Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Art and Aesthetics Art in Public Space

Art refers to a means of purposefully putting things in a particular manner so as to influence the mind, senses as well as the emotions. It constitutes of various creations, human activities and several methods of expression of human ideas through paintings, music, sculpture, literature, filming and photography (Creative Intelligence 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art and Aesthetics: Art in Public Space specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Beauty on the other hand refers to the characteristics bestowed in an individual that leads to a perceived understanding of satisfaction and pleasure. It emanates from aesthetic. Ideal beauty thus refers to that which attracts admiration in a given culture leading to perfection. Thus art has been broadly explored in aesthetic so as to bring out its correlation to generations and mankind. This essay therefore, uses the concepts from semiotics to discuss art and aesthetics in re lation to California Disney Hall as a piece of art in public. Semiotic concepts include signs and making meaning out of the signs identified in a particular piece of art whether performing art, sculptural or modeling art. They mainly encampass creation of meaning out of a given sign accorded to artwork. The interpretation of a given piece of art work is based on the denoted meaning identified such as the identification of visible signs as well as the actual cultural relationship that comes along with such identifications. Therefore, the main aim of semiotic artist is to derive methods of navigation coupled with interpretation of connoted meaning (Bann 128). This seeks to unfold the coded meaning and meaning unfolded in a given object of aesthetic value by determining its relationship to collective consciousness. Concepts of semiotics have been identified in the history of art for instance, in the works of Panofsky and Riegl (Creative Intelligence 5) including the very important text s by Meyer bringing out visual semiotics. When these concepts are put together and modeled in to what is appealing to the senses of the public, it results in to what is called aesthetics. This is the creation of beauty. Art work that has been well organized in a given media so as to be staged out or performed in a public arena is referred to as public art. Public art is important to public art specialists, bodies that commission art performances, curators as well as the entire art world with much emphasis being given to collaborations, the specificity of the site of performance and the involvement of the community. At times art is used to refer to any given piece of art that is displayed in a public arena or any public buildings that are easily accessible to the community (Maasik 50). The California Disney hall is the best example of art in public. The hall is among the four concert halls of the LAMC (Los Angeles Music Centre). It has a seating capacity of two thousand two hundred a nd sixty five persons which is one of the characteristics of public art which puts focus on community involvement hence accommodating more people during performances (George). It serves various functions alongside being the centre for LAMC (Los Angeles Master Chorale and LAP (Los Angeles Philharmonic) performances.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The hall was built in honor of Los Angeles citizens and to Lilian Disney’s husband dedication to art. The acoustics and the architecture of this concert hall supersede that of Dorothy Chandler Pavilion making the most important piece of art. As opposed to many of the halls used for concert performances (Ronald and Melissa 55), California Disney hall’s entrance is ever open during daytime hence giving room for access by the public to its 7-level subterranean parking space, cafà ©, hotel box office as well as the gift shop. The entranc e of the hall constitutes of columns of enormous tree trunks made from Douglas fir with straight grains. Apart from providing support to the Hall structurally and visually the columns assist in lighting as well delivering air conditioning. Douglas fir is well appreciated for its aesthetic value, thus most of the surfaces in the hall have inco-operated it, in addition to the musical instruments made from timber. This has enhanced the beauty and the aesthetic value of the hall that attract the public. Initially Frank Gehry had purposed to have the whole building finished with stone. However, he changed this to have the hall dressed with stainless steel. Frank settled on a stainless steel finish since he believed that this kind of finish worked well with the reflecting and changing the bright sunlight from southern part of California. As a result of the halls numerous contours and exacting specifications in its design, structural beams made of steel had to be fixed using computer aided three-dimensional interactive application (CATIA).The steel beams were fixed into place only after having intersected the xyz coordinates as they appeared in the plan. The public park of the hall sits on a one acre piece of land, thirty four feet over the hope street. It is strategically positioned thus making it accessible to all people without any restrictions through the hours of operation. The park provides a good view point to most of the landmarks in Los Angeles for example the LACL (Los Angeles Central Library) which is on the southern part of Los Angeles, SGM (San Gabriel Mountains) and DS (Dodger Stadium) to the North as well as Hollywood sign which lies to the West. All these are visible particularly on a cloudless day. The magnificent sight gives a sense of beauty to the public and every person looking at such a hall would appreciate the kind of time devoted to making the building beautiful and appealing to the viewers. The park also consists of full-grown flowering plan ts with a distinct ability to flourish in designed plant vases.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art and Aesthetics: Art in Public Space specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Many of the plants in the hall were taken from residential homes and lifted up by the help of three hundred and fifty ton crane. The flowers were cautiously positioned facing the initial direction before being uprooted to their new location (David Hume 58). During the entire period of Philharmonics the flowers keeps flowering consecutively offering the beauty of alternating shades of colors. The hall also constitutes of LDMF (Lilian Disney Memorial Fountain). This was Franks design as he designed this in honor of Lilian Disney. This was in recognition of Lilian Disney’s affection for Roses and Delft porcelain. In creating this fountain, reinforced bars of iron were curved to create structures that resemble petals of flowers. The mesh made of stainless steel was fixed and then packed with water proof concrete. Furthermore, several tiles and royal vases made of Delft porcelain were broken into pieces which were skillfully mounted by a team of eight people skilled in the art of ceramics. This led to the beautiful fountain present at the California Disney Hall. The children’s Amphitheatre which is home to educational