The Pros of Mosquitoes and Their Important Roles

The Pros of Mosquitoes and Their Important Roles Not much love is lost between people and mosquitoes. If insects can be credited with evil intent, mosquitoes seem determined to wipe out the human race. As carriers of deadly diseases, mosquitoes are the  deadliest insect on Earth. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people die from malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever after being bitten by a disease-carrying, blood-sucking mosquito. The Zika virus can harm fetuses if a pregnant woman gets bitten, and chikungunya can cause debilitating joint pain. If these diseases affect a large population at once, the outbreak can overwhelm local health care, the UN reports. Mosquitoes also carry diseases that pose serious threats to livestock and pets. At the very least, these bloodthirsty insects are major annoyances, biting humans with a persistence that can be maddening. Knowing this, is there an intrinsic value to keeping them around? If we could, should we just eradicate them all off the face of the earth? The answer is mosquitoes do have value. Scientists are divided as to whether theyre worth it, though. The Long History of Mosquitoes on Earth Mosquitoes populated this planet long before man. The oldest mosquito fossils date back some 200 million years, to the Cretaceous period.   More than 3,500 species of mosquitoes have already been  described from various parts of the world, of which only a few hundred species bite or bother humans. In fact, only female mosquitoes bite humans. Males lack the parts to penetrate human skin.   Benefits Many scientists agree that mosquitoes present more of a hassle than they have value. The mere fact that they are the reason for so many human deaths a year is reason enough to wipe them off the planet. However, mosquitoes serve important functions in numerous ecosystems, serving as food for many species, helping filter detritus for plant  life to thrive, pollinating flowers, and even affecting the herding paths of caribou in the tundra. Last, scientists are looking at the mosquito for potential medical treatments. The Food Web Mosquito larvae are aquatic insects  and, as such, play an important role in the aquatic food chain. According to Dr. Gilbert Waldbauer in The Handy Bug Answer Book, Mosquito larvae are filter feeders that strain tiny organic particles such as unicellular algae from the water and convert them to the tissues of their own bodies, which are, in turn, eaten by fish. Mosquito larvae are, in essence, nutrient-packed snacks for fish and other aquatic animals. In addition, while species of mosquitoes eat the  carcasses of  insects  that drown in the  water,  the mosquito larvae feed on the waste products, making nutrients such as nitrogen available for the plant community to thrive. Thus, the elimination of those mosquitoes  might affect plant growth in those areas. A mosquitos role on the bottom of the food chain does not end at the larval stage. As adults, mosquitoes serve as equally nutritious meals for birds, bats, and spiders. Mosquitoes seem to represent a considerable biomass of food for wildlife on the lower rungs of the food chain. Mosquito  extinction, if it is achievable, could have an adverse effect on the ecosystem. However, many scientists suggest that the ecosystem could eventually rebound and another species could take its place in the system. Acting as Pollinators Only the females of some mosquito species need a meal of blood to get the proteins necessary to lay eggs. For the most part, male and female adult mosquitoes depend on nectar for energy. While retrieving nectar, mosquitoes pollinate plants to help to ensure that different types of plant life thrive.  When mosquitoes pollinate  plants, especially the aquatic ones around which they spend much of their lives, they help perpetuate these plants. These plants provide cover and shelter for other animals and organisms. Medicinal Lessons? Although the mosquito has been a known vector for spreading disease all over the world, there is some hope that mosquito saliva may  have some potential use for the treatment of the No. 1 worldwide killer of humans: cardiovascular disease. One promising application is the development of anticlotting drugs, such as clotting inhibitors and capillary dilators. The composition of mosquito saliva is relatively simple, as it usually contains fewer than 20 dominant proteins. Despite the great strides in knowledge of these molecules and their role in blood feeding, scientists still know only about half of the molecules found in the insects saliva.

Literary Analysis of Imagery in The Scarlet Ibis Essay

Literary Analysis of Imagery in The Scarlet Ibis - Essay Example The first scene contains a number of imagery, which readers can easily interpret through sensory experience. The visual symbolism in the bleeding tree, the silvery powder and the purple phlox are examples of imagery, which connote the fate facing different characters throughout the story. In addition, Hurst (1) uses olfactory imagery in his presentation of the flowers blooming at the graveyard, which he says produce smell that extends to the length of the cotton plantation. The author’s assertion that the plants rot brown magnolia flowers is rife with imagery of the attractiveness of the graveyard, and the existence of some temporal life. Moreover, the growths of ironweeds which compete with the attractive flowers symbolize the feeling of abandon of the dead. Apart from the existence of the plant imagery, there is auditory imagery in oriole’s beautiful melodies in the elm (Hurst 1). This symbolizes a sense of life and excitement in the story. In addition, the green-draped parlor is rich with visual imagery of attractive vegetation, fair weather, and rich soils, supporting the plants’ and animals’ lives. Doodle in itself is a name that brings out the visual imagery of the small doodle-bug that naturally walks backwards. This implies the character is one who would never tire of going the opposite direction on social issues affecting him and the immediate environment where he stays (Hurst 2). Further, Hurst’s use of a deafening thunder and mournful sound symbolizes the existence of powers, which are beyond the existence of animals and plants. The latter auditory imagery symbolizes mortal nature of living things on earth, even when they are seen as blossoming and death is seemingly not in sight. The two forms of imagery are complimented by the visual imagery in the green-draped parlor, which is by its description

