Password protecting wireless technology

Introduction The use of the wireless devices goes on to increase as they turn out to be cheaper and more affordable to the users (â€Å"Using wireless technology securely† 1). The increased use of the wireless technologies among the business as well as personal systems has led to better accessibility and interoperability.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Password protecting wireless technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But, on the other hand, this same ubiquity has as well contributed to a rise in the level of risks to the computer networks. The attackers have been offered fresh ways to engage in the stealing of very sensitive information, messing about with the business processes, and sabotaging â€Å"network security enforcement systems† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1). While new threats as well as attacks â€Å"are found against wireless networks, they are addre ssed with changes and additions to the protocols and standards† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1). In this paper, the wireless technology is going to be discussed, including its benefits and security threats and later, focus will be on how to â€Å"password protect† the wireless technology. Benefits of Wireless Technologies It is pointed out that, in the current day, more than 165 million mobile experts as well as organizations make use of the wireless technologies in solving business problems and gaining competitive advantages (â€Å"Wireless technology 2). The increased reliance on networking in the business world and the internet growth as well as online services strongly indicates the â€Å"benefits of shared data and resources† (â€Å"Wireless technology† 2). The wireless solutions bring these benefits to a high level by giving room for users to have access to the shared information and applications, and eliminating the constraints t hat are associated with the wired connections. In addition, the wireless technology makes it possible for the managers of the networks to develop or expand networks without necessarily having to move or install wires. It is pointed out that nearly all the computing devices which include â€Å"monitors, desktops, tablets, workstations, printers and handhelds can be equipped to communicate wirelessly† (â€Å"Wireless technology† 2). The wireless solutions give out more convenience, productivity and more cost advantages as compared to the wired networks (â€Å"Wireless technology† 2).Advertising Looking for research paper on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Wireless technology allows a large number of benefits and this includes allowing business organizations to derive benefits â€Å"from the value of their information† (â€Å"Wireless technology† 2). The wireless solutions are capable of off ering users, â€Å"access to real-time information from more places in their organization† (â€Å"Wireless technology† 2). Such mobility offer support to productivity and also offer service opportunities which can not otherwise be achieved by using the wired networks. Companies are currently implementing wireless solutions with an intention of improving their competitiveness in the market. Having wireless solutions that are easy-to-use and more secure has brought about the opportunity to bring down the level of costs and has also led to improvement in performance. It is also pointed out that â€Å"wireless networks extend core networks, provides greater utilization of existing networks† (â€Å"Wireless technology† 2). There can be configuration of wireless systems in various topologies in order to ensure meeting of some specific installations as well as applications. There can be easy changing of configurations and â€Å"range from peer-to-peer networks appropriate for few users to full infrastructure networks of thousands of users that enable roaming over a broad area† (â€Å"Wireless technology† 3). However, these benefits that come with the wireless technology can not be enjoyed where appropriate measures are not taken in order to deal with the security threats that are associated to the wireless technologies. Password protecting wireless technology Following the security threats that face the wireless networks, there is a need to protect these networks. The â€Å"wireless router or access point in a network is essentially a radio transmitter’ (Rodriguez 1). Similar to the case if a radio transmitter, any person that has the right tools can be able to pick up the signal in case he/she is within the range. Since radio transmissions â€Å"are broadcast through the air to target devices, any system properly configured within the radio broadcast range can also receive the wireless messages† (â€Å"The ri sks of wireless technology† 1). This implies that devices which are not supposed to be on the wireless network can get transmissions. It is observed that â€Å"the extension of the network wireless technologies has well increased the attack surface available to malicious users; an adversary can become part of a network and interact with systems that were not designed to operate in a hostile environment† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Password protecting wireless technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The most common activity that is employed in the attack of the wireless technology is â€Å"war driving† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1). A person with ill intentions can engage in moving around with a laptop having a wireless receiver while listening to the â€Å"radio traffic that is being broadcast† (à ¢â‚¬Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1). There can be setting of the programs that are run on the laptop in order to automatically carry out the analysis of the data and make an effort to â€Å"break in to the networks as they are found† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1). Moreover, a large number of attackers can as well engage in correlating data with GPS information to come up with a â€Å"wireless access points† map (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1). Basing on where they are located, the attackers, at a later time, can engage in revisiting these access points in order to carry out more attacks. It is pointed out that â€Å"password protection can keep intruders out of your network, maintaining the privacy of your personal information† (Rodriguez 1). In order to â€Å"password protect† the wireless network, this may involve use of encryption. It is pointed out that â€Å"data encryption is used to ‘scram ble’ the signals the wireless network uses to send information back and forth between computers† (Rodriguez 1). It is only those users who know the password can be in a position to engage in the unscrambling of the signals â€Å"into useable data† (Rodriguez 1). In the present day wireless technology, there exist two encryption forms and these are â€Å"Wired Equivalency Privacy – WEP, and Wi-Fi Protected Access – WPA† (Rodriguez 1). WEP was the initial encryption form that was utilized in the wireless networks. This form of encryption is prevalent â€Å"in first generation network equipment and no-PC devices like PDAs, game consoles and media players† (Rodriguez 1). However, WEP do have a grave design weakness that enables the hostile entities to obtain the encryption key and be in a position â€Å"to see all traffic with relative ease† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1). It is also pointed out that the â€Å"a ccess control mechanisms that used the Media Access Control (MAC) address of networked devices no longer give IT professionals any guarantee a rogue device is within an easily identified physical area† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The synchronization capacities of the ‘address book’ found in the cellular phones among other portable devices facilitates stealing of the ‘address book’ in case it is not implemented in the right way, such as the â€Å"Bluesnarfing for Bluetooth-enabled devices† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1). It is pointed out that having advancements in cryptanalysis, the software that is used in the analysis of â€Å"wireless network traffic and deriving encryption keys and passwords has become commonplace† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1). Allocating encryption key that is much more complex for WEP remains to enable an attacker to identify what the key is in a very short period of time by making use of such software as WepLab and Aircrack. Making use of encryption algorithms that are stronger but which have keys that are weak still leaves the networks prone to the dictionary attacks that utilizes â€Å"list of words and permutations to try and guess encryption keys† (â€Å"The risks of wireless technology† 1) The WepLab as well as Aircrack support this operation method also. However, it is noted that even if WEP is not strong enough as compared to other encryption techniques, it offers a fundamental protection level which is better than not having one (Rodriguez 1). If a person is making use of WEP, he/she can make it be more effective by engaging in changing of the password on a more frequent basis (Rodriguez 1). In the current days, people prefer to use WPA as a â€Å"wireless network encryption† method (Rodriguez 1). This method gives room for passwords which utilize characters in addition to numbers and letters and this makes it possible to have passwords that are more secure to use. The method as well offers stronger encryption which is regarded as being harder to ‘conquer’ by the intruders. The WPA method â€Å"may not be supported by all hardware, but is designed to drop back to WEP in situations where hardware is not compatible† (Rodriguez 1). It is also suggested that, as an additional layer to the safeguarding of the passwords, one is supposed to consider enabling â€Å"MAC filtering† (Rodriguez 1). Every individual computer is assigned a â€Å"12-character identifier†, which is only one of its kind, referred to as MAC ID. MAC filtering enables creation of the MAC addresses which are permitted to access the network. The MAC ID serves as a second password and it enables â€Å"only a select number of computers in to the network† (Rodriguez 1) Conclusion In the current days, a large number of people and organizations are using the wireless technology on an increasing level because it has become more affordable and convenient to use. There are many benefits that are brought in by using the wireless technology. People and organizations can now access important information that can enable them to carry out t heir activities more comfortably and conveniently. The companies are becoming more competitive in the market as a result of using this technology. However, there has also been an increase in the level of risks to the computer networks. Attackers have tried to have access to information on the unprotected wireless networks. There is a need to protect one’s information since it can be wrongly used by another person. To achieve this protection, there is a need for password protecting the wireless technology. This can effectively be done by using such methods as WEP and the more advanced method, WPA. Works Cited Rodriguez, Gene. Password protect a wireless network. Life123, 2012. Web. â€Å"The risks of wireless technology.† Security4wireless.com. Security4wireless, 2010. Web. â€Å"Using wireless technology securely.† U.s-cert.gov. US-CERT, 2006. Web. â€Å"Wireless technology.† www2.hp.com. www2.hp, n.d. Web. This research paper on Password protecting wireless technology was written and submitted by user Samson Barton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sapient and Savor

