A Systems Approach to the Exploration of Challenges of Online Distance Literature review - 2

A Systems Approach to the Exploration of Challenges of Online Distance Education in the context of Saudi Arabia - Literature review Example Reinforcing is the process by which the different components of a system are put into action. Balancing process makes sure that every component of a system is in equilibrium with each other. Feedback forms an integral part of the sytems thinking approach. For instance while analyzing a project on human resource; the management is considering increasing the number of employees in the organization, however past results show that increasing the number of workers has proven to be counterproductive. Therefore in such a scenario the firm must take into consideration feedbacks generated from past actions to analyse the current system (Checkland and Poulter, 2010). Sytems thinking was founded in the year 1956 by the MIT professor Jay Forrestor. Forrestor had recognized that there was a need of a better way of testing new ideas and aspects of the social system like in the manner how ideas are tested in engineering. In traditional forms of analysis, a system in broken up into different parts and then studied. In case of sytems thinking, a system’s parts are analysed on the basis of how they interact with each other in order to produce behaviour (Checkland and Winter, 2006). System thinking emphasizes upon the proper usage of input so that the desired results can be obtained. In case of analyzing a project as a system, the inputs are capital, labour, machines materials and time. The desired output can be in the form of services and products. The systems thinking approach induces the detailed analysis of each aspect of the action plan that is formulated to achieve the desired results. Therefore the management needs to consider the critical success factors and the impact of the external environment upon the operations. The systems theory brings stability in the operations of an organization which otherwise can be chaotic as the business environment, both internal and external are constantly changing. The systems approach also

Nukes; Who Has the Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nukes; Who Has the Power - Essay Example State Department 1). In addition, the agency also ensures that there is peaceful exchange of equipment and use of nuclear energy (U.S. State Department 1). The Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC) plays a major role in maintaining the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile. The department ensures that U.S. nuclear weapons are safe, secure, reliable, and effective. The NWC department facilitates cooperation and establishes priorities that govern the management of U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile through the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy (Natural Resources Defense Council 1). Indeed, the Department of Defense (DOD) administers the countrys military units prepared to work nuclear weapons and their delivery vehicles (Natural Resources Defense Council 1). The department oversees the uniformed military and agencies handling nuclear weapons issues. It also drafts arrangements for utilizing nuclear weapons and oversees the transaction of nuclear arms control understandings. On the other hand, the Department of Energy researches, produces, and dismantles nuclear warheads and materials (Natural Resources Defense Council 1). The National Nuclear Security Administration oversees the nation’s nuclear weapons design facilities and safeguards the safety, reliability, durability, and security of U.S nuclear weapons and naval nuclear reactors (U.S Department of Energy 1). The National Nuclear Security Administration responds to nuclear emergency in America and addresses global nuclear nonproliferation issues. The agency seeks to reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction and offers safe and effective nuclear propulsion to the American Navy (U.S Department of Energy 1). The National Security Council is an executive branch in the Office of the President that coordinates efforts among government offices trying to control the spread of nuclear weapons and to address nuclear deterrence and security

The Perspective of Philosophy of Mind and Psychology Essay

The Perspective of Philosophy of Mind and Psychology - Essay Example The external explanations are odd with the empirical science we know psychology to be. Descartes eliminated the psychological characteristics in trying to explain the view that a soul is always conscious or thinking. To this perspective, an entity seems to have unactualized mental dispositions and capacities. It is doubtful that the argument by Descartes is not speaking of the physical organism that may be temporary without certain conscious states while remaining alive and physically capable of the state. Therefore, the argument of an entity imagined having neither the physical properties nor current conscious states for a period, which is against the laws of physical science. Therefore, with respect to science, it would not be clear to what it would mean to speak of it (Flanagan, 2007). The first law of the thermodynamics that relates a cause to be at least stronger as its effect does not go in line with Descartes views. The reason being that if otherwise taken into account, some o f the effects would be recorded in his explanations. An effect must at least be as its cause in strength. On the other hand, simply some of the case would end up disappear or not be perceived. Descartes gave arguments in his favour. Therefore, his external explanation does not fit with the first law of thermodynamics (Flanagan, 2007). If we can never know if humans have a nonphysical or spiritual aspect, the point of establishing scientific psychology is relevant. The argument above bases on empiricism as it is imperative in science. It states that the only source of our knowledge come through our senses.