programs as well as programs owned by the community which are produced by MCED (Music Centre Education Division) as well as the LAP (Creative Intelligence 2). The seating area consists of concentric arcs made in small parts bearing in mind the children seating in this section. This space provides relaxing place for visitors who would love to relax as well as have lunch or read anything as long as the children are not using it. Within the hall is the REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater) which is the meeting point for audiences and performing artists, home to performing art, experimental theatre and music. Furthermore, there is a three thousand square foot display space including a cafà © for multiple functions. Art in public arena is in most cases developed to interact with the public by allowing the individuals to participate by their sight, feelings as well as their entire senses. For instance, in the Disney hall, the public can participate in such kind of art by sitting on the seats that are curved in a concentric manner thus allowing them to have a feeling of that particular art. The hall has a resonating interval of two minutes hence during the performance the public can listen to the piece of art being presented and appreciate it (George). By looking at the tree columns and the floral plants one can feel the beauty of the hall as all these features are magnificent. The entire art work portrayed on the walls as well as the surfaces attracts the public thus making the people to feel the surfaces hence participating in the work through hands-on experience.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Disney hall displays its art in public place by virtue of its sculptural work having to do with the culture of the people of Los Angeles. For example the broken Delft Vases used to decorate the hall are as a result of the affection that Lilian had in Porcelain. Therefore the culture of using porcelain had to be brought out on this particular hall so as to in co-operate a particular artist culture in this piece of art. This gives a feeling of community involvement and ownership which one of the semiotics in art in public places which brings a sense beauty to a whole piece of artwork. The Disney hall stand on a very large piece of land giving room for more people to be accommodated hence upholding the norms of art in public places. The kind of architecture employed on the building allows the public to enjoy the beauty of the exterior of the building without necessarily entering the building. It is important to note that anything that does not amuse the public is not art. Never the less with Disney Concert hall, most of the people enjoy looking at the large columns supporting the building with lots of amusement. Memorials as well as monuments are some of the ancient forms of art in public despite the fact that architectural sculpture is a bit pronounced in bringing out a true picture of art in public. A case in point is the huge columns and the rose flowers in the hall. The large space occupied by the park is suitable for public viewing and this is what attracts the public viewing of the Hall. Semiotic aesthetics demand that artwork is an indication of a sign whose aesthetic value is founded on a given mode of reference. This is true with the California Disney wall as much of its artwork is based on particular meanings. The porcelain used in decorating the fountain in the whole results from Lilian’s affection to artwork made from porcelain. In addition, to this, her affection for roses led to reinforced iron bars being made to resemble rose petals. The fact that Walt Disney loved art led to his wife, Lilian designing the California Disney Hall in honor of her beloved husband. Last but not least the love for the culture of the public led to this hall being made such that it attracted and held more than two thousand people hence giving room for most people to have a glimpse of any piece of art being performed. Most of the performing artists take deliberate pleasure in staging their various works due to the acoustics of the hall. Using the concepts of semiotics in designing the Disney hall is what makes it a piece of art in public. Several features put together to bring out the aesthetic value of the building remains as they are, they carry the meaning of what they are and not any other hidden meaning. For instance, the flowering trees that keep giving different shades of flower alternatively are actually flowers and they do not carry any other meaning. Furthermore, the hotels, cafà © and the shop at the hall just what they are and have no hidden meaning. With such kind of art being displayed with symbols and signs carrying their own meaning and not any other hidden meaning brings into the lime light the beauty of art in public on this hall. It is also important to note that one of the important things about semiotic concepts is that meaning and signs are never limited. Therefore, to enhance the aesthetic value of any piece of artwork, this concept emphasis that a single sign can take various available meanings. It is therefore up to the audience to extract the exact meaning of a given piece of art without necessarily deviating from the exact meaning. In conclusion, concepts of semiotics are based on the fact that objects are best appreciated from the perspective of the audience. This implies that the audience can view an object at any given perspective as long as he finds beauty any that given piece. With various meanings contained in various signs which are employed by the artist, the audience can draw that which is pleasurable to him and accord that given sign. In addition, the meaning given to any piece of art in public can only be expounded once the social or original context of that work has been removed. Never the less, semiotic concepts insists that irrespective of the meaning intended by original author of art work the meaning taken by the audience supersede the authors. Just like the California Disney hall, different groups of audience have expressed their different views concerning its aesthetic value. In view of all this whether the hall is appealing to the public or not is upon the audience to assert this with respect to how it views this building. However, till to date it remains to be the best art in public space. Works Cited Bann, Sawl. â€Å"Meaning/Interpretation.† Shift, Ronald Nelson and Richard. Critical Terms for Art History. Chicago, 2003. 128. Creative Intelligence. â€Å"Architectural and Garden Highlights: Walt Disney Concert Hall.† Music Centre , Performing Arts Centre of Los Angeles County. California: Music Centre, 2009. David Hume . The letters of David Hume. Ed. John Young Thomson Greig. Vol. 2. Garland Publisher, 1983. George, Lynell. The Los Angeles Times. 11 May 2008. Web. Maasik, Sonia. Signs of Life in the U.S.A. Popular Spaces:Interpreting the Built Environment. Chicago: Oxford, 2006. Ronald Lee Flemming and Melissa Tapper Goldman. Public Art for the Public (Art in Public Places Program) (Art in Architecture Program). The National Affairs, Inc, 2005. This essay on Art and Aesthetics: Art in Public Space was written and submitted by user Leo Erickson 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.

