Flying Squirrels Essay examples -- Biology, DNA

Flying squirrels is in subfamily Petauristinae. They are arboreal and nocturnal. They do not actually fly, but glide between trees by a gliding membrane (patagium). This membrane connects the front legs to the back legs (Parr, 2003). In another word, a furry parachute-like membrane stretches from wrist to ankle. Flaps of skin connecting limbs to body provide a wing-like surface. All species have reddish eyeshine, brighter in the large species than the smaller ones which may be quite dim. The subfamily shows severe taxonomic complications, with little agreement among mammalian researchers (Parr, 2003). Giant flying squirrels (Petaurista sp.) have highest diversity in term of richness in population in Southeast Asia. This species is large in size, being on average 422 mm long. The Red Giant Flying Squirrel is believed to mate twice a year and the young are typically born in March or August in litters of 2 - 3 (Parr, 2003). The Indochinese ground squirrel (Menetes berdmorei) is a member of the family Sciuridae. The family has only 29 species of 14 genera in Thailand (Lekagul and McNeely, 1977, 1988; Par, 2003). The characteristics of the Indochinese ground squirrel are black mid-dorsal stripe, two or three black stripes on the sides, and reddish brown fur on the back (Lekagul and McNeely, 1977, 1988; Par, 2003). Identification is more difficult during the dry season, however, when they are much less brightly colored. They have been found throughout Southeast Asia, from the east of Myanmar to Vietnam. As a ground squirrel, it is rarely found on trees, but spends most of the time in the thick underwoods of the rainforests. (Walston and Duckworth, 2008). The sizes of squirrels are variable between species. There are three types of... ...th at least one restriction enzyme and sequencing the ends of the resulting fragments using an Illumina Genome Analyzer in order to sample the genomes of multiple individuals in a population (Baird et al., 2008). The major advantage of RAD is that it gives information for a very large number of loci across the genome, and for the same loci in each individual sampled. The current method for accelerating targeted sequencing from ancient and highly degraded DNA includes the linking of multiplex PCR directly with sample barcoding and high-throughput sequencing. The method creates the chance to generate many kilobases of overlapping sequence data from 31 cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) ancient specimens at the same time (Stiller et al., 2010). It seems likely that in the future high-throughput sequencing technologies will have many advantages for the study of ancient DNA.

