понедельник, 30 сентября 2019 г.
“Lifting the Veil: Understanding the Roots of Islamic Militancy†by Henry Munson Essay
The article discussed the reasons behind Muslim hostility towards the United States. The article first appeared in Harvard International Review, Winter 2004, pp. 20-23.            Author Henry Munson focused on the reasons why Islamic militancy, led by Osama bin Laden, continues to take its toll despite United States’ efforts through its foreign policy to eradicate such violence. Munson stated that US might want to look at and reflect on their foreign policies, which causes much more hostility instead of diluting the rage that fuels Islamic militancy. Moreover, he noted that Muslim extremists also need to look at and reflect on the existence and perpetuation of hatred in their society that causes them to support militant and violent efforts leading to more chaos or war.            Muslims’ hostility towards the United States is caused by the latter’s foreign policies. Zogby International’s February and March 2003 survey of 2,620 men and women from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia revealed that their â€Å"unfavorable attitude†towards the US is primarily fueled by its foreign policy and has nothing to do with their own cultural or religious values. Another Zogby International survey in summer 2001 held that more than 80 percent of respondents from Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia viewed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as one of the three important issues that affects them. A survey of Muslim â€Å"opinion leaders†done by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press in December 2001 found that US position in this conflict is the main reason for Muslim hostility towards the US. Another report from Pew released on June 3, 2003, titled Views of Changing World June 2003, found that Muslim hostility towards the US has increased from 2002 to 2003. This report, done shortly after the fall of Saddam Hussein, proved that the Bush administration’s war on terror has caused a significant rise in why Muslims feel more hostile towards the US. Another Zogby International poll in 2003 found that most Arabs believed the reason behind US attack on Iraq is because of Iraqi oil reserves and US plan of helping Israel. This belief exacerbated fear from 70 percent of Israelis, Pakistanis, and Turks. According to a 2003 Pew report, they are worried or somewhat worried of a possible US attack to their countries. This finding is linked to another 2003 Pew report that revealed that over half of respondents in Indonesia, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority and almost half of respondents in Morocco and Pakistan named Osama bin Laden as one of the three world figures to whom they had confidence in â€Å"doing the right thing.†Understanding the roots of Islamic militancy is understanding Osama bin Laden’s roots. His hostility began when infidels occupied a Muslim land. This worsened when US deployed troops in Saudi Arabia, leading him to bomb two US embassies in Africa in 1998, and then directly attacking the US in 9/11. Despite this, 95 percent of educated Saudis supported him, as referenced by a New York Times article on January 27, 2002. With all these facts and figures, Munson stressed the need for both the US and the Islamic militants to examine their stands and beliefs because instead of easing the situation, it just keeps on getting worse. I agree with Munson’s contention that both sides need to look at and reflect on their own stands, beliefs, and plans, instead of looking at each other’s mistakes and blaming one another for having a different culture. However, do we see this happening anytime soon or in the near future perhaps? I do not think so because it seems impossible for each side to regard the other’s side as well as the side of the innocent ones that have been shattered and will be shattered because of war. It is easy to point out what needs to be done, however it is so difficult to realize this especially if each side is consumed and dedicated to pursuing its personal end. I do not want to sound pessimistic but probably no God or Allah will prevent future wars because as long as humans remain dissatisfied and selfish, wars are here to stay. Summary of â€Å"Blowback Revisited: Today’s Insurgents in Iraq are Tomorrow’s Terrorists†by Peter Bergen and Alec Reynolds            The article contended that the foreign volunteers fighting against United States’ troops in Iraq will find new targets around the world after the war ceases, just like how international mujahideen, who were drawn in the Afghan conflict, found new attacks that culminated in the 9/11 blowback. The article first appeared in Foreign Affairs, Vol. 84, No. 6, November/December 2005, pp. 2-6. Authors Bergen and Reynolds bolstered their argument by enumerating several examples of where blowbacks were felt, which rooted in the Soviet-Afghan conflict.            Foreign volunteers in Afghanistan regarded the Soviet defeat as Muslim victory that gave them legitimacy and prestige, as well as opportunity to declare jihad or holy war to Muslim countries they think needed their assistance. For instance, Armed Islamic Group (GIA) murdered thousands of Algerians in the 1990s in its attempt to overthrow the government and replace it with an Islamist command.            