Critique essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critique - Essay Example After perusing her points and arguments, one may be left scratching one’s head because the author appears out of touch. Here is the idea: Ms. Ehrenreich has painted two pictures, that of a man and a woman. In her depictions, the man is aggressive, go-getter, tough and brazen. One could hardly dispute that since men do tend to be boisterous, insensitive, loud and forceful. But there is something wrong about the way women were articulated in the article. Essentially, the writer was admonishing women to toughen up: that being tough is the most important lesson she and most women should learn from men. To rationalize this she cited many arguments that - in the process - depicted an idea of women from the author’s perspective. She first used a personal experience as an example. In a convention, she met a prestigious professor who invited her to his room. The invitation was supposed to be for the purpose of meeting of the minds or something to that effect. Ms. Ehrenreich obli ged, so she found herself with the professor in his room - in a conversation that turned out to be more than intelligent discourse. The man made several passes and sexual innuendos. From a simple and rigid perspective, the conclusion one would get would be, of course, repulsion. The author was properly disgusted, as the professor grew more and more lecherous by the minute. But there is more than what meets the eye in this situation. When a man - who is still virtually a stranger - invites a woman to his room, there is some sexual undertone to that gesture. It is going to be an intellectual discourse, so why not a more casual setting like a cafe or the bar? The room is an intimate place and the invitation should already hint something more than simply â€Å"meeting of the minds†. If Ms. Ehrenreich has helpfully provided the exact invitation, her readers might have no difficulty identifying it as a pick up line. The author accepted, so in principle she is accommodating the init ial overtures. And to think that she still stayed for 20 minutes. She must have perplexed the professor immensely. It is very difficult not to think about the author as naive and that is saying something because she stated that she is already thirty years old. She actually blushed while recounting the episode. Later in her article, Ehrenreich would claim that â€Å"we (women) tend to assume that it is our responsibility to keep everything â€Å"nice†. Unfortunately, she did not provide factual basis or empirical evidence to back this claim. But the question begs to be asked: Is it really the case? That women assume that role? It is perhaps part of her argument that women are trained to be ladylike all their lives. She defined â€Å"ladylikeness† as a persistent servility masked as â€Å"niceness†. One is hard pressed to disagree with this point. It is unfair to claim that this is the case in the American society when women are accepted across all positions and roles that are unladylike in the author’s book. There are women in the police force, in the army, in politics. There are female CEOs who most assuredly have climbed the corporate ladder not by being ladylike. It is also unfair to claim that American women are weak and that they need to toughen up. It is not uncommon for women to be aggressive these days, to be ambitious and to get and do what they want. Gender equality has been institutionalized in America. Even a sexually

Potlatch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Potlatch - Essay Example Mauss sees this gift exchange as a system of total services that combines both sacrifice and revenge and this cycle continues, until it exhausts itself into destruction. Thus for Mauss, the potlatch is driven more by the spirit of destruction rather than generosity. Therefore, he is more interested in exploring a totally different aspect of gift giving that is outside the dominant moral code of the capitalist and consumerist society of the West. The Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian have been studied for this aspect of religious exchange or sacrifice that resembles the phenomenon of potlatch. The potlatch, which is a gift, therefore becomes a symbol of sacrifice and demands an equal sacrifice, whose debt is not automatically cancelled always but may produce forth a fresh demand for exchange of gift and so forth. Thus Mauss says that by exchanging gifts that are symbols of power and status a kind of peaceful equilibrium is maintained and it is dangerous to not involve oneself in this sacrifice if gifts. "The Indian tribes of the North-West America, again, practice the "potlatch" system, consisting in two tribes or chiefs engaging in a competition of prodigality; whoever is the richer gives the most and destroys his possessions if necessary. All this, however, in order that he himself may prosper, since in this manner he shows that he has power"2 However, in Arguing with Anthropology, Karen Margaret Skyes argues that the economies of sacrifice seem to be a misnomer for the depth and crux of the issues that potlatch raises perhaps because Potlatch shakes the common sense of the capitalist ideology, which expresses the angst it expresses by the sheer generosity it shows through the exchange of warring gifts by displaying how much one can give to the other. It therefore stands for the total system of social status without which the ethnographic groups have no identity! Therefore, to gather social respect they agree to endanger their well being. Potlatch probably conjures up the fantasy of modern power, which combines luxurious self-destruction - an obsessive and slow yet megalomaniac suicide of a society on the whole and shatters the myth of progression towards the capitalist future. Or