Systematic Approach to Higher Education Administration Research Paper

Systematic Approach to Higher Education Administration - Research Paper Example This discussion stresses that  the administration of regional institutions that offer higher education must be approached systematically in order to realize the most desirable results. Further, decentralizing education in the context of establishing regional institutes of higher education largely contributes to regional development. A systematic approach that brings institutes of higher education together with regional stakeholders such as local government, organizations of social development and industries facilitates the alignment of teaching, civic engagement and research with regional development strategies.According to the study findings the process of systems thinking will entail developing models that promote how events are understood and the behavioral patterns that result in such events as well as the underlying structures that are responsible for such behavioral patterns. In that perspective, this paper will explore the viability of developing an international campus in C anada for the University of Wyoming. The focus will be on state and institution governance structure and interrelationships and intra-relationships among the structures that govern the institution. It will further discuss the governance structure for the Canadian campus and the major legal and regulatory issues relevant to the expansion as well as budgetary and policy considerations at the regional, local and institutional levels.

The African-American Artists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The African-American Artists - Essay Example I firmly believe that the success of a song or musical composition does not entirely depend on the ethnic, racial or cultural background and orientation of the artist. Other factors contribute to the success of a musical composition, including the integrated components of musical elements such as the harmony, pitch, lyrics, melody, and rhythm, among others. Music, interpreted by a particular artist, regardless of race or other personal differences in gender or age, would have found equal success with the right timing, right musical score, choice of instruments, vocals and the expressive interpretation of the artist that elicited the appropriate appeal of the target audience. There are different instances when songs have been initially recorded by one artist and have been interpreted by another. For instance, the song of Josh Groban entitled â€Å"You Raise Me Up† was popularly known to have been recorded by various artists even before it rose to fame when Josh Groban recorded and sang it. The reasons why there are versions that generated significant popularity and success more than others who previously recorded them could range from the timing of these songs being recorded which perfectly match the sentiments and appeals of the audience; the personality of the singer or artist who sang and interpreted the song (where it could be observed that there are a particular appeal and charisma that was exemplified – more than what the other artists who previously recorded them delivered); the strategies used for promoting the songs; and there could be some changes in some musical elements, like the tempo, rhythm, and musical instruments or accompan ying background that made a particular musical interpretation more successful than others.

