Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Saturday, November 23, 2019
THE APPLICATION OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN PSYCHOLOGY Essays
THE APPLICATION OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN PSYCHOLOGY Essays THE APPLICATION OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN PSYCHOLOGY To read up on the application of scientific method in psychology, refer to pages 687-699 of Eysenck's A2 Level Psychology. Ask yourself What is the scientific method? Is psychology a science? What is peer review? What you need to know THE NATURE OF "SCIENCE" NON-SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS THE ROLE OF PEER REVIEW IN VALIDATING KNOWLEDGE Key features of science The scientific method, including theory construction, hypothesis testing, use of empirical methods, generation of laws/principles (e.g. Popper and Kuhn) Humanistic approaches Social constructionist approaches The steps in the scientific process The peer review process Criticisms of the process The importance of the process in validating knowledge THE NATURE OF "SCIENCE" There is reasonable agreement that the following are key features of science: Controlled observations: in most sciences it is typical for experiments to involve observing the effects of some specific manipulation, e.g. mixing two chemicals together. As applied to psychology, this generally involves observing the effects of some manipulation of the environment on participants' behaviour. Thus, the experimental method has the great advantage over other methods in that it allows us to have some confidence that the independent variable has influenced the dependent variable, and so cause and effect can be established. Objectivity: even if total objectivity (free from bias) is impossible, it is still important for data to be collected in a way as close to objectivity as possible. It is impossible to carry out research that is completely objective as Popper (1969, 1972, see A2 Level Psychology page 688) demonstrated in a now famous lecture, which involved him telling the audience, "Observe!" The obvious and immediate retort was, "Observe what?", which makes the point that no one ever observes without some idea of what they are looking for. Thus, scientific observation is always driven by what you expect to see and so cannot be free from bias. Testing theoretical predictions: scientific experiments are generally carried out to test the predictions of a theory. Theoretical predictions need to be tested because science advances when inadequate theories are replaced by ones that are more consistent with the data. Falsifiability: the notion that scientific theories can potentially be disproved by evidence. Popper (1969, see A2 Level Psychology page 690) argued that the hallmark of science is falsifiability and this is what distinguishes science from religions and pseudo-sciences such as psychoanalysis and Marxism. Scientists should form theories and hypotheses that can, potentially, be shown to be untrue by experimental tests. In scientific research a null hypothesis is stated; this predicts no difference between the conditions or an association between two variables. It is the null hypothesis that is actually the starting point and it is this that you are setting out to test, not the alternative hypothesis. Research mainly seeks to reject the null hypothesis although some research does seek to show no difference. Research that tests a hypothesis that can be rejected if not supported by the research findings is said to be falsifiable. However, there are a number of psychological theories that do not have a testable hypothesis because the concepts cannot be measured, and so they cannot be falsified, e.g. evolutionary and psychoanalytical theories. Replicability: the findings obtained by researchers need to be replicable or repeatable; it would be hard (or impossible) to base a science on inconsistent findings. Replicability of findings in psychology varies enormously as a function of the area of psychology under investigation and the type of study being performed. Replicability tends to be greatest when experiments are conducted in a carefully controlled way, and it tends to be lowest when the experimenter is unable to manipulate the variable or variables of interest. Thus, laboratory experiments permit a high degree of replicability, but are not without weaknesses. The fact they are replicable is because they are conducted in a controlled environment, but this also means they are artificial and so may not be generalisable to other settings, and therefore lack external validity. Paradigm: there is a generally accepted theoretical orientation or paradigm within a science. Thomas Kuhn (1962, 1970, 1977, see A2 Level Psychology page 693) argues that a paradigm is the most essential ingredient in a science. Kuhn (1962, see A2 Level Psychology page 694) argued that psychology has failed to develop a paradigm
