Aim of the Homogenisation Process

Aim of the Homogenisation Process Introduction: Eukaryotic cells such as liver cells enclose a variety of different types of membrane bound structures called organelles (nuclei, mitochondria) as well as macromolecules (ribosomes) (Padh, 1992). Subcellular fractionation is an invaluable technique allowing scientists and researchers alike to successfully isolate and separate specific subcellular components within the cell (Becker et al, 2009). This allows researchers to study the different organelles (using biochemical techniques) in a greater degree of detail therefore increasing our knowledge about the many different types of organelles and macromolecules, thus leading to new scientific advances in this ever advancing era of science and technology (Bonney, 1982; Berns, 1986). It is this very method which in the past allowed Christian de Duve to discover the lysosomes and peroxisomes for which he shared a Nobel Prize with Albert Claude and George Palade in 1974 (Becker et al, 2009). Subcellular fractionation can be safely divided under 3 major headings: Homogenisation proceeded by fractionation and finally purification. Homogenisation: The aim of the homogenisation process is to effectively and efficiently disrupt and break the cells outer membrane thereby releasing their subcellular components (nuclei, mitochondria). This disruption and breaking of the cells must be achieved in a manner that will leave the delicate organelles of interest undamaged and morphologically intact (Loewen, 2003). The cells to be homogenised are kept in an isotonic buffer (0.25M sucrose, 1mM EDTA and 1mM of Tris at pH 7.0). This is to protect the fragile organelles from osmotic damage due to osmotic unbalance as well as environmental instability such as pH interference (Guteriezze, 2010). Many different homogenisation techniques exist and are available, some such include mechanical grinding using Potter-Elvehjen glass homogeniser, cutting methods using warren blender, ultrasonic vibrations in a process called sonication and utilising high pressure such as in the French Press (Loewen, 2003). The Potter-Elvehjen glass homogenizer was used in this experiment. The Potter-Elvehjen glass homogeniser consists of a Teflon pestle which is closely fitted into a glass homogeniser. The homogenising machine moves the Teflon pestle in a verticle up-down motion while simultaneously rotating within the glass homogeniser containing the cells to be homogenised (Mangiapane, 2010). The space between the Teflon pestle and glass homogeniser is incredibly small (0.004-0.006). Therefore as the Teflon pestle moves throught the glass homogeniser a shear force is generated which causes disruption of the cells. The organelles which are released by this process pass undamaged, safetly through the gap between the pestle and glass homogeniser (Loewn, 2003; Mangipane, 2010). The shear forces produced can sometime be destructive to the organelles causing irreversible damage and therefore shear forces need to be controlled. This can be controlled by adjusting the gap width between the pestle and glass homogeniser. A bigger width can protect organelles from damage but the negative side effect of this is that the generated shear forces will not be strong enough to disrupt the cells and therefore few or none organelles will be present in the homogenate. Therefore a careful balance between cell disruption and organelle damage must be maintained. Chemical, physical and structural damage can be caused to organelles due to shear forces which can cause errors when purifying the organelle using biochemical techniques due to enzymes specific to the particular organelle being damage or rendered inactive and these problems must therefore be overcome. Some such precautions which when utilised can overcome or minimise unnecessary damage includes the use of different homogenisation techniques which are more suitable for the cells being homogenised (osmotic disruption, chemical disruption may be considered). Carefull usage of the homogenising equipment (Lowen, 2003). Fractionation: Once the homogenate has been formed, it is ready to be placed in a centrifuge and undergo centrifugation which will separate the different fractions/organelles. Centrifugation generates a centrifugal force which separates the different types of organelles based on their size and density as well as the density and viscousity of the solution the homogenate is in. Therefore the the higher the molecular weight of the organelle the greater the distance I will travel down the centrifuge tubes or the higher its sedimentation rate and consequently the smaller the molecular weight of the organelle the smaller the distance it will travel down the centrifuge tube or the lower its sedimentation rate (Becker et al,2008; Mangipane, 2010). The greater an organelles sedimentation rate is the greater the organelles sedimentation coefficient (in Svedberg units, named after Theodor Sveber who developed the ultracentrifuge) will also increase (Becker et al, 2009). Centrifugal forces can be calculated using For example, if a homogenate containing nuclei, mitochondria and ribosomes is subjected to a centrifugal force, logically the nuclei will be near the bottom of the tube, the ribosomes at the top part of the tube and the mitochondria somewhere in between the nuclei and ribosomes. There are 2 main type of centrifugation methods: Differential centrifugation and density gradient centrifugation. Differential centrifugation This type of centrifugation works on the principles that large dense molecules (nucei) will have a higher sedimentation rate compared to small and less dense molecules (ribosomes) (Becker et al, 2009). During low centrifuge speeds and short times the heavy and dense organelles sediment and can be collected, while as high centrifuge speeds and longer timer the lighter and less dense molecules will sediment and can also be collected (manipulative techniques). Therefore in the homogenate used in the experiment, by using appropriate centrifuge speeds and times the nuclei and mitochondria can be separated using 1500g for 10min and 20000g for 10min respectively. Density gradient centrifugation The method used in density gradient centrifugation, also known as rate-zonal centrifugation works on the principle of separating molecules based on their densities and is achieved by using a density gradient in the centrifuge tube (manipulative techniques; Becker et al, 2009). The density gradient is normally provided by a concentrated sucrose solution which increases in density towards the bottom of the centrifuge tube. The sample requiring fractionation is placed in a layer over the density gradient sucrose solution (Becker et al, 2009). As the centrigugation process proceeds, the different molecules or organelled of different densities are separated based on their densities and that of the increasing sucrose density. When the fractionation bands have been formed are are distinctive the fraction may be remover via a syringe or separation methods. This type of centrifugation can be used to further separate mitochondria from lysosomes and peroxisomes since each of them has a differen t density. Measurements of enzyme activity and macromolecular composition of fractions. purity of fractions. During the centrifugation processes, such as in the differential centrifugation the various types of organelles and macromolecules form gelatinous pellets at the end of each consecutive centrifuge (Dyson, 1979). The different pellets produced contain a variety of different fractions of subcellular organelles and macromolecules and is not specific for just a single type of organelle or macromolecule. As an example in the first centrifugation process to form the nuclei fraction at 1500g for 10mins, the nuclei is pelleted along with other molecules of similar size and molecular weight such as unbroken cells, cell debris and pieces of the cell membranes (Bonney, 1982). In the second centrifugation to form the mitochondrial fraction at 20000g for 10min the pellet contains mitochondria, lysosomes and peroxisomes due to their similar sizes and molecular weight. In the final centrifugation process at 20000g for 10min a supernatant fraction was formed containing many small and low molecular w eight molecules such as the endoplasmic reticulum, microsomes and ribosomes (Minorsky, 2009; Berns, 1986). As stated before fractions will not only require the organelles of interest but also other organelles and macromolecules. It is therefore necessary to be able to assess the purity of the fractions. This can be done in a variety of ways. Microscopic analysis via the light microscope or even electron microscope can