Sapient and Savor Sapient and Savor Sapient and Savor By Mark Nichol Sapient and savor are cognates (words with the same origin)- which shouldn’t be surprising, as they both pertain to being perceptive. These words, and the others discussed below, derive from the Latin verb sapere, meaning â€Å"taste† or â€Å"have a flavor.† Savor, from the same Old French word, is both a noun and a verb, though the former is rare; that form refers to having a good smell or taste or to a quality that makes something enjoyable or interesting, while the verb means â€Å"enjoy for a long time.† The adjectival form, savory, means â€Å"pleasant smelling or tasting† but also applies to foods that are salty or spicy but not sweet. By extension, something savory is morally acceptable; the antonym, unsavory, is more common. A related, though rare, term is sapid; similarly, insipid, its opposite, is more widely employed, though it is more likely to be used to mean â€Å"boring† or â€Å"dull† in reference to a person’s personality rather than â€Å"lacking in flavor.† Savoir faire, adopted into English directly from French, stems from the French verb savoir, meaning â€Å"know†; it means, basically, â€Å"knowing the right thing to do† in the sense of acting appropriately in society. (Faire is derived from the Latin verb facere, meaning â€Å"do,† which is also the source of fact.) A similar French term, savoir vivre (literally, â€Å"knowing how to live elegantly†), likewise made its way into English but is much less well known. A savant is â€Å"a learned person,† which is its definition in the original French. The phrase â€Å"idiot savant† was applied, starting in the late nineteenth century, to someone who has what is now referred to as savant syndrome, a condition in which a person with a mental disability nevertheless demonstrates exceptional skills in mathematics, memory, or art or music. (Idiot, ultimately from Greek, originally referred to an ignorant person but then became a classification of mental ability; it has come almost full circle in meaning.) The term savvy, which refers to practical intelligence (and is employed as a verb meaning â€Å"know† or â€Å"understand†), started out as pidgin developed in parallel from the French phrase savez-vous, meaning â€Å"Do you know?† and the Spanish phrase sabe usted, meaning â€Å"You know.† Sapient, borrowed directly from French, means â€Å"wise†; the binomial nomenclature for the human race is Homo sapiens (literally, â€Å"human being wise†). A neologism, sapiosexual (apparently coined in the late 1990s), refers to someone attracted to highly intelligent people. Sage, descended from an Old French word spelled the same way, was originally an adjective meaning â€Å"wise† but came to be used as a noun as well to refer to a wise person. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Do you "orient" yourself, or "orientate" yourself?How to Punctuate Introductory Phrases

Teaching the Teacher Using the Train the Trainer Model

Teaching the Teacher Using the Train the Trainer Model Too often, the last thing any teacher wants after a day of teaching in the classroom is to attend professional development (PD). But, just like their students, teachers at every grade-level need ongoing education to keep up with educational trends, district initiatives, or curriculum changes. Therefore, the designers of teacher PD must consider how to engage and motivate teachers using a model that is meaningful and effective. One model that has demonstrated its effectiveness in PD is known as the Train the Trainer model. What Is the Train the Trainer Model? According to the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Train the Trainer means: initially training a person or people who, in turn, train other people at their home agency. For example, in a Train the Trainer model, a school or district may determine that question and answer techniques need to be improved. The PD designers would select a teacher,  or group of teachers,  to receive extensive training in question and answering techniques. This teacher, or group of teachers, would, in turn, train their fellow teachers in effective use of question and answering techniques.   The Train the Trainer model is similar to peer-to-peer instruction, which is widely recognized as an effective strategy for all learners in all subject areas. Selecting teachers to act as trainers for other teachers has many advantages including reducing costs, increasing communication, and improving school culture. Advantages to Train the Trainer One major advantage to the Train the Trainer model is how it can assure fidelity to a particular program or strategy for  teaching. Each trainer disseminates prepared materials in exactly the same way. During the PD, the trainer in this model is similar to a clone and will stick to a script without making any changes. This makes the Train the Trainer model for PD ideal for large school districts who need continuity in training order to measure the effectiveness of a curriculum between schools. The use of the Train the Trainer model can also help districts to provide a consistent professional learning process for compliance with mandated local, state, or federal requirements. A trainer in this model may be expected to use the methods and materials provided in the training in their own classrooms and perhaps to model for fellow teachers. A trainer may also provide interdisciplinary or cross-curricular professional development for other content-area teachers.   