Lay investiture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lay investiture - Research Paper Example Kings had taken some duties and trappings entitled to priests while some priests and bishops governed as feudal lords. The church lacked the governing power because the pope did not have coercive power to implement ecclesiastical policies. As such, it was necessary to employ the secular arm that was willing to implement the will of papacy. The monarchies saw the new action of papacy as usurping their power and as a result, conflicts emerged (De-La-Noy 1993, 72). During the time when Norman rule was established in England, there was a great need for change in the relationship between secular and church authorities. Gregorian reforms, which favored a central authority of Rome when dealing with local churches in Europe, were not fully accepted by Western Europe’s kings and monarchies. There was an increase in the effectiveness and scale of papal influence in local churches. At the same time, the powerful government established by Norman monarchy in England often opposed the influ ence and intervention of the pope in the affairs of local churches. As such, papal intervention and interference by the monarchy in the affairs of local churches led to investiture conflicts. ... After the death of William in 1100, Anselm returned to England after being invited by a newly installed King Henry 1. Anselm supported Henry’s rise to the throne against a protracted conflict with his brother, Robert. However, due to respect for papal decree, Anselm declined to support Henry’s demand to honor him and obey his commands. In addition, Anselm rejected to consecrate bishops that the king wanted. Henry did not want to quarrel with him while at the same time, he did not want to compromise the monarchy’s rights to homage and investiture (De-La-Noy 1993, 74). Despite mutual respect between Henry and Anselm, there was a direct conflict between them. Henry, who was not as violent as his predecessor Rufus, was resolute. He summoned Anselm and insisted that he pay homage by consecrating the bishop and priests that he had proposed, or he would leave the country. Anselm did not take any of the two options offered by Henry because he had deep conviction that he had to respect the pope, and it was his personal decision to either accept or decline the king’s demands. The conflict compelled the two to send emissaries to Rome in order to negotiate ways of solving their conflict. Pope Pascal II answered back by praising the king’s faithfulness on the matter but maintained his predecessor’s stand that forbade investiture and homage (Wilhelm 1990, 44). After a series of negotiations conducted by the king’s emissaries and the pope, there was some compromise in which Henry was allowed to invest in some bishop, but the 1102 letter by Pope Paschal II did not touch on homage but criticized investiture fervently. The Roman Council, which was attended by

Celebrities as Role Models Essay Example for Free

Celebrities as Role Models Essay The Supreme Court ruled against a former high school student Monday in the Bong Hits 4 Jesus banner case a split decision that limits students free speech rights. Joseph Frederick was 18 when he unveiled the 14-foot paper sign on a public sidewalk outside his Juneau, Alaska, high school in 2002. Principal Deborah Morse confiscated it and suspended Frederick. He sued, taking his case all the way to the nations highest court. The justices ruled that Fredericks free speech rights were not violated by his suspension over what the majoritys written opinion called a sophomoric banner. It was reasonable for (the principal) to conclude that the banner promoted illegal drug use and that failing to act would send a powerful message to the students in her charge, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the courts 6-3 majority. Breyer noted separately he would give Morse qualified immunity from the lawsuit, but did not sign onto the majoritys broader free speech limits on students. Roberts added that while the court has limited student free speech rights in the past, young people do not give up all their First Amendment rights when they enter a school. Roberts was supported by Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, and Samuel Alito. Breyer noted separately he would give Morse qualified immunity from the lawsuit, but did not sign onto the majoritys broader free speech limits on students. In dissent, Justice John Paul Stevens said, This case began with a silly nonsensical banner, (and) ends with the court inventing out of whole cloth a special First Amendment rule permitting the censorship of any student speech that mentions drugs, so long as someone could perceive that speech to contain a latent pro-drug message. He was backed by Justices David Souter and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. At issue was the discretion schools should be allowed to limit messages that appear to advocate illegal drug use. Bong, as noted in the appeal filed with the justices, is a slang term for drug paraphernalia. The incident occurred in January 2002 just outside school grounds when the Olympic torch relay was moving through the Alaska capital on its way to the Salt Lake City, Utah, Winter Games. Though he was standing on a public sidewalk, the school argued Frederick was part of a school-sanctioned event, because students were let out of classes and accompanied by their teachers. Morse ordered the senior to take down the sign, but he refused. That led to a 10-day suspension for violating a school policy on promoting illegal drug use. Frederick filed suit, saying his First Amendment rights were infringed. A federal appeals court in San Francisco agreed, concluding the school could not show Frederick had disrupted the schools educational mission by showing a banner off campus. Former independent counsel Kenneth Starr argued for the principal that a school must be able to fashion its educational mission without undue hindsight from the courts. http://articles.cnn.com/2007-06-25/justice/free.speech_1_principal-deborah-morse-banner-case-school-policy/2?