be used to identify the different macromolecules present within the fraction, therefore giving an indication whether or not the fractionation procedure has been successful. A mitochondrian therefore can be differentiated from a peroxisome or lysosome basen on its structure (Bonney, 1982). Microscopic anaylsis can also be used in assessing the biochemistry of the fraction by using various cytochemical techniques. Biochemical techniques are a very good way of assessing the type of organelle present as well as the purity of a fraction. Measuring enzyme activity is an excellet method sine some enzymes are very specific and found in one particular organelle. Marker enzymes present in fractions and importance of the techniques involoved in the advancement of biochemistry and cell biology. Marker enzyems are routinely used in subcellular fractionation to differentiate between the many different types of organelles and macromolecules present within the cell. Mitochondria for example can be detected indirectly by the presence of succinate dehydrogenase while lysosomes can be detected by Acid Phosphatase (Bonner, 2007). The function of the mitochondria for example is to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by a process called oxidative phosphorylation and an enzyme specific to the mitochondrion called succinate dehydrogenase can be used as a marker enzyme to differentiate between the presence of mitochondria and other organelles and macromolecules present in the fraction (Padh, 1992). Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) is specific to the inner mitochondria membrane and is responsible for catalysing the oxidation reaction of Succinate, which is a component of the citric acid cycle, into fumarate which is another component of the citric acid cycle. Since flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is reduced producing FADH2 (Guterize, 2010; Padh, 1992;Girolamo, 2010). Succinate is the electron doner while FAD is the electron acceptor. The products of the above reaction are then reacted with an artificial electron acceptor called INT(a tetrazolium salt) to form a red coloured compound called formazan. This reaction is required because both the fumarate and FADH2 produced in reaction are colourless and therefore there is no certain way of determining succinate dehydrogenase activity, therefore the intensity of the red coloured formazan produced during a specific timeframe in the second reaction can be measured using a spectrophotometer gives an indirect indication of succinate dehydrogenase activity and therefore an indication of the presence of mitochondria as well as its purity within the fraction (guterize, 2010; padh, 1992). Electron microscopy of the isolated organelles is generally the final step in assessing the purity of the fractions as well as studying their morphology (padh, 1992). It is these methods and techniques used in subcellular fractionation which has allowed researchers such as George Palade and Christian de Duve studying to understand and discover the structures, biochemistry and roles played by the various organelles. Results: Table 1 shows the volumes of the homogenate, nuclei fraction, mitochondrial fraction and supernatant fraction. The Homogenate volume was obtained after rat liver homogenisation; NF volume was obtained after 2 consecutive centrifugations at 1500g for 10min; MF volume was also obtained by 2 consecutive centrifugations at 20000g for 10min; SF volume was obtained from the supernatant of the MF centrifugation. Table 2 shows known amounts of bovine serum albumin (BSA) which underwent the biuret reaction; the absorbances were measure using a spectrophotometer at 550nm. As protein amount increases so do the absorbances. This data was used to plot a BSA standard curve. Figure 1 illustrates the BSA standard curve which is a line of best fit. From this graph, the protein amount is determined by using the absorbance values for the different fraction shown in table 3 below. H, NF, MF and SF correspond to homogenate, nuclei fraction, mitochondrial fraction and supernatant fraction respectively. The vertical and horizontal red, blue, green and black coloured lines represent H, NF, MF and SF respectively. From the above graphical data Protein concentration (mg/ml), total protein amount (mg) and protein recovery for each fraction relative to the homogenate can be calculated. Homogenate: Nuclei Fraction: Mitochondrial Fraction: Supernatant Fraction: From the above results the total percentage of protein recovery relative to the homogenate can be determined: The above calculated results are show together in table 3. Table 3 shows the absorbance values obtained from the spectrophotometer. Row B shows the amount of protein that was determined from the BSA standard curve. Row C showed the amount of protein present in 1ml of each fraction; the homogenate had the highest protein concentration, followed by the SF and MF and finally by the NF containing the lowest amount of protein concentration. Row D shows the total amount of protein in each of the fraction and therefore follows the same pattern as the values for Row C. Row E shows the amount of protein recovered relative to the homogenate; The percentage of protein recovery was as follows: SF>MF>NF. Table 4 shows the actual fraction concentrations used, obtained by diluting the original fractions (table 3) with phosphate buffer. The supernatant fraction was left undiluted. Table 5 shows absorbance of each of the fractions (0.2ml) which were diluted by the addition of 4ml of ethyl acetate within formazan. The average absorbance minus the control gives the corrected mean absorbance for each of the fractions. The control values for all 4 fractions were 0 because they were given as negative values by the spectrophotometer. The highest absorbance was recorded for the SF followed by the homogenate, MF and NF. By obtaining the data collected from the previously calculations in tables 1, 3 and 5 it is possible to calculate; the total activity of Succinate Dehydrogenase (SDH), the percentage recovery of SDH relative to the homogenate, the specific activity of SDH and the relative specific activity of SDH relative to the homogenate in all 4 fractions (H, NF, MF and SF). Below are the equations which will be used in the calculations: Beer-Lamberts Law: The calculations below will make (concentration) the subject of the formula as well as prove that the units for = or . à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ this can be rearranged to form, , since always equals to , the equation can now be represented as, , the units of this new formula can be calculated as follows, the in the bottom fraction can be cancelled out with the at the top giving, Which à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ gives which is Molarity or concentration. The equation will be used throughout the rest of the calculations. The Formazan molar extinction coefficient= and the assay volume used will be 0.004L (4ml). Homogenate: The absorbance for the homogenate in table 5 was 1.1385 therefore, à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ since this can be arranged to give, The volume used was which gives therefore, Activity à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ total activity of in -1 The answer is required in à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ since Therefore total activity for Homogenate = à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ Therefore specific activity for Homogenate Nuclei Fraction (NF): The absorbance for the nuclei fraction in table 5 was 0.117 therefore, à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ since this can be arranged to give, This gives, Activity à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ total activity of in The answer is required in à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ since Therefore total activity for Nuclei Fraction = à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ Therefore specific activity for Nuclei Fraction Mitochondrial Fraction (MF): The absorbance for the mitochondrial fraction in table 5 was 0.398 therefore, à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ since this can be arranged to give, This gives, Activity à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ total activity in in The answer is required in à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ since Therefore total activity for Mitochondrial Fraction = à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ Therefore specific activity for Mitochondrial Fraction Supernatant Fraction (SF): The absorbance for the supernatant fraction in table 5 was 1.485 therefore, à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ since this can be arranged to give, This gives, Activity à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ total activity in in The answer is required in à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ since Therefore total activity for Supernatant Fraction = à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ´ Therefore specific activity Supernatant Fraction Calculations for the % SDH recovery and specific SDH activity relative to the homogenate; Since the % SDH recovery and specific SDH activity is to be calculated relative to the homogenate, therefore the homogenate percentage for them both will be 100% Nuclei Fraction: Mitochondrial Fraction: Supernatant Fraction: The main findings of these calculations can be summarized in the table below: Table 6 shows that SDH activity is highest in the SF, followed by the homogenate, MF and finally by NF. The %of SDH recovery (relative to the homogenate) was greatest in the SF, followed by the MF and the NF. The specific SDH activity was greatest in the SF followed by the MF, NF and lastly by the homogenate. The % of specific SDH activity (relative to the homogenate) was greatest in the SF, followed by the MF and NF. Figure 2 illustrates the main findings from table 6. It can be seen that % SDH recovery increases from the Nuclei fraction to the supernatant fraction. The % of specific SDH activity steadily falls from the supernatant fraction to the nuclei fraction. Discussion: According to the results obtained in table 3, it was seen that 99.25% of the protein relative to the homogenate was still present within all the fractions. This high percentage recovery indicates that very little protein was lost during the formations of the nuclei, mitochondrial and supernatant fractions by centrifugation. The 0.75% of protein that was lost is most likely to have been lost while homogenizing the pellets formed during each consecutive centrifugation process. During the usage of hand homogenizers small quantities of the pellet containing the proteins are stuck to the homogenizing vessel or the pestle. These small quantities of proteins being lost during each hand homogenizing process therefore contributes to the loss of proteins recovery. From this high protein recovery it can be said that the overall homogenisation process was very efficient. During each successive centrifugation at different speeds a distinct pellet was formed, thus indicating the separation of organelles. In table 3, different amounts of proteins were present within the pellets. Since these proteins are associated with the different organelles present, this indicates that since different amounts of proteins were found in the fractions therefore various different types of organelles must also be present. But this is not always the case since proteins from other fractions could have been damaged due to the homogenization and centrifugation processes. Therefore the calculations performed on Succinate Dehydrogenase activity, recovery and specificity (table 6, figure 2) showed that that the total SDH activity was highest in the supernatant fraction. Since SDH is a specific marker enzyme to the mitochondrion organelle as explained earlier, the data suggests that the separation of mitochondria during centrifugation to be present within the suspected mitochondr ial dfraction was not optimal. The supernatant also had a very high protein content of 885mg (table3) which indicated therefore that most of the organelles have separated into this freaction, thus indicating the hight amount of SDH activity within the supernatant fraction. In a differential centrifugation process the successive increases in the centrifugal forces applied should create a gradient of the presence of different organelles, with the heaviest molecules in the centrifuge tubes with lowed centrifugal forces, the mediam molecular weighted organelles such as mitochondria in a centriguge in the centrifuge with a medium centrifugal force is applied and small molecular weight organelles such as ribosomes in the centrigue tubes where the highest centrifugal forces are applies. Therefore the separation of organelles has occurred but not to a great extent as seen by the reults in table 3 and table 6. Seperation of organelles could have been greatly improved by possibly refining the lab protocol. To ahieve better mitochondrial separation and therefore more accurate SDH activity measurments the centrifugation process should be done at 20000g but for 20min and not 10min as stated by Loewen (2003) and Becker et al (2009). This will help separate the mitochondria out better. Different centrifugation methods such as density gradient centrifugation can be utilized after the intital differential centrifugation to better separate organelles of similar sizes such as mitochondria, lysosomes and peroxisomes. The new fractions produced can by the densiy gradient centrifugation can be recovered with the use of a syringe. Many other techniques such as the initail homogenisation stage could also have been changed and other techniques could have been used as described earlier. Conclusion: It was found by this experiment that subcellular fractionation is not a perfect method and therefore inaccuracies must be expected. But it is a process that has revolutionaised our understanding of cell structure and function. It was found in the experiment that differential centrifugation can separate organelles to an extent to form a nucleic fraction, mitochondrial fraction and supernatant fraction. Marker enzymes which are present in specific organelles can be used to help distinguish between different organelles as well as the fractions relative purity. SDH was used in this experiment and was found to be present higher in the supernatant, possibly due to experimental error. SDH was specific to the supernatant fraction therore again indicating the presence of mitochondria in the supernatant. The usage of such techniques in this ever advancing era of science and technology has set the stage for future studies and techniques involved in further studying the cells and increasing our knowledge of life as each day passes.

Technology Through the Decades :: essays papers

Technology Through the Decades Technology has come a long way since the first institutionalized classroom. The bounds in advancement have been their greatest in the past 100 years alone. But the classroom we know today in American culture has made many adjustments and achievement over many centuries of work, but this paper will only address the past 2 centuries. The modern classroom, with computers, internet, graphing calculators, and video apparatus’, would not exist if not for the many people who worked to invent the machines we have. The 1800’s produced many advancements to the classroom that, though very rudimentary to today’s standards, became the foundation for learning on a large scale. Some of which are still in use today. In 1841 the chalkboard was introduced into the classroom. This was very beneficial to learning integrating audio and visual techniques to learning. Teachers could now draw for students concepts such as atoms and molecules, that were complicated to express. Students found this invention beneficial because now the student knew what teachers were saying, what key points they needed to know were, and nothing was lost in the communication. The inclusion of the radio in the 1920’s (Studio Miramar), was also a beneficial invention. When the radio was invited to be a part of classroom learning, teachers were able to more effectively keep the students on top of current event, involve others’ opinions or knowledge of different topics, and be able to include culture into history classes. This last reason would become the base for broadening of curriculum multiculturally. Another major change to the curriculum came in the 1940’s when movies became a part of the classroom scene (Studio Miramar). This had an impact both politically and with general education. Politically, propaganda or reprogramming with videos would be a purpose that movies would play. With such films as those that expressed how the â€Å"proper American† should act could be view, such as during World War II with â€Å"Duck and Cover† or â€Å"Evil Communists† or even â€Å"Uncle Sam Wants You† videos became a meaningful nationalism method of reaching children. But movies also play the part of an educational tool. Films about chemicals, of both the dangers and benefits of them, or safety films like â€Å"Stop, Drop, and Roll† became prevalent. Like the radio, television, introduced in the 1950’s to the educational scenes (Studio Miramar), has become an even easier method of keeping students on top of current event.