The use of the Train the Trainer model in PD is cost effective. It is less costly to send one teacher or a small team of teachers out for expensive training so that they can return with the knowledge to teach many others. It can also more cost effective to use the trainers as experts who are provided time to revisit teacher classrooms to measure the effectiveness of the training or to model the training throughout the school year. The Train the Trainer model can shorten the timetable for new initiatives. Instead of the lengthy process of training of one teacher at a time, a team can be trained at once. Once the team is ready, the coordinated PD sessions can be offered for teachers simultaneously and initiatives put in place in a timely manner. Finally, teachers are more likely to seek advice from other teachers than from an outside specialist. Using teachers who are already familiar with the school culture and the school setting is an advantage, especially during presentations.  Most teachers know each other, personally or by reputation within a school or district. The development of teachers as trainers within a school or district can set up new pathways of communication or networking. Training teachers as experts can also increase leadership capacity in a school or district. Research on Train the Trainer There are several studies that illustrate the effectiveness on Train the Trainer method. One study (2011) focused on special education teachers who delivered such training that was a â€Å"cost-effective and sustainable method for improving the access to and accuracy of teacher-implemented [training].† Other studies have shown the effectiveness of the train the trainer model including: (2012) food safety initiative and  (2014) science literacy, as well as for social issues as seen in the Report on Bullying Prevention and Intervention Professional Development by the Massachusetts Department of  Elementary and Secondary Education (2010). The practice of Train the Trainer has been used nationally for many years. Initiatives from the National Literacy and National Numeracy Centers have provided leadership and training for educational institutions and consultants, who â€Å"train school heads, lead math teachers and expert literacy teachers, who in turn train other teachers​.† One drawback to the Train the Trainer model is that the PD is usually scripted in order to serve a specific purpose or to address a specific need. In larger districts, however, the needs of a school, classroom or teacher may differ and the PD delivered according to a script may not be as relevant. The Train the Trainer model is not flexible and may not include opportunities for differentiation unless the trainers are provided materials that can be tailored for a school or classroom. Choosing the Trainer(s) The selection of a teacher is the most critical part in developing the train the trainer model. The teacher selected as a trainer must be well-respected and able to lead teacher discussions as well as listen to his or her peers. The teacher selected should be prepared to help teachers to link the training to instruction and to demonstrate how to measure success. The teacher selected must be able to share results (data) on student growth that is based on training. Most important, the teacher selected must be reflective, be able to accept teacher feedback, and above all, maintain a positive attitude.   Designing Professional Development Before implementing the Train the Trainer model, the designers of professional development in any school district should consider the four principles that American educator Malcolm Knowles theorized about adult education or andragogy.  Andragogy refers to â€Å"man led† rather than pedagogy which uses â€Å"ped† meaning â€Å"child† at its root. Knowles proposed (1980) principles he believed were critical for adult learning. Designers of PD and trainers should have some familiarity with these principles as they prepare the trainers for their adult learners.  An explanation for application in education follows each principle: Adult learners have a need to be self-directing. This means instruction is effective when teachers have been involved in the planning and in the evaluation of their professional development. Train the trainer models are effective when they respond to teacher needs or requests.Readiness for learning increases when there is a specific need to know. This means that teachers learn best, like their students, when the professional development is central to their performance.  Life’s reservoir of experience is a primary learning resource; the life experiences of others add enrichment to the learning process. This means that what teachers experience, including their mistakes, is critical because teachers attach more meaning to experience rather than knowledge that they acquire passively.Adult learners have an inherent need for immediacy of application.  A teacher’s interest in learning is increased when professional development has immediate relevance and impact to teacherà ¢â‚¬â„¢s job or personal life. Trainers should know that Knowles also suggested that adult learning is more successful when it is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.   Final Thoughts Just as the teacher does in the classroom, the trainer’s role during PD  is to create and maintain a supportive climate so that the instruction designed for teachers can take place. Some good practices for the trainer include: Be respectful of fellow teachers.Show enthusiasm about the training topic.Be clear and direct in order to avoid miscommunication.Ask questions in order to receive feedback.Use â€Å"Wait Time† to encourage questions and allow time to think about an answer or response. Teachers understand firsthand how mind-numbing an afternoon of PD could be, so using teachers in the Train the Trainer model has the benefit of adding  elements of camaraderie, appreciation, or empathy to professional development. Trainers will work hard to meet the challenge of keeping their peers engaged while teachers who are learning may be more motivated to listen to their peers rather than a consultant out of the district. Ultimately, using the Train the Trainer model may mean highly effective and less  boring professional development simply because it is peer-led professional development.