Creative Writing (Story beginnings) Essay

A golden haze encircled the angel’s head and its torso glowed dazzling white against the drab dreary wall behind. â€Å"What’s happe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she willed her mouth to finish the sentence but it wouldn’t obey so she gave up. She fought too against the uplifting force taking her away from the slightly damp pavement but as every ounce of resistance drained out of her limbs, she went limp and was completely at its mercy. The final thought that crossed her mind before it succumbed to the black cloud that eventually engulfed her was that she recognised this angel. * Elizabeth Anne Johnson – Lizzie to her friends – was a beautiful girl. With endless jet-black locks flowing down her back and striking features, she looked straight off a catwalk. Tonight she was wearing her favourite pale pink mini-dress with manicured nails and dainty heels to match; and with her perfect figure, she was more than able to carry it off. A combination of her stunning looks and the confidence she exuded made every head turn when she walked past – a fact of which she was well aware. Lizzie had spent all night in Brighton’s new trendiest nightspot â€Å"Heaven†. The place was heaving with bodies bouncing to the thundering beats pounding out of the state of the art stereo system. They were puppets dancing to the tune of the headphone-wearing master in the glass booth above. Fluffy white clouds were suspended from the ceiling, in keeping with the paradisiacal theme, and the strobe lighting completed the effect. The drinks were flowing and the atmosphere was electric – just how Lizzie liked it – and as she cast her chocolate-brown eyes around the dance floor a wave of euphoria swept over her. She felt as though she was perched on top of the world. Already tonight, she had received fifteen requests to buy her a drink – a record even by her standards – and had accepted only one. This was one more than usual though. She may have seemed like the happy-go-lucky type but appearances can be deceptive and she was quite the opposite. Lizzie, a seasoned partygoer, was extremely cautious, especially after the letters†¦ Nevertheless, against her better judgement, she was drawn in by the hypnotic charms of this blonde-haired stranger and felt powerless to resist. His eyes were bottomless pools of baby blue and he had a passive, peaceful presence – she trusted him immediately and completely. She began chatting to him and it suddenly dawned on her that she was telling her life story to a total stranger but she pushed the thought out of her mind just as quickly as it had surfaced. Besides with his crisp white shirt, soft voice and wide grin, he seemed harmless enough. Chapter One (2) The sun was playing hide and seek behind the rows of trees as Detective Flynn drove up to the Heaton mansion. He was filled with the giddy excitement of a man about to change his life. He knew how lucky he was to be here and that this case could potentially make or break his career. Flynn was extremely tall and so scrawny one feared he might blow over in a sudden gust of wind. Through the flaming red curtains flopping over his forehead, intense blue eyes peered out inquisitively. As the mansion came into view for the first time he was awestruck. Beyond the wrought iron gates, it stood large and handsome. It was a huge stone structure with countless windows glinting in the afternoon sun and set in acres of sprawling grounds, of which every inch was flawless. The only thing blemishing this perfect watercolour was the black and yellow police tape running the length of the building. The old rusty Ford Escort coughed and spluttered to a halt in the immaculate courtyard and with an almighty heave Flynn managed to force the door open. As he stepped out gravel crunched beneath his feet. He was dressed in a pair of old faded ‘Marks and Sparks’ jeans and looking around, was suddenly painfully aware of how old and faded they really were. He was also regretting the rest of his wardrobe choice. His slightly off-white shirt had a ‘straight out of the laundry basket’ look and his black leather loafers hadn’t seen a dab of polish since†¦well ever. Despite this, John Heaton greeted Flynn with a warm friendly handshake. The two had been at school together and even though their lives had taken extremely different paths, they had remained the best of friends. As he was being introduced to Heaton’s wife Claudia, the detective couldn’t help but notice how much his friend had changed. A nervous and slightly awkward teenager, John Heaton had become a confident self-assured 35 year-old. He now spoke with the eloquence and poise that only a multi-billionaire could. He was dripping with expensive designer labels – a far cry from the washed out tee shirts and baggy jeans of his adolescence. Money oozed out of his every pore. One thing, however, had definitely not changed. Observing the dreamy look that descended upon his face as he gazed at his wife, Flynn could tell his old chum was still a sucker for a pretty girl. And this was one pretty girl! 15 years his junior, actress Claudia