_s=PM:LAW http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/aclu-slams-supreme-court-decision-student-free-speech-case WASHINGTON The American Civil Liberties Union today criticized the Supreme Courts 5-4 ruling in Morse v. Frederick, which held that Alaska public school officials did not violate a students free speech rights by punishing him for displaying a banner during a public event. We are disappointed by the Supreme Courts ruling, which allows the censorship of student speech without any evidence that school activities were disrupted, said Douglas K. Mertz, an ACLU cooperating attorney who argued the case before the Supreme Court. The case arose in 2002 when Joseph Frederick, then a student at Juneau-Douglas High School in Juneau, Alaska, was suspended for 10 days for holding up a humorous sign that the principal interpreted as a pro-drug message. As the ACLU and Mertz noted, the sign caused no disruption, was displayed at the Olympic Torch Relay a public event on public streets and Frederick had not yet arrived at school for the day. The Courts ruling imposes new restrictions on student speech rights and creates a drug exception to the First Amendment, said Steven R. Shapiro, ACLU National Legal Director. The decision purports to be narrow, and the Court rejected the most sweeping arguments for school censorship. But because the decision is based on the Courts view about the value of speech concerning drugs, it is difficult to know what its impact will be in other cases involving unpopular speech. The Court cannot have it both ways, Shapiro added. Either this speech had nothing to do with drugs, which is what Joe Frederick claimed all along, or it was suppressed because school officials disagreed with the viewpoint it expressed on an issue that is very much the subject of debate in Alaska and around the country. Frederick said that the phrase on the banner, Bong Hits 4 Jesus, was never meant to have any substantive meaning. It was certainly not intended as a drug or religious message. I conveyed this to the principal by explaining it was intended to be funny, subjectively interpreted by the reader and most importantly an exercise of my inalienable right to free speech. The ACLU noted that the ruling is limited to rights under federal law rather than Alaska state law, which is more protective of personal liberties. The fight to defend free speech will go on, both in this case and in others, Mertz said. We are grateful for the many Alaskans and Americans who rallied to defend the First Amendment and promise our continued support for civil liberties. The case attracted support from more than a dozen groups across the ideological spectrum, from the conservative American Center for Law and Justice, Christian Legal Society and Rutherford Institute to the Student Press Law Center, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Drug Policy Alliance and National Coalition Against Censorship. More information on the case is online at: www.aclu.org/frederick The decision is online at: www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/archives/06-278_All.pdf In addition to Mertz and Shapiro, attorneys for Frederick are Catherine Crump and Jonathan Miller of the national ACLU and Jason Brandeis, Legal Director of the ACLU of Alaska. http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/06-278.ZS.html At a school-sanctioned and school-supervised event, petitioner Morse, the high school principal, saw students unfurl a banner stating â€Å"BONG HiTS 4 JESUS,† which she regarded as promoting illegal drug use. Consistent with established school policy prohibiting such messages at school events, Morse directed the students to take down the banner. When one of the students who had brought the banner to the event—respondent Frederick—refused, Morse confiscated the banner and later suspended him. The school superintendent upheld the suspension, explaining, inter alia, that Frederick was disciplined because his banner appeared to advocate illegal drug use in violation of school policy. Petitioner school board also upheld the suspension. Frederick filed suit under 42 U. S. C.  §1983, alleging that the school board and Morse had violated his First Amendment rights. The District Court granted petitioners summary judgment, ruling that they were entitled to qualified immunity and that they had not infringed Frederick’s speech rights. The Ninth Circuit reversed. Accepting that Frederick acted during a school-authorized activity and that the banner expressed a positive sentiment about marijuana use, the court nonetheless found a First Amendment violation because the school punished Frederick without demonstrating that his speech threatened substantial disruption. It also concluded that Morse was not entitled to qualified immunity because Frederick’s right to display the banner was so clearly established that a reasonable principal in Morse’s position would have understood that her actions were unconstitutional. Held: Because schools may take steps to safeguard those entrusted to their care from speech that can reasonably be regarded as encouraging illegal drug use, the school officials in this case did not violate the First Amendment by confiscating the pro-drug banner and suspending Frederick. Pp. 5–15. (a) Frederick’s argument that this is not a school speech case is rejected. The event in question occurred during normal school hours and was sanctioned by Morse as an approved social event at which the district’s student-conduct rules expressly