Jesus and Mohammed paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Jesus and Mohammed paper - Essay Example a number of different ways such as their respective lives, the impact of each other’s death on their own religion, how each individual was worshipped, and the way in which their messages are being displayed throughout the world today. Jesus was a Jew and was born approximately two-thousand years ago in a town called Bethlehem. At that time, the Romans had occupation of the lands of Israel. As such, the Jews were expecting a savior to come along and defeat the Romans. Before Jesus was born, a prophecy was given that he would be the Messiah: â€Å"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel† (Isaiah 7:14 New International Version). However, what the Jews considered the Messiah to be was not how Jesus lived. The woman who gave birth to Jesus was a virgin called Mary. At that time, Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph. Because of this, Mary faced many calls of being an adulterer. During Jesus’ childhood, he was taught how to be a carpenter because this was his father’s profession. Once Jesus had reached the age of thirty, he left his hometown and set out on his ministry around the lands of Israel. In con trast to Jesus, Mohammad was born in 570 A.D. and was called Muhummad Ibn Adullah (Slick). (There are a number of variations in the spelling of Mohammad’s name, but for consistency, I will refer to him as Mohammad from here on.) Mohammad grew up in Mecca, the cultural religious center in what is now known as Saudi Arabia. In the early part of his life, Mohammad experienced tragedy as his father died before he was even born and his mother passed away when he was only six years old. Because of this, his uncle Abu Talib took the responsibility of raising him. Later on in life, Mohammad had developed the habit of going up to Mt. Hira to meditate (Slick). During one of his trips, Mohammad claimed that the angel Gabriel appeared to him. This angel instructed him to write the

Research Designs and Methods Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Research Designs and Methods - Term Paper Example   If we were to not use scientific research, we would have to rely on intuition, guess and whims. All through history, one can see examples of how important decisions can go wrong because the decision maker relied on these. Intuition is often influenced by a few events that are not representative of the norm. The decision maker may not even realize how much weight a particular incident may be given simply because it has had an emotional impact on them; and not because it is really relevant. Statistical studies have shown that any one of a number of guesses has exactly the same chance of being right as any other in the set. Nevertheless, we often make the mistake of believing that a particular guess has a greater probability of being right. This is a fallacy that motivates every gambling situation. The whims and ideas of monarchs have often been their downfall. Major decisions of corporations, countries and even individuals, if taken without the backing of facts and research can oft en lead to costly mistakes – sometimes irreversible... (Baily, 1994; 76-83). A majority of the type of research mentioned is conducted by using mathematical and statistical functions. But when the object of study is a human being, quantitative measurement of phenomena is not always possible. Human experience is inherently qualitative, and often it is best reported thus. A number of researchers have understood this, and choose to study phenomena from a qualitative and descriptive point of view. While such research is often criticized for not being able to present hard data, the insight it provides into the human experience makes it well worth the effort. It is, of course, difficult to generalize from subjective data; a strength of objectively collected data. In some cases, there is no attempt at all to apply the findings in a larger context. Qualitative research is also more fallible in its interpretation. But in spite of all its flaws, qualitative data – especially in the Social Sciences – can provide an understanding and a perspective that empirical data cannot afford.     