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Collateralized Loan Obligations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Collateralized Loan Obligations - Essay Example The shareholders look for the assets which give higher yield and the companies take benefit of low borrowing rates. Collateralized mortgage obligations are same as the overflow marketplace of the predetermined product world. Strong trade of obscure products have helped increase investorââ¬â¢s enthusiasm for leveraged mortgages just as the regulators are cautioning about potentially agitated credit markets (Financial times, 2014). The paper aims at providing the nature of collateralized loan obligations and their role during the time of financial crisis. It will also highlight the changes which has taken place in the regulations to prevent the re-occurring of crisis. Further, the reasons behind the latest growth in the collateralized loan obligations market have also been discussed. Bank are gradually more employing securitization structure of a novel asset known as collateralized loan obligation (CLO) in order to fulfil their financial goals. Collateralized loan obligations allow banks to sell part of huge portfolios of the commercial loans directly in the global capital markets. CLOs provide banks a way of attaining a broad choice of financial objectives, comprising the decrease of regulatory capital needs and requirements, access to a proficient funding base for lending activities, accounting treatment of off-balance sheet, as well as increased liquidity (Kohler, 1998). The rationale behind the formation of collateralized loan obligations was to augment the supply of keen business lenders in order to decrease the price of loans/mortgages to companies and to facilitate banks more frequently to instantly sell loans to the external lenders/investors. This will facilitate providing of money to the business clients and therefore earn price or fee with no risk or little risk towards themselves. A collateralized loan obligation is made of various high risk business loans which are grouped together and sliced into diverse sectors which carry dissimilar credit
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Enterprise Resource Planning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Enterprise Resource Planning - Research Paper Example The software enables the integration of each and every aspect of operation within the organization including manufacturing, storage/inventory control, sales and marketing etc. The Enterprise Resource Planning software consists of several modules available to a given enterprise based on its needs and the level of technical capability within the enterprise. Each of the said modules is designed for a specific area of the enterprise such as marketing, distribution, product development etc (Nathan 60). No matter which module that an organization has decided to purchase, there are several factors that an organization wishing to successfully implement an ERP should consider (Leon 66). In explaining the success and failures of implementing an ERP system, we are going to take a look at two companies, one that has successfully implemented its ERP system and the second one that was not so successful in its implementation of the same. Starting us off, we will look at how Pratt and Whitney, a large Canadian aeronautics company that successfully implemented its ERP system known as SAP R/3. The implementation of this system took two and a half years to complete. Due to the expansive nature of the company (having customers in more than 170 countries and having over a dozen plants across the globe), the company decided to develop a centralized information processing system to improve on its customer satisfaction. This system was to be named SAP/R3 and through it the company intended to fully i ntegrate its information system through the application of the technology that was available at the time. In particular, this system was aimed at improving customer experience, reduce the amount of work in progress, increase turnover in inventory and finally ensure closer monitoring of inventory and the operating costs (Harwood 120). One of the factors that ensured that the development and implementation of SAP R/3 as a success was the inclusive nature of the project team that was behind this development and eventual implementation. This team was divided into groups and it included employees from all the relevant departments including sales and distribution, information technology, production, planning, materials management and finance. This all inclusive approach ensured that the proposed system would cater for everyoneââ¬â¢s needs and desired hence its acceptability across the board. The second factor that led to the success of SAP R/3 was the importance that was placed on trai ning of the employees on how the new system works. Training was undertaken across the departments and nearly all the employees whose functions would require knowledge of the system were accorded this training. The training covered general understanding of how the system works and technical aspects of the system such as basic navigation and how to accomplish the