincorporation despite accurate recognition; e) alternatively, the polymerase’s binding site might have in-built bias for hydrophobic misprocessing.
Grantham developed a matrix of dissimilarities based on major physico-chemical properties of amino acids (amino acid composition, polarity and molecular volume) that correlates best with amino acid replacement frequencies. From that matrix, Gojobori et al estimated an average change in amino acid physico-chemical properties due to residue replacements for nucleotide substitutions in protein coding regions (see last line of table 4 in ). For example, A<->G substitutions have the lowest average impact, while G<->T have the greatest impact. One expects a negative association between impact on protein structure and the frequency of a nucleotide substitution. For pseudogenes, which do not code for proteins, the correlation between this average impact and the frequency of corresponding mutations (data from ) is weak (r = -0.33, one tailed P = 0.15), and even weaker after differences between transition and transversions have been accounted for (r = -0.18, one tailed P = 0.29). However, for mutation frequencies in coding sequences, natural selection against dysfunctional proteins has specifically decreased frequencies of non-conservative substitutions, and a strong negative correlation exists between impacts on protein structure and the frequency of a nucleotide substitution (r = -0.828, one tailed P = 0.00044). Accounting for differences between transitions and transversions does not alter qualitatively this result (r = -0.749, one tailed P = 0.0025).
Hence different misincorporations by the gamma polymerase affect differently the coding properties of genes. The polymerase probably mainly adapted to avoid high impact nucleotide misincorporations. This can be tested by examining the correlation between misincorporation kds and the amino acid impact distances presented in , which will indicate to what extent these misincorporation rates resemble what is expected for pseudogenes (suggesting no selection occurs), or coding genes (suggesting the gamma polymerase is selected to minimize substitution impact on proteins). This correlation is negative, stronger than for pseudogenes, but weaker than for functional genes after selection (r = -0.434, one tailed P = 0.079). Controlling for differences between transitions and transversions does not alter much this result (r = -0.323, P = 0.15). The same holds after accounting for effects of dipole moments (Figure 2) on misincorporation rates: kds decrease with distances between replaced and replacing residues, but results are intermediate between mutation patterns observed for pseudogenes and genes that actually code for proteins (r = -0.44, one tailed P = 0.076).
This indicates that misincorporation rates include an adaptive component that minimizes the potential impact of nucleotide misincorporations on proteins. It is probable that a balance exists between minimizing different misincorporation rates, because the same active site in the polymerase is responsible for them. Hence the misincorporation pattern cannot be adapted to minimize all misincorporation rates, only to optimize misincorporation effects at protein levels. For frequencies of mutations observed in genes, selection affects each site (more or less) independently, hence impacts are minimized, resulting in much stronger correlations between mutation frequencies and impact at the protein level than observed for misincorporation rates, because the same active site produces the various types of misincorporations. The results indicate that this balancing effect due to interactions between different misincorporation types by the same active sites must be relatively strong in the gamma polymerase, otherwise the correlation with amino acid dissimilarities would resemble much more that found for coding genes. The matter of adaptively-tuned misincorporation rates by polymerases is nevertheless an interesting line of research that would gain from being developed further, including along the methods used here.
Misincorporation by gamma polymerases during replication is a major factor causing mutations. This factor is itself influenced by dipole moments of nucleotides, similarities between them, and greater selection pressures against specific misincorporation rates than on other rates (see previous sections). Here I examine observed mutation patterns in human mitochondrial genes.
Numbers of nucleotide substitutions for each of the 12 possible substitutions were counted from tabulations at http://www.mtdb.igp.uu.se/ and http://www.mitomap.org/MITOMAP , separately for each gene (Table 1). Values are percentages of sites where a given mutation was observed among all sites where the substituted nucleotide mutated in that gene. The variation in that percentage within a given gene is mainly due to differences between transitions and transversions, the former dominating. Hence for further analyses, for each gene, mean percentages for transitions and transversions were calculated separately and subtracted from the observed percentages for transitions and transversions, respectively. This adjustment excludes effects due to differences between transitions and transversions in mutation percentages observed for each given gene. The two last columns in Table 1 are Pearson correlation coefficients of percentages adjusted for differences between transitions and transversions and adjusted (along the same criterion) kd’s of nucleotide misincorporations by the gamma polymerase (s), and after adjusting also for Grantham physico-chemical distances (s’). Correlation coefficients s are positive in 12 among 13 genes, a significant majority of cases according to a one tailed sign test (P = 0.000854). The correlation is significant (P < 0.05) at the level of a single gene for three genes, ND1, CO1 and AT8 (marked by asterisks in Table 1).
Results are only slightly altered after accounting for differences between transitions and transversions. Further analyses (s’ in Table 1) using the residual misincorporation rates and the residual mutation percentages, calculated from their regressions with Grantham’s amino acid dissimilarities do not change results much. These results show that variation in percentages of mutations of different types is to some extent due to misincorporation by the gamma polymerase, but a large part of the variation between substitution percentages remains unaccounted for. It is probable that natural selection against various mutations occurs, so that percentages in Table 1 are composites of misincorporation rates and other factors, such as selection against specific mutations. However, taking selection into account by using residuals from the regression of mutation frequencies with amino acid dissimilarities does not change patterns much. Hence further major factors affect observed mutation patterns, besides misincorporation rates and selection on coding impacts of mutations (and misincorporations).
If one assumes that large parts of the variation that is not explained by the gamma polymerase’s misincorporation rates in the previous analyses is due to selection, one can estimate which types of mutations are more or less prone to selection by analysing the residuals of the adjusted percentages (for each gene) from the regression with misincorporation. The line ‘Res’ in Table 1 indicates the number of genes for which this residual was positive, meaning that the percentage of that mutation was greater than expected from the regression with misincorporation. For two types of mutations, C->A and T->C, there were 10 such genes, which according to two tailed sign tests yields a significant tendency for observing percentages greater than expected by misincorporation (P = 0.046) as indicated by P in Table 1. Hence C->A and T->C are more frequent than expected by misincorporation. At least for T->C, there are two plausible explanations. T->C is a transition, and transitions cause relatively little functional effects at the level of coding properties of codons, suggesting low counterselection, hence relative over-representation (positive residuals). This explanation does not seem adequate, because the effect is not strong for other transitions (A->G, G->A and even opposite for C->T, where residuals were positive for only 2 genes (P = 0.0095, two tailed sign test). The latter effect on C->T is however also compatible with the second explanation for T->C. Deamination, promoted by single strandedness during replication, contributes to A->G mutations on the mitochondrial heavy strand DNA, which corresponds to T->C in Table 1 which uses the complementary light strand DNA annotation. Hence the systematic excess in T->C and systematic lack of C->T would be due to a factor that does not relate to misincorporation by the gamma polymerase, nor to selection, but presumably to the replicational mutation gradient of A->G. Residual analysis also indicates systematic underrepresentation of a further mutation type, G->T (P = 0.0095, two tailed sign test), a transversion that might be particularly counterselected . Indeed, numbers of positive residuals tend to decrease with mean physico-chemical distances between replaced and replacing amino acids associated with these nucleotide mutations (r = -0.38, not statistically significant).
Percentage of mutations observed in each human mitochondrial protein coding gene. A, C, G, T indicate the number of that nucleotide in that gene, followed by the number of sites with that nucleotide that are polymorphic. ‘s’ is the Pearson correlation coefficient of percentages adjusted for differences between transitions and transversions and adjusted nucleotide misincorporations by the gamma polymerase (* indicates P < 0.05). The last lines (from Res on) and s’ are explained in the text.
The previous section indicates that some mutations might be systematically more frequent than expected by misincorporations by the gamma polymerase, and suggests that mutations due to replicational deamination gradients could cause this effect. The study of mutational gradients has used different methods to compare mutation rates at different locations in the genome. Some studies infer mutation rates from phylogenetic comparisons among species of nucleotide contents at given sites (i.e. [13, 14]). Phylogeny-inferred kinetics for A->G and C->T gradients match the properties of the underlying chemical processes: the chemically faster C->T deamination saturates faster in computational analyses with duration spent single stranded than the slower A->G reaction [13, 14, 21]. Other studies infer mutation rates from gene nucleotide contents: for the C->T deamination, one expects relatively high C and low T contents in regions close to replication origin(s), and the opposite for genes with high durations spent single stranded [11, 12, 15, 21, 22, 23].
The method used here is closer to direct observation of mutations, because it compares only between genomes from the same species (Homo sapiens in this case). This means that one is closer to an ‘instantaneous’ observation of mutations. This procedure decreases numbers of undetected multiple changes. I did not use a full phylogenetic model of all human mitochondria to infer mutation rates. Data in Table 1 are for a simplified procedure that counts numbers of sites within a gene where a given type of mutation was observed and calculates the percentage of sites with that nucleotide where that mutation occurred, assuming that the most common nucleotide at any given site is the ancestral nucleotide.
Durations spent single stranded are calculated as previously [11, 12, 21, 22, 24]. I explored for replicational and transcriptional gradients (Dssh and Dloop in Table 1) for each of the 12 mutations, not only for A->G and C->T. This is because time spent single stranded might also affect other mutations, notably transversions . Correlational analyses for gradients (analysis across rows, one per column in Table 1) used the residuals of mutation rates from their regression with misincorporation rates (residual analysis is across columns, one regression calculated per gene/row in Table 1), in order to exclude effects of polymerase inaccuracy on mutational gradients. However note that using the raw mutation percentage data as in Table 1, gradient analyses do not change much.
Two potential gradients in duration of singlestrandedness are considered, singlestrandedness during replication and during transcription (indicated in Table 1 by Dssh and Dloop, respectively). The last rows in Table 1 show Pearson correlation coefficients between residual mutation percentages and times spent single stranded during replication (Dssh) and transcription (Dloop). The hypothesis of singlestrandedness expects positive correlations, but this was observed only for half the cases, for each replication and transcription. There was a significant drop in T->A mutations along the replicational gradient, and a significant increase in T->C mutations along the transcription gradient (Figure 3). The latter effect is predicted by deamination gradients. Deamination gradients are also expected for G->A, but were not observed. Data in Table 1 only support the hypothesis of a deamination gradient for T->C. They cannot differentiate between replicational and transcriptional gradients. It is notable that in this case the predicted G->A gradient is not stronger than gradients observed for other mutations. Apparently, another mutation, T->A, reacts to single strandedness, but in the direction opposite to that expected (singlestrandedness is predicted to increase mutations, not decrease them). Other, less direct methods based on phylogenetic reconstructions, perhaps fail to detect this gradient because selection, at larger evolutionary scale, might have weeded out many mutations such as the transversion T->A (this type of mutation implies non-conservative changes at the amino acid coding level), leaving mainly neutral and close to neutral ones. Indeed, transitions affect less coding properties than transversions (transitions cause on average more conservative amino acid changes than transversions). This would explain why phylogenetic comparisons detected weaker signals for transversion than transition gradients, while analyses in Table 1 for almost instantaneous mutations are apparently less affected by natural selection occurring after a mutation happened and do not show differences in gradients between transitions and transversions. These comparative data restricted to Homo sapiens confirm only the (heavy strand) deamination of A->G (corresponding to T->C in the annotation used here) at the level of a transcriptional gradient.
Mutations versus singlestranded during replication (T->A, filled symbols) and transcription (T->C, circles). Mutation percentages are residuals from regressions with misincorporation by the gamma polymerase, calculated based on data from Table 1.
The results suggest that mutation rates estimated from sequence comparisons within a single species reflect misincorporation rates, but barely confirm well established observations of deamination gradients, which were based on comparisons between evolutionary more distant sequences, and on nucleotide contents of single sequences. Apparently, instantaneous mutation rates reflect misincorporation by gamma polymerase, while the effects of deamination gradients, which result from a biased cumulation of mutations, might result from long term processes and are therefore more detectable at a wider evolutionary scale.
The issue of effects of selection on mutational gradients can also be investigated by analysing separately codon positions, as indicated for replicational and transcriptional gradients in Table 1. In terms of replicational gradients, there were no gradients detectable for any mutation at first and second codon positions, but there were three gradients, one negative (G->A) and two positive (A->T and G->C) at third codon positions. Hence these analyses confirm that replication gradients are more detectable where the mutation is synonymous or has little impact because causing a conservative amino acid change, as occurs at third codon positions, but not or much less at first and second codon positions. However, the specifically predicted deamination gradients are not detected. The opposite is observed for G->A (corresponding to C->T mutations on the heavy DNA strand), this mutation unexpectedly decreases along the singlestrandedness gradient, while an increase was expected.
Assuming a transcriptional gradient in singlestrandedness, the expected positive G->A gradient is detected for first codon positions. This is the only statistically significant gradient detected that is not at third codon position. The transcriptional gradient analyses at third codon position confirm the gradient observed for pooled codon positions for T->C, which fits the deamination gradient, and detects a gradient for G->C mutations.
Comparing the absolute values of the correlation coefficients in Table 1 for replicational and transcriptional gradients, correlations are stronger with transcriptional singlestrandedness, however this analysis does not account for the expected positive direction of the correlations of mutations with singlestrandedness. If one assumes that correlations should be positive (singlestrandedness should increase mutations), one does not detect any systematic difference between replication and transcription. The human mutation data might be better explained by transcriptional singlestrandedness, but the matter remains unclear. Deamination gradients are more detectable assuming transcriptional than replicational singlestrandedness, suggesting that deaminations observed in human sequences occurred mainly during transcription. The fact that more gradients are detected at third codon positions than at other positions indicates that selection against mutations affecting protein structure occurs and prevents detecting mutational gradients due to singlestrandedness.
Analyses in the previous section suggest that mutational gradients exist in mitochondria, but are less detectable at the evolutionary scale reflected by sequence variation within Homo sapiens populations than when comparing between evolutionary more divergent sequences belonging to different species. Nevertheless, additional analyses show that replicational gradients confound effects of misincorporation by the gamma polymerase. Indeed, the column ‘s’ in Table 1 shows that while mutation patterns in most genes overall fit the pattern predicted by misincorporation, this extent varies widely among genes (from -5 for ND2 to 73 for AT8). My first guess was that gene size (from 69 to over 600 codons, for AT8 and ND5, respectively) differences cause this. My assumption was that estimations of mutation patterns are less accurate in short genes, causing low correlations (low s) between observed mutation patterns and misincorppration rates. However, if this was true, one would expect a better match with misincorporation patterns in long genes, but surprisingly, patterns fit best in AT8: sampling inaccuracy does not explain variation in ‘s’.
s from Table 1 as a function of singlestrandedness during replication. Mutation patterns resemble those predicted by misincorporation by the gamma polymerase in genes that remain singlestranded for a short time during replication. Values indicate gene lengths.
Replicational mutation gradients might explain variation in s between genes: mutation patterns in genes that endure short periods of singlestrandedness during replication should be least affected by replication gradients, and fit best the pattern predicted by gamma polymerase misincorporation, and vice versa (Figure 4). Indeed, s decreases with singlestrandedness during replication (r = -0.49, P = 0.045, one sided test; but there was no correlation of s with singlestrandedness during transcription, r = -0.27, P < 0.10).
Inaccurate ‘s’ estimation due to short genes affects results in Figure 4. Short genes fit less the trend in Figure 4 than large genes (gene size is indicated in Figure 4): absolute values of residuals calculated from the regression in Figure 4 decrease with gene size (r = -0.45). Hence 21 percent of variation in s unexplained by singlestrandedness is from sampling effects. Accounting for them, the correlation in Figure 4 is r = -0.63. This means that sampling effects affect less ‘s’ (and estimates of observed mutation rates) from Table 1 than singlestrandedness. This stresses the importance of mutational gradients despite weak results in Table 1.
Singlestrandedness during replication is an even better predictor of the fit between observed mutation patterns and gamma polymerase misincorporation when residual analyses account for each Grantham distances between replaced and replacing amino acids (s’ in Table 1). This s’ decreases more than s with replicational singlestrandedness (r = -0.6277, one tailed P = 0.011). Interestingly, using transcriptional singlestrandedness yields r = -0.468 (one tailed P = 0.053). Accounting for total singlestrandedness during both replication and transcription by summing both up and analysing the correlation of s’ with this sum of replicational and transcriptional singlestrandedness yields r = -0.649 (one tailed P = 0.0083). In each of these analyses using s’, gene size had a significant impact on residuals. Accounting for that effect systematically increased correlations between s’ and replicational, transcriptional, and the combination of both singlestrandedness (r = -0.811, r = -0.68 and r = -0.89).
9. Mutation patterns: effects of dipole moments or gamma polymerase misincorporations?
Figure 2 shows that even after accounting for differences between transitions and transversions on misincorporation rates, differences between dipole moments of the substituted and the substituting nucleotides explain part of the variation in misincorporation rates. Hence both factors (dipole moment or misincorporation by the gamma polymerase) are confounded, and one cannot be sure which affects mutation patterns, or whether they affect each independently observed mutation patterns. For that reason I calculated residuals of adjusted kds from the regression with signed differences in dipole moments (data from Figure 2) and calculated correlations between these residuals and the adjusted mutation percentages (calculated from Table 1) for each gene. This version of s is adjusted for effects of dipole moments on misincorporation rates, and is positive for all genes. This adjusted s increased as compared to s from Table 1 in 8 (and decreased in 5) genes. Hence adjusting misincorporation for effects of dipole moments only slightly increases its fit with observed mutation patterns.
However, when examining the increase in s after adjusting for dipole moment effects in relation to replicational singlestrandedness, this increase is proportional to singlestrandedness during replication (not shown). This suggests that effects of the component of misincorporation that is independent of dipole moments increase with singlestrandedness. Hence singlestrandedness interacts with gamma polymerase fidelity. In these analyses, this fidelity is separated into a component associated with dipole moments, and a different component. According to the analyses, it is the latter, unknown factor that increases its effects on observed mutation patterns with singlestrandedness during replication.
Similar residual analyses for dipole moments show that observed mutation patterns do not fit well with differences in dipole moments after calculating residuals from their regression with misincorporation rates (these analyses inverse between dependent and independent in Figure 2). These correlations were negative in 11 among 13 genes, suggesting a weak effect that is opposite to that expected by the hypothesis that mutations decrease dipole moments .
The latter analyses indicate that dipole moments affect mutation rates through their effects on misincorporation by polymerases, but not directly on spontaneous alterations of single stranded DNA. Misincorporation by gamma polymerase has at least two components, one related to dipole moments, and another one, unrelated to dipole moments. Effects of the latter on mutation patterns increase with singlestrandedness. Analyses in a previous section suggested that distinguishing between misincorporation due to nucleotide misrecognition versus misincorporation due to nucleotide alteration after accurate recognition could prove valuable. It is not clear whether the effect independent of dipole moments that increases with singlestrandedness relates to misrecognition, alteration after recognition, or a subcomponent of any of these. Hydrophobic bias (for low dipole moment) in relation to misincorporations by the gamma polymerase binding site for nucleotides is not explained by a simplistic analysis of the residues composing the active site of gamma polymerase. Nevertheless, these results indicate that the ‘age’ of the replication fork has some effect on its fidelity.
A similar comparison can be done between s and s’ in Table 1. Here one sees that s’, as compared to s, is lower than s in 11 among 13 genes. Hence gene-specific mutation patterns match misincorporation rates after accounting for differences between transitions and transversions better than after accounting, in addition, for selection against non-conservative amino acid replacements resulting from nucleotide substitutions: s’ as compared to s decreases with singlestrandedness. Hence in this case, accounting for selection against non-conservative amino acid replacements improves slightly the match of observed mutations with misincorporations for genes with short singlestranded exposure, but mainly decreases that match for those with long singlestrandedness. This effect is opposite to the one reported in a previous paragraph for accounting for dipole moment effects. Accounting for the latter improves the match between mutation and misincorporation patterns with singlestrandedness, while accounting for selection decreases that match.
Sampling inaccuracy might affect estimates of s and s’ in Table 1. A further potential indirect factor with opposite effect might exist. Duration spent single stranded used is for a gene’s midpoint, a good approximation for short genes, but increasingly inaccurate the longer the gene. In order to evaluate this, absolute residuals of mutation percentages (Table 1) from their regressions with misincorporation rates (both adjusted for differences between transitions and transversions) are plotted versus numbers of potential sites that could mutate for that mutation type in that gene (Figure 5). Residuals tend to decrease with sample sizes up to approximately 250 nucleotides, which corresponds to an average of a sequence of 1000 base pairs (for each mutation type, there is only one substituted nucleotide, so on average, these mutations occurred over a total sequence that is about four times longer). The absolute value of residual mutation percentages increases with sample size up from about 250 nucleotides.
Residual mutation percentage (absolute value) from regression with gamma polymerase kds for each nucleotide in each gene, versus numbers of potentially mutating nucleotides. The decrease indicates a sampling effect: samples up to 200-300 nucleotides fit better misincorporation patterns because of sampling effects. Beyond 250, inaccuracy increases, perhaps because different gene regions have different mutation regimes.
The decreasing pattern is what one expects from sampling effects: up to about 1000 base pairs, longer genes enable to estimate better mutation patterns (the absolute residual is small). But for genes longer than that threshold, absolute residuals increase, hence mutation patterns tend to fit less well misincorporation as predicted by the gamma polymerase. This could be due to the mixing of regions with different singlestrandedness, which perhaps alters non-linearly mutation patterns. A similar effect where estimation inaccuracy of mutation rates decreases, then increases with sequence length exists for the correlation between rates of morphological and molecular evolution . The threshold was for sequence lengths around 1200 base pairs, indicating that estimates of mutation rates (mainly from vertebrate mitochondrial protein coding sequences, as those analysed for Homo sapiens here) decreased beyond that sequence length. It was suggested, as for Figure 5 here, that mutation patterns change with the relative position of a gene, and that for long regions, more than one mutation regime might be mixed, decreasing the accuracy of analyses. Figure 5 follows that principle, and indicates a similar threshold.
Previous sections show that indirect effects of gradients in singlestrandedness on mutation patterns exist (i.e. Figures 4 and 5). Yet analyses of mutation percentages, or mutation percentages after accounting for differences between transitions and transversions, and after accounting for effects of misincorporation by gamma polymerase, do only marginally enable to detect mutation gradients with singlestrandedness, and this for any codon position. The analyses of gradients that separate codon positions indicate that natural selection might affect mutation patterns (Table 1), and could mask mutational gradients according to singlestrandedness. Selection against non-conservative amino acid replacements also affects mutation percentages. Analyses for singlestrandedness gradients did not yet account for that latter factor, in addition to misincorporation by the gamma polymerase and differences between transitions and transversions.
I calculated residuals of mutation percentages (adjusted for differences between transitions and transversions) from their regression with mean physico-chemical (Grantham’s) distances between replaced and replacing amino acids resulting from that nucleotide substitution in coding sequences (for mutation percentages across all codon positions), separately for each of the protein coding genes. Hence this analysis is across columns, for each row in Table 1. Then, for each substitution type, I calculated correlations with singlestrandedness during replication, transcription, and their sum (these analyses are across rows, for each column, on residuals produced by the latter ‘row’ analysis across columns). This yields correlations between residual mutation rates and singlestrandedness for each mutation type. The majority of these are positive correlations (Table 2): mutation percentages (after accounting by residual analyses for differences between transitions and trasversions, misincorporation rates and Grantham distances (assumed to reflect selection against dysfunctional proteins)) increase with singlestrandedness during replication (11 among 12 cases, exception A->C mutations), transcription (11 among 12 cases, exception A->G mutations) and their sum (all cases). Hence overall, singlestrandedness promotes all types of nucleotide substitutions, not only deaminations A->G and C->T, for both replicational and transcriptional singlestrandedness. Their sum improves correlations in half the cases. Correlations were statistically significant (one tailed P < 0.05) for one correlation with replicational singlestrandedness (T->C), two with transcriptional singlestrandedness (C->G and T->C) and three with the sum of both (A->T, T->C and T->G).
Correlations were stronger with transcriptional singlestrandedness than replicational singlestrandedness in 7 among 12 cases, which does not indicate which among the two is the most important factor. Possibly, singlestrandedness during replication and during transcription affect differently different substitution types, or differences are random. These analyses clearly show that after accounting for mean effects of substitutions on proteins, percentages of all types of nucleotide substitutions increase with singlestrandedness during each replication and transcription. These clear patterns were not detectable without accounting for mean nucleotide substitution impact on physico-chemical properties of coded amino acids. It seems these effects prevented detecting mutation gradients for substitutions that were not deaminations. Singlestrandedness increases at least slightly probabilities of all types of substitutions.
Pearson correlation coefficients of time spent singlestranded during replication, transcription, and their sum versus substitution percentages in the 13 human mitochondrial protein coding genes adjusted for differences between transitions and transversions, misincorporation rates and for mean effect of the substitution on Grantham’s physico-chemical distances between replaced and replacing amino acids.
Causes for differences in gradient strengths for different substitution types are not known. Gradients are strongest for substitutions involving a small absolute change in nucleotide dipole moment, and weakest for those where the absolute change in dipole moment is large. Speculatively, large dipole differences may affect even when singlestrandedness is short, so that no strong gradient is detectable, because the main effect is the dipole moment, independently of singlestrandedness. For small dipole moment differences, the dipole moment effect woult hence be enhanced by singlestrandedness, resulting in a gradient.
Previous analyses of mutation patterns in human mitochondrial protein coding genes fit expectations according to several factors: misincorporation by the gamma polymerase, selection against mutations that alter amino acid properties, and dipole moments of nucleotides. A hierarchy between these factors exists. In addition, they interact: misincorporation rates are also affected by selection against non-conservative mutations; and gradients in singlestrandedness affect extents by which the various factors affect mutation patterns. Only after adequate accounting for misincorporation and selection (and differences between transitions and transversions), mutation gradients along durations of singlestrandedness are cleary observed for all types of nulceotide substitutions.
Dinucleotide sites and mutating sites in human mitochondrial protein coding sequences, separating 5’ and 3’ nucleotide identity. Last 3 lines are correlations, see text.
Despite the relative complexity of factors described and affecting mutation patterns, this is not an exhaustive list of effects on mutation rates. Notably, nearest neighbour effects exist , where identities of nucleotide(s) flanking the mutating site affect mutation rates, as indicated by the editor of this volume after reviewing a former version of this chapter. G and C, the nucleotides with the highest dipole moments, seem to increase mutation rates in various organisms along similar patterns [26-30]. This suggests a physico-chemical basis for nearest neighbour effects, possibly along the lines of dipole moment effects and the stability of DNA duplexes surrounding the mutating nucleotide . These biases are strong enough to justify the need of incoprorating at least the strongest nearest neighbour effect in models designed to detect natural selection on mutations , which is not surprising as CpG dinucleotides are disproportionately represented among sites with pathogenic polymorphisms [32,33]. Moreover, nearest neighbour effects interact with gene location and the frequency of transcription, suggesting interactions with singlestrandedness [34, 35]. Nearest neighbour analysis of mutation patterns requires large sample sizes, and therefore is unfortunately incompatible with a gene by gene analysis as a function of singlestrandedness in the context of this mitochondrial dataset.
However, even after pooling mutation data from all genes, one would ideally examine the twelve substitutions in relation to each of the 16 combinations of nucleotides at the 5’ and 3’ positions. Such detailed analyses are also not possible with this dataset. Nevertheless, as known to this author, nearest neighbor effects have not yet been examined in the context of mitochondrial genomes, hence even simplified analyses pooling mutations from all genes and codon positions together may still be valuable. In addition, most nearest neighbour analyses examined do not analyse substitutions in relation to their direction (they pool X->Y with X<-Y), but this can be done on this dataset. Mutation data from all genes and codon positions were pooled, and analysed each time separately in relation to the identity of their 5’, and their 3’ flanking nucleotide. This yields reasonable samples, and the mutation patterns can be compared according to the different flanking nucleotide identities (Table 3).
The data in Table 3 enable a number of different analyses, only one is presented here, though many others are of interest. For example, biases exist in terms of dinucleotide frequencies, between 5’ or 3’ flanking by the same nucleotide. I focus here on the analysis of mutation patterns. Numbers in each row in Table 3 were divided by the number of mutating sites among all possible dinucleotide sites for that category (Mut). The column Tot in Table 3, which indicates the total number of dinucleotide sites found independently of the occurrence of a mutation at that site, is indicated but not used in further analyses. The substitution matrices that result are very similar, comparing 5’ and 3’, and different nucleotide contexts. This is because the overwhelming majority of the variation in mutation rates is due to the difference between transitions and transversions. For that reason, effects of transitions versus transversions were accounted for by subtracting observed mutations rates from the average for transitions and transversions, respectvely, as done in previous analyses. Then these data adjusted for differences between transitions and transversions are compared between different substitution matrices, so that effects of the difference between transitions and transversions is accounted for before comparing the matrices with different neighbours.
The three last lines in Table 3 show Pearson correlation coefficients (x100) between these mutation patterns (adjusted for differences between transitions and transversions). Even after accounting for differences between transversions and transitions, substitution patterns across different 3’ neighbouring nucleotides resemble each other: all six correlations are positive, 4 among these are statistically significant (P < 0.05, one tailed tests because positive associations are expected, see asterisks in Table 3). 3’ G and T had most similar patterns. Hence grouping of mutation patterns according to 3’ nucleotides does not follow purine/pyrimidine nor dipole moment differences. 3’ G seems to affect most mutation patterns, hence results are probably not random also for 3’ nearest neighbour effects.
Mutation rates adjusted for differences between transition and transversions for 5’ A and G neighbours in human mitochondrial protein coding genes.
The same analysis for 5’ flanking nucleotides reveals a similar, more enhanced situation. Here, the only statistically significant association is between mutation patterns with 5’ G and T as nearest 5’ neighbour. The weak positive correlations in the 3’ context are negative in the 5’ context, one being close to statistically significant (the comparison between 5’ A and G, see Figure 6): 5’ G affects mutation rates in a way that tends to be systematically opposite to what is observed in other contexts, so that relatively high mutation rates become relative low, and vice versa. Effects of 5’ G on mutation rates are expected, considering previous reports. However, these have mainly shown effects on C->T mutations. The results here show that 5’ G has a systematic effect on all mutation types, some increasing, as expected, but others decreasing in the 5’ G context.
It is notable that the correlation matrices for 5’ and 3’ contexts (in the 3 last lines of Table 3) are very similar, if not in their values, but in their pattern: the ranks, from least to most positive correlation coefficients, are identical (Figure 7). This means that the same effects are at work for 5’ and 3’ flanks, but that effects are stronger for 5’ flanking nucleotides. In this context, it is important to remember that the annotation used here is that of the light strand DNA in the mitochondrion, which bears the coding sequence of most genes. In the elongating light DNA strand, the 3’ nucleotide is already present before the mutating nucleotide is added, while the 5’ nucleotide is not yet there, and could not possibly have any effect. This is not compatible with a 5’ effect during replication, unless one considers that the effect is from the neighbouring nucleotide on the template heavy strand DNA. In that case, the inverse complement would have the major flanking effects, with the strongest effect by the nucleotide that is not yet complemented by the nascent strand (the 5’ of the light strand becomes the 3’ in the heavy strand), and a weaker but similar effect by the neighbouring nucleotide that is already complemented by the replication process. Along that scenario, neighbouring nucleotides would affect misincorporation rates. This scenario would be very compatible with electrostatic effects, due to dipole moments.
Similarities (Pearson correlation coefficients in the three last lines of Table 3) between transition versus transversion adjusted mutation patterns for 3’ neighbouring nucleotides as a function of similarities for mutation patterns found for 5’ neighbouring nucleotides (see Table 3). Letters near datapoints indicate the neighbouring nucleotides whose mutation patterns are compared.
It is notable that the 5’ G mutation pattern is very similar to the 3’ C mutation pattern as these are observed for the light strand (r = 0.87). These are the most similar mutation patterns found when comparing 5’ and 3’ mutation patterns. Because 3’ C on the light strand is 5’ G on the heavy strand, this similarity indicates that the factor at work involves both strands, always involving the 5’ G nucleotide.
Alternative explanations not involving effects on misincorporation rates, such as dipole moments and ‘spontaneous’ (non-enzymatic) mutations are also very plausible. The latter are more compatible with the similarities in patterns between 5’ and 3’ effects and effects on both strands, but less with the strong directional effect detected (less similar mutation patterns between 5’ than 3’ substitution patterns).
Hence strong neighbouring effects are detected on mutation patterns observed in human mitochondrial genomes, yet their cause remain unknown, and might, as for other effects on mutation patterns, have different physico-chemical causes, combined with some biological factors.
The various analyses described show complex effects, most of them are confirmative of phenomena that have already been described. Indeed, it is quite trivial that misincorporation rates affect mutation frequencies, and that these frequencies are decreased by selection against dysfunctional proteins. Gradients in singlestrandedness as affecting mutation rates are also known, though the fact that they affect all or most mutation types is relatively original to the analyses presented here. A similar rationale relates to the original component of the results from the nearest neighbour analyses. However, the fact that so many different factors are jointly considered in the analysis of a single dateset of mutations is not the sole major originality in terms of potential mechanisms explored in this chapter.
The hypothesis that dipole moments affect misincorporation, mutation rates, and mutation gradients, is a major potential novelty. Unfortunately, when its effects are detected, these are not well understood: the main effect on misincorporation is that of absolute dipole moment change, and the bias favouring low dipole moments remains unexplained.
The suggestion by David Stuart, the editor of this volume, to examine associations between dipole moments and elongation rates in relation to the inserted nucleotide yields interesting results in this respect, confirming that dipole moments affect the incorporation rate of nucleotides into nascent DNA. Results below indicate complex mechanisms, and should be considered as preliminary and with extreme caution. First, it seems that kms of incorporations of nucleotides increase with dipole moments, as one would expect if high dipole moments enable quick processing by the (charged and hydrophilic) active site of the gamma polymerase, though this effect is not statistically significant at P < 0.05.
However, electron singlets and or triplets of molecules can be in an ‘excited’ state, which modifies the dipole moment of the molecule, as calculated by Bergmann and Weiler-Feilchenfeld (therein table VII) for nucleotides. Dipole moments for the excited triplet state correlate positively with nucleotide insertion rates (r = 0.9865, P = 0.007, one tailed test). Considering that more than one correlation test was done (for the regular and the two excited dipole moments), this result is not statistically very strong (especially that only 4 datapoints are involved in the analysis).
I assume that implicitly, the hypothesis developed by the editor, following my initial interest in effects of dipole moments on polymerase activity, is that if dipole moments affect nucleotide incorporation rates, discrimination against incorporation of the much more common ribonucleotides should associate negatively with (deoxyribo)nucleotide dipole moment. Indeed, the activity of the gamma polymerase as measured by Kasiviswanathan and Copeland includes also the (mis?) incorporation rates of ribonucleotides on the template of DNA, and these associate negatively with nucleotide triplet excited dipole moment (r = - 0.963, one tailed P = 0.019). In addition, the rate of reverse transcription by the gamma polymerase, where deoxyribonucleotides are inserted on the template of (mis)inserted ribonucleotides correlates positively with the mean of the singlet and triplet excited dipole moments (r = 0.99984, one tailed P = 0.00008, see Figure 8).These analyses yield notable results, though they are not necessarily as statistically robust as they seem, due to the low number of degrees of freedom (only four datapoints). In addition, correlations between each of the kms and each the dipole moment, the singlet and excited, and their average was calculated, in total 12 correlations. In these cases, according to a strict Bonferroni criterion to correct for multiple testing, to keep P <0.05 while testing 12 times a hypothesis, one should use the threshold of P = 0.05/12= 0.0042. According to that often overconservative criterion, only the result in Figure 8 remains statistically significant.
Rate of deoxyribonucleotide ‘reverse’ incorporation as a function of its mean excited dipole moment on the template of ribonucleotide.
The data nevertheless confirm the hypothesis that nucleotides are processed on the basis of their dipole moment, where nucleotides with high dipole moments are more rapidly correctly processed. This result might actually explain also the results obtained in earlier sections on associations between dipole moment changes and nucleotide misrecognitions. The rate of a process, and its accuracy are frequently negatively associated. Hence if correct incorporation is proportional to dipole moments, misincorporation might be (as observed) inversely proportional, explaining that patterns in Figures 1 and 2 are opposite to predictions: the hydrophilic active site will handle correctly more rapidly a nucleotide with high dipole moment, and more probably mishandle a nucleotide with low dipole moment.
The analyses presented above show that mutation patterns estimated from the simple comparison between sequences from a species confirm the patterns expected from experimentally determined misincorporation rates for the gamma polymerase. This is an important confirmation that comparative analyses yield trustable estimates of mutation patterns and rates. Analyses support, to lesser extents, that mutation patterns across genes are determined by durations spent singlestranded, and suggest that in order to detect such effects, comparisons involving longer evolutionary time spans than those implied by separations between different individuals from a single species are required to detect the cumulation of mutations due to singlestrandedness.
Grantham’s physico-chemical distances between replaced and replacing amino acids affect misincorporation rates by the gamme polymerase, and percentages of mutations observed in protein coding genes. This suggests that natural selection to conserve protein function affects each of these two different patterns. Gradients of mutations with singlestrandedness are barely detectable without controlling for effects of Grantham distances on mutation percentages, several indirect effects are observable that indicate interactions between singlestrandedness and misincorporation patterns by the gamma polymerase. After the effects of Grantham distances on mutation percentages are accounted for by residual analyses, the expected increase in mutation percentages with singlestrandeness becomes detectable in all types of substitutions. This is a notable result, because singlestrandedness was believed until now to affect only or mainly substitutions due to deaminations (A->G and C->T). Analyses do not succeed to indicate which of replicational and transcriptional singlestrandedness is most relevant to predict mutations. Further chemical processes accounting for effects of singlestrandedness on mutation types besides deaminations have to be investigated and suggested.
It seems that gamma polymerase misincorporation patterns change with single strandedness, which may reflect the duration of activity by the replication fork’s molecular ‘machinery’. Only molecular experiments much more developed than those used until now could yield such results. This shows that combined analyses of bioinformatic and experimental data enable to suggest the existence of previously unknown biochemical phenomena.
Further points raised are the involvement of nucleotide dipole moments in the interactions between the nucleotide and the gamma polymerase. Analyses at this point do not yield much information beyond the fact that such effects occur. More functional hypotheses could help in this respect.
The data on mutation patterns from Homo sapiens do not enable to establish whether mutations cumulate during singlestrandedness due to transcription or replication. It is probable that the ratio between these two types of events that open double stranded DNA, changes with the longevity of an individual/species, where greater lifespan increases the transcription component . It is probable that analyses similar to those done here based on ample mitochondrial sequence data available for other mammal species with shorter lifespans could help in this respect. Comparing results from different species would probably be fruitful. In addition, these analyses could preliminarily reveal whether misincorporation patterns by the gamma polymerases of the different species differ. This could be an exciting line of research, that could potentially link differences in mutation patterns with differences in the gamma polymerases from these species. Such analyses could yield a workable model for the efficiency and fidelity of gamma polymerase in relation to its detailed structure. It is notable that much information necessary for such analyses is already available online and only awaits the interest of enthousiastic students of molecular biology.
Nearest neighbour effects as detected for mitochondrial mutation patterns confirm what is known from previous studies on nuclear chromosomes. They also show that the 5’ G effect on mutation rates is more complex, as it affects differently different types of mutations. Unfortunately, nearest neighbour analyses require samples that are not compatible with the data at hand, so that its analysis in combination with other factors could not be done. The fact that nearest neighbour effects tend to increase (though marginally so), with the thermodynamic stability of the DNA duplex where these neighbouring effects occur, is in itself compatible with dipole moment effects as the causes for the nearest neighbour effects on mutations because nucleotide dipole moments predict duplex thermodynamic stabilities . It is possible that the direct cause for this is thermodynamic stability, through the fact that regions forming stable duplexes are more able to tolerate a misinserted nucleotide. But the association between nearest neighbour effects and stability is weak, indicating that another, associated factor is at work. Possibly, it is the electrostatic effect of nucleotide dipole moments of neighbouring nucleotides on the fidelity of the gamma polymerase that causes these effects. Such effects are particularly probable, considering that the gamma polymerase active site includes two charged residues, and that nucleotide processing seems to depend to some extent on the nucleotide’s dipole moments. Hence nearest neighbour effects could be due to interferences between the electrostatic fields of the active site, the incorporated nucleotide, and the nearest neighbours, especially when these nearest neighbours have high dipole moment.
Beyond effects of nucleotide dipole moments on incorporation rates, results suggest natural selection decreasing nucleotide misincorporations with high impact on protein structure. These are encouraging results that could yield further insights if similar analyses are applied to different types of polymerases.
Variation in mutation patterns for genes with different locations along singlestrandedness gradients might have explanations that differ from the ones suggested. The genome structure might be designed so that genes that cannot afford, from a functional point of view, large mutation rates, are located so as to endure little singlestrandedness. It is important to remember that this factor might interact with the results presented. It is also important to remember that natural selection probably affects observed mutation frequencies in ways not accounted for by presented analyses. This effect might be weaker in genes located far from replication origins, and hence probably more able to tolerate mutations. Hence observed mutations would in these cases much more reflect the original processes, not confounded by effects of natural selection due to gene function.
A further point relates to the patterns observed in Figure 5, where gene length seems to affect the mutation pattern. A possible factor here is the capacity of longer sequences to form more secondary structures by self-hybridization. Considering that secondary structure protects against mutations due to singlestrandedness, this factor could hence indirectly affect mutation patterns, especially in longer genes, assuming that in some ways, genes are replicated as functional units, a possibility that cannot be ruled out a priori, especially if secondary structure formation is designed to involve a gene as a unit, for example in the mRNA . It is also possible that secondary structures affect the function of the gamma polymerase, causing differences in misincorporation patterns between regions forming more or less secondary structures, as previous analyses possibly indicated [13, 14].
An important point to stress here is that the data that are available at this point do not limit our capacities to analyses, along multiple dimensions, the various factors that cause mutation patterns, and understand their details in relation to these factors. The computational power and statistical tools are also not limiting and close to adequate. The limiting factor is the time invested by the adequately skilled manpower, or more correctly, the financial investment to support such activity based mainly on analysing valuable molecular data of different types.
Combined analyses of comparative sequence data and experimentally determined gamma polymerase misincorporation data, together with models for substitutions based on nucleotide dipole moments and models for substitution impacts on protein structure reveal that observed human mitochondrial protein coding gene mutation patterns are affected in decreasing order of importance by gamma polymerase misincorporation rates, selection against non-conservative amino acid replacements, and gradients in singlestrandedness during replication and transcription. Gamma polymerase misincorporation rates are selected to optimize effects of substitutions on non-conservative amino acid replacements, and favour nucleotides with low dipole moments, suggesting hydrophobic bias in nucleotide misbinding. Further analyses confirm this: the hydrophilic active site of the gamma polymerase handles faster nucleotides with high dipole moment and mishandles more often those with low dipole moment, suggesting that process accuracy limits its rate. The wealth of results confirms known and expected patterns, and expands beyond them, revealing selection on polymerase fidelity, and spontaneous tendencies during single stranded DNA states for all substitutions, not only those previously known to react to singlestrandedness.
9.Mutation patterns: effects of dipole moments or gamma polymerase misincorporations? | https://www.intechopen.com/books/the-mechanisms-of-dna-replication/replicational-mutation-gradients-dipole-moments-nearest-neighbour-effects-and-dna-polymerase-gamma-f |
ABSTRACT:
FANCA gene is responsible for the activation of DNA repair pathway. Due to genetic mutations, this gene could not work properly thus leading to the uncontrolled production of abnormal cells i.e. Cancer. This article presents how FANCA gene is involved in the early onset of Cancer.
ARTICLE:
Cancer is not a single, rather a group of diseases that involve abnormal growth of body cells. These abnormal cells are capable of invading or spreading to other parts as well. About 14.1 million people suffer from cancer each year. This deadly disease causes nearly 8.8 million deaths annually. In 2012, about 165,000 children under the age of 15 years were diagnosed with cancer. People in old age are more likely to suffer from cancer and the risk of this disease is increasing due to the changed lifestyle of developing countries. 90-95% of cancer types are caused by genetic mutations from the environmental factors while the remaining 5-10% are due to the inherited genetic disorders.
According to different researches, the genetic mutation in FANCA gene is found to be responsible for early onset of cancer.
Gene Mutation and its types:
Gene mutation refers to the change in the sequence of DNA that makes up a gene. This change is permanent and differs from the normal human beings’ DNA. There are different types of mutations, some may be at a single unit i.e. Nucleotide change, others are in 2 or more genes. The types of mutations include:
Insertion
An insertion mutation involves the addition of DNA bases, which are not of suitable form and may not fit in. Such an insertion doesn’t let the protein made by the gene, to work properly.
Deletion
A deletion mutation involves the removal of DNA nucleotides or entire gene. Small deletions involve the removal of one or more nucleotides, while large deletions involve removal of an entire gene. Thus, the deleted portions alter the function of resulting protein.
Duplication
A duplication mutation involves the duplication or multiplication of a nucleotide, number of times within a gene. It also alters the function of resultant protein.
Frameshift mutation
Frameshift mutation involves the addition or loss of nucleotides in a way, that changes the reading frame shift of a gene. The reading frame consists of three consecutive bases, which code for a single amino acid. So, the mutation in the frame shift changes the sequence of these nucleotides leading to the change in the amino acid code. The resulting protein thus, becomes non-functional.
Repeat expansion
Repeat expansion is a type of mutation that involve the increase of nucleotide repeats many folds along the length of DNA. Different nucleotide repeats in the form of trinucleotides or tetranucleotides may be present in a DNA, which may increase many folds leading to nonfunctional protein.
Missense mutation
Missense mutation involves the change or substitution in a single nucleotide resulting in the shifting of one amino acid with another and altering the function of resultant protein.
Nonsense mutation
A nonsense mutation also involves a change in a single nucleotide, but instead of completely replacing an amino acid with another, it simply signals to stop the formation of protein. Thus, this mutation leads to no protein at all.
Normal function of FANCA gene
The FANCA gene is involved in the Fanconi anemia (FA), a cell process pathway. It provides guidelines and instructions to make a protein. The FA pathway is activated only when the process of DNA replication gets blocked, due to damage in DNA. This pathway is primarily responsive to a specific type of DNA damage called Interstrand cross-links or (ICLs). ICLs occur, when 2 nucleotides on the opposite strands of DNA get linked abnormally, leading to stop the process of replication.
The FA core complex contains a group of proteins including FANCA protein, (FANCB, FANCC, FANCD1, FANCD2, FANCE, FANCF, FANCG, FANCI, FANCJ, FANCL, FANCM and FANCN), and two more proteins called Fanconi anemia-associated proteins (FAAPs). When DNA replication breaks down, this complex activates two proteins, namely FANCD2 and FANCI. It then attaches a single molecule of ubiquitin to these proteins by a process of monoubiquitination. These proteins then take the DNA repair proteins to the site of DNA damage, to fix the error and continue DNA replication.
Chromosomal Location
Cytogenetic Location: 16q24.3, which is the long (q) arm of chromosome 16 at position 24.3
Molecular Location: base pairs 89,737,551 to 89,816,658 on chromosome 16
Inheritance Pattern
Mutated FANCA gene is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, i.e. both the copies in daughter cells have mutations. The parents do not show any symptoms of disease since each of them carries a single copy of the mutated gene. The gene is located on X chromosome and is inherited in an X-linked recessive pattern. So, males carry a single X chromosome, and are more likely to have disease, while both mutated X linked genes should be available in females to cause the disorder. This is the reason that males are more likely to suffer from this disorder than females.
