Recent orders

Civil Rights vs Civil Liberties

Aimee Stephens (formerly known as Anthony Stephens) was born biologically male. While living and presenting as a man, she worked as a funeral director at R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, Inc. in Michigan. Stephens was terminated from the Funeral Home by its owner and operator Mr. Rost shortly after Stephens informed Rost that she intended to transition from male to female and would represent herself and dress as a woman while at work. Stephens filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”). which investigated Stephens’s allegations that she had been terminated as a result of unlawful sex discrimination. During the course of its investigation, the EEOC learned that the Funeral Home provided its male public-facing employees with clothing that complied with the company’s dress code while female public-facing employees received no such allowance. The EEOC brought suit against the Funeral Home in which the EEOC charged the Funeral Home with violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for both employment termination on the basis of her transgender transitioning status and her refusal to conform to sex-based stereotypes; and the administering a discriminatory-clothing-allowance policy. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the Funeral Home on both claims. The Court Appeals REVERSE the district court’s grant of summary judgment on both the unlawful-termination and discriminatory-clothing-allowance claims, GRANT summary judgment to the EEOC on its unlawful-termination claim, sent it back to the district court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. Even though the case has to be decided by the US Supreme Court, you are to research online information about the case and the arguments presented by the two opposing sides. Discuss your position on the case in terms of the key civil rights (sex discrimination ad and civil liberty religious freedom. How would you decide the case and resolved the key conflict between sex discrimination and religious freedom? Explain why. Next, explain how you predict the Supreme Court will decide. Explain why. Your response should be 12 font, double space and from 1 1/2 -2 1/2 pages. Be sure to cite references and citations using APA.

Effects of Nicotine on Cilia of Tetrahymena Cells (Lab Report)

Dye-feeding assay of Tetrahymena, for studying the effects of cigarette smoke and E-cigarette liquid components on ciliary activity

Adapted from: Phagocytosis in Tetrahymena as an Experimental System to Study the Toxic Effects of Cigarette Smoke. Kenyon College, Biol 09; Smith, J.J., Wiley, E., Cassidy-Hanley, D.M. 2012. Tetrahymena in the Classroom. Methods in Cell Biology; Bozzone, D.M. and Martin, D.A. 2000. An Experimental System to Study Phagocytosis. www.ableweb.org.

Overview

Experiment Proposal assignment.

With input from your TA, you will design two experiments that test the effect of cigarette smoke and/or E-cigarette liquid components on the activity of Tetrahymena cilia. You will perform these experiments during the Project weeks, and then each member will prepare a Project Report based on the results.

Background

When hungry Tetrahymena encounter a food source such as bacteria, they use their cilia to sweep it toward the cytostome so that it can be ingested by phagocytosis. This process can be visualized in the laboratory by feeding stained yeast cells, India ink particles (Keenan, 1984; Bozzone, 1998), or the pigmented algae Chlorella to Tetrahymena.

We will be using India ink as Tetrahymena “food.” The vacuoles that form are full of black ink particles and therefore are easy to identify. The movement of the vacuoles inside the cell as new ones form can also be observed. If you are sufficiently patient, sometimes the vacuoles can be observed “voiding” their contents from the cytoproct into the extracellular space. In addition to phagocytosis, ciliary motion and swimming behaviors are easier to observe when Tetrahymena are suspended in a dilute ink suspension.

Overview of  Projects

As you have (hopefully) seen, Tetrahymena readily phagocytose ink particles. The number of vacuoles present is related to the amount of time the organisms are allowed to feed, provided the time interval is less than 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, cells begin expelling the residual contents of food vacuoles via the cytoproct. Phagocytosis can be used as a way of indirectly assaying the effects of various substances on ciliary activity, since this is required for entry of particles into the oral groove. If a substance added to Tetrahymena cells inhibits their ciliary motion, fewer food vacuoles will form over time since less ink will be ingested by the cells.

As we noted earlier, cilia are found on the surfaces of most cells in mammals. Motile cilia are found only on specialized cells, including those that line the respiratory tract. These cilia have a rhythmic beating pattern that allows them to clear the airways of mucus and debris. Non-motile (primary) cilia are found on the surface of almost all mammalian cells and function as signal receptors for relaying information. For example, primary cilia in the kidney bend in response to urine flow, which is transduced as a signal that allows flow to be adjusted via feedback loops.

Effects of extracts from cigarette smoke and E-cigarette liquid on food vacuole formation

Smoking cigarettes has a well-known negative effect on the health of cilia in the respiratory tract. Exposure to toxic chemicals and tar resin in smoke damages the cilia, inhibiting their ability to clear mucus and debris and prevent it from being trapped inside the lungs. Over time, the effects of reduced mucus clearance lead to “smoker’s cough,” and may progress to emphysema.

E-cigarettes are a relatively new invention that were designed to circumvent some of the negative health effects of smoking. The devices use a metal element to heat “e-liquid” containing nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, and flavorings. When the e-liquid is heated, an aerosol (vapor) is produced that can be inhaled, similar to smoke from a cigarette. Although E-cigarettes are commonly portrayed as being harmless, or a safer alternative to smoking, few studies have been done to test the effects of inhaling this vapor into the lungs. The vapor might contain toxins and metal contaminants produced during the heating of the liquid. Additionally, the flavoring compounds added to popular e-liquid brands have not been tested for ciliary toxicity.

In your  Project, you  will design and carry out an experiment to test the effects of cigarette smoke extracts and/or E-cigarette liquid on the ciliary activity of Tetrahymena. You will have the materials and experimental conditions listed below at your disposal. First, develop a hypothesis that you want to test, and then design an experiment to test this hypothesis. Discuss your ideas with your group, and then complete the first Experiment Proposal together.

Romantic Relationships (Communications Paper)

Behaviors in specific communicative situations.

Instructions: Answer the following questions using your textbook. Please write out all of your answers in your own words and in full sentences (no lists or bullet points).

Story 21 – “Unilateral Union: Obsessive Relational Intrusion and Stalking in a Romantic Context”

  1. In our story, we are given both sides of a relationship from two perspectives: Alex’s Story and Anna’s Story. Using examples from the story and concepts discussed in class, please answer the following:
  2. Was Alex and Anna’s relationship an authentic “Romantic Relationship?” Did it meet the requirements? In at least three sentences, please state your reasoning and use examples from the story to support your response.
  3. Refer back to the “Romantic Love Types” (Storge, Agape, ect.), which love type would best describe Alex and the way that he communicates with Anna? In at least three sentences, please use information from class and examples from the story to support your response.

Story 20 – “It Can’t Be Domestic Violence; We’re Not Married!” The Many Faces of Intimate Partner Abuse

  1. In our story, Emma and Jason have both just finished college and are moving into an apartment to begin their new lives together. However, we soon learn that their romantic relationship may be more complicated than they had expected. Using examples from the story and concepts discussed in class, please answer the following:
  2. Put yourself in Emma’s shoes and refer back to “Social Exchange Theory.” As if you were Emma, describe three Benefits and three Costs to her relationship with Jason in at least six sentences.
  3. Keeping these Benefits and Costs in mind, would you continue the relationship? Explain your decision in at least three sentences.

Story 18 – “Yard Sales and Yellow Roses: Rituals in Enduring Relationships”

  1. In our story, Martha and Jack are preparing for their annual yard sale and reminiscing about years past. Using examples from the story and concepts discussed in class, please answer the following:
  2. Refer back to the “Relational Maintenance Strategies,” which strategies do Martha and Jack use to maintain their romantic relationship? Identify two strategies and give an explanation for each of your strategies using an example from the story in at least two sentences for each strategy.