Microorganisms Relevant To Bioremediation

Microorganisms Relevant To Bioremediation Introduction Bioremediation is a technology that utilizes the metabolic potential of microorganisms to clean up contaminated environments. One important characteristic of bioremediation is that it is carried out in non-sterile open environments that contain a variety of organisms. Of these, bacteria, such as those capable of degrading pollutants, usually have central roles in bioremediation, whereas other organisms (e.g. fungi and grazing protozoa) also affect the process. A deeper understanding of the microbial ecology of contaminated sites is therefore necessary to further improve bioremediation processes. In the past two decades, molecular tools, exemplified by rRNA approaches, have been introduced into microbial ecology; these tools have facilitated the analysis of natural microbial populations without cultivation. Microbiologists have now realized that natural microbial populations are much more diverse than those expected from the catalog of isolated microorganisms. This is also the case for pollutant-degrading microorganisms, implying that the natural environment harbors a wide range of unidentified pollutant-degrading microorganisms that have crucial roles in bioremediation. This article summarizes the results of recent studies of microbial populations that are relevant to bioremediation. Molecular ecological information is thought to be useful for the development of strategies to improve bioremediation and for evaluating its consequences (including risk assessment). Molecular tools are especially useful in bioaugmentation, in which exogenous microorganisms that are introduced to accelerate pollutant biodegradation need to be monitored. This article discusses recent examples of the successful application of molecular ecological tools to the study of bioremediation. Microorganisms relevant to methane oxidation Traditionally, studies on pollutant biodegradation have been initiated by the isolation of one or more microorganisms capable of degrading target pollutants; however, conventional isolation methods have resulted in the isolation of only a fraction of the diverse pollutant-degrading microorganisms in the environment. In addition, most isolated organisms have shown pollutant-degradation kinetics that differ from those observed in the environment. For example, laboratory-cultivated methanotrophs exhibit half-saturation constants for methane oxidation which are one to three orders of magnitude higher than those observed in soil. Using molecular phylogenetic analyses of isotope-labeled DNA, (Radajewski et al.) successfully identified two novel methanotrophs that actively degrade methane under environmental conditions. Molecular approaches that target the 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA) and genes encoding enzymes involved in key metabolic steps (e.g. those encoding particulate methane monooxygena se) have been applied to the analysis of methanotrophs in rice field soil, lake sediments and forest soil. Methanotrophs are considered to be important for reducing the emission of methane, a greenhouse gas, from soil and sediment. In addition, methanotrophs co-metabolize trichloroethylene (TCE); therefore, TCE bioremediation often employs methane injection as a means to stimulate the TCE-degrading activity of indigenous methanotrophs (i.e. methane biostimulation). Methanotrophs which occurred at a methane biostimulation site were recently analyzed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified 16S rDNA and soluble methane monooxygenase gene fragments. Marine petroleum hydrocarbon degradation Molecular ecological approaches have also been used to analyze bacterial populations that occur in petroleum-contaminated marine environments. Spilled-oil bioremediation experiments conducted at a sandy beach found that phylotypes affiliated with the subclass of Proteobacteria appeared in the DGGE fingerprints obtained for oiled plots but not in those for unoiled plots, suggesting their importance in spilled-oil bioremediation. Another oil-spill experiment conducted at a beach in the Norwegian Arctic showed that 16S rDNA types affiliated with the ÃŽÂ ³-Proteobacteria, especially those belonging to the Pseudomonas and Cycloclasticus groups, were abundant in fertilized oil sands. Microbial populations which occurred in seawater after supplementation with petroleum and inorganic fertilizers have been analyzed using rRNA approaches; it was reported that bacterial populations belonging to the Proteobacteria and the genus Alcanivorax showed accelerated growth. These studies have indicat ed that some groups of bacteria commonly occur in oil-contaminated marine environments, although other populations change under different environmental conditions. Anaerobic petroleum hydrocarbon degradation As petroleum hydrocarbons are persistent under anaerobic conditions, their contamination of groundwater is a serious environmental problem. The microbial diversity in a hydrocarbon- and chlorinated-solvent contaminated aquifer undergoing intrinsic bioremediation was assessed by cloning and sequencing bacterial and archaeal 16S rDNA fragments. This study detected phylotypes that were closely related to Syntrophus spp. (anaerobic oxidizers of organic acids with the production of acetate and hydrogen) and Methanosaeta spp. (aceticlastic methanogens), suggesting their syntrophic association. Phylotypes affiliated with candidate divisions (that do not contain any isolated organisms) were also obtained in abundance from the contaminated aquifer, although their physiology is completely unknown. A similar syntrophic association of bacteria and archaea has also been reported in a methanogenic enrichment that slowly degrades hexadecane. Likewise, a toluene-degrading methanogenic consortium was characterized by rRNA approaches. The consortium comprised two archaeal species related to the genera Methanosaeta and Methanospirillum, and two bacterial species, one related to the genus Desulfotomaculum and the other unrelated to any previously described genus. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with group-specific rRNA probes was used to analyze a denitrifying microbial community degrading alkylbenzenes and n-alkanes; the Azoarcus/Thauera group was found to be the major bacterial group. Bacteria affiliated with the ÃŽÂ µ-Proteobacteria were found to grow in petroleum-contaminated groundwater which accumulated at the bottom of underground crude-oil storage cavities. Microbial communities associated with anaerobic benzene degradation under Fe(III)-reducing conditions in a petroleumcontaminated subsurface aquifer were also analyzed by DGGE analysis, and it has been suggested that Fe(III)- reducing Geobacter spp. have an important role in the anaerobic oxidation of benzen e. The available electron acceptors are the principal determinants for the types of microorganisms that occur in anaerobic environments, and microbial populations identified in the above papers are considered important for petroleum hydrocarbon degradation in subsurface environments under the respective conditions. On the basis of these results, future developments in anaerobic hydrocarbon bioremediation are anticipated. It is noteworthy that phylotypes that are only distantly related to known genera are often detected as major members of the anaerobic communities, suggesting that parts of anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation processes remain unidentified. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are compounds of intense public concern owing to their persistence in the environment and potentially deleterious effects on human health. A soil-derived microbial consortium capable of rapidly mineralizing benzo[a]pyrene was analyzed by DGGE profiling of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA fragments The analysis detected 16S rDNA sequence types that represented organisms closely related to known high molecular weight PAH-degrading bacteria (e.g. Burkholderias, Sphingomonas and Mycobacterium),although the degradation mechanisms have yet to be resolved. In soil environments, the reduced bioavailability of PAHs due to sorption to natural organic matter is an important factor controlling their biodegradation. Friedrich et al. reported that different phenanthrene-degrading bacteria occurred in soil enrichments when different sorptive matrices were present. It has also been shown that the application of surfactants to soil enrichments that degrade phenanthrene a nd hexadecane altered the microbial populations responsible for the degradation. These results have common implications for bioremediation; that is, nature harbors diverse microbial populations capable of pollutant degradation from which a few pollutant-degrading populations are selected according to bioremediation strategies. Metal bioremediation Because of its toxicity, metal contamination of the environment is also a serious problem. Recent studies have applied molecular tools to the analysis of bacterial and archaeal populations that are capable of surviving in metal-contaminated environments. Bacterial communities in soil amended for many years with sewage sludge that contained heavy metals were assessed using rRNA approaches, including FISH and cloning and sequencing. The study found that two sequence groups affiliated with the Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were frequently obtained from clone libraries from the metal-contaminated soil, although most Actinobacteria sequences showed low similarity (

Pros and Cons of Social Networks Essay

I bet that if I go onto Facebook or Twitter right now, I could find almost every one of you on there. When someone says â€Å"social network,† the first site to come to your mind is Facebook, right? Facebook is now the most identifiable social network, and according to Facebook statistics it’s recently reached over 300 million active users. Combined worldwide, they all spend over six billion minutes online every day. I got most of my information about social networking from facts on file. A statistic from the Pew Internet Project’s research on social networking found that as of December 2012, 67% on online adults use social networking sites. The earlier social networks, such as Friendster. com and myspace. com, started in the early 2000’s, and since then they’ve become very popular and even more sites have emerged. There are many effects and uses for social networks, and many people have different opinions on them so today I’m going to share those with you. Let’s see what supporters admire about social networks. Supporters say that social media and networking sites have changed the way that we communicate for