Friday, March 6, 2020

April Morning essays

April Morning essays April Morning was an interesting book concerning a young man, Adam Cooper, and the trials and tribulations of his taking part in the Battle of Lexington. The story takes place mostly in Adams home town of Lexington, Massachusetts, but also partially on the surrounding roads and countryside. The novel opens with a glimpse into the daily life of the Cooper family. As Adam com-ments on the harsh perfectionist opprobrium of his father, I find myself drawn to his side of the issue. Adam confuses his fathers constant animadversion with the feeling that his father hates him. These feelings of hate are somewhat annulled by Granny, Adams grandmother and confi-dant. She tells him that, since she has known Moses Cooper longer than anyone, she knows that he really loves Adam. This is further exerted when Adam overhears a conversation between his par-ents. All this was happening with the rumblings of war nearby. The British taxes and tariffs were intensifying and by then most New England towns had their own local governments called Committees. These Committees were supported by local community leaders who also organized a town militia. When word reached Lexington that a British army landed, the local militia was mustered through much urging by Moses Cooper and Jonas Parker, the Captain of the Militia. They pushed for a marshaling of the soldiers for completely different reasons, however. Moses stood firm by the principles of freedom and common human decency. Jonas Parker simply felt that because he was chosen to be Captain of the Militia, it was his right, duty, and obligation to be out for the blood of any redcoat crossing into Lexington, Massachusetts. In any case, the British came to Lexington. The town representatives went to parlay with them. Jonas Parker, Moses Cooper, the Reverend, and Simon Casper, a confrontational battle ad-vocate, were there in front of three mounted British officers. All they...

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

African American Families Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

African American Families - Essay Example This proposal will deal on how to address the problem drugs and substance abuse. In a 2012 study conducted by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), discovered that black people accounted for 43.2% of the people who used drugs in that year and makeup for nearly half of the population of the people who used drugs. Among the drugs used include marijuana which accounted for 18%, cocaine 3% stimulants 5%, and alcohol was ranked as the top most abused drug at 64%. While the national average for illicit drug use was 7.9% that of the black youths was 9.5% obviously higher than the national average, Marijuana use increased from 5.9% to 7.5% that is a worrying trend. This proposal will deal on building a rehabilitation center where victims of the drugs and substance abuse can be rehabilitated, taken care of until they are back on their feet. The rehab center will focus on carrying out several programs to help the victims. There will be age appropriate activities and programs for the affected youths and the members of their families who are indirectly affected. Enrichment programs- these programs will be carried out in order to support character development. These programs will focus on prevention measures, problem solving and critical and creative thinking. The prevention measures programs will be channeled towards, strengthening a persons refusal skills, conflict reduction and building on self-esteem. Adult education programs- this program will be open to both the parents of the affected young adults and the general public. It will focus on: lessons will be offered on parenting skills, conflict resolution, and also in how to cope with family members who are users. The general public will be taught on how to deal with the victims without stigmatization. Integrating of services- the rehabilitation center will be responsible for training the staff to identify people who deserve to be enrolled in the

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Exclusion from the Mainstream Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Exclusion from the Mainstream - Term Paper Example The purpose of this paper is to examine how themes of heterosexuality and homophobia can also be present in queer films, and how homosexuals have been continuously demonized and marginalized in films, thus promoting a deeper sense of homophobia in the society and reflecting how widespread the social institutions believing in the sexual norms are. The approach of looking into theories of social deviance in relation to sexuality in queer films can aid in refocusing on the issue of social stigma and exclusion from the mainstream. Degradation in Mainstream and Queer Films While it is true that there will always be great films, a lot of those that reached blockbuster success portray gay characters in a supporting role, usually as a friend of the female lead character. While there is nothing wrong with supporting roles, sometimes, these gay characters are not fully developed in the film and are used as a of parody of the homosexual stereotypes that, ironically, have been fought by several organizations over the years. Despite the good intentions of the film, degrading the role of these gays into something to stir laughter due to their â€Å"homosexual† antics is something that is not right. This dos not happen in mainstream films only. Even in queer films such as â€Å"The Birdcage,† some of these homosexual parodies can be observed. For example, in the film's last part where the gays are dancing to the song â€Å"Macho Man,† it can immediately be felt that it is meant to be a joke that â€Å"macho† and gay are two terms that cannot come together. Even though the film is really all about the the message that gays should be treated equally, resorting to using the stereotypes for laughter defeats the overall message. Another example of this is â€Å"Brokeback Mountain,† where homosexuality is supposedly â€Å"celebrated† judging from the way the public acknowledged the film. However, how are the gay men portrayed in the story? They are shown as â€Å"queer† --- people who cannot be accepted in the mainstream, the â€Å"other.