Adolescence: Stress, Depression, and Suicide Essay -- Adolescent Behavi

Adolescence is a stage of maturation between childhood and adulthood that denotes the period from the beginning of puberty to maturity. However, many conflicting opinions are raised about weather such a stage of childhood is influenced by stress, depression, and suicide rate. Some people support the optimistic view that says that adolescence is not a period of storm and stress. Others, including me, support an opposite pessimistic view which characterizes adolescence as a period of stress and inner turmoil. Unfortunately, it has been recently proved that depression is a growing problem in today's society and a major contributing factor for a multitude of adolescent problems. This is because , as research indicates, adolescent depression is the result of mood disorders accompanying this period and the high suicide rate that is basically a result of such a depression. By analyzing depression, we will find that depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tends to act and react abnormally toward others and himself. Therefore it comes to no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate, depression in this age group is greatly underdiagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school, work and personal adjustment which may often continue into adulthood. However, how prevalent are mood disorders in children and when should an adolescent with changes in mood be considered clinically depressed? Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often over looked in children and adolescents is because "children are not always able to express how they feel." Sometimes the symptoms of mood disorders take on different forms in children than in adults. Adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. It is a time of rebellion and experimentation. Blackman (1996) observed that the "challenge is to identify depressive symptomatology which may be superimposed on the backdrop of a more transient, but expected, developmental storm." Therefore, diagnosis should not lay only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers and anyone who ... ...that lie in their paths, there are some who find themselves overwhelmed and full of stress. How can parents and friends help out these troubled teens? And what can these teens do about their constant and intense sad moods? With the help of teachers, school counselors, mental health professionals, parents, and other caring adults, the severity of a teen's depression can not only be accurately evaluated, but plans can be made to improve his or her well-being and ability to fully engage life. WORKS CITED Blackman, M. (1995, May). You asked about... adolescent depression. The Canadian Journal of CME [Internet]. Available HTTP: http://www.mentalhealth.com/mag1/p51-dp01.html. Brown, A. (1996, Winter). Mood disorders in children and adolescents. NARSAD Research Newsletter [Internet]. Available HTTP: http://www.mhsource.com/advocacy/narsad/childmood.html. Lasko, D.S., et al. (1996). Adolescent depressed mood and parental unhappiness. Adolescence, 31 (121), 49-57. Oster, G. D., & Montgomery, S. S. (1996). Moody or depressed: The masks of teenage depression. Self Help & Psychology [Internet]. Available HTTP: http://www.cybertowers.com/selfhelp/articles/cf/moodepre.html

Mock Job Application Formal Letter

Miss B Watkins Darlington College Haughton Road Darlington DL1 1DR 5th November 2012 Mr L Fordham Tewit Park Harrogate HG1 1JD Dear Mr. Fordham I am writing to you with regards to the open job position Business Support Assistant. I discovered this position in a recent internet search and was immediately interested. I am currently searching for a job in which I can broaden my knowledge and progress myself further whilst also gaining experience. I believe I am the best candidate for this particular position as I have a wide business background and will be extremely committed and hard working.As well as this I personally believe I have the correct characteristics for this type of work; confident well organized, polite, punctual, motivated and ready for a challenge. I also have excellent computer skills. I studied ICT at GCSE level and I also have lots of experience using computers throughout my previous jobs. As required I have a great understanding of Microsoft office and can efficient ly use all of the Microsoft programs including Word, PowerPoint, Publisher and Excel. I work well individually as well as part of a team as I love to meet new people and I have a very friendly personality.Due to this, I can communicate very easily and efficiently. I have previously worked in a call centre therefore I have a good knowledge of how to deal with queries over the telephone and I can fulfil this role with confidence. I feel I would thoroughly enjoy being a part of your team and contributing towards your future developments. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my letter and It would be much appreciated if you could consider my offer and I will look forward to hopefully hearing from you soon. Yours sincerely B. Watkins Miss B Watkins

Ghent Altarpiece Reflection

The Ghent Altarpiece is considered by scholars to be one of the most ambitious and complex paintings of the 15th century. Its detailed panels convey its sacred matter with such realism that art historians mark It as the start of the Northern Renaissance. The altarpiece, also known as the â€Å"Adoration of the Lamb†, was begun in 1425 The exterior frame of the altarpiece Indicates It was started by painter Hubert van Eyck who died before he could finish, and then completed by his brother Jan van Eyck In 1432 The painting was then acquired by a wealthy patron Jodocus VIJd for placementIn the church of saint John, Ghent, Belgium. The work Is an excellent piece of study because the painting Is so complex. The panels display a variety of detailed scenes, but the center of the altarpiece Is Jesus Christ, the Virgin, and saint John the Baptist. And below them, a host of saints assembled around the lamb. The masterpiece consists of 24 panels of varying size and shapes aligned two rcv . . s so that the 12 panels are vlslble opened and then 12 panels are vlslble when the panel Is closed. Measuring 1 IXI teet and painted In oils the altarpiece can be lett open or closed.The pictures themselves are laid out in two tiers. Jan van Eyck used oil paint to create tiny vibrations ot light within the saturated colors most ot which are symbolic significant. The Ghent Altarpiece was commissioned by the wealthy businessman Jodocus Vijd tor his chapel and hence the creation ot the masterpiece. The altarpiece represented a â€Å"new conception of art', in which the idealization of the medieval tradition gave way to the observation of nature and a more exact representation of the human being. se live layout and alignment guides Click the image below and drag It around the page With Images that have text rapping, the text moves around the picture so you get a live preview of the new layout. Try to line the Image up with the top of this paragraph to see how the alignment guides c an help you position It on the page. Click the Layout Options button next to the Image to change how t interacts with the text Learn more at offlce. com 2. ollaborate In Simple Markup Vlew The new Simple Markup revlslon view presents a clean, uncomplicated view of your document, but you still see markers where changes and comments have been made. Click on the vertical bar on the left side ot the text to see changeslike this one. Or llcK tne comment Icon on tne rlgnt to cnecK out comments aoout tnls text. Learn more at office. com 3. Insert Online Pictures and Video Add and play online videos inside your Word documents.Add your pictures from online photo services without having to save them first to your computer. Click Insert ; Online Video to add a video to this document. 4. Enjoy the Read Use the new Read Mode for a beautiful, distraction-free reading experience. Click View ; Read Mode to check it out. While you're there, try double clicking on a picture to get a closer view. Clic k outside the image to return to reading. 5. Edit PDF content in Word Open PDFS and edit the content in Word. Edit paragraphs, lists, and tables Just like familiar Word documents.Take the content and make it look great. Download this helpful PDF from the Office site to try in Word or pick a PDF file on your computer. In Word, click File > Open and navigate to the PDF. Click Open to edit the content or read it more comfortably using the new Read Mode. Ready to get started? We hope you enjoy working in Word 2013! Sincerely, The Word Team Learn More Keep going. There are lots more new features and ways to work in Office. Check out our Getting started with Word 2013 page online to dive right in.