is it somewhat similar to where we as westerners are headed It is an ironical similarity - potlatch, self-destruction and capitalist consumerist philosophy converge at a point - buy at any cost and death by excess. Potlatch has been variously criticized as giving beyond reason - but is the capitalist economy reasonable Does presenting an island to a friend any less extravagant or any less unreasonable than a potlatch One can argue that it does not dangerously bind the recipient into any form of obligation to give back a gift of equal proportion. Yes, it may not - but in a capitalist society excess of ceremony is also a political game that fascinates and horrifies at the same time - it is an excessive display of power or a counterpower to som ething that already exists. Thus, festivities are always a symbol of subversion of power, and it is a separate display of power that already exists or which is seeking to overthrow the existing power and seek prominence. Let us also consider the exchange of gift that happens in the Indian society, which is also called dowry, is another

Operation management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Operation management - Assignment Example The responsibility of a project manager can be identified by considering the following case. For instance, a particular project manager has been provided with the responsibility of constructing a bridge and who would also need to ensure that the bridge remains serviceable for the initial 20 years of use. Thus, any failure to build the bridge during the period would need to be corrected at the expense of the project manager. In order to complete the project i.e. construction of the bridge successfully, the project manager would have to perform the aforementioned responsibilities (Munns & Bjeirmi, 1996). Demonstration of Technique 1 The technique i.e. Critical Path Analysis (CPA) ensures the completion of a particular project ‘on time’ and ‘on budget’. It computes the time as well as determines the investment amounts which greatly contribute towards finishing a project ‘on time’ and ‘on budget’. Moreover, the technique i.e. ... CPA can make the differentiation between success and failure upon any complex project. It is much valuable for evaluating the significance of the difficulties which are faced while implementing a project plan. The technique of CPA can be implemented by following the diagram. Source: (Baker, 2004). Demonstration of Technique 2 The other technique which facilitates the execution of a project ‘on time’ and ‘on budget’ is ‘Gantt Chart’ method. This technique is fundamentally learnt to be a valuable tool in order to analyse as well as plan different complex projects. Moreover, it is recognised to be a strong as well as a standard instrument with respect to project management. The technique i.e. the ‘Gantt Chart’ can be used for making certain of the actuality that the project can be completed ‘on time’ and ‘on budget’ because it aids to divide the procedures in simpler forms, recognises every important tasks rel ating to the project , establishes duration and identifies overlapping works. These vital features of ‘Gantt Chart’ eventually lead to the accomplishment of a project ‘on time’ and ‘on budget’ (The Centre for Academic Development, 2001). The diagram of â€Å"Gantt Chart" has been provided hereunder. Source: (The Centre for Academic Development, 2001). Question 2 Principles of Performance Management The conception of performance management is principally described as a continuing procedure which is perceived as a strategic approach and offer successful results within a company by enhancing the performance and developing the proficiencies of the individuals and teams. The major objectives of performance management include supporting personal growth as well as team development, raising the degree of team performance by promoting

Wachovia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Wachovia - Research Paper Example All the major cause will be expansively presented in this paper. The valuable lessons learnt from the crisis will also be thrown light upon in this paper. Wachovia, Bear Stearns, AIG, Lehmann Brothers, Northern Rock, Goldman Sachs are some elite names that suffered the most because of the economic crisis also known as recession. Wachovia was once the fourth largest bank in America but it could not sustain the wrath of recession and was taken over by Wells Fargo in the year 2008. Lehmann brothers filed for bankruptcy while AIG and a few other elites just hung in there with the skin of their teeth. This economic crisis is still having repercussions on countries like Greece and Spain; the whole of Euro Zone is facing a financial turmoil. There are a few other countries that have been not so severely affected by the same. The crisis triggered off because of unchecked debt, banks kept issuing loans to people who invested heavily in buying assets, several things were taken for granted but when proved otherwise there was hardly a place in the world to hide. Overvaluation in real estate is perhaps the biggest cause of the current economic crisis, it is better known as the subprime crisis in the US. The likes of Lehmann Brothers and other financial services went bust because they kept issuing credit to the people who thought the property price would increase and they would be easily able to pay off the debt that they are borrowing. It did not turn out that way and there was a short of equity, this is exactly why the financial institutions went bankrupt. The overvaluation is the biggest factor that caused the current economic crisis. Factors like bad income tax practices have added insult to injury, bad mortgage lending also contributed heavily to this current economic crisis. â€Å"The way to address the root cause is to let house prices drop to where an average house is within the means of an average household.   (Or, alternatively, boost the income of the average h ousehold to the point that they can afford an average house.   But that's very hard.   Letting houses prices go on falling, although painful for everyone who owns a house or who has lent money to someone who owns a house, is very easy.)† (Root Cause of the Financial Crisis) The UK housing market was also greatly affected because of recession. The impact of the global economic crisis on UK property companies was dire. Previously well performing firms in terms of turnover and profits experienced drastic falls in profits and even losses. Tightened lending conditions and dips in confidence in the UK housing sector translated to inactivity in business and thus reduced turnovers, hindered growth and difficult operations. In the general pattern as the rest of the economy, property firms found it untenable to maintain workforce numbers as lack of activity and the heavy toll of remuneration on available resources. Reduced spending propensities and the lack of credit in the housing sector left most of these companies’ futures hanging in the balance. There is also the question of how the entire properties sector and the property companies have set out to recover from the economic crisis. Concerns also arise in terms of how well the instituted strategies can buffer such firms against an occurrence of another financial downturn in the future. The content analysis reveals that the property companies went through severe impacts on their management dispositions as well as on their employees. The managers were

Mandatory Service Program Essay Example for Free

Mandatory Service Program Essay There are many debates concerning advantages and disadvantages of mandating community service, however, the practice of compelling adolescents to take part in community service is increasingly common. People seek to understand the relationships between mandatory community service and volunteering. A key distinction between mandated community service and volunteering is the freely-chosen nature of the latter activity compared to the compulsory nature of the former (Arai et al.). Even though college students may not comprehend the value of community service now, this is a great opportunity for them to achieve something in the future. What harm can several hours of service per week possibly do to youngsters? Instead of attending pubs, drinking alcohol and doing whatever they like to do, they will be busy with contributing to the society. The statistics shows that students who participated in community service while studying at college are more likely to find a good job because they have something to put in their resumes. Such people are welcome in every circle. Current statistics from the Department of Labor report that in the United States among the 26, 8% of the adult population who volunteer, college students are the majority of them (76, 3%). That shows that individuals with higher levels of educational attainment are more aware of the importance of contributing to the community, more aware of the impact the may have and the responsibility they carry as citizens to improve lives and solve problems. By implementing a mandatory service program for all college students, the number of active students should be increased, and that should be the start. The reason why that should be initiated at college is that college is where there already a wide culture of volunteering, where individuals are more responsive to the need of getting involved. College students carry fundamental information that should help in crafting solutions to existing social problems. At the beginning, the service will, of course, be mandatory, but later most of the students may like it, may like to pay tribute to their society and be responsible for something useful and good that they have done. The study of Ontario university students compared a cohort of students required to perform mandatory community service to a cohort that did not, in terms of their attitudes toward volunteering and civic engagement a few months after high school graduation (Henderson). Metz and Youniss note in particular the benefits of mandated community service for students who are less inclined to servedefined in this case as students who had no volunteer experience prior to beginning their mandated service, and who delayed beginning their service until their final year before graduation. In their study, these less-inclined students, once compelled to become involved in community service, experienced firsthand the benefits of doing so, and were likely to stay involved and report intentions to continue civic involvement into adulthood. While more-inclined adolescents similarly reported intentions to continue their involvement, they were likely to do so regardless of whether they had been required to perform community service (Arai et al.). Among the group less inclined to service, students required to perform mandatory service showed a greater likelihood of civic interest and understanding, future voting, and conventional civic involvement after their experience (Lerner, Zaff). Mandated community service experiences are not significantly different from those entered into willingly. Length and breadth of service is similar, and with the exception that high school students who were not mandated to perform community service tend to use their schools to identify volunteering opportunities, and as places to perform service, the two cohorts are indistinguishable (Brown et al.). Some may not agree that service should be made mandatory to all students at college because partner sites could lose with the program instead of benefiting. The argument is that sites will