Mutations in the FANCA gene
About 450 types of mutations in the FANCA gene are found to be responsible for 60-70% of Fanconi anemia. Fanconi anemia is involved in the reduction of bone marrow function, early and increased risk of cancer and physical abnormalities. The mutations may be insertion or deletion in the FANCA gene. Some mutations lead to the formation of proteins with alternative or disruptive functions, others stop the production of FANCA protein completely. Mutations involved in the prevention of protein production cause shortage of blood cells i.e. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in the early age, and increase the risk of cancer formation in blood-forming cells. The cancers produced as a result, include tumors of the head, neck, skin, gastrointestinal system, or genital tract.
Mutations in the FANCA gene are responsible for the formation of nonfunctional FA core complex and disruption of FA pathway. As a result, DNA repair is not possible and ICLs start building. The ICLs stop DNA replication and result in the abnormal cell death or uncontrolled cell growth, due to the lack of DNA repair process. Fast dividing cells of the developing fetus and bone marrow are affected the most. The abnormal physical characteristics of Fanconi anemia appear, when blood cells start decreasing. These abnormalities include irregular skin coloring i.e. hypopig mentation or café-au-lait spots, which are dark patches of skin. Other symptoms include highly malformed thumbs or forearms and skeletal problems such as, short stature; malformed or absent kidneys and defects of the urinary tract; gastrointestinal abnormalities; heart defects; eye abnormalities such as small or abnormally shaped eyes; and malformed ears and hearing loss. People with this condition may have abnormal genitalia or malformations of the reproductive system. This is why, affected males and many females are infertile. Some additional researches show the abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord, including increased fluid in the center of the brain (hydrocephalus) or an unusually small head size (microcephaly). As the problems in the DNA repair doesn’t fix, the uncontrolled cell growth leads to the development of Leukemia and other cancer types. | https://agrihunt.com/articles/breeding-and-genetics/fanca-gene-mutation-responsible-for-early-onset-of-cancer/ |
Mutation is a change in the nucleotide sequence of a gene or a chromosome. It may be classified into various ways. One of these classifications involves classifying mutations based on the effect of mutation on the gene structure: (1) small-scale mutations and (2) large scale mutations.
Small-scale mutations are a type of mutation where one or few nucleotides of a gene are affected. These are further classified into substitution mutations, insertions, and deletions. Substitution mutations are a type of mutation in which a single nucleotide is substituted with a different nucleotide. They are further typified into silent mutations, missense mutations, and nonsense mutations). Insertion mutations are mutations caused by the addition of one or more extra nucleotides into the DNA. Deletion mutations are a type of mutation wherein one or more nucleotides are removed from the DNA. When there is only one nucleotide involved in substitution insertion, and deletion, it is particularly referred to as a point mutation.
Small-scale mutations may result in an altered sequence of amino acid during translation. One possible outcome of such mutation is to render the newly synthesized protein ineffective.
Compare:
- large-scale mutation
See also: | https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/small-scale-mutation |
A point mutation is a genetic mutation where a single nucleotide base is changed, inserted or deleted from a DNA or RNA sequence of an organism's genome. Point mutations have a variety of effects on the downstream protein product—consequences that are moderately predictable based upon the specifics of the mutation. These consequences can range from no effect (e.g. synonymous mutations) to deleterious effects (e.g. frameshift mutations), with regard to protein production, composition, and function.
Causes
Point mutations usually take place during DNA replication. DNA replication occurs when one double-stranded DNA molecule creates two single strands of DNA, each of which is a template for the creation of the complementary strand. A single point mutation can change the whole DNA sequence. Changing one purine or pyrimidine may change the amino acid that the nucleotides code for.
Point mutations may arise from spontaneous mutations that occur during DNA replication. The rate of mutation may be increased by mutagens. Mutagens can be physical, such as radiation from UV rays, X-rays or extreme heat, or chemical (molecules that misplace base pairs or disrupt the helical shape of DNA). Mutagens associated with cancers are often studied to learn about cancer and its prevention.
There are multiple ways for point mutations to occur. First, ultraviolet (UV) light and higher-frequency light are capable of ionizing electrons, which in turn can affect DNA. Reactive oxygen molecules with free radicals, which are a byproduct of cellular metabolism, can also be very harmful to DNA. These reactants can lead to both single-stranded DNA breaks and double-stranded DNA breaks. Third, bonds in DNA eventually degrade, which creates another problem to keep the integrity of DNA to a high standard. There can also be replication errors that lead to substitution, insertion, or deletion mutations.
Categorization
Transition/transversion categorization
In 1959 Ernst Freese coined the terms "transitions" or "transversions" to categorize different types of point mutations. Transitions are replacement of a purine base with another purine or replacement of a pyrimidine with another pyrimidine. Transversions are replacement of a purine with a pyrimidine or vice versa. There is a systematic difference in mutation rates for transitions (Alpha) and transversions (Beta). Transition mutations are about ten times more common than transversions.
Functional categorization
Nonsense mutations include stop-gain and start-loss. Stop-gain is a mutation that results in a premature termination codon (a stop was gained), which signals the end of translation. This interruption causes the protein to be abnormally shortened. The number of amino acids lost mediates the impact on the protein's functionality and whether it will function whatsoever. Stop-loss is a mutation in the original termination codon (a stop was lost), resulting in abnormal extension of a protein's carboxyl terminus. Start-gain creates an AUG start codon upstream of the original start site. If the new AUG is near the original start site, in-frame within the processed transcript and downstream to a ribosomal binding site, it can be used to initiate translation. The likely effect is additional amino acids added to the amino terminus of the original protein. Frame-shift mutations are also possible in start-gain mutations, but typically do not affect translation of the original protein. Start-loss is a point mutation in a transcript's AUG start codon, resulting in the reduction or elimination of protein production.
Missense mutations code for a different amino acid. A missense mutation changes a codon so that a different protein is created, a non-synonymous change. Conservative mutations result in an amino acid change. However, the properties of the amino acid remain the same (e.g., hydrophobic, hydrophilic, etc.). At times, a change to one amino acid in the protein is not detrimental to the organism as a whole. Most proteins can withstand one or two point mutations before their function changes. Non-conservative mutations result in an amino acid change that has different properties than the wild type. The protein may lose its function, which can result in a disease in the organism. For example, sickle-cell disease is caused by a single point mutation (a missense mutation) in the beta-hemoglobin gene that converts a GAG codon into GUG, which encodes the amino acid valine rather than glutamic acid. The protein may also exhibit a "gain of function" or become activated, such is the case with the mutation changing a valine to glutamic acid in the BRAF gene; this leads to an activation of the RAF protein which causes unlimited proliferative signalling in cancer cells. These are both examples of a non-conservative (missense) mutation.
Silent mutations code for the same amino acid (a "synonymous substitution"). A silent mutation does not affect the functioning of the protein. A single nucleotide can change, but the new codon specifies the same amino acid, resulting in an unmutated protein. This type of change is called synonymous change since the old and new codon code for the same amino acid. This is possible because 64 codons specify only 20 amino acids. Different codons can lead to differential protein expression levels, however.
Single base pair insertions and deletions
Sometimes the term point mutation is used to describe insertions or deletions of a single base pair (which has more of an adverse effect on the synthesized protein due to the nucleotides' still being read in triplets, but in different frames: a mutation called a frameshift mutation).
General consequences
Point mutations that occur in non-coding sequences are most often without consequences, although there are exceptions. If the mutated base pair is in the promoter sequence of a gene, then the expression of the gene may change. Also, if the mutation occurs in the splicing site of an intron, then this may interfere with correct splicing of the transcribed pre-mRNA.
By altering just one amino acid, the entire peptide may change, thereby changing the entire protein. The new protein is called a protein variant. If the original protein functions in cellular reproduction then this single point mutation can change the entire process of cellular reproduction for this organism.
Point germline mutations can lead to beneficial as well as harmful traits or diseases. This leads to adaptations based on the environment where the organism lives. An advantageous mutation can create an advantage for that organism and lead to the trait's being passed down from generation to generation, improving and benefiting the entire population. The scientific theory of evolution is greatly dependent on point mutations in cells. The theory explains the diversity and history of living organisms on Earth. In relation to point mutations, it states that beneficial mutations allow the organism to thrive and reproduce, thereby passing its positively affected mutated genes on to the next generation. On the other hand, harmful mutations cause the organism to die or be less likely to reproduce in a phenomenon known as natural selection.
There are different short-term and long-term effects that can arise from mutations. Smaller ones would be a halting of the cell cycle at numerous points. This means that a codon coding for the amino acid glycine may be changed to a stop codon, causing the proteins that should have been produced to be deformed and unable to complete their intended tasks. Because the mutations can affect the DNA and thus the chromatin, it can prohibit mitosis from occurring due to the lack of a complete chromosome. Problems can also arise during the processes of transcription and replication of DNA. These all prohibit the cell from reproduction and thus lead to the death of the cell. Long-term effects can be a permanent changing of a chromosome, which can lead to a mutation. These mutations can be either beneficial or detrimental. Cancer is an example of how they can be detrimental.
Other effects of point mutations, or single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA, depend on the location of the mutation within the gene. For example, if the mutation occurs in the region of the gene responsible for coding, the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein may be altered, causing a change in the function, protein localization, stability of the protein or protein complex. Many methods have been proposed to predict the effects of missense mutations on proteins. Machine learning algorithms train their models to distinguish known disease-associated from neutral mutations whereas other methods do not explicitly train their models but almost all methods exploit the evolutionary conservation assuming that changes at conserved positions tend to be more deleterious. While majority of methods provide a binary classification of effects of mutations into damaging and benign, a new level of annotation is needed to offer an explanation of why and how these mutations damage proteins.
Moreover, if the mutation occurs in the region of the gene where transcriptional machinery binds to the protein, the mutation can affect the binding of the transcription factors because the short nucleotide sequences recognized by the transcription factors will be altered. Mutations in this region can affect rate of efficiency of gene transcription, which in turn can alter levels of mRNA and, thus, protein levels in general.
Point mutations can have several effects on the behavior and reproduction of a protein depending on where the mutation occurs in the amino acid sequence of the protein. If the mutation occurs in the region of the gene that is responsible for coding for the protein, the amino acid may be altered. This slight change in the sequence of amino acids can cause a change in the function, activation of the protein meaning how it binds with a given enzyme, where the protein will be located within the cell, or the amount of free energy stored within the protein.
If the mutation occurs in the region of the gene where transcriptional machinery binds to the protein, the mutation can affect the way in which transcription factors bind to the protein. The mechanisms of transcription bind to a protein through recognition of short nucleotide sequences. A mutation in this region may alter these sequences and, thus, change the way the transcription factors bind to the protein. Mutations in this region can affect the efficiency of gene transcription, which controls both the levels of mRNA and overall protein levels.
Specific diseases caused by point mutations
Cancer
Point mutations in multiple tumor suppressor proteins cause cancer. For instance, point mutations in Adenomatous Polyposis Coli promote tumorigenesis. A novel assay, Fast parallel proteolysis (FASTpp), might help swift screening of specific stability defects in individual cancer patients.
Neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis is caused by point mutations in the Neurofibromin 1 or Neurofibromin 2 gene.
Sickle-cell anemia
Sickle-cell anemia is caused by a point mutation in the β-globin chain of hemoglobin, causing the hydrophilic amino acid glutamic acid to be replaced with the hydrophobic amino acid valine at the sixth position.
The β-globin gene is found on the short arm of chromosome 11. The association of two wild-type α-globin subunits with two mutant β-globin subunits forms hemoglobin S (HbS). Under low-oxygen conditions (being at high altitude, for example), the absence of a polar amino acid at position six of the β-globin chain promotes the non-covalent polymerisation (aggregation) of hemoglobin, which distorts red blood cells into a sickle shape and decreases their elasticity.
Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells, and is responsible for the transportation of oxygen through the body. There are two subunits that make up the hemoglobin protein: beta-globins and alpha-globins. Beta-hemoglobin is created from the genetic information on the HBB, or "hemoglobin, beta" gene found on chromosome 11p15.5. A single point mutation in this polypeptide chain, which is 147 amino acids long, results in the disease known as Sickle Cell Anemia. Sickle-cell anemia is an autosomal recessive disorder that affects 1 in 500 African Americans, and is one of the most common blood disorders in the United States. The single replacement of the sixth amino acid in the beta-globin, glutamic acid, with valine results in deformed red blood cells. These sickle-shaped cells cannot carry nearly as much oxygen as normal red blood cells and they get caught more easily in the capillaries, cutting off blood supply to vital organs. The single nucleotide change in the beta-globin means that even the smallest of exertions on the part of the carrier results in severe pain and even heart attack. Below is a chart depicting the first thirteen amino acids in the normal and abnormal sickle cell polypeptide chain.
|AUG||GUG||CAC||CUG||ACU||CCU||GAG||GAG||AAG||UCU||GCC||GUU||ACU|
|START||Val||His||Leu||Thr||Pro||Glu||Glu||Lys||Ser||Ala||Val||Thr|
|AUG||GUG||CAC||CUG||ACU||CCU||GUG||GAG||AAG||UCU||GCC||GUU||ACU|
|START||Val||His||Leu||Thr||Pro||Val||Glu||Lys||Ser||Ala||Val||Thr|
Tay–Sachs disease
The cause of Tay–Sachs disease is a genetic defect that is passed from parent to child. This genetic defect is located in the HEXA gene, which is found on chromosome 15.
The HEXA gene makes part of an enzyme called beta-hexosaminidase A, which plays a critical role in the nervous system. This enzyme helps break down a fatty substance called GM2 ganglioside in nerve cells. Mutations in the HEXA gene disrupt the activity of beta-hexosaminidase A, preventing the breakdown of the fatty substances. As a result, the fatty substances accumulate to deadly levels in the brain and spinal cord. The buildup of GM2 ganglioside causes progressive damage to the nerve cells. This is the cause of the signs and symptoms of Tay-Sachs disease.
Repeat-induced point mutation
In molecular biology, repeat-induced point mutation or RIP is a process by which DNA accumulates G:C to A:T transition mutations. Genomic evidence indicates that RIP occurs or has occurred in a variety of fungi while experimental evidence indicates that RIP is active in Neurospora crassa, Podospora anserina, Magnaporthe grisea, Leptosphaeria maculans, Gibberella zeae and Nectria haematococca. In Neurospora crassa, sequences mutated by RIP are often methylated de novo.
RIP occurs during the sexual stage in haploid nuclei after fertilization but prior to meiotic DNA replication. In Neurospora crassa, repeat sequences of at least 400 base pairs in length are vulnerable to RIP. Repeats with as low as 80% nucleotide identity may also be subject to RIP. Though the exact mechanism of repeat recognition and mutagenesis are poorly understood, RIP results in repeated sequences undergoing multiple transition mutations.
The RIP mutations do not seem to be limited to repeated sequences. Indeed, for example, in the phytopathogenic fungus L. maculans, RIP mutations are found in single copy regions, adjacent to the repeated elements. These regions are either non-coding regions or genes encoding small secreted proteins including avirulence genes. The degree of RIP within these single copy regions was proportional to their proximity to repetitive elements.
Rep and Kistler have speculated that the presence of highly repetitive regions containing transposons, may promote mutation of resident effector genes. So the presence of effector genes within such regions is suggested to promote their adaptation and diversification when exposed to strong selection pressure.
As RIP mutation is traditionally observed to be restricted to repetitive regions and not single copy regions, Fudal et al. suggested that leakage of RIP mutation might occur within a relatively short distance of a RIP-affected repeat. Indeed, this has been reported in N. crassa whereby leakage of RIP was detected in single copy sequences at least 930 bp from the boundary of neighbouring duplicated sequences. To elucidate the mechanism of detection of repeated sequences leading to RIP may allow to understand how the flanking sequences may also be affected.
Mechanism
RIP causes G:C to A:T transition mutations within repeats, however, the mechanism that detects the repeated sequences is unknown. RID is the only known protein essential for RIP. It is a DNA methyltransferease-like protein, that when mutated or knocked out results in loss of RIP. Deletion of the rid homolog in Aspergillus nidulans, dmtA, results in loss of fertility while deletion of the rid homolog in Ascobolus immersens, masc1, results in fertility defects and loss of methylation induced premeiotically (MIP).
Consequences
RIP is believed to have evolved as a defense mechanism against transposable elements, which resemble parasites by invading and multiplying within the genome. RIP creates multiple missense and nonsense mutations in the coding sequence. This hypermutation of G-C to A-T in repetitive sequences eliminates functional gene products of the sequence (if there were any to begin with). In addition, many of the C-bearing nucleotides become methylated, thus decreasing transcription.
Use in molecular biology
Because RIP is so efficient at detecting and mutating repeats, fungal biologists often use it as a tool for mutagenesis. A second copy of a single-copy gene is first transformed into the genome. The fungus must then mate and go through its sexual cycle to activate the RIP machinery. Many different mutations within the duplicated gene are obtained from even a single fertilization event so that inactivated alleles, usually due to nonsense mutations, as well as alleles containing missense mutations can be obtained.
History
The cellular reproduction process of meiosis was discovered by Oscar Hertwig in 1876. Mitosis was discovered several years later in 1882 by Walther Flemming.
Hertwig studied sea urchins, and noticed that each egg contained one nucleus prior to fertilization and two nuclei after. This discovery proved that one spermatozoon could fertilize an egg, and therefore proved the process of meiosis. Hermann Fol continued Hertwig's research by testing the effects of injecting several spermatozoa into an egg, and found that the process did not work with more than one spermatozoon.
Flemming began his research of cell division starting in 1868. The study of cells was an increasingly popular topic in this time period. By 1873, Schneider had already begun to describe the steps of cell division. Flemming furthered this description in 1874 and 1875 as he explained the steps in more detail. He also argued with Schneider's findings that the nucleus separated into rod-like structures by suggesting that the nucleus actually separated into threads that in turn separated. Flemming concluded that cells replicate through cell division, to be more specific mitosis.
Matthew Meselson and Franklin Stahl are credited with the discovery of DNA replication. Watson and Crick acknowledged that the structure of DNA did indicate that there is some form of replicating process. However, there was not a lot of research done on this aspect of DNA until after Watson and Crick. People considered all possible methods of determining the replication process of DNA, but none were successful until Meselson and Stahl. Meselson and Stahl introduced a heavy isotope into some DNA and traced its distribution. Through this experiment, Meselson and Stahl were able to prove that DNA reproduces semi-conservatively.
See also
References
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What type of mutation is most harmful?
What type of mutation is most harmful?
1). Because an insertion or deletion results in a frame-shift that changes the reading of subsequent codons and, therefore, alters the entire amino acid sequence that follows the mutation, insertions and deletions are usually more harmful than a substitution in which only a single amino acid is altered.
What type of mutation is most likely to result in a functional protein?
Thus, nonsense mutations occur when a premature nonsense or stop codon is introduced in the DNA sequence. When the mutated sequence is translated into a protein, the resulting protein is incomplete and shorter than normal. Consequently, most nonsense mutations result in nonfunctional proteins.
Which type of mutation is least likely to affect protein function?
Because they only affect a single amino acid, missense mutations do not have a significant effect on protein functions.
What are the 3 types of mutations that can happen?
Types of Mutations There are three types of DNA Mutations: base substitutions, deletions and insertions.
What are the two major types of mutations?
Two major categories of mutations are germline mutations and somatic mutations. Germline mutations occur in gametes. These mutations are especially significant because they can be transmitted to offspring and every cell in the offspring will have the mutation. Somatic mutations occur in other cells of the body.
What is the difference between a point mutation and a silent mutation?
If the mutation is caused by the exchange of one base pair, it is a point mutation, no matter if it resulted in no change in the overall protein (silence mutation), in a change in one aminoacid (missense mutation) or in a stop codon (no-sense mutation).
What causes point mutation?
Point mutations are frequently the result of mistakes made during DNA replication, although modification of DNA, such as through exposure to X-rays or to ultraviolet radiation, also can induce point mutations. There are two types of point mutations: transition mutations and transversion mutations.
Which of the following is an example of a spontaneous mutation?
Which of the following is an example of a spontaneous mutation? Plasmodium vivax cells are exposed to ultraviolet radiation, leading to the formation of thymine dimers within the DNA sequence. Yeast DNA is exposed to acridine dye, resulting in distortion of the DNA double helix.
What are external causes of mutation called?
Mutations are caused by environmental factors known as mutagens. Types of mutagens include radiation, chemicals, and infectious agents.
Is Sickle Cell Anemia a spontaneous mutation?
Somatic mutations occur in non-reproductive cells; they are passed to daughter cells during mitosis but not to offspring during sexual reproduction. As mentioned, sickle-cell anemia is the result of a change in a single nucleotide, and it represents just one class of mutations called point mutations.
What is the difference between registration and mutation?
Registration- here the property is actually transferred from one person to another. Mutation- the name of tax payer as entered in property tax records. Once the document is registered, then based on the document, the buyer can get his name mutated in the muncipal or revenue tax records.
What is a gain of function mutation?
Gain-of-function Mutation. MGI Glossary. Definition. A type of mutation in which the altered gene product possesses a new molecular function or a new pattern of gene expression. Gain-of-function mutations are almost always Dominant or Semidominant.
Is mutation proof of ownership?
“Mutation is the process of substitution of an existing owner of a property with a new owner in the land revenue department. It is important as mutation is a proof of ownership and may act as a tax record. It only enables the person in whose name mutation is recorded, to pay the revenue/property tax,” explained Chopra.
Can a property be sold without mutation?
It is NOT MANDATORY to have the Mutation and Registered Deed in the name of Seller. If you do not have the time or money immediately at hand, you and other legal heirs can sell the property without any issues as there are no legal restrictions.
What is the very best proof of ownership of property?
The title or deed to a piece of property, whether it be land or vehicle, is the most basic form of proof of ownership. Deeds should be recorded with the county where the property is located.
How do you challenge a mutation entry?
Any party aggrieved by an order of mutation may file an appeal before the Additional Collector (the Deputy Commissioner concerned) within 30 days of the order. In case of death, a copy of Will or succession certificate is also required to ensure that there is no malpractice in mutation cases.
Can mutation be Cancelled?
You first need to pursue with the relevant Municipal Department and get the mutation cancelled. In case there was no ‘NOC’ taken from the other legal heirs, you have a good case for the same. Of course, one has to see the documents before advising completely.
Can mutation be challenged?
Any party aggrieved by an order of mutation may file an appeal before the Additional Collector (the Deputy Commissioner concerned) within 30 days of the order.
What is the time limit to get mutation done?
There is not any fixed time for getting entry of mutation done. But it is necessary to report to the patwari within three months regarding change of land rights failing which 5 times penalty of mutation can be imposed on the beneficiary.
What happens if mutation is not done?
Without mutation the land title will not pass to the new owner. In case of non-agricultural lands, failure to mutate does not take away your right in the sale deed. That is even though the mutation has not done, the purchaser’s title will not be affected. He/she will remain the owner of the property.
What is the procedure for mutation?
Here are some procedures to be followed to effect a mutation of property in case of transfer of title. Mutation is the recording of a transfer of title of a property from one person to another in the revenue records. The documentation procedure to be followed and the fee payable vary from State to State. | https://rehabilitationrobotics.net/what-type-of-mutation-is-most-harmful/ |
Using Types of Mutations Biology
Many diseases are due to point mutations. Genetic diseases are caused by alterations in the standard sequence of nucleotides in a gene which causes an altered protein which has an altered function. So, all kinds of DNA mutations are heritable.
Point mutations occur because of nucleotide substitutions. A point mutation is normally the least harmful of the forms of DNA mutations.
Many methods are proposed to predict the repercussions of missense mutations on proteins. best research paper service This kind of error causes a frameshift mutation. Last, the most drastic substitution mutation is one which ends in the premature termination of amino acid elongation due to the sudden look of a stop codon in the center of the coding sequence.
In case the mutation occurs in the area of the gene that’s accountable for coding for the protein, the amino acid could be altered. For instance, if the changed amino acid a part of the enzyme’s active website, then the effect of the missense mutation could possibly be significant. With a couple of bases added or deleted, each of the three-base codons change.
The frequency of one specific allele will grow more or less prevalent relative to other kinds of that gene. Mutations may alter the structure of a chromosome or only alter a single nucleotide. Single allele might also be found on one single loci and that’s what makes it distinct.
The Good, the Bad and Types of Mutations Biology
A deletion removes a part of DNA. Abnormal cell division may also be due to viruses. Generally speaking, mutation is the most important supply of genetic variation, that is the raw material for evolution by natural selection.
Frameshift mutations could result in a cascade of incorrect amino acids and the subsequent protein isn’t going to function properly. An abnormal protein delivers different information than a standard protein, which may lead to cells to multiply uncontrollably and become cancerous. Because of this an incorrect amino acid is put into the protein being synthesized.
Duplication in DNA sequence will alter the use of the subsequent protein a duplication is composed of bit of DNA that’s abnormally copied one or more times. For that reason, it’s vitally important that the DNA has the right sequence of base pairs so as to make proteins correctly. These mutations may have little influence on the organism as they’re confined to just 1 cell and its daughter cells.
In these two scenarios, the rates for every one of these 3 mutation classes at 48 h post infection were the exact same as for uninfected controls. Distinct forms of scanners like a PET scan, which shows brain activity, can have a look at the body while the individual is living. In general, 34 men were diagnosed with cancer at the start of the analysis or whenever they were screened for cancer during the analysis.
One particular important set of features describe the presence of particular driver mutations in a special tumor. CF is the most frequent fatal disease in the usa today. Therefore, the change that resulted in blond hair did not impact the gene elsewhere within the body.
The Tried and True Method for Types of Mutations Biology in Step by Step Detail
Unlike traits, they can’t be bred out. Different types of Mutations There are a selection of kinds of mutations.
Differences are noted. Mutations in repair genes may cause serious consequences like cancer.
The physical look of a trait is known as the phenotype 2. A well-studied case of a mutation is observed in people experiencing xeroderma pigmentosa (Figure 2). It is a fact that there are individuals who have mutations with beneficial outcomes.
Types of Mutations Biology Features
The exact real likelihood that it might sooner or later acquire a mutation that allows easy person-to-person spread is, but the stuff of epidemiological nightmares. If you added an additional 3 bases between two existing codons, then essentially you are only adding an additional word. The instructions can be reused from class to class, but it is not wise to reuse the directions in one class.
What You Need to Do About Types of Mutations Biology Before You Miss Your Chance
Even though a mutation could be beneficial in a specific environment, the shift is moving in the incorrect direction. Cell differentiation is typically the last stage of development, preceded by many states of commitment which aren’t visibly differentiated. Even a little shift in the DNA can cause large detrimental effects to the total development and wellness of an organism.
Additionally, the detrimental effects might not be detrimental enough to impact the total fitness of the person, and therefore, the capacity of the people to survive in most environments does not differ from those without the mutations. The consequence is simply an individual that may survive better and reproduce more successfully than its neighbors in a special environment. Given that transformation mediated by a disarmed strain of Agrobacterium is really the most typical method of producing transgenic plants, it is very important to understand as much as possible concerning the likelihood and nature of any unintended results of the approach.
The accumulated genetic changes may come in separated populations that could no longer interbreed if they’re reunited. 1 example is a key immunodeficiency (PID), an inherited condition which can cause an increase in infections. It is crucial to be aware that the variation observed in living organisms is restricted. | https://motorcycle-brothers.com/2019/10/07/types-mutations-biology-mean/ |
If the mutational changes occur in a second gene, it eliminates or suppresses a mutant phenotype which is called suppression or intergeneric reversion. This type of suppression has been studied carefully with conditional mutation which develops wild type phenotypes on certain conditions and produces mutant phenotype in other conditions. The major class of this mutation is called suppressor sensitive mutation. It acts like wild type when a suppressor molecule is present. For example, a phage mutant can grow in one strain. Supressor sensitive mutations are of two types, non-sense (chain termination) mutation and missense (amino acid substitution) mutations.
Non-sense Mutations
Most of the mutations affect only one base pair in a given location, therefore, these mutation are called point mutation or gene mutation. There are several types of point mutations. Non-sense mutation is one type of point mutation. There are 64 codons that code for amino acid out of which three codons (UAA, UAG, UGA) are known as termination codons that do not code for any amino acid. If any change occurs in any codon, it brings about changes in amino acids which specify an amino acid to termination codon. This process is called non-sense mutation. For example, UAC codes for tyrosine. If it undergoes base substitution (C-G), it becomes UAG i.e. a termination codon. This results in synthesis of incomplete polynucleotide chain which remains inactive. Only a fragment of wild type protein is produced which has a little or no biological function unless mutations bring about drastic change in expression of phenotypic characters because in this mutation the structure and function of enzymes are changed.
Missense Mutation
Missense mutation is the second type of point mutation. When one amino acid in a polypeptide chain is replaced by the other amino acid, this type of mutation is known as missense mutation. For example, if a protein valine (non- polar) has been mutated to aspartic acid (polar) due to loss of activity, it can be restored to the wild type phenotype by a missense suppressor that substitutes alanine (non-polar) for asparatic acid.
A missense mutation occurs by insertion, deletion or substitution of a single base into a code, for example the codon GAG specifying glutamic acid could be changed to GUG which codes for valine. Missense mutation that arises from substitution , synthesizes proteins that differs from the normal protein by a single amino acid. Substitution occurs in three different ways:1. A mutant tRNA may rceognise two codons perhaps by a change in anticodon loop, 2. A mutant tRNA can be recognized by a wrong aminoacyl synthetase and be misacylated, and 3. A mutant synthetase can change a wrong tRNA molecule. However, if a suppressor that substitute alanine for aspartic acid worked with 20% efficiency, every protein to which a cell synthesizes atleast one aspartic acid is replaced. In this situation a cell probably cannot survive.
Silent Mutation is another type of point mutation which could not be detected until the nucleic acid sequencing is done. Any change in gene does not affect the phenotypic expression because the code is degenerate i.e. more than one code specify an amino acid. For example, if the codon CGU is changed to CGC, still it would code for arginine. Similarly, both AAG and AAA specify alanine. If the codon AAG is changed to AAA, the latter codon will still code for lysine even after change in base sequence of DNA. This mutation is of silent type because even after change in base sequence of DNA, there is no change in the amino acid sequence and expression of phenotype characters.
Frameshift mutation arises from insertion or deletion of one or two pairs within the region of the gene. It is also a gene mutation. It is very deleterious and yields mutant phenotypes resulting from the synthesis of non-functional proteins. If frameshift occurs near the end of the gene or there occurs a second frameshift down stream from the first and restores reading frame, the phenotypic effect would not be drastic.
About Author / Additional Info: | https://www.biotecharticles.com/Biology-Article/Mutations-Suppression-or-Intergeneric-Reversion-1130.html |
Several polypeptide chains can fold into a unique protein. Because one gene codes for one chain, proteins with several chains can contain more than one subunit. A monomer, is a molecule unit that through polymerization, can group with other molecules to form a larger compound. While being part of the compound, the monomer is called a subunit. The quaternary structure of a protein is composed by the total number of subunits in the compound. Monomers, dimers, and oligomers are proteins composed of one, two and several subunits, respectively.
Two amino acids in an oligomer, can therefore be part of an intermolecu-lar interaction, i.e., an interaction on two different polypeptide chains. Oth-erwise, the interaction is called intramolecular. Zones where there are in-termolecular interactions are called interfaces; in other words, interactions happening only at the level of the quaternary structure. Residues laying on protein interfaces are referred to as “hot spots”.
The stability of interfaces is of crucial importance to the overall stability of the protein structure. There is therefore an interest to study the structure of protein interfaces on their own. In chapter one, we propose a model of amino acid network, called the hotspot network used to study structural variations on the protein interfaces belonging to the cholera toxin. The hotspot network of an oligomer is a subnetwork of its amino acid network (Definition 4). A network or a graph G = (V; E) contains the network G0 = (V 0; E0) if and only if V 0 V and E0 E. In which case G0 is called a subnetwork or subgraph of G.
Definition 4. The hotspot network (HSN) of a structure S given a cutoff c, noted H(S; c) = (V H ; E H ), is a subgraph of the amino acid network G(S; c) = (V; E), where the set V H V , is equal to the set of hotspots in S, and an two hotspots u and v share an edge uv, only if u and v lie on different chains and uv 2 E (Figure 1.6).
The majority of the protein structure networks used in this work are subnetworks of the amino acid network as well and will be defined in the following chapters.
Several structural properties of an amino acid are found the amino acid network. The degree of an amino acid in the network, that is, the number of links that are connected to it, depends on the distribution of other amino acids around it in the protein. Similarly, the weight of an amino acid is the number of the atoms belonging to other amino acids that are close. Will se this more in detail in Chapters 2, 3 and 4.
Figure 1.6: An example of a hotspot network of a structure in R2. (a) The protein structure is composed of two chains each having two residues. The atoms of each residue are shown in a different color. Atom pairs at interaction distance are represented by dotted lines. (b) The hotspot network. Only residues in opposed chains can be interacting. Note that the labeling of nodes is prefixed by the name of their chain.
Other parameters can be calculated like the betweenness centrality of a node, which is the number of paths in the network passing to that node. The closeness centrality is the length of the paths between the node an all other nodes in the network. These parameters can be used to study the relevance of the node in the network in terms of interaction paths.
In the protein structure, same type (and size) amino acids can be different in volume as we’ll see in Chapter 5. We’ll see that also the empty space around amino acids or void in the structure varies considerably between close residues. This is a consequence of the combinatory power of amino acid neighborhoods in proteins as shown in Chapter 5.
There is one subject that is omnipresent in different forms during the entire spread of this work: mutations. A mutation is an evolutionary phe-nomenon happening continuously in proteins.
During the first part of this thesis, we study the effects of mutations on the protein amino acid mutations. We consider mutations to be (only) variations of the atomic coordinates of proteins in the three-dimensional space. However, the variation in the structure is only a consequence of mutations. In reality, a mutation is a change in the genetic sequence of the protein happening during DNA replication. Subsequently, the protein is constructed from a segment of DNA or a gene into an amino acid sequence by the process called protein synthesis.
Protein synthesis
The process of protein gene expression starts with a segment of DNA (de-oxyribonucleic acid) called gene and ends with the synthesis of the protein amino acid sequence. In this section we briefly explain how this process is carried first in the (Eukaryotic) cell nucleus and then in the cytoplasm. Pro-tein gene expression can be divided into two subprocesses: transcription and translation.
Transcription and translation
Transcription of a gene refers to the process of copying the information in the gene stored in the nucleus of the cell into another molecule, called RNA (ribonucleic acid). Transcription can be divided into three steps: initiation, enlarging, and termination. Initiation starts when the molecule RNA poly-merase, while bound to the DNA, encounters a promotor site signaling the start of a gene. The RNA polymerase then unwinds the DNA double helix and in a complementary fashion starts copying the nucleotides from one of the DNA strands. The strand used is the template strand, to which RNA is going to be complementary. The RNA polymerase copies one nucleotide at a time by covalently linking the new complementary nucleotide of the RNA to the one previously added forming the RNA backbone. This is the phase of elongation. The RNA polymerase eventually finds a terminator or stop site and halts the synthesis of the RNA and releases from the template DNA strand. The double helix is closed again and the RNA molecule is ready to be used by the cell. The resulting RNA can be used for other jobs in the cell besides the creation of a protein molecule, here we’ll only focus on the messenger RNA (mRNA), the molecule in charge of passing the genetic message (Figure 1.7). The mRNA exits the cell’s nucleus by its pores and enters the cytoplasm, where the subprocess called translation takes palace.
The translation of the mRNA into a new sequence of amino acids is done by a protein called ribosome. The ribosome translates the information en-coded in the mRNA into amino acids. The sequence of the mRNA is divided in sets of three consecutive nucleotides called codons. Each codon translates to one of twenty amino acids, with the exception of the stop codons, which terminate the translation. All 64 codons (4 4 4) with their translation compose the genetic code. In this code, every amino acid is coded by more than one codon except for Methionine, and three codons are used to signal the termination of the translation.
Translation can be divided into four steps: activation, initiation, elon-gation, and termination. The activation phase consists of the amino acids binding to the transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules, which will transport the amino acids to the ribosome. The activation phase is when a small subunit of the ribosome binds the end of the mRNA (first codon). The elongation phase consists of the charged tRNA (tRNA with its corresponding amino acid) matching the codon, and binding to the ribosome. Finally, the ter-mination phase occurs when the ribosome encounters either a nonsensical codon or a stop codon, and finally detaching from the amino acid sequence (Figure 1.7). As we mentioned before, a mutation which is explained in the next subsection, can alter the structure of a protein. This alteration will be measured with the use of amino acid networks by comparing the networks of the mutated structure and the wild type.
Mutations
A point mutation is a variation happening in the nucleotide sequence of the DNA (or RNA). They occur in nature mainly during DNA replication, but can happen also during the transcription and translation.
However, a mutation can produce a change to the structure of a protein and therefore to its function. In order to understand the role of mutations in the protein function and structure, we first need to mention the relation between the amino acid sequence and the structure and function of a protein.
The function of a protein depends on the underlying protein structure. Allosteric shifts or intrinsically disordered regions in the protein structure can yield several functions in a same protein . The main purpose of the protein structure is indeed to accomplish one, or several functions. There-fore the protein must fold in the conformation allowing the protein to well-function. This interdependency between function and structure is one of the motivations to study the structure of proteins. This is supported by the fact that there are extensive databases of crystalized protein structures available online.
Amino acid networks
Protein structure and function
An additional variation in the definition of amino acid networks lies in the distance used to consider two atoms to be interacting. When, for example, only alpha carbons are considered, the distance cutoff is considerably larger than when all atoms are taken into account. Finally, some authors consider the side chain atoms only, neglecting the backbone.
Table of contents : | https://www.bestpfe.com/amino-acid-diversity-in-terms-of-number-of-atomic-interactions-weight-statistics/ |
What is a gene?
segment o DNA that encodes a functional product, usually a protein
What is genome?
entire DNA sequence of an organism
What is chromosome?
structure containing DNA that physically carries hereditary information, chromosomes contain genes
What is genetics?
study of what genes are, how they carry information, how information is expressed and how genes are replicated
What is phenotype?
manifestation of genotype (what you can see and test for, what proteins are made and expressed)
What is genotype?
actual genes present, information that codes for characteristics
What is structure of DNA?
Sugar-phosphate backbone, nucleotides held together by weak hydrogen bonds
What does anti-parallel mean?
sugar-phosphate backbone of one strand is upside down relative to the backbone of the other stand
What nucleotides are in DNA, and which ones pair?
Adenosine, Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine
Adenosine pairs with Thymine
Guanine and Cytosine pair
What is function of DNA polymerase?
synthesizes DNA, proofreads and repairs DNA
What is function of ligase?
makes covalent bonds to join DNA strands, joins Okazaki fragments and new segments in excision repair
What is function o RNA polymerase?
copies RNA from a DNA template
What is function of helicase?
unwinds double-stranded DNA
Where does DNA synthesis take place in Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes?
In eukaryotes takes place in nucleus in prokaryote in the cytoplasm.
What is the replication fork?
where DNA unwinds
What is role of primer?
RNA primer initiates DNA synthesis
What does semiconservative mean?
One parent strand is constantly transferred on to daughter helix of DNA
What are the leading strand and the lagging strand in DNA replication?
Leading strand is synthesized continuously by DNA polymerase, lagging strand is synthesized discontinuously
What are Okazaki fragments and where does energy come from to join them?
segments of DNA synthesized discontinuously, ligase joins fragments, energy comes from hydrolysis of phosphate bonds
What is transcription?
DNA is transcribed to make mRNA. Begins when RNA polymerase binds to promoter sequence, proceeds in 5-3" direction, stops when it reaches terminator sequence
What is difference between DNA and RNA?
DNA is genetic material, directs protein synthesis, replicates itself before cell division, sugar is deoxyribose, double strand coiled into a double helix. RNA carries out genetic instructions for protein synthesis, sugar is ribose, single strand straight or folded
What is genetic code?
nucleotide triplets of DNA and RNA molecules that carry genetic information in living cells
What does degenerate mean?
more than one codon for one amino acid
How many nucleotides are needed for amino acid?
three
What is a start codon?
either of two codons, AUG or GUG, that signal initiation of translation and the fist amino acid in polypeptide chain
What is a stop codon?
any of three codons in a molecule of mRNA that don't code for an amino acid and signal termination of the synthesis of protein
What is most common amino acid start codon?
AUG, methionine
What are codons?
sequence of three nucleotides that together form a unit of genetic code in DNA or RNA molecule
What are anticodons?
sequence of three nucleotides forming a unit of genetic code in a transfer RNA molecule, corresponding to complimentary codon in mRNA
Where are codons found?
mRNA strands
Where are anticodons found?
found on tRNA
what is translation?
whole process by which the base sequence of a mRNA is used to order and to join amino acids in a protein
Where does translation take place Eukaryotes?
in ribosomes in nucleus
where does translation take place in prokaryote?
in cytoplasm
What does structure of prokaryote cell allow it to do regarding transcription and translation?
allows to occur at same time, lacks introns
Describe prokaryote ribosome
Large subunit with tRNA binding sites, and small subunits. first binding sit is P, second is A, they form polypeptide bond, move to E site
What is constitutive gene?
expressed at a fixed rate, needed all the time, used for major processes like glycolysis
what are operons?
linear sequences of DNA composed of a promoter sequence, followed by an operator gene, followed by one or more structural genes that act as blueprints for proteins, can be inducible (turned-on by substrate) or repressible (turned-off by a product)
What is promoter and operator?
where RNA polymerase binds, on/off switch
what is trp operon?
operon that promotes production of tryptophan when tryptophan isn't present in environment, represses gene trancription
what is lac operon?
lactose binds to repressor protein, allowing gene transcription
What does cAMP have to do with lac operon?
As concentration of glucose increases amount of cAMP decreases, as cAMP decreases amount complex decreases. Decrease in complex inactivates promoter, lac operon is turned off. positive control over the expression of lac operon
What is difference between DNA of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?
Prokaryotic DNA is circular and there is only one replication origin when replication starts. Eukaryotic DNA is linear, when replicated theres as many as 1000 replication origins
What is an intron?
segment of DNA or RNA molecule that doesn't code for proteins and interrupts the sequence of genes, not in prokaryotic DNA
What is exon?
segment of DNA or RNA molecule containing information coding for a protein or peptide sequence
what are snRNPs?
small nuclear ribonucleic particles are RNA-complexes that combine with unmodified pre-mRNA and various other proteins to form a spiceosomal
what is conjugation?
transfer of genetic material between bacterial cells by direct cell-to-cell contact or by a bridge-like connection between two cells
What is sex pili?
filament projector on surface of bacterium that are important in conjugation
What is recombinant DNA?
DNA that has been formed artificially by combining constituents from different organisms
What is mutation?
changing of structure of a gene resulting in variant form that may be transmitted to subsequent generations
What are two main kinds of mutations?
frame-shift and base substitution
what is missense mutation substitution?
creates codon for a different amino acid, may or may not affect function of protein
What is silent mutation?
base substitution may not change amino acid, common if substitution is in third nucleotide of codon
what is frame-shift mutation?
shifts reading frame for each amino acid, changes every amino acid after change
what is mutagen?
agent that causes mutations
what is carcinogen?
substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue
what are nucleoside analogs?
molecules that act like nucleosides in DNA synthesis, include antiviral products used to prevent viral replication in infected cells
what is thymine dimer?
pair of abnormally chemically bonded adjacent thymine bases in DNA, resulting from damage by UV irradiation
what does exonuclease do?
proofreads DNA
How does ionizing radiation affect DNA?
can cause mispairing and physical breaks in chromosomes
`What does auxotrophic mean?
auxotrophic mutant is mutant with differential nutrient requirements from parent strain
what is replica plating?
Sterile velvet is pressed on grown colonies on master plate, cells from each colony transferred from velvet to new plate, plates incubated, growth on plate compared
What is vertical and horizontal gene transfer?
Vertical-occurs during reproduction between generations of cells, horizontal-transfer of genes between cells of same generation
What is Ames test?
reversion test, allows knowledge of what gene is being mutated and know exactly what type of mutation is being reverted. begin with histidine-dependent bacteria, look for revertant ability to grow on histodine negative media
what is Griffiths experiment?
demonstrated genetic transformation using encapsulated an nonencapsulated bacteria, proved recombination of bacteria DNA
what are transposons?
sequences of DNA that can move around to different positions within a genome of a single cell, process called transposition
what is a plasmid?
genetic structure in a cell that can replicate independently of chromosomes
What is DNA transfer between f+ and f- cell?
when an F factor (plasmid) is transferred from a donor (f+) to a recipient (f-), the f- cell converts to f+ cell.
what is transduction?
process of transferring genetic material from one cell to another by plasmid or bacteriophage
what is R factor?
name for plasmid that codes for antibiotic resistance
what is transformation?
process by which the genetic makeup of a organism is altered by insertion of new gene into its genome
what are competent cells? | https://www.easynotecards.com/notecard_set/19935 |
Flashcards in 6.1 - Cellular Control Deck (32):
1
What is an exon?
Coding part of a gene.
2
What is an intron?
Non-coding part of a gene.
3
Why is the term ‘junk’ DNA misleading?
Junk implies this DNA has no function – in truth we do not yet know the function.
4
What is a mutation?
A change to the base sequence.
Substitution: One or more bases are swapped for one another.
Deletion: One or more bases are removed.
Insertion: One or more bases are added.
5
How might a deletion of bases mutation affect protein functionality?
Deletion leads to frameshift. Changes amino acid sequence. Affects hydrogen/ionic/sulphur bonds. Changes tertiary structure of protein – so cannot function.
6
How might a mutation result in a non-functional protein?
Mutation causes a stop codon so transcription stopped prematurely. Mutation codes for a different amino acid to be produced - protein may/may not function.
7
When may a mutation not result in a non-functional protein?
Mutation codes for same amino acid to be produced due to the degenerate nature of the genetic code. Mutations that occur in the non-coding DNA regions – the introns will be removed by splicing & not be translated so have no effect on protein produced.
8
What are the causes of mutations?
Spontaneous during DNA replication. Mutagens - Chemicals that alter the DNA structure or high energy radiation.
9
What are the three levels that gene expression can be controlled at?
Transcriptional level, post-transcriptional level & post-translational level.
10
What is a promotor?
A region of DNA that initiates transcription (upstream) of a particular gene. Where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription.
11
What is a transcription factor?
A protein that binds to DNA to activate or repress transcription (turn genes on or off).
12
What determines whether a transcription factor can bind to DNA or not?
Shape – sometimes this can be altered by the binding of some molecules e.g. certain hormones & sugars.
13
Can transcription factors be controlled?
Yes – by the amount of certain molecules in an environment affecting transcription factor binding.
14
What are the functions of transcription factors (TF) in eukaryotic cells?
TF regulate gene expression - by either activating or inhibiting the binding of RNA polymerase to promoter region.
TF make sure that only certain genes in specific cell types are expressed.
TF play a role in cell differentiation & help to regulate the cell cycle and cell division.
15
What is an operon?