desired tasks. The third factor attributed to the success implementation of SAP R/3 was the effective data migration strategy that was used by the company in transferring data from the old system to the new one. The data was first ââ¬Ëcleansedââ¬â¢ before being transferred to the new system hence ensuring its correctness and reliability. Finally, the company had adequate capacity in terms of operational activities and technical capability (through its experienced staff) and financial ability to undertake this shift (Wallace 58). Having looked at the success story that is Pratt and Whitney in implementation of its ERP sy stem, we will flip the coin and consider a company that was not as fortunate in its implementation of its ERP system. Target Group is a UK based investment firm that tried to implement an ERP system but due to a number of reasons, this implementation was not as effective as was with the
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Philosophy Trinity Essay Example for Free
Philosophy Trinity Essay Many philosophers have addressed and questioned the subject regarding the unity and trinity of God. Yahya Ibn Adi was a philosopher and a Monophysite scholar of the Arab Classical Period who has firmly given treatises of his own interpretation on this subject. This has caused manygfjkfgmngcccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccb scholars and other philosophers to critique his understandings and express their own viewpoints of Yahyah Ibn Adiââ¬â¢s philosophy on the unity and trinity of God. Emilio Platti in his article Yahya B. Adi And His Refutation Of Al-Warraqââ¬â¢s Treatise On The Trinity In Relation To His Other Works and Sidney H. Griffith in her article Commending Virtue And A Humane Polity In 10th Century Baghdad The Vision of Yahya Ibn Adi are two scholars who explored Yahyaââ¬â¢s refutations. In their articles they discuss b a good indication to what Yahyaââ¬â¢s belief was on the subject of unity of God. Many philosophers challenged his standpoints on the unity as well as the trinity resulting in Yahya to refute the situation. Two philosophers in particular who attributed Yahyaââ¬â¢s treatises were Al-Kindi and and Al-Warraq. One of Al-Kindiââ¬â¢s reasoning for attributing Yahyaââ¬â¢s treatise on the unity and trinity of vb the unity of God. Griffith explains how Yahya firmly asserts that ââ¬Å" God is said to be ââ¬Ëoneââ¬â¢ in number in reference to his ââ¬Ësubstance, while in reference to his ââ¬Ëquiddityââ¬â¢ or whatnessââ¬â¢, which, according to Yahya, is essentially described as being ââ¬Ëgenerous/good, ââ¬Ëwiseââ¬â¢, and ââ¬Ëpowerefulââ¬â¢, he is ââ¬Ëthreeââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ 4 In comparison with Griffithââ¬â¢s article, Emilio Pratti critiques how Yahya refutes to Al-Kindiââ¬â¢s attribution on treatise on the unity. Pratti believed that ââ¬Å"To al Kindi, he underlies that the Christians say on the one hand, that the Creator is one, and that his quiddity is one, but they also say, on the other hand, that He is three, as far as He is good, wise and powerful.. â⬠5 Pratti stresses that this is not a contradiction because we can use ââ¬Å"oneâ⬠in the sense of one in subject and many in definition. In Prattiââ¬â¢s conclusion, he raises the questions ââ¬Å"b in different ways, based on what the Scriptures are saying to them? Why should God not be present in a human being, as we understand it from the Gospels? â⬠Pratti closes his argument insisting that there is no indication that this would be impossible, he believes there are many indications that God can certainly expose himself as such Emilio Plattiââ¬â¢s argued that when it came to Yahyaââ¬â¢s refutations, he found his ideas to be offered in an unorganized and sometimes contradictory way. Platti also scolds how certain arguments by Yahya Ibn Adiââ¬â¢s may be given in a particular reply. In regards to how Yahya Ibn Adi responds to those who challenge his treatise, Pratti states that ââ¬Å"â⬠¦most of his apologetical works are written in the form of a rebuttal; he quotes, most probably in extensor, an already existing refutation of the Christians by a Muslim-or a refutation of the Jacobites by a Nesotrian ââ¬â and replies paragraph by paragraphâ⬠(173) Pratti argues that this way of responding has several consequences. vcghaks about how Yahya replies to the philosopher Al-Kindiââ¬â¢s treatise on the unity. To al Kindi, he underlies that the Christians say on the one hand, that the Creator is one, and that his quiddity is one, but they also say, on the other hand, that He is three, as far as He is good, wise and powerfulâ⬠¦.. Pratti asserts that this is not a contradiction for we Pratti raises the questions ââ¬Å"Why should God not reveal Himself under the three aspects of his hypostases, designated by the Christians in different ways, based on what the Scriptures are saying to them? Why should God not be present in a human being, as we understand it from the Gospels? â⬠Pratti concludes that there is no indication that this would be impossible, he believes there are many indications