not have a long- term commitment from the students participating in the program and that might hurt their projects. However, the students might be so deeply involved with their projects that they may choose to carry on with their work and continue to help. Their enthusiasm may influence others in their lives, such as their family members, in such a way they become supports as well. Another strong argument against mandatory service program is that in 2002, Covitt found that girls had more positive attitudes about required service than boys, and that white students had more positive attitudes than black students (Lerner, Zaff). Of course, it is impossible for all nations and genders to have the same attitude and the same point of view. But that is the actual purpose of community service: to unite everyone for solving common social problems and achieving desired goals. Nowadays civic engagement is deteriorating, people become members of different associations less and less, they are not interested in social activities and do not care about obvious problems. They turn a blind eye on everything that is farther from their reach. There are three possible ways for mandated behavior programs to attain their goals: they compel, directly, the very behaviors that are seen to be essential; they create behavioral habits so that individuals might then begin to participate in other similar activities; and/or the act of participating instills in individuals the attitudes that then serve as motors for other behaviors deemed to be beneficial (Brown et al.). Among programs aimed at students, effects are clearest when service is regular and sustained, when there are broad opportunities for public action, or when the service provides students with an opportunity to experience power. Factors such as the amount of enjoyment, support, respect, and appreciation students encounter in their placements are very important in promoting a commitment to subsequent volunteering (Brown et al.). Mandatory community service is, of course, one example of mandated civic behavior deemed to benefit both individual participants and society as a whole. In order for college students not to be hostile towards the program, they need to get some benefits from participating. And this way they will not feel forced to do anything. Their contributions will become more voluntary and, therefore, they will become better people than they were before. In conclusion, it has to be said that the number of reasons pro establishing mandatory service program is overwhelming and fears about consequences are not reasonable enough to fight against it. Students will be busy with something useful for their lives and will not notice how they begin to enjoy it. Both, the young people and the society will benefit from it.

Ethics Handbook Essay Example for Free

Ethics Handbook Essay We chose you as an employee of Company X because we see you as a valuable person who can contribute to the same priority. As a team member of Company X, are goals are clear. Through public respect, responsiveness, and accountability as our core values, we are able to remain leaders in the industry. The success of our company is dependent on you, our stakeholders, and our customers. We take great pride in our reputation in the industry and continually monitor ourselves for ways we can improve business for our clients, stakeholders, policymakers, and the general public, both local and national. Our reliability is measured through our commitment to delivering service with integrity and through honorable conduct. Because we are at the forefront of public service, we are judged on our choices and decisions. Our reputation is based on the public’s view of our commitment to ethical business practices and our respect for society. As an organization we aim to maintain active engagement in ethical behavior that promotes social responsibility in everyday practices. This is where you come in as an employee. We encourage all employees to actively participate in community outreach and events that foster both your own growth and the growth of social values. Company X will reward this activity if accompanied with ethical decision making by increasing promotion opportunities and/or allowing this experience to be counted in your job description. If you are interested in this opportunity, see Human Resources for a list of approved community outreach opportunities. Company X Values It is the policy of Company X to embrace ethical behavior through clear communication of the laws, rules and expectations that are defined in this code of ethics. In addition, Company X values accountability for good ethical choices and socially respected behavior. We rely on every member to evaluate their own behavior and conduct respectable business through solid every day decision making. Ethics are not fixed, and subject to interpretation through each and every interaction between everyone involved. Because value s and ethical decision making can be challenging, Company X wants to take some of the pressure off the complexities of making difficult ethical decisions. Therefore, this manual provides directives used to evaluate and interpret best practices in the business environment. In addition, these policies and all regulations including administrative actions, apply to all staff  members, contractors, and volunteers and are strictly enforced (see section Member Misconduct).The manual also contains fixed principles, mandatory training, resources for questionable situations, ethics mentor, anonymous hotline, and resources for situations that may be questionable. A signed copy of this manual will be placed in all member’s personnel file and will be used as reference for future use. Please be sure you understand these policies and procedures before you