A group of genes that function as a single transcription unit.
16
What is the lac operon composed of?
A promoter, an operator and 3 structural genes, lacZ, lacy & lacA (produce proteins that help bacteria digest lactose).
17
In the presence of glucose (absence of lactose):
What binds to the operator?
What binds to the promoter?
Does transcription of structural genes, lacZ, Y & A occur?
Lac repressor protein (a transcription factor).
Nothing – RNA polymerase is blocked from binding due to the repressor protein being bound to the operator.
No.
18
In the presence of lactose:
Where does lactose bind & the effect?
What binds to the promoter?
What enzymes are produced as a result of transcription of lacZ, Y & A?
Lactose binds to the Lac repressor protein, changing its shape so can no longer bind to operator site.
RNA polymerase can now bind & begin transcription of structural genes.
β-galactosidase & lactose permease.
19
What is splicing?
Where introns are removed from primary mRNA to make mature mRNA.
20
Why is the length of the section of DNA that codes for a protein longer than the corresponding mRNA used for translation?
DNA contains introns – non-coding bases which are spliced out of primary mRNA in transcription to form mature mRNA.
21
Why is cAMP needed by some proteins to function?
Some proteins are not functional straight after they have been synthesised – they need to be activated by cAMP.
22
How does cAMP activate protein kinase A (PKA)?
PKA is an enzyme mode of 4 subunits & is inactive in this state. When cAMP binds, it causes a change in enzymes 3D structure, releasing the active subunits - PKA is now active.
23
How is the production of cAMP triggered inside the cell?
Signalling molecule (often a hormone) binds to receptor on cell surface as complementary in shape. Receptor activates G protein. G protein activates adenyl cyclase. Activated adenyl cyclase catalyses the production of large amounts of cAMP from ATP within the cell. This results in the amplification of the first message by the secondary messenger. cAMP activates a cascade (a chain of reactions) of enzyme reactions. One signalling molecule produces many cAMP molecules, resulting in the amplification of the original signalling message.
24
What are homeotic genes?
A group of genes that control the formation of anatomical structures in animals, plants & fungi.
25
What is meant by a homeobox gene?
A regulatory (homeotic) gene containing a 180 base pair homeobox sequence. The homeobox codes for the homeodomain (60 amino acids) on the protein. The gene product acts as a transcription factor & binds to DNA to switch genes on or off to control body plan development.
26
What are hox genes?
A group (cluster) of genes that control body plan development in animals (only) from anterior to posterior.
27
What do the homeobox genes do?
Gene product binds to DNA at the start of developmental genes. This activates or represses transcription (acting as a transcription factor). This controls the production of proteins involved in the development of the body plan.
28
What would be the likely result of a mutation in the homeobox gene?
These genes are very important - a mutation would alter body plan & is likely to be lethal.
29
Name two processes that hox gene products can control.
Mitosis and apoptosis.
30
What is meant by spatial and temporal colinearity?
The arrangement of hox genes on the chromosome is in the same order as they appear along the body from anterior to posterior (spatial). The genes also become active in this order (temporal).
31
Why should the rate of apoptosis in an adult equal the rate of mitosis?
Adults are not growing. | https://www.brainscape.com/flashcards/61-cellular-control-6517145/packs/8414247 |
This might also connect with the Egyptian myth of Ammit, a creature that devours those found unworthy. If one considers the possibility that Jacob is, or has become, something akin to Anubis, then perhaps that explains why Cerberus acts like Ammit. (Alternatively, Jacob may represent Osiris, and Richard may represent Anubis.) Why Cerberus would be called a "security system", or give off mechanical noises, is still not clear.
It's interesting to note that Alex was actually a part of the reason why Ben chose to oppose Charles Widmore and drive him off the island. At least, that is the implication. If Richard's careful inspection of the argument between Ben and Widmore over Alex is any indication, there was already tension between them. Widmore probably knew that Ben was a potential threat to take over as leader of the Others. Alex's right to live becomes the focal point in their contest to see who understands or receives the will of the island/Jacob more powerfully or sincerely.
The fact that Widmore is ultimately proven right is an interesting observation: Ben was forced to make a choice between the island and Alex. Does that mean that the island did not originally want Widmore ousted? Or was it that the island wanted Ben to take temporary control, but ensured that Ben's replacement by Locke was preordained by Ben's own decision to save Alex? It seems that everything was thrown off course by Locke's lack of self-confidence.
Considering all the hints to the contrary, it's surprising that Ben didn't kill Penny and/or Charlie. It seems he felt a connection between his decision not to kill Danielle and Alex and Penny and Charlie. The metaphor wasn't necessarily perfect, but it was enough to explain why Ben was musing over his past with Alex and his emotions over being responsible for her death. It provides emotional context to Ben's decision to return to the island without his vengeance. Because he realizes that he shares responsibility for Alex's death, he no longer deems it necessary to kill Penny. (That's unlikely to stop Desmond from coming after Ben, of course.)
As notable as this episode was for Ben, it was equally notable for John Locke. Ever since the beginning of the series, Locke has tried to convince himself and everyone else that he had a destiny, and that there was a reason he had come to the island. That turned out to be true, but he had to die and come back to life for his sense of destiny and purpose to be realized. Now he doesn't doubt himself at all, and it's both wonderful and terrifying. It should be very interesting if and when Jack and Locke are reunited.
Seemingly unrelated to the rest of the events, Ilana's apparent true purpose is taking shape. It has always felt like Ilana's presence was a sign of something more, and given Widmore's ongoing attempts to find the island, one would assume that is her employer. After all, it has already been hinted that Widmore was behind the crash of Oceanic 815 (at least, ensuring the plane was off-course in the anticipated vicinity of the island), so it's hardly a stretch to think that the Ajira 316 crash wasn't also his doing. (One might assume, from "Jughead", that the bomb is the object lying in the shadow of the statue.)
Overall, this was one of the best episodes of the season, focusing tightly on one of the key relationships in the series and shedding light on some of the key mysteries. The writers continue to peel back the layers of the story and inform much of what has come before, while perfectly setting the stage for the grand resolution still to come. | http://www.sidereel.com/posts/34371-recap-lost-5-12-dead-is-dead-part-ii- |
Viktor the Drawing Robot
Viktor is a drawing machine created by artist and designer Jürg Lehni in collaboration with German electronics developer Defekt. It looks something like an Etch-a-Sketch built by SkyNet, but it’s much more than a fancy pen plotter: It’s an investigation into the intersection of hardware, code, and expression. Viktor is a visceral connection between creative process and product that Lehni designed to bring out the human element in our digital tools.
“In a way, the inspiration comes from observing older devices, like old plotting machines, or working with older computers where technology was unintentionally transparent,” says Berlin-based Lehni. “I want to find a way back to that state where technology seems open and friendly and inviting to create things with, rather than what we now face: this shiny surface with no way to understand what’s going on behind it.”
It’s true that a lot of today’s technology looks and feels more like a crystal ball than any kind of human-made machine. As seams get sealed and interfaces become ever more refined, digital creators can find themselves out of touch with what takes place between pressing a button and the result that emerges. Of course, that’s not necessarily bad, but something may be lost as the rattle and hum of technology fades—a relationship between user and tool, between idea, process, and result. In addition to being less complex, the workings of earlier technology were more visible, with moving parts that demonstrated the pragmatic solutions applied to various engineering problems, minute imperfections that add up to something seemingly alive with a bit of “almost-human” error.
Viktor embodies the philosophy of keeping creative technologies accessible and relatable. Its physical elements are laid out in plain view — a metal reticule is slung up on four belt straps, each connected to stepper motors at the outer corners of a square that can be stretched as wide as 20 meters (about 65.5 feet). When drawing or writing, the motors pull their respective cables in concert to glide Viktor’s mechanical “hand” across the board in deliberate swoops.
These two photos show Viktor illustrating engineer Paul Baran's network diagrams to accompany Leila McAlister's presentation on alternative distribution models for locally produced food. It was part of A Recent History of Writing and Drawing, a collaboration between Jürg Lehni and Alex Rich at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.
You’ll find Viktor and its sibling drawing machines Rita, Hektor, and Otto making their marks in art installations and accompanying lectures, adding a spellbinding visual dimension to the familiar beat-and-scratch sounds of the grade-school classroom. Wobbling ever so slightly as it lifts and drops its bit of chalk to make lines, Viktor sketches in arcs and curves that resolve themselves into clear illustrations or stylized strings of words. Viktor’s slightly wonky writing style is key to its personality, a personality that makes for a bit of unpredictability and spontaneity. Lehni describes the character of the machines he builds as being largely outside of his control: Until you turn it on, there’s no telling how it will behave, what little quirks and idiosyncrasies will emerge. “Frankenstein moment” is his term for the first flip of the “on” switch, when these behaviors finally emerge.
“That’s what I’m striving for, I think; that moment where it all comes together and starts vibrating,” he says. “It’s only after you’ve programmed it and given it behavior that you can discover its character. And although you created it, the character is coming not just from you. It’s more like it’s coming from the collection of all these components: physical constraints, the struggle with gravity, how the motor you’ve chosen sounds, or some unforeseen physical or mechanical problem that you need to overcome.”
DIARY OF A YOUNG ROBOT
Like Viktor, the Illustrator and web-based software are medium and message, intended to stimulate a feeling of connection between users and their tools. In the case of Scriptographer, connecting the creative acts of coding and drawing; in the case of Viktor, linking the creation that takes place on a computer screen with its realization in the real world. These represent one of the driving principles in Lehni’s work—the notion that technology be developed in a way that allows it to serve as an open platform on which all are empowered to influence the tools they use, rather than just the other way around.
“For me, Scriptographer was a comment on the role of Adobe in the design world,” says Lehni. “A lot of the students I studied with were celebrating the vector graphics aesthetic, and not many of them were aware of the role of the hardware that they were using. They all made similar work because they used the same tools. So Hektor was sort of the next step, where I was asking the question, ‘What if I were to make my own printer, rather than taking one that exists, or printing on a laser like everyone else?’”
In the left-hand photo, Viktor performs in Things to Say, a collaboration between Jürg Lehni and Alex Rich, at the Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen in Switzerland. On the right is a close-up of one of Viktor's four DC motors, which work in tandem to glide across the chalk board.
Built in 2002 as part of Lehni’s diploma project at École cantonale dʼart de Lausanne, Hektor looks a lot like his younger siblings, especially Viktor and Otto. (Otto is the latest, built for use by the Long Now Foundation’s salon space, The Interval). Originally built with four stepper motors, Hektor was fraught with syncing problems that led Lehni and engineer Uli Franke to drop the number to two. This simplified the works but reduced stability.
To keep Hektor’s writing smooth, they developed an algorithm that taught the machine to account for and incorporate gravity into every angle of every chalk-stroke. The diagrams that show the gravity-conscious paths the mechanical hand traces in drawing the alphabet look remarkably like childhood handwriting guides, a representation of physics in the code world that in turn informs mechanical actions in the physical one. Such gestures emerging from the digital/physical divide are critical to the handwriting style of all of Lehni’s writing machines.
“That’s what I like about these kind of works, that you switch back and forth, and even in their output they’re all about that friction between the digital and the analog,” says Lehni. “All these machines are performative devices. People love watching them doing their work, and it’s as much about the final drawing as it is about the drawing in creation, where there’s a sort of storytelling happening.”
Viktor illustrates 5000 Years of Chairs, a lecture given by Michael Marriott as part of A Recent History of Writing and Drawing, a collaboration between Jürg Lehni and Alex Rich at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, 2008
WATCH WHAT HAPPENS
Lehni and his collaborators are pushing technology to a place that facilitates creative control yet leaves space to step back and watch what happens. Creative technology should keep its users excited, engaged, and perhaps even provide a “Frankenstein moment.” With machines like Viktor, the image on the screen will be rendered faithfully. But there’s no telling what subtle differences may emerge as chalk meets board—a slight wobble in the line, subtle variations in the grain. That bit of unpredictability can be enough to make technology feel more alive and present. When that happens, it’s hard to look away.
“With these machines, what you see is not what you get, and that’s their strength,” Lehni says. | https://create.adobe.com/2015/6/23/viktor_the_drawing_robot.html |
The first arc of Hellions wraps up just in time for X of Swords, leaving the readers with moral quandaries and righteous anger. Hellions #4 is a dirty, grimy, yet satisfying conclusion to an arc that still sets things up for the future.
Hellions #4
Rain Beredo (cover), David Curiel (colors), VC’s Ariana Maher (letters), Tom Muller (design), Stephen Segovia (art and cover), Zeb Wells (writer)
Marvel Comics
September 16, 2020
What is very interesting about this issue is that the climactic action of the arc happens about halfway in, with the second half of the book mostly falling action and quiet moments. The Hellions versus the remaining Marauders is brutal and fast, a dirty mess of flying limbs and blades. Wells makes another egg joke with Nanny, a gift that keeps giving.
As Maddie starts to bring the whole clone farm online, Greycrow misdirects the rest of the team away from the control center and to the waste processing, which catalyzes Nanny’s anger, as she sees the discarded bodies of infant clones, knowing that they were thrown away without given a chance to survive. While seemingly unimportant at the moment, it sets up one of the scenes in the second half of the issue perfectly.
The actual resolution of the mission is resolved in two continuous pieces, as Madelyne taunts a broken Alex, continuing to try and draw him into her side. But she realizes that her control over him isn’t complete and that the breaks in his brain may not be entirely her doing. That begs the question as to who or what is influencing Alex’s actions. We know someone is, but who? To what end? Something very sinister permeates every page of this issue. But before we can delve deeper, she’s shot through the back by Greycrow, and in her dying gasps notes that her control over the clones is fading, leaving her alone again. Alone save for Alex, asking with her last breaths to remember that she was real, that she existed.
Her death solved the problem of the clone farm and instigated the emotional reaction that would complete the official demolition mission. After watching Maddie die again, Alex lets loose with his powers, blowing a hole clear from the subbasement through the roof, and bring the whole structure down around his ears. The rest of the team narrowly escapes, and Alex emerges from the rubble in tattered rags, his mouth clean of the bloody Popsicle mess.
The lone data page of the issue is a post-mission briefing. It provides a fantastic look at the psyches of our Hellions and how this mission affected them. Of note is that Wild Child’s attachment to Psylocke, and the aforementioned trauma that Nanny endured in the waste processing center. The data page also brings up the quandary of what to do about Madelyne. At what point is a clone its own person? She had her own life, as under Sinister’s boot as it was, but she was still a clone of Jean. Still, the Stepford Cuckoos are clones of Emma Frost, but clearly the two dead sisters have been resurrected? Where is that line? The data page leaves us wondering, saying that it is a question for the Council.
It’s not a decision we need to wait long for, as the close of the issue is a conversation between Scott and Alex on the steps outside the Council chambers. Alex is sitting depressed and resigned, almost certainly expecting the answer that Scott brings him, that the Council has decided that she will not be resurrected. Scott tries to deliver this news diplomatically, but Alex rightfully refuses to let him. He demands to know what Scott’s position on this is. Scott dodges the question, and Alex shouts at him that Madelyne mattered. Alex is left in tears on the stairs as Sinister looks on deeply satisfied with his machinations.
His satisfaction is short-lived, however, because that trauma he inflicted on Nanny comes back to haunt him, as Nanny delivers a very thinly veiled threat. He considers every resurrected mutant a child, and she intends to leave them all orphans.
Clearly there is much set up from this opening arc. I refuse to believe that Maddie’s story ends with Hellions #4, despite the Council’s decision. And obviously Sinister has much more up his sleeve for this batch of misfits. But first, swords! | https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2020/09/hellions-4-we-still-demand-justice/ |
Inspired by his personal experiences growing up in Africa and the current cultural and political state of society, Stanley is driven to create drawings that trigger an emotional connection between the viewers and his artworks. Using his works as a form of social and political activism, Stanley hopes to use his art to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves Regarding his new series, Stanley says, “My art is born out of the zeal for perfection both in skill, expression, and devotion to create positive changes in the world."
Downtown Los Angeles’s Corey Helford Gallery today unveils its next major group exhibition and most whimsical one yet with Fantastical Beasts, featuring over 50 artists from across the globe. Fantastical beasts have captured our imagination throughout history. Creatures like dragons, griffins and unicorns were the cultural ancestors of natural histories, zoos, and Darwin; of My Little Pony and Animal Planet. Some have their origin in traditional mythology and were believed to be real creatures, while others were based on real encounters.
Participating artist from Italy, Nunzio Paci, shares his inspiration: "I watched Juliet of the Spirits many times. The artwork in the group show reflects my current exploration of the natural world and its connections with the dream sphere, nostalgia and memory, all themes in common with Fellini's oeuvre." Missouri-based artist Lauren Marx sees a connection between her work and Fellini’s artistic eye and cinematography: "I see similarities with the use of religious imagery, earthy imagery, baroque and fantastical themes. I can also see a slight connection between the composition of my piece and some of the beautiful compositions he created.”
by Sandra Bertrand
Before the September 11, 2001, attacks, before the current pandemic, grief of such cataclysmic proportions seemed unimaginable for many. But when sculptor Suse Lowenstein’s son Alex, along with his schoolmates, was lost in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, unimaginable grief became a tragic reality for her. The question was, how to survive it?
by Adam Gravano
Much of Gorbachev's discussion hinges on East-West relations, particularly between Russia and the United States. This is logical, as certain interests of pre-Soviet Russia were taken up by the Soviet Union, and, post-Soviet collapse, these same interests were transferred to the nascent Russian Federation (and carried on to the present).While there is a brief chapter covering both China and India, with a brief discussion of Malaysia included, the discussion borders on the facile. | https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/los-angeles-art-galleries |
A pig, a janitor, two rowdy twins, and a criminal uncle have managed to capture the hearts of millions of viewers in the course of two short seasons. In season two the reveal of a new character brings with him an old enemy whose quest for personal revenge nearly destroys the universe. Old wounds reopen, new quarrels begin, but in the end, it comes down to the power of family to save the day.
With the recent release of the newest Gravity Falls episode, creator Alex Hirsch’s breakout series comes to a close. The final season has been a roller coaster ride of suspense, reveals, and conclusions making for a satisfying season for the Pines family and their paranormal adventures in Gravity Falls, Oregon.
Everything is not what it seems
Season 2 starts out with a very similar tone to the proceeding season. For example, the opening episode, “Scary-oke,” while goofy, has elements of horror scattered throughout. Mabel simply wants to have a karaoke party, but due to the powerful forces of a magical journal, a horde of flesh-eating zombies is awakened and the twins must save the day through the power of annoying pop songs. This set up is typical for many of the episodes in Gravity Falls: small elements of horror thrown into an otherwise comical setting.
This format stays static through much of the first half of the season. Dipper and Mabel meet magical creatures and Dipper must use his journal to face them, all while trying to uncover the secrets of Gravity Falls and find the author of the journals. While this may seem formulaic, the series takes a major emotional turn half way through the season in the episode, “Not What He Seems."
Hirsch reveals major details about the mysterious life of “Gruncle” Stan alluded to in multiple episodes. The entire set up is spectacular, forcing the viewer to question the motives of Stan throughout the entire show, and sympathize with Dipper and Mabel as they confront the lies that have been thrown their way. After much build up, the secret that Stan has been hiding comes to light: his twin brother Stanford (Ford).
Two pairs of twins, twice the drama
The appearance of Ford gives Gravity Falls a refreshing new style. Ford adds not only a new character, but the emergence of Sci-Fi in the series. Before Ford is revealed, the show can be categorized as comedy with a twist of surprisingly mature horror. Small elements of sci-fi can be seen (such as stopping time or shrink rays), but these are not fully explored or explained and are often used as a plot device. Because Ford’s character is capable of creating otherwise impossible devices, a new genre can be explored in greater detail with a more practical explanation of the supernatural elements in Gravity Falls. More important than his expansion of sci-fi in the show, Ford creates friction for the other prominent characters.
While the relationship between Dipper and Ford grows, Mabel feels betrayed by her brother’s distance and Stan has several unresolved conflicts with his brother. Most important is the pain felt by Mabel. Growing up is dealt with very heavily in the last few episodes of the season. It becomes apparent that Mabel wants everything to remain the same and fears the future, but Dipper is ready to embrace his new life as an apprentice to Ford, even if it means leaving his sister behind. The conflict seems very genuine. Every child deals with growing up, and siblings or even friends must separate at some point. One of the most important factors to the writing in Gravity Falls is that the conflict arises in a natural, unforced way. Because it is made clear what each character is feeling and why, situations or emotions escalate in a logical progression as opposed to having drama for the sake of drama. Ultimately, this season’s strongest point is dealing with the dynamics between characters. While the humor and action in each episode ranges from gut-busting to chuckle worthy, Gravity Falls very rarely strays from its core focus: character development.
Stan and Ford’s conflict is very similar to the children’s, but is instead a mature look at the consequences of unresolved conflict. Years of separation have only nurtured the harbored hostility and misunderstandings between the two brothers. Mabel fears that she and Dipper will become like Stan and Ford, despite her brother’s reassurances. The show does a great job of showing the characters’ struggling and growing in their own ways. The goofy nature of the show always carries a dark undertone; there is always a feeling that the fun and goofy antics of the characters will have to come to an end, and that they will have to eventually face their troubles. This arises during the series finale.
Weirdmageddon: The finale
Unlike most animated shows, Gravity Falls splits its series finale into three separate episodes. Aside from the finale being three parts, the final episode is an hour long special as opposed to the usual 22 minute runtime. While the rest of the season has been incredible, the quality of the show begins to fall apart over the three-part finale. Characters no longer have to deal with the consequences of their actions, the action falls short, and everything is extremely predictable. This is a serious flaw seeing as the creators not only had three episodes to tie up loose ends, but an extra hour of content.
The biggest problem has to be with Mabel’s character. Throughout the show she is the character that has always gotten what she has wanted and has shown the least growth. She is content with staying a child while her brother strives to do something greater with his life. Mabel opposes this and throws a huge tantrum, releasing horrible monsters onto Gravity Falls, and in the end, she gets exactly what she wants. Dipper literally throws away all ambition he has of being Ford’s apprentice just to keep his sister from crying. Not once is she reprimanded for almost destroying the world. Not once does Dipper seem a little upset with his sister’s attitude. Mabel is rewarded for her selfish and childish attitude.
The show attempts to make Stan a sort of tragic hero; he sacrifices himself for the ones he loves. That’s great, but anyone with their eyes open during the past half-hour knew this was going to happen. There was no drama, no remorse, it just kind of happened. An even bigger slap in the face occurs once the show makes it apparent that the sacrifice Stan made had no negative impact. He didn’t actually have to sacrifice anything because everything that is supposedly lost is returned through “the power of family” and possibly Disney executives.
The season finale shines in the resolution with the rekindled relationship between Stan and Ford, and the emotional heartbreak seeing the Pines twins leave Gravity Falls for the summer. Aside from those two aspects, the much-awaited finale has little else to offer in terms of humor, action, or impact.
TL;DR
Gravity Falls has some of the most likable and relatable characters ever created in a cartoon. The decisions the characters make seem understandable, and the conflicts between characters is very real. While the action and comedy present in the show are great, what makes the show so likable is relationships the main characters have with one another. Sadly, the finale did not give these wonderful characters the farewell that they deserve, and leaves much more to be desired. Despite this, the mid-season truly does make up for what is lacking towards the end of the show’s run, and is truly worth re-watching.
+Amazing character development
+Endearing sense of humor
+The mid-season twist is spectacular
-The last episode is lacking in action
-Mabel stays static as a character
-Uninspired conclusion
Images from: Forbes, MoviePilot, | https://www.ballstatedaily.com/article/2016/02/in-gravity-falls-season-2-the-summer-fun-is-still-going-strong-byte |
Charlie’s parents felt like they were walking on eggshells.
A simple family party often set off the three year-old. The unfamiliar setting, the commotion, and relatives trying to hug and kiss the boy could easily send him into a kicking and screaming fit. Usually quiet, Charlie routinely burst into tantrums for reasons neither his parents nor his pediatrician could explain.
Such difficult behaviors, meltdowns, and tantrums are a major concern for many parents and professionals. Yet most strategies to remedy problematic behaviors often fall short. Why? They are based on a false premise: that the child has control over thoughts, emotions and behaviors. We incorrectly assume children have the capacity to plan, analyze, and intentionally control the overwhelming emotions that cause tantrums.
In reality, many children have not yet developed these skills. And if a child lacks the ability to control her behavior, then no amount of reasoning, offering incentives, or appeals to “mind power” can convince her to behave.
What we often fail to recognize is that a child’s ability to control behaviors with what professionals call “top-down” thinking develops over time. Robust top-down thinking varies from child to child and depends on many factors, including genetics, relationships and the child’s environment. Tina Bryson and Dan Siegel call the part of the brain that manages “top-down” thinking the “upstairs brain”.
Most children with persistent tantrums aren’t purposefully misbehaving. They are experiencing stress responses due to immaturity in their social-emotional development.
How best to address this immaturity? We need to begin by building emotional stability and balance from the “bottom-up.”We do this by finding ways to help each child feel safe through loving relationships that provide psychological security and respect each child’s individual differences. We must prioritize soothing the bottom, reactive and primitive “downstairs” brain first, before anything else.
When we use top-down strategies to help children whose bottom-up capacities are not yet strong, we send them the false message that they can control themselves if only they try hard enough. Repeatedly hearing this can take a steep toll on a child’s budding self- image and self-confidence, and the parent-child relationship.
We need to understand that controlling one’s emotions and behaviors requires that certain foundations be in place first. The foundation of self-control requires emotional regulation, or the ability to feel safe and calm. For a child to learn how to calm his body and mind requires caregivers who are able to be soothing in a way that works for each particular child. Emotional regulation develops from loving emotional co-regulation with loving adults. It doesn’t simply develop on its own.
Over time, these abilities form the foundation of the child’s emotional house, lovingly and patiently built by parents and caregivers attuned to the child’s unique needs. It’s our role to work on the foundation of emotional stability, always making sure it is secure. With that bottom-up approach, over time, even children like Charlie can learn to cope with the unexpected and unfamiliar.
Attune yourself emotionally with the child before addressing behaviors or jumping to solutions. Find ways to communicate (without words) the message that “I see your struggle and you are not alone.” We are accustomed to talking first, when our first step should be simply to join the child emotionally, sending a signal that he is safe. Feeling safe (also known as experiencing the neuroception of safety) is a critical foundation of emotional health.
After compassionately recognizing the child’s emotions, help the child to calm down in her body and mind. Each child has her own natural preferences for how to be soothed. For some, a soft voice does the trick; for others it might be gentle rocking, and for still others, a loving hug. Other children might prefer that you provide a loving presence without doing anything at all. Over time, determine the keys to help each child find ways to experience a calm state in the physical body.
Once a child has mastered the ability to calm down with the help of loving adults, we can start using “top-down” thinking to help the child figure out how to plan ahead and learn new ways to cope. But this works only after the foundation of emotional regulation is solid.
Helping children starts with cultivating our own emotional stability, calmness, and regulation. Children’s tantrums can upend our ability to remain calm and rational. It helps to remember that the child is not purposefully misbehaving, but experiencing a stress response. Our compassionate presence, with an eye to the child’s unique needs, is the best way to soothe a child and ease emotional turmoil.
Is happiness a universal human right? | https://mindfullyhealing.com/toddler-tantrums-help-from-neuroscience/ |
Charlie’s parents felt like they were walking on eggshells.
A simple family party often set off the three year-old. The unfamiliar setting, the commotion, and relatives trying to hug and kiss the boy could easily send him into a kicking and screaming fit. Usually quiet, Charlie routinely burst into tantrums for reasons neither his parents nor his pediatrician could explain.
Such difficult behaviors, meltdowns, and tantrums are a major concern for many parents and professionals. Yet most strategies to remedy problematic behaviors often fall short. Why? They are based on a false premise: that the child has control over thoughts, emotions and behaviors. We incorrectly assume children have the capacity to plan, analyze, and intentionally control the overwhelming emotions that cause tantrums.
In reality, many children have not yet developed these skills. And if a child lacks the ability to control her behavior, then no amount of reasoning, offering incentives, or appeals to “mind power” can convince her to behave.
What we often fail to recognize is that a child’s ability to control behaviors with what professionals call “top-down” thinking develops over time. Robust top-down thinking varies from child to child and depends on many factors, including genetics, relationships and the child’s environment. Tina Bryson and Dan Siegel call the part of the brain that manages “top-down” thinking the “upstairs brain”.
Most children with persistent tantrums aren’t purposefully misbehaving. They are experiencing stress responses due to immaturity in their social-emotional development.
How best to address this immaturity? We need to begin by building emotional stability and balance from the “bottom-up.”We do this by finding ways to help each child feel safe through loving relationships that provide psychological security and respect each child’s individual differences. We must prioritize soothing the bottom, reactive and primitive “downstairs” brain first, before anything else.
When we use top-down strategies to help children whose bottom-up capacities are not yet strong, we send them the false message that they can control themselves if only they try hard enough. Repeatedly hearing this can take a steep toll on a child’s budding self- image and self-confidence, and the parent-child relationship.
We need to understand that controlling one’s emotions and behaviors requires that certain foundations be in place first. The foundation of self-control requires emotional regulation, or the ability to feel safe and calm. For a child to learn how to calm his body and mind requires caregivers who are able to be soothing in a way that works for each particular child. Emotional regulation develops from loving emotional co-regulation with loving adults. It doesn’t simply develop on its own.
Over time, these abilities form the foundation of the child’s emotional house, lovingly and patiently built by parents and caregivers attuned to the child’s unique needs. It’s our role to work on the foundation of emotional stability, always making sure it is secure. With that bottom-up approach, over time, even children like Charlie can learn to cope with the unexpected and unfamiliar.
Some things to keep in mind to help build a child’s “top-down” abilities by working from the “bottom-up”:
- Attune yourself emotionally with the child before addressing behaviors or jumping to solutions. Find ways to communicate (without words) the message that “I see your struggle and you are not alone.” We are accustomed to talking first, when our first step should be simply to join the child emotionally, sending a signal that he is safe. Feeling safe (also known as experiencing the neuroception of safety) is a critical foundation of emotional health.
- After compassionately recognizing the child’s emotions, help the child to calm down in her body and mind. Each child has her own natural preferences for how to be soothed. For some, a soft voice does the trick; for others it might be gentle rocking, and for still others, a loving hug. Other children might prefer that you provide a loving presence without doing anything at all. Over time, determine the keys to help each child find ways to experience a calm state in the physical body.
- Once a child has mastered the ability to calm down with the help of loving adults, we can start using “top-down” thinking to help the child figure out how to plan ahead and learn new ways to cope. But this works only after the foundation of emotional regulation is solid.
- Helping children starts with cultivating our own emotional stability, calmness, and regulation. Children’s tantrums can upend our ability to remain calm and rational. It helps to remember that the child is not purposefully misbehaving, but experiencing a stress response. Our compassionate presence, with an eye to the child’s unique needs, is the best way to soothe a child and ease emotional turmoil. | https://mindfullyhealing.com/toddler-tantrums-help-from-neuroscience/ |
On the Season 3 finale of Casual, one Cole child officially leaves the nest, while another makes a surprise entrance.
The series’ central family grows — both in emotional maturity and, potentially, in size — in the slow-burning conclusion of the Hulu comedy’s stellar third season, which finds Alex and Val (finally!) back together under one roof. As we cross fingers for a Season 4 renewal, read on for a recap of “The Hermit & The Moon.”
FATHER ALEX | Alex starts the episode still blissfully unaware that Judy just dumped him. Unfortunately, his ignorance is short lived as Rae talks some sense into him over french toast. (The waffle iron, much to Alex’s disappointment, is still incredibly broken.) After finally realizing his fate, Alex begins an all-too-familiar — well, familiar to everyone but him — post-breakup spiral. He confronts Judy, quits his job and obsesses over fixing the waffle iron only to finally end up back on Jennifer’s couch.
Jennifer, as always, is none-too-pleased to see him but delivers her trademark brand of harsh-yet-comforting advice. A few minutes into the session Alex confesses that when they first met, he thought they’d end up in bed together (a point I happen to agree with). As Jennifer responds, “When I first met you, I thought you were a tremendous narcissist who lucked into a life of unspeakable privilege,” she reaffirms for the hundredth time that she is both way too cool and far too emotionally stable a person to be a part of this show.
Next, Alex asks Leon to go on a camping trip with him. But before Leon can even respond (presumably with a yes he’ll immediately regret), Rae drops the episode’s huge twist: She’s pregnant!
Considering his emotional state, Alex handles the news of his potential fatherhood incredibly well. He says he’ll support whatever Rae wants to do with the baby, a choice that she doesn’t make by end of the episode. What becomes definitively clear is that Rae and Alex have some serious chemistry, though neither of them seem anywhere near ready to admit it. (Related: Whatever happens with the pregnancy, this episode, like the rest of Season 3, makes me want to see a lot more of Rae and Alex together.)
MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES | Meanwhile, Val is searching for Laura, who has gone MIA since last week’s events in Sacramento. Val should definitely stick to psychology, because she’d be a pretty lousy detective: She has no luck on her own, then calls in Drew, who has the brilliant idea to check the teenage girl’s social media for clues. It’s there that Val discovers Laura is in Burbank with her grandma.
Val goes to rescue Laura from Dawn, but things definitely don’t go as planned. Laura states she wants to stay with Dawn permanently, admitting that people her age don’t like her; the ones that do, she tends to drive off. Using Val’s own words from earlier this season against her, Laura confesses that she has “a bit of a pattern.”
Val tries to change her mind, but it’s too late. Then Val realizes that she’s been too consumed in her own problems to worry about Laura’s, a habit that she has always despised in her own mother. This leads to a really honest and heartfelt talk between Dawn and Val, where she admits to herself that she hasn’t been the mom she wanted to be, saying, “You try so hard and you still make the same mistakes over and over and over again.”
It’s this admission that allows her to be okay with Laura staying at Dawn’s, but not before apologizing to Laura, who looks out of the window emotionally as her mom drives away.
A NEW NORMAL | But Val doesn’t go home; she heads to Alex’s. She asks a question I’ve been wondering all season when she wonders aloud why she ever moved out of Alex’s house in the first place. Finally she tells Alex, “You’re my best friend, and I don’t know why I tried so hard to deny that,” wrapping up a huge narrative throughline of the season. But things can’t completely go back to normal, which is made clear in episode’s final shot. Alex and Rae are together, and Val is separated from them. Eerily similar to the visual of Alex in the hospital with Drew and Val in the previous episode, no? (—Written by Jasper Pike)
What did you think of the season finale? Grade the episode via the poll below, then hit the comments to elaborate on your thoughts! | http://tvline.com/2017/08/01/casual-finale-recap-season-3-episode-13-rae-pregnant-the-hermit-the-moon/ |
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by a situation that your normal reasoning processes are bypassed and you react in an irrational way? If so, you may have fallen victim to emotional hijacking.
Emotional hijacking is a state where our emotions interfere with the functioning of our brain to the extent where it can result in reactions such as aggression or irrational fear. In this post, we take a look at what emotional hijacking is, how to recognize it and what you can do to overcome it.
What is Emotional Hijacking?
Psychologist David Goleman introduced the concept of emotional hijacking in 1995. Goleman wrote the book ‘Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ’. Referring to “amygdala hijack”, Goleman recognised that this part of our brain is vitally important. This is because the amygdala serves as our emotional processor. However, in some circumstances, it can take over. In fact, it will dominate the parts of our brain that help us to be rational.
An amygdala hijack causes the cortex to shut down and makes it incredibly difficult to think clearly. Not only that but it inhibits our ability to make rational decisions. These events then result in the release of adrenaline. Extra adrenalin leads to an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and rapid breathing.
How the amygdala is involved in emotional hijacking
The amygdala is the part of our brain which regulates the flight or fight response. So it is, in fact, there to protect us from danger. It enables us to react quickly to a potential threat.
However, Goleman suggests that, in the modern world, the amygdala can serve to “hijack” our brain. This is when we are faced with a situation we find stressful or scary. The amygdala prepares our body to react as if the situation presented a real danger to our life. Although, in the majority of cases, there is no real danger.
How can I recognize an emotional hijack?
An emotional hijack can lead a person to react aggressively or result in a panic attack. It can have significant consequences on both our well-being and our relationships with other people. This is why it is important to recognize if emotional hijacking is affecting you.
Can you think of any situations where you have felt an immediate, overwhelming and somewhat unconscious response to something that, when reflecting on it afterwards, seemed irrational? If the answer is yes, then it is likely that you have experienced an emotional hijack.
How to deal with emotional hijacking
It is important to distinguish the difference between being ‘emotional’ and experiencing emotional hijacking. There is, of course, nothing wrong with feeling emotions deeply and reacting to them. However, it is when our emotional processor takes over that we lose all rational thinking. At this point, we need to think about taking steps to control and prevent this.
Being aware of emotional hijacking and how the amygdala works in the brain is the first step in taking control of emotional hijacks. Now we can recognize that some of our reactions to high-stress events are irrational and unnecessary. Studies into emotional hijacking have found that two key activities can assist with avoiding emotional hijacking.
Two activities that help stop an emotional hijack
- Recognizing your triggers
- Increasing your emotional intelligence
-
Know your triggers
Recognizing what triggers an emotional hijack is an important step in dealing with emotional hijacking. Once you are aware of your triggers you can take steps to diffuse your reaction. Spend some time thinking about what situations or people trigger your emotional hijacks, how you felt during this situation and what you felt like afterwards.
The next time you find yourself in one of your trigger situations, there are some steps you can take to deal with the emotional hijack before it escalates.
- Take a pause and a deep breath to calm you.
- Practice mindfulness.
- Name the emotions you are experiencing so that the thinking part of your brain is re-engaged.
If you can still feel the emotional hijack taking over, try and remove yourself from the situation so that you can regain control and a sense of calm.
-
Emotional Intelligence
An emotionally intelligent person is someone who has a robust connection with the emotional part of their brain. They are well-tuned to their thoughts and feelings. A key strength of an emotionally intelligent person is being able to de-escalate their own emotions so that they don’t go into overload, thereby preventing emotional hijacking.
Fortunately, you can train your brain to become more emotionally intelligent through practices such as mindfulness. Practising mindfulness allows us to increase awareness of the present moment, being in tune to the environment around us and not letting unhelpful thoughts and emotions run around our head on repeat.
Final word
There will be some instances in life where emotional hijacking is unavoidable. Nevertheless, there are steps that you can take.
- Train your brain to distinguish between situations that require a fight or flight reaction and those that don’t.
- Have a better understanding of what triggers emotional hijacking.
- Increase your emotional intelligence through practices such as mindfulness.
These are key steps in managing the functioning of the amygdala in our brain and preventing the occurrence of emotional hijacking.
References:
Copyright © 2012-2020 Learning Mind. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint, contact us. | https://www.learning-mind.com/emotional-hijacking/ |
HOUSTON -- It is easy to be overshadowed in a pitching staff that is led by Justin Verlander, the front-runner for the AL Cy Young Award, but Framber Valdez’s accomplishments this season cannot be ignored. The lefty delivered his 25th consecutive quality start in the Astros’ 11-2 win over the A’s at Minute Maid Park, breaking the MLB single-season record previously held by Jacob deGrom in 2018.
Valdez, recognizing what was at stake entering his start on Sunday, allowed two runs on four hits in six innings, throwing 87 pitches.
“It means a lot to me and my career to get that record,” Valdez said in Spanish. “It is one of those things that will go down on your résumé to get a record like that. It means a lot to me, my family and all my followers.”
Here is where the Astros stand:
• Games remaining: 15
• Standings update: 15-game lead over the Mariners in the AL West
• Magic number to clinch the AL West: 1
• Magic number to clinch the AL's No. 1 seed: 8
The historic streak was put to the test in the sixth, when he gave up two straight singles to start off the inning. Valdez -- seemingly frustrated by a pitch that was called a ball near the strike zone on a 1-2 pitch to Dermis Garcia -- appeared to lose some of his composure.
As a result, Valdez tossed a 90.5 mph changeup in the heart of the zone that Garcia hit for a two-run double. Before things got worse, the Astros took a mound visit to calm Valdez down.
Valdez turned to his strength of being a ground-ball pitcher -- entering Sunday with a career 66.1 percent ground-ball rate, the highest mark in MLB since tracking began in 1987 -- and let Alex Bregman handle three ground-ball outs to end the inning.
“Bregman is a great defender and player, so he helped me get out of my troubles,” Valdez said. “A couple years ago, that inning may not have gone the same way. I have grown a lot and was able to focus [enough] to get out of that inning.”
Besides the sixth inning, Valdez was in control throughout his start, allowing no hits through his first four innings. The southpaw kept A’s hitters guessing, generating 14 whiffs while striking out seven.
Valdez remained in control when the A’s made contact, recording 10 of his 18 outs on the ground. In doing so, he inched closer to the overall record of 26 consecutive quality starts held by Bob Gibson and deGrom.
“That’s a remarkable streak that he has set,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “There’s been some great pitchers that he has surpassed in breaking that record. I’m just glad that he accomplished it.”
The streak itself -- dating back to April 25 -- is impressive, but the fashion in which Valdez has accomplished it has been just as remarkable. The lefty has been dominant all season, notably pitching a shutout on Monday against the Tigers.
It has been a continuation of what has been an impressive season for Valdez, who ranks second in wins (16) and sixth in ERA (2.57) among qualified AL starters. He has shown a lot of growth mentally, too.
“A lot more calm and confident,” said catcher Martín Maldonado, who had a four-hit game. “He’s shown a lot of maturity. He knows what he does good and listens more. He is less emotional on the mound and has shown just a lot of growth.”
Valdez’s stellar outing was yet another reminder that the Astros have enviable depth when it comes to pitching. Houston starters have combined for a 3.04 ERA, the best mark in the AL. Having been the backbone for the club all season, their continued success will be crucial come October. | https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/framber-valdez-breaks-mlb-single-season-record-25th-straight-quality-start |
Locating Rights to Education for Ensuring Every Student Succeeds
Just as 2015 came to a close, the center of gravity for rights to education began moving again, this time back toward the states.
On December 10, 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law, the latest renewal to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The ESEA was last renewed under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), a law that had instituted a number of federal accountability measures that states were expected to follow in order to receive federal funding and avoid sanctions. Hailed as a rare bipartisan effort in a widely divided federal government, the ESSA has been applauded on both sides of the political aisle as a step forward from what many have considered a broken system under NCLB.
The ESSA responds to criticisms of federal overreach, an overemphasis on testing, and ineffectual accountability measures. The law establishes federal educational standards while returning much of the accountability and enforcement to the states. While the ESSA will be widely discussed for its educational standards and accountability, policymakers should not overlook that the law is also one squarely concerning rights to education. Are students entitled to a high quality education? Are students with additional needs, including English language learners and students with disabilities, entitled to resources that will allow them to receive equal educational opportunities?
Even after the bipartisan victory in December, the question of who is responsible for securing rights to education is still the elephant in the room. Ostensibly, the ESSA returns accountability and oversight to the states. At the same time, however, the law does not eschew the recognition that there is a federal responsibility for providing equal and adequate educational opportunities for every student. The purpose of the law is “to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps.”
Furthermore, as President Obama noted in his signing remarks, “this bill upholds the core value that animated the original ESEA signed by President Lyndon Johnson—the value that says education, the key to economic opportunity, is a civil right. With this bill, we affirm that fundamental American ideal that every child, regardless of race, income background, the zip code where they live, deserves the chance to make out their lives what they will.”
There is inevitably a tension when attempting to ensure that students will be entitled to certain rights regardless of zip code while deferring to each individual state to enforce those rights. While the ESSA moves the center back closer to the states, it stops short of fully addressing the challenging decision about how to structure a workable system of enforcement that protects every student in every school while recognizing battles over control between levels of government.
The tension is not a new one, and the ESSA should be included as the latest development in the history of a moving center of gravity for rights to education over the last 60 years. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Brown v. Board of Education and in subsequent desegregation cases that every student is entitled to attend desegregated schools under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause in the U.S. Constitution. On similar grounds, the Court held in Plyler v. Doe (1982) that public primary and secondary education where available must be made available to all students. Meanwhile, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 extended federal protections against discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, and religion in public schools, and additional statutes including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 affirmed and extended those protections to more groups of students. Today, these statutes are enforced by the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice.
During the same time period, the Court emphasized in San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodríguez (1973) that it is state and local governments that control education policymaking and in effect held that the right to education is not fundamental under the U.S. Constitution. Following the decision, lawsuits for educational equity and adequacy have widely moved to state courts under state constitutions with varying levels of success. And programs like under the NCLB, which had established federal standards with federal accountability measures to withhold funding from noncompliant states, have majorly deferred to the states. For years, the Bush and Obama Administrations have granted waivers for states to develop their own plans and avoid sanctions for noncompliance.
Together, these developments—along with many others that could be named—show the complexity of education policy that has refused a binary of state or federal-only control. The ESSA provides a short-term answer by suggesting greater state control, but it punts the question of how to fully protect what this country has recognized are rights that every student has to access adequate and equal educational opportunities. It gives a default to where we should turn first when educational standards are not being met, but it does not tell us where the lines are ultimately drawn when a student receives a failing education.
The debate continues. The ESSA should not by any measure be seen as its conclusion. Recognizing a system that truly works to protect the various rights to education must involve an honest, public discussion about what precisely are our federal rights to education and which institutions are in the most optimal positions to protect them. Everywhere around the country there is agreement that all students are entitled to adequate and equal educational opportunities, but we must continue asking the difficult question of how we ensure that education.
Eric Chung is currently a J.D. student at Yale Law School and a ISPS Graduate Policy Fellow. His research focuses on the intersections between law and comparative social policy, including in the fields of education, health, and welfare. | https://isps.yale.edu/news/blog/2016/08/locating-rights-to-education-for-ensuring-every-student-succeeds |
The New York Times starts its review of The Silent Man by Alex Berenson this way:
A novel can, and should, do many things, but a thriller need do only one. If it thrills, it succeeds, and if it does not, no matter how well it does everything else, it fails. Alex Berenson’s third novel, “The Silent Man,” succeeds in seizing the attention from the start and never letting go until the end.
I might want to argue with the first two sentences, or at least quibble a bit, but I think the review is right when it comes to Berenson’s latest book.
As we have discussed in our reviews of the previous John Wells novels (The Faithful Spy and The Ghost War), John Wells started out with an interesting hook (first Western spy to infiltrate Al Quada, convert to Islam, etc.) but hasn’t much developed beyond all round tough guy super spy. Not that he is a particularly one dimensional for the genre, just that he is typical of the genre.
What Berenson does well is set up a plausible terrorist attack or military threat and then start the clock on Wells’s attempt to keep it from happening. As the story plays out the pace quickens and the tension rises. And Berenson gives the reader the view from all sides; inside and out of the plot – minor and major characters. In the end you know Wells will save the day, but you don’t know how and how many people will die in between.
This time the focus is on a plot to smuggle a nuclear bomb into America and detonate it for maxim damage: at the State of the Union address. Character depth aside, Berenson again delivers an entertaining high stakes action thriller.
Berenson starts the plot off with the acquisition of the warheads from a facility in the former Soviet Union and traces the plot all the way to upstate New York where three men are working to convert the material into a workable bomb. Wells is tied into this plot via his connection with another reoccurring character: Pierre Kowalski an international arms dealer. Wells had earlier humiliated Kowalski by duct taping his head after getting the information he needed about who was funding the training of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Kowalksi vowed revenge.