that God can certainly expose himself as such. Sidney H. Griffith discusses how Yahya refutes back to Al-Kindiâ⬠¦Griffith says ââ¬Å"yahya ibn adiââ¬â¢s habit of quoting large portions of the texts of those with whose ideas he disagrees in his refutations of them that a significant portion of the lost work of an important comparative religionist in the early Islamic period, Abu Isa al-Warraq has survived, allowing a modern editor to bring out an edition of what he considers to be the major part of Abu Isaââ¬â¢s anti-Christian work. Griffith describes Yahya Ibn Adiââ¬â¢s unity of God to be.. Griffith describes how Yahyah Ibn Adi wrote a handful of apologetic texts of his own in the Kalam style defending the doctrine of Trinity. Griffith describes . yahya argues Al-Kindi challenged Yahyah Ibn Adiââ¬â¢s treatise as well. Yahyaââ¬â¢s rebuttle was that ââ¬Å"given the Muslim philosopherââ¬â¢s own description of God as simultaneously God as ââ¬Ëoneââ¬â¢ and as ââ¬Ësubstance, al-Kindi too faced a logical conundrum involving the notions of ââ¬Ëone and ââ¬Ëthreeââ¬â¢. â⬠(89) Yahya further claims that Al-Kindi misused technical terms When it came to Yahyaââ¬â¢s discussion of the Christian doctrinal formulae, he found that Al-Kindi misinterpreted and misused technical terms that were comprised in it. Yahya also clarifies that God is said to be ââ¬Ëoneââ¬â¢ in number in reference to his ââ¬Ësubstanceââ¬â¢. Griffith goes forth to say that Yahya goes to considerable lengths to dispose of what he considers to be logically faulty definitions of the ââ¬Ëoneââ¬â¢. Yahya describes God of having three attributes which are goodness/generosity, wisdom, and power. When Yahya responds to other philosophers challenging his treatise, he speaks of the three divine attributes One philosopher in particular who challenged Yahyaââ¬â¢s philosophy on the unity and trinity of God was al-Kindi. Al-Kindiââ¬â¢s reasoning for this was that he wanted to ââ¬Å"challenge Christians for the unreasonableness of their al-talit on the foundation of ââ¬Å"logic and philosophy, and more specifically on the grounds that their Trinitarian confession necessarlily involved the repulsive idea of introducing ââ¬Å"composition (al-tarkib) into the God headâ⬠To sum up Al-Kindiââ¬â¢s response, he believed that the God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were not eternal. Griffith then describes Yahyaââ¬â¢s reaction to this by stating that ââ¬Å"Yahya argues that given the Muslim philosopherââ¬â¢s own description of God as simultaneously God as ââ¬Ëoneââ¬â¢ and as ââ¬Ësubstanceââ¬â¢, al ââ¬âKindi too faced a logical conundrum involving the notions of ââ¬Ëone and three. ;â⬠Griffith also affirms that Yahya further found that al-Kindi misinterpreted and misused technical terms that were comprised in his argument about the unity of God. Griffith explains that Yahya asserts that ââ¬Å" God is said to be ââ¬Ëoneââ¬â¢ in number in reference to his ââ¬Ësubstance, while in reference to his ââ¬Ëquiddityââ¬â¢ or whatnessââ¬â¢, which, according to Yahya, is essentially described as being ââ¬Ëgenerous/good, ââ¬Ëwiseââ¬â¢, and ââ¬Ëpowerefulââ¬â¢, he is ââ¬Ëthreeââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ This paper will demonstrate how two critics have formed and expressed their own understandings of Yahyaââ¬â¢s treatise on unity and trinity of God. How yahya responds to other scholars attributes on his treatise. Many philosophers challenged Yahya Ibn Adi on his treatise on the unity and trinity of God. In Emilio Plattiââ¬â¢s article, he critques how Yahya refutes to others about their attributions to his own works. This paper will demonstrate how two critics have formed and expressed their own understandings of Yahyaââ¬â¢s treatise on unity and trinity of God. How yahya responds to other scholars attributes on his treatise. Many philosophers challenged Yahya Ibn Adi on his treatise on the unity and trinity of God. In Emilio Plattiââ¬â¢s article, he critques how Yahya refutes to others about their attributions to his own works. In conclusion, it is evident that there are many ways to interpret Yahya Ibn Adiââ¬â¢s treatises on the unity and trinity of God. There are also numerous ways one can interpret how Yahya refuted back to his own critiques. Griffith and Pratti are two critics who certainly had similar interpretations of Yahyaââ¬â¢s refutations.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Meaning Of Mobile Banking Information Technology Essay