sign the document. We begin by outlining and defining the standards of social and ethical conduct. In addition to standards of behavior, training is outlined. Training is mandated to all staff employed by Company X. Additional training and resources are offered throughout the year in respon se to the changing needs of the industry and social issues and will be announced semi-annually. Principles of Behavior and Conduct No member, contractor or person acting as a representative shall: Discriminate against clients, coworkers, stakeholders, Accept monetary compensation, services in trade or benefit from any interaction directly or indirectly related to the services provided by company x if the value is determined to be at or above $30. Engage in, use or create an appearance of using official capacity to influence clients stakeholders, or other members for personal or professional gain. Knowingly make statements or take action that is untruthful or can be reasonably determined to be untruthful. Engage either directly or indirectly in political campaigns, nor engage in political conversation with anyone while acting in capacity of Company X business. Retaliate against any member who comes forward with claims of ethical violations. Retaliation is mandatory termination of employment without further warning (see section Member Misconduct). All members contractors, or persons acting as a representative shall: Report all incidents of violations to the Ethics Office. Interact and promote personal integrity, honesty, fairness and confidence in compliance with all laws, rules, policies and regulations both internally and externally. Maintain confidentiality in all interactions. Written, verbal, email, phone. Avoid inappropriate associations with clients or client representatives. Engage, actively encourage and support community involvement through support and reassurance in wrap-around service delivery. Utilize efficient use of resources in such a way that minimizes the impact to the environment (energy and materials). Report suspected, potential, or clear violation of ethical misconduct. All members in the chain of command are held to the same standards. Contractors, and any individual acting in a capacity to officially represent Company X are also required to carry out all actions with an intent to promote public trust, integrity, and confidence. From team members to corporate leaders, we expect the same set of principles through a set model of best practices. Best practices is recognized by asking yourself is this decision going to cause harm to someone, is this situation going to violate law or company policy, is my action going to violate stakeholder values, or compromise my position within my job role? Best practices will help us all to remove some of the risks we might face in everyday decision making by communicating set values, social responsibility and ethical standards for all members. Because best practices is subjective, training and resources will be available to provide leadership and mentoring. We encourage open discussion when personal values and ethi cs might cause conflict or confusion. As a condition of continued employment, mandatory ethics training is provided and monitored (see monitoring ethics section below). Ethics Training Leadership teams attend annual ethics training. Training includes skills to monitor and mentor lower staff. As a result, members can be confident that management is able to provide guidance and support for most ethical decisions. In order to communicate Company X’s policies, values, and changing trends in legal and social ethical issues formal training is required. Company X models this by providing training. As a result, all staff are required to complete the following formal training: In the first month of employment, all staff will go through instructor led training targeted toward individual and group acknowledgement of legal situations, ethical dilemmas, social responsibility and reporting requirements. This interactive training will present scenarios in which employees will make decisions whether ethical violations may or may not have occurred. Independent trainers with local management will evaluate answers and offer answers to difficult scenarios. All staff will take a yearly instructor led course on the history of civil rights and one follow up interactive on line course which presents current social, business and ethical issues in industry. General managers will receive value based ethics training  tailored from annual risk assessment data. The goal is for managers to set modeled behavior and create positive influence. Company X sponsors an annual Industry Standards Town Hall meeting. We value transparency and company input from all of us and our intentions are to provide all of us the opportunity to go over changing social issues, our previous year’s successes and failures, and what can we do to support the values of Company X, our clients, and community partners. Our company will be closed on this day while each of us enjoy a paid day to come and participate in this interactive get together. Member Misconduct Company X recognizes ethical conduct is not always easy to define. We value fairness and strive to provide impartial judgment based on facts and data. All reports of violations are reviewed and judged by an independent review board who will at determination of reported violations, determine consequences and refer cases for criminal prosecution if necessary. Consequences for violation of ethical misconduct will be strictly enforced. Company X has zero tolerance for unethical behavior. Informal and formal offenses will be forwarded to the Ethics Committee for record keeping purposes. Informal counsel for misconduct not related to any act of gross misconduct. This is the preferred