His attempt at revenge is thwarted by Wells but not before his lover, Jennifer Exley, is critically injured. This attack also strains their relationship to the breaking point as Well is intent on revenge while Exley wants a life beyond the CIA.
As in the last book, this tension, and Wells’s self-doubt, gets tiresome. Berenson can’t pull off the emotional depth and so the interpersonal aspects just slow the story down. It is as if Berenson wants Wells to be more than a James Bond type but can’t quite pull it off.
But these interludes are really just a small part of the book so the intrusion is minimal. The interesting thing about Wells is that he seems to fall upward in many ways. His chief skills is survival. He is not suave and slick so much as cold, hard, and brutal (part of his self-doubt is the question of whether that is all he is). He blunders in Moscow and his superiors distrust of his go-it-alone attitude undercuts him in Berlin. But thanks to a deal with the hated Kowalski of all people he gets enough of a lead to track the plot to a farm in upstate New York. The book ends with a highly suspenseful race between the terrorists – including one who is having second thoughts – and Wells.
As others has noted, Berenson brings a reporters eye for detail and story to his craft. He may not have the literary sensibility and talents necessary to create deep and three dimensional characters but he sure can spin a thrilling yet plausible and convincing plot.
And as so many reviewers have noted, the books all leave you with an uncomfortable feeling because the threats all seem so real and all too possible. The beauraucrats who seem to care more about defending their turf and reputations than about protecting America and saving lives. The terrorists who thrive on grievances both real and imagined; historical and deeply personal. The potentially soul destroying nature of intelligence and its neccissity in a dangerous world. Berenson captures all of this with precision and uses it to power his plots. Pulling that off is no mean feat.
So if you like thrillers that capture the threats and fears of today’s newspaper headlines Alex Berenson’s John Wells novels should be on your list. If you haven’t started the series I recommend starting at the beginning. If you have, be sure to check out The Silent Man. | https://www.collectedmiscellany.com/2009/02/13/the-silent-man-by-alex-berenson/ |
Spend the day revisiting your core beliefs and most deeply held intentions. What is most important to you and how much value are you giving it? What is the nature of your foundation?
Sunday’s Concepts
In this Layer and the Layers that follow, you will explore how to increase and decrease the energy flowing to and through your chakras. You will discover some exciting and effective new ways to create, control, and project your auras. You will uncover tons of new ways to gain or regain your balance and increase your fluidity. You will become a chakra sculptor, aura artist, and energy evangelist.
Sculpting requires mastering the dynamics of energy movement. The process begins when you create a relationship with the energy entering, leaving, and residing in your body. It requires the tactile feeling of balance, resistance, momentum, and transition. You will feel the energy of your chakras, the feeling of their aura’s influence, and the energy and influence of the chakras and auras around you. After feeling them, you will begin to form and shape them to maximize their efficiency and impact.
Read that last paragraph again. It is the blueprint for the Layers to come.
But first, I am going to introduce you to a couple of new bodies, the Gravity Body and the Ethereal Body. The first five bodies are getting a couple of siblings.
Layer Nineteen, Week One – Monday
- Read Monday’s Concepts
- Do Movement – Gravity Body Awareness
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Monday’s Focus
What is the nature of your beliefs about your physical body? What truths do you hold about your physical capacity, health, and future? Is your baseline physical energy high or low? What is the nature of the relationship between your physical body and your other bodies? Is your physical body responsive or reactive?
Monday’s Concepts
Here is a review of the other bodies so that you can see where the siblings fit into the family.
The Physical Body is bone, tissue, and fluid. It is organs, nerves, and glands. It is touchable, visible, and scientifically confirmable. It is color, texture, sound, taste, smell, and touch. It is water, rock, pudding, and aardvark. It is the world of chemistry and geometry. The physical body has an illusion of permanence. It exists as if the current moment is the only moment.
The physical body is your sensing mechanism. Physical sensations are your conduit from energy movement to thoughts and emotions. Your body is your interface with other physical bodies. It is your best, biggest, and the most accessible window into your tension, resistance, and dysfunction.
Your physical body is the stage where your thoughts and emotions manifest their drama and trauma.
I took a long run on snow-covered back-roads and trails a couple of days ago. The route was uphill for the first seven miles and downhill the next seven. At the apex of the climb, I felt a sharp pain in the lower right side of my abdomen. That physical cue focused my other bodies to the possible threat. My mind started cataloging and weighing possibilities, my emotions upwelled with remembered fears and possible future scenarios. My energy reoriented itself to focus on that quadrant of my belly and I became much more aware of my environment. My physical body was the reference point that the other bodies reacted to.
In addition to being a reference, the physical body provides anchors for the energy body. The energy fields, chakras, and auras are drawn, attracted to, center on, and orbit the physical body.
The physical body is the warehouse for your energy and potential. If your physical body is imbalanced by low energy, you will be over or underweight, sick, injured, diseased, or have some degree of immobility from tension or structural disability. Imbalances in the other bodies always have physical symptoms.
If your physical body has an over-abundance of energy, your imbalance will be a lowering of energy in one or more of your other bodies. If you are hyper-focused on your physical body, you will pull your other bodies out of balance by over-utilizing their energy, co-opting it to feed your desire to give the physical primacy.
Layer Nineteen, Week One – Tuesday
- Read Tuesday’s Concepts
- Do Movement – Gravity Body Awareness
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Tuesday’s Focus
What is the nature of your beliefs about your mental body? What truths do you hold about your mental capacity, health, and future? Is your baseline mental energy high or low? What is the nature of the relationship between your mental body and your other bodies? Is your mental body responsive or reactive?
Tuesday’s Concepts
The Mental Body is thoughts, beliefs, values, and the hiding place for the subconscious mind. It is where you formulate all your judgment, intolerance, and deceit. More than anything else, the mental body creates comparisons.
Familiar and unfamiliar along with safe and unsafe account for most of your decision making. Like and dislike, should and shouldn’t, and won’t and must account for the rest.
All the things you consider food have energy potential, calories or kilojoules, a balance of carbohydrates, fat, and protein, and a mix of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. The nature of the food and what you eat has very little to do with maximizing energy or potential. It has everything to do with how you mentally judge your options (and your emotional attachments to specific foods or food groups). What percentage of the food you eat is familiar, something that you have eaten in the last few weeks? I bet it is most of it. Yet, go into the grocery store, pick any aisle or department and start assessing all of the things you have never tried or that aren’t part of your typical meals.
There are physical, emotional, or environmental components to your diet, but you eat what your mind says to eat. It compares and contrasts your proximal options and makes a choice for you. There will be conscious and subconscious aspects to your decisions and the mind will listen to your other bodies but in the end, the decision will be mental, and the decisions will be primarily familiar.
The mental body is the fastest and most changeable. It is the quickest to act toward rationality or react to irrationality. It is also the most disembodied of the bodies.
The mental body holds energy in constructs, beliefs, and judgments that live apart from your core energy. The saying “You are out of your mind” should probably be “Your mind is out of your body.”
If your imbalance is distinctly mental, you will draw too much energy from your reserves and other bodies to your thoughts. Thoughts will become your center point and pull your other bodies out of balance to support your mind. Most of your energy will be spent in verifying or vilifying your comparisons to what is familiar or unfamiliar, safe or unsafe, and satisfying or unsatisfying for your current fears, demands, and intolerances.
Decreased mental energy happens when you are stopping or limiting energy from vitalizing your mental body by being invested in remaining confused, scattered, or stagnant. Low mental energy will also cause or be caused by an imbalance in one of the other bodies.
Layer Nineteen, Week One – Wednesday
- Read Wednesday’s Concepts
- Do Movement – Gravity Body Awareness
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Wednesday’s Focus
What is the nature of your beliefs about your emotional body? What truths do you hold about your emotional capacity, health, and future? Is your baseline emotional energy high or low? What is the nature of the relationship between your emotional body and your other bodies? Is your emotional body responsive or reactive?
Wednesday’s Concepts
The Emotional Body holds the sensory constructs that the mind creates. You feel a set of sensations, your mind gives it a label, and then you create an emotional construct with those parameters. You group the sensations into a thing like angry, sad, happy, disgusted, or confused.
Fear is emotional. It will connect to the other bodies but without emotion, fear will not have any energy. You create a fear scenario and your emotional body holds on to it. It gives or releases energy as that scenario is mentally projected or physically triggered. Your emotional body is the structure that holds undigested past events, images about the world, beliefs about good and bad, and the energy of your constructed and unconstructed fears.
The emotional body is the primary storehouse for habitually held fears, undigested past events, and future fear stories. It is the control panel for your personality and the guard at the gate that determines your levels of intimacy, connection, and collaboration.
Who you are and how you show up is determined by what you fear and how you limit yourself because of that fear. A small part of your personality is determined by what you are passionate about or emotionally attracted to.
Your Emotional Body is the principal way you gain, maintain, or stop momentum.
Overly emotional people rarely have the ability to sustain momentum. Their emotional imbalance roots them to their fear of some projected future moment or some valued past event. Those fear constructs exist outside their core energy.
Emotional fear debilitates because the energy it pulls can’t be used for rejuvenation of the other bodies. The energy fear unleashes is used to reinforce and recharge the container that holds the fears and beliefs.
Unemotional people, people who lack affect, empathy, and intimacy, have little energy flowing to their emotional body. Sometimes, it is a stopping of the current energy, but it is more often a lack of development. They stopped the emotional flow at some point in their past and their emotional body was never given the chance to grow and mature.
Layer Nineteen, Week One – Thursday
- Read Thursday’s Concepts
- Do Movement – Gravity Body Awareness
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Thursday’s Focus
What is the nature of your beliefs about your energy levels? What truths do you hold about your capacity, health, and availability of your energy? Is your baseline energy high or low? Do you regularly feel anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed? How often are you exhausted?
Thursday’s Concepts
Your Energy Body facilitates. It is the workforce and the building blocks for the other bodies. It takes direction from the mental, physical, and emotional bodies. Without energy, none of the other bodies would exist. Nor could they do what they do without energy. Your energy body does what is asked by the other bodies or in reaction or response to internal or environmental stimuli.
At its heart is a powerplant with the ability to generate what might be an infinite amount of energy. The chakras and auras are the mechanical aspects of the energy body. They are the equipment it uses to move energy to where it is required – to pull, hold, push, and balance.
If the mental and emotional bodies are artists, the energy body is the paint, brush, and canvas.
The energy in your energy body is variable. When healthy and balanced, it will manifest and metabolize sufficient energy to each of your other bodies to meet the current demands. When unbalanced, the energy sent to each body will be imprecise. It will overwhelm or underwhelm. It might collect, condense, or dissipate. Balanced energy flows effortlessly and fluidly without resistance or impedance.
Your Environmental Body is your interface from your other bodies to the bodies other than yours. It connects, collaborates, and defends. It is the referee, negotiator, and mediator for energies that influence or are influenced by your energy. It connects your mental and emotional constructs to the mental and emotional constructs around you. It maintains the resonance or dissonance. It is the concierge of relationships.
Kelly and I were fun-housing with my early-rising grandson this morning while his mom got a couple of hours of additional and well-deserved rest. As he stood at the living room table, I thought he was standing on something and then I realized he wasn’t. He was taller than I remembered. It took my other bodies a minute to adjust to the physical reality. His physical body interfaced with my physical body through my sight, I enlisted my mental body to compare his past self with his current self, and then I allowed my emotional body to be lovingly astounded.
If you have a strong dislike for brussel sprouts, your environmental body alerts you to their presence and signals your other bodies to head for Antwerp or Ghent instead.
Friday’s Focus
What is the nature of your beliefs about your environmental body? What truths do you hold about the capacity, health, and future of your relationships? Are you generally responsive or reactive with others or when changing environments? Do you transition toward or away from intimacy as things change?
Friday’s Concepts
Drumroll please – the first new body you will get to know is the Gravity Body. Your gravity body does a couple of beneficial things and a few non-beneficial things. It can get unbalanced like the other bodies.
Your gravity body has two aspects (for lack of a better word). The first aspect transmits the sensation of weight and mass. Its aura helps you feel energies and their relative resonance or dissonance to your Hara. The weight and mass aren’t based on the gravitational pull of the Earth or actual physical characteristics. The weight and mass of your gravity body are based upon Hara and Essence. When your Hara is engaged, it acts as a force-field pulling potential toward you and you toward potentials that resonate, compliment, and compound. Your Hara has a deep knowing of the paths to take and the directions to follow. Your gravity body helps you to hold and sense those energy potentials, the possibilities that will collaborate with your intentions.
The value you give to the things that really matter is multiplied by your Essence. Your Hara holds it, and your Essence multiplies and radiates the energy back out into the world. The result is passion, fulfillment, and the feeling of aligning fluidly with some deeper purpose. That sensation of deeper purpose is felt in your gravity body.
When healthy, your gravity body creates a balance and reference point for your other bodies like a plumb bob. All the bodies and their components are maximized when you are moving in-line with your Hara and Essence. You are stronger, faster, and have more focus, endurance, stability, and flexibility. You channel your actions, movements, thoughts, and emotions toward your intentions, the things that have purpose and long-term value.
The Gravity Body transmits the sensations of value and purpose.
Everything you choose to value, consciously or unconsciously, becomes part of your personality. What you give credence, energy, attention, and emotion to is a choice based on the amount of gravity you give it. Value, importance, purpose, and the associated gravity are a choice. That choice is housed in your gravity body. Your gravity body is your internal accountant for the energies held in your other bodies. It sets the degree of importance.
The second aspect is the gravity of choice. It is based upon the value you give, consciously and subconsciously, to thoughts, emotions, sensations, and energies that don’t arise from your Hara. These are the energies of fear that you give weight and mass. They are your images, beliefs, projections, judgments, and intolerances. They have the gravity you give them.
If they didn’t, they would dissipate. You hold on to them to give you as a reference. They become tipping-point between good/bad, should/shouldn’t, can/can’t, etc. All your fears exist in all your bodies. The second aspect of the gravity body is really just your subconscious mind co-opting the concept of gravity to help keep it driving the bus.
If you have an extreme fear of flying, it will be felt in all your bodies. You will get mentally frenetic, emotionally reactive, physically frantic, and chaos will reign in your energy body. It will also have value; it will feel important. It will feel like it has a purpose (to keep you safe). That feeling of significance is felt in your gravity body.
But, the fear of flying isn’t a direct threat. Its importance is based upon the highly unlikely possibility that the plane will crash, and injury or death will occur. It is a projection that is given weight by the subconscious mind and held in the gravity body.
Layer Nineteen, Week One – Saturday
- Read Saturday’s Concepts
- Do Movement – Gravity Body Awareness
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Saturday’s Focus
Spend the day feeling the weight of your fears. Feel for the unsettling nature of your fears and the feeling of settling as your fears subside.
Saturday’s Concepts
Hairstyles, or lack of one in my case, are something most people value. There is a feeling of weight associated with the value placed on a hairstyle. Feel for it, what is yours?
I shave my head with electric clippers once every couple of weeks. After I do, I feel more settled. As what little hair I have left grows back, I feel gradually more unsettled. There is no actual importance to how long my hair is. It doesn’t serve a purpose or impose any physical impedance.
The value is something I assign. Even though it doesn’t have any actual value, purpose, or deep meaning, I feel different based on the length of my scalp stubble. Since I choose to give it gravity, it influences me. I associate a freshly shorn head with self-confidence, leadership, and authenticity – I feel more enchanting, better looking, and more playful.
Since I value it as such, I create gravity and make no mistake, a large part of the value I give to my hairstyle (hairless style?) is based on my fears. I value not being fearful about my appearance.
Beneficial gravities settle and non-beneficial gravities are unsettling. Fear is universally unsettling. Its energy always moves you away from your Hara and Essence. Fear arises out of your gravity body as your subconscious mind pulls energy to feed and fuel its projections.
Your subconscious mind co-opts your gravity body by placing value on the reduction of fear.
The energy in your other bodies will all have some degree of gravity based on how you are valuing those energies. With practice, you will be able to feel the value and purpose in every situation, action, and relationship.
As the name suggests, some things will have more gravity than others. That gravity will feel different. The gravity from your Hara will feel different from the gravity of your thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and fears.
The energy of beneficial gravities will be more settled and feel like they are descending, being pulled into a feeling of grounded centeredness. Non-beneficial gravities will feel unsettling and like they are pulling your energies up toward or above your head. They will feel destabilizing. They might also feel like they are pulling you in one or more non-vertical tangents, away from your intentions.
Kindness might be something you value generally. It might be very important to you to be kind. You may value kindness as a fundamental part of your being. When you are unkind or less than optimally kind, it is because you are applying a different hierarchical value in that situation. You are allowing fear to have more value/gravity than kindness. The underlying feeling of kindness and being unkind feels different. Get to know that underlying feeling. That is your gravity body.
Kindness is very, very important to me. I believe myself to be kind. But I am never perfectly kind. Sometimes, I am unkind. When I am very unkind, I know that some held fear has more gravity than the value I am placing on kindness. The fear is trying to pull me as far as possible away from the connection and collaboration that kindness brings. My unkindness is subjective and situational. It creates distance from the beneficial gravities of my Hara.
Relationships have the value and gravity you give them. You have read a lot about this in the preceding layers. When you give them more value than they actually have, you get unbalanced. Your gravity body is the same way. When the totality of what you are valuing is in-line with your Hara and Essence, your gravity body will be balanced. To the degree you allow fear to have gravity/value, your gravity body will be unbalanced.
Have you stayed in a job, relationship, check-out line, or movie longer than is healthy? If so, you were giving too much energy and value to non-beneficial gravities. Your fear of change kept you from aligning with new potentials.
Next week, you will be introduced to your Ethereal Body and your first primary chakra and the prevalent energies it administers.
Gravity Body Awareness
Step 1 – Find some time in a place that is quiet and with a low level of distraction.
Step 2 – Sit and adjust your posture so that your ears are over your shoulder and your shoulders over your hips. Find an erect and stable posture.
Step 3 – Take a couple of deep breaths and allow yourself to settle and soften.
Step 4 – Bring your awareness to your low belly. Feel for the gravity of the moment. Feel for the weight or the value of your current circumstances.
Step 5 – Bring something to mind that feels solid, unchanging, a given in your life. Something that doesn’t have much of a fear component. Allow the value you place on that to infuse your system. Feel the gravity it holds. What are the sensations that accompany it?
Step 6 – The feeling of your gravity body won’t be mental or emotional. It will have a different quality.
Why it Matters – You are feeling for the value you place on something solid in your life. When you can feel that, you can feel for the qualities you assign to other things. Understanding the amount of energy you are giving to things that you don’t value will help you make better choices and be more responsive.
Everyday Usability – When you can associate the feelings of value as easily as you do to your thoughts and emotions, you will begin to see what values are in-line with your foundational intentions and which are fear-based (distractions).
Progression – You will begin to feel for the gravity difference between Hara inspired gravity and fear inspired gravity. | https://www.thechangemilitia.com/layernineteenweekone/ |
His Eye is on the Sparrow was sung by Alex in the ninth episode of the first season of The Glee Project, Generosity. This was a last chance performance which saved him from elimination and secured him a place in the final. Alex felt a particular, emotional connection to the song because it was sung at his father's funeral.
Lyrics
Why should I feel discouraged
And why should the shadows come
And why should my heart feel lonely
When long for heaven my home
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eyes is on the sparrow
And I know he watches over me
His eye in on the sparrow
And I know he watches me
Trivia
- This is Alex's first Last Chance Performance song assigned to him which has not as of yet been covered on Glee by Amber Riley. | https://thegleeproject.fandom.com/wiki/His_Eye_Is_On_the_Sparrow?mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile |
Fifty Dots gallery starts the season with the solo exhibition "La Gravetat del Lloc" by Israel Ariño. This exhibition is the most extensive of the project to date and includes more than thirty works by the artist, some of them unpublished. For the first time, will combine space with an installation by artist Clara Gassull with which it will establish a dialogue on gravity and attraction of bodies.
The Gravity of Place is a project made during an artist’s residency at Domaine de Kerguéhennec in Brittany. Kerguéhennec is a contemporary art centre that has over thirty sculptures installed in its surrounding landscape. The place, where other artists have previously left their mark, is charged with memory and meaning.
The series explores the concept of ‘place’ as the essence of emotional connection through darkness, the limits of what is representable and the perception of reality. Night appears as an object of discovery, mystery and pleasure, a hieroglyphic space that leads us to imagine something more that what we are actually seeing. We enter the terrain of the mind, the imperceptible, chance findings.
FIFTY DOTS GALLERY
Art gallery adapted to new trends and specialized in contemporary photography, mainly focused to new photographers. | https://www.galeriescatalunya.com/en/events/la-gravetat-del-lloc/ |
Shooting stirs U.S. debate on gun violence
LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — A lone police cruiser outside Columbine High School was the only outward reaction yesterday to an even deadlier attack at a Connecticut elementary school.
But in a state that was rocked by the 1999 Columbine school massacre and the Aurora movie theater shooting less than six months ago, yesterday's shootings renewed debate over why mass shootings keep occurring and whether gun control can stop them.
"Until we get our acts together and stop making these ... weapons available, this is going to keep happening," said an angry Tom Teves, whose son Alex was killed in the theater shooting last July in the Denver suburb of Aurora.
Teves was choked up as he answered a reporter's call yesterday. A work associate of his lives in Newtown, Conn., where a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children, at Sandy Hook Elementary. The connection chilled and angered him.
The 20-year-old killer, identified by a law enforcement official as Adam Lanza, carried out the attack with two handguns. A high-powered .223-caliber rifle was found in the back of a car.
The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation, instead discussed it on the condition of anonymity.
The shooting has once again stoked the never-ending debate over gun control laws.
This week, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper generated a storm of debate after declaring that it was time to start debating gun control measures.
After yesterday's school shootings, Hickenlooper told reporters there's no use waiting until news coverage fades.
"We can't postpone the discussion on a national level every time there's a shooting. They're too often," he said.
A visibly emotional President Barack Obama seemed willing to renew debate, calling for "meaningful action" to prevent similar shootings.
Also yesterday, Mark Kelly, the astronaut husband of former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head during an attack that killed six people in Tucson, Ariz., last year, said the Connecticut shooting should "sound a call for our leaders to stand up and do what is right."
"This time our response must consist of more than regret, sorrow, and condolence," Kelly said on his Facebook page, calling for "a meaningful discussion about our gun laws and how they can be reformed and better enforced to prevent gun violence and death in America."
Tom Sullivan, whose son Alex also died in the Aurora theater shooting, welcomed the discussion. Sulllivan and his wife spent part of the morning making sure relatives who live in the area were OK.
Sullivan said mental health, not gun control, is a more pressing concern.
"We all need someone in our lives to care," Sullivan said. "If we see a friend, a colleague, a co-worker and they're having a hard time, we need to reach out."
Former U.S. attorney Troy Eid, who was part of a government panel that examined the Columbine shooting, said more must be done to examine what motivates such criminals.
"It's something that's become part of our culture. We have to study it and see what we can do to prevent it," Eid said.
Some shoppers interviewed at Oregon's Clackamas Town Center, scene of the Tuesday mall killings, had similar reactions.
"We need to pay more attention to the people close to us, because I think there's a lot of signs prior to things," said shopper Sierra Delgado of Happy Valley, Ore.
Mental health screenings alone aren't enough, other Colorado shooting survivors said.
Tom Mauser, who became a gun-control advocate after his son Daniel was killed at Columbine, urged officials to stop "playing defense" on gun control.
"Let's not say once again, 'Oh, this is not the right time to talk about it.' It is the right time to talk about it.
"We are better than a nation that has people killing children and has people cowardly shooting people in shopping malls and schools and nursing homes. We're better than this."
Such emotional appeals didn't come only from gun control supporters.
Yesterday's responses from gun rights activists also foretold a heart-wrenching debate in the near future.
"They're going to use the bodies of dead children to push their agenda," predicted Dudley Brown of the Denver group Rocky Mountain Gun Owners. | https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2012/12/15/shooting-stirs-u-s-debate/21637304007/ |
The Estes Park Board of Education voted to cancel the next school board election, because of a lack of candidates, as well as heard a presentation on the tiered framework of social emotional learning in Estes Park schools.
Mary Baron, coordinator of restorative practices and Hannah Heckerson, mental health clinician, gave a presentation to the board on restorative practices and the tiered framework for their social emotional learning plans.
Baron gave an overview of the tiered framework, which there are three, with varying degrees of in-depth work. Tier one starts with community building, and using circle discussions with staff and students. These include connection circles and academic ones as well. Tier two is a bit higher level, with restorative mediation, agreement meetings and problem solving circles. Tier three consists of continuing the partnership with the Town’s restorative justice program.
“Restorative practices ultimate goal is having our students involved in our classrooms,” Baron said. “ It is going well, I feel like we are on track; love this work and I feel like we have had a lot of buy-in and more and more interest.”
Baron said that very few school systems that she knows of is at the level of partnership that Estes Park is when it comes to the relationship between the school and Town with restorative practices and justice.
Heckerson then introduced Rudy, the new therapy dog for Estes Park schools. Rudy is a Leonberger/Lab mix from Abilene, Kansas tha Heckerson acquired this summer.
“He is about seven months old right now, we passed his first American Kennel Club puppy certification, and then when he is a year old, we will do the good canine citizen test, so he is getting a lot of on-the-job training right now and the kids really love him, and he is a good example of work throughout our tiers,” Heckerson said.
She said one of the big pushes this year is seeing situations through a trauma-informed lens.
“That means looking at students, colleagues and our community through a trauma-informed perspective,” Heckerson said. “Recognizing that people have stories that we can’t see.”
She said that Colorado State University trauma-informed educators come to Estes Park and train staff on how to keep that in mind and keep a focus on that. This is enabled from a Larimer County Behavioral Health Services Grant.
“I’m incredibly impressed by this work,” said Board President Laura Case. “When we did our neighborhood learning conversations, overwhelmingly our community said that they are worried about the social emotional aspect of our kids and they want them to feel safe, happy and resilient. When I see the work that you are doing, you really are making that a focus and that is something we promised our community and you are making it a reality, so thank you.”
The Board decided to cancel the election of school board directors pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute § 1-5-208(1.5). This is allowed when there are not more candidates than offices that need to be filled.
There are three spots open on the Board of Education, with Eric Adams and Jason Cushner likely to serve another term. Jonathan Hodde will be leaving the Board, and Kristie Capo will be elected to that final spot, which will occur at their regular board meeting on Nov. 25. | https://www.eptrail.com/2019/09/27/board-of-education-talks-social-emotional-learning/ |
Miss your chance to watch the latest Gravity Falls episode? Well fear not! Here's your breakdown of everything that happened in The Stanchurian Candidate, along with all the latest hints, Easter eggs, and secret codes!
So buckle up kids, because it's time to choose Gravity Falls' new mayor (and it might not be who you'd expect). But first, to sleuthing!
The Mystery In The Mystery Shack
This episode was fairly light on the conspiracy theories we love so much, but there's still plenty to be gleaned from subtle hints. And, as with many other episodes, The Stanchurian Candidate contained plenty of suggestions of Stan's death: his tombstone was mentioned twice!
"Do I really want crooked grifter on my tombstone? How about: crooked mayor!"
Granted, the second time Stan talks about his tombstone he is actually jumping from a cliff face from an explosion so... that one makes a lot of sense in context. But he's avoiding a fiery death, which many fans have already noticed is a recurrent theme. We know one character will not survive the season, as Alex Hirsch revealed in a tweet. Of course, this could refer to Mayor Eustace Hucklebum Beffuflefumpter, who has finally shuffled off this mortal coil...
But isn't that a bit anti-climactic? We'll just have to wait and see to find out if Beffuflefumpter was the person Hirsch was referring to, or if he has sinister plans for one of the main characters...
In the last two episodes, we've seen Dipper get closer to Great Uncle Ford. This is very heartwarming, but this may lead Dipper down a dangerous road as he starts getting involved in Ford's plans. Hirsch revealed in an interview with AV Club that the rest of the season may prove difficult for Dipper, after the "huge betrayal" of discovering Stan's secrets.
"I think it will leave him feeling isolated from his family in a way he hasn’t been before. Where these feelings take Dipper will be explored in the upcoming episodes."
So watch this space: will Dipper do something drastic as he becomes more isolated from Stan? Or is this just a red herring from Disney's greatest trickster? (Alex Hirsch, not Bill Cipher. Bill comes a close second.)
Finally, the code from the end of the episode reads:
BE WARY OF WHOM YOU BELITTLE
BIG PROBLEMS CAN START OUT WIDDLE
Of course referring to the unholy combination of Gideon and Bill!! Next episode is going to be a rollercoaster. But onto the recap!
Vote For Stan!
The episode starts quite sadly, as we follow Stan try to take care of his family by replacing a lightbulb, only to discover that Ford has already fixed the problem (and then some!). But his misery is short lived once we find out about the upcoming elections, and he decides to run for mayor!
But running against Stan is none other than Bud Gleeful! Who, as it turns out later, just wants the mayorship so he can free his son Gideon. (Called it.) Mabel and Dipper soon deduce as much, and decide to help Stan in his candidacy. After a disastrous attempt at a telephone interview, leading to damning memes, the twins seek the help of Ford (who is hiding in the basement tinkering with mysterious gadgets).
Naturally, Ford has the solution: a mind control tie!
"I prepared a prototype for Ronald Reagan's masters."
This raises so many questions. Why was Ford working for the government during Reagan's presidency? Is he still in league with the CIA? Is this just a joke that we shouldn't take too seriously?
Speculations aside, the twins start to use the tie to help Stan, and it works like a charm. Stan rises through the ranks of public opinion, going from most hated candidate to a shoe-in for Mayor. Unfortunately, it's not long before this goes to his head, and after refusing to let the kids boss him around, Dipper lets slip that they've been controlling him the whole time. Needless to say, Stan fires them as campaign managers.
Meanwhile, Gideon has taken a leaf out of the Pines' book and casts a possession spell over his own father, so he too can control the election. Oh, and I'm not kidding about the book. Did you wonder where he got that page? Well, blink and you'll miss it!
How did Gideon manage to tear out the page? Maybe we'll find out next week!
The competition is really heating up in the final round, with the possessed Bud charming the crowd in a song and dance routine. But not everyone is taken in: Dipper and Mabel soon work out that Gideon is behind Bud's new persona. To hide the truth, Gideon/Bud captures the twins and traps them in the memorial being built for Mayor Beffuflefumpter.
Luckily, Stan hears them yelling, and abandons his speech to heroically save them. Amid the crowd's cheers, Stan tears off his sleeves and climbs the mountain, punching a few eagles for good measure. And his efforts pay off!
With the kids safe, Stan is overwhelmed by the town's enthusiasm, and is immediately elected mayor. Until his criminal past is discovered. But he's not too sad about being disqualified, as the kids make sure he knows just how much of a hero he is.
All's well that ends well.... except it hasn't ended yet. In the credits scene, Gideon finally summons Bill! What horrific plans do they have for Gravity Falls? Can the town survive their terrifying team up? Tune in on September 7th, and until then, keep those journals ready! | https://moviepilot.com/posts/3511715 |
# Tourist Trapped
"Tourist Trapped" is the first episode of the animated television series Gravity Falls. The episode was directed by John Aoshima and written by series creator Alex Hirsch. The episode premiered on Disney Channel on June 15, 2012, airing immediately after the premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie Let It Shine.
In "Tourist Trapped", young twins Dipper (voiced by Jason Ritter) and Mabel Pines (Kristen Schaal), have recently arrived in Gravity Falls, Oregon, to stay at their great uncle Stan (Hirsch)'s tourist trap, the Mystery Shack. Mabel soon starts dating a boy named Norman (also Hirsch), but when Dipper discovers a hidden journal documenting the paranormal side of the town, he begins to believe that his sister might be dating a zombie.
## Plot
The episode starts with Dipper and Mabel speeding on a golf cart and being chased by a big monster. Dipper then narrates the episode from the part where the twin's parents bring them to Gravity Falls, Oregon where their great uncle Stan lives. Dipper was anxious about spending his entire summer working for his "Grunkle" in the Mystery Shack (a tourist trap and gift shop). However, as he hangs signs to promote the Mystery Shack, he stumbles onto a rusty machine hidden in a tree which opens a secret compartment where Dipper finds a book that has a golden hand with the number 3 on it and starts reading it. The book contains the secrets and wonders of the town of Gravity Falls. While reading, he learns that Mabel (who is trying to have an "epic summer romance") has a date with her new boyfriend Norman. Dipper thinks Norman is a zombie and starts catching them on film. Mabel is frustrated when Dipper notes his scepticism to her.
Whilst on a date in the middle of the forest, Norman shows who he really is: a bunch of gnomes (led by Jeff). After Mabel rejects the gnomes, they kidnap her and drag her deeper into the forest. Meanwhile, as Dipper watches the video he took, he finds a part of the video where Mabel's boyfriend's hand falls off. He quickly rushes into the forest to find Mabel, whilst riding on a golf cart (borrowed from the Shack). Shocked by the fact that Norman was just a bunch of gnomes, he manages to rescue Mabel by knocking Jeff over via a shovel. Angered, Jeff calls the gnomes to form a giant gnome to capture Mabel. They are unable to evade the gnomes as they reach the Mystery Shack. Mabel seems ready to surrender to the gnomes, agreeing to marry Jeff. However, she grabs a leaf blower (which she used to practice kissing) and blows away the gnomes.
Later that night, Stan allows them to take an item each from the gift shop: Mabel gets a Grappling hook, and Dipper acquires a new hat. As Dipper and Mabel prepare to sleep that night, Stan enters a hidden room behind the vending machine in the rec room, making sure that nobody can see him.
## Voice cast
Jason Ritter as Dipper Kristen Schaal as Mabel Alex Hirsch as Grunkle Stan, Soos, Jeff and Gnomes Linda Cardellini as Wendy Keith Ferguson as Teen Fred Tatasciore as Hank Kimberly Mooney as Hank's Wife
## Production and broadcasting
"Tourist Trapped" was written by series creator Alex Hirsch and directed by John Aoshima. The episode premiered on Disney Channel in the United States on June 15, 2012, serving as a special preview of the series. Its premiere immediately followed the premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie Let It Shine. The episode's premiere was seen by close to 3.4 million viewers. It got 267,000 viewers when it premiered in the UK and Ireland on July 20, 2012.
## Reception
Alasdair Wilkins of The A.V. Club gave "Tourist Trapped" a B+ rating, praising its "mature" feel in comparison to other animated series for children (bringing inspiration from The Simpsons, The X-Files, and Twin Peaks), the show's art style, along with the use of its paranormal themes for comedy: specifically citing a scene where Mabel is seen hoping that her "zombie" boyfriend Norman was a vampire (playing off the popularity of the Twilight series), followed by the "wonderfully absurd" reveal that Norman was actually a group of gnomes. However, the remainder of the episode was criticised for being too reliant on "random" humour. Wilkins also praised Kristen Schaal for her performance as Mabel; stating that the character had "the same gleeful lack of restraint and propensity for violence (at least when it comes to punching gnomes) that Schaal brings to Louise Belcher, with the crucial difference being that she’s not a complete sociopath." Wilkins felt that Mabel was "a goofy, happy-go-lucky preteen" with a level of enthusiasm that helped support many of the gags surrounding her in the episode and that she acted within the mindset of an actual 12-year-old in her dialogue as well. Jason Ritter's performance as Dipper was also praised for giving the character a panicked and suspicious view on the world around him, but it was noted that his voice sounded too old to be a 12-year-old.
"Tourist Trapped" received two nominations for the 40th Annie Awards, including Ian Worrel for Best Production Design in a Television/Broadcast Production, and Kristen Schaal for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production.
## International airdates
September 5, 2012: Switzerland January 7, 2013: Germany February 24, 2014: Austria | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourist_Trapped |
Netanyahu Is Not Convincing
If a Palestinian state signs a peace treaty with Israel without recognizing Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, will it be licensed to do bad things?
How did the demand for the Palestinians to recognize Israel as the Jewish state or as the nation-state of the Jewish people become Israel’s main demand? The prime minister answered this question at the end of January, at a conference of the Institute for National Security Studies, but his argument isn’t convincing.
He said the Palestinians had a “basic objection to any Jewish presence” – an objection that, early in the last century, “grew and resulted in the attacks in 1929 in Hebron and of course the great riots of 1936-1939.”
According to Netanyahu, “This struggle was against the very existence of the Jewish state, against Zionism or any geographic expression of it, any State of Israel in any border. The conflict is not over these territories; it is not about settlements, and it is not about a Palestinian state .... [T]his conflict has gone on because of one reason: the stubborn opposition to recognize the Jewish state, the nation-state of the Jewish people.”
Indeed, the struggle was against the establishment of a Jewish state. It is beyond the scope of this article to ask if it was justified for the Jews to push aside Arab workers – for example, with “Hebrew labor,” or by the General Federation of Hebrew Laborers in the Land of Israel, and in countless other ways. It is beyond our scope to ask if there was a connection between this pushing aside and the Arabs’ refusal to agree to a Jewish state.
But Israel, which the Palestinians refused to recognize upon its founding and for many years afterward, is the country they are prepared to recognize today through a peace agreement, minus the settlements and the occupied territories.
Egypt and Jordan went to war with Israel in 1948 because, like the Palestinians, they rejected the establishment of Israel. They weren’t required to recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, and their recognition of Israel through peace treaties made up for their previous stance. It’s the same thing with the Palestinians.
The prime minister added that “we have been here continuously for nearly 4,000 years – 3,800 years. This is the land where our identity was forged. This is our homeland. Here is our country that was reborn. And the Palestinians must accept this.”
The birthplace of Isaac is also the birthplace of Ishmael; in any case, doesn’t Palestinian recognition of Israel mean coming to terms with “this”? Or could it be that the Palestinians are being asked by a historian’s son to erase their history and swear allegiance to Israel on the Bible? Is there anything that epitomizes the connection between the Jews and their land better than the revival of the Jewish people in their land? Is there anyone who does not understand this?
According to Netanyahu, if the Palestinians don’t recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, the Palestinian state that arises through a peace treaty “will continue to subvert the foundation for the existence of the Jewish state ... try to flood us with refugees ... [and] advance irredentist claims from within the State of Israel’s territory – territorial claims, national claims.”
But Netanyahu isn’t convincing. If a Palestinian state recognizes Israel and signs a peace treaty without recognizing Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, will it be able to do all these bad things? And if it recognizes it as the nation-state of the Jewish people, it won’t? Usually, when countries make a peace deal, the “subverting” stops. And if this subverting is inevitable, a piece of paper recognizing a nation-state won’t prevent it.
There are hints that in a comprehensive framework deal, there will be an agreement on the refugee issue. But it won’t be achieved by the ploy of recognizing the nation-state of the Jews. It will be achieved through negotiations.
Yes, there have been irredentist claims – by the prime minister regarding the settlements. He’s interested in Jewish irredentism in the Palestinian state. On the other hand, Arab Israelis can make national claims without anything to do with the question of the Palestinians recognizing Israel in general or as the Jewish national home. Ironically, Israel defining itself as the nation-state of the Jewish people could justify national or irredentist claims by Israel’s Palestinian citizens.
Netanyahu forgot that he’s also prime minister of Arab Israelis – a fifth of all Israeli citizens. They’re not happy with defining the state as Jewish and democratic, but this definition includes a key component regarding their connection to the state. Defining Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people would disconnect them from Israel at a time when we need to strengthen their connection to it.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas certainly can’t write them off by agreeing to the definition that Netanyahu demands. His responsibility toward them is no less than that of Israel to world Jewry.
If Palestinian recognition of the nation-state of the Jewish people is no more valuable than simply recognizing Israel, what’s the point in asking for something that Abbas can’t agree to? U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry probably understands this. | https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-netanyahu-is-not-convincing-1.5327299 |
Discussing the interaction between representation and narrative structures, Anthony Mandal argues that the Gothic has always been “an intrinsically intertextual genre” (Mandal 350). From its inception, the intertextuality of the Gothic has taken many and varied incarnations, from simple references and allusions between texts—dates, locations, characters, and “creatures”—to intricate and evocative uses of style and plot organisation. And even though it would be unwise to reduce the Gothic “text” to a simple master narrative, one cannot deny that, in the midst of re-elaborations and re-interpretations, interconnections and interpolations also appear, a collective gathering of ideas and writing practices that construct what is known as “the Gothic intertext” (Mishra 235). As far as storytelling, characterisation, and symbolism are concerned, the Gothic finds strength in its ability to develop as well as negate expectation, re-moulding the culturally known and the aesthetically acceptable in order to present its audience with a multi-faceted and multi-layered narrative.
Although the Gothic has traditionally found fertile ground in literary works—a connection that is now a legacy as much as an origin—other contemporary media, such as animation, have offered the Gothic a privileged chance for growth and adaptation. An evocative example of the mergence between the Gothic mode and the animated medium is Alex Hirsch’s Gravity Falls. This visual text provides an example of the reach of the Gothic within popular culture, where intersecting hideous creatures and interconnected narrative structures, although simple and “for children” on the surface, reveal the presence of a dense and intertextual Gothic network. Those interlacings are, of course, never disconnected from the wider cultural framework, and clearly occupy an important part in unravelling the insidious aspects of human nature, from the difficulties of finding “oneself” to the loneliness of the everyday.
Gravity Falls is an animated television series created by Alex Hirsch. It premiered on the Disney Channel in the United States on 15 June 2012. Now scheduled for its second season of running, Gravity Falls follows the adventures of 12-year-old twin siblings Dipper and Mabel Pines while on their summer vacation in the small town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. The choice of “twins” as main characters reveals, even at such an embryonic level, a connection to Gothicised structures, as the mode itself, as Vijay Mishra suggests, finds an affinity with doublings and “specular identifications” that “confuse the norm” (63). The presence of twins makes the double nature of character, traditionally a metaphorical and implicit idea in the Gothic, a very obvious and explicit one. Dipper and Mabel are staying with their eccentric and money-grabbing Great Uncle Stan—often referred to as “Grunkle Stan”—who runs the local curiosity shop known as the Mystery Shack. It becomes very obvious from the very beginning that an air of mystery truly surrounds the Shack, which quickly lives up to its name, and the eponymous town. In an aptly Gothic manner, things are definitely not what they seem and the twins are caught in odd plots, eerily occurrences, and haunted/haunting experiences on a daily basis. The instigator for the twins’ interest in the odd manifestations is the finding of a mysterious journal, a manual the relays detailed descriptions of the creatures that inhabit the forest in the town of Gravity Falls. The author of the journal remains unknown, and is commonly known only as “3”, an unexplained number that marks the cover of the book itself.
Although the connection between the Gothic and animation may be obscure, it is in fact possible to identify many common and intersecting elements—aesthetically, narratively, and conceptually—that highlight the two as being intrinsically connected. The successful relation that the Gothic holds with animation is based in the mode’s fundamental predilection for not only subversion, excess and the exploration of the realm of the “imagination”, but also humour and self-reflexivity. These aspects are shared with animation which, as a medium, is ideally placed for exploring and presenting the imaginative and the bizarre, while pushing the boundaries of the known and the proper. Julia Round suggests that the Gothic “has long been identified as containing a dual sense of play and fear” (7). The playfulness and destabilisation that are proper to the mode find a fertile territory in animation in view of not only its many genres, but also its style and usually sensational subject matter. This discourse becomes particularly relevant if one takes into consideration matters of audienceship, or, at least, receivership. Although not historically intended for younger viewers, the animation has evolved into a profoundly children-orientated medium. From cinema to television, animated features and series are the domain of children of various ages. Big production houses such as Disney and Warner Bros have capitalised on the potential of the medium, and established its place in broadcasting slots for young viewers.
Not unlike comics—which is, in a way, its ancestral medium—animation is such a malleable and contextual form that it requires a far-reaching and inclusive approach, one that is often interdisciplinary in scope; within this, where the multi-faceted nature of the Gothic opens up the way for seeing animated narratives as the highly socio-historical mediums they are. And not unlike comics, animation shares a common ground with the Gothic in requiring a vast scope of analysis, one that is intrinsically based on the conceptual connections between “texts”. Round has also aptly argued that, like comics, animated series lend themselves to malleable and mouldable re-elaboration: “from the cultural to the aesthetic, the structural to the thematic”, graphic media always reflect the impact of “intertextual and historical references” (8). Animation’s ability to convey, connect, and revolutionise ideas is, therefore, well-matched to the aesthetic and conceptual idiosyncrasies of Gothic tropes.
Dipper and Mabel’s vacation in the town of Gravity Falls is characterised by the appearance of numerous super- and preter-natural creatures. The list of “monsters” encountered by the twins is long and growing, from gnomes, goblins, mermaids and zombies, to ghosts, clones, and a wide and colourful variety of demons. And although, at first glance, this list would appear to be a simple and simplistic grouping of bizarre and creatively assembled creatures, it is made quickly apparent that these “monsters” are all inspired, often very directly, by “existing”—or, at least, well-known—Gothic creatures, and their respective contexts of development. Indeed, the links to the Gothic in contemporary popular culture are unavoidable. The creatures in Gravity Falls are presented with subtle references to Gothic literature and cinema, from John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) and Joe Dante’s Gremlins (1984), to Stephen King’s The Shining (1977) and Needful Things (1991). Borrowing from these texts, the creatures in the series all have strange names that rely on play-on-words and re-inventions, and the rubric twists that they undertake are part of a system of both homage and conceptual interdependency. One can find, for instance, “Manotaurs”—creatures that are half-bull and half-man, and that value “manliness” in their society above all else—and the “Gremlobin” – a gigantic monster somewhere in between, we are told, a “gremlin” and a “goblin”, whose eyes can show “your worst nightmares”. But the range extends to other bizarre “creatures” that are clearly very spooky, such as the “Summewrween Trickster”—a large, shadowy, purple/orange monster with a “jack-o’-melon” mask – the living “mailbox”—a sentient and omniscient object—and the truly haunting Bill Cipher—a mind demon that can be summoned through an incantation and enter a person’s subconscious.
The connection to the Gothic in popular culture is instrumental for the construction of the Gothic intertext in Gravity Falls. In episode One, “Tourist Trapped” (1.01), Mabel is kidnapped by a tribe of gnomes, who are set on making her their queen. The gnomes are incongruous creatures: on the one hand, they are vengeful and spiteful, recalling the horror monsters found in movies such as the questionable Blood Gnome (2004). On the other, however, they wear red pointy hats and white beards, and their friendly smiles recall the harmless appearance of actual garden gnomes. When the gnomes grow upset, they throw up rainbows; this strange fact destroys their potential as a Gothic horror icon, and makes them accessible and amusing. This subversion of iconography takes place with a number of other “creatures” in Gravity Falls, with the Summerween Trickster—subverting the “terror” of Hallowe’en—being another fitting example. When the gnomes are attempting to woe Mabel, they do not appear to her in their real form: they camouflage themselves into a teenage boy— one who is moody, brooding, and mysterious—and become Mabel’s boyfriend; the “boy’s” interest in her, however, is so intense, that Dipper suspects him to be a member of “The Undead”, a category of monster that is closely described in 3’s journal: due to their “pale skin” and “bad attitudes”, they are often mistaken for “teenagers”. Clues to Dipper’s doubts include the teenage boy’s hand “falling off” while he is hugging Mabel, a clear sign—it would seem—that the boy is obviously a decaying, zombie corpse. The intertextual connection to several horror visual narratives where limbs “fall off” the undead and the monstrous is clear here, with apt film examples being Dawn of the Dead (1978), The Fly (1986), horror comedy Army of Darkness (1992), and, more recently, television’s The Walking Dead (2010-). The references to well-known horror films are scattered throughout the series, and comprise the majority of the lampooned cultural context in which the creatures appear.