Gilbert-Heaton was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty. Yet, as she tentatively extended her perfectly manicured hand to shake his, Detective Flynn took an instant disliking to her. Her broad smile was almost condescending and didn’t reach her eyes, which were icy and distant. â€Å"I’m so pleased to finally meet you,† she said, looking him up and down, staring pointedly at the ink stain on his shirt pocket. The disdainful look in her eyes betrayed her words and he could tell she was quite the opposite. The reason for this, he would soon discover†¦ Chapter One (3) It screamed at me. Its waving arms taunted me as they jerked up and down and the smiley face was more of a sneering face. At that moment all I wanted to do was shatter it into a thousand pieces but it was so far away and my legs were still sound asleep. I picked a rolled up sock up off the floor and with all the energy I could muster, sat up and launched it. It hit its intended destination with satisfying thud and mercifully, the screaming desisted. Putting the bright yellow, â€Å"Little Miss Sunshine† alarm clock so far out of reach had been a pre-emptive strike by mother against my Sunday morning lie-in. Ha, I thought, she’ll have to think of something better than that! I managed the beginnings of a triumphant grin before, exhausted from my exertions, I slumped onto the lumpy mattress and slid back into a peaceful slumber. Ten minutes later I heard the sprightly purposeful pounding that could only be her bounding up the stairs. She burst through the door, wearing her mechanical cheery smile. â€Å"Morning love, sleep well? Why aren’t you up yet, I heard the alarm go off ages ago?†Ã¢â‚¬  she asked, ruffling my unruly brown curls. She then marched over to the window, with unnatural liveliness considering the time and spread the curtains wide. â€Å"Oh Mum, it’s too bright,† I mumbled in complaint, raising an arm to shield my bleary eyes from the light. She ignored me. â€Å"I sometimes think you wouldn’t know an early morning if it came up and bit you on the behind. Now get up, I’m sure you’ve plenty of work to do today and we don’t want you falling behind now do we?† she chirped, practically, it seemed, in unison with the birds outside. â€Å"I need sleep,† I whined, yearning for some pity. It didn’t come. â€Å"You shouldn’t let sleep get in the way of things. Heaven knows I don’t; I can’t. What would happen if I did? Nothing would get done around here – that’s what!† she tutted and continued with renewed vigour, â€Å"Goodness, look at the state of this room! I’m sure you’ve forgotten what colour the carpet is! This is not a positive working environment. How on earth can you get anything done in here?† She asked and without pausing for an answer, delved into the abyss that was my bedroom floor. She began sorting tidying and organising like an unstoppable whirlwind of efficiency, her neat blonde bob bouncing up and down. I merely lounged on the bed and watched on in amazement. Within minutes she had transformed the cluttered chaotic mess into a tidy, orderly bedroom. When she finished, she stood up, brushed some imaginary specks of dirt from her skirt and staring at my sprawled out figure, flashed me the look. Oh no, I groaned inwardly. It was the I-am-so-disappointed-you-didn’t-turn-out-more-like-me look. This look was always followed by a stream of criticisms, of which most, to be fair, were usually quite accurate. I sighed and braced myself for the oncoming tirade. Literary Analysis of Story Beginning (1) When writing my own story opening, I tried to use techniques that would make the reader want to read on. For example, I described the main character’s appearance in detail so that the reader would be able to form a mental picture of her. Just from the first few paragraphs, the reader knows that she is â€Å"a beautiful girl† with â€Å"endless jet black locks† and â€Å"chocolate brown eyes†. The effect of this is to make the reader relate to her with empathy rather than objectivity because they feel they know her. I also tried to show her personality was sweet and kind. Her clothes and shoes are â€Å"powder-pink† and â€Å"dainty†. I also mentioned that she â€Å"seemed like the happy-go-lucky type†. I did this so the reader would like her and be affected by anything that may happen to her. I included her full name â€Å"Elizabeth Anne Johnson† so that the reader would feel like they were getting a complete picture of her. However, for the rest of the opening, I referred to her as Lizzie. This created a bond between the reader and the character because she is â€Å"Lizzie to her friends† so the reader feels like her friend. It is written in the 3rd person narrative so the reader can get a full overview of all the events in the story. The narrative structure deviates. This creates suspense, as there is no development of the action in the first paragraph in the rest of the opening. I purposely created a huge contrast between the eerie and spooky first paragraph and the rest of the opening, which seems like an ordinary night out, by using varying degrees of character and event description. In the first paragraph I