Introduction To Special Needs Essay

According to Warnock’s report of 1978, the special educational needs can be fluctuating and can also be contextually defined. Before the evaluation of this statement, we have to look at the Warnock report (1978) and the Special Educational Needs Code (2001) and how it reflects its understanding of the special educational needs. The term special education needs (SEN) emerged from the 1978’s Warnock’s committee that had been set up to hold an inquiry into the education of the physically handicapped children and other young people who were interested in education. It was under the department of education and science in Britain. The Warnock’s committee   had been set up to look into a concern that was coming up concerning the system of education which was becoming segregated and was discriminating against children who were physically challenged and was not providing them with   positive, social and better educational opportunities like the other children who were physically fit. This report of 1978 advocated for three main reforms that were to be undertaken by the educational officials or all those who were responsible for the provision of educational services: A. Locational integration of all children whereby the provision of educational services for both the children with special needs and their counterparts who were not physically challenged were to be made from the same site(Great Britain parliament 2006) B. Social integration whereby all the children regardless of their physical state were to share the same social amenities that were provided by the educational centers for example playgrounds and other extra facilities for co-curricular activities. C. The Warnock report advocated for functional integration of the children with special needs and those who were not physically challenged were all to be educated together for example they were to share the same classes whereby they were all supposed to be given the same opportunity in pursuing the same goals that had been set in the curriculum and any other objectives that were set by the educational administrators (Great Britain Parliament 2006). Practices of SEN prior to Warnock. There were many practices that were in place before the Warnock report of 1978 which were mainly directed to children with special needs. Before the report was made the children with special needs for example those who were suffering from a disability of the mind were classified as uneducable and unfit for the education that was offered at school. These children who had some inabilities were simply locked out of the normal learning institutions where the other children who had all abilities in a normal state were being educated. Prior to the Warnock report of 1978, there were other practices that were directed toward the children who had some inabilities for example those who had a problem with their mind, those who were partially blind, those who could not speak properly or those who had language problem, those who were physically challenged and many other children who had some form of either physically challenge or internal challenges for example a mind problem. These children were classified as uneducable under the normal schools and were forced to be educated and trained in special care units that were spread across England and some other hospitals that had been given the mandate of educating these learners with some form of disability. The health officials in this hospitals and special care units had been given the powers to be in charge of these children and to give them the required form of education. It is pretty obvious that in these centers where these learners with special needs were segregated to offered low quality education to them as compared to their peers who were being educated in the normal schools that had highly or better qualified teachers ( Farrell 2001) Before the Warnock report of 1978, the parents of the children with special needs were not given an opportunity to air their views on the form of education that their children were being subjected to or to give any views regarding to the state of their children and what their children need. But after the report came into place in 1978, the parents of the disabled children were given an opportunity to give views and any information that was regarded professional concerning their disabled children as this was very important regarding to the provision of services that were necessary for them. The report agreed that the parents or guardians of these children had vital information regarding to the assessment, placement and educational processes of their children that were to be included or incorporated in the education al system in order to achieve all the goals and objectives of the educational curriculum.( Rogers 2007). Reasons why the Warnock report of 1978 was such a break through. The report made a breakthrough in the implementation of some educational issues that were affecting the children who had some form of deformities. There are many reasons why it is considered a success. First was the fact that it recognized children who had some inabilities as a deserving lot who also needed to be given equal opportunities to all educational opportunities just like the other normal children. This is the main reason why the report had to introduce the idea of special education needs (SEN) which was based on common educational goals for all the children of school going age regardless of their abilities i.e. whether physically challenged or not. The children under this category were also given the privileges that others who were not challenged in any way were being given for example independence, enjoyment and understanding. It has to be known that before the Warnock report, all the children who had any form of disability were classified and defined using medical terms for example maladjusted and educationally subnormal and they were all segregated and given separate special educational treatment in different centers that had been set up all over England. The Warnock report brought all this to an end when it brought into the attention of the people and those who were working in the ministry of education the importance of having unsegregated form of education where all children were treated equally regardless of their abilities or deformities (parliamentary copyright 2006). There are other reasons why Warnock report became such a breakthrough. Other than putting a stop on the segregation of children with special needs or those who are faced with some form of disabilities, the Warnock report led to the introduction of the policies whereby parents of the physically challenged children gave opinions or any other information regarding their children which was deemed as useful in the implementation of educational policies and in the provision of the necessary materials in order to achieve the highest learning goals for this learners. Prior to the report in 1978, parents of the children with special abilities could not give any information regarding to or concerning their children. The children were sent to centers that had been set up to give them some form of education and there wasn’t any form of participation from the parents. After the report was written parents became involved in the educational activities of their disabled children which in turn led to the improvement of facilities that the children could access and use since the parents gave useful information regarding the state of their children (Parliamentary copyright 2006). The report required that all teachers who had any form of responsibility for the children with special needs to be trained in one way or another in order for them to have some considerable expertise regarding special education. This was necessary since all the children were now required to attend the same ordinary schools and since the report stated that per every five children who were going to school there was one who needed special attention. And since this child who needed special attention could no longer be isolated from the rest of the class who had all the required abilities then it forced the teachers to undergo some form of training in order to be able to handle all the learners in a professional way. It is a breakthrough in the report since this idea cemented the earlier opinions of having all the children attending the same ordinary schools. The teachers were also made aware of the importance of working closely with the parents of the children with special needs, other pr ofessionals and non-professionals who were concerned in helping those children who had special needs (Warnock 1978, p226) Warnock report (1978) on special education needs (SEN) – what was new: The report