applied. Teachers and administrators were among the students and were charged with supervising them. Frederick stood among other students across the street from the school and directed his banner toward the school, making it plainly visible to most students. Under these circumstances, Frederick cannot claim he was not at school. Pp. 5–6. (b) The Court agrees with Morse that those who viewed the banner would interpret it as advocating or promoting illegal drug use, in violation of school policy. At least two interpretations of the banner’s words—that they constitute an imperative encouraging viewers to smoke marijuana or, alternatively, that they celebrate drug use—demonstrate that the sign promoted such use. This pro-drug interpretation gains further plausibility from the paucity of alternative meanings the banner might bear. Pp. 6–8. (c) A principal may, consistent with the First Amendment , restrict student speech at a school event, when that speech is reasonably viewed as promoting illegal drug use. In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School Dist., 393 U. S. 503 , the Court declared, in holding that a policy prohibiting high school students from wearing antiwar armbands violated the First Amendment , id., at 504, that student expression may not be suppressed unless school officials reasonably conclude that it will â€Å"materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school,† id., at 513. The Court in Bethel School Dist. No. 403 v. Fraser, 478 U. S. 675 , however, upheld the suspension of a student who delivered a high school assembly speech employing â€Å"an elaborate, graphic, and explicit sexual metaphor,† id., at 678. Analyzing the case under Tinker, the lower courts had found no disruption, and therefore no basis for discipline. 478 U. S., at 679–680. This Court reversed, holding that the school was â€Å"within its permissible authority in imposing sanctions †¦ in response to [the student’s] offensively lewd and indecent speech.† Id., at 685. Two basic principles may be distilled from Fraser. First, it demonstrates that â€Å"the constitutional rights of students in public school are not automatically coextensive with the rights of adults in other settings.† Id., at 682. Had Fraser delivered the same speech in a public forum outside the school context, he would have been protected. See, id., at 682–683. In school, however, his First Amendment rights were circumscribed â€Å"in light of the special characteristics of the school environment.† Tinker, supra, at 506. Second, Fraser established that Tinker’s mode of analysis is not absolute, since the Fraser Court did not conduct the â€Å"substantial disruption† analysis. Subsequently, the Court has held in the Fourth Amendment context that â€Å"while children assuredly do not ‘shed their constitutional rights †¦ at the schoolhouse gate,’ †¦ the nature of those rights is what is appropriate for children in school,† Vernonia School Dist. 47J v. Acton, 515 U. S. 646 , and has recognized that deterring drug use by schoolchildren is an â€Å"important—indeed, perhaps compelling† interest, id., at 661. Drug abuse by the Nation’s youth is a serious problem. For example, Congress has declared that part of a school’s job is educating students about the dangers of drug abuse, see, e.g., the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994, and petitioners and many other schools have adopted policies aimed at implementing this message. Student speech celebrating illegal drug use at a school event, in the presence of school administrators and teachers, poses a particular challenge for school officials working to protect those entrusted to their care. The â€Å"special characteristics of the school environment,† Tinker, 393 U. S., at 506, and the governmental interest in stopping student drug abuse allow schools to restrict student expression that they reasonably regard as promoting such abuse. Id., at 508, 509, distinguished. Pp. 8–15. http://web.law.duke.edu/publiclaw/supremecourtonline/certgrants/2006/morvfre.html Frederick sued Morse, the principal of his high school, under 42 U.S.C.  § 1983, alleging that his First Amendment rights had been violated when Morse suspended him for ten days after he unfurled a banner with the message Bong hits 4 Jesus during a televised parade. The parade took place during the school day; students had been released from school to watch the parade; faculty were present and loosely supervising the event. Frederick was standing across the street from the school when he displayed the banner. Frederick unsuccessfully appealed his suspension administratively before filing his civil rights claim in district court. The district court ruled in favor of the principal. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, holding that the case was governed by Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, in which the Supreme Court held that school authorities may only suppress the speech of students at school if the authorities can reasonably predict substantial disruption of or material interference with school activities as a result of the speech. Noting that Morse could not have been concerned about the disruption of educational activities resulting from Fredericks speech, the Ninth Circuit reasoned that Morse could not punish Fredericks non-disruptive, off-campus speech, even though he was a student, the speech took place during a school-authorized activity, and the speech promoted a social message contrary to the one favored by the school. Finally, the Ninth Circuit held that Morse was not entitled to qualified immunity from money damages, because her conduct violated Fredericks constitutional rights, the right was clearly established under the law, and it would be clear to a reasonable principal that her conduct was unlawful in the situation [she] confronted.