did not use any description at all and just used non-specific terms like â€Å"she†. This was to create mystery and apprehension. In sharp contrast to this, I fully described character and events in the rest of the story. I began with telling the reader her full name so they felt they were being formally introduced. I then went on to describe her appearance, clothes what she is doing: â€Å"tonight she was wearing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"She had spent all night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  because I did none of this in the first paragraph. I did however make some links. For example, in the first paragraph, the words â€Å"angel†, â€Å"uplifting† and â€Å"glowed† are used. In the rest of the opening, the words â€Å"Heaven†, â€Å"fluffy white clouds† and â€Å"euphoria† are used. This is to create a link between the two parts of the story and establish an ongoing theme of heaven and the supernatural. I also used a sense of vulnerability to link the two main characters. With the girl in the first paragraph it is obvious. I used carefully chosen vocabulary. â€Å"She willed her mouth†¦it wouldn’t obey† shows that she isn’t even in control of her own body. â€Å"She fought to against the uplifting force†¦was completely at its mercy†, â€Å"her mind†¦succumbed to the black cloud that eventually engulfed her†. Also the word succumbed is quite passive. However the vulnerability in Lizzie’s character is subtler. At the end, she is â€Å"drawn in† by the stranger and feels â€Å"powerless to resist†. This links Lizzie and the girl but also â€Å"the angel† and â€Å"the stranger† because they hold the power in the respective relationships. I think the links make the reader want to read on because it’s like giving them some pieces of a puzzle. They can see some of the picture so they read on so they can find the rest of it. To create further curiosity, the phrase â€Å"especially after the letters†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is not explained at any point in the opening, forcing the reader to form their own opinion. The fact that she was â€Å"extremely cautious especially after the letters† makes the letters seem sinister and let the reader know they were a cause for concern. I used ellipsis at the end so show it is an unfinished thought and an unanswered question. I carefully chose vocabulary to foreshadow dramatic events. For example, ‘on top of the world’ is a well-known phrase, which means in a position of great happiness or success. However I used the phrase â€Å"perched on top of the world† in my story opening. The word perched suggests instability and precariousness so implies that her happiness may be short lived. I also used the progression of time to create effect. The story begins with the girl trying to speak and then finally collapsing â€Å"†¦she willed her mouth to finish the sentence but it wouldn’t obey†¦succumbed to the black cloud that was threatening to engulf her† and then goes to a lively vibrant scene. I did this so the scene would seem like a flashback or a dream – as we know the main character is unconscious. The strobe lighting in the scene adds to the dream-like quality. I tried to create an image of the setting (the club) being beautiful and pure. I did this by calling it â€Å"heaven† and using description like â€Å"fluffy white clouds†. I then used words like â€Å"heaving with bodies† â€Å"thundering beats† and â€Å"pounding† when describing the people and what they are doing to create a contrast. I did this to imply that clubbing itself is innocent enough but the people make it dangerous. I used alliteration in several places for effect. â€Å"†¦drab dreary wall† emphasises how dull and grey the wall in contrast â€Å"dazzling white† of the angel, to to make it stand out more. In â€Å"bodies all bouncing to the thundering beat†, the ‘b’ sound is repeated to try and mirror the beat of the music. I used the phrases â€Å"bottomless pools of baby blue† and â€Å"passive, peaceful presence† because they are quite soft sounds and I wanted to make the stranger seem calm and therefore contrast with the setting, which is â€Å"electric†. I used a metaphor â€Å"They were puppets dancing to the tune of the headphone-wearing master in the glass booth above† because it emphasises the submissive nature of the clubbers and the idea of a person wielding power over someone else. The issue of power is explored in many different parts of the story. I also used repetition. The word seemed is used at the end the last paragraph. â€Å"She may have seemed like the happy-go-lucky type but appearances can be deceptive and she was quite the opposite† and â€Å"he seemed harmless enough†. This is to suggest that just because the stranger seems harmless he â€Å"may be quite the opposite† and to foreshadow him doing something harmful in the future. I put it in italics both times to add emphasis and draw the reader’s attention to it. In conclusion, I think the techniques I used were effective because there are unanswered questions right at the beginning, which are never answered and this appeals the curiosity of the reader, making them want to read on.