Future professional of tourism

Future professional of tourism Introduction New tourism is an important subject for future professional of tourism. To work in this sector we have to be aware of new form, new tendency and new destinations. Travel sellers have to know supply and demand in this field. Our file is a glimpse of some new ways of travel and new destinations. We need to keep watching on this new form of tourism because it is very competitive sector. Thats why we have chosen to describe two new destinations and two new form of tourism. In one part we explain couchsurfing that is a new form of tourism based on people exchanges. It is almost a way of life with values and aspirations. Une phrase sur la partie de reb. In a second part, we show two new destinations. First Bulgaria, its number of visitors has increased by 4000000 in 8 years. This country with a coast on Black sea is more and more visited especially by Europeans. Phrase sur partie de Reb. Tourism evolves and new forms are created Couch surfing CouchSurfings definition Couchsurfing is a new way of travelling based on sharing. An organization based on Internet (www.couchsurfing.com) manages the connections between people. CouchSurfing is an international non-profit network that connects travelers with locals in over 230 countries and territories around the world. A couch or a bedroom is offered to a visitor by a local for his stay. Since 2004, members have been using this system to come together for cultural exchange, friendship, and learning experiences. Today, over a million people who might otherwise never meet are able to share hospitality and cultural understanding. Our mission as an organization is to create inspiring experiences: cross-cultural encounters that are fun, engaging, and illuminating. These experiences take many forms. CouchSurfings initial focus was on hosting and surfing (staying with a local as a guest in their home). Alongside these core experiences, we now also facilitate a growing array of activities and events.[1] CouchSurfing members share hospitality with one another. These exchanges are a uniquely rich form of cultural interaction. Hosts have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world without leaving home. Surfers, or travelers, are able to participate in the local life of the places they visit. The CouchSurfing community continues to expand its horizons. Members are always finding more ways to connect and learn about each other. Every day, people across the world share coffee, camping trips, meetings, language exchanges, discussions and all sorts of other experiences. Who and how runs CouchSurfing? Casey Fenton launched the site on Jan 1, 2003 with co-founders : Dan Hoffer, Sebastien LeTuan, and Leonardo Bassani de Silveira. Casey continues to help CouchSurfing as Executive Director of the organization. The CouchSurfing organization has no physical location. Instead, it exists in the collaborations of diverse people from around the world. The strategic direction of the Couchsurfing organization is composed by a Board of Director and a Strategy Team. Each member of these two groups brings different specialized skills. Members of strategy team: Casey Fenton, co-founder and Executive Director; Mattthew Brauer, General Manager; Jim Stone, Chief Operations Officer; Weston Hankins, Chief Technological Officer; Cameron Mills, Project Portfolio Manager. There also some full-time employees and contractors. They have a variety of roles from building and maintaining the website to organizing finances. Finally, some part time volunteers help them to manage the organization. They are Couchsurfing members and they greet new members, report website bugs and answer member questions. CouchSurfing is a non-profit organization, funded entirely by the donations of members. According to the web site, every month, thousands of CouchSurfers choose to support the community by getting verified, an identity check that includes a donation. Other members choose to make independent or additional donations. Contributions help to pay for the costs of running the website, like server hosting, storage, database maintenance, mapping software, and many other costs[2]. Each positive experience between members costs 24 ¢ USD in CouchSurfing operating costs. The goal of CouchSurfing has never been about money, and using the site is free to all members. CouchSurfings non-profit status legally means that all resources must be spent directly on achieving the mission rather than creating profit for private interests. Few statistics 1775916 Couchserfers are travelling sharing homes in the worlds. There are 236 countries represented and 70637 cities for 318 languages spoken. The 10 countries most visited are United States with 395657 visitors that represent 22,3 % of couchsurfers, Germany with 168807 visitors (9,5 %), France with 150939 visitors (8,5%), United Kingdom 85587 visitors (4,8%), Canada 85544 visitors (4,8%), Australia 50821 visitors (2,9 %), Italy 50652 visitors (2,9%), Spain 48858 visitors (2,8%), Brazil 48503 visitors (2,7%) and Netherland 35661 visitors (2 %). We note that almost all continent are represented in the top-ten, except Asia but China just come in 12th position. Regarding the most visited cities Paris is on first position, then London and Berlin comes on third position. The average age of surfers is 28 and 85 % of surfers have between 18 and 35. Our opinion Couchsurfing is a meaningful new way of travelling. It creates connections between cultures and can enrich lives of everybody. It is more than a way of travelling it is a way of living with many values like exchange without profit. We think that couchsurfing is a door to experience new point of view and new culture by travelling or welcoming. It is also a tool to travel more especially for young people. Indeed, even if it could be less comfortable than hotel room, it is free. Travels help to built mind and this way of travelling permit to travel more, further and better. Partie de Reb New destination appears Bulgaria Bulgaria is a small country in south-eastern Europe. It have frontiers with Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey. This country owns coasts on Black sea. The climate and the relief permit to develop a large number of touristic products. In 2000 the number of visitors were 2100000, it increase and there were 6000000 tourists in 2008. Bulgarias assets The natural landscape is one of the most important assets. First, mountains and high peak are attractive for ski tourism. Most of the 44 ski resorts are located in western country around Sofia, the capital city. The most famous are: Aleko ski center on Vitosha mountain at 22 km of Sofias city center with 29km of ski runs, Borovets ski resort on Rila mountains that is a high class resort with luxury hotels, Bansko in Pirin mountain, thats one of the new ski resort in Bulgaria with 56 km of ski runs and a great off piste skiing, Pamporovo ski resort in the heart of Rodopa Mountain is the southernmost resort in Europe. Then, we can find the Black Sea Coast famous for its fine sanded beaches, and perfect temperatures of water and air. The northern and the southern coast are different. On the north tourists can find clean and calm sea surrounded beaches with fine grain golden sands. The most famous and the most frequented sea side resort are Golden Sand, Albena, Roussalka, Riviera, Slanchev Den (Sunny Day), St.Konstantin and Elena. On the south, picturesque bays and steep rocks coexist with spacious beaches and sand dune. The coast provides wonderful nature and modern constructions on holiday villages like Elenite, Sunny beach, Nessebur, Sopozol Rural tourism is another form present in Bulgaria but less significant. An unconventional form of tourism Health tourism is a great part of tourism in Bulgaria. With over 600 mineral springs with temperature between 10 °C and 120 °C, Bulgaria is a thermal destination. Pavel Banya, Hisar, Velingrad, Narechen, Vurshets, Kyustendil and Momin Prohod, near Kostenets are the most famous of the health resort. They treat different diseases like bronchial asthma, disturbances of locomotors system, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders Another Health or medical tourism exists in many forms. People travel in Bulgaria for medical, dental or surgery care, especially from United States and developed country where medical treatment are more and more expensive. Health Tourism is a combination of wellness and healthcare coupled with leisure and relaxation. Diet Center: Some tourists travel to lose weight and the most famous clinic is located in the sea side resort of St-Konstantin and Elena. A stay in the clinic last between 10 and 20 days and cost between 500 and 2000 Euros including catering in hotel, a medical consultation, medical exams and a diet program for each patient. Plastic surgery: It attracts tourists because of the low price and the quality of services. In the middle of 90s a lot of clinics have opened and a high competition appear. The clinics directors had to invest in high technology and high qualified staff. As example a breast augmentation cost on average 6000 Euros in France, England or Germany and only 2500 Euros in Bulgaria. Tooth care: The prices are cheaper than in Western Europe because they are align on Bulgarian standard of living. We can find a lot of good clinics in big cities like Sofia, Burgas, Varna and Plovdiv. Some tour operator offer medical trip to their customers, they organize the whole stay. Global medical travel in USA and BGmedical travel in Bulgaria are specialized on medical travel. Our opinion According to us, it could be interesting to travel abroad for surgery or medical care. Indeed, in many occidental countries a lot of people are underinsured or uninsured. It means that many people have to pay for their medical care. According to a Harvard study, in USA half of personal bankruptcies are related to medical expenses. We think that its sometimes the only solution to cure decay. People have to be careful. First of all, they must check the procedure and compare with their expectations, inquire about follow-up care needed, time required for recovery, physical therapy etc Then, they have to select the hospital by considering its accreditation, awards and recognitions, facility and equipments and statistics like success rates. Finally, its essential to heck the certifications, training and repute of the surgeon. www.couchsurfing.com Attached document n °1: Couchsurfing International,Inc. Income and Expense statement 2008 These statistics are generated on March, 31th 2010 at 5:37 am.