In spite of Dipper’s suspicions, the situation is revealed to have a rather different outcome. When the boyfriend tells Mabel he has a big secret to reveal, her mind wanders into another direction, choosing a different type of undead, as she expectantly thinks: “Please be a vampire…please be a vampire”. It is not difficult to spot the conceptual connection here to narratives such as Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga (2005-2008), both in its literary and cinematic variations, where brooding and mysterious teenage boys find ideal incarnations as the undead creature. The romanticised nature of teenage fictional narratives such as the Twilight saga is also mirrored in Mabel’s distinctive love-centred interest in the potential vampire, revealing an intertextual and highly contextual association to seeing the creature as part of an amorous relationship, as opposed to a blood-thirsty murderer. Mabel’s dreams of vampric love are unfortunately shattered when the boyfriend is revealed to be several gnomes carefully assembled to operate a human-like body, rather than one immortal lover.
Irrespective of its desire to parody the Gothic, however, Gravity Falls still maintains unavoidable links to the notion of terror. Clear evidence of this is to be found in the fact that all “creatures” in the series present a level of anthropomorphism about them, and this is interpreted by the characters—and the viewers—as one of their scariest aspects. Leigh Blackmore suggests that a special brand of terror can be found in “anthropomorphic beings” that are in fact not human (Blackmore 95). Most of the creatures in the series are humanoid in shape, and can speak like humans. From gnomes to mermaids, mailboxes and demons, the creatures act as humans, but they are in fact something “other”, something that only recalls the human itself. This idea of being “almost human”, but “not quite”, is disturbing in itself, and connects the presentation of the creatures to the Gothic via the notion of the uncanny: “a crisis of the natural, touching upon everything that one might have thought was ‘part of nature’ […] human nature, the nature of reality and the world” (Royle 1). The uncanny nature of the creatures in Gravity Falls is maintained through their profound inhumanity, and their simultaneous links to human ways of acting, speaking, and even thinking. Indeed, most of the creatures are presented as petty, bitter, and childish, and often seen as greedy and sulking. In a way, the creatures lampoon some of the most intrinsic qualities of the human species, what separates us from animals. The supernatural creatures operate here as a critique of the humans themselves, exposing, as the Gothic often does, the most disturbing parts of humanity. The creatures are presented initially as scary, recalling—albeit very briefly—notions of terror and horror, but that façade is quickly destroyed as their “real nature” is exposed. They are de-terrorised by not only making them common, but also ridiculing their habits and de-constructing their thinly-veiled Gothic personas. The creatures in Gravity Falls are a subversion of the subversion, a re-thinking of the Gothic through parody that allows their conceptual, and culturally relevant, function to be rapidly exposed.
The impact of the Gothic intertext in Gravity Falls is not only visible in its representational forms—its monsters and “creatures”—but also extends to its structural organisation. Jerrold Hogle has argued that, although they maintain a heterogeneous construction of texts and contexts, there are certain qualities applicable to “Gothic texts”: an antiquated space (often decaying); a concealed secret from the historical past; a physical or psychological haunting; and an oscillation between “reality” and the “supernatural” (3). Although Hogle’s pinpointing of what he calls the “Gothic matrix” (3) is mainly focused on the literary world, a broader and more wide-reaching understanding of the Gothic text allows these qualities to be clearly identifiable in other narrative mediums, such as an animated series. Indeed, Gravity Falls presents the main elements of the “Gothic matrix”: the Mystery Shack is an old and isolated place, physically crumbling and in constant state of disrepair; it is made clear that the Shack harbours many secrets—filled as it is with hidden passageways and underground vaults—connected to the shady past of Grunkle Stan and its unresolved connections to mysticism and magic; there are plenty of hauntings to be found in the series: from physical ones—in the form of demons and ghosts—to psychological ones, condensed in Dipper and Mabel’s difficulties with their approaching puberties and “growing up”; finally, the line between reality and supernatural is constantly challenged by the appearance of multiple creatures that are clearly not of this world, and even though several characters doubt their existence within the story, their very presence challenges the stability of the boundaries between real and unreal.
On the surface, the series is presented as a standard linear narrative, where the linear journey of each 20-minute episode culminates with the resolution of the main “haunting”, and the usual destruction or appeasing of the “creature”. And while the series’ use of cliff-hangers is, in true television style, a common presence, they also expose and recall the unresolved nature of the narrative. Indeed, the story’s structure in Gravity Falls is reliant on narrative undertellings and off-shoots that often lie underneath the logical “line” of the plot. Sub-plots reign supreme, and multiple motives for the characters’ actions are introduced but not expanded upon, leaving the series impregnated with an aura of uncertainty and chaos. The focus of the storytelling is also denied; one moment, it appears to be Dipper’s desire to discover the “secrets” of the forest; the other, it is Grunkle Stan’s long-time battle with his arch-nemesis Gideon over the ownership of the Shack. This plot confusion in Gravity Falls continues to expose its narrative debt to the Gothic intertext, since “structural multiplicity”, as Round suggests, is “a defining feature of the Gothic” (19). The series’ narrative structure is based on numerous multiplicities, an open denial of linear journeys that is dependant, paradoxically, on the illusion of resolution.
The most evocative example of Gravity Falls’ denial of clear-cut structures is arguably to be found in the narrative underlayers added by 3’s monster manual. It is obvious from the beginning that 3’s stay in the town of Gravity Falls was riddled with strange experiences, and that his sojourn intersected, at one point or the other, with the lives and secrets of Grunkle Stan and his enemies. It is also made clear that 3’s journal is not a solitary presence in the narrative, but is in fact only one in a triad of mystical books—these books, it is suggested, have great power once put together, but the resolution to this mystery is yet to be revealed. As Grunkle Stan and Gideon fight (secretly) over the possession of the three books, it is openly suggested that several uncovered stories haunt the main narrative in the series and, unknown Dipper and Mabel, are responsible for many of the strange occurrences during their stay at the Shack. Jean-Jacques Lecercle has long argued that one of the defining characteristics of the Gothic, and its intertextual structure, is the presence of “embedded narratives” (72). In Gravity Falls, the use of 3’s manual as not only an initiator of the plot, but also as a continuous performative link to the “haunted” past, uncovers the series’ re-elaboration of the traditional structure of Gothic narratives.
As a paratextual presence in the story—one that is, however, often responsible for the development of the main narrative—3’s manual draws attention to the importance of constructing layered stories in order to create the structures of terror, and subsequent horror, that are essential to the Gothic itself. Although it often provides Dipper with information for solving the mysteries of the Shack, and subduing the supernatural creatures that overtake it, 3’s manual is, in reality, a very disruptive presence in the story. It creates confusion as it begins storytelling without concluding it, and opens the way to narrative pathways that are never fully explored. This is of course in keeping with the traditional narrative structures of the Gothic mode, where ancient books and stories— belonging to “antiquity”—are used as a catalyst for the present narrative to take place, but are also strangely displaced from it. This notion recalls Victor Sage’s suggestion that, in Gothic narratives, ancient books and stories paradoxically “disrupt” the main narrative, starting a separate dialogue with a storytelling structure that is inevitably unexplored and left unanswered (86). Canonical examples such as Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) and Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847) inevitably come to mind here, but also more recent cinematic examples such as the Evil Dead franchise (1978-), where ancient books and old storytellers uncover hoary secrets that instigate, as well as obscure, the main narrative. In Gravity Falls, the interaction with 3’s manual is inherently performative, and continuously intertextual, but it is also deeply confusing, adding to the feeling of strangeness and mystery that is the conceptual basis for the series itself.
The intertextual connections that drive the narrative in Gravity Falls construct lampooned versions of both the traditional concepts of Gothic horror and Gothic terror. Hogle has suggested that Gothic terror is apparent in the construction of suspense, achieved through an exploration of psychological hauntings, human nature and its un/limitations, and that which is kept out sight, the expected “hidden secrets” (3). Gothic horror, on the other hand, is characterised by the consequences of these occurrences; the physical manifestation of the “haunting”, so to speak, is achieved through the presentation of something repulsive and horrific, the monstrous in its various incarnations (Hogle 3). In Gravity Falls, the connection to the traditional Gothic intertext is made clear through both elicitations of “terror”, and subsequent manifestations of “horror”. Indeed, the “hidden secrets” of the Shack, and to some extent, the fears and insecurities of the characters, are mediated through the appearance of horrific machinery and creatures. The Shack always conceals something hidden, a magical element of sort that is kept secret by intricate passageways. The shadowy nature of the building – evoking the psychological hauntings of Gothic terror – inevitably causes the appearance of something physically disturbing, finding its apogee in a Gothic horror experience.
A clear example of this can be found in the episode “Double Dipper” (1.07). Desperate to impress his co-worker and secret love-interest Wendy, and “haunted” by his lack of self-worth, Dipper roams the rooms of the Shack and discovers a very old and enchanted photocopier machine; the machine copies “people”, making clones of the original. The “clones” themselves are a manifestation of horror, a presence that breaks the boundaries of propriety, and worries its viewers in view of its very existence. The cloning copy machine is strongly intertextual as it not only provides conceptual links to numerous cinematic and literary examples where a “haunted machine” threats to destroy humanity— in examples such as Stephen King’s Christine (1983) —but also evokes the threat of “doubles”, another powerfully Gothic conduit (Royle). As it is often the case in Gravity Falls, Dipper loses control of the situation, and the dozens of clones he unwittingly created take over his life and threaten to annihilate him. Dipper must destroy the “horror” —the clones—and confront the “terror”—his haunting insecurities and personal secrets—in order to restore the original balance. This intertextual dynamic validates Hogle’s contention that, in Gothic narratives, both the physical and the psychological “hauntings” rise from view “within the antiquated space” and “manifest unresolved conflicts that can no longer be successfully buried from view” (Hogle 2).
The “hidden secrets” of Gravity Falls, and their manifestations through both Gothic horror and terror, are clearly connected to explorations of human nature and deeply existentialist crises that are put forward through humour and parody. These range from Grunkle Stan’ inability to commit to a relationship—and his feeling that life is slipping away in his old age—to the twins’ constant insecurities about pre-teen amorous encounters. Not to mention the knowledge that, in reality, Dipper and Mabel were “abandoned” by their mother in the care of Stan, as she had other plans for the summer. As Round has argued, the Gothic’s most significant development seems to have been the “transvaluation of moral issues”, as notions of “monsters have become less clear cut” (18). The series’ successful engagement with the wider “monstrous” intertext, and its connection to moral issues and “hidden” preoccupations, uncovers the ability of the Gothic, as Catherine Spooner puts it, to act as “commodity”, no longer a marginalised cultural presence, but a fully purchasable item in consumer-capitalist systems (Spooner 2007). The evocations of both horror and terror in Gravity Falls are, naturally, unavoidably diluted, a homage as much as a direct encounter. The use of the monstrous and the haunted in the series is domesticated, made accessible so that it can be presented to a younger and more commercial audience. The profound interlacings with the Gothic intertext remain, however, unchanged, as the series reconciles its subversive, uncanny elements with the inevitably conventional, Disney-fied context in which it is placed.
References
Blackmore, Leigh. “Marvels and Horrors: Terry Dowling’s Clowns at Midnight”. 21st Century Gothic: Great Gothic Novels Since 2000, ed. Danel Olson. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. 87-97.
Gravity Falls. Disney Television. Disney Channel, Los Angeles. 2012-2014.
Hogle, Jerrold. “Introduction: The Gothic in Western Culture”. The Cambridge Companion of Gothic Fiction, ed. Jerrold Hogle. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. 1-20.
Lecercle, Jean-Jacques. “The Kitten’s Nose: Dracula and Witchcraft”. The Gothic, ed. Fred Botting. D.S Brewer: Cambridge, 2001. 71-86.
Mandal, Anthony. “Intertext”. The Encyclopaedia of the Gothic, ed. David Punter, Bill Hughes and Andrew Smith. Basingstoke: Wiley, 2013. 350-355.
Mishra, Vijay. The Gothic Sublime. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1994.
Round, Julia. Gothic in Comics and Graphic Novels. Jefferson: McFarland, 2014.
Royle, Nicholas. The Uncanny. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2003.
Sage, Victor. “Irish Gothic: C.R. Maturin and J.S. LeFanu. A Companion to the Gothic, ed. David Punter. Oxford; Blackwell, 2001. 81-93.
Spooner, Catherine. Contemporary Gothic. London: Reaktion, 2007.
Keywords
Copyright (c) 2014 Lorna Piatti-Farnell
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | http://www.journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/view/859 |
There has been a paradigm shift from a traditional to a knowledge economy. With the manufacturing sector becoming less dominant, the knowledge economy has thrived. The greatest challenge in the knowledge industry is managing the knowledge worker and the dynamics that affect his role. A knowledge worker has the following attributes – young, independent, financially savvy, not intimidated by authority, diverse yet balanced (the job is not the first priority), well networked, connected, looking for fun and a communal workplace. With these attributes the worker is emotionally susceptible and their emotions can impact productivity, performance and overall teamwork. Emotional conflicts between stakeholders may lead to problems. In people management, understanding the situation and providing solutions depends on the manager's experience dealing with teams and stakeholders and also his intuition.
Substance-field theory is a powerful analytical technique in the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) framework describing the working of a technical system interaction. The analysis helps define a problem in detail and formulate solutions. This technique can be used in people management by modeling people related issues and substituting substances and fields with "people" and their "emotions." The background of this research and application is based on the project management persona from the information technology service industry.
When managing a knowledge worker it is important to have a strong, mature middle management layer – an able leadership team which, along with analytical and logical skills focuses on the inclusive and intuitive attributes. Middle management spearheads growth and leadership with emotional maturity and clear, insightful communication. They play a significant role reducing the bane of attrition and ensure there is a return on investment (ROI) on various training and development endeavors. A project manager must spend more time and effort understanding people and "people problems" than the technicalities of project execution and effective project deliverables. People problems can include inter- and intra-personal abilities, problems with the team, leadership, customers, the organization and might also include external factors – home, family and friends. These problems are a result of conceived emotions from environmental perceptions.
Consider the case of a project manager managing a project. His team is comprised of architects, engineers, testing professionals and business analysts. Along with influencing and impacting the immediate team, the project manager must manage client specific deliverables and senior management expectations. At every stage of the project, the manager must balance the aspirations of the team with the expectations and challenges of executing the project. Most managers achieve this balance through active listening and direct communication along with requisite skills. They use different initiatives and circumstances to build and develop team and group dynamics.
Often managers deal with people problems as they arise. Project managers tend to hold personal biases based on individual performance and may favor the better performers. A project manager may not understand the direct impact of emotional conflicts that arise at different times, as emotions are dynamic and uncontrollable. Especially when there is a disconnect between two individuals on a team – helping them connect may become time consuming, when the manager cannot identify the problem.
In project management, understanding the situation and providing solutions depends on the experience of a project manager; his past experiences dealing with teams and stakeholders (customer, subordinates and seniors). Often there is not enough emphasis on managing people, though the need for such management is discussed and acknowledged. Because the average age of individuals in the knowledge industry is lower than other industries, this also adds to the volatility of emotions related to knowledge workers. They openly question authority and consider symbolism as a threat; hence their perception of their project manager becomes key to the success in execution.
Emotional outbursts impact the entire team, and may result in long-term discontent and cynicism. Mistrust and professional insecurity may infiltrate the team and impact interaction and communication with related stakeholders. This could eventually impact the organizational level.
Emotions are cognitions with a certain kind of psychical quality. They are classified into intuitive, perceptual and conceptual.1 Every emotion is something more than mere cognition, with an intention to express through a physical action or an intentional thinking approach. The emotional intentions are known as emotional tone, and every emotional tone is directly related to the cognition – to fear X is to be cognizing X with fear, admiring X is to be cognizing X admiringly, etc. To be fearful of an individual's progress is to recognize the individual fearfully as a potential competitor in a knowledge industry set-up.
When abstracting the classification of emotions in the corporate context it becomes apparent that they are context sensitive. It is difficult to foresee emotions in a certain context. A good manager, based on experience and intuition might develop an early warning system for managing people based on their emotions in the project. The human mind is a complex system however, and it is difficult to understand every individual's emotions.2
Emotions can be classified as positive and negative.2 Positive emotions are good, but negative emotions are disruptive. Negative emotions expressed by a single member can de-motivate the entire team and lower productivity. A cascading effect of negative emotions from an individual to an entire team is common in projects. The existence of an emotional contagion is often evident and obvious only after it has affected the entire team. It is important to note that positive emotions may not trigger the same affect. An individual's happiness could become another's pain depending on the context. If a peer receives accolades or individual recognition, the team may not be as happy as the individual. A manager may experience problems handling the effects of the recognition. The challenge is to balance the team's aspirations with those of the individuals. Below is a broad scientifically studied classification of emotions.2
|Table 1: Classification of Emotions|
|Emotions||Definition||Example|
|Discrete||Discrete emotions are focused on a specific target or cause – generally realized and perceived emotion; relatively intense and very short lived. After sometime this emotion can transform into a mood||Love, anger, fear, jealousy, happiness, sadness, grief, rage, aggravation, ecstasy, affection, joy, envy, fright, etc.|
|Moods||Moods are diffusive, not focused on a specific cause, and often not realized by perceiver of the mood. Moods are positive and negative, often exist for a medium duration (from a few moments to a few weeks or more),||Feeling good, bad, negative, positive, cheerful, down, pleasant, irritable, etc.|
|Dispositional (Traits)||Overall personality tendency to respond to situations in stable, predictable ways.||He is always in a bad/good mood no matter what happens. He is always in so negative.|
Emotions are initially discrete, and based on the context can intensify into a mood. Moods can affect the traits of a person. As a project manager it is important to note the effects of a discrete emotion and ensure that it is not sustained in intensity or duration as it may directly impact team dynamics and affect the productivity and efficiency of the entire project. Considering the challenges, a manager's role of understanding and effectively managing people by avoiding emotional conflict is a complex task. Even if one can spend time evaluating people and their emotions in detail, contextual dependence is a factor one cannot foresee.
Understanding the emotions that might affect the team allows a manager to better handle various situations. Another challenge is the solution itself. The emotions that translate as problems in one context may become a solution in another context. How well can a manager understand the emotions in an unforeseen context? Common people problems a project manager may face include:
In the solution approach, the authors propose using the substance-field (su-field) theory of technical system interaction and substitute them with people and emotions. To understand this approach, it is important to understand the modeling of a technical system.
The substance-field theory is a modeling technique based on the concept that every natural and man-made system is a set of interactive elements, which interact with each other by means of fields generated by substances. Su-field theory was conceptualized by the "father" of TRIZ, Genrich Altshuller, and is a powerful technique in TRIZ methodology. The original theory was created for modeling how technical elements interact with each other over fields created by these technical elements. The term "substance" identified items – things, objects, etc. This classification is based on different levels of an objects hierarchy from a macro- to a micro-level.
The fields in the original su-field theory depict the interaction between substances. Unlike the fields defined in physics, the fields in su-field theory describe interactions between substances in a common sense perspective.6 In classical TRIZ, the groupings of possible interactions of a substance are grouped into six main fields.6
|Table 2: Fields of the Su-Field Theory|
| |
Fields
Interactions including:
|Mechanical||Gravitation, collisions, friction, direct contact, vibration, resonance, shocks, waves, gas/fluid dynamics, wind, compression, vacuum, mechanical treatment and processing, deformation, mixing, additives, explosion, etc.|
|Acoustic||Sound, ultrasound, infra-sound, cavitation|
|Thermal||Heating, cooling, insulation, thermal expansion, phase/state change, endo/exothermic reactions, fire, burning, heat radiation, convection|
|Chemical||Reactions, reactants, elements, compounds, catalysts, inhibitors, indicators (pH), etc.|
|Electric||Electrostatic charges, conductors, insulators, electric field, electric current, superconductivity, electrolysis, piezo electrics, ionization, electrical discharge, sparks|
|Magnetic||Magnetics filed, forces particles, induction electromagnetic waves (x-ray, microwave, etc.) optics, vision, color/translucence change, image|
The substance-field theory is explained below using an example of driving a nail into a piece of wood.
There are two substances – the nail S2 and the wood S1. The nail S2 plays the role of the substance-subject (tool) and the wood S1 represents the substance-object. The nail cannot be driven into the wood without a force; the force is the field F1.
What kind of force can be commonly applied to a nail to pierce through wood? The most common force is the pressure, a form of mechanical force. An expanded su-field with the source of mechanical field is shown below [Figure 2].
Figure 2 is a detailed model of a substance-field interaction between the working tool of a technical system and the product, which is being processed by this technical system. The hand (S4) is a main tool driving a product, based on the action of the tool upon another object, (product); during this action, the product is changed.
At the next step, the hammer (S3) becomes a tool and the nail (S2) is a product: the hammer acts (using a mechanical field, F3) upon the nail and pushes (F1) it into the wood (S1). The nail then becomes a tool and the wood is a product: the nails act (using F1 field) upon wood and the wood is deformed as a result of this action. Its fibers are broken or separated from each other under applied force. Figure 3 shows the consequence or chain of su-field models and is a standard case in multiple interactions' analysis.
In su-field, the physical elements (substances) in a technical system are categorized generally as in Table 3. This category only works as a baseline in representing the working elements. As seen in the above example, the object, tool relationship can change.
|Table 3: The Physical Elements of a Su-field|
|Substances||Definition||Example|
|Object||Any physical element that is to be controlled or managed||Nail|
|Main Tool||Since the object cannot control itself, a main tool is needed for function execution||Hammer|
|Auxiliary Tool||Another tool which helps the main tool execute the function||Hand|
As described above, the categorization of object/main tool/auxiliary tool changes in accordance to the context can also be observed. The su-field theory provides a detailed explanation of how a technical system works in multiple dynamics and contexts. Now consider identifying potential problems in a working system like the above by drawing the entire interactions as in Figure 3. Simple technical systems like the mentioned example can model the problems associated with it and find areas of improvement. The nail can bend if the hammer (tool) applies extra force (excess field energy), because by the hammer's action applied to the nail (product), was excessive and the nail was damaged.
Another problem is that the muscles gets tired after hammering for a continued period of time. The interactions between hand and hammer are classified below:
These are two oppositely directed functions. In this case the problem is to save the useful functions and eliminate the harmful ones. The substance-field theory applied on the above situation is depicted in the following diagram. The arrow between the substance and field in su-field theory explains the interactions as follows:
The initial model explained in Figure 2 can expand by identifying the harmful interaction between the substance and field using the arrow as in Figure 4.
Figure 5 shows a hammer S3 (product), which is excessively charged by the energy (mechanical field, F3) of muscles (S4). When the hammer acts on the nail, it becomes a tool, and passes its excessive energy to the nail (product). The nail then becomes a tool and moves into the wood with a higher speed than necessary to break or separate the fibers. The wood (now it is the tool that acts upon nail) starts to resist by applying an opposite force to the nail. The result is the momentum of two opposite forces, which act along the nail rod; this momentum bends the nail. As shown in Figure 6 a hand (S4) generates insufficient energy (mechanical force) on the hammer (S3) and the entire working system fails to achieve the desired function.
Such accurate analysis helps identify unseen interactions and describe hidden functions. As a result, the analyst obtains an appropriate description of the situation inside its system; such a description helps formulate and solve the right problems.
The substance-field theory is a natural way to explain the working elements in a technical system. The working elements of the hammer-nail technical system can be expanded. In this situation the brain manages the hand using electrical fields (neurons), controlled by nerves, and the wood is placed on a surface where gravity (a mechanical field) works to keep it in a stable position. The flexibility of the su-field theory is wide enough to design a complex technical system as interactions of substances over fields, and can be restructured to fit the scope of this case study.
The above example of substance-field theory explains to us the working elements in a system and its dynamics – changing the way each element interacts with the other. The product becomes the tool and vice-versa; the interaction between the tool and the product generates new fields; an "excessive" field may damage the product and sometimes the tool is insufficient for achieving the desired effect.
The dynamics that exist in the context of relationships, whether among team members or between managers and team, or personal lives between husband, wife or friends, is a clear and evident mismatch in perceptual triggers which may impact the nature of relationship between them. Emotions such as happiness, sadness and jealousy could trigger similar emotions and act as the tool to a resultant product of discontent in the relationship.
The workings of a physical system cannot capture the complexity involved in the workings of human emotions especially when contextual triggers are involved. It is possible, however, to recognize a pattern in these two distinct scenarios. The emotions when equated to the fields (like the mechanical fields) impact the outcome of a person-to-person relationship. Excessive emotions (positive or negative) may cause imbalance in a relationship and insufficient or missing emotions (positive emotions only in this case) may impact the positive outcome expected from people relationships.
Understanding people and emotional relationships is not as easy as in a physical system. As described earlier, a qualified project manager managing people acts mostly on the basis of her perceptions of the scenario. At times, they must spend considerable time understanding the problem and trying to define the problem. The approach proposed in this framework is effective for a project manager to defining the intensity of the emotion from a problem definition space and also helps arrive at indicators to probable solutions. The following section of this paper illustrates the application of this framework in two distinct cases of people problems faced by a project manager.
The following description captures the interaction between people as individuals and models their emotions to achieve a structured specific collective emotion. The individual objects are categorized into a, b and c:
a. The technical lead of a highly demanding, technically competent customer with huge pressure to fulfill market expectations
b. A new engineer joining the project after three months of training
c. An experienced engineer working on the project for more than an year and interacting with customer tech lead
The goal was to train and assimilate the new engineer in the customer project, technology and customer interactions. The project manager expected the experienced engineer to help include the new team member into the system immediately. Problems started surfacing in the team after introducing the new engineer:
In this situation, the project manager can assume various causes for the problems based on his perceptions.
Using people-emotion modeling, the manager can analyze the situation as follows:
|Table 4: People-Emotion Interaction Model|
|Individual Object||Discrete Emotions Displayed||Moods Displayed||Dispositional|
|Positive||Negative||Positive||Negative||Positive||Negative|
|Customer-Tech Lead||Action oriented, passionate, disciplined (expects deadlines to be met)||Impatient, tends to get angry when people don't understand what they are told||Enthusiastic||Discontent||Sharing||Authoritative and condescending|
|Fresher||Happy, eager, curious||Fear because he is relatively new to the team||Jovial||Pleasant in interactions||Vulnerable|
|Experienced Engineer||Empathy||Jealousy, skepticism||Egoistic||Passionate|
After identifying the people and emotions, model the interactions between them using the basic people-emotion interaction model. The model is a preliminary model of emotions that could affect people interactions in a team. The below diagram is constructed for understanding the desired outcome:
The experienced engineer must train and assimilate the new engineer effectively using positive emotions – this enables the new engineer to use positive emotions to keep the experienced engineer positively influencing the team and the customer. Considering the customer technical lead, a desired outcome diagram can be formulated.
Figure 8 defines how to use customer leads positive emotions to further educate the experienced engineer and in turn receive more information about the work, and learn more about the customer. These interaction diagrams can be expanded to model all desired outcomes a project manager might want to focus on in the situation.
The desired outcome model helps managers understand the influence of positive emotions and how they can strengthen the current situation. Introducing the negative emotions into the model allows a manager to understand the impacts of these negative emotions in the situation.
Figure 9 shows a probable conflict model between the experienced engineer and the new engineer. A negative emotion possessed by the experienced engineer, jealousy, may cause a harmful interaction between him and the new engineer.
By modeling all known negative emotional interactions between the stakeholders, managers can understand the problem in greater detail. This modeling approach can also project possible future issues that can arise due to emotional conflicts.
Alex has been a reliable member of my team from the beginning of my career in this organization. His friendliness and cheerful demeanor have always helped him connect with people around him and he's able to meaningfully steer his own career alongside people around him.
Mike on the other hand has been one of the most successful and meteoric performers. He has risen faster than normal and has been able to introduce processes and innovations rapidly. His ability to understand client expectations and deliver has been consistently impressive.
Together Alex and Mike complement each other in their managerial styles and can contribute to a faster and effective execution of the project. However, I fail to understand why this synergy has not been achieved. I have noticed that both of them usually maintain a distance between each other, do not interact or collaborate but are usually polite in their interactions. Mike seems restless and unable to motivate or connect with his team. Alex on the other hand connects with Mike's team, but not with Mike. Both of them seem to take the client calls alternately but never together. Is there a need to be concerned?
|Table 5: Modeling Emotional Interactions|
|People||Discrete Emotions Displayed||Moods Displayed||Dispositional|
|Positive||Negative||Positive||Negative||Positive||Negative|
|Alex||Happy, eager, curious, empathetic||Skeptical, doesn't like when he can't connect with peers||Enthusiastic||Discontent||Sharing pleasant in interactions|
|Mike||Diligent, disciplined, expects to meet deadlines||Fear, (he doesn't understand why Alex is popular among his teammates) impatient –tends to get angry when people don't understand what they are told)||Jovial||Egoistic, angry||Passionate, idealistic||Authoritative and condescending. Insecure when he feels he has no control.|
From the project manager's perspective, the desired outcome of any emotional relationship between the two stakeholders, Alex and Mike, is to create a harmonious relationship by leveraging their positive emotions effectively and achieving the results of efficient and timely execution of the project and deliverables to the customer. The following diagram depicts this desired outcome of people-emotional interactions.
Ideally, the project manager would like Alex to use all his positive emotions: cheerfulness, pleasant interactions, sharing, happiness, etc., to work with Mike and increase the collaboration with his team along with his own, which will result in utilizing their capabilities effectively for better project execution. Simultaneously, Mike would use his positive emotions: passion, jovial, diligence to work with his team and Alex to increase the synergy between both for proper knowledge sharing and to increase overall team harmony in a process centric approach.
This harmonious situation does not exist due to emotional conflicts between Mike and Alex that directly impact the overall team productivity and output.
A manager can use the desired outcome model to depict the current problem between the leads.
Figure 11 illustrates a possible problem model between Mike, Alex and Mike's team. Mike's, with his positive emotions (discrete, trait and dispositional) is pleasant in interactions, happy and connects well with Mike's team. Mike's creates a perceptional change the way Mike's team connects Mike's Alex. There may even be a notion they create that "Alex is a good team leader, and I want to move into his team." This is an excessive and collective emotional attachment, which will eventually turn into a "harmful" relationship. This was demonstrated in the su-field explanation – the tool becomes the product and vice versa.
This positive interaction between Alex and Mike's team could Mike's create a fluctuating harmful relationship of "discontent" toward Mike, such as "he just doesn't seem to doesn't it. His team is friendlier with me."
Mike, with his negative emotions will look at Alex as a threat and create a perception that "Alex just blabbers. I do the actual work." He may then disconnect himself from Alex and establish a harmful relationship. Although Alex uses his positive emotions on Mike's team, Mike's is clearly unable to connect with Mike and is contributing to another collective emotion that he does not listen. Mike may be "disconnecting" from Alex. Mike also uses his negative emotion of fear and ego by interpreting their interactions with Alex as "my team connects with Alex better." This causes discontentment between Mike and his team. Then he stops using positive emotions toward them.
Contrasting the earlier problem description from ambiguous and cluttering thoughts, this modeling framework of relationships between people and emotions has provided a better understanding of the situation. Figure 10 shows several possible emotional conflicts between the stakeholders, and using the model can also assist the manager in anticipating future problems.
Both case studies have only a few stakeholders and are simple. More complex issues are common, however, when more stakeholders are involved. Often a project manager must spend time understanding an issue by talking to people and relying on his own perceptions and intuition as well as what others perceive and share with him. Transitioning from one project to another is common in this context; a project manager may have difficulty understanding people problems in a new team. Providing solutions without realizing the real issue can cause attrition, poor performance, reduced productivity, etc.
After modeling all possible emotional interactions as in Figure 9 and Table 5, a manager can then look at:
Assuming the desired outcome model is achieved, the project manager can extend the applicability by introducing other positive emotions within the identified list, or another emotion from outside which will enhance the existing positive emotions to strengthen the productivity, performance, etc.
The following table explains possible strengthening emotions for Case Study 1.
|Table 6: Possible Strengthening Emotions|
|People||Available Positive Emotions||From Outside to Enhance the Available Emotions||Strengthening Relationship|
|New Engineer||Happy, curious, pleasant in interactions, jovial||Motivation|
• Add him to the loop of customer interactions – Pleasant in interactions and will change the customer outlook to the team
|Customer Tech Lead||Sharing||Appreciation||• Appreciate for the job he is doing, rewarding him for the technical knowledge|
|Experienced Engineer||Empathy, passion||Happy, motivation, joy|
• Give more technical responsibility in understanding new technical area
A manager can also create and use a generic framework of standards after modeling the emotional conflicts for solutions. The standards are abstract in nature, but the manager could identify specific actionable solutions. These standards were derived from the ARIZ framework.
The application of standards in this context is hypothetical. The following are interpretations of a few standards from the ARIZ world. This may or may not resemble the real standard described in ARIZ, however, the standards are to enhance one's thinking skills one's easy solution generation.
a. If there is a relationship that is difficult to change, and if there are limitations on adding external additives (emotions/people) into the given relationship, the problem can be solved by a permanent or temporary transition to an external compound field.
Case Study 2 Example: With respect to dealing with team dynamics in a knowledge environment, when client negotiations occur the external agent that managers sometimes bring in to achieve the purpose or end result of the negotiation is to either use a consultant having worked with the same client or deploying a team member exposed to the client in a different scenario, maybe through personal contacts to change or bend the state of discussion.
b. If a minimal (optimal) action is required that is difficult or impossible to carry out within the constraints of the problem, then the most intense action should be used, and its success should be removed.
Case Study 2 Example: Often team outings or out bound interventions are undertaken as a measure to help connect individuals in a team setup. The probable outcome of the same is uncertain, however, as its effectiveness cannot be measured or if measured would be relative.
c. A harmful emotional relationship between two or more people can be solved by removing the harmful element from the conflict chain or by manipulating existing positive emotions of object or tool.2
Case Study 1 Example: Remove the "jealous" from the conflict chain or use the "passion" emotion from the experienced engineer to do effective training and assimilating.
d. Adding an "external" positive emotion can solve a harmful emotional relationship between two or more people.
Case Study 1 Example: Add motivation, such as rewarding the experienced engineer for his passion in the technical area, and also for his willingness to teach the new engineer.
e. Adding a new "person" in to the system for introducing positive emotions can solve a harmful emotional relationship between two or more people.
Case Study 1 Example: – the senior vice president of an organization has lunch with the new engineer and the experienced engineer in an attempt to eliminate their negative emotions.
The standard framework can include either a "missing" emotional relationship, an "excessive" emotional relationship or an "incomplete" emotional relationship.
This is an experimental attempt to apply a powerful modeling technique, the substance-field theory, to people management issues. People management problems are discussed and talked about in multiple contexts in various dimensions – among team, families, communities, etc. Solutions to these problems may be arrived at through careful observation or simple interpretation of various scenarios. The corporate setup in the knowledge industry, however, camouflages the actual problem, and may result in a solution that is not economically viable and does not resolve the problem. Through this paper the authors hope to encourage TRIZ thinking beyond technical systems. TRIZ as a powerful thinking technique has techniques one can apply beyond what is described, just by extracting the concept.
The case studies used to describe this problem were real issues encountered regularly in the knowledge environment. The solution space for problems such as this does exist without application of this framework, however, using the framework helps maximize the scope of the solution generation.
Alex Zakarov, TRIZ expert, for reviewing the substance-field explanation.
V. J Sathish, for editing.
Note: This paper was originally presented at The Altshuller Institute's TRIZCON2008.
Prakasan Kappoth is a systematic innovation facilitator and internal innovation consultant at MindTree Consulting Ltd., Bangalore, India. He teaches TRIZ techniques to engineers and facilitates problem solving exercises. Mr. Kappoth has more than ten years of experience in the software industry. He has worked in a variety of technical domains including network management, industrial automation, image processing, consumer application, and embedded appliance and storage. Contact Prakasan Kappoth at prakasan_k (at) mindtree.com.
Harsha G. Goolya is a recruitment analyst with the Talent Acquisition team at MindTree Consulting Ltd., Bangalore, India. Her role includes introducing her team to applying innovation techniques in resolving real time problems. Her educational background, which includes an MBA in human resources and systems and basic degree in engineering, has always motivated her to understand and recognize patterns in the technical domain from an emotional perspective. Ms. Goolya has received the President’s award in Guides, a national award for creative writing, representing her city in a state level science symposium. | https://www.metodolog.ru/triz-journal/archives/2008/06/05/index.html |
Every human is liable to make Mistakes and commits them throughout the life. He continues to make blunders in personal, professional, and academic life.
The prime FEATURE of non-aware human being is that he NEVER accepts his mistakes.
He considers himself as SUPREME of doing any kind of misjudgment or misunderstanding.
Throughout his life, he strongly clutches the belief that he DID NOT and CAN NOT make mistakes at all.
Consequently, when he actually makes some blunder, he NEVER accepts it to anyone and even to himself. From here, the game of AUTHENTICITY starts.
Authenticity demands human being to accept thing as they are. It forbids to apply PERSONAL AND SUBJECTIVE meaning to things and actions and the difference between Aware and Non-aware human being can easily be measured through his approach towards those Mistakes.
However, what non-aware human being does is, he remains reluctant to accept his FAULTS mainly due to EGO. He believes that if he surrenders to accept his mistakes, he would never able to live GRACEFULLY again. When this thought hits him, his mind shifts from EGO to AGFLAP and to other negative emotions which break the connection between him and CREATOR immediately.
These emotions start piling themselves like rocks and get harder with the span of time. These rocks of EGO, Anger, Pride, and Fear continue to dominate human because he is not ready to be AUTHENTIC with himself.
In the contrary, if human accept his MISTAKES in first place and surrender, then these rocks would never develop. However, if he believes that he is RIGHT all the times than these rocks would continue to be stronger and he starts living in the supreme state of SELF-RIGHTENOUSNESS and try to CONTROL other people’s life (like a BW).
In the contrary, those who are HUMBLE enough to ACCEPT their Mistakes, they actually show the courage of being AUTHENTIC. They surrender to UNIVERSE that they are liable to make MISTAKES, but they also LEARN from their misjudgment (which is most significant aspect). Their acceptance not only prevent them to commit their mistake again but also save them to fall in to the pit of EGO and AGFLAP. Their inner self do not experience any hard feeling due to absence of EMOTIONAL ROCKS. They do not attach Meanings with respect to their BELIEFS.
Hence, in order to live successful and content life, Human must learn the art of accepting his Mistakes and be Authentic. It saves him from Lifetime of Suffering. | http://mindmasked.org/tag/mistakes/ |
A drama about a warmly maternal Frenchwoman wrestling with the discovery that her beloved grandson is a convert to the Islamic State would seem ripe with potential for raw personal conflict. But the charged emotional spontaneity and nonjudgmental curiosity for complex human relations that have invigorated Andre Techine’s best work remain disappointingly muffled in Farewell to the Night, as the generic title might suggest. The director returns to his frequent muse Catherine Deneuve, but she seems stiff and miscast as a salt-of-the-earth horse ranch owner, stuck in a baggy script that struggles to build momentum into its fraught situations.
It’s interesting that while the key relationship in the screenplay by Techine and Lea Mysius is between Muriel (Deneuve) and her radicalized grandson Alex (Kacey Mottet Klein), the scenes in which Deneuve is at her best and the drama at its most sensitive are her encounters with a generous stranger.
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In the film’s standout performance, Kamel Labroudi plays Fouad, a soulful young father who fought with terrorist forces in Syria for a brief period before regretting his youthful impulsiveness and returning to France, serving time and now attempting to reintegrate into society. Fouad’s story, and his willingness to help desperate Muriel even at the cost of reopening a painful chapter from his past, finds shadings missing elsewhere in the drama, picking up the recurring theme in Techine’s films of French-Arab cultural cross-pollination.
Farewell to the Night opens with the blunt metaphor of a solar eclipse and abounds with representations of nature that provide a counterpoint backdrop to the dehumanizing choices made by Alex and his childhood sweetheart Lila (Oulaya Amamra) as they transition into adulthood. It’s set during the first five days of spring 2015 on and around an estate in the rural southwest run by Muriel with her North African business partner Youssef (Mohamed Djouhri), a ranch that includes an equestrian school, a cherry tree orchard in glorious blossom and earth rich in truffles and porcini mushrooms that attract wild boars.
Alex, like Lila, considers himself an orphan. His mother died in a diving accident for which he blames his father, who has resettled in Guadeloupe and started a new family. He obstinately rejects his grandmother’s suggestions that he should reach out and get to know his half-siblings.
There are hints of a troubled recent period in Alex’s life that caused him to drop out of med school in Toulouse, but when he comes to visit his grandmother before taking off on a working trip abroad, supposedly to Canada, he evinces a fierce sense of purposeful identity. He attributes this to his Muslim conversion eight months earlier, a development Muriel is startled to learn about when she spies him praying in the garden. He’s brittle and closed-off in response to her questions, displaying a coldness she perhaps puts down to growing pains and to lingering anger over the loss of his mother.
The script makes no effort to conceal the true nature of Alex and Lila’s plan, revealing early on that they have been coordinating travel arrangements with ISIS recruiter Bilal (Stephane Bak), and that they need to raise a substantial amount of cash to finance Alex’s combat training and weapons purchase. He’s anxious to get to the front, and when he asks Lila how she would feel if he died, she responds without hesitation: “I would be proud.” While Alex shows no qualms about stealing from Muriel, it’s Lila who justifies forging checks to lift 6,000 euros from her company bank account, pointing out that Alex’s grandmother is an infidel, which means it’s not a sin.
When Youssef alerts Muriel to the missing money, pegging the theft to her grandson, she searches Alex’s bags and finds his travel itinerary, not to Canada as he said, but from Barcelona to Istanbul, the standard gateway to the Syrian border for radical Islam converts out of France. Putting two and two together, she takes a series of steps — some drastic, bordering on preposterous, others more considered — to stop him from leaving.
There’s a nagging lack of fluidity in the scene-to-scene progression. In one particularly clunky juxtaposition, editor Albertine Lastera cuts between a lunch during which Youssef’s family celebrates an equestrian win and one of the young women at the table bursts into a raunchy dance to Western pop, and a clandestine jihad gathering, with Alex in white robes receiving instruction from an Islamic preacher (Amer Alwan, who developed the story idea with Techine), while Lila, seen wearing a hijab for the first time, chats excitedly with another young woman just back from Syria.
Klein takes the watchful intensity he displayed in Techine’s Being 17 to almost feral extremes here in a performance that reveals only the tiniest glimpses of the insecure kid beneath the rigid facade, notably when he’s writing a farewell note to his grandmother. The urgency with which Alex has immersed himself in his new persona is signaled in sequences where Julien Hirsch’s camera goes hurtling along beside him through the cherry groves or on mountain roads. But Alex’s radicalization is already complete when the film begins, so there’s no pathos in his ideological transformation. And despite the script sketching in all kinds of reasons his rootlessness would make him vulnerable, there’s scant insight into what attracts Western youths to jihadism.
In an attempt to be even-handed, Amamra plays up the contrast between her tough arrogance and the softness she brings to her work as a care-giver at a retirement home. (Techine veteran Jacques Nolot appears briefly as one of her employers.) Even Bilal shows fissures in his aloof authority, sneaking cigarettes in a habit he dismisses as a vestige of the corrupt Western ways he’s leaving behind.
But despite the melancholy beauty of Alexis Rault’s score, all this generates surprisingly little feeling, even in what should be the suspenseful start of the radicals’ journey as the extent of Muriel’s final intervention remains in doubt. The emotional cost to her is spelled out in clinical terms inadequately foreshadowed in Deneuve’s performance. Only in her scenes with Fouad is there a moving sense, beneath the semi-formality of strangers, of two people touched in different ways by the same sociopolitical phenomenon, forging a meaningful connection based on empathy and compassion. That’s the part that feels like a Techine movie. | https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/farewell-night-review-berlin-2019-1185724/ |
Sometimes …Happily Ever After comes with a price
Alex Marquez wears many hats. Sometimes he’s the slightly patrician Don of a family with deep Spanish roots. Other times he’s a brilliant tech-God and CEO of an exclusive security agency. He’s also a boss, a musician, and a fierce friend. At the core though he’s a former Special Forces Commander, wounded in action, haunted by the heavy burdens of regret and what ifs that linger to this day. For him, personal redemption would never come. Too much darkness, not enough light.
And then Meghan O’Brien swoops into his life. She’s a ball busting curvy goddess who instantly pushes all Alex’s buttons.
When ghosts from the past threaten to destroy their relationship, Alex pushes her away. Meghan has a promising life ahead while his was blown to bits in a war zone. Hurt and bewildered, she comes to realize that loving Alex as she did was not a guarantee of an easy future. He had demons and if she took him on, those nightmares and the emotional aftermath were going to be coming along for the ride.
Was the redemption Alex sought to be found in her arms? Would finding his soul through the love of another finally send the demons packing and lay the past to rest?
4.5 out of 5 Stars!
From the very start I fell in love with the Justice Brothers in the first book with Cameron and Lucy, but I think Alex just stole my heart and RAN! This series seriously just gets better and better and you cant help but become addicted to these boys.
Each Prologue starts the same, but from each brothers perspective of what happened. In this third book we see Alex’s story. The guilt Alex carries surrounding the bombing that nearly killed him and took many of his fellow soldiers as well as civilians weighs heavily on him. In all the other books Alex was always the voice of reason, but his story is filled with so much pain and so much more emotion then the others. My heart seriously hurt for him.
Meet the girl…. Meghan. Meghan was Alex’s “pen pal” per se after the bombing. They wrote letters back and forth and kept in contact after the accident. She was engaged to one of the guys who passed away during the bombing and Alex was the one who wrote her about “The Kid”. She is a straight forward girl, who is comparable to a shining light. She pushes Alex’s limits but its only to help him through his grief. Who knew that during these letters back and forth that they would find a connection and start to fall for each other. But no relationship is ever all rainbows and unicorns is it?
Can Alex overcome the guilt and move on with his life? Or will he let go, but never forget and let Meghan in and start living life again. He makes a lot of mistakes along the way, more so then his brothers. But has he made one too many and pushed so far that Meghan wants nothing to do with him?
I love that you catch up with the rest of the Justice Brothers throughout this book. No one can forget Cam or Drae, these boys get into your heart and just stay put. Stubborn men! She does a great job with each character and I hope for more from Suzanne Halliday!
Book One in the Justice Brothers Series is on sale: | https://bookloversobsession.com/2014/07/26/blog-tour-and-review-redeeming-justice-by-suzanne-halliday/ |
Over the last twelve years scientists have been studying a strange affliction that plagues astronauts who spend long periods in space.