Quantification of Bioactive Compounds in Mentat Tablet (MT)

Quantification of Bioactive Compounds in Mentat Tablet (MT) An ultra-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of twenty-eight major bioactive compounds in Mentat tablet (MT), a complex Indian herbal medicine used in the treatment of neurological disorder and improvement of mental health. Multiple-reaction monitoring scanning was employed for quantification in positive and negative mode. The analysis was accomplished on Waters AQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column with linear gradient elution of water/formic acid (0.1%) and acetonitrile/formic acid (0.1%) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The proposed method was validated with acceptable linearity (r2, 0.9984-0.9999), precision (RSD, 0.22–2.11%), stability (RSD, 0.16–1.78%) and recovery (RSD ≠¤ 3.74 %), under optimum conditions. The limits of quantitation were low ranging from 0.28 to 3.88 ng/mL for the 28 compounds. The method was successfully applied to the simultaneous deter mination of 28 compounds in twenty batches of MT tablets. Also, hierarchical cluster analysis and principle component analysis was applied to categorize 20 samples based on characteristics of the 28 bioactive compounds. The results have indicated that this advanced method is rapid, sensitive and suitable to show the real quality of the MT composition and also capable of controlling quality of polyherbal formulations having similar markers/raw herbs. Keywords: Multiple Reaction Monitoring / Multi-Marker Quantification / UPLC-ESI-MS/MS / Hierarchical Cluster Analysis / Principle Component Analysis 1. Introduction Herbal medicines (HMs) refer to one herb or complex mixtures, which usually contains hundreds of chemically different components. Their curative effects are principally based on the synergic effect of their multi-targeting and multi-ingredient preparations [1, 2]. Consequently, quality control becomes troublesome for crude drugs. the method that employs pharmacologically active components to evaluate the quality and authenticity of the complex preparations is confronted with severe challenges. Therefore, better analytical strategies to assure their efficacy, safety, and consistency is essential and in great demand [3]. Moreover, the chemical compounds in the poly herbs in HMs products may vary depending on harvest seasons, plant origins, drying processes and other factors. Thus, it seems to be necessary to determine most of the phytochemical constituents of herbal products in order to ensure the reliability and repeatability of pharmacological and clinical research and to enhance pro duct quality control [4, 5]. Currently, selection of a single or a few specific components from a certain herbal medicine as markers for quality assessment is a widely applied strategy. However, it cannot afford sufficient quantitative information for the other medicinal compositions and cannot accurately reflect the quality of HMs products. All the HMs compositions play important roles in the therapeutic effects. Therefore, selecting multiple constituents from different medicinal herbs as evaluation markers has been gradually applied for the quality control of HMs [6, 7]. Mentat tablets (MT, commercial product) is a polyherbal medication with each tablet composed of multiple herbs extracts (listed in Table S1). Major contributed herbs are Bacopa monnieri, Centella asiaticaand Withania somnifera. MT is a unique all-natural multi-ingredient formula that promotes brain health. It improves the mental quotient, memory span, concentration ability, stress threshold and exhibit significant anti-parkinsonian activity. MT also offers protection against convulsions, which is beneficial in insomnia with its sedative and tranquilizing effects [8-10]. Chemically bacosides, saponin mixture in B. monnieri, triterpenoid glycosides in C. asiatica, steroidal lactones in W. somnifera are the major representative ingredients in MT, in comparison to others. [11-14]. Phytochemical investigations show important classes of bioactive constituents in selected plants which are as in combination of MT that are responsible for the bioactivity [15-20]. Literature survey reveals various analytical methods including thin layer chromatography (TLC) [21], high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) [22, 23], liquid chromatography (LC) [6, 24, 25], liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) [26-29], nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) [30] for the quantitative analysis of the bioactive constituents in HMs to assess the quality of the complex preparations. To the best of our knowledge, there is no method reported for the simultaneous estimation of selected 28 multi-markers in herbals by UPLC-ESI-MS/MSand no such approach has been explored on this important drug combination for quality and consistency evaluation of this herbal preparation. Natural alteration in preparation processes and climate affects the safety and batch-to-batch uniformity of HMs products. Highly sensitive analytical methods are thus required to identify ingredients and evaluate batch-to-batch variation. Compared to conventional TLC, HPTLC, HPLC method