spoke a lot that was new concerning special education needs. First, the idea of educating both the handicapped children and those who were not handicapped was itself a new idea. It is known that before the Warnock (1978) report, the disabled children were all educated separately. The ones had some bodily disability, some disability of the mind and those who had no form of disability were all kept separately when it came to matters of education. Therefore the recommendation that they all get to be educated together was in itself a new idea to the special education needs of the children with some form of disability. Training of teachers who were handling ordinary schools in order for them to be able to handle the learners who had a requirement for special education need was also a new thing that was being proposed by the Warnock report on special education needs. Before the report, teachers of the ordinary schools where only the learners who were considered normal went to, had no formal training on handling learning learners with special needs. The learners who had a need for special education were left to be trained in secluded learning centers that were specifically meant for them where they had some given professionals who took care of their educational needs. Therefore the introduction of the idea that all teachers be given some form of education in relation to the teaching of the leaners with special needs was in itself a new idea (Alur & Hegarty 2002). The idea of using the opinions of parents was not there before the Warnock report (1978). It was a new idea that was being introduced. The parents of the children with special education needs were in cooperated in the learning activities of their children and any opinion that they gave, was given consideration. Also other individuals who were either professionals or non-professionals but were interested in helping the needy children were also given a chance to participate in the education of the children. Special unit classes were to be set up in the ordinary schools to carter for the children who had extreme special needs. The location of both the special needs schools and the ordinary schools was to be in the same place i.e. same compound. The two schools were to share the same site. This form of integration was to bring worthwhile gains in terms of the children socializing together and growing up in an environment that will eventually dictate mutual understanding of each other. The parents too of these children will end feeling encouraged just from the mere fact that their children are also attending ordinary schools. On the side of the children who are disabled, they get to copy from their peers whom they are sharing the same amenities with for example playing fields (Warnock report 1978, p101). Social interchange is another new idea imposed by the Warnock report (1978). The children with special needs and others who attend the same school but are not challenged in any way are given an opportunity to eat, play and consort together. This kind of social interchange that was new to special needs, gives the learners some form of self-recognition and easy acceptance of their condition. Before the Warnock report, children were brought up separately in schools. Those who went through this form of segregation had difficulties in accepting themselves as they were shown from an early age that they were different from the other children. After the report was made, the learners were integrated and the young ones who begun off in this later system found it so easy to accept their present condition. Evaluation of Warnock’s original statement Warnock’s original statement on integration of the learning environment to include both the children with special needs and other young learners who were in nee d of education with those who were considered normal learners does have validity today. This idea has brought an end to the acts that were there before whereby disabled children could either be denied education or put into some centers where they received minimal education. Today, not only in England where this report was made but also in the entire world, all children are given education regardless of their state. They are not discriminated due to their physical outlook. They are admitted to ordinary schools just like there other counterparts who are considered to be normal. The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has also adopted the policy of integration and is advocating for the education of all the children regardless of their disability in order to make the world a better plac e.

Cory aquino Essay

Marà ­a Corazà ³n Sumulong â€Å"Cory† Cojuangco Aquino was born on January 25, 1933, in Paniqui, Tarlac, Marà ­a Corazà ³n â€Å"Cory† Sumulong Cojuangco was the fourth child of Josà © Cojuangco, Sr. and Demetria Sumulong. Her siblings were Pedro, Josephine, Teresita, Jose, Jr. and Maria Paz. Both Aquino’s parents came from prominent clans. Her father was a prominent Tarlac businessman and politician, and her great-grandfather, Melecio Cojuangco, was a member of the historic Malolos Congress. Her mother, Demetria, belonged to the Sumulong family of Rizal who were politically influential; Juan Sumulong, a prominent member of the clan, ran against Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon in 1941. As a young girl, she spent her elementary days at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila, where she graduated on top of her class and batch as valedictorian. For high school, she transferred toAssumption Convent for her first year of high school. Afterwards, she went to the United States to finish her secondary education. There she continued her college education. She went to theCollege of Mount Saint Vincent in New York City, where she majored in Mathematics and French. During her stay in the United States, Aquino volunteered for the campaign of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Thomas Dewey against then Democrat U.S. President Harry S. Truman during the 1948 U.S. Presidential Election. After graduating from college, she returned to the Philippines to study law at the Far Eastern University (owned by the in-laws of her elder sister, Josephine Reyes) for one year. She married Sen.Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., son of the late Speaker Benigno S. Aquino, Sr. and a grandson of General Servillano Aquino. The couple had five children: Marà ­a Elena (born August 18, 1955), Aurora Corazà ³n (born December 27, 1957), Benigno Simeon III (born February 8, 1960), Victoria Elisa (born October 27, 1961) and Kristina Bernadette (born February 14, 1971). Corazà ³n Aquino had difficulty initially adjusting to provincial life when she and her husband moved to Concepcion, Tarlac in 1955. Aquino found herself bored in Concepcion, and welcomed the opportunity to have dinner with her husband inside the American military facility at nearby Clark Field. A member of the Liberal Party, Aquino’s husband Ninoy rose to become the youngest  governor in the country and eventually became the youngest senator ever elected in the Senate of the Philippines in 1967. During her husband’s political career, Aquino remained a housewife who helped raise their children and played hostess to her spouse’s political allies who would frequent their Quezon City home. She would decline to join her husband on stage during campaign rallies, preferring instead to stand at the back of the audience and listen to him. Unknown to many, she voluntarily sold some of her prized inheritance to fund the candidacy of her husband. She led a modest existence in a bungalow in suburban Quezon City. Ninoy Aquino soon emerged as a leading critic of the government of President Ferdinand Marcos. He was then touted as a strong candidate for president to succeed Marcos in the 1973 elections. However, Marcos, being barred by the Constitution to seek a third term, declared martial law on September 21, 1972, and later abolished the existing 1935 Constitution, thereby allowing him to remain in office. As a consequence, her husband was among those to be first arrested at the onset of martial law, later being sentenced to death. During his incarceration, Ninoy sought strength from prayer, attending daily mass and saying the rosary three times a day. As a measure of sacrifice and solidarity with her husband and all other political prisoners, she enjoined her children from attending parties and she also stopped going to the beauty salon or buying new clothes until a priest advised her and her children to instead live as normal lives as possible. In 1978, despite her initial opposition, Ninoy decided to run in the 1978 Batasang Pambansa elections. A reluctant speaker, Corazà ³n Aquino campaigned in behalf of her husband, and for the first time in her life delivered a political speech. In 1980, upon the intervention of U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Marcos allowed Senator Aquino and his family to leave for exile in the United States, where he sought medical treatment.