It all began when astronaut John Phillips was peering out the window of the International Space Station in 2005. His vision had always been perfect. But now, midway through his tour on the huge spacecraft, the earth appeared blurry and had trouble focusing. Phillips didn’t report the matter to ground control because he believed it might have been due to fatigue. But it only got worse. By the time Phillips returned to earth he discovered his vision had deteriorated from 20/20 to 20/100. Over the next six months his eyesight improved to 20/50, but that’s as good as it got.
What was John’s problem? Doctors eventually termed his malady as Visual Impairment Intracranial Pressure Syndrome (VIIP). It’s caused by a lack of gravity – by weightlessness, by the fun-filled environment of zero-gravity. Because of the absence of gravity’s continual pull, blood in the body is not pulled downward toward the feet and pressure builds up inside the cranium. As this continues the base of the eyeball becomes flattened from the intracranial pressure and eyesight is permanently impaired. Studies have revealed that VIIP afflicts 80% of astronauts who endure extended periods in space – all of them men. Naturally, VIIP presents a significant problem to any plans for interplanetary space travel.
Strange. Although many view space travel as humankind’s triumph over gravity, it seems that zero-gravity is not a friendly environment. Our rockets exert millions of pounds of thrust to escape earth’s gravity. Yet now we realize how much we need gravity’s continual pull upon our bodies. Astronauts have tried to counter the ill-effects of zero-gravity – by performing strenuous exercises in space. But some ill-effects, like VIIP, cannot be avoided.
The pull of gravity is like the pull of responsibility. It weighs us down and we often yearn to be free of it. Yet responsibility is essential for our mental and emotional health. Lives free of responsibility are lives of zero-growth and poor health. Though most people dream of the day they can retire and live lives of leisure, the sudden absence of responsibility can be unnerving and disorienting. Any study of suicide statistics demonstrates that suicide rates among men skyrocket between the ages of 65 and 85 – the very time when they’re supposed to be enjoying life after retirement.
Are you saddled with the responsibilities of family, work, and your duty to God? Don’t be too eager to escape them. Those responsibilities are your friends. Their downward pull helps maintain your mental and emotional wellbeing.
In the Bible Jesus told us that in order to find rest, we must come to Him and allow Him to place His “yoke” upon us (Matthew 11:28-29). That sounds like work and servitude. It is. But Christ explains that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. And by bearing them we will find rest for our souls. It’s like so many other counter-intuitive decisions Christ calls us to make. According to Jesus we receive as we give (Luke 6:38). We gain by losing (Mark 8:35-37). We find rest by laboring for Him (Matthew 1:28-30). We conquer hatred by loving and forgiving others (Romans 12:17-21). And when we die to self we are born anew to eternal life (Matthew 16:24; John 3:3-8; Romans 6:4-6).
Don’t fight your circumstances or yearn to cast off your God-given responsibilities. Turn to God for strength and grace to bear them. Submit to Him and you will find rest. Cast your care upon Him and you will experience His peace.
Dear Father in heaven, into Your capable and loving hands I commit myself, my burdens, and all that concerns me. May Your holy will be done in my life and may I be found faithful in all my God-given tasks. Amen. | https://thewarriorsjourney.org/ethos/things-weigh-us/ |
6 Tips for Giving & Receiving Constructive Feedback
Learning how to give and receive constructive feedback is an essential tool in both your personal and work life.
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And yet, it scares people half to death just contemplating it – nobody likes to be told they’re wrong, and similarly, people don’t like being the bearer’s of bad news.
There is a big difference between constructive and destructive feedback, however, which we’re going to look at in this blog.
Here are our six tips for giving (and receiving) constructive feedback.
Criticism helps us understand others
If a co-worker, manager, customer or amateur fashion critic offers you some feedback, this will allow you to get a better picture of the things they value and the standards they’d like to see upheld.
Even if their feedback seems misguided or is delivered with an unnecessary sting, that doesn’t mean it should be disregarded. Nor does it mean we should respond defensively. By remaining patient and considering the crux of someone’s review, you can get a better understanding of how they think and improve communication going forward.
Negative feedback doesn’t need to be buffered by superfluous compliments
If you’re relating negative feedback to someone, then you’d better include plenty of niceties along the way, right? Well, not exactly. Protecting people’s self-esteem is a fair aim, but more often than not cushioning negative feedback with compliments isn’t constructive.
Given the flimsiness of this approach, the attempted positivity will often be transparent, causing the whole thing to smack of insincerity. Or else the person will choose only to hear the nice bits and digest none of the essential criticisms.
Give direct feedback and focus on the outcomes
I’m not saying it’s better to bellow angry feedback at someone before demanding their immediate disappearance. Rather, direct communication will be much more constructive – focusing on the possibility for change and improvement will reassure someone of your trust and belief in them.
For this to be effective, you need to be clear about what you’re asking for, and these objectives need to be achievable. Explain to someone where they’ve been successful and how the skills displayed will serve them in the required tasks. This way you needn’t resort to commenting on how nice someone’s rucksack is just to maintain civility.
Remember that people want to improve and succeed
Now I’d again emphasise there’s a big difference between constructive and destructive feedback, but next time you’re dreading giving feedback, it’s important keep in mind how highly it’s valued. After all, if you suppress what you have to say and no improvement is seen, it’ll just compound your concerns and create a festering tension.
Give feedback, not a lecture
After arranging a time to speak to someone, begin by asking them to review the relevant situation – a late pizza delivery, say. See if they admit to any mishaps or ways in which they failed to excel.
This is a good pivot from which to deliver your feedback – the actions and events you witnessed and the unexpected outcomes produced. Then, before making any demands, give the other person another chance to speak. In responding to your description, they’ll probably also develop a better understanding of the impact of their tardy pizza delivery.
If they value the job (or at least the pay packet), then they’ll be motivated to make amends moving forward.
Don’t only give feedback about negative issues
There’s a mistaken notion that people only learn valuable lessons from negative feedback, while positive feedback is just ego-fuel. According to this principle, negative feedback makes people review weaknesses and work harder to improve. Positive feedback, on the other hand, is mere flattery, which inevitably produces complacency and decreased concentration.
However, we disagree and see both positive and negative feedback as constructive modes of communication. Positive feedback, instead of making people narcissistic, breeds trust and mutual respect. People who work hard or do good deeds obviously appreciate being noticed. And after receiving positive feedback, people are more inclined to uphold this standard and look for new ways to innovate and make a positive impact.
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Billy Burgess
Billy has been writing blogs for Happy since 2017, covering mindfulness, stress management, confidence building and emotional intelligence as well as offering handy tips for Office 365 users. As an arts, culture and lifestyle writer, his work is regularly published in Music Feeds, VICE, RedBull.com, Beat magazine and Mixdown.
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The four points about giving feedback that I plan to utilize while providing my classmate feedback on their skills check are as follows: Equality – My classmate is a valuable and worthwhile human being. Communication is generally more effective when feeling of equality exists. We are both equal in every way as we are both taking the Health Care Assistant program and both have home lives. Supportiveness – There has to be an atmosphere of trust and mutual support for effective communication between myself and my classmate Positiveness – To transmit positive feeling to other people.
My classmate needs to feel liked and accepted by me and then they will be more apt to become involved in communication with me. Empathy – To try and feel as my classmate being assessed on their skills check would feel and to try and understand what they are experiencing.
Of the five components of caring communication the two that I utilized the most while providing constructive feedback to my classmate with regards to their skills check were supportiveness and equality.
I utilized the two components as follows: Supportiveness – I felt I created an atmosphere of trust and mutual support with my classmate by reiterating that my classmate had requested me to provide constructive feedback on three components of their skills check and that I would only give feedback on the three components identified. When my classmate had completed the skills check, I proceeded to give my classmate constructive positive feedback on the three components identified.
I addressed each component specifically and stated how my classmate had supported the component and where I felt the component had not been supported.
I identified strengths and areas for improvement. Even if my classmate had successfully completed the identified component, I verbally identified the component and what behaviour my classmate performed to support the component. I explained descriptively on how my classmate’s actives matched their intention. At this point the instructor that was performing my classmates’ skills check asked if there were any other items that I would like to comment on. Before I proceeded, I took into consideration the reason for this exercise and considered what my classmate required and what had been requested of me. I questioned my classmate if they would like any additional feedback and stated that I had not written any other comments on the feedback skills check form.
My classmate indicated that they did want additional feedback. I provided by classmate with additional comments on 2 additional behaviours that had room for improvement. I asked my classmate if I should write the additional comments on the feedback formfor skills check, which was agreed on. Equality – Once my classmate had completed the skills check and before I proceeded to give any constructive feedback on the three components of the skills check that my classmate had identified for feedback, I thanked my classmate for asking me to give feedback and stated that this was the first time that I had given constructive feedback. I smiled and laughed a little stated that I was also nervous just as they were. I reiterated that we are peers and classmates and that giving constructive feedback can be difficult and that I hoped any feedback I gave was helpful to my classmate.
While I received feedback on my skills check, I took into consideration that constructive feedback is to give my classmate and myself the opportunity to learn. Constructive feedback is not about me or us, but about the behaviours that we are performing. I felt elated when I received positive feedback, so in turn receiving constructive feedback on behaviour where I needed improvement was much more positive. I felt receiving feedback that was descriptive and that identified strength and areas for improvement very informative and a creative learning tool. I found I was listening closely was able to rephrase the feedback that I had received. I felt very positive about the whole skills check feedback and was able to understand that it was “constructive feedback” and not criticism which in turn allowed me to thank all that were involved with a smile.
Upon reflection of giving and receiving feedback, I feel that it was a very positive experience. When I received the feedback from my classmate on my skills check, my classmate proceeded to give me additional comments. I was not prepared for this, nor did I expect this. I feel I may have projected this to my classmate by way of body language. I knew and I feel that I regrouped quickly and I did listen to what my classmate had to say. I understood that this was a learning tool for me, and that my classmate was trying to help me with my behaviours that needed improvement and was not being critical of me. When I gave feedback I am not sure that I finished with a positive statement to my classmate. I now realize how important this is and I feel somewhat ashamed that I may have missed this step. Receiving any type of feedback can be daunting whether it is positive or meant to assist with areas that require improvement. | https://studymoose.com/aconstructive-feedback-to-my-classmatefeedback-to-my-classmate-essay |
The process of communication involves transmitting an idea, sending the idea through a medium (verbal/nonverbal), receiving the message, understanding the idea, and providing feedback to the message sender. The first step of transmitting an idea “implies the formation of one or several thoughts and the desire to express these ideas”. (Wallace & Roberson, 2009). The next step involves choosing a method of communicating that idea. This can be done through verbal or nonverbal communication. Despite what method is used, it is imperative to know who the audience is and decide what tone the message is to be delivered. The tone, especially with oral communication, can make a world of a difference in how the receiver interprets the message. When the receiver then receives the message, his interpretation may not be how the message was originally intended to be received. The understanding of the idea or message relies strongly on interpretation of the person receiving the message. The process is then completed when the receiver provides feedback to the message sender by clarifying what he or she understood and then agreeing or disagreeing with the message itself. All these steps are part of the communication process, if one step fails then the communication becomes ineffective and invaluable.
Listening vs. Hearing
According to the American Heritage College Dictionary, the word hearing is defined as “the sense by which sound is perceived; the capacity to hear” (2009). Hearing can include the capacity to hear the audio of the message being received and the words being enunciated, but it cannot ensure whether the message was indeed understood. Hearing is only one part of the communication process. The ability to comprehend by actually listening to what is being said,... | http://www.studymode.com/essays/Cja-304-Effective-Communication-Paper-1690436.html |
Positively Speaking supports youth entrepreneurship by providing training workshops to promote confident and effective communication. These interactive workshops provide opportunities to equip young people with the communication skills to promote their self-esteem and to increase their potential for successful entrepreneurship, employability and involvement in their communities.
We work primarily within the education and youth sectors, including charities and 3rd sector organisations.
Enterprise activity in schools
Positively Speaking recognises the benefits, rewards and advantages that are possible through positive communication.
Positively Speaking interactive workshops provide techniques to increase pupils’ skills as confident communicators and effective speakers. This improves their self-confidence, their education, employability and enterprise prospects and also their desire to use the power of their voice to bring positive change.
Besides speaking in front of others, our training also encourages listening, teamwork and peer evaluation, all important life skills. Participants are encouraged to practise different types of speaking e.g. effective introductions, impromptu speaking, questions/answers, persuasive speaking and delivering a prepared talk.
Overall the Positively Speaking workshop aims to
- provide pupils with the confidence and skills to speak up and speak out on issues that are important to them
- to encourage active listening
- to foster feelings of community amongst pupils
An important element of the workshop is feedback which concentrates on qualities the pupils already have as speakers and areas in which they can improve. This is developed into peer-led feedback to understand the relevance of giving/receiving constructive feedback.
This training has direct relevance to Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes and contributes towards progression to National Certificate and Highers; it also supports Scottish Government’s Youth Employment Strategy
Positively Speaking workshops are delivered in an upbeat and motivating environment. The workshops are either full-day (6 hours) or half-day (3 hours) and the number of participants per workshop is up to 25 depending on requirements. | https://enterprisingschools.scot/portfolio-item/positively-speaking/ |
Effective Communication Paper
Effective communication is vital in the workplace. Communication can be verbal or nonverbal. Communication is a five step process. The ability to know the difference between listening and hearing is another component in communication. Effective communication is vital to any criminal justice organization yet there are many barriers to overcome.
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Verbal and nonverbal communication plays a large part in the day to day life of a law enforcement agent. Each work day there are numerous interactions between an officer and another officer, or a citizen or group of citizens. “An officer must understand the significance of paralanguage (inflection, tone of voice, and pitch), the difference between hearing and listening, and the messages behind kinesics (facial expressions, posture, and other body movements),” stated Pritchett, (1993). Verbal communication can be oral or written communication. It also involves listening from the receiver and giving feedback to the sender confirming the message was understood. Nonverbal communication is the use of body language to communicate your message. An officer must be aware of his or her body language because a misunderstanding of the message being communicated could lead to a possible life or death situation.
Communication is a five step process. These steps are transmitting an idea, sending an idea through a medium, receiving the message, understanding the idea, and providing feedback to the sender (Wallace & Roberson, 2009). The first step is forming your ideas and thoughts to form the message. Then decide if it is going to verbal or nonverbal means of communicating your message. Next the receiver interprets the message and understanding the message comes from how he interprets the message. Finally, feedback is provided to the sender. If any of these steps fail, the communication is ineffective (Wallace & Roberson, 2009)…. | https://midwestfleadh.com/effective-communication-paper/ |
This article contains insights on the 10 elements of communication.
Communication is the process of conveying messages by exchanging thoughts, information, opinions, feelings, body language, via speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behavior signs and ideas through words which may be written or spoken.
Communication is the integral aspect of human relationship. Every aspect of human life requires communication to thrive smoothly, but unfortunately, not everyone knows how to communicate effectively for proper understanding.
There are different elements of communication which makes up a communication process. These elements are what determines whether the communication will be effective or not.
THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
These elements include:
- Sender
- Message
- Encoding
- Channel/ media
- Receiver
- Decoding
- Feedback.
- Effect
1. SENDER
The communication process begins with the sender. The sender who is otherwise called the communicator or source is the person who determines the message, what to say and how to say it and sends his ideas to another person. The sender has some kind of information, request, or idea that he or she wants to present to others. For that message to be received, the sender must first encode the message in a form that can be understood, such as by the use of a common language and then transmit it.
2. MESSAGE
The idea, feeling, suggestion, guidelines, orders or any content which is intended to be communicated is a message. The message or content is the information that the sender wants to relay to the receiver.
When you speak to a person your message may be the words you choose that will convey your meaning. The words are brought together with grammar and organization. The message also consists of the way it’s conveyed in a speech, with your tone, your body language and your appearance or in a report, with your writing style, punctuation, etc. In addition, part of the message may be the environment or context you present it.
Simply put, a message is the content that the sender passes on to the receiver and it is the core element of communication.
3. ENCODING
The transformation of an idea into a message by the sender is known as an encoding. The message should be clear so that the receiver understands it. It is the process of converting the idea, thinking or any other thing that makes up the message into symbols
4. CHANNEL
There are different ways in which message travels from the sender to the receiver. Let’s use our television set to illustrate. This is because it has both audio and visual components unlike the radio set. The Television set in our homes is one of the channels of communication. That aside. We all know that it consists of different channels (stations). Assuming you were watching a program and decided to put off the volume completely (more like muting the program), will you still understand the programme?
The answer is Yes. In many cases, the body language is enough to make one understand even without the audio. Other times, some shows also use subtitling to communicate for general understanding.
On the other hand, you can still understand a TV program from a distance through the audio even without having access to the visuals. This illustration simply explains what channel is all about.
However, channels otherwise known as a medium or routes are the different means through which encoded messages are passed by the sender to the receiver. There can be various forms of channels. When you speak or write, you are using a channel to pass your message. Spoken channels include face-to-face conversations, speeches, telephone conversations and voice mail messages, radio, public address systems, and voice over Internet , letters, radio, television, etc.
Written channels include letters, memorandums, purchase orders, invoices, newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, e-mail, text messages, tweets, and lots more.
The channel used to communicate is determined by the sender based on certain factors such as cost, speed of delivery, etc.
5. DECODING
This element of communication involves translating the encoded message into language understandable by the receiver. The person who receives the message from the sender tries to convert the message in such a way that he may extract its meaning to his complete understanding.
Many times, the intent of the message is misunderstood by the receiver. This is why it is important for the sender to endeavour that the message being sent is very clear and understandable else there is no effective communication.
6. RECEIVER
The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended. He is the most important aspect of the communication process which is a two way process and incomplete without the receiver. Any change or neglect on the part of the receiver will hamper the entire process.
The Receiver is the person who receives the message or for whom the message is meant for. It is the receiver who tries to understand the message in the best possible way in achieving the desired objectives. This element is responsible for determining if the intent of the message will be met or not.
For instance, the sender wishes to inform a colleague at the office via text message to attend to all the files on her desk before taking her leave(closing from work). If this message was sent at the time this colleague in question applied for an annual leave from work, the intent of the message is likely to be misunderstood because the sender was clear enough.
Thus, it is the responsibility of the receiver to try to find out the intent of the message when not properly communicated. As a receiver you must listen, see, feel, touch, etc to receive a message and interpret the message from the source accurately.
7. EFFECT
The Effect is the change in behaviour of the receiver for receiving the message from the sender. The receiver may ignore the message, act on it or dispose of it or even send a feedback to the source depending on the effect the message has on the receiver.
Considering the illustration above, the colleague to whom the message was sent may choose to ignore the message if clearly understood and just act on it or seed a feedback to get a clearer understanding in a situation where the message was not clearly communicated.
8. FEEDBACK
Feedback is the response given to the sender. When you respond to the source, you are giving feedback. Feedback is composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source. Verbal or nonverbal, all these feedback signals allow the source to see how well, how well the message was received. Feedback also provides an opportunity for the receiver to ask for clarification, to agree or disagree.
The communication process reaches its final point when the message has been successfully transmitted, received, and understood. The receiver, in turn, responds to the sender, indicating comprehension. Feedback may be direct or indirect. Direct response such as a written or verbal response, or it may be indirect in the form of an act.
Feedback is the response the receiver gives to the sender after the element of effect. Feedback can be negative or positive depending on how the message is encoded and decoded by the sender and receiver respectively. Feedback in most cases does not take place. It is an optional element of communication that may or may not happen though it is an element that shows that communication was effective.
Other elements include:
9. Noise and
10. Context.
Mr and Mrs Sidney ran out of beverage in the house. Mrs Sidney, who wanted her husband to purchase them on his way back from work failed to communicate that to the husband before he left for work.
Upon remembering this, Mrs Sidney quickly sent a message to her husband to remind him to stop by at the supermarket to get milk for the house use. When Mr Sidney received the text, he sent a feedback to acknowledge receipt of the message.
After close from work, he went to get the milk as reminded. While at the store he sent different pictures of milk samples and eventually showed up at home with a tin of Milk but the problem turned out to be that he got the regular type while the wife actually needed the type with zero cholesterol.
In this example, the sender is Mrs Sidney while the receiver is Mr Sidney. The medium is a text message which was encoded in English language The message is “Remember to buy the milk!” In this case, the feedback is both direct and indirect. Mr Sidney texts different samples of milk at the store (direct) and then comes home with it (indirect).
However, Mrs Sidney did not see the samples of the milk because the message wasn’t transmitted due to one reason or the other (noise) and Mr Sidney failed to ask what kind of milk (context) when the sender(wife) failed to communicate clearly.
Communication is very important in our different spheres of life, business and relationship inclusive.
Some importance of communication includes the following:
- In our daily interaction, communication plays a significant role in making interaction faster. Communication helps to make life easier.
- In an Organization/ Business, communication helps the employer to know how the job is being executed by the employee. It helps in coordinating the activities of various departments and persons in an organisation by providing complete information about organisational goals, ways of achieving them, interpersonal relationship among staff etc. Hence, communication acts as a basis for coordination.
- Effective communication helps in the process of decision making by providing all the necessary information. In the absence of communication of relevant information, one cannot take any meaningful decision. Thus, communication is essential for effective performance of managerial functions. A good leader must possess efficient communication skills for influencing the behaviour of the subordinates. Thus, communication is the basis of leadership.
- In business, communication is also very essential for successful brand messaging, to build great team relationships.
- In education, the importance of communication cannot be overemphasized. In our education system teachers and students need to communicate with one another for effective learning. For developing the speaking & listening skill of the students, communication is a necessary.
- Effective communication between teachers and students is the only way knowledge will be passed to students. Communicating with the teacher in a proper way will help build confidence in the student.
- Communication also helps one to become a friendly person, which is an important act. By learning proper communication students can earn skill for developing their career and professionalism in any field they find themselves.
- For communication to be successful, both parties must be able to exchange information and understand each other. If the flow of information is hindered for some reason or the parties cannot make themselves understood, then communication is said to have failed.
- Whenever you’ve a conversation, text a friend, or make a public presentation, you have engaged in communication. Any time two or more people get together to exchange messages, they are engaging in this basic process with these elements in play. Communication may seem simple, but it is actually quite complex and a lot of people do badly in it.
CONCLUSION
With the information contained in this article, what makes up communication has been brought to our notice. Knowing the basic elements of communication is one important way to know the areas we have been getting wrong in terms of communication and also what makes up effective communication. I believe this article should help you to know how to convey your messages clearly to others as the sender because that is the major element that determines how a message is understood by the receiver.
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Technological advancements in work place communication skills in India has reduced face-to-face communication considerably. However there are times when face-to-face communication is a more productive option than other alternative communication tools.
Need to read beyond words: Some business communication (for example, while negotiating a deal) requires listening to the tone of voice and observation of body language. This gives us greater understanding of the other party’s perspectives. Need for greater team work & resolution of conflicts: There are times at work place when employees need to work as a cohesive unit to accomplish challenging tasks. During such phases conflicts are common. To ensure team work and conflict resolutions, face-to-face communication is critical. enhances teams to work with greater coordination. Performance Appraisal: Face-to-face communication is important for performance dialogues, as it increases the chances of mutual agreement on past performances and paves way to reaching realistic and effective plans for future. The key to the success of Performance Appraisals is the ability to give constructive feedback and this can be learnt through Sharing of Confidential Information:For sharing confidential information, E-mail or other technology enabled communication channel cannot serve the purpose. Face-to-face communication becomes the only option. Conducting Disciplinary Meetings: Face-to-face communication gives the appropriate stage for employees to give and receive constructive feedback. A disciplinary meeting can be well handled for a positive change only in a face-to-face communication. | http://formatcomunicacion.com/BusinessCommunicationSkills/business-communication-skills-india |
The performance management process involves an organization’s three key working models: The participative model, the top-down and the bottom-up models. In this process, workers are the main stakeholders involved in the decision making process. In this process, they are encouraged to be active participants in their own development. Their feedback is valuable to the whole organization as it provides valuable information on what needs to be improved, what weaknesses exist in the current performance, and what new requirements need to be fulfilled to improve the overall quality of the performance improvement.
The participative performance management process is an open, collaborative, feedback-based approach where management and employees work together to design, analyze and control the employee s performance, long term objectives, task performance, contribution to the business and other aspects. It involves employees giving their inputs on issues and problems so that the problems can be solved. It enables employees to see how their position and responsibilities affect others. Through this, the employees get to know each other and work as a team to improve and develop their individual skills. Through this method, problems are solved together.
Top-down performance management focuses on the identification of the strengths and weaknesses in the organization, setting or creating job-related expectations. This is achieved by conducting interviews, appraisals, discussions and surveys with employees and utilizing tools like target practicing and others. The appraisal enables the managers to set standards and identify performance problems.
The bottom-up performance management is the opposite of the top-down technique in which managers depend more on the evaluations of employees. It is done in order to ensure that employees are capable of implementing the ideas and thoughts of the management. Through this method, feedback from employees is crucial to assess the employees’ job performance. It also involves managers using evaluations and feedback in order to set job-related expectations for employees.
Top-down and bottom-up performance management processes differ because they have different objectives. While the latter focuses on the development of the business strategy and planning its execution, the former deals more with the formulation of the goals and strategies. Performance appraisal also has an extensive process, which involves the formulation of policies, the creation of a performance management system, the formulation of performance management plans, providing feedback, monitoring and measuring performance, and evaluation of performance. These activities are to be performed by a manager in accordance to the organizational objectives.
An effective performance management system should also have coaching elements. Coaching is one of the most important activities of an organization, which can facilitate the development of leaders. In addition, good coaching encourages employees to set goals and to set them continuously. It also helps managers to set standards for employees to reach their desired performance level. And, in turn, it enables employees to maintain high levels of performance even when under heavy workloads.
Coaching also helps in improving the interpersonal relationship between employees and employers. Managers benefit from this connection of mutual understanding because it allows them to understand job-related problems better. Moreover, it increases employee motivation because it provides an atmosphere that motivates people to work effectively. In addition, it facilitates effective communication and therefore, improves the quality of output and makes employees more responsible towards each other and their employers.
Feedback is an essential element of performance management and goal management. It’s not only providing feedback to employees; it’s equally important to provide feedback to the employer. This is because the success of any performance management process depends on the involvement and participation of both the parties. If there are involvement and participation from the employer, there will surely be positive results from the whole exercise. However, if the employee doesn’t have enough motivation and interest in the matter, it will have little impact on the performance management process. | http://www.tvonlinex.com/the-importance-of-coaching-in-performance-management-and-goal-management-process/ |
What is barriers to communication?
Barrier to communication is something that keeps meanings from meeting. Meaning barriers exist between all people, making communication much more difficult than most people seem to realize. It is false to assume that if one can talk he can communicate.
Because so much of our education misleads people into thinking that communication is easier than it is, they become discouraged and give up when they run into difficulty. Because they do not understand the nature of the problem, they do not know what to do.
There are many reasons why interpersonal communications may fail. In many communications, the message may not be received exactly the way the sender intended and hence it is important that the communicator seeks feedback to check that their message is clearly understood. The skills of Active Listening, Clarification and Reflection, which we will discuss shortly, may help but the skilled communicator also needs to be aware of the barriers to effective communication. There exist many barriers to communication and these may occur at any stage in the communication process. Barriers may lead to your message becoming distorted and you therefore risk wasting both time and/or money by causing confusion and misunderstanding. Effective communication involves overcoming these barriers and conveying a clear and concise message.
Barriers to communication effective Communication are the answer to the success of any organization and if there are barriers to its effectiveness, there will be frustration to the concerned parties. Barriers to Communication can arise at every stage of the communication process that is from the sender, the message, the channel, the receiver, the feedback and the context.
Barriers to successful communication include message overload, when a person receives too many messages at the same time, and message complexity.
Some barriers to communication are discussed here under:-
Physical barriers: Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment. Example poor or outdated equipment, distractions, noise, and poor lighting etc
System design: System design faults refer to problems with the structures or systems in place in an organization.
Semantic barriers: Semantic refers to meaning of language used. Often the same word is interpreted by different people in different ways according to their mental attitude and understanding.
Poorly explained or misunderstood messages can result in confusion.
1. Physiological barriers: certain attitude can also make communication, poor eye sight, hearing difficulties etc.
2. Socio-psychological barrier: Certain attitudes can also make communication difficult. For instance, great anger or sadness may cause someone to lose focus on the present moment. Disorders such as Autism may also severely hamper effective communication.
Social psychological barriers to communication
a. Attitude an opinion: If information agrees with our opinion and attitude, we tend to receive it favorably but if it ends to run contrary to our accepted beliefs, we do not react favorably.
b. Emotion: Emotional state of mind affects communication. If the sender is exited or nervous his thinking will be blurred and he will not be able to organize his message properly.
c. Closed mind: It is a person with deeply ingrained prejudice and it is not prepared to reconsider his opinions.
d. Status conscious: are common in organization and subordinates are afraid of communicating upward any unpleasant information. Superiors also think that consulting their juniors would be compromising their dignity.
e. The source of communication: If the receiver is suspicious about a prejudice against the source of communication there is likely to be a barrier to communication.
f. Inattentiveness: People often become inattentive while receiving a message in particular, if the message contains a new idea.
g. Faulty transmission: Translator can never be perfect.
h. Poor retention: Studies shows that employees retain only about 50% of the information communicated to them. If the information is communicated through 3-4 stages, very little reaches the destination. Poor retention may lead to imperfect responses which may further hamper the communication process.
3. Presentation of information: It is important to aid understanding. The communicator should consider the audience before making the presentation by simplifying their vocabulary so that the majority may understand.
4. Environmental barrier: Noise that physically disrupts communication, such as standing next to loud speakers at a party, pulling and moving of seats in a lecture room, working in a factory etc
5. Physiological-Impairment barrier: Physical maladies that prevent effective communication, such as deafness or blindness.
6. Syntactical barrier: Mistakes in grammar can disrupt communication, such subject verb agreement, abrupt change in tense etc
7. Organizational barriers: Poorly structured communication can prevent the receiver from accurate interpretation.
8. Cultural barrier: Stereotypical assumptions can cause misunderstandings, such as unintentionally offending a Kikuyu person by calling him a thief.
9. Noise: Is any occurrence that inhibits effective communication; it can occur at any point in the process. Noise is the causative factor for the message being mis-communicated or misunderstood due to the problem either in the medium chosen or encoding or decoding or in some stages of the process.
Possible Remedies to the Barriers to Communication
Effective communication is a tool that can provide innumerable benefits within the workplace, at school and among interpersonal relationships. Despite the strongest communication skills, certain barriers such as defensiveness, underlying negativity or cultural roadblocks may limit the effectiveness of the message. Most of the above mentioned barriers can be overcome by the skilled communicator.
Obviously, bridging gaps in geography and communicating
through disabilities are a topic for a different discussion. Below, we will
look at some tools that can be used to bridge barriers in everyday communication.
1. Active Listening: Active listening is a skill that can be acquired and developed with practice. However, this skill can be difficult to master and will, therefore, take time and patience. Active listening means, as its name suggests, actively listening. That is fully concentrating on what is being said rather than just ‘hearing’ the message of the speaker. Active listening involves listening with all senses. As well as giving full attention to the speaker, it is important that the active listener is also seen to be listening otherwise the speaker may conclude that what they are talking about is uninteresting to the listener.
By providing this feedback the person speaking will usually feel more at ease and therefore communicate more easily, openly and honestly. There are both verbal and non-verbal cues that convey active listening.
Non-verbal signs include smiling (if appropriate), making eye contact, nodding at appropriate times, and avoiding distractions. These non-verbal cues convey the message that you are interested in what the speaker has to say, and that your attention is fully invested. Offering verbal signs of active listening can also be useful. Reflecting on something the speaker has said by asking a clarifying question is a terrific way to do this. Paraphrasing involves finding slightly different words to repeat the main idea of the speaker, and is also great way to show active listening.
2. Use Simple Language: It’s important to remember the audience that you’re speaking to, and use language that can be easily understood. Avoid using medical terminology or jargon when speaking to clients and their families. People are often intimidated by such language, and can be afraid to admit that they don’t understand the message being delivered. An important tool to use when speaking is to pause occasionally and ask questions to ensure that your message is being understood as intended. You may also allow the listener to ask questions to clarify any points.
3. Give Constructive Feedback: Remember that feedback was part of the communication chain we looked at on the first page. While the feedback that you give the speaker/sender may occasionally be negative, it is important that it be constructive in nature. The intent of the feedback should be to further the abilities of the speaker. This will strengthen the interpersonal relationship, and enhance future communications.
4. The psychological barriers caused by prejudice, preconceived notion, distrust of the communicator, misinterpretation of his intention etc can be solved by counteracting those prejudice.
5. As the source of the message, you need to be clear about why you're communicating, and what you want to communicate. You also need to be confident that the information you're communicating is useful and accurate.
6. Avoid cultural confusion: Be clear with the message and avoid using slang or unnecessary metaphors that may challenge or confuse a recipient from a different culture. Create a culture of communication that uses simple language where people of all backgrounds can participate. Celebrate the diversity of a global society by researching how the source culture best receives communication.
7. Difficult people can disrupt the line of communication in many ways. Unreasonable receivers have unrealistic expectations, extremely disagreeable recipients can have a negative effect and back-stabbers can attack the message while appearing to be supportive in person. Identify the type of difficult receiver and do not ignore their tactics. Create a plan to take control of their behavior with the underlying goal of always keeping ownership of the message. For example, corner negativity by restating a difficult person's opposition while inviting all receivers to offer feedback on a proposal. Unrealistic negativity will be brought down naturally as a group supports moving toward a goal.
8. The policy of the organization must be clear and explicit. It should be designed in such a way that it encourages communication flow. It should be easily understandable by all the levels. The policies for communication should be clear and should favor the promotion of communication in the organization. The policy should be able to specify the subject to be communicated to others. It means that the subject matter should be expressive enough to determine the needs of the organization rather than creating any confusion.
9. Communication through proper channel works out effectively. But the flow of communication in the orderly form should not be insisted upon every time. At times it can be ignored and not strictly followed in order to keep the functioning of the organization smooth and effective.
10. There should be an adequate facility of promoting communication in an organization. Proper attention should be given for the effective use of words and language. Superiors should take care of using supportive attitude methods and proper behavioral needs to overcome any embarrassing situation.
Communication Skills
1. Active listening
2. Friendliness
3. Communication method
4. Confidence
5. Giving out feedback
6. Quantity and clearness
7. Respect
8. Understanding
9. Receptiveness
10. Non-verbal cues
1. Active listening: Active listening means paying close attention to who you’re communicating with by engaging with them, asking questions and rephrasing. Practicing active listening can build respect with your coworkers and increase understanding in the workplace. As you actively listen, focus on the speaker, avoiding distractions like cell phones, laptops or other projects, and by preparing questions, comments or ideas to thoughtfully respond. Improve your active listening abilities by paying attention to other people’s facial expressions, body language and tone. Instead of preparing what you will say, focus on what the other person is saying and how they are saying it. If you need to clarify something, ask follow-up questions or rephrase what they’ve said to confirm that you understood them correctly.
2. Friendliness: Friendly traits like honesty and kindness can help foster trust and understanding when communicating at work. Try to communicate with a positive attitude, keep an open mind and ask questions to help you understand where they’re coming from. Small gestures such as asking someone how they’re doing, smiling as they speak or offering praise for work well done can help you foster productive relationships with colleagues and managers. You can practice friendliness by remembering small, thoughtful details about your coworkers or past conversations. For example, if a coworker tells you their child’s birthday is soon and you connect with them again later, you might ask them how the birthday party went.
3. Communication method: Using the right way to communicate is an important skill. There are benefits and disadvantages to talking through emails, letters, phone calls, in-person meetings or instant messages. Communicating is better when you consider your audience, what information you want to share and the best way to share it. For example, if you are communicating with a potential employer, it may be better to call them on the phone. In the workplace, you may find it’s easier to communicate complex information in person or via a video conference than by email. Building remote workplace friendships is easier when you can speak through instant messages.
4. Confidence: In the workplace, people are more likely to respond to ideas that are presented with confidence. There are many ways to appear confident, including by making eye contact when you’re addressing someone, sitting up straight with your shoulders open and preparing ahead of time so your thoughts are polished and you’re able to answer any questions. Confident communication is very useful on workplace.
5. Giving out feedback: Strong communicators can accept critical feedback and provide constructive input to others. Feedback should answer questions, provide solutions or help strengthen the project or topic at hand. Providing and accepting feedback is an essential workplace skill, as it can help both you and the people around you make meaningful improvements to their work and their professional development. A great way to learn how to give feedback is to take notes from others on the feedback they offer you. When you come across a well-explained piece of feedback, take some time to observe and analyze why it was good, why it resonated with you and how you might apply those skills in the future.
6. Quantity and clearness: When you are speaking, it’s important to be clear and audible. Adjusting your speaking voice so you can be heard in a variety of settings is a skill, and it’s critical to communicating effectively. Speaking too loudly may be disrespectful or awkward in certain settings. If you’re unsure, read the room to see how others are communicating. Another aspect of verbal communication is vocalic and tonality. This involves how your tone moves up and down, your pitch, your accent pattern and the spaces you place between phrases. Such details can be effective in communicating emotions and offer your audience insights into how your message should be interpreted.
7. Respect: A key aspect of respect is known when to initiate communication and respond. In a team or group setting, allowing others to speak without interruption is seen as a necessary communication skill tied to respectfulness. Respectfully communicating also means using your time with someone else wisely—staying on topic, asking clear questions and responding fully to any questions you’ve been asked.
8. Understanding: Having understanding means that you can not only know, but also share in the emotions of others. This communication skill is important in both team and one-on-one settings. In both cases, you will need to understand other people’s emotions and select an appropriate response. Understanding can help you acknowledge and diffuse their emotion. At the same time, being able to understand when someone is feeling positive and enthusiastic can help you get support for your ideas and projects.
Whether you’re returning a phone call or sending a reply to an email, fast communicators are viewed as more effective than those who are slow to respond.
9. Receptiveness: One method is to consider how long your reply will take. It may be a good idea to address it as soon as you see it. If it’s a more complex request or question, you can still acknowledge that you’ve received the message and let the other person know you will respond in full later.
10. Non-verbal cues: A great deal of communication happens through nonverbal cues such as body language, facial expressions and eye contact. When you’re listening to someone, you should be paying attention to what they’re saying as well as their nonverbal language. By the same measure, you should be conscious of your own body language when you’re communicating to ensure you’re sending appropriate cues to others.
What is communication?
Communication skills are abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of information. Though these skills may be a regular part of your day to day work life, communicating in a clear, effective and efficient way is an extremely special and useful skill. Leaning from great communicators around you and actively practicing ways to improve your communications over time will certainly support your efforts to achieve various personal and professional goals. Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing and empathizing. It is helps to understand the differences in how to communicate through face-to-face interactions, phone conversations and digital communications, like email and social media. Communication skills allow you to give and receive information. Practicing active listening can build respect with your coworkers and increase understanding in the workplace. As you actively listen, focus on the speaker, avoiding distractions like cell phones, laptops or other projects, and by preparing questions, comments or ideas to thoughtfully respond.
Types of Communication
Communication comes in four basic types. Below, we will look at the different types in depth.
1. Verbal Communication: This mode of communication relies on words to convey a message. This is the standard method of communicating that most of us use on a day-to-day basis, though we rarely use it without augmenting it with one of the other communication types. Other cues people use while communicating verbally include, tone, gestures, and body language. Verbal communication helps in expressing thoughts, emotions and sentiments. A phone conversation, chat with a friend, an announcement made, or a speech delivered are all verbal forms of communication. For most of us, it comes with ease. As children, we learned verbal communication through the sounds around us. We soon develop and start understanding the language which helps us to communicate verbally as we grow older.
Verbal communication is further divided into four subcategories:
a. Interpersonal Communication: This form of communication is extremely private and restricted to ourselves. It includes the silent conversations we have with ourselves, wherein we juggle roles between the sender and receiver who are processing our thoughts and actions. This process of communication when analyzed can either be conveyed verbally to someone or stay confined as thoughts.
b. Interpersonal Communication: This form of communication takes place between two individuals and is thus a one-on-one conversation. Here, the two individuals involved will swap their roles of sender and receiver in order to communicate in a clearer manner.
c. Small Group Communication: This type of communication can take place only when there are more than two people involved. Here the number of people will be small enough to allow each participant to interact and converse with the rest. Press conferences, board meetings, and team meetings are examples of group communication. Unless a specific issue is being discussed, small group discussions can become chaotic and difficult to interpret by everybody. This lag in understanding information completely can result in miscommunication.
d. Public Communication This type of communication takes place when one individual addresses a large gathering of people. Election campaigns and public speeches are example of this type of communication.
In such cases, there is usually a single sender of information and several receivers who are being addressed.
2. Non Verbal Communication Non-verbal communication is a process of communication without using words or sounds. Non-verbal communication uses gestures, body language, facial expressions, eye contact, clothing, tone of voice, and other cues to convey a message. Like verbal communication, this method of communicating is rarely used alone. Non-verbal communication could be considered like a spice we use when communicating to add a little flavor. You might raise your eyebrows emphatically when speaking to help make a point, or shake your finger at your child when you’re angry. These are all non-verbal cues that help convey a message.
3. Written Communication Written communication is the medium through which the message of the sender is conveyed with the help of written words. Letters, personal journals, e-mails, reports, articles, and memos are some forms of written communication. Unlike some other forms of communication, written messages can be edited and rectified before they are sent to the receiver, thereby making written communication an indispensable part of informal and formal communication. This form of communication encapsulates features of visual communication as well, especially when the messages are conveyed through electronic devices such as laptops, phones, and visual presentations that involve the use of text or words. | https://www.wefinder24.com/2021/12/what-are-communication-barriers.html |
Contents of training:
- Types of relationships
- Communication barriers and how to overcome them. Identify own communication barriers
- Identify and apply practical solutions to do away with these barriers
- Adaptation of the personal style of communication to the context and interlocutors
- Interpersonal roles
- The impact of communication in building a solid and high performance work team
- Potential methods of organizational communication. Correct and complete understanding of the structure of communication within an organization
- specific features of each of them and what are the desired organizational behaviours
- Role of communication
- Circumscription and undertaking personal role in the structure of organizational communication
- Identify strengths and weaknesses in the current organizational communication
- Identify and apply practical solutions to optimize organizational communication
- Impact on the groups within the organization
- Prepare a professional presentation – Active Listening
- Communication Styles: Passive, Aggressive, Assertive
○ The role of assertiveness in resolving interpersonal tense situations
○ Application of theoretical knowledge to solve interpersonal problems
○ Delimitation of advantages and disadvantages of each style of communication
○ Identify their own limits at the level of the two skills (active listening and assertiveness) and adopt optimizing solutions
○ Roles in the team (BELBIN)
○ Feedback as behavioural optimizing method
○ Assimilation and providing feedback: the required conditions and attitudes
○ STARS principle of providing feedback
○ Feedback implementation
○ Assessment of feedback effects – terms and tools
○ Adopting a new perspective on feedback – behavioural and attitudinal optimization method
○ Learning and practicing some functional tools for providing feedback
○ Self-assessment to identify responsiveness to feedback
○ Self-assessment to identify willingness to provide feedback
○ Practicing skills to support others in implementing feedback (optimization solutions)
○ propose own methods to assess and monitor feedback
Expected outcomes
Creating a harmonious open and stimulating organizational environment
Become aware of the fact that effective communication is a great tool for progress and continuous improvement of teamwork
Awareness and assuming the essential role that feedback as part of communication plays in motivation and personal development of the teams
Duration of training: 2 days, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. , with a break of 15 minutes after 1h 45 ‘ and 1/2 hour lunch break for lunch. | http://invasta.ro/?p=361&lang=en |
The communication is an important management function closely associated with all other managerial functions. Researchers develop theories to understand communication behaviors. The use of difficult words should be avoided. The discipline encompasses a range of topics, from face-to-face conversation to mass media outlets such as television broadcasting. This process involves two elements known as content and context.
Achieving organization goals: The main objective of communication is to help managers in achieving organization goals. Soliciting Suggestion: Soliciting suggestions from employees regarding certain aspects is another important objective of Business Communication. In business, in particular, there has been a kind of rapid evolution in terms of the channels of communication we use. The staff at all levels must be kept informed about the organisational objectives and other developments taking place in the organisation. Commands, directs, demands any of the above.
Designing is formed simple by communication. Sometimes it is also about play and getting people to open up and simmer down. This may result in failure of the communication process or cause an effect that is undesirable. Technical communication encompasses a wide range of documents that help businesses develop, manufacture, and market a product, and help consumers use the product. Most of the thousands of human languages use patterns of or for symbols which enable communication with others around them. Feedback: The purpose of communication are going to be defeated if feedback isn't taken from the receiver.
Coordination: It is through communication the efforts of all the workers operating within the organization are often coordinated for the accomplishment of the organizational goals. Channel There are countless different channels that you can use to send your message. Managers collect information from different sources and prepare and execute organizational plans through the help of communication. There is a considerable variety of views among self-identified communists, including Maoism, Trotskyism, council communism, Luxemburgism, and various currents of left communism, which are generally the more widespread varieties. The purposes or objectives of business communication can be discussed precisely through the follow points: Business Communication Objectives Warning and Notice: Warning and notice are given in special circumstances.
Feedback Your audience will likely as soon as it's seen or heard your message. No allowance for situational contexts. Principle of Adequacy : This implies that the information should be adequate and complete in all respect. Advice may be given on matters related to work or on personal matters if the relationship permits. The manager therefore has to spare time to collect, analyze and store the information for decision-making and routine day to day business.
This can be seen in both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. It is not limited to information about computer systems or programming. This helps them to understand each other better. This breakdown and comparison not only shows that there are many factors to communication between two specific genders but also room for improvement as well as established guidelines for all. Emotional Intelligence focuses on the ability to monitor ones own emotions as well as those of others. So, providing information to the Management to formulate and execute plans in another important objective of Communication. In the process, the job of managing the organization becomes harder and harder.
Clearly, it would be safer to simply state in the instructions that they are to be carried out by the Accounts Receivable Clerk. If you find that there has been a misunderstanding, try to adapt the message. As described in detail, there are three main aspects to consider: Is the message directed to someone or not? The office of superintendent of Public Instruction. Organizations are growing larger and larger by the day, with some of the largest in the world having hundreds of thousands of employees. Companies with limited resources may choose to engage in only a few of these activities, while larger organizations may employ a full spectrum of communications. The expertise of the sender of the message gets mirrored in it that the person at the receiving finish will learn by analyzing and understanding it.
Animal communication, and indeed the understanding of the animal world in general, is a rapidly growing field, and even in the 21st century so far, a great share of prior understanding related to diverse fields such as personal symbolic use, , and , and even , long thought to be well understood, has been revolutionized. Finally, put your message into context. The managers should grasp the concepts, thoughts, comments, reactions and attitudes of their subordinates and subordinates ought to grasp identical from very cheap level workers of their various departments. Language is the most important tool of verbal communication and it is the area where cultural difference play its role. Inconsistent messages always create chaos and confusion in the minds of people which is highly detrimental to the interest of the enterprise. Wants to know if time to go home.
It is also about allowing them to do it in a way that motivates the employees to work harder and better. However, most of communication was restricted to oral communication. How do we know what application to send the data to? These may be brought about, for example, by such factors as poor management, lack of consultation with employees, personality conflicts which can result in people delaying or refusing to communicate, the personal attitudes of individual employees which may be due to lack of motivation or dissatisfaction at work, brought about by insufficient training to enable them to carry out particular tasks, or simply resistance to change due to entrenched attitudes and ideas. During this manner he leads his individuals to accomplish the organizational goal. These dimensions are known as physical, informational, and cognitive. Assessment of social and communication skills for children with autism.