† Even homosexuality here is shown as something shameful and to be kept secret. Such films do not really bridge the gap of inequality between the heterosexuals and the homosexuals. Queer films actually do not advance the idea that homosexuals are equal to their heterosexual counterparts. They just breed a what can be called â€Å"understanding† towards homosexuality, but they do not really allow the mass audience to relate to them. They do not treat the idea of homosexuality as something normal, but as something that invokes pity. Heavenly Creatures To further expound on this idea, a recently viewed film entitled â€Å"Heavenly Bodies† will be discussed. This film is based on a true story of two teenage girls who committed murder in 1954. The story is about Pauline and Juliet, the two teenage girls who are involved in a â€Å"strange† relationship th at is viewed as homosexual (lesbian) by the people around them. The two girls are shown as the exact opposite of the other --- Juliet being extrovert, and Pauline being introvert. Despite being based on a true story, one cannot help but notice how the â€Å"weird† details of these two girls are played up in the story. It has been mentioned earlier that homosexuals have been continuously demonized and marginalized in films, and this is observed in this

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Allogeneic MCSs to make Cartilage for Knee Function

Allogeneic MCSs to make Cartilage for Knee Function INTRODUCTION: 1.1 What is Osteoarthritis? Articular cartilage is a highly resilient hyaline tissue composed of chondrocytes and surrounded by extracellular matrix present in a joint which act as shock absorber, protects the bones from the friction and wear and helps in smooth movement of the joint (Bhumiratana et al. 2014). Osteoarthritis is a disease of joint where lack of cartilage causes musculoskeletal pain and restriction of the movement or disability of the joint for the patient. (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010) (Duthey, 2015). Reasons for cartilage damage are: The impact / blow caused during sport activities or accident Wear and tear because of overuse of a joint (Observed in elderly people) Lack of movement (Medical News Today, 2017) Figure No.1. Osteoarthritis Affected Region Image Source: www.osteoosteoOsteoarthritisresearchuk.org Osteoarthritis can affect any joint present in the body. As the knee-joint Osteoarthritis is the most common type of Osteoarthritis, in this report, we will discuss about knee-joint Osteoarthritis only. Tibiofemoral and patellofemoral are the two articular surfaces that the knee consists of. As it can be seen in the below image, the damaged cartilage, reduces the gap between joint and friction is generated between the bones which ultimately results in bone erosion and causes muscle pain or inflammation or restriction to the movement. Figure No.2. Osteoarthritis affected Knee Image Source: http://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/directory/o/Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is estimated to affect 250 million people worldwide. Osteoarthritis sufferers include men and women, children and adults. And according to World Health Organization, 30% of men and women over the age of 65 have Osteoarthritis (Woolf and Pfleger, 2003). Worldwide, 9.6% of men and 18.0% of women over the age of 60 years have symptomatic Osteoarthritis. Approximately 80% of those with Osteoarthritis will have limitations in movement, and 25% cannot perform their major activities of daily life (Duthey, 2015). Figure No.3. Prevalence of Osteoarthritis of Knee Image Source: Burden of major musculoskeletal conditions, Bulletin of the WHO 2003 1.2 Treatments available for Osteoarthritis: There are various ways to cure Osteoarthritis when it is at the initial level, such as: Exercise and weight loss Bracing Medication Viscosupplementation Nutritional supplements (Duthey, 2015). But when it becomes incurable by exercise and medication, surgical operations must be performed. Surgical procedures include: Debridement i.e. Smoothening of the cartilage using surgical instruments Marrow Stimulation, a treatment which helps in regrowth of cartilage in the joint (but this process is less reliable) (Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis in the Knee, 2017). Mosaicplasty, a process where the cartilage from some other joint of body is used. But this process has size limitations (Medical News Today, 2017). Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, a treatment in which a small part of no-load bearing cartilage is removed from the joint of the patient by Arthroscopy, regrown and multiplied in the laboratory and then implanted back in the body by a procedure called arthrotomy. (Cartilage Repair, 2017) (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010) (Duthey, 2015). Even though the Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation seems effective and easy, it has many disadvantages such as: The patients cartilage sample must be removed by a medical procedure, marked/tagged and treated separately just like blood sample. This treatment requires big Logistics and Supply Chain. It requires a lot of time (approximately 6 weeks) for cells to multiply. Hence, till then the patient will suffer from pain (Peretti et al. 2000). 