Madagascar essays

Madagascar essays Madagascar is a less popular covered subject in most geography textbooks, so I have set out on an internet, and encyclopedia journey in hopes of learning more about the publicity deprived section of Africa. In my research I have found coverage on: Madagascars geographic location, commodities and crops, agricultural, attributes, popular religious practices, and native languages spoken throughout the area. Throughout the repot I will touch on each topic, in hope of gaining more knowledge and insight. To start I will give a brief background of Madagascar followed by an in-depth look into Madagascars important facts. Madagascar is Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. Madagascars geographic location lies on the southern-eastern part of Africa, it is the closet island bordering Africa. Its geographic similarity resembles, Sicily to Italy. Its location is in the middle of the Indian Ocean, in Africa its closet neighbor is Mozambique; in which, it is directly east of. Madagascar is slightly less than double the size of Arizona. The Climate is Tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in the south. Its terrain is: narrow coastal plains, high plateaus, and mountains in the center. Madagascars Elevation extremes go as the following: Lowest point = the Indian ocean at 0 meters. The highest point: Maromokotro at: 2,876 meters. The m...

Example Sentences of the English Verb Put

Example Sentences of the English Verb Put Learning irregular verb tenses can be difficult, and requires  putting a lot of time and effort into studying. This page provides example sentences of the verb put in all tenses including active and passive forms, as well as conditional and modal forms. Once youve reviewed all the examples, put your knowledge to the test with a quiz! All Forms of Put Base Form put / Past Simple put / Past Participle put / Gerund putting Present Simple He puts on his clothes before he has breakfast. Present Simple Passive The paper is put onto the porch by the paperboy. Present Continuous We are putting on a show this evening. Present Continuous Passive A show is being put on by the students this evening. Present Perfect Have you put on weight? Present Perfect Passive Has the exhibit been put up yet? Present Perfect Continuous We have been putting together the project all morning long. Past Simple They put us up last weekend. Past Simple Passive We were put up last weekend by the Smiths. Past Continuous We were putting on some music when he walked into the room. Past Continuous Passive Some music was being put on when he walked into the room. Past Perfect She had put on some weight before moving to Paris. Past Perfect Passive Jack had been put up by his friends before he moved in with me. Past Perfect Continuous We had been putting together the report for two hours when he finally arrived. Future (will) She will put Jack up for the weekend. Future (will) passive Jack will be put up by Jane for the weekend. Future (going to) I am going to put on some weight this summer. Future (going to) passive Some money is going to be put aside for the show. Future Continuous We will be putting the final touches on the project this time tomorrow. Future Perfect By the time you arrive I will have put everything together. Future Possibility She might put you up for the night. Real Conditional If she puts on some weight, she will go on a diet. Unreal Conditional If she put on some weight, she would go on a diet. Past Unreal Conditional If she had put on some weight, she would have gone on a diet. Present Modal She should put that book back. Past Modal She must have put on some weight. Quiz: Conjugate With Put Use the verb to put to conjugate the following sentences. Quiz answers are below. In some cases, more than one answer may be correct. They _____ us up last weekend.A show _____ on by the students right now.She _____ Jack up for the weekend.If she _____ on some weight, she will go on a diet.We _____ up last weekend by the Smiths.He _____ on his clothes before he has breakfast._____ the exhibit _____ up yet?The paper _____ onto the porch by the paperboy.If she _____ on some weight, she would go on a diet.Some money _____ aside for the show. Thats the plan. Quiz Answers putis being putwill putputsputputsHas been putis putputis going to be put

An analysis of the long and short term causes of world war 1 Essay

An analysis of the long and short term causes of world war 1 - Essay Example People believed their state to be superior and when this feeling entered the negotiations between rival countries, reaching to peace was near impossible. The crisis also came because of long series of diplomatic and military treaties between countries. When one country was supported by other countries it considered itself on the winning side in the war. This meant that when these great powers met opposition from one of the rivals, they were ready to fight a war rather than back down from it. The Triple Entente made up of France, Russia and Britain, was strong enough to fight against The Triple Alliance (Italy, Germany and Austria-Hungary), The Balkans and The Ottoman Empire. Historians also believe imperialism to be the reason to start the war. The increasing tension between world empires to acquire as much trade and colonies as possible led to conflicts between them. Fights over trade route and foreign resource had started much before the Great War. By controlling foreign territorie s and markets, France and Britain had accumulated large wealth. On the other hand, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy all wanted to attain this economic advantage, resulting in greater tension between these empires. Common interest between some of these countries led to further and stronger alliance. Each country believed itself to be right and tried to follow a policy to extend its authority over foreign countries and colonies. The hostility between the world powers over this authority is significant in the Berlin-Baghdad Railway. This would have given Germany access to Iraqi oil and trade to Persian Gulf. Britain knowing the importance of the issue created a blockade to the Persian Gulf, excluding others from it. The arms race and presence of militarism in the large empires of the world made them confident of their victory in case the war was declared. The belief of Europe that the war would be â€Å"over by Christmas† shows the level of their confidence over their strength . Also, the feeling that a war was impending and inevitable, gave countries a strong reason to build up their military forces. This led to an increase in an arms race, where each country tried to be prepared to strike before the other did. In planning to begin mobilization before others and avoid the defensive position, military planning became a priority in most countries, resulting in an increased fear of war. The immediate cause of the war however was the ‘third Balkan crises. The Balkan and Morocco crisis occurred one after another and so led to a devastating result-the World War I. Serbia and Russia fought against Austria-Hungary for territory and influence in the region. After the Balkan wars, near bankruptcy and during a political crisis, Serbian military leaders trained and armed three Bosnian students to assassin the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. On 28 June 1914, he was shot dead along with his wife. The political motive behind this assassination was to break o ff Austria-Hungary's south-Slav provinces and combine them into a Greater Serbia or a Yugoslavia. In retaliation, Austria decided to end the South Slav separatism. It also issued an ultimatum of forty-eight hours, which asked for Austrian officials to be allowed to collaborate in the investigation and punishment of the assassinators. The ultimatum contained several very severe demands. Although both United Kingdom and Russia sympathized and agreed