It is about a space of mutual responsibility between two individuals, it's about giving and receiving in a relationship. The purpose for which communication was used must be achieved. One challenge is that not all people wish to make decisions about issues or be informed of the various risks and benefits. This was first observed by Fuqua et al. It will also allow the communicator to tailor the communication especially the language used to the particular needs of the audience see also. Verbal communications channels include face-to-face meetings, telephone and videoconferencing. Planning Becomes Easy: Communication facilitates planning. | http://comicsstation.be/purpose-of-communication.html |
At some point during your career, you might need to give or receive feedback on the job. When you do it effectively, giving and receiving feedback is useful to a person's or company's growth. In this article, we discuss what effective feedback is, how to give it, how to receive it and examples to use in the workplace.
What is effective feedback?
Effective feedback is a way of giving input that can be positive (such as a compliment), negative (such as a corrective measure) or neutral (such as a general observation), but it is always useful to the receiver. It provides recipients with insight or suggestions that contribute to desired outcomes. If you want to give effective feedback, you should aim to be supportive, encouraging and specific on the direction that's needed to change, improve or continue actions and performance.
Related: The Importance of Giving Employees Constructive Feedback With Examples and Tips
Why is giving and receiving feedback important in the workplace?
Giving and receiving feedback in the workplace is important to change behaviors, improve productivity and evaluate performance. Employees and their managers need to know what they are doing well and areas in which they could do better so they know what to keep doing or what to change. The idea is to challenge yourself and your colleagues to keep performing at a higher level.
Other reasons to give and receive feedback in the workplace include:
Inspiring growth: Employees gain a new perspective when receiving feedback on how their behaviors impact those around them.
Giving people purpose: Feedback helps people feel useful and valued by reminding them what they do matters.
Improving employee engagement: According to one study, employees are more likely to get involved in the workplace if they receive feedback at least once a week.
Nurturing and solidifying working relationships: Communication channels are open when giving or receiving peer-to-peer feedback, which can help to resolve problems before they become unmanageable.
How to give feedback in the workplace
Knowing how to give effective feedback is an important skill for the workplace. Here's how to give effective feedback:
Know your purpose. To keep things positive and constructive, it helps to have a good reason to give feedback. Be aware of the result you are hoping to achieve and provide feedback from a place of genuine concern, desire to coach or guide your colleague and commitment to support and watch them grow.
Focus on behavior and not the person. Feedback should target behaviors and not how someone looks, thinks, who they are or what they believe. It's important to avoid making comments directed at personality, intelligence or other personal identifiers and instead keep the conversation pointed at the situation needing discussion.
Focus on how the behavior affected you. The important thing is to only address how you feel or what you like or don't like and avoid speaking for others or about your opinion on what their intentions might have been. For example, you can let the person know that when they did or said something, it made you feel a certain way.
Ask questions. By starting the conversation with questions, you invite the other person into the discussion. Asking questions also gives you an opportunity to assess their understanding of the situation and hear their point of view.
Be specific. Using specific, detailed examples helps the receiver to create a clear understanding of what the situation is and what behaviors they need to change or continue. Also, when you are specific, the conversation focuses on the exact problem or circumstance that needs addressing.
Be timely. Feedback is most useful when you give it as soon as possible after a certain behavior occurs. Addressing issues earlier on offers transparency and gives someone the chance to immediately put in place necessary behaviors to improve efforts moving forward. Additionally, issuing timely praise reinforces positive performance.
Be aware of the moment. The best time to deliver feedback is not when emotions are high. It's best to wait for a moment when the receiver is more open to hearing feedback and you are in the right emotional state to give it in a constructive and helpful manner.
Related: Best Practices for Giving Constructive Feedback
How to receive feedback in the workplace
Learning how to receive feedback is just as important as giving feedback to continue your growth within the workplace. It is a skill that you can develop with practice. Here are some ways to accept constructive feedback:
Ask for feedback often. If you ask for feedback, it eliminates the surprise when you receive it, so you can be more open to using the advice given to learn and improve. Ask open-ended questions from those you trust and who can accurately evaluate your work performance. Some opportune times to ask for feedback might be at the start of new employment and after you complete a project, give a presentation or attend or host a meeting.
Be receptive to constructive feedback. Try to use all forms of feedback positively. Think of ways to change your behavior that might lead to better results. If you are unsure of where to start, ask for suggestions.
Take time to process the feedback. You might need some time to reflect on what you heard before you can make the necessary changes. Try to listen intently to the feedback given and process it thoroughly by writing it down and using it to create goals. This tactic is also useful in tracking your progress for improvement.
Be willing to grow. Think of feedback as an opportunity to grow rather than criticism about your current performance. Growth helps you to improve, advance and achieve goals.
Own your mistakes and move forward. Success involves learning from your setbacks, too. Acknowledge that you made a mistake, forgive yourself and decide to try things differently moving forward.
Be thankful for the feedback. Thank the person who offered you feedback to show them you not only listened and understood, but you also accept what they've said. Try to share your ideas for improvement when needed to assure them that you really plan to consider their advice and work on implementing changes. By voicing your appreciation, you show others that you welcome feedback, and they will be more willing to approach you in the future.
Examples of constructive feedback
There's a method for giving feedback used by many businesses called the Rosenberg Nonviolent Communication method that includes the following four steps or ideas:
Observations: This is what “I” observe and what “you” observe that does not contribute to the other person's well-being.
Feelings: This is how “I” feel and how “you” feel based on observations.
Needs: This is what “I” need and what “you” need that influences your feelings.
Requests: The requests should be clear and include concrete actions without demanding.
The thought behind this method is to clearly express how you are without blaming or criticizing or to empathetically receive input about how you are without hearing blame or criticism. In practice, it might look like the following:
Giving feedback: “When you come late to meetings, it makes me feel frustrated. I need to feel respected and appreciated as a colleague, and the company needs you to be reliable. Would you be willing to keep a daily calendar to ensure your punctuality to important meetings?”
Receiving feedback: “When I do not ensure that you have the resources needed to complete your tasks, I understand you feel discouraged and it slows your production. You need to have all the necessary tools to do your job well. Would you like me to order you some additional supplies to complete this project?”
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The art of feedback: How to give and receive a constructive evaluation for better results
Feedback is a necessary and very valuable tool for the cohesion and smooth functioning of any team. Used correctly, it has a motivating role for the team members.
On the other hand, providing feedback at an inopportune moment can shake the trust within the group, affecting the individual motivation of each employee. Therefore, providing feedback is an art that must be handled with care, as well as receiving it.
Summary
- The art of feedback: The psychology behind a negative evaluation
- How to give and receive feedback: Useful tips for positive results
1. The art of feedback: The psychology behind a negative evaluation
Constructive feedback encourages free communication.
Organizations that use such methods are usually very productive and have more beneficial policies for employees. The most important thing in giving and receiving feedback is that it does not cause negative reactions.
Team members respond positively when they receive instructions that they understand.
Clear and honest feedback helps them to be more confident at their job - when you give the other person a constructive opinion, you turn a dull conversation about performance into a concrete plan of action. According to research, 92% of participants acknowledged that employer feedback helps them get better at what they do.
Formulating and addressing feedback is an art because most of the time the receiver might internalize and react to negative feedback through various emotions and feelings if not addressed correctly.
One of the guiding principles of the human brain is to minimize threats and maximize rewards.
When someone receives negative feedback, it can be associated with a threatening stimulus, and in such situations, people can generate 3 types of automatic responses:
- Fight - a defensive reaction
- Flight - avoidant behavior
- Freeze - anxiety or lack of communication.
These 3 types of responses trigger strong physiological reactions and are generated by psychological fear. Fear is conditioned, which means that it is associated with a situation or thing that has generated a negative experience.
The psychological response is initiated when first exposed to such a situation and develops over time, depending on how it’s addressed.
2. How to give and receive feedback: Useful tips for positive results
If you are giving feedback it is preferable for it to be continuous and constructive. It is important to build a relationship based on trust with your team members so that you can provide feedback in a positive manner.
Try to keep these tips in mind as you refine your feedback strategy:
- Focus on the company’s culture and values
Continuous performance evaluation is becoming more and more a common business practice - colleagues will no longer perceive it as a daunting procedure they have to go through every three months or every year. Talking to them about their work or giving them a brief opinion about a project shows them that you care and that you are there for them.
The open attitude towards feedback shows a culture in which communication becomes a tool for improvement.
- Be honest!
In order to provide valuable feedback, you need to lead the conversation so that you can say exactly what you think. The purpose is not to focus on the bad things or to make your colleague doubt their work.
Remember: your mission is commendable.
You do this to help them learn, evolve and understand what success means. Part of this conversation is to make team members aware of their results and focus more on what could be improved.
- Think like a coach
Be authentic when giving advice! Put yourself in the receiver’s place and think about ways that you would like to be given such an evaluation. Create the right framework for an open dialogue by referring to the obstacles and challenges you have encountered yourself in your career.
This will send a positive message to team members by knowing they are being understood and their work respected.
If you are receiving feedback, there are a few things to take into account if you want to learn and grow within the company:
- Try not to get defensive
When receiving criticism or negative feedback, people tend to react and block any other constructive information coming to them. The idea is to stay calm, listen and leave your defensive behavior behind.
Wait until the person has finished what they had to say, ask for clarification or examples, and make sure you perceive the message in a constructive manner.
- Don't rush into giving an answer
It’s only natural to feel like defending yourself - it's your body's reaction to the threat. The feedback that conflicts with self-image can produce disorientation and emotional imbalance. But the way you perceive and respond to feedback is a constant process of self-knowledge and self-control.
When you don’t rush into giving an answer you allow the "fight, flight, freeze" mode to withdraw and give the reins to the analytical brain that is more receptive to feedback.
Zoom out and then find a good time to outline a response to feedback.
- Be open-minded!
Try to stay receptive!
The person giving you feedback may also be in an awkward position. You don't have to agree with what you are being told, you just have to show that you are open to conversation. It helps you understand the points of your feedback and gives you the opportunity to come up with some ideas and solutions.
Remember that attitude makes a difference, and if you show that you are open-minded and ready to learn from mistakes, you can turn a negative experience into a positive one for your personal career goals.
Organizations that promote an environment based on open discussions and constant feedback from all team members, regardless of position and hierarchy, are aiming for success. Highlighting issues in a gentle manner and providing a strategy for the future can help colleagues develop their skills and better understand the company's mission.
Therefore, a feedback strategy is essential for achieving short and long-term goals, and it must be on both fronts - employees should have the opportunity to share and communicate their vision as well.
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Request a demo and start your Mirro journey now! | https://mirro.io/blog/feedback/the-art-of-feedback-how-to-give-and-receive-a-constructive-evaluation-for-better-results |
A gentleman orders a coffee in a crowded cafe. The young woman in line behind him shoots a withering look at the rambunctious toddler tugging on her coat. From the radio blares an advertisement for a one-day sale at the mall. At a nearby table, a deaf couple signs to each other, while a teenager in the corner busily texts a friend on his cell phone. These situations all have one thing in common. They all involve communication.
Communication is the act of conveying information for the purpose of creating a shared understanding. It’s something that humans do every day. The word “communication” comes from the Latin “communis,” meaning “to share,” and includes verbal, non-verbal and electronic means of human interaction. Scholars who study communication analyze the development of communication skills in humans and theorize about how communication can be made more effective.
Humans convey information through a variety of methods: speaking, telephones, email, blogs, TV, art, hand gestures, facial expressions, body language and even social contexts. Communication can occur instantaneously in closed, intimate settings or over great periods of time in large public forums, like the Internet. However, all forms of communication require the same basic elements: a speaker or sender of information, a message, and an audience or recipient. The sender and recipient must also share a common language or means of understanding each other for communication to be successful. As such, a study of communication often examines the development and structure of language, including the mathematical languages used in computer programming.
The act of communicating draws on several interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. These include speaking, listening, observing, questioning, processing, analyzing and evaluating. Recipients of a message must be able to identify the sender’s intent, take into account the message’s context, resolve any misunderstandings, accurately decode the information and decide how to act on it. Such skills are essential to learning, forming healthy relationships, creating a sense of community and achieving success in the workplace.
As a field of study, communication spans a broad, rich array of subjects, including sociology, psychology, philosophy, political science, linguistics, history, literature, criticism and rhetoric. Although much of the field’s subject matter is theoretical in nature, communication studies have proven applicable to business, film, theater, composition, advertising, education, foreign policy and computer science.
In today’s globalized, media-driven world, communication studies have become more relevant and exciting than ever. Web developers seek new, inventive ways to draw Internet users to their websites. Public policy writers debate society’s most pressing issues. Through linguistics, computer scientists are developing programming languages that may someday allow humans to interact directly with computers. Students who earn degrees in communication often hold highly influential positions as journalists, editors, university professors, public relations officers, marketing consultants, speech writers, filmmakers, motivational speakers and political campaign managers. To communicate is to shape the world.
Interested in studying communication? Learn more about the communication major here.
Mass communication is a two way method. It involves the source and the receiver and there must be feedback to show that communication is successful.
Communication is the transmission of information from one source to the other where feedback is given.
Communication is an act of sending and receiving a message from one particular place to another.
Communication is a way to transmit an idea, message, opinion, information, or facts to create a meaningful picture.
That is right….! I got “communication” for home work and i am trying to find more about it can you give more specific definition! Please and thank you!
Communication is the encoding, decoding and feedback of information through various media such as: radio, written letters, verbal or spoken, non verbal…….
communication is the means by which two or more people interact, discuss, negotiate and exchange information.
Communication is the process of using verbal and nonverbal cues to transact mutually understood meanings between two or more people within a particular context and environment.
communication is the exchange of ideas,opinions or facts etc between two or more than two persons.
Communication is transfering of information from one or more people to another to ensure understanding at the recieving end.
communication is a field of information and mathematics that studies the technical process of information and the human process of human communication.
According to Albert T Craig, “there is not a field that study that can be identified as communication theory”.
Communication is the process of exachanging information,ideas,knowledge ect,through a medium,so that the information or idear or knowledge is understood by everyone concerned.
Communication is the way of sharing ideas, thought and information by the use of symbol.
I to find this topic to be actually something that I think I might by no means understand.
I am having a look ahead in your next submit, I’ll try to get the cling of it!
Communication is a bridge which peoples use to cross the river of mis-understanding between one and another regardless with their position, be it written, unwritten, verbal, jesters, symbols, etc.
Communication is the transfer of information from one/more persons to the other and those at the receiving end understands it.
It the activity of senting effective messages from one person to another which have mutual understanding or meaning.
Communication is the process of mutual sharing of information and emotion between a source and a receiver for mutual understanding.
Communication is the exchange of information between two or more persons for the purpose of bringing about common understanding.
communication is nothing but exchange of information,facts,emotions and opinions………..
It can be done by 10 different ways.
Never we forget or underestimate the relevance of language in communication. Those involved in communicating must understand each other’s language, otherwise there’s no communication at all, letall the skills and techniques be gathered. Language is powerful.
Communication Is an exchange Of facts, ideas, options, or emotions by two or more person.
Communication is the art of sharing information between the source and the receiver using either verbal or non~verbal means….
Informatn is the sum of all the ideas,messages,opinons & facts meant to be expressed.
Communication is also the sharing of information and bringing people together in understanding..
The term ‘communication’ has derived from Latin Word, “Communist”, which means ‘Common’.
Communication has been derived from the latin word ‘communis’ which means ‘to share’ or ‘belonging to all’.
Communication is a process of sending and receiving information…..
communication is the process of changing informations or ideas from one place to another or one place to another.The communication can be done through verbally or non-verbally.
communication is a beautiful course to pursue. in my own understanding it is the conveying of a clear message and receiving an uninterrupted feedback.
Communication is the process of passing information by the sender to the receiver with the information been understood by the receiver. It is is a process were by organized activities is been unified, behavior is modifies, change is affected, information is made, procidious and goal is achieved.
Communication is a means of passing an information signal from source (sender) to a recipient (receiver) in such a way that the message is understood.
communication is the act of interaction,sharing ideas and information between two peoples.
Communication is just like conveying an information to the other person!
communication is everyday to day living that helps create relationships with the people around us it is not just verbal it can be sign language, body language and other ways.
Communication is a process of exchanging information through certain verbal or non verbal means between two or more person for mutual understanding.
Communication is a act or process of transferring knowledge or information from one plece to another with shearing understanding, It mean that from sender to resever, from teacher to their student, from leader to their people on yhe specific areas.
Communication is a skill or act of one way or two way in which we can exchange our ideas, thoughts in between two particles .
Communication is not a simple act of transferring the ideas or point of view ..It is a process of understanding the process and feelings of human beings.
.It is a process of understanding the process and feelings of human beings.
Communication is simply summarized to be a means of taking in of information, evaluate, accept and give out of facts. | https://www.communicationstudies.com/what-is-communication |
Communication and coordination among all team members in high-risk domains are critical to successful human performance. The field of Crew Resource Management (CRM) was developed to provide a mechanism for improving communication and team situational awareness within aviation in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The basic building blocks of CRM include emphasizing teamwork and strategy, developing and understanding situational awareness, and improving interpersonal communication. Like aviation, the healthcare industry involves considerable coordination among many people, is constantly adapting to changing conditions, and has the potential for high consequences for communication errors.
The complex tasks involved in most healthcare procedures can introduce communication risks, such as role confusion within the team, interruptions, noise, and handovers. CRM provides a defined framework for addressing the underlying causes of communication problems and managing the consequences of these problems. Healthcare CRM team training involves defining the team, understanding basic human factors, and applying the knowledge to case studies and eventually the workplace. CRM provides guidance to individuals, teams, and organizations.
Consistent Communication
Many hospitals have implemented checklists to guide team communication before, during, and after medical procedures. The checklist promotes team situation awareness to ensure all steps are completed before moving on. Both doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff are trained to use checklists to verify the patient’s information. Within each team, team leaders are assigned to brief the team and to introduce members to each other. The team leader will foster situational awareness while observing the team work. Team leaders watch and listen to other team members regardless of seniority or rank and verify that communication is clear and concise.
Everyone Has a Voice
A key benefit of CRM is that it provides a voice to all team members, even those who might not have been given a voice under traditional workplace hierarchies. Appropriate communication techniques are designed to allow any team member to question superiors without fear of retribution. Studies on CRM in healthcare have found associations between better nurse-physician communication, collaboration and more positive patient outcomes, i.e., lower mortality, higher satisfaction, and lower readmission rates.
Impact on Human Performance
Improving patient safety and promoting positive patient outcomes have always been the goal of the healthcare industry. Most CRM programs have focused on reducing communication mistakes to improve patient safety. Improvements have directly impacted many areas of patient safety including pre-op or anesthesia hand-off, communication to management, debrief and follow up. Specific efforts have involved the inclusion of pre-procedure briefings, soliciting feedback from all team members, improving management awareness, and eliminating the fear of retribution for voicing concerns. Additional individual job satisfaction benefits have also been reported by providing clearly defined roles to each team member and giving each team member a voice to impact patient safety. Nurses have been the strongest advocates of CRM. Nurses report a higher level of respect from doctors after CRM. Job satisfaction is elevated as nurses believe their input is more valued by the doctor.
The Way Forward
Clear, consistent communication is a critical factor in ensuring successful human performance in high-consequence areas like health care. An effective Crew Resource Management program is an essential tool for the healthcare environment to increase patient safety, human performance, worker satisfaction, and overall communication. | http://www.forthillgroup.com/all-blog-entries/2015/9/18/crew-resource-management-for-healthcare |
Digital transformation has become increasingly important for businesses in today’s technology-driven world. As organizations strive to remain competitive, they must stay ahead of the curve in adopting and utilizing digital solutions. The key to success lies in having a well-crafted digital transformation strategy.
This blog post will cover the seven key elements of a successful digital transformation strategy and how to incorporate them into your organization. Understanding and mastering these elements can help ensure that your organization is able to make the most of its digital transformation efforts.
Digital transformation is an increasingly popular concept among businesses, as more and more organizations recognize the need to modernize their processes and leverage the latest technology to stay ahead of the competition. However, digital transformation is not just about implementing new technologies—it is also about transforming the way your business works, from top to bottom. A successful digital transformation strategy must incorporate a number of key elements to ensure that the transformation is successful.
In this blog post, we will take a look at 6 key elements of a successful digital transformation strategy.
Here are The 6 Key Elements of a Successful Digital Transformation Strategy:
1) Customer experience
When it comes to digital transformation, customer experience is the most important element. Customers should be put first in any digital transformation strategy. Companies need to consider how their services or products are presented to customers and how customers interact with their business.
This means taking into account customer feedback, user experience, customer preferences and expectations, and providing a seamless journey for customers. Companies should strive to make their customers’ journey as easy and enjoyable as possible. To accomplish this, companies should use analytics, such as customer segmentation, to identify the needs and preferences of their target customer base. Furthermore, companies should leverage customer feedback to create a more personalized and engaging experience.
2) Data
Data is an essential element of any digital transformation strategy, as it provides valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences. This information can then be used to drive improvements in customer experience, operational processes and business models.
Data can also be used to measure the success of a digital transformation initiative, by tracking key performance indicators such as customer satisfaction, revenue growth, cost savings and process optimization. To effectively capture and analyze data, organizations need to invest in tools that enable real-time analysis, reporting and visualization.
3) Operational Processes
Operational processes are the core of a successful digital transformation. Processes are the backbone that keeps an organization running and enables it to provide value to customers. Digital transformation requires streamlining existing processes, introducing automation, and exploring new process models that take advantage of new technologies.
Businesses must have an understanding of the existing processes and how they are connected in order to develop a comprehensive digital transformation strategy. This includes understanding how decisions are made, how employees interact with customers, and how internal systems communicate with each other. It is also important to consider any legacy systems or process steps that might be preventing the organization from making necessary changes.
4) Business Model
When it comes to digital transformation, the most important thing is to have a clear business model in mind. Digital transformation requires businesses to rethink and reinvent their business models. A successful digital transformation strategy will take into account the entire customer journey and how technology can be used to improve efficiency, provide better customer service, and create new revenue streams.
The key is to look beyond current capabilities and reimagine the way you do business. This means embracing new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, to automate processes and gain greater insights from data. It also means finding innovative ways to reach customers, such as using social media or building an app.
5) Technologies
One of the key elements of a successful digital transformation strategy is technologies. Technologies play a vital role in enabling digital transformation by providing the platform for your business processes to operate on. This includes both hardware and software components such as cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, IoT, and robotics.
Cloud computing can help you create a distributed system that enables scalability, collaboration, and flexibility. Big data allows organizations to capture, store, analyze and make sense of large volumes of data quickly and efficiently. Artificial intelligence (AI) can automate tedious tasks and provide improved insights that can drive better decisions. IoT devices can connect different systems, while robotics provide the ability to automate manual tasks and improve accuracy.
6) Communication
Effective communication is essential for any successful digital transformation strategy. It is important to create an open and transparent dialogue between all stakeholders throughout the process. This will help everyone stay informed of changes, objectives, and progress.
Effective communication should include a mix of different mediums. This could include emails, conference calls, video conferencing, and face-to-face meetings. Additionally, having a centralized place where information can be shared (such as a project management tool) can be beneficial.
It is also important to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of their responsibilities during the process. Everyone should have a clear understanding of the tasks they need to complete, the timeline they need to meet, and who they need to communicate with.
Conclusion
Digital transformation is a key element for businesses to remain competitive and successful in the modern age. However, implementing a successful digital transformation strategy requires careful consideration of various aspects such as customer experience, data, operational processes, business models, technologies, and communication. Microsoft application development services can help businesses navigate this complex process, helping them to create and execute the best strategies for their particular business. With the right digital transformation strategy in place, businesses will be well-positioned to grow and succeed in the digital economy. | https://janebrewer16.livepositively.com/6-key-elements-of-a-successful-digital-transformation-strategy/ |
What are three elements of effective communication? What makes someone a good communicator? There’s no mystery here, not since Aristotle identified the three critical elements — ethos, pathos, and logos.
What are the 3 elements of communication? Every human communication interaction, be it face-to-face, written, by telephone, or by other means, has three critical components: Sending Communication, Receiving Communication and Feedback.
What are the 3 effective communication? When communication occurs, it typically happens in one of three ways: verbal, nonverbal and visual.
What are the 7 process of communication? Seven major elements of communication process are: (1) sender (2) ideas (3) encoding (4) communication channel (5) receiver (6) decoding and (7) feedback. The communication process is dynamic in nature rather than a static phenomenon.
What are three elements of effective communication? – Related Questions
What are the 10 elements of communication?
This model has been built up upon ten clearly explained elements that are as follows: 1) Sender; 2) Objective; 3) Message; 4) Dispatching; 5) Time-Place Factor; 6) Medium; 7) Reception; 8) Receiver; 9) Understanding; and 10) Response.
What are the 7 features of an effective communication?
According to the seven Cs, communication needs to be: clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete and courteous. In this article, we look at each of the 7 Cs of Communication, and we’ll illustrate each element with both good and bad examples.
What is the most effective communication?
Verbal communication makes the conveying of thoughts faster and easier and is the most successful methods of communication. However, it makes up just 7% of all the human communication.
What is an effective communication for you?
The effective communication includes not just the way you use the words but also covers several other skills such as, non-verbal communication, ability to understand your own emotions as well as of the other person with whom you are communicating, engaged listening, ability to speak assertively, etc.
What are the 3 basic purposes of communication?
There are three purposes for a message: inform, persuade or goodwill.
What are the 8 stages of communication process?
Note that the communication process involves eight basic elements- source (sender), encoding, message, transmission channel, receiver, decoding, noise, and feedback.
What are the 2 types of communication?
Communication can be categorized into three basic types: (1) verbal communication, in which you listen to a person to understand their meaning; (2) written communication, in which you read their meaning; and (3) nonverbal communication, in which you observe a person and infer meaning.
What are the 9 Elements of communication?
The 9 elements of communication (Context, Sender, Encoder, Message, Channel, Decoder, Receiver, Feedback, and Noise) are essential tools or components for effective communication between sender and receiver.
What are the 5 process of communication?
The communication process has five steps: idea formation, encoding, channel selection, decoding and feedback. Anything that interferes with clear communication is called noise. Noise can interfere with each step of the communication process.
What is the most important element of communication?
An important point to remember is that when communication is only verbal the most important element of communication… body language…is left out. If the communication is written, then both body language and voice inflection are left out.
What is an effective communication?
Effective Communication is defined as the ability to convey information to another effectively and efficiently. Business managers with good verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills help facilitate the sharing of information between people within a company for its commercial benefit.
How would you describe an effective communication?
An effective communicator is someone who conveys their message thoroughly and is receptive and responsive to others’ input. Those who are strong communicators speak in a clear, direct manner, using easily understood language.
What are 2 methods of effective communication?
The standard methods of communication are speaking or writing by a sender and listening or reading the receiver. Most communication is oral, with one party speaking and others listening.
What does effective communication look like?
“Good communication is frequent, focused, tailored and has some mechanism to make it a dialogue, rather than a monologue,” he explains. Being able to think about the point of view of others is key. One regular communication mistake is to believe everyone knows what we know. Instead, they communicate with clarity.”
What are the four needs of communication?
According to Thorson and Duffy, every instance of media use is motivated by a communication need, so their organizing framework begins with four basic communication needs: connectivity, information, entertainment, and shopping. How do newspapers fare in this environment?
What are the four main objectives of communication?
The four main goals of communication are: •To inform •To request •To persuade •To build relationships The Tao of communication: Effective communication achieves a balance between the sender of information and the receiver of information.
What is the first enemy of communication?
Explanation: The correct statement is: Noise is the first and foremost enemy of communication. Every possible effort must be made to eliminate the element of noise that distorts communication.
What is cycle of communication?
What is a communication cycle exactly? It basically involves the conveying and receiving of messages between two individuals or entities in an easy-to-understand format. Talking and even listening are all methods of communication.
What is effective communication and why is it important?
Communication is one of the essential social skills required for any individual to survive in the world. Effectively communicating ensures that you not only convey your message to someone but also let them know about your feelings and emotions.
What are the 5 basic purposes of communication?
Communication serves five major purposes: to inform, to express feelings, to imagine, to influence, and to meet social expectations.
What are the learning objectives of effective communication?
Apply appropriate communication skills across settings, purposes, and audiences. Demonstrate knowledge of communication theory and application. Practice critical thinking to develop innovative and well-founded perspectives related to the students’ emphases. Build and maintain healthy and effective relationships. | https://desparasitar.com/what-are-three-elements-of-effective-communication/ |
When Global Action Project (G.A.P.) undertook a strategic planning process several years ago, we were challenged to increase our impact as a social justice media arts organization. Since then, we’ve experimented with ways to ensure our values are reflected in both our vibrant youth programming and in daily organizational practices.
Fostering a new culture of affirmation
The most important of these – authentic collaboration and communication – have resulted in the emergence of a culture of critique and affirmation, known as CoCA. As a process, CoCA supports constructive, critical, honest and relevant feedback to improve practice and build capacity. CoCA is about slowing down and making time (lots of it) for the kind of critical reflection, affirmation, and trust-building that leads to organizational resilience.
Responding to internal and external challenges
CoCA addresses internal and external challenges. Externally, the world tends to endorse the activities of individuals versus collectives, which means it takes additional effort to build relationships that allow for new ideas to emerge, be genuinely heard and valued, and if set aside, the understanding they’ve been respectfully engaged. Individuals don’t often hear affirmation from peers, which is essential to building confidence. This is especially true for those already grappling with powerful, oppressive institutionalized/internalized forces like racism, sexism, and homophobia.
Strengthening our team through healthy communication
As one educator reflected, “We’re often told to look at how we don’t measure up. Giving ourselves positive affirmation can be difficult for a lot of people. But it creates a sense of community. We should practice acknowledging what we do well and what we have to offer to others.” Internally, G.A.P. spends so much time critiquing the work that it is easy to miss the smaller victories that feed us. As an intergenerational community of artists who recognize storytelling as self-determination, enacting a vision for change begins with our own healthy communication.
The 4 I’s
A fundamental part of staff retreats, professional development, evaluations of meetings, events and programs, CoCA has four components for giving and receiving constructive feedback. Called the 4 I’s, and adapted from Social Justice Leadership, they are:
- Intent – Be clear about why you are giving feedback – what is the goal?
- Incident – Be specific, stick to events that took place, actions taken
- Impact – Use “I” statements; don’t make assumptions
- Improvement – Explore possibilities; negotiate a resolution, no ultimatums; hear other perspectives as relevant to future situations
Using these principles, CoCA offers structure for a constant practice of transparent, honest communication.
Developing authentic relationships
CoCA is a shift away from a previous practice of standard critique and of assumed trust in our conversations. Instead, we have an active, bold culture in which providing feedback, and being open to hearing it allows us to push through obstacles, change, and conflict. We build authentic relationships, and don’t assume they are present because we work together. CoCA is the new norm. Now, when a youth asks for feedback or wants to provide it, they say, “Let’s CoCA,” and we know something good will happen.
Changing organizational culture is a collective effort
Making organizational culture a priority given the break-neck speed of non-profit life is not easy; ultimately, implementing CoCA took nearly two years as we piloted, set aside, re-examined, and finally committed to making it a custom of staff retreats, closing out staff meetings, and integrated it into youth training programming as a team-building technique. CoCA gained momentum once educators witnessed what it did for group dynamics and deeper youth relationships. It continues to change as staff and youth amend and adapt it as a means of communicating with each other and the wider world.
About Global Action Project
Global Action Project (G.A.P.) is an acclaimed media arts organization that brings young people together to participate in high-quality media arts and leadership programming. Our mission is to work youth most affected by injustice to build the knowledge, tools, and relationships needed to create media for community power, cultural expression, and political change. For nearly two decades, low-income and working class youth of color, many of who identify as new immigrants or as members of the LGBT community, have come to G.A.P. to build community with other young artists, gain critical thinking skills, discover new perspectives, and speak their minds. Working together over the course of many months, they produce multi-genre social issue media that speak to and shape the artistic and cultural life of New York City. Recently, their work was recognized with a 2010 National Arts & Humanities Youth Program award bestowed by First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House.
G.A.P. has a small, dedicated staff of media educators who teach programs with up to 75 young New Yorkers every year who, in turn, reach audiences of more than 275,000 through screenings, online venues, live events and broadcasts. Youth have created over 130 videos on topics such as education, immigration, and gender/sexuality, and their work regularly gets national awards and acceptance into festivals across the world. Over 800 organizers have been trained in G.A.P.’s unique methods through its Media in Action institute. | http://www.artsfwd.org/submission-of-excellence-global-action-project/ |
At Olivers Mill, we operate a Quality Management System which is certified BS EN ISO 9001:2015. This includes all aspects specific to the provision of cleaning and general office maintenance, and associated support services. The management team is committed to continual improvement of their services and the enhancement of the satisfaction of their clients.
One of the most critical aspects of ensuring the successful management of any cleaning contract is strong, clear communication. If this can be achieved at the beginning then both client and contractor can work together in a positive and constructive way.
We consider client relationships and contract feedback essential for ongoing success, and therefore recommend regular contract review meetings. Your Account Manager will book these meetings at a time and date convenient to you, enabling contract performance and any other issues to be discussed. Your Operations Manager will visit your site at pre-determined intervals, or as often as is required by the nature of the works. During these visits a full review of the cleaning operation will be carried out, ensuring ongoing monitoring of standards.
At Olivers Mill we believe our management team are of the highest calibre in the industry. We invest time in identifying talent within our company to ensure we attract the best to the management roles. With an on-going investment in technology, training and work life balance, we aim to find the best people and ensure that we retain them.
With the introduction of elogbooks we have an in-house works management system to manage our portfolio of works, giving accurate feedback to our clients, accountability throughout the company and transparency throughout the contract whatever service we provide. | http://www.oliversmill.co.uk/quality/management-systems |
Today’s organizations are increasingly focused on leveraging the strengths of their management teams to drive strategic objectives and maximize organizational performance. As such, it is important for managers to be aware of both the strengths and weaknesses of their skills and abilities. This post will provide an overview of the most common strengths and weaknesses of management in today’s organizations. We will explore the different types of strengths and weaknesses, provide examples, and provide tips for how managers can maximize their strengths and manage their weaknesses. Understanding the most common strengths and weaknesses of management can help managers become more effective in their roles and provide them with the skills necessary to achieve success.
What Are Your STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES? | TOP-SCORING Answers to this Tough INTERVIEW QUESTION!
Weaknesses of management
Managers frequently have areas of improvement that they can focus on to enhance both their performance and the morale of their teams. The following are management flaws that are frequently acknowledged that you could try to strengthen:
Commitment to excellence
Because they have high standards and are dedicated to producing quality work, managers frequently advance into leadership positions. They achieve and exceed goals and results. They also know how to maximize the performance of their team members and make the best use of their skills and strengths.
Communication
For managers to give clear instructions, discuss projects, and prevent misunderstandings, they must possess strong written and verbal communication skills. In order to promote improvement, they should also frequently provide their staff with constructive criticism. However, some managers need to work on their communication skills to become effective leaders because they don’t come naturally to them.
What are manager weaknesses?
Manager weaknesses are traits that can reduce the effectiveness of how you manage your team. Poorly developed skills, traits, and behaviors that have a negative impact on management are examples of manager weaknesses. Knowing your managerial weaknesses will help you work to overcome them and turn them into strengths. This can boost team productivity, boost employee morale, and enhance the working environment.
Poor communication
One top weakness for managers is poor communication. Since managers are in charge of giving instructions and feedback to their staff, writing reports, and other communication-intensive tasks, they must have strong communication skills. Giving and receiving feedback, as well as enrolling in communication courses, can help you improve your communication abilities.
1 Not building relationships
Another flaw that managers may have is a lack of relationship-building with their staff. Building relationships with your staff will help you foster a positive work environment and increase employee engagement.
By communicating with your staff frequently, providing them with feedback, and getting to know them personally, you can improve your working relationships.
Great leaders all Have High EQ
You’ve probably heard the cliched statement that “leadership is not a position” But what does that imply? It implies that attitude is a component of leadership.
A low EQ (emotional quotient) can exist even in a company president.
If you lack empathy for your students, you can teach first grade. Any successful organization needs strong leadership, and one of the most crucial components is emotional intelligence.
So how can you tell whether your EQ is high or low?
In addition to having good self-control, high EQ leaders frequently display traits like being diplomatic, perceiving others’ emotions, and upholding strong relationships with those they lead.
Low EQ leaders frequently lack these essential elements, which makes it difficult for them to make decisions, handle conflict as it arises, and establish trust.
The secret to effective leadership is figuring out where you need to grow and putting a growth plan into action.
The most effective way to do this is to solicit helpful criticism from your team regarding your perceived strengths and weaknesses so that you can improve in those areas.
You might be surprised at how accurate their assessments are.
Although it can be difficult to acknowledge our shortcomings, being truthful with ourselves will only help us develop into more effective leaders with high EQ and emotional intelligence.
Leaders should be enthusiastic about their work or project(s) and be aware of the needs of others.
Being passionate about one’s work or project is essential for leadership success.
You can also learn what people require in order to succeed from it.
Take our scientific psychometric test to identify your top personal strengths to uncover your best traits.
Communication is the key to success in any leadership position.
Although each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses, maintaining open lines of communication with team members is essential if we want them to succeed as well.
The demands of leadership are ever-changing along with the workplace environment.
In any workplace, leadership abilities like motivation, planning, negotiation, and clear communication will be beneficial.
What should you do, however, if a skill you possess does not appear to be benefiting you?
The key to ensuring that everyone understands what needs to happen next is clear communication.
This not only keeps projects on schedule but also guarantees that workers are as motivated and effective as possible.
Practice conversing clearly with your team members about a subject they find interesting as one way to do this.
Practice will improve how you convey what must happen next and why it is crucial for everyone involved in the work, whether you are trying to persuade your team that a new project is worthwhile pursuing or not or deciding where to go for your next team building.
Planning makes sure that people are aware of when they should begin working on tasks and how long they might take, both of which can have an impact on decisions at any time during a project. This promotes clear communication.
Effective leaders plan their days to make the most of their advantages and take advantage of opportunities for growth without overstressing themselves.
Use Your Authority Appropriately
Stop controlling everything your team members do at work as one of the top areas for managers to improve. When you meddle in every decision that team members make, you are abusing your power, and this is the sign of a bad manager who loses good workers.
A good manager won’t abuse their authority or control others for personal gain. Instead, they wisely and sensibly exercise their authority in accordance with the context.
See also: 8 Things to Point Out to Your Manager to Work on
Demonstrate that you Know the Job
Showing your job competency without coming across as arrogant is one of the most typical areas for improvement for managers. You must show that you are capable of doing the job through your words and actions.
You need to demonstrate your understanding of workplace issues in order to be taken seriously.
A good manager inspires their employees with confidence and gets them to go above and beyond what they would normally do. A good manager can also conduct themselves orderly in any circumstance.
Keep yourself organized at all times because your team always looks to you for assurance and confidence.
FAQ
What are management strengths and weaknesses?
Strengths are the tasks you do easily and well. You can use your strengths to perform at a high level by concentrating on your strengths. Use your strengths to the company’s advantage by taking the lead. Your weaknesses are the skills and tasks that are more difficult for you to master.
What are the weaknesses of a manager?
- Poor communication. One top weakness for managers is poor communication.
- Not listening to employees. …
- Low confidence. …
- Overworking and not delegating. …
- Poor decision-making. …
- Inability to motivate teams. …
- Low adaptivity. …
- Unclear expectations.
What are some good examples of strengths and weaknesses?
- 5 Personality Strengths You Should Know. Brave. Confident. Idealistic. Determined. Humble.
- 5 Personality Weaknesses You Should Know. Being too honest. Hard time letting go of tasks until finished. Giving myself hard time and the deadline to finish work. Too critical of yourself.
What are management strengths?
Talents, abilities, know-how, and personal qualities known as “management strengths” enable people to perform well as managers. Strengths are frequently mentioned on resumes, performance evaluations, and recommendations. These can be expressed as follows in terms of their effects on an organization: | https://carreersupport.com/16-common-strengths-and-weaknesses-of-management/ |
Definition: Feedback is the response of the receiver of the communication, to the message. It plays a vital role as it makes communication effective. Also, without proper feedback, communication is considered incomplete. With feedback, a person can express his/her feelings and perceptions to another individual regarding their behaviour and work style.
In the process of communication, the receiver not only absorbs the message passively but also provides a response to it. This is what we call feedback. More importantly, it helps the sender to understand how effective the message was.
Suppose with the feedback of the receiver, the sender realizes that the recipients misinterpreted the message, then the sender can make efforts to refine the message and send it again.
Next, the response can be verbal or non-verbal. It is the last step of communication. Further, it tends to develop an understanding between the parties concerned. This helps them in reaching a decision, which is beneficial to both parties.
Communication refers to the interchange of information or ideas between sender and recipient. In addition, communication is said to be effective only when the recipient interprets the message in the way in which the sender has intended.
But, how do a sender will know what the recipient has interpreted from the message? In this way, feedback acts as a tool that enables the sender to know whether the recipient has understood the message in the same terms.
For the recipient, it is essential that he gets the message correctly and revert to the source about the subject matter. The response should be about what they have understood. Such a response from the recipient is feedback.
Providing proper feedback is considered an art that improves the sender’s relationships with others. It ensures a two-way process.
Characteristics of Effective Feedback
- Specific:
Effective feedback is always specific and not general.
- Focuses on behaviour:
We must always refer to the actions and behaviour of the person instead of what type of person we perceive he/she could be.
- Considers the needs of the feedback receiver:
Feedback can prove destructive when it serves personal needs only and does not recognize the needs of the person who receives it. Feedback should be provided with an intention to help and not to hurt others.
- Solicited:
It is useful when the recipient has framed the kind of questions that the people who are observing can respond to.
- Meant for sharing of information:
When we share information we let the other person decide on the basis of their goals, needs and preferences. But, when we advise people on something to them what to do. Also, to a certain extent, we take away their freedom to make decisions based on their own judgement.
- Well-timed:
Immediate feedback on any matter is the most useful one. There are many possible emotional reactions involved in the reception and use of feedback.
- Amount of information the receiver can use:
When we provide more information to the receiver of the feedback than it can be used actually, then we are not actually helping them but satisfying our own needs.
Essentials of Feedback
There must be two parties, i.e. sender and receiver.
- Acknowledgement and response of the recipient.
- Improvement in the message quality.
- Two dimensions – giving and receiving feedback.
Types
- Formative Feedback: It is likely to modify the thinking or behaviour of the people for the purpose of learning.
- Summative Feedback: It analyses in what way people accomplish a task or attain results for the purpose of grading.
- Positive Feedback: An affirmative statement on a person’s past behaviour so as to encourage such behaviour.
- Negative Feedback: This is a corrective statement on a person’s previous behaviour so as to stop the repetition of such behaviour.
- Positive Feedforward: An affirmative statement on a person’s future behaviour, so that person could work and improve his performance in future.
- Negative Feedforward: A corrective statement on a person’s future behaviour so that the person could stop repeating a certain behaviour in future.
Importance
- Communication is of no use without feedback.
- It facilitates the evaluation of the effectiveness of the message.
- Makes communication purposeful
- Keeps up the communication process
- The basis for checking the effectiveness of the communication.
- Maintains an open communication climate.
- The basis for future planning as it helps in deciding the next step that a person can take to achieve the set goal.
Points to Remember
- In the case of face-to-face communication, feedback is faster in comparison to written communication.
- It is always directed towards the sender of the message, which completes the communication cycle.
- Feedback could rely upon the exact interpretation of the message sent or misinterpretation of the message sent.
- Non-verbal feedback can be in the form of smiles, sighs, nods, and so forth. Whereas verbal feedback takes the form of a reaction to the sender’s ideas with questions, comments or replies through message or mail.
A word from Business Jargons
All in all, for effective communication, mere sending of the message to the receiver is not enough, because feedback from the recipient is equally important. Feedback is nothing but the reply given by the recipient to the source, i.e. sender. It can be in the form of a smile, spoken comment, written message or mail, desired action, and so on. Sometimes, lack of response is also in a sense also constitutes feedback. | https://businessjargons.com/feedback.html |
Leaders know that providing regular feedback is an essential tool for success. In fact, giving feedback infrequently comes with a price. According to a study of more than 80 U.S.-based executives conducted by research and advisory firm the Center for Creative Leadership, not giving poor performers feedback costs organizations thousands of dollars per day.
Unfortunately, recent reports have confused the issue by suggesting positive feedback has a bigger impact on performance improvement than constructive criticism.
To shed more light on the this question, my colleagues and I at CCL conducted a survey of 235 leaders from organizations around the world. Participants were asked about the total performance feedback they gave and received in the previous three months, with the goal of understanding how feedback is being handled in today’s workplaces to identify gaps in current practices and develop benchmarks to help leaders understand feedback’s value.
CCL used four feedback categories as defined by researchers at the University of Akron in Ohio:
- Positive Process: Your boss says you’re performing well on a task or project that’s still underway.
- Negative Process: You need to make changes in how you’re handling ongoing work.
- Positive Outcome: The task or project is complete and you’re praised for a job well done.
- Negative Outcome: In the end, your performance was not up to par.
What type of feedback did managers report wanting to receive?
- Positive: Respondents to the survey said they got about the same amount of positive feedback related to ongoing work as they wanted. Their bosses gave them more positive feedback about completed work than they preferred.
- Negative: The managers surveyed wanted more negative feedback during a task or project and after it was completed.
What It Means
Don’t wait for performance reviews to provide constructive feedback.
It’s clear that many employees appreciate honest feedback, even when it is hard to hear. They understand it will help them move ahead in their careers.
Without constructive feedback, poor performers will continue hurt organizations. They could also miss out on opportunities throughout their careers if they don’t know their strengths and weaknesses.
Top performers need regular feedback as well, and they’ll eventually leave the organization if they don’t get it.
A boss’ ability to deliver constructive feedback improves co-workers’ perceptions of them.
People who rated their managers as ineffective received less weekly or daily feedback than those who rated their bosses as highly effective. Also, employees who received the most positive process feedback were more likely to rate their bosses as highly effective.
When it comes to building a culture where employees feel comfortable asking for and receiving feedback, leaders set the tone. By making timely and constructive feedback a priority, managers can go a long way in building a well-functioning team. | https://quarterly.talenteconomy.io/issue/winter-2018/the-truth-about-negative-feedback/ |
An English with Writing Emphasis major at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is for those who value literature and are ready for many focused hours in writing. Students will acquire knowledge of literary history from a curriculum based on the study of significant texts of many genres, periods and cultures. Undergraduates study both the craft and theory of writing in depth. Award-winning faculty members mentor, offer insight and encourage scholarship and creativity in students.
"My favorite part about the English department is the professors. I have learned a great deal about literature, writing techniques, and even films as each professor approaches their teachings in a different, but creative, way. I chose this major because I have enjoyed being able to create characters that never existed before. In the writing classes I have taken, I have learned how to take criticism through assignments where I share my work. The skills and techniques I learned during my time at the University of Nebraska at Kearney I have applied to my current job, and they will stay with me during all future endeavors."