which are less sensitive and takes longer analysis time, UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode is more powerful approach. Due to its rapid separation power, low detection limit, high sensitivity, selectivity and specificity, UPLC-ESI-MS/MS offers effective detection to quantify multi-ingredients in complex sample matrices. Previous methods reported in literature only contained one or few compounds, without the consideration of other active ingredients. This paper describes for the first time a simple, accurate and reliable UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of 28 multiple bioactive compounds from different polyherbs viz., bacoside A (mixture of bacoside A3, bacopaside II, bacopaside X and bacopasaponin C), withanolide-A, withaferin-A, asiaticoside, madecassoside, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, magnoflorine, curcumin, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, rosamarinic acid, ursolic acid, catechin, apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, corilagin, chrysin and chlorogenic acid with single runtime of 10 min. This method is intended not only for quality control of commercial polyherbal formulated products but also for efficient evaluation of raw materials. The quantitative results were further analyzed by multivariate statistical analysis i.e., hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principle component analysis (PCA) to provide more information about the ch emical differences and batch-to-batch variations. Chemical Structures of all analytes and internal standards were showed in Fig 1. 2. Experimental 2.1 Reagents and materials The reference standards (purity≠¥90%) bacoside A (mixture of bacoside A3, bacopaside II, bacopaside X and bacopasaponin C) was purchased from Natural Remedies Pvt. Ltd. Apigenin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, protocatechuic acid, rosamarinic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, ursolic acid, palmatine, withanolide-A, withaferin-A, asiaticoside, madecassoside, jatrorrhizine, magnoflorine, catechin, chlorogenic acid, curcumin, rutin, corilagin, chrysin, gallic acid and ellagic acid were purchased from Sigma Aldrich Ltd. (St. Louis, MO, USA). Reference standards of quercetin, luteolin and internal standards (IS) andrographolide and piperine were purchased from Extrasyntheses (Genay, France). Twenty different batches of Mentat tablets produced by Himalaya Drug Company, Bangalore, India were purchased from local drug stores from different places in India (Table S2). For all solutions and dilutions, methanol, acetonitrile (LC-MS grade) and formic acid (analytical grade) were purchased from Fluka, Sigma–Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). Milli-Q Ultra-pure water was obtained from a Millipore water purification system (Millipore, Milford, MA, USA). 2.2 Preparation of standard solutions and samples A stock solution containing 28 standards i.e., bacoside A (mixture of bacoside A3, bacopaside II, bacopaside X and bacopasaponin C), withanolide-A, withaferin-A, asiaticoside, madecassoside, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, magnoflorine, curcumin, gallic acid, procatechuic acid, ferulic acid, caeffic acid, ellagic acid, rosamaric acid, ursolic acid, catechin, apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, corilagin, chrysin and chlorogenic acid were weighed accurately, dissolved in pure methanol.The working standard solutions were prepared by diluting the mixed standard solution with methanol to a series of concentrations within the ranges from 1 to 1000 ng/mL used for plotting the calibration curves. Meanwhile, each standard was also prepared respectively. The coating of each samples were removed completely, and the remains were smashed into powder. Pulverized sample (0.5g) was weighed precisely, and sonicated by ultrasonicator (53 KHz, Bandelin SONOREX, Berlin) using 50 ml 100% methanol at room temperature for 30 min. The extracted solution was centrifuged at 15000 rpm for 10 min, and the supernatant was filtered through a 0.22  µm syringe filter (Millex-GV, PVDF, Merck Millipore, Darmstadt, Germany) to obtained 10,000  µg/ml. The à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ltrates were diluted with methanol to final working solutions and analyzed directly by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The internal standards andrographolide for negative mode and piperine for positive mode were spiked to each working concentration of mixed standards solution and sample solution at a final concentration of 50 ng/mL (50  µL of internal standards mixture of 1000 ng/mL of each in methanol) were mixed properly. All solutions were stored at -200C until use and sonicated prior to injection. 