Critically evaluate the extent to which 'law-making' by non state Essay

Critically evaluate the extent to which 'law-making' by non state actors undermines the idea of sovereignity in the system of globalized governance through law - Essay Example macy deficit in global governance is to propose measures designed to ‘inject the voice of individual citizens into the exclusively state-based structures.’ 1In the case of domestic law, certain factors such as constitutional provisions of that state can serve a as framework for making the laws. The international law-making bodies such as the United Nations, codification bodies, diplomatic conferences, courts and NGOs are continually abrogating or amending the international laws and these subtle changes in International Law are not as observable as Domestic Law. The role of constitutional courts is to be the ‘custodian of deliberative democracy’2. While certain principles of International Law are binding to a state, some of them are non-binding. â€Å"International society is an open society in the sense that it constantly interacts with domestic societies and its openness to domesticate societies is increasing.†3 The value of an International law is greatly dependant on how a state perceives it to be. If a state deems a particular international law to be illegitimate, then the law would most probably be ineffective. Modern democracies ‘are not populist but Constitutional’. 4 Therefore, the law-making body such as the UN tries to ensure that the laws are more open and nations participate in the law making process. The international laws are also made keeping in mind the universality of the law and the speed at which the laws are to be implemented. â€Å"More fundamentally, interstate as well as intrastate conflicts often have been clashes between differing societal and international normative orders- between a status quo order and a rival new order- and thus between the competing entitlements and rights that the antagonists each claim are inalienable under these respective contending orders.†5 International law is a body of laws which bind nation states together to global standards and values. International law can be broadly categorized into three

Internal Accountant's Report to Management (Accounting) Essay

Internal Accountant's Report to Management (Accounting) - Essay Example The government has initially failed to incorporate any major barriers to overcome the disaster of fraud, but in recent times some positive steps have been taken in this regard. There are several corruption schemes developed within the organization which are organized to aid fraud and abuse. The company needs to be aware of these which can cause loss of revenue and information alike. A kickback takes place when the fraud perpetrator enjoys the benefit of the overpayment of a good or service. It is easy to exercise such kind of a fraud and to get employees involved in such kind of activities. (Expert Fraud, 2009) Employees involved in the approval of contracts may have an upper hand inn this regard. This may also be referred to as skimming schemes. This kind of corruption takes place while the cash is paid by the customer to the cashier and before it is recorded in the accounting records. Since there is no recorded transaction, it is difficult to detect this kind of corruption scheme. This is one of the most common kinds of corruption schemes that take place within the organization. Employees who have access to records and are involved in the recording and approval of transactions can understate or overstate the expenses or revenues for their benefit. This largely happens when their remuneration is determined by profit and gains etc. Bribery can be a major issue of corruption within the company which can cause loss of confidential and important information pertaining to the entity. It may lead to a loss of precious revenue as well as dent the reputation of the company. Occupational fraud is one of the greatest threats to our organization in terms of privacy as well as revenue generation. The company must take appropriate steps to mitigate the risk of fraud and corruption by establishing controls pertaining to all the highlighted