1.3 Proposed Treatment for Osteoarthritis: All these problems can be solved by Allogeneic Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell. For autologous transplant donor and receiver are same, whereas for allogeneic transplant, the donor and the receiver are different. The selection of the donor must be done carefully cause if the tissue type, i.e. HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigens) doesnt match, the patients body will treat the transplanted organ or tissue as a foreign body. It might result in GVHD i.e. Graft Vs Host Disease. It is a fatal immune system response against stem cell transplant (Si et al. 2011). Selection of donor for allogeneic transplant: Syngeneic (i.e. Twins) It is the perfect HLA match, but very few people have a twin. HLA- matched relative (sibling) It is the second preferred option as HLA will be closely matched. HLA-matched unrelated donor, it can be possible to find a donor whose HLA matches to the patient. HLA-mismatched family member, even though the HLA doesnt match, it has great chance that patients body may accept it. Umbilical cord blood, stem cells retrieved during birth of the patient and preserved in a cell bank. It will be safest of all but stem cells must be available (Flomenberg et al. 2004). Hence, allogeneic implant will make sure that the patient wont have to undergo two medical procedures, as seen in autologous chondrocyte implantation. 1.4 What are HMSCs? HMSC means Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells. They are multipotent cells, which have the ability to transform into bone, muscle, fat or cartilage, etc. upon the proper simulation of providing environmental conditions in the laboratory. They have potential for regeneration (Si et al. 2011) (Li, LHeureux and Elisseeff, 2011) (Wei, 2013). Figure No.4. Potential of MSCs Image Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241215.php Figure No.5. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Image Source: http://www.cytopeutics.com/IntroductionOfStemCells.html For knee restoration, cartilage cells are needed. Hence, the MSCs will be simulated for cartilage development. MSCs exists in almost all tissues. These cells can be easily obtained from bone marrow, adipose tissue, cord cells and molar cells, fetal liver, muscle, and lung (Ahmed and Hincke, 2014) (Si et al. 2011). 1.5 Product delivery to the Patient: For blood transfusion, the blood group and presence of Rh factor is checked and the matching blood is introduced into the body. Similarly, after checking the tissue (HLA) match, the best matching cells are chosen and regrown exponentially in the controlled environment of a laboratory. When the required number of cells, shape, and size is achieved, the cartilage is implanted into the patient via an open joint surgery named arthrotomy. This implanted cartilage will function exactly as that of the original cartilage. This cartilage will function properly for approximately 10 years (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010). 1.7 Functioning of the product in the patients body: Since, the HLA was matched, and the cartilage is manufactured using MSCs which has the same functional properties and characteristics that of the original cartilage, the function of the joint will return to normal. There wont be any complication after the treatment and that graft will be accepted by the body as a part of it, it wont be treated as a foreign body. MANUFACTURING FEASIBILITY REVIEW: 2.1 Current Manufacturing Technology and Scope for Future: Currently, the knee restoration is done via other surgical procedures. But because of those procedures have many limitations and they give only temporary relief, allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cell therapy will replace them in the coming time. Mesenchymal Stem Cell therapy is currently under development. Various tests are being performed on them in the laboratory (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010). First, the bone marrow or adipose tissue or cord sample is collected from the donor. Then the mesenchymal stem cells are separated out from other cells, such as fat or muscle by centrifugation or apheresis. These two density separation processes are feasible only for liquid. For the extraction from solid tissues, the slices of tissue are digested by the enzymes such as trypsin or collagenase. It breaks the bonding of cells i.e. the extracellular matrix (ECM) that holds the cells. Hence, the cell line is found (Li, LHeureux and Elisseeff, 2011). Then the cells are harvested. During the cell culture process, there are various parameters that need to be monitored, little inconsistency will result in subnormal product or it might be just a waste of product. Temperature, humidity, oxygen, pH level of the cell culture reagent, nutrient supply and waste removal are the physical parameters and cell count and cell viability are the biological parameters that need to be monitored (Schwamb, Puskeiler and Wiedemann, 2015). Once the desired number of cells is achieved, boundary for CMB (Condensed Mesenchymal Cell Bodies) is set. Then the cells are condensed to increase the seeding density as the cartilage requires higher seeding density. Then the fusion of the CMB happens. Now this fused CMB is pressurized against a porous decellularized bone matrix to create dense cellular region i.e. cartilage (Bhumiratana et al. 2014). As the knee joint is a mechanical tissue, physical stimulation is needed for its development. However, excessive stimulation can lead to cartilage damage (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010). Cartilage then sticks to the surface of that bone matrix and takes its shape while growing around it. Then it is removed from the bone matrix to implant into the knee joint of the patient (Bhumiratana et al. 2014). Figure No.6. Condensed Mesenchymal Cell Bodies Fusion Image Source: http://www.pnas.org/content/111/19/6940.abstract Currently, only culture plates and culture flasks are being used for allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells as it is still in testing phase (Schwamb, Puskeiler, and Wiedemann, 