2.3 Instrumentation and analytical conditions An Acquity ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLCTM) system consisting of an auto sampler and a binary pump (Waters, Milford, MA was used for analysis. The compounds were separated on an Acquity BEH C18 (2.1 mmÃâ€" 50 mm, 1.7 µm; Waters, Milford, MA) analytical column at a column temperature of 25à ¢- ¦C. A gradient elution was achieved using two solvents: 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water (A) and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in acetonitrile (B) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The gradient program consisted of an initial of 5% with linear increase from 5% to 60% B over 1.85 to 7.5 min and increased from 60% B to 90% B over 8.5 min, which was maintained for 1.5 min, followed by a return to the initial condition over 2.5 min with a sample injection volume of 5 µL. The UPLC system was interfaced with hybrid linear ion trap triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer (API 4000 QTRAPâ„ ¢ MS/MS system from AB Sciex, Concord, ON, Canada) equipped with electrospray (Turbo V) ion source. The optimized parameters for positive mode were as follows: the ion spray voltage was set to 5500 V; the turbo spray temperature, 550à ¢- ¦C; nebulizer gas (gas 1), 50 psi; heater gas (gas 2), 50 psi; collision gas, medium; the curtain gas (CUR) was kept at 20 psi. Optimized parameter for negative mode were as follows: the ion spray voltage was set to −4200 V, the turbo spray temperature, 550à ¢- ¦C; nebulizer gas (gas 1), 20 psi; heater gas (gas 2), 20 psi; collision gas, medium; the curtain gas (CUR) was kept at 20 psi. Quantitative analysis was performed using multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode and its conditions were optimized for each compound during infusion. For full scan ESI-MS analysis, the spectra covered the range from m/z 100 to 1000. Analyst 1.5.1 software package (AB Sciex) used for instrument control and data acquisition. The results of the precursor ion, product ion, corresponding declustering potential (DP), entrance potential (EP), collision energy (CE), cell exit potential (CXP) were shown in Table S3. 2.4 Multivariate analysis Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) is a tool to identify relatively homogeneous groups of cases based on selected characteristics, using an algorithm that starts with each case in a separate cluster until only one is left. In the experiment, HCA of 20 batches of samples were performed, in which a method called average linkage between groups was employed and 28 markers were selected as the measurement. Similarly, Principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out based on the contents of quantified 28 bioactive compounds in 20 batches of samples. All the experiment was done using software STATISTICA 7.0. When the contents of investigated compounds were below the quantitation limit or not detected in the samples, the values of such elements were considered to be zero.

The Stoics and Socrates :: essays research papers

The Stoics and Socrates The question of the reality of the soul and its distinction from the body is among the most important problems of philosophy, for with it is bound up the doctrine of a future life. The soul may be defined as the ultimate internal principle by which we think, feel, and will, and by which our bodies are animated. The term "mind" usually denotes this principle as the subject of our conscious states, while "soul" denotes the source of our vegetative activities as well. If there is life after death, the agent of our vital activities must be capable of an existence separate from the body. The belief in an active principle in some sense distinct from the body is inference from the observed facts of life. The lowest savages arrive at the concept of the soul almost without reflection, certainly without any severe mental effort. The mysteries of birth and death, the lapse of conscious life during sleep, even the most common operations of imagination and memory, which abstract a man from his bodily presence even while awake; all such facts suggest the existence of something besides the visible organism. An existence not entirely defined by the material and to a large extent independent of it, leading a life of its own. In the psychology of the savage, the soul is often represented as actually migrating to and fro during dreams and trances, and after death haunting the neighborhood of its body. Nearly always it is figured as something extremely volatile, a perfume or a breath. In Greece, the heartland of our ancient philosophers, the first essays of philosophy took a positive and somewhat materialistic direction, inherited from the pre-philosophic age, from Homer and the early Greek religion. In Homer, while the distinction of soul and body is recognized, the soul is hardly conceived as possessing a substantial existence of its own. Severed from the body, it is a mere shadow, incapable of energetic life. Other philosophers described the soul's nature in terms of substance. Anaximander gives it an aeriform constitution, Heraclitus describes it as a fire. The fundamental thought is the same. The soul is the nourishing agent which imparts heat, life, sense, and intelligence to all things in their several degrees and kinds. The Pythagoreans taught that the soul is a harmony, its essence consisting in those perfect mathematical ratios which are the law of the universe and the music of the heavenly spheres. All these early theories were cosmological rather than psychological in character. Theology, physics, and mental science were not as yet distinguished. In the "Timaeus" (p.