method for first time offenses. Formal counsel is written report placed in member file for duration of one year. Two written reports within one year that are found to be validated through investigation will result either in unpaid suspension or immediate termination. Unpaid suspension. Gross negligence results in immediate termination and will be referred for criminal prosecution. Monitoring Auditing and Reporting Video monitoring in central locations where customer interactions will be supervised by an independent contractor. This is to protect you as an employee, protect customer interactions, and protect the interest of Company X. All computer and resource use by all employees is subject to monitoring and will be strictly enforced. IT managers have unlimited access to company owned property. Due to the potential time sensitive situations that may arise, no notice will be given prior to IT management accessing company computers. Team members personnel files will be maintained and include reported violations. These files will be analyzed for trends that can be traced back to departments, leaders, hiring practices, or substandard training. The Ethics Office, and Human Resources do not require your written consent for  release of information related to ethical violations. Semi-annual audits will be conducted on all departments within Company X by the Ethics A udit committee: Anonymous hotline reports will be compiled and reported to the Ethics Audit committee. Plan for Evaluating and Improving the Ethics Program After Implementation. The final results of all data compiled by the Ethics Office will be submitted to Corporate Leadership Committee who will analyze the results in order to evaluate potential changes to Company X’s ethical inventory. Data will also be collected from hotline calls, imposed ethical violations, and employee suggestions. This data will be measured against all complaints, judgments, and lawsuits both within Company X and the industry and be used to revise program standards. Data will also be analyzed and evaluated for ethical issues that need to be integrated in to future training and resources for staff. All staff will complete annual on line â€Å"How Are We Doing?† surveys. Focus groups tailored to each department’s group dynamic will analyze the data and make formal recommendations to the Ethics Office Staff, community and stakeholder input will be collected and analyzed for social and ethical value. The Ethics Office will compile the results from all departments and present the evidence to CEOs and senior management. Middle management and supervisors will be included in the final findings. Training will be adjusted and targeted to cultural, legal, and ethical risk factors. Positive yearly ethical performance evaluations, focus group opportunities, and promotional opportunities will be tied to annual employee review. Help and Resources Here at Company X we recognize that some ethical situations may be complex or blurred. Additionally, we recognize that the difficult decision to come forward with information against coworkers may prevent reporting incidents that need investigation. Furthermore, ethical decisions are often confusing and require complex decision making. We are here to help. Furthermore, if you have questions about your own decisions, questions about an incident, or just want to ask questions, we want to support you. For this reason, we provide an anonymous phone line that allows members to report violations, present questions and trouble shoot challenging scenarios. Ethics Office 360-555-1212 staffed by trained ethics officer. Anonymous hotline 360-555-4242 State Office of Ethics 1-999-555-2323 Federal Office of Ethics  1-777-555-7878 We provide annual reports of imposed ethics violations and the penalties imposed. Here is the link to www.companyx/ethics/reports.com I have read and understand the policies and ethical standards set for Company X. I am aware a signed copy of this policy will be placed in my team member personnel file.

Theory of Heteronuclear NMR Spectroscopy and its Application

Theory of Heteronuclear NMR Spectroscopy and its Application SYED MASOOD HASSAN AKBARI Question 1: Describe theory of heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy and its use in pharmaceutical analysis. Current strategies for determining the structures of membrane proteins in lipid environments by NMR spectroscopy rely on the anisotropy of nuclear spin interactions, which are experimentally accessible through experiments performed on weakly and completely aligned samples. Importantly, the anisotropy of nuclear spin interactions results in a mapping of structure to the resonance frequencies and splatting’s observed in NMR spectra. Distinctive wheel-like patterns are observed in two-dimensional 1H–15N heteronuclear dipolar/15N chemical shift PISEMA (polarization inversion spin-exchange at the magic angle) spectra of helical membrane proteins in highly aligned lipid bilayer samples (Marassi and Opella, 2000; Wang et al., 2000). One dimensional dipolar waves are an extension of two-dimensional PISA (polarity index slant angle) wheels that map protein structures in NMR spectra of both weakly and completely aligned samples (Marassi and Opella, 2000). Dipolar waves describe t he periodic wave-like variations of the magnitudes of the heteronuclear dipolar couplings as a function of residue number in the absence of chemical shift effects. Since weakly aligned samples of proteins display these same effects, primarily as residual dipolar couplings, in solution NMR spectra, this represents a convergence of solid-state and solution NMR approaches to structure determination (Marassi and Opella, 2000). NMR structural studies of proteins There are three principal spectroscopic considerations for NMR