2015). Figure No.7. Culture flasks and plates Image Source: https://www.shutterstock.com But monitoring all these parameters becomes very hard when using flasks and plates. And the cells need to be shifted into bigger containers frequently. Also, flasks and plates are not useful for mass production because of size limitation and economic consideration. Hence, a device named bioreactor can replace them and still perform all those tasks efficiently. Figure No.8. Bioreactor for mass Cell Culture Image Source: http://www.bioc.rice.edu/bios576/nih_bioreactor/NDL_Bioreactor%20Page.html It is a container which is feasible for both aerobic and anaerobic cell culture and can be used for suspended as well as immobilized cells (Sandhya Anand, 2017). It can be operated in batch, fed batch and continuous mode. As MSCs are surface anchorage dependent, the extra agitation or stirring might result in damage to the tissue. And the MSCs require oxygen to grow, so it will be an aerobic, immobilized, batch production bioreactor. (Martin, Wendt and Heberer, 2004) (Oragui, Nannaparaju and Khan, 2011). 2.2 Challenges in mass production of MSCs: Large scale in vitro expansion of MSCs is very complex because maintaining cells quality attributes such as identity, potency, purity and safety is extremely hard. It is hard to monitor that the cells are not undergoing any quality changes while expansion and harvesting. Another challenge is obtaining required no of cells and their recovery. MSCs are not suspension type, but anchorage dependent therefore the surface area for anchorage and proliferation must be taken into account. As allogeneic treatments are supposed to be for a lot of people, hence the required no of cells must be extremely large. There are 3 major and 3 minor types of HLAs in MHC Class I and 3 major and 2 minor types of HLAs in MHC Class II. So, there are lots of variants to manufacture and maintain for the cartilage manufacturer. 2.3 Clinical Demand for Dosage: Even though there are 250 million people suffering from Osteoarthritis and 3.6% of them are suffering from knee Osteoarthritis i.e. 9 million people. More than 600,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the United States alone (A Nation in Motion, 2017). In UK 160,000 knee replacement surgeries are performed every year (Joint replacement statistics, 2017). As the cartilage manufactured in the laboratory exhibit almost similar properties that to the natural cartilage, it is expected to last approximately 50-60 years (i.e. Average human life) if there are no unexpected tragedies. Hence, once treated properly, the patient wont have to worry about the joint in his life again. 2.4 Supply Chain for Product: Figure No.9. Formation of Master Cell Bank First the cell line is chosen for culturing, it can be a well-known cell line or a newly found cell line. After certain passages, when the desired number of cells is achieved, the Master Cell Bank will be established. In this case, many Master Cell Banks are needed as there are many types of tissues. Then one portion of master cell bank will be used for research purpose, i.e. the working cell bank and the rest will be cryopreserved for future use. Good manufacturing practice protocol should be followed during cell culturing. Figure No.10. Clinical Process for Cell Culturing The working cell bank will be used for manufacturing of cells for mass production after testing is performed. Several production runs (i.e. Passages) will be performed to obtain the required number of cells. Then the cells will be cryopreserved in central storage and distributed via local channels until there is a patient who needs them. 2.5 Risk Assessment: The main aim of risk assessment is to prevent transmission of diseases, and avoid harm to individuals and the environment. In many countries, the performance of risk assessment is a legal requirement. (University of Manitoba) Risk Impact Probability of Occurrence Mitigation Strategy Tissue/cell origin Rejection of Cells Low Thorough testing of cell line Lack of Donor History Transmission of Disease Low Choosing a donor carefully Mismatch of HLA Graft vs Host Disease Intermediate Careful matching of HLA Environmental Changes Change in cell Quality High Close monitoring of environmental conditions Plasma Derived Material Cell line contamination with unwanted cells High Proper filtration of MSCs (Herberts, Kwa and Hermsen, 2011) 2.6 Biosafety Measure: Depending upon the as the product is human derived, Biosafety Level 2 practices, equipment and facilities are chosen. It is most suitable for clinical, diagnostic and teaching purposes. Laboratory personnel must maintain hygiene while entering and exiting the lab. Decontaminated of potentially infectious material must be done before disposal, either by a disinfectant, or by autoclaving. Personal protective equipment is only required when there is a possibility of exposure to hazardous material. The laboratory must be isolated from the general building. Laboratory personnel must be trained in handling pathogenic agents. Access to the laboratory should be limited during the work. Certain procedures in which infectious aerosols or splashes may be created biological safety cabinets or other physical containment equipment should be used and the rest can be performedÂÂ   on the open bench. Biosafety level 2 is suitable for indigenous moderate-risk agents. This includes various microbes that cause mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, human derived blood, body fluid, tissues, or primary cell lines (Inc, 2017). PROCESS MAP AND CELL GROWTH ANALYSIS: 3.1 Process Map: Figure No.11. Process Map for HMSC Therapy Process Description: Cell lines are created/chosen for each type of tissue (HLA). Shipping of the tissue sample to cell therapy processing facility. HMSC isolation and culturing in culture chambers (manual production using culture flask or culture plate) or bioreactor