Habitat for Humanity, Lincoln, NE
The schedule is a guideline for progress toward a English - Writing Emphasis, Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Nebraska at Kearney based on the current academic calendar. Consult with your academic advisor. | https://www.unk.edu/academics/english/undergraduate-programs/english-writing-emphasis.php |
Creativity is necessary since it helps people escape their boring daily routine work that, if left like that may be viewed as a way of enslaving one's life. Unraveling new methods and ways of creativity is a rigorous process, and as such this project will focus on discussing in detail issues related to creativity. Being an entrepreneur demands exceptional knowledge in creativity so as to continue exploiting it as a resource in the course of my responsibilities, and that forms the basis of why this topic was chosen.
To be discussed in detail is the methods of creativity. These are methods that enhance and initiate creative actions, either business, arts or any other field of interest. They include specified techniques, and as the word itself, the created techniques that can be applied along the process. Some of the specified techniques include the need to pay more emphasize on the process of doing something rather than the objective ("Commentaries on Proven Methods for Innovation Management", 1998). This is to invoke the thought of how one can be more creative in the process, to either improve in or come up with something completely amazing. It similarly suggests that problems should be approached from different ways for best solutions. In the process of doing so, it is always essential that someone asks himself or herself, how can he or she change the process to be more creative or in a more direct way he or she has to reflect if she or he is stuck at some point because of the process he or she is using. For example, whenever someone is writing a novel, he could look at the process he is using and try to make some changes to it. If the process includes sitting down and writing an outline followed by few paragraphs, the later attempting to increase the paragraphs. One could instead of doing that, think of a different way to approach in order to improve it. For example, instead of starting with an outline, one can try writing the closing statements of each paragraphs from which he or she can work backwards construction other statements until the very first one. Doing that way can change the whole scenario and possibly result into something more creative than previously thought. Other things, even in developing business solutions can be executed in a similar way to see if there can be changes that are more effective than the one that would result by following the conventional methods of developing solutions.
Another major creative technique is to list as many ideas as possible down prior to start working on the issue of focus ("Commentaries on Proven Methods for Innovation Management", 1998). To be precise, one can list down 100 ideas within 15 minutes. The best way to get a good idea is to have a lot of ideas. Notes Linus Pauling, American author and educator. This technique works by focusing on two main tactics to bring up ones creativity. First, it calls for one to stop critiquing self-ideas. Doing so, will prevent the killing of ideas before even they evolve. It should be noted that, critiquing ideas in one major hindrance to creativity. It is suggested that one should note down about one hundred ideas within 15 minutes. The main essence of doing this is to trigger a chain reaction of ones brain, where there is no time in between to think about each idea critically and have time to critique it. Secondly, one hundred ideas may look too much. But after second reflection, and due to the fact all cant be implemented, one has to reduce them to a sizeable number. While reducing them, one is most likely to erase the most common and if that is done continuously, at the end the remaining ideas might be purely original.
Writing these idea should be done freely, without regard to spelling, grammar or any of such as looking back to rectifying that might make one judge himself or herself, a case that the technique tries to forgo entirely. One is encouraged to write as fast as he or she possibly can, while ensuring genuineness and honesty all along the process. Self-judgment tends to pay more attention to realism and facts, disregarding the idea of originality. This can limit our thinking especially when we focus on judging stuff we write down. Writing freely not only allows us to get out of the norms, but also capture thoughts that are otherwise intangible and controversially hard to comprehend. Writing freely enables one to capture all the invisible, hard-to-sense connections that plays between your subconscious and conscious brain. Without concerns about your self-critique, you are more freely to explore those thoughts, weird they might sound or look. After the whole process of writing them down, you can now look at them.
Using new tools is another commonly used technique of creativity. For example if you use Evernote to write down your ideas, stop using it and try a whiteboard. If you often youre your hand to play Sudoku, try doing by only using your mouth only. You might note the difference. Persistent use of same tools is a hindrance to creativity. Using new, different tools might just bring out a different perception to how things happen or the results they produce. For example, graphic designers who mostly use Photoshop might learn a lot by just trying a different software. Same applies to writers who use a specific pen, trying another pen will just bring out something previously not in their possession and that will likely result to creativity. Trying different tools gives one a perfect opportunity to see and learn how different tools can impact his or her tools. Take for example trying to draw a portrait with a very large marker pen, initially it might look horrible but as the process goes on the drawer might just discover something quite amazing, or something not anticipated at the start of the whole process. At the end, he or she is likely to have come up with a completely original staff never thought of before.
Creating some form of crap, like using new tools that possibly gives you an unanticipated product is also a technique that can result to some original ideas, products, or results. Perfectionism can prevent anyone from doing what he or she would otherwise do (O'brien, 2008). Starting from a point of little or no knowledge and slowly building up to perfection is one way to enhance your creativity. The daunting fear of failure more often prevents us from pursuing creative ideas. In a number of times, one can sit down to write something say a blog, and in as he or she thinks about it, he or she sees it as rather crap and as such stops before even touching the keyboard or even noting anything on paper. That scenario kills the possibly earlier burning desire to write something. To avoid that, one must understand and appreciate the need to write what can be considered crap. By doing so, he opens infinite possibilities of along the way, coming up with awesomely creative ideas that can be so original that could be thought. Thus, for creativity is important to ignore the desire to make something perfect and instead work off from the point where you are, and then whatever the result, it can keep on being improved and its then one can realize perfection wasnt far off.
In a similar manner, faking things can do wonders to creativity. There are a lot that we dont know, but start at some point and assuming you know precisely what you are doing and working on it progressively can do wonders. This technique is almost similar to the above discussed technique, where you just write crap. By forgoing the fear of developing something perfect, we can manage to get into the work and develop something creative that might end up being what was exactly anticipated, or even something completely interesting.
And lastly, one has to have some constraints to whatever he or she is doing as a technique of creativity. You might be working on some constraints, but you need to put many more in place. Like the technique of using new tools, when new constraints are added to the work one is doing, the person is more likely to explore several ways, even the unthinkable one to come with the solution. Doing so opens one to several ways previously un-thought of, and that forms the basis of creativity at every level. It is an art of being forced to think outside the norms, and even in the very basic environments people develop ways to respond to the constraint.
The above are not the only methods of creativity, there is a lot more others but the above one surely takes the lead. Finding methods of creativity is itself a process of creativity (O'brien, 2008), and that means each on his or her own can develop others that works best particularly considering the different environment we may find ourselves in.
Scholars and researchers have spent significant time and resources trying to put together all these methods of creativity and widely explaining them. Through anthropological research, they have tried to explain how different methods of creativity play out on different people, societies and the kind of results they happen to bring out. Brainstorming and dissociation is todays leading techniques of generating creative ideas, and after the rigorous process of generating them, the same techniques are used to winnow the worst from the best.
Generally, this project pays special attention to creativity and systematic innovation methods as I have highlighted above. But doesnt stop there, it gives a thorough analysis of particularly the techniques that researchers and other scholars have used to explain them. One technique that has been used is the Kano Model which is a product development model that measures the level of customer satisfaction and goes ahead to classifies customer preferences in a business environment. Other scholarly parameters that tries to explain methods of creativity include parameter analysis, decomposition, De Bonos six hats among many others. In the following context each has been examined together with its relation to creativity and how they play out in business environments to influence particularly the level of customer satisfaction.
The paper, in its immediate context dwells deeply into the literature review of different methods of thinking that results to creativity, designs a research study and discusses the findings extensively. Therefore, he paper is worth going through to get precisely the diverse issues underlying creativity and systematic methods of innovation.
Module 2: Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography.
Part I: Literature Review
Dissociative Thinking implies that creativity is necessary and helps people escape stagnation and routine that people are a slave to in their lives. People are so routine they have a hard time understanding the true concept of creativity as a theory. For a person to be creative, it is necessary to break familiar and comfortable habits. Learned behavior is based on two aspects; genetics and experience. The dissociative thinking theory was developed by Koestler in the 60s and can be used to teach different thought processes therefor; can affect an individuals behavior that drives the process of thought to develop a new method of not only thinking, but also ultimately, behavior (Koestler, 1964).
Another way to teach a different way of thinking is by using an associative method as in the six thinking hats. This is a theory brought about by De Bono, who suggests a different color hat represents a different way of thinking which will then propel a new thought pattern. De Bono classifies his hats in the following way; the black hat represents an approach to thinking that is a little more negative and revolves around a devils advocate approach. His hat is useful to look at the least desirable effects of ones actions. The blue hat is more...
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- Specific Purpose: I want to inform the listeners of the Power of Positive Thinking. | https://speedypaper.com/essays/creativity-as-a-necessary-since |
Browsing by Subject "ILE (Inglés)"
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Analysis of ESL/EFL Spanish students strategical behaviour within four different age and level stages The present paper delves into cognitive psychology in the field of learning strategies, which are the techniques and methods which language students use to enhance their own learning. The present research into language ...
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Benefits of using translation and the L1 in the EFL classroom The present research project focuses on a topic that has encouraged much debate over the past years: The use of translation and the mother tongue in the EFL classes. This project constitutes an attempt to demonstrate how ...
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The CLIL effect La influencia de los programas AICLE ha sido un tema popular investigación. Hay evidencia de la utilidad de estos programas para mejorar la enseñanza de la lengua extranjera. Con respecto al aprendizaje del contenido los ...
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Comparing english communicative competence in Infant Education: CLIL and EFL classrooms En vista de la creciente necesidad de aprender inglés en una sociedad cada vez más exigente, el presente estudio pretende evaluar la competencia comunicativa en inglés mostrada por niños y niñas de cinco años, valorando ...
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Comparing explicit vs. incidental teaching when acquiring new vocabulary in EFL This study compares the acquisition of new vocabulary in EFL through reading. Two different conditions will be compared: explicit vocabulary teaching and incidental vocabulary teaching. Practicum II was the ideal opportunity ...
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Critical analysis of ethnocentric bias in English language textbooks This study presents a critical analysis of two textbook's units of the English subject. The books are used in IES Barañain in Navarre, Spain and in many more centres of the region as Noain High School or Carmelitas. The ...
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The effectiveness of different vocabulary teaching methods in EFL classrooms El objetivo de este estudio es comparar la eficacia de tres diferentes métodos de enseñar vocabulario (listas de palabras con definiciones en la lengua objeto; listas de palabras con traducciones en la lengua materna; y ...
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The effects of songs in foreing language classroom on vocabulary retention and motivation This study compares two ways of vocabulary instruction in an English as a Foreign Language class. With this research I want to investigate the effects of the new methodology of songs on students’ memory and motivation ...
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Integrating process and product: the use of translation in high school EFL writing L2 writing revision techniques based on corrective feedback from teachers are common in EFL courses, but their efficacy for low-level students is becoming increasingly questioned. The present study tests the effectiveness ...
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A picture is worth a thousand words: the use of videos in vocabulary acquisition The objective of this study is to analyze to what extent it is better to use audiovisual material than listening materials for vocabulary development. In fact, it seeks for evidence on whether students retain more ...
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Vocabulary notebooks: a tool to enhance memory or a memories notebook? Durante las últimas décadas el campo de la adquisición de una segunda lengua o de una lengua extranjera ha visto renacer el interés por el estudio de vocabulario como elemento fundamental dentro de las estrategias de ... | https://academica-e.unavarra.es/xmlui/browse?value=ILE%20(Ingl%C3%A9s)&type=subject |
This blog is a place of creativity, inspiration and guidance. I, Nicole, created this blog in 2017. I am currently a senior in college studying public relations and running this blog to provide help to my fellow students. What once started off as an outlet to vent my own frustrations, this blog has become a place to help out students with their college essays, and to provide examples they can seek inspiration from.
As you go through my archive, you will see that as the years have gone along, I myself have become more proficient at college essay writing, and I have documented this journey for the benefit of other students. I don’t want other students to miss out on the opportunity and help that I wish I had received when I started college.
Most of the advice and content on my blog is targeted at those entering college for the first time and trying to assimilate themselves with the radically different essay writing techniques required compared to high school. However, even if you think you have mastered college essay writing techniques, then there are still many other tips that can be useful for you and I still highly recommend that you follow and read my blog.
Alongside posting tips and personal anecdotes of my own journey to perfect college essay writing, I will also be posting essay examples submitted by guest bloggers. This will also include commentary to help guide you on how to compose great essays that score high marks. | https://www.thepsychologicalrecord.org/about/ |
This study examined the relationship between family SES and children's creativity, and tested the mediating role of diversity of life experience in this relationship. A total of 204 undergraduates (54 males and 150 females), aged between 17 and 23 years, completed a family SES questionnaire, diversity of life experience questionnaire, biographical inventory of creative behaviors, and alternative uses tasks (AUT). The results showed positive associations between family SES, diversity of life experience, and different indices of creativity. Additionally, mediation analyses indicated that diversity of life experience fully mediated the effect of family SES on creative behavior and AUT originality. In accordance with the family investment model, these results confirmed the positive association between family SES and creativity, and identified diversity of life experience as a mediating variable through which family SES influences creativity performance. Implications and future directions are discussed in detail.
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Scandinavian journal of psychology
ISSN: 1467-9450
Pages:
The association between baby care books that promote strict care routines and infant feeding, night time care, and maternal-infant interactions.
Baby care books that promote strict infant care routines are popular but little research has considered their impact upon maternal infant care behaviours. We explored whether mothers who have read the...
Single-Cell RNA Sequencing with Drop-Seq.
Drop-Seq is a low-cost, high-throughput platform to profile thousands of cells by encapsualting them into individual droplets. Uniquely barcoded mRNA capture microparticles and cells are coconfined th...
Traveling With Cancer: A Guide for Oncologists in the Modern World.
Travel for patients with cancer has become more achievable because of gains in quality of life and overall survival. The risk assessment of these patients is complex, and there is a paucity of data to...
Reading and writing difficulties and self-rated health among Danish adolescents: cross-sectional study from the FOCA cohort.
People struggling with reading and writing difficulties may have poor odds of achieving a good and healthy life. Reading and writing difficulties are independent risk factors for not completing educat...
Lassa fever: With 50 years of study, hundreds of thousands of patients and an extremely high disease burden, what have we learned?
Digital Literacy Promotion Among Medicaid Children
This study evaluates the effects of digital versus standard literacy promotion, as well as dialogic language behaviors and reading comprehension among infants when comparing the use of e-b...
Early Literacy Promotion Intervention
This study is testing the effects of early literacy promotion compared to standard literacy promotion at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Eligible participants and their families w...
Reach Out and Read Arabic to Promote Arabic Literacy in Toddlers
The goal of this study is to encourage parents to read Arabic books to their children in order for this to become a daily habit; by extension children will grow up loving to read Arabic bo...
How Parents Can Help Babies Learn to Talk With Picture Books.
The aim of this project is to test whether giving parents advice about book reading is effective in promoting language learning for infants from a range of socio-economic backgrounds.
Reading Preoperatively to Reduce Anxiety in Day Surgery
This study is designed to implement the reading of age appropriate books by a trained reader into the waiting area of a pediatric day surgery unit to determine if it is effective at reduci...
Support Vector Machine
SUPERVISED MACHINE LEARNING algorithm which learns to assign labels to objects from a set of training examples. Examples are learning to recognize fraudulent credit card activity by examining hundreds or thousands of fraudulent and non-fraudulent credit card activity, or learning to make disease diagnosis or prognosis based on automatic classification of microarray gene expression profiles drawn from hundreds or thousands of samples.
Volvox
A genus of GREEN ALGAE in the family Volvocaceae. They form spherical colonies of hundreds or thousands of bi-flagellated cells in a semi-transparent gelatinous ball.
Stenella
A genus comprised of spinner, spotted, and striped DOLPHINS, in the family Delphinidae. Schools of Stenella, that may number in the thousands, often associate with schools of TUNA, and are thus vulnerable to accidental harvesting.
Tongue
A muscular organ in the mouth that is covered with pink tissue called mucosa, tiny bumps called papillae, and thousands of taste buds. The tongue is anchored to the mouth and is vital for chewing, swallowing, and for speech.
Solar System
The group of celestial bodies, including the EARTH, orbiting around and gravitationally bound by the sun. It includes eight planets, one minor planet, and 34 natural satellites, more than 1,000 observed comets, and thousands of lesser bodies known as MINOR PLANETS (asteroids) and METEOROIDS. (From Academic American Encyclopedia, 1983)
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Pediatrics
Pediatrics is the general medicine of childhood. Because of the developmental processes (psychological and physical) of childhood, the involvement of parents, and the social management of conditions at home and at school, pediatrics is a specialty. With ... | https://www.bioportfolio.com/resources/pmarticle/2528313/Reading-thousands-of-books-and-traveling-thousands-of-miles-Diversity-of-life.html |
Writing in Flow by Susan K. Perry, Ph.D. ReviewWriter's Digest Books, May 1999.
Hardcover, 274 pages.
ISBN: 0898799295
Writing in Flow introduces and discusses the concept of flow, which is a period of enhanced creativity, similar to the condition athletes refer to as "in the zone." Writing in Flow teaches writers how to obtain a sense of flow and manage it to enhance their creativity and their work. The book also provides perspectives on creativity from numerous bestselling authors including: Sue Grafton, Jane Smiley, Faye Kellerman, Michael Connelly, Usula K. Le Guin and many others. The concept of flow is introduced to readers by Susan K. Perry, Ph.D., an author and social psychologist who is also an instructor at the UCLA extension writer's program.
Perry analyzed the traits of bestselling and prize-winning writers and developed a psychological assessment of how great writers create their work. She combines the results of her study with practical advice for writers and conveys this information to the reader. The book provides coverage of each of the five keys to enhanced creativity which include: have a reason to write, think like a writer, loosen up, focus in and balance among opposites. Other sections in the book provide special techniques for developing flow and how to use flow to break-through writer's block.
With in-depth information on the psychological aspect of creativity and briefs by bestselling writers on their writing style and what inspires them, this is an enjoyable read and valuable learning aide for developing writers. Perry also provides answers to questions from students and friends during her study of flow throughout the text of the book. Writing in Flow is an excellent and unique guide for enhancing your creativity and inspiring yourself to write regularly.
Ordering information: Amazon.com. | https://www.writerswrite.com/journal/writing-in-flow-109929 |
The present study aimed to explore the effects of creativity-based teaching methods on emotional creativity and academic performance of writing and thinking-lifestyle among adolescents. Population included all male adolescents of Babolsar middle schools (1396 - 97). The sample of the study was chosen by using a single stage cluster sampling technique. Then, seventh graders with the same teachers of writing, thinking-life style courses were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental (N=30) and control (N= 30) groups. To collect the required data such instruments as the emotional creativity inventory (ECI, Averill, 1999), teacher-made tests of thinking, life style and writing were administered. The study used a pretest-posttest with control group quasi-experimental design. The experimental group received a 2-month creativity-based teaching methods. Having used ANCOVA, the researcher analyzed the data. The overall finding indicated that the application of creativity-based teaching methods positively and significantly (F=14.851; P<.000) influenced emotional creativity. Also, it was found that participants’ academic performance of writing was significantly and positively (F=52.252; P<.000) affected by the mentioned methods. Finally, it was manifested that use of such teaching methods did not have any significant (F= .270; P<.606) effects on thinking-life style course. | https://hivt.be/linguistica/article/view/988 |
Background and objectives: Lagerstroemia indica is a fast growing landscape shrub that require frequent pruning. The pruning process is a costly operation, temporary and partially successful in controlling tree growth. This study reports the effect of different concentration and application techniques of paclobutrazol, a growth and development of the plant in view of its management in height control and flowering enhancement. Materials and Methods: The study involved four different concentration (0 (control), 1500, 3000 and 4500 mg L–1) and two application techniques (foliar spray and soil drenching) of paclobutrazol (PBZ) on 2 month-old plants which were raised from semi hardwood cuttings. Changes in leaf photosynthesis, vegetative growth and flowering were measured. Results: Increasing PBZ rate to 3000 and 4500 mg L–1 reduced leaf photosynthesis and differ the rates markedly from plants of other treatments. The PBZ application, given as foliar spray and soil drenching reduced plants height. Among the two application techniques, the respective reduction in plant height for foliar sprayed and soil drenched plants were almost 75 and 90% compared to the control plants. The PBZ at 1500 mg L–1, given as soil drenching increased the number of flowers by 25% and at 3000 mg L–1 in foliar spray increased the number of flowers by 21% over the non-treated plants. Foliar PBZ sprayed plants produced significantly more leaves compared to those produced by the soil drenched plants. Paclobutrazol applications inhibited extension growth of stem thus reduced the overall height of plants which is linked to shorted internode but at the same time increased branch, leaf and flower number. Conclusion: These effects of PBZ observed here could be regarded as positive effects as the treatments would produce shorted statured plants which are normal desirable to landscape enthusiasts. | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61936/ |
ONE SENTENCE SYNOPSIS--This paper presents 60 models of creativity, organized as ten sets of six each, found in the minds and work procedures of 150 highly creative people from 41 nations, from 63 diverse professions. Models of creativity from academic research corresponding to some of these models were used to change model terminology to reflect common concepts and ideas between them.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS Primary Questions---A. What are the various models of creativity in any way now operative in the minds of all creators? How do these differ from academic models of creativity? B. What distinguishes creativity from effectiveness, educatedness and the other 52 orthogonal disciplines--one cutting across traditional ones and determining who rises to their tops What relationally and representationally define “creativity” as one of those orthogonal fields?
Secondary Questions---1. Is creativity one thing or many diverse things? Is creativity one process or many diverse processes? 2. How much of creativity is domain dependent and how much is domain independent? 3. Is the quite general impression and assumption that creativity is one thing not diverse things a result of people going to and depending on the psychology literature too much and missing research on creativity in mechanical engineering, fine arts, performance, media, system bio and other fields? 4. If creativity is diverse things or processes, are they in trade-off relations to each other so that supports for one or a few, hinder a few or many others? 5. Would creativity improve more by perfecting one’s existing model of creating or by adding new models one does not now use or know about? 6. How do scholar models of creativity differ from creator models of their own creativity? 7. Do knowledge models found in experts have an analog found in creators? 8. Does meta-cognition in cognitive psychology have an analog in creativity, namely, some sort of meta-creation? 9. Do creators who are more meta-creative out-create creators who are less meta-creative? 10. How many models of creating are there, if creativity turns out to be diverse things not one thing? 11. How do the models of creativity published by academics differ from the models of creativity we obtain from creators via categorical modeling of interview and questionnaire results? The primary reason this study of creativity models was done was to answer the above questions.
LINKS AMONG QUESTIONS---If creativity is plural things not a single thing, then how you “support” and “encourage” it will be much more complex than if it is merely one thing that one simple environment can “support”. The results of this study show that when experts measure how well organization environments support “creativity”, unless they distinguish which of the 60 different modes of “being creative” found in the research that this paper reports, they end up assessing very thoroughly how such environments support 1/60th or 3/60ths of the modes of being creative actually there--that is, they miss how well many other modes of being creative are supported, how many such modes are actually there, and how much creativity might improve were modes of being creative not there now to be installed in the future.
ASSESSMENT TOOL DEVELOPED---This paper provides an important tool for assessing just how many types of being creative any one organization has and then, how well each is supported by particular environments. Furthermore, the results of this study show that models of creativity, that creators have, influence how they create and how their ability to create evolves. Therefore, finding models of creating that creators have, as done in this study, adds value missed when we instead just depend on models of creativity from scholars studying it. Knowledge models found in experts, in artificial intelligence research, have their analogs in creation models in creators, in creativity research.
A META-CREATION HYPOTHESIS---Meta-cognition, in psychology in general, has an analog in meta-creation, in creativity, where a creator notices the models of creativity he/she has and how he/she uses them. Since meta-cognition in general improves intelligence and work performance, we can suppose that meta-creation, that is, creators noticing and using creation models in their work, would improve creativity. To test this we need to know what models of creativity any particular creator uses compared to such models used by other creators (and compared to models of creating from academic research). RESEARCH METHOD---:1. My strategy is to use what artificial intelligence “expert systems” research found about determining models inside minds of experts to understand models of creating inside minds of creators and combine those results with using what total quality found about “pleasing” and “satisfying” customers to understand how creators “please” and “satisfy” customers of their creations. 2. A dual recommendation system (from artificial intelligence expert systems research) of 315 eminent people (5 in each of 63 diverse strata of society) nominating 150 “highly creative people” in their own and other fields 3. Total quality customer satisfaction and artificial intelligence protocol analysis combined to make interviews and questionnaires given to these 150 creators (the interviews were mainly to motivate creators to fill in the questionnaires completely), asking them how they create, how that evolves, how much they know about how they create, and encounters with each of these in creators they know 4. Bottom up grouping of similar items in both questionnaires and interview transcripts produces successively smaller, more abstract levels of creativity models 5. The resulting model of 60 models of creativity compared with models of the research literature on creativity and edited to reflect common ideas A stratified sample of 150 creative people, half American, half global, in 63 widely different fields of endeavor were interviewed, using techniques modified from “protocol analysis” techniques of artificial intelligence expert systems building, to obtain models, explicit or implicit in practices, of what “creation” was for each creator. The interview used had twelve specially designed “doorways” intended to be diverse approaches to getting beyond unthinking, mystifying, automatic, and stereotyped ideas about “creation” to actual key factors in models the creators themselves used. Content analysis of transcripts produced 111 creation models that, when categorized by similarity, reduced to 60 creation models organized in ten groups of six models each. Where similar models in the research literature on creativity were found, terminology in the models was modified to make such similarities evident, and elaborations on key concepts from research literature were added to the models. A book summarizing all 60 models was built, with one chapter per model, all chapters using the same format of headings and subheadings.
RESULTS---1. A model of 60 models of creativity, with each model having at least 10 variables defining it. This paper has only enough space to present the model of 60 models of creativity and the research that produced that model, along with hypotheses about the role of traits (of the repertoires of models of creativity in creators) in making them creative, to be explored in future research. This paper’s result, a model of 60 models of creation, is a prerequisite for verifying the hypotheses. | https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2242803 |
Key concepts in the Psychoanalytic conceptualization of the mental apparatus are primary and secondary process. In contrast to secondary process, which is manifested in logical, rational, realistic and efficient thinking, primary process (embodied in unconscious or preconscious mechanisms) is characterized by its alogical, hallucinatory form. Neo/Psychoanalytic theorists have long emphasized the role of primary process thinking in creativity. The aim of this study was to investigate methods of improving creativity on the basis of primary process thinking; to determine the extent to which methods shown to stimulate primary process thinking simultaneously affect creativity, and conversely, the extent to which creativity improvement techniques involve primary process thinking. Accordingly, from a group of subjects (n=40) participating in the study, an equal number (n=10) were randomly assigned to three experimental groups and a control group. Experimental groups consisted of 3 treatment interventions: (1) sensory deprivation, (2) brainstorming without evaluation (3) brainstorming with evaluation. While theory and research indicates that the 3 treatment interventions, particularly sensory deprivation, involve primary process thinking, only the brainstorming techniques are established methods of improving creativity. A test of the primary process thinking and 3 measures of creativity were administered to all subjects prior to and following treatment interventions. The control group, although not being subjected to a treatment, completed pre and post tests. Primary process thinking was measured by means of the Rorschach test. Creativity measures included 1) The Consequences Test 2) The Product Improvement Test and 3) The Interpretations Test. Results of the study indicated that sensory deprivation when compared with other treatment interventions, had the greatest effect on primary process thinking. | http://nrfnexus.nrf.ac.za/handle/20.500.11892/109352 |
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Article
Peer Reviewed
Brain imaging techniques and their applications in decision-making research
Chen, C
Xue, G
Lu, Z
Dong, Q
et al.
UC Irvine Previously Published Works
(2010)
Article
Peer Reviewed
Language experience shapes fusiform activation: A training study
Chen, C
Xue, G
Jin, Z
Dong, Q
et al.
UC Irvine Previously Published Works
(2006)
Article
Peer Reviewed
Sex determines neurofunctional predictors of language learning proficiency
Chen, C
Xue, G
Dong, Q
Jin, Z
Li, T
Xue, F
Zhao, H
Guo, Y
et al.
UC Irvine Previously Published Works
(2007)
Article
Peer Reviewed
Effects of the explicit instruction to “be creative” across creativity tasks and culture
Chen, C
Kasof, J
Himsel, A
Dmitrieva, J
Dong, Q
Xue, G
et al.
UC Irvine Previously Published Works
(2005)
Article
Peer Reviewed
Creativity in drawings of geometric shapes: A cross-cultural examination with the consensual assessment technique
Chen, C
Kasof, J
Himsel, AJ
Greenberger, E
Dong, Q
Xue, G
et al.
UC Irvine Previously Published Works
(2002)
This study examines whether European Americans and Chinese differ in their creation and evaluation of drawings of geometric shapes. Two hundred ninety-four drawings created by 50 European American and 48 Chinese college students were selected from a larger study of culture and creativity. Drawings were judged by eight Chinese and six European Americans following the Consensual Assessment Technique. The drawings were coded by content to examine what the judges considered creative. Results showed high consensus between European American and Chinese judges and great similarity in the creativity of drawings generated by the two groups. Judges liked best those drawings they judged more creative. The most creative drawings typically involved representations of geometric shapes in contexts (either concrete or abstract). Results run counter to the belief that there are wide cultural variations in the evaluation of and attitudes toward creativity, demonstrate the feasibility of cross-cultural comparisons with the Consensual Assessment Technique, and provide a basis for further cross-cultural research on creativity.
Article
Peer Reviewed
Artificial language training reveals the neural substrates underlying addressed and assembled phonologies
Mei, L
Xue, G
Lu, ZL
He, Q
Zhang, M
Wei, M
Xue, F
Chen, C
Dong, Q
et al.
UC Irvine Previously Published Works
(2014)
Although behavioral and neuropsychological studies have suggested two distinct routes of phonological access, their neural substrates have not been clearly elucidated. Here, we designed an artificial language (based on Korean Hangul) that can be read either through addressed (i.e., whole word mapping) or assembled (i.e., grapheme-to-phoneme mapping) phonology. Two matched groups of native English-speaking participants were trained in one of the two conditions, one hour per day for eight days. Behavioral results showed that both groups correctly named more than 90% of the trained words after training. At the neural level, we found a clear dissociation of the neural pathways for addressed and assembled phonologies: There was greater involvement of the anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, right orbital frontal cortex, angular gyrus and middle temporal gyrus for addressed phonology, but stronger activation in the left precentral gyrus/inferior frontal gyrus and supramarginal gyrus for assembled phonology. Furthermore, we found evidence supporting the strategy-shift hypothesis, which postulates that, with practice, reading strategy shifts from assembled to addressed phonology. Specifically, compared to untrained words, trained words in the assembled phonology group showed stronger activation in the addressed phonology network and less activation in the assembled phonology network. Our results provide clear brain-imaging evidence for the dual-route models of reading. © 2014 Mei et al.
Article
Peer Reviewed
COMT rs4680 Met is not always the 'smart allele': Val allele is associated with better working memory and larger hippocampal volume in healthy Chinese.
Wang, Y
Li, J
Chen, C
Chen, C
Zhu, B
Moysis, RK
Lei, X
Li, H
Liu, Q
Xiu, D
Liu, B
Chen, W
Xue, G
Dong, Q
et al.
UC Irvine Previously Published Works
(2013)
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met (rs4680) polymorphism plays a crucial role in regulating brain dopamine level. Converging evidence from Caucasian samples showed that, compared with rs4680 Val allele, the Met allele was linked to lower COMT activity, which in turn was linked to better cognitive performance such as working memory (WM) and to a larger hippocampus (a brain region important for WM). However, some behavioral studies have shown that the function of rs4680 appears to vary across different ethnic groups, with Chinese subjects showing an opposite pattern as that for Caucasians (i.e. the Val allele is linked to better cognitive functions related to WM in Chinese). Using a sample of healthy Han Chinese college students (ages from 19 to 21 years), this study investigated the association of COMT Val158Met genotype with behavioral data on a two-back WM task (n = 443, 189M/254F) and T1 MRI data (n = 320, 134M/186F). Results showed that, compared to the Met allele, the Val allele was associated with larger hippocampal volume (the right hippocampus: β = -0.118, t = -2.367, P = 0.019, and the left hippocampus: β = -0.099, t = -1.949, P = 0.052) and better WM performance (β = -0.110, t = -2.315, P = 0.021). These results add to the growing literature on differentiated effects of COMT rs4680 polymorphism on WM across populations and offer a brain structural mechanism for such population-specific genetic effects. | https://escholarship.org/search/?q=author%3A%22Xue%2C%20G%22 |
Our school learning environment is bright and colourful, showing off the creative talents of both staff and children. We give the children opportunities and stimuli to explore the styles, techniques and designs of famous painters, sculptors and architects both modern and classical. We provide a curriculum where skills are taught so the children can explore and experiment using different techniques, materials, textures, form, pattern and colour. It also supports work in other foundation subjects. Lessons give children a calm space to explore and reflect on the designs of others and where they learn to express their own opinions. Self-evaluation is seen as a positive technique for supporting self-improvement.
Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.
We follow a progression of skills across the year groups from Year 1 up to year 6. This approach ensures that children build upon and further develop their knowledge and skills in the areas of Designing, Making and Evaluating.
We use a cross curricular approach and incorporate opportunities to develop reading and writing through product research using a variety of sources; designing and evaluating, maths skills through weighing, measuring and estimating, computing skills through coding and computer aided design (CAD), as well as scientific knowledge through material selection and product evaluation, and healthy eating and the effects of different foods on the human body.
Our approach to Design and Technology also enables the children to experience and apply the fundamental British Values by giving them the opportunity to engage in learning in a social way and use a democratic approach to product, design, development, construction and evaluation. | https://www.abbeymeads.swindon.sch.uk/copy-of-art-and-dt |
The findings suggest that ayahuasca may show potential as an intervention for suicidality. We highlight important limitations of the study, potential mechanisms, and future directions for research on ayahuasca as an intervention for suicidality.
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Is perception the missing link between creativity, curiosity and schizotypy? Evidence from spontaneous eye-movements and responses to auditory oddball stimuli
11/19/2019
We further compared saliency maps finding that individuals high versus low in creativity and curiosity, respectively, exhibit differences in where they look. These findings may suggest a perception-based link between creativity and curiosity, but not schizotypy. Implications and limitations of these findings...
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Modulation of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor by a single dose of ayahuasca: observation from a randomized controlled trial
07/10/2019
The results suggest a potential link between the observed antidepressant effects of ayahuasca and changes in serum BDNF, which contributes to the emerging view of using psychedelics as an antidepressant.
Read
Characterizing complex networks using entropy-degree diagrams: unveiling changes in functional brain connectivity induced by ayahuasca
03/18/2019
We show that the geodesic entropy is able to differentiate functional networks of the human brain associated with two different states of consciousness in the awaking resting state: (i) the ordinary state and (ii) a state altered by ingestion of the Ayahuasca.... | https://neuro.ufrn.br/research/publication/2/2019?null |
Our goal is to nurture the social skills of all pupils in an environment of expressive play, which allows them the chance to explore drama as a gateway to the creative world and to themselves as individuals. The core values we uphold are respect; try; reflect.
Key Stage 3
In Year 7, we introduce pupils to initial key skills such as still image, improvisation, mime, and script writing to encourage the exploration of a variety of stimuli. Our lessons will provide opportunities to try different styles, roles and ways of telling a story.
In Year 8, encourage development of skills such as stage combat, design elements, and breaking the fourth wall. Pupils will be guided through the creation of more developed naturalistic characters, and will navigate new techniques for communicating a message to an audience.
Drama develops highly valuable skills:
- Cooperation – pupils work together and support each other to improve their work
- Creativity – all drama uses and fosters the imagination
- Confidence – pupils develop their ability to present themselves to an audience
- Communication – sharing ideas, advising each other and speaking clearly in public are all developed through drama
- Empathy – all drama is a reflection of real life and helps us understand the feelings and experiences of other people
- Analysis – developing understanding of media and theatre performances helps pupils to gain a deeper understanding and be more critical of what they watch.
Pupils explore:
- the skills of using voice, body and face to communicate a range of characters and situations
- how to use lighting, sound, props and costume to suggest location, time of day, atmosphere, period, action, character
- writing their own scripts for scenes
- improvising a wide range of scenes to explore situations and characters’ behaviour
- published plays and how to interpret these analysing how theatre & film performances create different effects on the audience.
Key Stage 4
Drama is a popular option at GCSE and students have 5 lessons a fortnight. The course involves the exploration, creation and performance of theatre for a range of audiences, using a variety of styles and forms.
We study the Edexcel course, which involves 40% written exam, 20% performance of play texts and then 40% performance of a devised piece with accompanying coursework. The course builds on the skills learnt and developed at KS3 and the course is structured to enable students to progress and develop their knowledge, setting them up for the same examination board if taken at A level.
Key Stage 5
At A level, we study the Edexcel course. The course involves the study of theatre from different periods of history; exploration, analysis and performance of more challenging plays and productions; the study of key theatre practitioners; the role of the director and designers in a theatrical production. The course involves a 40% devised performance with accompanying portfolio, 20% group performance and individual monologue and then a 40% written exam with 3 sections.
Extra-curricular
Trips to local and national theatres enrich and widen students’ understanding of theatre. Some productions that we have recently been to see include:
- “Peter Pan” (Bristol Old Vic)
- “The Woman in Black” (Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham)
- “The 39 Steps” (Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham)
- “The Winter’s Tale” (RSC Stratford)
- “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (Cotswold Playhouse, Stroud)
- “Tristan & Yseult” (Bristol Old Vic)
- “Othello” (Frantic Assembly)
- “Richard II” (RSC)
- “War Horse” (Hippodrome)
Visiting performers
Pupils gain a great deal from visiting professionals; not only the enjoyment of seeing high quality performances and a wider understanding of theatre, but inspiration for their own work. We aim to give all year groups the opportunity to see at least one professional performance in school every year. Frantic Assembly were our most recent visiting theatre company.
Staff members: | https://klbschool.org.uk/curriculum/subjects/drama/ |
For many people, the July 4th holiday conjures up images of fireworks, barbecues, and a host of assorted social goings-on. For others, the long weekend presents a chance to take a break from the rigors of work, relax and rejuvenate. A recent study suggests that spending that break in a specific way may result in a few positive side effects that will boost your performance when you resume your daily routine; namely, better creativity, insight and problem solving.
Researchers at the University of Kansas and the University of Utah have discovered that getting out in nature disconnected from electronic devices can lead to a 50 percent improvement on a creativity test. The study involved nearly 60 people taking multi-day wilderness hiking trips in four different states. No electronic devices were allowed on the trips.
One group took a 10-item creativity test the morning before they began their backpacking trip, and another group took the test a few days later, at the end of the hike.The results: people who had been backpacking several days got an average of 6.08 of the 10 questions correct, compared with an average score of 4.14 for people who had not yet begun a backpacking trip.
The researchers decided on a decades-old test known as the Remote Associates Test, which is a standard measuring tool for creative thinking and problem-solving. These abilities are believed to arise in the same prefrontal cortex area of the brain that is overtaxed buy constant demands on our attention in our technological environment.
Here's how it works. Participants get 10 sets of three words. For each set they must come up with a fourth word that is tied to the other three. For example, an answer to same, tennis, and head might be match (because a match is the same, tennis match and match head). Unlike other studies, where subjects were tested in labs after brief periods outdoors, "the current study is unique in that participants were exposed to nature over a sustained period and they were still in that natural setting during testing," the researchers write.
"We show that four days of immersion in nature, and the corresponding disconnection from multimedia and technology, increases performance on a creativity, problem-solving task by a full 50 percent," the researchers conclude. However, they note that their study was not designed to "determine if the effects are due to an increased exposure to nature, a decreased exposure to technology or the combined influence of these two factors."
Our modern society is filled with sudden events -- sirens, horns, ringing phones, alarms, television, and yes, fireworks -- that hijack attention, A natural environment, though, is associated with gentle, soft fascination, allowing your attention system to replenish.
Do you need to spend your entire long weekend in the wilderness without your smart phone? Probably not.
Jonathan Schooler, a researcher at University of California, Santa Barbara, pioneered the study of daydreaming and mind wandering. He's shown that people who take short daydreaming walks score higher on creativity tests. Schooler himself takes a dedicated daydreaming walk every day on a beautiful bluff along the Pacific, just north of Santa Barbara.
Albert Einstein once wrote that, "creativity is the residue of time wasted." But it's how you waste your time that really matters.
So the one thing to do over this July 4th weekend to boost your creative powers is simply this: get outdoors and talk a walk in nature, unplugged. | https://www.inc.com/matthew-e-may/the-one-thing-to-do-over-july-4th-weekend-to-boost-your-creativity-insight-and-p.html |
Deep Shadows is a collection of techniques, tools and effects discovered by mentalist and psychokinetic expert Dee Christopher over 10 years of study, creativity and performance as a professional magician and mind reader.Featuring a foreword by Daniel Madison and an incredible expanse of magic, mental-ism, routines and utilities spread across more than 250 pages, Deep Shadows is a rare insight into the mind and repertoire of a working mentalist. Within the leaves of this tome, you will learn the following: As well as all of this amazing material, Dee divulges his thinking on many different subjects including how to learn verbal deception, how to structure your acts, and many other subjects vital to the performing mentalist.Whether you're just branching out into mental-ism, or you're a seasoned mentalist looking for a greater insight into your craft, you'll find what you need in Deep Shadows.
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Abstract - I am plurilingual! Je suis plurilingue!
This multi-site study in Canada and France seeks to Through this multi-site study of children’s plurilingualism, I asked what we would discover about plurilingualism by positioning children as co-ethnographers of their plurilingual lives and what teaching might look like if it were based on a plurilingual rather than a monolingual paradigm. During a 4-month collaboration with four different English and French school models in Toronto, Canada and one bilingual school in Montpellier, France, children documented their plurilingual and pluricultural experiences: they took photos of their literacy practices at school and at home and classified them by theme to analyze the linguistic landscape around them and to reflect collaboratively on language policies that manage different spaces. Based on reflexive techniques such as drawing, creative writing and collage, students represented their plurilingualism by creating a series of individual and collective "identity texts" (Cummins & Early, 2011). Creative arts-informed methods were used to allow children to express their views without being limited to the language of instruction (Molinié, 2009; Auger, 2010). In addition, these reflexive techniques scaffolded students’ engagement as co-researchers by enabling them to creatively co-construct new knowledge and represent their perspectives.
Five key elements emerged as being foundational for teaching in the 21st century through the prism of students’ plurilingualism: 1) a vision of all students as ever-evolving plurilingual learners; 2) a purposeful inclusion of the full range of students’ communicative repertoires; 3) collaboration among teachers, students, families and the wider community, often supported by technology; 4) valuing creativity by building time, space for the creative expression of academic work; 5) adopting an inquiry-based approach to language and literacy learning.
This research contributes to an understanding of the complexity of children’s plurilingualism, as well as to the development of a didactique of plurilingualism in mainstream classrooms that is both culturally responsive and linguistically inclusive. | https://www.iamplurilingual.com/abstract.html |
9 months ago .
A quantitative aptitude section a very important and time taking part of Government Recruitment or Entrance exams. Number System Quiz 2 for Banking and Insurance Exams will help you learn concepts on important topics in Quantitative Aptitude – Number System. This IBPS Clerk Quant Number System Quiz 2 is also important for exams such as IBPS PO, IBPS SO, IPPB, RBI Assistant, LIC, SBI PO, SBI Clerk, Syndicate Executive Exam etc.
Watch this video to take a quantitative aptitude class –
Tips to Solve Number Series easily –
- Most of the numbers series questions involve squares and cubes of numbers. Hence, it is advised that you learn squares of numbers upto 40 and cubes of numbers up to 20.
- Understand the various types of questions that appear in the exams.
- Practice and Improve your Calculation skills, this will help you a lot at the time of your exam.
IBPS Clerk Quant Number System Quiz 2 –
If the fractions 2/5, 4/7, 5/9, 8/11 and 10/13 are arranged in descending order of their values, which one will be the fourth?
Number obtained by interchanging the digits of a two-digit number is more than the original number by 27 and the sum of the digits is 13. What is the original number?
If the product of two successive positive integers is 3192, which is the smaller integer?
Difference between the digits of a two digit number is 5 and the digit in the unit’s place is six times the digit in the ten’s place. What is the number?
Two third of three- fourth of one-fifth of a number is 15. What is 30 percent of that number?
The difference between the average of three consecutive even numbers and the average of the next two consecutive even numbers is 5. What is first even number?
Directions what will come in place of the question mark (?) in the following question?
Which of the following set of fractions has the fractions in descending order?
The sum of the two digits of a two-digit number is 15 and the difference between the two digits is 3. What is the product of the two digits of the two digit number?
If (73)2 is added to the square of the number, the answer so obtained is 14933. What is the number?
If the fractions 4/5, 3/7, 5/9, 6/11 and 7/13 are arranged in ascending order of their values, which one will be the second?
As we all know, practice is the key to success. Therefore, boost your IBPS Clerk preparation by starting your practice now.
Solve Practice Questions for Free
Furthermore, chat with your fellow IBPS Clerk aspirants and our experts to get your doubts cleared on Testbook Discuss. | https://testbook.com/blog/ibps-clerk-quant-number-system-quiz-2/ |
Factors And Multiples.When a number is said to be a factor of any other second number, then the first number must divide the second number completely without leaving any remainder. In simple words, if a number dividend is exactly divisible by any number divisor, then the divisor is a factor of that dividend. Factors and Multiples – Both of these are related to multiplication. While factors are what you multiply to get a number, multiples on the other hand are what you get after multiplying a number by an integer.
Distinguishing Between Factors & Multiples Posted on 27 October by James Dean — 7 Comments ↓ While reading through the new state standards, I was reminded of another frequent question I am asked by math educators: How to teach the difference between factors and multiples? Key differences between factors and multiples The points given below are substantial with regard to the differences between factors and multiples: The factors are described as a list of numbers, each of which completely divides a given number, that is, it is a perfect divisor of a number. Factors and multiples are introduced in elementary school between 4 th and 5 th grades. It’s amazing to so many secondary math teachers that by the time a student reaches middle school many students continue to struggle with identifying a number as either a factor or a multiple. Students encounter factors and multiples long before they are taught the distinct difference between a factor and a multiple.
What is the difference between listing the factors and listing the multiples of a number? The list of factors of a number is a list of numbers that divide evenly into it. The difference between consecutive multiples of a number is equal to that number. Rote memorisation leads to confusion between properties of factors and multiples. Multiples of a number never end as you can keep adding the same number over and over. Factors are numbers that evenly divide a given number.
Jan 18, 2017 · The 12 in the factors 1, 12 is even, so it is not prime. The next line shows how to break 12 up into a chain of multiplied factors factors are not limited to two, but are each of the parts multiplied together for the result. For 15, we notice that 15 is not prime, and that the prime factors are 1 3 5. Factors, Multiples, and Divisors. Definitions for Factors, Multiples, and Divisors: Two numbers are factors of a number if their product is the number. The number is a multiple of a factor. Each factor is a divisor of the number. General Property when the Natural Numbers is the Universal Set. | http://petalsandquill.com/what-is-the-difference-between-multiples-and-factors |
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