structural studies of proteins: the overall rotational correlation time of the protein, the extent of alignment of the protein in the sample, and the strategy for assignment of the resonances to sites in the protein. Each of these considerations needs to be taken into account in the development of NMR for structural studies of membrane proteins (Opella, 1997). For relatively small globular proteins, the sample conditions, instrumentation, experiments, and calculations that lead to structure determination are well established (Cavanagh et al., 1996). The chief requirement for structure determination of globular proteins is that samples can be prepared of isotopically labelled polypeptides that are folded in their native conformation and reorient relatively rapidly in solution. Such samples have been prepared for many hundreds of proteins, and it is likely that this can be done for thousands more of the polypeptide sequence s found in genomes (Wuthrich, 1998). This is not yet the case for membrane proteins. Resonance assignments The traditional approach to protein structure determination is based on the same overall principles, whether solution NMR or solid-state NMR methods are used and whether the sample is aligned or not. This involves the resolution of resonances through the use of isotopic labels and multidimensional NMR experiments, the measurement of spectral parameters associated with individual resonances, for example, NOEs, J couplings, dipolar couplings, or chemical shift frequencies, the assignment of all resonance to specific sites in the protein, and then the calculation of structures. There are examples of the application of this approach to membrane proteins in micelles (Almeida and Opella, 1997) and bilayers (Opella et al., 1999). The availability of orientation information associated with individual resonances means that it is now possible to make effective use of limited amounts of assignment information, for example, some residue-type assignments or a few sequential assignments. It may al so be feasible to implement an â€Å"assignment-free† approach. The use of either limited or no assignment information prior to calculating structures would greatly speed the process of structure determination by NMR spectroscopy, especially in the case of membrane proteins where assignments are difficult to make in nearly all situations due to overlap of resonances and unfavourable relaxation parameters. Dipole–dipole interaction The local field, which results from the interaction between two nearby nuclei, is a direct source of structural information. Pake’s (1948) seminal paper demonstrated that the dipole–dipole interaction between two spin S = 1/2 nuclei is manifested as a doublet in NMR spectra, with the frequency difference a function of not only the distance between the two nuclei but also the angle between the internuclear vector and the direction of the applied magnetic field. The dipole–dipole interaction provides direct access to geometrical parameters that can be translated into molecular structures. Moreover, it is important for many aspects of solid-state NMR spectroscopy; for example, it is essential to minimize its influence through decoupling to obtain well-resolved spectra. In this regard, it is generally easier to deal with heteronuclear rather than homonuclear dipolar couplings. Heteronuclear dipolar couplings are used extensively to determine the structures of protein s, in particular the 1H–15N interaction at the amide sites in the protein backbone. Uniform labelling with 15N is particularly valuable in proteins because the properties of a â€Å"dilute spin† are retained, since the next nearest amide nitrogen is separated by two carbon atoms in the polypeptide backbone (Cross et al., 1982). In addition, each 15N label in an amide site provides three spin interactions for analysis: the 15N chemical shift, the 1H chemical shift, and, of course, the 1H–15N heteronuclear dipolar coupling between the two directly bonded nuclei. The dipole–dipole interaction is anisotropic; therefore, the value of the splitting varies with molecular orientation. It is maximal for an N–H bond parallel to the field, half-maximal when the bond is perpendicular to the field, and zero when the bond is at the â€Å"magic angle†. All of these possibilities are observed in experimental data from aligned proteins. The 1H–15N het eronuclear dipolar interaction has the dual roles of providing a mechanism for resolving among resonances with N–H bonds at different orientations and of providing the input for structure determination in the form of frequency measurements that can be translated into angles between individual bonds and the external axis imposed by the magnetic field. The angular information can then be used in conjunction with the well-established geometry of peptide planes to determine the three-dimensional structure of the polypeptide backbone (Opella et al., 1987). These methods can be extended to additional nitrogen and carbon sites for characterization of side chain conformations. Separated local field spectroscopy (Waugh 1976) combines several of the elements of high-resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy to average out the unwanted broadening influences of homonuclear dipolar couplings and double resonance and multidimensional spectroscopy to average out and separate the heteronuclear dipolar couplings in different parts of the experiment. The chemical shift dimension in two-dimensional separated local field spectra is intrinsically high resolution because it is obtained while decoupling the hydrogens to remove the broadening due to heteronuclear dipolar couplings. Homonuclear dipolar couplings are minimal among the dilute nuclei and generally do not require attention. This enables the dipolar couplings