Meaning Of Mobile Banking Information Technology Essay The internet and the mobile phone, the two technological advancements that have profoundly affected human behavior in the last decade have started to converge. Using a variety of platforms, services are being created to enable mobile devices to perform many activities of the traditional internet in a reduced format for mobile devices. One such area of activity is mobile banking. A cluster of dedicated and demanding mobile phone users (consumers) have multiplied tremendously over the years, who expect real-time information and access and high levels of service. This article looks at how and why banking customers have began to take advantage of mobile services for their banking requirements and why some of them are still hesitant to adopt mobile banking. Also this article throws light on some of the eminent challenges faced by the mobile banking service providers, which can be seen as opportunities for the financial institutions and the bankers. Introduction: Recently, the demands and requirements of banking consumers are altering quickly with the rise in the technological avenues made available in the banking world. Banking Customers have started demanding flawless, multi-channel service experiences. The result is forcing banks and financial institutions to facilitate them with the latest business models and banking solutions. With the increase in the customer demands and expectations, it has became necessary for the banks and Financial Institutions to update and transform their retail distribution channel for banking services from a branch banking-dominated model to a multi-channeled service model. Mobile banking is one such channel through which ample business is getting generated for Banks. Meaning of Mobile Banking In a laymans context, the term Mobile Banking means; Execution of Banking and Financial transactions using a Mobile phone or Availing banking services through a medium of cellular phone, without visiting the banks branch SMSs sent by bank on withdrawal and deposit transactions, credit card and ATM card usage notifications sent by bank, a call received from customer care department of the bank for critical transaction requests, Bill payments made from the bank balances through cell phone, transfer of money from one account to another using cell phone, etc. are all examples of Mobile Banking transactions. Also it is the primary responsibility of the Banks (Mobile banking facilitators) to ensure that all the Mobile banking transactions are secured and performed on a real time basis. Behavioral intentions of consumers for using mobile banking services Consumers will generally prefer using Mobile Banking over the traditional Branch banking for the following reasons: Mobile phone has already evolved as a familiar device in majority of middle class house holds Mobile Phone is always handy Sufficient guidance is available in using mobile phone for banking Mobile Phone enables fast and effortless banking transactions Service quality provided by banks, for Mobile Banking transactions is acceptable one Consumers are generally hesitant using Mobile Banking services for the following reasons: Mobile banking services cannot be used practically, due to expensive phone bills Data transmission rate is too slow while carrying out Mobile Banking transactions Mobile phone is found complicated in use due to Poor user interface Users have faced disappointment due to Malfunction of services and lack of operating instructions by Banks Challenges Faced by Banks and Financial institutions in facilitating Mobile Banking Transactions à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Security of financial transactions, fraud and identity theft issues are getting increased importance, as the mobile banking users need to be safeguarded against such malpractices. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Compliance issues are now being examined by governmental agencies, which include anti-money laundering compliance issues for banks, because cell phones, particularly those using prepaid accounts, (having few checks on the identity of the user) are popularly used by money launderers to transfer funds quickly, inexpensively, and anonymously. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ There are no common technology standards for mobile banking. Various kinds of Client-based and Server based technologies are used, so there are Interoperability issues. A mobile banking solution usually is client specific and cannot have connectivity with multiple banks and hence becomes inconvenient for a user with multiple accounts. Also there are different kinds of mobile phone devices and it is a big challenge for banks to offer mobile banking solution for a particular type of device. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ The Service offerings range from simple complex transactions like checking account balances, bill payments, alerts, loan statements etc to complex transactions like electronic wallet, forex payments, mobile financial advisor etc. making it difficult for a technology solution provider to deliver on all parameters. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Again a same mobile solution may not work in every market, it should be market specific solution, and different markets should be understood properly. In developed markets, being an innovator is very likely to be a failure and also expensive. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Some consumers also have barriers in mobile banking adoption due to lack of awareness and understanding of the benefits provided by mobile banking. Therefore overcoming the perception of consumer risks and increasing the computer and technological skills literacy among the mobile phone user stands as a challenge for the banks Recommendation The usage of Mobile Devices for Financial and Banking transactions could be made more effective by controlling mobile banking transactions by voice instead of opting for long typed sentences on the mobile devices. Conclusion Mobile banking has already evolved as a powerful intermediate towards efficient and real-time banking service. The Banks and the mobile banking service providers are working their way towards increasing consumer acceptance with mobile devices to carry out their banking transactions. The mobile banking service providers are teaming up with mobile banking technology vendors for consistently improving technology solutions that focus on creating a better consumer friendly experience with mobile banking. These technology advances will further increase consumer acceptance and ease with mobile devices The principal value to consumers has always been time and location service fulfillment and this need will be further enriched enabled through the mobile channel. Mobile banking in the future will not be just about receiving SMS and transferring funds; but will evolve into a mobile wallet concept, thus opening up a gamut of opportunities for companies in the BFSI domain to tap potential customers. And this is how mobile banking is raging to improve the customer service relationships as Advancement towards Consumer Value Creation
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Arthur Kornberg: A Nobel Laureate
Arthur Kornberg was born on March 3, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. He was educated in Abraham Lincoln High School and continued his education at the City College of New York. This was where he first received his scientific training as he graduated with a degree in science in 1937. He received his medical degree in 1941 from the University of Rochester and proceeded with his internship in internal medicine. He then served in the U.S. Public Health Service as a commissioned officer where his first assignment was to be doctor in the Navy, serving as a shipââ¬â¢s doctor. Fortunately, he was given the opportunity to continue his research work as a scientist at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He served at the NIH from 1942 to 1953. This is where he decided to direct his research to mainly concentrate with enzymes. Dr. Kornberg received further studies and training in enzymology. In New York University School of Medicine, he trained with Professor Severo Ochoa in 1946. A year later, he pursued enzymology with Professor Carl Cori at the Washington University School of Medicine. He later returned to service at the NIH and became the organizer and director of the Instituteââ¬â¢s Enzyme Section. He later received an offer as the chairman of the Department of Microbiology of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri prompting him to resign his position of Medical Director in Bethesda. He later transferred to Standford University School of Medicine in 1959. This is where he organized a Department of Biochemistry and served as the chairman until 1969. After his term, he served as a professor and in 1988 he accepted the title Professor Emeritus (Kornberg 2005, & Kumin 2005). Dr. Kornberg devoted most of his studies isolating and purifying enzymes significant in cellular machinery. Until the first half of the 20th century, questions on enzymatic function and their cellular specificity were left unanswered. This became Dr. Kornbergââ¬â¢s primary areaà of interest. In 1941, Beadle and Tatum from Standford demonstrated that through chemical functions, genes control life processes. Immediately after this discovery, Oswald Avery and his team from the Rockefellar Institute asserted that DNA drives this process instead of proteins, which was the primary assumption of the scientific community. Later, the famous James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the first detailed model of the DNA, demonstrating its structure as the well-known double helix (McCook 2007 and Telegraph.co.uk 2007). The primary subject of Kornbergââ¬â¢s research was due to his interest in discovery enzymatic mechanisms and functions. Together with Dr. Severo Ochoa, he discovered the ezyme Polymerase I which is the primary catalyst of DNA synthesis. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1959 for their elucidation of the basic DNA replication mechanisms (Kumin 2007 and McCook 2007). This success of Kornberg in producing a chemically exact and inert genetic material called the DNA is a milestone in the field of biochemistry. It is an important leap towards the understanding of the material that compose the genes. This is important in the issues and questions on inheritance and transmission of traits (Telegraph.co.uk 2007). Kornberg and Ochoa both specialized on the field of protein biochemistry. But this breakthrough discovery was actually concerned mainly on the field of molecular genetics. His primary technique was to isolate enzymes in a chemistââ¬â¢s lab and comprehending them biologically. This is a very significant approach in understanding of cellular molecular biology. In 1967, Kornberg successfully synthesized the first active virus within a lab. It was identified as PhiX174, a biologically active virus synthesized by a biochemist (Kumin 2007 and Altman 2007). After his extensive research on enzymatic synthesis of coenzymes and inorganic pyrophosphate, his interest led him to the study of the biosynthesis of nucleic acids,à particularly DNA. He demonstrated the pathways of pyrimidine and purine nucleotide synthesis, elaborating with the mechanisms and detailed steps on the process. Here, he found that there is an intermediate PRPP to the enzyme concerned in the assemblage of building blocks into DNA.à It was named as DNA polymerase. This particular enzyme is found in almost all cellular systems that synthesize genetically precise DNA. This is very important in the processes of replication, repair and rearrangements of DNA. Further research identified enzymes responsible for DNA metabolism, allowing the initiation and elongation of DNA chains and chromosomes. This paved the way for the discovery of recombinant DNA, a breakthrough technology that ignited the biotechnological revolution (Kornberg, 2005). After decades in the research on DNA replication, he diverted his concentration to studies in inorganic polyphosphate (poly P) in 1991. Poly P is a phosphate polymer that was hypothesized to have participated in prebiotic evolution. This polymer is basically found in every bacterial, plant, and animal cells. It has been dismissed as simply a molecular fossil, Kornberg found that there are different functions for poly P including stress responses, motility, and virulence in some pathogens (Kornberg, 2005). Besides conducting research studies, he has other pursuits such as educating graduate, medical and postdoctoral students. He also authored several monographs such as ââ¬Å"DNA Synthesisâ⬠in 1974, ââ¬Å"DNA Replicationâ⬠in 1980, ââ¬Å"Supplement to DNA Replicationâ⬠in 1982, and Second Edition of ââ¬Å"DNA Replicationâ⬠in 1992. He also published a scientific autobiography entitled ââ¬Å"For the Love of Enzymes: The Odyssey of a Biochemistâ⬠in 1989. Published by Univesity Science Books in July 1995, he released his book entitled ââ¬Å"The Golden Helix: Inside Biotech Venutreâ⬠which provided insights on the biotechnology from an expert (Kornberg, 2005). His academic career included his presidency of the American Society of Biological Chemistry in 1965. He also served as a president on advisory boards and councils of numerous universities, governmental, and industrial research facilities. He founded theà DNAX Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology that is a division of Schering-Plough, Inc. He also served as a member of its Policy and Scientific Advisory Boards. Futhermore, he served on the Scientific Advisory Boards of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Maxygen, and the Xoma Corp., and was also a member of the Board of Directors of XOMA Corporation (Kornberg 2005). Contributing further to his excellent curriculum vitae, he has received honors and gained memberships in the National Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society, American Philosophical Society, and a number of honorary degrees such as the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1959, the National Medal of Science in 1979, the Cosmos Club Award in 1995, and more. Arthur Kornberg died on March 26, 2007 due to respiratory complications (Kornberg, 2005 and Altman 2007). Undoubtedly, Kornbergââ¬â¢s contribution to the biotechnological society is unwavering. His research has paved the way for most of the scientific advances that the world is currently witnessing. His studies have proven indispensable in the understanding of human heredity, cellular mechanisms, and pyrophosphate functions. References Altman, Lawrence K. (2007). ââ¬Å"Arthur Kornberg, Biochemist, Dies at 89.â⬠New York Times. Site last accessed December 12, 2007 from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/science/28kornberg.html?ex=1351224000&en=7d92a32eb1f6fba9&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Kornberg, Arthur (2005) ââ¬Å"Autobiography: Arthur Kornberg.â⬠Nobelprize.org. Site last accessed on December 12, 2007 from http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1959/kornberg-bio.html Kumin, Jochen (2007). ââ¬Å"Arthur Kornberg (1918- ). About Biotech. Site last accessed on December 12, 2007 from http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/BC/Arthur_Kornberg.html McCook, Alison (2007). ââ¬Å"Arthur Kornber Dies.â⬠TheScientist.com. Site last accessed on December 12, 2007 from http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/53796/ ââ¬Å"Arthur Kornbergâ⬠(2007). Telegraph.co.uk. Site last accessed on December 12, 2007 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/29/db2901.xml à à à Ã
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