[4] The family settled in Boston, and Aquino would later call the next three years as the happiest days of her marriage and family life. On August 21, 1983, however, Ninoy ended his stay in the United States and returned without his family to the Philippines, only to be assassinated on a staircase leading to the tarmac of the Manila International Airport, which was later renamed in his honor (see Assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.). Corazà ³n Aquino returned to the Philippines a few days later and led her husband’s funeral procession, in  which more than two million people joined the procession. Following her husband’s assassination in 1983, Aquino became active and visible in various demonstrations and protests held against the Marcos regime. She began to assume the mantle of leadership left by her husband Ninoy and started to become the symbolic figurehead of the anti-Marcos political opposition. In the last week of November 1985, Marcos surprised the nation by announcing on American television that he would hold a snap presidential election in February 1986, in order to dispel and remove doubts against his regime’s legitimacy and authority. Reluctant at first, Aquino was eventually prevailed upon to heed the people’s clamor, after one million signatures urging her to run for president were presented to her. Despite this, the erstwhile favorite opposite candidate, Laurel, did not immediately give way to his close friend’s widow. Laurel was only convinced to run as Aquino’s Vice President upon the urging of the influential Manila Cardinal Archbishop Jaime Sin. As a compromise, Aquino agreed to run under Laurel’s machinery, the United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO), then the country’s largest opposition party. With that, the Aquino-Laurel tandem was formally launched to challenge Marcos and finally put an end to his twenty-year martial rule. In the subsequent political developments and events, Marcos charged that Aquino was being supported by communists and agreed to share power with them once elected into power. A political novice, Aquino categorically denied Marcos’ charge and even stated that she would not appoint a single communist to her cabinet. Running on the offensive, the ailing Marcos also accused Aquino of playing â€Å"political football† with the United States with respect to the continued United States military presence in the Philippines at Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base. Further, the male strongman derided Aquino’s womanhood, by saying that she was â€Å"just a woman† whose place was in the bedroom. In response to her opponent’s sexist remark, Aquino simply remarked that â€Å"may the better woman win in this election.† Marcos also attacked Aquino’s inexperience and warned the country that it would be a disaster if a woman like her with no previous political experience would be elected president; to which Aquino cleverly and sarcastically responded, admitting that she had â€Å"no experience in cheating, lying to the public, stealing government money, and killing political opponents.† The snap election called by Marcos which was held on February 7, 1986 was marred by massive electoral fraud, violence, intimidation, coercion and disenfranchisement of voters. Election Day proved to be bloody as one of Aquino’s staunchest allies Antique Governor Evelio Javier was brutally murdered, allegedly by one of Marcos’ supporters in his province. Further, during the counting and tallying of votes conducted by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), 30 poll computer technicians walked out to dispute and contest the alleged election-rigging done in favor of Marcos. Despite this, the Batasang Pambansa, which was dominated by allies of the ruling party, declared President Marcos as the winner in the recently concluded snap presidential election on February 15, 1986. In protest to the declaration of the Philippine parliament, Aquino called for a rally dubbed â€Å"Tagumpay ng Bayan† (People’s Victory Rally) the following day, during which she claimed that she was the real winner in the snap election and urged Filipinos to boycott the products and services by companies controlled or owned by Marcos’ cronies. The rally held at the historic Rizal Park in Luneta, Manila drew a mammoth-sized crowd, which sent a strong signal that Filipinos were already growing tired of Marcos’ two decade-rule. Further, the dubious election results drew sharp reactions from both local quarters and foreign countries. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines issued a statement strongly criticizing the conduct of the election which was characterized by violence and fraud. The United States Senate condemned the election. Aquino rejected a power-sharing agreement proposed by the American diplomatPhilip Habib, who had been sent as an emissary by U.S. President Ronald Reagan to help defuse the tension. After weeks of tension following the disputed outcome of the snap election, disgruntled and reformist military officers, led by then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and General Fidel V. Ramos, surprised the entire nation and the whole world when they announced their defection from President Marcos and their strong belief that Aquino was the real winner in the presidential election on February 22, 1986. Upon the urging and encouragement of the activist Cardinal Archbishop of Manila Jaime Sin, millions of Filipinos trooped to Camp Aguinaldo along Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA), where Enrile and Ramos have been holding operations, to give their moral support and prayers for the reformist soldiers. At that time, Aquino was meditating in a Carmelite convent in Cebu. Upon learning of the defection, Aquino called on  Filipinos to rally behind Minister Enrile and General Ramos. Later on, Aquino flew back to Manila in order to prepare to assume the presidency upon the ouster of Marcos. Finally, to the amazement and admiration of the entire world, after twenty years of martial rule, Ferdinand Marcos was driven out from power and Corazà ³n Aquino was formally and peacefully sworn in as the new president of a freed and liberated Philippines on February 25, 1986, a historic event which is now known and remembered as the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. In Presidency, the triumph of the peaceful People Power Revolution and the ascension of Corazà ³n Aquino into power signaled the end of authoritarian rule in the Philippines and the dawning of a new era for Filipinos. The relatively peaceful manner by which Aquino came into power drew international acclaim and admiration not only for her but for the Filipino people, as well. During the first months of Aquino’s presidency, the country experienced radical changes and sweeping democratic reforms. One of Aquino’s first moves was the creation of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), which was tasked to go after the Marcos ill-gotten wealth. Aquino, being a revolutionary president by virtue of people power, abolished the 1973 â€Å"Marcos Constitution† and dissolved the Marcos allies-dominated Batasang Pambansa, despite the advice of her vice-president and only prime minister Salvador Laurel. She also immediately created a Constitutional Commission, which she directed for the drafting of a new constitution for the nation. Immediately after assuming the presidency, President Aquino issued Proclamation No. 3, which established a revolutionary government. She abolished the 1973 Constitution that was in force during martial law, and instead promulgated the provisional 1986 Freedom Constitution, pending the ratification of a new Constitution by the people. This allowed her to exercise both executive and legislative powers until the ratification of the new Philippine Constitution and the establishment of a new Congress in 1987. Aquino promulgated two landmark legal codes, namely, the Family Code of 1987, which reformed the civil law on family relations, and the Administrative Code of 1987, which reorganized the structure of the executive branch of government. Another landmark law that was enacted during her tenure was the 1991 Local  Government Code, which devolved national government powers to local government units (LGUs). The new Code enhanced the power of LGUs to enact local taxation measures and assured them of a share in the national revenue. Aquino closed down the