between bonded pairs of 1H and 15N nuclei to be measured for individual 15N sites with different chemical shift frequencies. The original versions of separated local field spectroscopy have more than adequate resolution for studies of peptides or specifically or selectively labelled proteins. However, further improvements in resolution were needed for studies of uniformly 15N labelled proteins. PISEMA (polarization inversion spin-exchange at the magic angle) (Wu et al., 1994) is a high-resolution version of separated local field spectroscopy. Line widths in the key dipolar frequency dimension are reduced by more than one order of magnitude compared with the conventional separated local field experiment. The combination of narrow lines and favourable scaling factor has such a dramatic effect on the appearance of the spectra that it is now feasible to formulate solid-state NMR experiments where heteronuclear dipolar coupling frequencies complement chemical shifts as a mechanism for spectroscopic resolution as well as the measurement of readily interpretable orientationally dependent frequencies. PISA (polarity index slant angle) wheels The secondary structure and topology of a membrane protein can be described by the patterns of resonances observed in two-dimensional PISEMA spectra of uniformly 15N labelled polypeptides in aligned bilayers (Marassi and Opella, 2000; Wang et al., 2000). The characteristic â€Å"wheel-like† patterns observed in these spectra reflect helical wheel projections of residues in both transmembrane and in-plane helices. Therefore, PISA wheels provide direct indices of both secondary structure and topology. The resonance frequencies in both the 1H–15N heteronuclear dipolar and 15N chemical shift dimensions in PISEMA spectra of aligned samples of membrane proteins depend on helix orientation as well as on backbone dihedral angles, the magnitudes and orientations of the principal elements of the amide 15N chemical shift tensor, and the N–H bond length. It is possible to calculate spectra for any protein structure (Bak et al., 2002). The principals involved in the PISA whee l analysis of helices (Marassi and Opella, 2000) are illustrated in Fig. 2. In Fig. 2A, the projection down the axis of a helical wheel shows that the 3.6 residues per turn periodicity characteristic of an ÃŽ ±-helix results in an arc of 100 ° between adjacent residues. The drawing of a peptide plane in Fig. 2B shows the orientations of the principal axes of the three operative spin interactions at the 15N-labelled amide site. The 17 ° difference between the N–H bond axis and the ÏÆ'33 principal element of the amide 15N chemical shift tensor is of particular importance because of its impact on the spectral appearance of a PISA wheel. The striking wheel-like pattern of resonances calculated from a two-dimensional PISEMA spectrum of an ideal helix is shown in Fig. 2C. A PISA wheel reflects the slant angle (tilt) of the helix, and the assignment of the resonances reflects the polarity index (rotation) of the helix. When the helix axis is parallel to the bilayer normal, all of the amide sites have an identical orientation relative to the direction of the applied magnetic field, and therefore, all of the resonances overlap with the same dipolar coupling and chemical shift frequencies. Tilting the helix away from the membrane normal results in variations in the orientations of the amide N–H bond vectors relative to the field. This is seen in the spectra as dispersions of both the heteronuclear dipolar coupling and the chemical shift frequencies. Nearly all transmembrane helices are tilted with respect to the bilayer normal, and it is the combination of the tilt and the 17 ° difference between the tensor orientations in the molecular frame that makes it possible to resolve many resonances from residues in otherwise uniform helices and is responsible for the wheel-like pattern in PISEMA spectra, such as that illustrated in Fig. 2C. Figure 1: Illustrates principles of PISA wheels (Marassi and Opella, 2000). (A) Helical wheel showing the 100 ° arc between adjacent residues that is a consequence of the periodicity of 3.6 residues per turn in an ÃŽ ±-helix; (B) orientations of the principal elements of the spin interaction tensors associated with 15N in a peptide bond; (C) PISA wheel for an ideal ÃŽ ±-helix; (D) dipolar wave for an ideal ÃŽ ±-helix. Question 2: Structure Elucidation for C11H15NO.HCl Mw = 213.70 FT-IR Shows a sharp peak at 1690cm-1 which is representative of a C=O functional group. There is a broad peak turning up at the 3500cm-1 representative of a C-H group. 1H NMR Shows a cluster of peaks from 7.62-8.02ppm showing up as 5H. This means that the benzene ring is branched at one location. 5.25ppm shows up as a 1H this is the CH group 2.97-3.03ppm are the 2CH ­Ã‚ ­3 groups bonded to the Nitrogen. 1.64ppm comes up as a doublet with 3H this means that it is a methyl. The strong peak at the 4.80ppm is representative of the amine. 13C NMR The useful information gathered from this spectra is as there are negative peaks showing up so the angle at which this spectra was got was at 1350 clearly showing the CH2 in the ring and the benzene facing down. 196.51ppm shows the negative peak of the benzene ring. 136.69ppm shows the CH2 groups in the benzene ring. The peaks ranging from 128.54-131.90 are of the symmetrical benzene ring carbons. 69.57ppm is the CH3 group close to the ketone. 41.29ppm is the CH group which is beside the ketone. 14.46ppm is the 2 CH3 groups bonded to the amine. EI-MS Shows a small signal at 29 m/z which is representative of a CHO group. And the signal at 72 m/z is representative of a H3CHC=N+(CH ­3)2 ion. Chemical Structure Figure 1: Shows the structure of C11H15NO.HCl. 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