Observation of the Early Childhood :: Early Childhood Development

Observation of the Early Childhood An observation was held in the children'"s wing of Tarrant County Junior College. A variety of children between the ages of two to six were observed in activities ranging from physical and motor to social and cognitive development. Specifically I mean that whether it was leadership skills or lack of, running, climbing and jumping, drawing and writing, or anything that could fall between, it has been seen, done and accounted for in the following observation. First let's start with the physical and motor development. Please say hello to Karligh and Bethany, my first volunteers of the observation. Both girls are in the four-year olds. The first activities under physical and motor development that I'm going to observe them performing are the large muscle/gross-motor skills. The large muscle/gross-motor skills include: climbing across the monkey bars, riding bigwheels (or tricycles), and running through a built-in obstacle course on the playground. Starting with the monkey bars, it's clearly obvious that Karligh is physically stronger upperbody-wise than Bethany. With surprising ease, Karligh crossed the monkey bars using nothing but her arms to perform this task. Bethany on the otherhand was shaky and uncertain from the start. After hanging from the first bar, she quickly swung her feet over to the side for leg support. She was able to cross but only with a great deal of assistance from me. Karligh also showed mastery in riding the big wheel. Her speed and turning ability seemed to surpass anyone else on the playground. Bethany chose to ride only after a piece of candy bribery. Her tricycle skills were somewhat sluggish but more or less average. However, once again Bethany was victorious. The last large muscle activity was completing the obstacle course. The obstacle course involved running up a slide, crawling through a tunnel, crossing a shaky bridge and then walking along a balance beam. Karligh ran up the slide with a considerable amount of effort. She quickly crawled through the tunnel and crossed the shaky bridge with little effort. She crossed the balance beam more quickly than I'd seen any child do that whole day. Bethany climbed up the slide in a time that was a bit quicker than Karligh's. The crawling through the tunnel was done quickly and she was first stalled on the shaky bridge. She managed to cross the bridge in a modest time but she hit some trouble at the balance beam. After slowly completing about ten percent of the travel across