is performed. Fresh HMSCs are then tested for various parameters such as identity, potency, purity and safety, the modifications are done. Aliquoting of HMSC samples (i.e. Master Cell Bank) is done. Freezing and storage at -196 ÂÂ °C in Vapor Liquid Nitrogen (i.e. Cryopreservation) for future reference and use is done (Inc, 2017). Cells are thawed i.e. their temperature is brought up to normal room temperature and further increased to 37 ÂÂ °C (Normal Body Temperature) for best cell growth result (Inc, 2017). Cell characterization per release Criteria for Thawed HMSCs Expansion of thawed HMSCs using an incubator and/or bioreactor for production. Activation of HMSCs into final cell therapy product. Shipping of final product to medical treatment centre. Implantation of the cartilage into the patient by open joint surgery, i.e. arthrotomy (Harel, 2013). Cell Growth Analysis: As there are many types of tissues (HLA), testing for all of them must be performed and validated. Hence, the whole process will be repeated several times for each type of cells. Input Data: Desired seeding density= 1 million/ml Duration of Passage= 72 hours Doubling Time= 36 hours Efficiency= 80% (Average efficiency) Input Vial contains= 1.00E+09 cells Dose per Patient= 1.00E+09 cells =1 vial of dose Growth Rate= Ln (2) /Doubling Time= 0.019254 Seeding Density 1,000,000 Passage Duration 72 Doubling Time 36 Efficiency 0.8 Input Vial 1.00E+09 Growth Rate 0.019254 Phase 1 15 Patients Flask Dose Per Patient 1.00E+09 T25 MCB Creation Real SA Input Ideal SA Output Note T75 Thaw 1.00E+09 800.00 8.00E+08 All Flask of Same Size T175 Passage 1 700 6.40E+08 2560.00 2.56E+09 4*T175 T500 Passage 2 2500 2.05E+09 8192.00 8.19E+09 5*T500 T650 Passage 3 7800 6.55E+09 26214.40 2.62E+10 6*T1300 T1300 Passage 4 26000 2.10E+10 83886.08 8.39E+10 1*T26000 T3250 T6500 T26000 MCBs Created 21.51 Equivalent Vials 83.89 Cells Per 5-Layer flask 3.90E+09 Phase 1 Real SA Input Ideal SA Output Note Thaw 3.99E+09 3195.66 3.20E+09 Passage 1 3000 2.56E+09 10226.11 1.02E+10 6*T500 Passage 2 9100 8.18E+09 32723.56 3.27E+10 7*T1300 Dosages 3.27E+01 2.62E+01 For Phase 1 Testing 21 Master Cell Banks will be created in a 5-layer flask (T3250). It would be equivalent to the size of 83.89 input vials after 4 passages. From those 21 cell banks, 1 will be thawed and the rest will be cryopreserved. That 1 cell bank will be chosen as working cell bank and will be harvested for production. During Phase 1, treating 30 patients will be the target. Hence, 30 vials of doses should be manufactured during phase one. Every time 20% loss of cells is considered while changing the flask. And During passages, exponential growth will take place. Formula for Exponential Growth is: The Ideal surface area is calculated by: Flask size was kept uniform during every passage. And Actual Surface Area was always chosen less than Ideal Surface Area to maintain the desired density and environment. Flask of capacity 5-Layer was chosen for MCB creation. Calculations for MCB, Number of doses, After successful testing of phase 1, phase 2 will begin where 300 patients will be treated. So, 300 vials of cells will be required. PHASE 2 Real SA Input Ideal SA Output Note Thaw 3.99E+09 3195.66 3.20E+09 Passage 1 3000 2.56E+09 10226.11 1.02E+10 6*T500 Passage 2 9100 8.18E+09 32723.56 3.27E+10 7*T1300 Passage 3 32500 2.62E+10 104715.39 1.05E+11 5*T6500 Passage 4 104000 8.38E+10 335089.26 3.35E+11 4*T26000 Dosages 3.35E+02 For Phase 2 Testing After successful testing of phase 1 and phase 2, phase 3 will begin when mass production will start and 100s of 1000s of people will be treated with allogeneic HMSC derived cartilage. PHASE 3 Real SA Input Ideal SA Output Note Thaw 3.99E+09 3195.66 3.20E+09 Passage 1 3000 2.56E+09 10226.11 1.02E+10 6*T500 Passage 2 9100 8.18E+09 32723.56 3.27E+10 7*T1300 Passage 3 32500 2.62E+10 104715.39 1.05E+11 5*T6500 Passage 4 104000 8.38E+10 335089.26 3.35E+11 4*T26000 Passage 5 312000 2.68E+11 1072285.63 1.07E+12 12*T26000 Passage 6 1066000 8.58E+11 3431314.00 3.43E+12 41*T26000 Passage 7 3406000 2.75E+12 10980204.81 1.10E+13 131*T26000 Dosages 1.10E+04 For Phase 3 Since, there are 7 passages the process to manufacture 11000 vials will require approximately 25 (considered an extra time for changing flask) days. And at that rate 15 batches will be produced per year and approximately 165000 patients can be treated per year. As there are 6 types of tissues (HLA) total number of patients treated will be 990000 approximately. It will be equivalent to 11% of global demand. Using Bioreactor for Phase 3: Instead of using Culture flasks or plates, a bioreactor can be used for cell culturing. To check which of these two techniques will be more efficient, all the parameters are kept same. And total time of 7 passages will be considered as one passage time for bioreactor. Passage Duration 504 Doubling Time 36 PHASE

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Chipotle Satire

In the early 2010’s fast food, with health twists was popular. The population was becoming more worried and conscience about what they fed themselves and their families, and this, combined with the always-busy, modern-day society in need of quick meals, gives an opening for fast-food restaurants like Taco Time, Chipotle, and Taco Del Mar to spot light their greasy-burger-free, and sometimes organic, menus.In 2010 Chipotle released a commercial called â€Å"Scarecrow† showing an animated scarecrow witnessing the cruelness and fraud and of big food corporations, and then starting his own organic restaurant, which the audience assumes is Chipotle; all to the tune of â€Å"Pure Imagination† covered by Fiona Apple. Funny or Die, a well known comedy web site, made a satire of Chipotle’s â€Å"Scarecrow†, called â€Å"Honest Scarecrow†, which changed the lyrics and added other words, images, and sounds in order to mock Chipotle’s, and other r estaurants’, emotional and exaggerated way of advertising.