Marcos-dominated Batasang Pambansa to prevent the new Marcos loyalist opposition from undermining her democratic reforms and reorganized the membership of the Supreme Court to restore its independence. In May 1986, the reorganized Supreme Court declared the Aquino government as â€Å"not merely a de facto government but in fact and law a de jure government†, whose legitimacy had been affirmed by the community of nations. This Supreme Court decision affirmed the status of Aquino as the rightful leader of the Philippines. To fast-track the restoration of a full constitutional government and the writing of a new charter, she appointed 48 members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission (â€Å"Con-Com†), led by retired activist Supreme Court Associate Justice Cecilia Muà ±oz-Palma. The Con-Com completed its final draft in October 1986. On February 2, 1987, the new Constitution of the Philippines, which put strong emphasis on civil liberties, human rights and social justice, was overwhelmingly approved by the Filipino people. As soon as she assumed the presidency of the Philippines, Aquino moved quickly to tackle the issue of the US$26 billion foreign debt incurred by her predecessor, which has badly tarnished the international credit standing and economic reputation of the country. After weighing all possible options such as choosing not to pay, Aquino eventually chose to honor all the debts that were previously incurred in order to clear the country’s image. Her decision proved to be unpopular but Aquino defended that it was the most practical move. It was crucial for the country at that time to regain the investors’ confidence in the Philippine economy. Since 1986, the Aquino administration has paid off $4 billion of the country’s outstanding debts to regain good international credit ratings and attract the attention of future markets. Nevertheless, the administration borrowed an additional $9 billion, increasing the national debt by $5 billion within six years time since the ouster of former President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. Further, recognizing how crony capitalism zapped out the economy due to collusion between government and big business and adhering to the Catholic social principle of subsidiarity, President Aquino set out on a course of market liberalization agenda while at the same time emphasizing solidarity, people  empowerment and civic engagement to help alleviate poverty in the country. The Aquino administration also sought to bring back fiscal discipline in order as it aimed to trim down the government’s budget deficit that ballooned during Marcos’ term through privatization of bad government assets and deregulation of many vital industries. As president, Aquino sought out to dismantle the cartels, monopolies and oligopolies of important industries that were set up by Marcos cronies during the dark days of Martial Law, particularly in the sugar and coconut industries. By discarding these monopolies and allowing market-led prices and competition, small farmers and producers were given a fair chance to sell their produce and products at a more reasonable, competitive and profitable price. This, in a way, also helped a lot in improving the lot of farmers who are in dire need of increasing their personal income and earnings. It was also during Aquino’s time that vital economic laws such as the Built-Operate-Transfer Law, Foreign Investments Act and the Consumer Protection and Welfare Act were enacted. The economy posted a positive growth of 3.4% during her first year in office. But in the aftermath of the 1989 coup attempt by the rightist Reform the Armed Forces Movement, the Philippine economy remained stagnant. In her final year in office, inflation was raging at 17%, and unemployment was slightly over 10%, higher than the Marcos years. Overall, the economy under Aquino had an average growth of 3.8% from 1986 to 1992. Soon after taking office, Aquino declared that the presence of US military forces in the Philippines was an affront to national sovereignty. She ordered the United States military to vacate U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay and Clark Air Base. The US objected, pointing that they had leased the property and the leases were still in effect. Also, thousands of Filipinos worked at these military facilities and they would lose their jobs and the Filipino economy would suffer if the US Military moved out. The US stated that the facilities at Subic Bay were unequaled anywhere in Southeast Asia and a US pull out could make all of that region of the world vulnerable to an incursion by the Soviet Union or by a resurgent Japan. She refused to back down and insisted that the USA get out. The matter was still being debated when Mount Pinatubo erupted in June 1991, covering the entire area with volcanic ash. The destruction to the bases was so severe that the US decided that it would best to pull out after all, so the bases were closed and the United States  departed. President Aquino envisioned agrarian and land reform as the centerpiece of her administration’s social legislative agenda. However, her family background and social class as a privileged daughter of a wealthy and landed clan became a lightning rod of criticisms against her land reform agenda. On February 22, 1987, three weeks after the resounding ratification of the 1987 Constitution, agrarian workers and farmers marched to the historic Mendiola Street near the Malacaà ±an Palace to demand genuine land reform from Aquino’s administration. However, the march turned violent when Marine forces fired at farmers who tried to go beyond the designated demarcation line set by the police. As a result, 12 farmers were killed and 19 were injured in this incident now known as the Mendiola Massacre. This incident led some prominent members of the Aquino Cabinet to resign their government posts. In response to calls for agrarian reform, President Aquino issued Presidential Proclamation 131 and Executive Order 229 on July 22, 1987, which outlined her land reform program, which included sugar lands. In 1988, with the backing of Aquino, the new Congress of the Philippines passed Republic Act No. 6657, more popularly known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.† The law paved the way for the redistribution of agricultural lands to tenant-farmers from landowners, who were paid in exchange by the government through just compensation but were also allowed to retain not more than five hectares of land. However, corporate landowners were also allowed under the law to â€Å"voluntarily divest a proportion of their capital stock, equity or participation in favor of their workers or other qualified beneficiaries†, in lieu of turning over their land to the government for redistribution. Despite the flaws in the law, the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality in 1989, declaring that the implementation of the comprehensive agrarian reform program provided by the said law, was â€Å"a revolutionary kind of expropriation.† Despite the implementation of CARP, Aquino was not spared from the controversies that eventually centered on Hacienda Luisita, a 6,453-hectare estate located in the Province of Tarlac, which she, together with her siblings inherited from her father Jose Cojuangco (Don Pepe) Critics argued that Aquino bowed to pressure from relatives by allowing stock redistribution under Executive Order 229. Canadian International Prize for Freedom, International Democracy Award from the International Association of Political Consultants on 1986. Prize For Freedom Award from Liberal International on 1987. In 1993 she achieved the Special Peace Award from the Aurora Aragon Quezon Peace Awards Foundation and Concerned Women of the Philippines. She also achieved Path to Peace Award on 1995. J. Willia Fullbright Prize for International Understanding from the U.S Department of State. Also Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding and Pearl S. Buck on 1998. In 1999, she achieved One of Time Magazine’s 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century. World Citizenship Award on 2001. In 2005, she also achieved the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Awards and One of the World’s Elite Women Who Make a Difference by the International Women’s Forum Hall of Fame. One of Time Magazine’s 65 Asian Heroes on 2006. One of Different View’s 15 Champions of World Democracy on 2008. Aquino also achieved the EWC Asia Pacific Community Building Award, Women’s International Center International Leadership Living Legacy Award, Martin Luther King, Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize, and United Nations Development Fund for Women Noel Foundation Life Award.