Greek and Roman Art Essay

Greek sculptures embody a lot of things and meanings. The way they create a certain object reflects to their psychological state that human beings are ‘the measure of things. ’ One of the known Greek artists during the ancient times is Praxiteles. He is the most famous ancient Greek artist because of his countless masterpieces such as the Aphrodite of Knidos and Nike Adjusting Her Sandal. Another well-known magnum opus that is crafted by Praxiteles is Hermes and the infant god Dionysus. Hermes and the infant god Dionysus is created by Praxiteles in a way that it is anchored to his ultimate decision of altering the rules and principles of the standard and ideal body proportions. It is the most famous example of an adult and child statuary. Praxiteles traces the Kephisodotos step by creating and sculpting a piece delineating a relationship between two figures (Praxiteles, 2008). This sculpture is found at Olympia where it has been commissioned for the said sanctuary. It conveys and expresses the secular world of the period (Hermes and the Infant Dionysus, n/d). Due to the artist’s manipulation and alteration of the standard body proportion, the adult on the artwork which is Hermes, is portrayed as tall and slender, standing in calm, tranquil and relax position. His figure encompasses various lines—from vertical, horizontal, curvilinear and spiral. Vertical lines are visible in his nose, neck and lower part of his leg. Horizontal lines are evident in his eyes and lips. Spiral lines are noticeable in his twisted and curly hair. Curvilinear dominates the whole figure—from Hermes’ face down to his feet. His phallus is not rendered. Nevertheless, a part of the male organ is still exposed and depicted. On the other hand, the baby figure, which is Dionysus, is illustrated in such a way that it is carried by Hermes in his left arm. The infant is just composed of curvilinear. He faces sideways making its physical features appear summarily represented. The cloth that wraps his lower body demonstrates horizontal lines, as well as the trunk of the tree which functions as support of the sculpture per se. On the contrary, Roman sculptures are said to be copied in Greek’s even though they are said to be purely Roman in origin and conception. Some statues are imitations and pastiche of more than one Greek original; some are combinations of Greek gods/athletes’ image and Roman head (Department of Greek Art and Roman, n/d). One of the ancient Roman sculptures which is said and believed that is copied from Greek’s is The Hope Dionysos. It embodies a retrospective Greco-Roman style (Hemingway, 2007). It is crafted during the late 1st century A. D. but during the 18th century it is restored by Vincenzo Pacetti (Vincenzo Pacetti. The Hope Dionysos: 1990. 247, 2006). The main figure in the sculpture is Dionysos. He is portrayed standing at ease and his left arm is resting on a female figure traditionally recognized as Spes, the embodiment and representation of hope. Dionysos wears a panther skin overlapping his chiton while a cloak envelops around his upper right arm and shoulder (Vincenzo Pacetti. The Hope Dionysos: 1990. 247, 2006). The statue is composed of various intricate lines—horizontal, vertical, curvilinear and spiral. The robes of the two figures possess a myriad of draperies which illustrate various vertical lines; however the cloth that is on Spes head shows curvatures. The two sculptures are depicted realistically with their complete body parts as compared to some statues that are lacking with head, arms or feet. Both sculptures possess two figures at the same time. If Hermes and the infant Dionysus showcases Dionysus as a baby, The Hope Dionysos illustrates the grown up one. The former is accompanied by a known Greek god Hermes, the latter is escorted with archaistic female figure, Spes. If Hermes is naked, Dionysos is very well-wrapped. The two statuaries imply dichotomies: the main focus (Hermes and Dionyos) and the out-of-focus (baby Dionysos and Spes), adult and baby, male and female. References Department of Greek and Roman Art. n. d. â€Å"Roman Copies of Greek Statues†. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000. Retrieved January 15, 2009 from http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/hd/rogr/hd_rogr. htm. Hemingway, Colette. (July 2007). â€Å"Retrospective Styles in Greek and Roman Sculpture†. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000. Retrieved January 15, 2009 from http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/hd/grsc/hd_grsc. htm. â€Å"Hermes with the Infant Dionysus. † n. d. The Museum of Antiquities Collection. Retrieved January 15, 2009 from http://www. usask. ca/antiquities/Collection/Hermes. html. Praxiteles. (2008). PEOPLE: Ancient Greece. Retrieved January 15, 2009 from http://www. ancientgreece. com/s/People/Praxiteles/. Vincenzo Pacetti: The Hope Dionysos-1990. 247. (October 2006). In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000. Retrieved January 15, 2009 from http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/hd/grsc/ho_1990. 247. htm . List of Figures Hermes and the infant Dionysus. n. d. Greek Art: Hermes and Dionysus of Praxiteles. Retrieved January 15, 2009 from http://www. mlahanas. de/Greeks/Arts/HermesPraxiteles. htm. The Hope Dionysos. (October 2006). Vincenzo Pacetti: The Ho