â€Å"Honest Scarecrow† by Funny or Die, released in 2013, convinces fast-food consumers, to not let ads determine where we eat, because ads can be misleading and can play on emotions. Funny or Die uses ridicule to point out how hyperbolic and fooling the animation is in the Chipotle commercial. For example, in the original commercial, the animated scarecrow happily chops up some peppers, and makes a Chipotle bowl for a customer. The audience finds this cute, and begins to see Chipotle as a nicer and healthier institution.Anyone that knows of Chipotle knows they use meat, yet vegetables have a healthier image to the consumer. The audience will laugh, yet deep down they’ll feel Chipotle, and other fast food restaurants have attempted to delude them. This will make them feel a kind of mistrust towards food ads, accomplishing Funny or Dies goal of making the audience not choose their food just because of ads . Funny or Die also uses sounds and imagery that are associated with brain washing in horror films to persuade fast food consumers who have seen the original â€Å"Scarecrow† ad to base their decision of where to eat not only on ads.In the original commercial Chipotle shows the scarecrow grabbing a pepper, to connect the beginning of the scarecrow’s healthy restaurant to their logo, also a pepper, in the audience’s subconscious. Funny or die edits the ad by adding in screeching guitar noises, and has the Chipotle logo flash on screen occasionally. The sounds and imagery combine makes this seem like something straight out of a horror movie, from a scene where the TV scarily goes haywire. This creates a relatable humor, yet it also seriously points out what Chipotle is actually doing.Another tactic used by Funny or Die to persuade fast-food consumers who have seen the original commercial to not let ad’s control where you eat, is hyperbole of the (already hy perbolized) emotional images in â€Å"Scarecrow† with words and lyrics. In the original commercial, the scarecrow peeks behind an ad for the evil â€Å"Crow Foods† company, and sees an adorable and innocent little cow, strapped up to a merciless milking machine, looking up at him with un wavering puppy dog eyes. Funny or die takes this and exaggerates Chipotle’s attempt to get sympathy and sadness from the audience.The audience, again feels like the victim of a giant corporation trying to fool them, or even brainwash them, and definitely wont let ads decide where they eat. In 2013, Funny or Die released a video called â€Å"Honest scarecrow† ( a satire of â€Å"Scarecrow† by Chipotle) to sway fast-food consumers, who have seen the original commercial to not let ads determine where we eat, because ads can be misleading and can play on emotions, with ridicule, hyperbole, sounds, words, and lyrics.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Power of Context Essay Essay

The power of context, written by Malcolm Gladwell, discuss’ many different social change theories such as the â€Å"Broken Windows Theory†, â€Å"Tipping Points† and the â€Å"Power of Context theory†. All of these theories were researched and studies performed to prove that we are influenced by the features of our immediate social and physical world, these shaping who we are and how we act. These theories have been seen in every part of town, Graffiti painted buildings and broken windows in vacant houses. Where there are news paper articles written about the few that have taken the initiative to turn their neighborhood around. Where neighbors rally to paint over graffiti, fix broken windows, make a park where once was a gang hangout. Where as sad as it may seem, most of the children fit into the description of the four youths who attempted to mug Goetz December 22 ,1984. Where Goetz was dubbed the â€Å"Subway Vigilante† after fighting back against he would be muggers, shooting them in the subway and later being acquitted on charges of assault and attempted murder. Goetz’ case has become a symbol of a particular, dark moment in New York City history, the moment when the city’s crime problem reached epidemic proportions or the â€Å"Tipping Point†. The â€Å"Tipping Point† where in epidemiology the â€Å"tipping point† is the moment when a virus reaches critical mass. Gladwell links these would have been muggers and the shooting to another theory, one that would change the atmosphere and quite possibly the culture of the neighborhood the thugs came from. The â€Å"Broken Window Theory† was the brainchild of the criminalogistics James Q Wilson and George Kelling. Wilson and Kelling argued that â€Å"crime is the inevitable result of disorder. If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares and no one is in charge. Soon, more windows will be broken, and the sense of anarchy will spread from the building to the street on which it faces, sending a signal that anything goes. In a city, relatively minor problems like graffiti, public disorder, and aggressive panhandling, they write, are all the equivalent of broken windows, invitations to more serious crimes.† (Gladwell, 237) The â€Å"Power of Context† theory that Gladwell writes about and the â€Å"Broken Windows Theory† are one and the same We have all heard the saying, â€Å"You are what you eat†. The same would be true in you are what you surround yourself with. I feel that the â€Å"Power of Context† is true in the context that if you live in a home you are proud of, you will be more confident in your self worth. If you surround yourself with people more intelligent than yourself, you will increase your mental aptitude. Those that set goals and stick to them seem to achieve more than those who never set goals. I feel that Gladwell did a great job in personifying the theories and arguing their relevance. Works Cited Gladwell, Malcolm. Gladwell, Malcolm. The Power of Context. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Publishing Company, 2009. View as multi-pages