the better. see more:social networking and young generation They say that with all the different possibilities it’s much easier to keep in touch with family, friends, and colleagues. If someone was tired of emailing or simply chatting, they could use Skype, which is a software application that allows users to make voice or video calls over the Internet. Social networks can also provide a way for people to express themselves, through forums, Internet messaging boards, or by creating their own blogs that others can comment and post on too. Through social networks people can also make friends more easily by connecting with others who have similar interests. It’s become a daily habit for us to sign into our favorite social networks, so that whenever we get the chance to do so, it seems to relax us. A large and important impact of social networks, however, is its ability to raise awareness and keep everyone throughout the world informed. Reading about current events isn’t limited to the newspapers anymore, now news sites and social networks are constantly updating us with the latest information. We can learn about natural disasters that strike all over the world and learn what we can do here to help. If any of you are on Facebook, I’m sure you’ve seen popular pages posting pictures of someone’s sad life story, some asking for prayers and others asking for recognition for one’s actions or heartbreaking life. As you all know, when MaKayla passed away, her friends and family worked endlessly to gain the attention of her hero, LeBron James. Through Facebook and Twitter her memorial page has received almost 8,000 likes and grabbed the attention of Packers player, Clay Matthews. He helped to raise awareness by asking people to tweet to LeBron to obtain any sort of recognition from her hero. With everyone’s help from social networks in the end, that goal was accomplished. Seeming to be on the more old-fashioned side, government officials are even getting into the networking hype. They’re using them to help get ahead in the polls, connect with voters and find out their opinions as a mass. In 2011, President Barack Obama tweeted the following message, as seen on the smartboard. Included in this tweet was a short video with tributes from his 2008 supporters. Today, he still tweets asking for the public’s opinions on controversies and issues. These points make you think that social networks are all good; however, people who oppose them have quite different opinions. Opponents argue that social media and networking sites are ruining how we communicate and that it can only get worse as time goes on. The rise of social networks has also coincided with an erosion of the quality of conversation. MIT psychology professor Sherry Turkle says, â€Å"As we ramp up the volume and velocity of online connections, we start to expect faster answers. To get these, we ask one another simpler questions; we dumb down our communications, even on the most important matters. Comedian and commentator Dean Obeidallah writes for CNN saying that social media is turning Americans into â€Å"the laziest generation† yet. Companies and businesses are using social networks to advertise and promote themselves, so if you’re applying for a job with a company or business, they could check your own profile to see what you’ve been posting. If someone were to be tagged in some inappropriate pictures, companies might see them and it could ultimately cost you the job. Social networks can also be very dangerous. Con artists have been known to create scams via emails, and now they’re trying to take your money using social networks. Because social networks let you create your own profile, some people decide to put in fake information and photos. So you never really know if the person you’re talking to is real or not. Bullying now isn’t restricted to throwing hits and talking smack face-to-face. Networking sites have unfortunately made it much easier to tease others, and now cyber-bullying and harassment has become a major problem. An article from the periodical Educational Leadership has said that cyber-bullying is focused on students and teenagers, and that it can cause severe mental, emotional, and sometimes even physical pain. An anonymous 17 year old from New Jersey said, â€Å"When I was being cyberbullied I felt like I wanted to never go out of the house or talk to anyone ever again. It led me to depression, and the person who was bullying me †¦believed that it was funny. † Now that I’ve gone over all of my points, let’s review the pros and cons of social networks. Along with helping us make new friends, they can help us keep in touch and communicate with our family and friends. They are also very useful in connecting officials to the public and helping us learn about how we can help make a difference in charities or fundraising events. However, with the convenience of online chatting, real face-to-face conversations are eroding. With the anonymity of peoples’ identities, it can be dangerous to talk to strangers. As we’ve seen, there are both positive and negative effects of social networks on us, but depending on how we use them is how we allow them to impact our lives. With all of the advancements in technology, social networks will become more prominent in everyday lives. It’s still likely, in one form or another, that social networks will continue to grow and evolve.