Moreover, in Egypt, after the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, hundreds of extremists left the country to train in the Afghan war. When they came back, they led a terror campaign between 1990 and 1997 that killed thousands of people. Egyptian Cleric Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, who was said to have inspired Sadat’s assassins, supported the Afghan jihad and encouraged his two sons to fight the war. He even provided spiritual direction to terrorist group Jamaat al-Islamiyya. Furthermore, he encouraged attacks on New York City landmarks and was sentenced to life imprisonment for bombing the World Trade Center in 1993. However, Jamaat al-Islamiyya’s 1997 attack at an archaeological site in Luxor, Egypt forced his release.            But the most famous alumnus of the Afghan jihad happens to be Osama bin Laden, who carried jihad beyond the Middle East into the United States, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. US presence in Saudi Arabia caused his Al-Qaeda’s grievance, leading him to attack two embassies in Africa in 1998, nearly sinking U.S.S. Cole in Yemen in 2000, and finally attacking the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001.            The Afghan experience enabled these militants to be trained in warfare and tactics, meet other like-minded militants, and therefore create and inspire a myriad of extremist organizations all over the world. This is what Bergen and Reynolds predict to take event with the foreign fighters in Iraq war; only this time it will be more dangerous. This is because foreign fighters have been battle-hardened, have undergone more rigorous training, and have more knowledge on effective tactics and techniques.            Bergen and Reynolds also stressed the possibility that foreign involvement in the Iraqi war will encourage Iraqi nationals to become international terrorists. Since they are culturally closer to the foreigners in Iraq, they may think of continuing jihad once US troops move out. With US efforts, only a finite number of terrorists can be lured into one place and killed. Moreover, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld already stressed that US lacks metrics to know if they are winning or losing the war and the Bush administration has not actually dwell on the problem of what the foreign fighters can do after the war. With all these, a blowback against US and its allies in Europe and Middle East is rightly expected. If blowback happened after the Afghan conflict, much of the blame should be placed on the US government and the Arab money for funding the war. Now if blowback will happen again, who is to be blamed but the ones who funded the war. It is frustrating that because of all these terrorism and attacks, a lot of innocent lives are destroyed. But it is not only they, the ones torn by the bombings and gunshots, who are victims to these senseless battles. Muslims all over the world are torn by the judgment, name calling, and paranoia of some cultures that fear the own snake they have unleashed. The United States will never know if it has won or lost in the Iraqi war and in the future wars it will be involved in, because the fact is, in a war nobody wins. Everybody is a loser.
воскресенье, 29 сентября 2019 г.
Price Hike in Bangladesh
ABOUT RECENT PRICE HIKE IN Bangladesh| March 4 2010 | Prepared For-Kaikobad Rana Sir| Submitted By-Overcome Group| Group Members Of Overcome- * Group Leader- MD Sazzadur Rahman Chowdhury ID-082011013, Sec-A, 3rd Semester * Administrator- Riad Morshed Chowdhury ID-082011012, Sec-A, 3rd Semester * Researcher- A. F. M Maruf Rahman ID-082011035, Sec-A, 3rd Semester * Members- MD Rafiqul Islam ID-082011022, Sec-A, 3rd Semester Atiqur Rahman ID-082011017, Sec-A, 3rd Semester Mostafizur Rahman ID-082011282, Sec-A, 3rd Semester Rashedul Hasan ID-082011008, Sec-A, 3rd SemesterNishat Ahmed ID-082011009, Sec-A, 3rd Semester Lubna Ahmed Luna ID-082011040, Sec-A, 3rd Semester 4th March, 2010 Kaikobad Rana Lecturer Department of Fashion Design Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology Lalmatia, Dhaka. Subject: Submission of Term Paper. Sir, As the course requirement of DES-102, we were assigned to do a job regarding the topic of Price Hike. We have provided our best effort to complete our ta sks according to the requirements. We tried to complete our tasks by doing different research works and from our limited knowledge.It is a matter of great pleasure for us to present the report on time. We will very glad if the report can fulfill its purpose. Thank you, Sincerely yours MD Sazzadur Rahman Chowdhury Riad Morshed Chowdhury A. F. M Maruf Rahman MD Rafiqul Islam Atiqur Rahman Mostafizur Rahman Rashedul Hasan Nishat Ahmed Lubna Ahmed Luna ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First we want to thanks our faculty who give me this opportunity to do this research. Who helped and guided me to do this research accurately. Secondly we want to thanks Kaikobad Rana Sir for his uncondetional support.I also want to thanks all the people who participate in our survey. And my entire friend circle. And last but not lest my God. Thank you. ABSTRACT THE MAIN REASONS AND PUBLIC’S REACTION ABOUT RECENT PRICE HIKE IN Bangladesh We choose this topic â€Å"THE MAIN REASONS AND PUBLIC’S REACTION ABOUT RECENT PRICE HIKE IN Bangladesh†because recently the price hiking problem has become the main social problem in Bangladesh. People are suffering most in this problem now specially the poor people. There are many reasons behind this problem. But we think formation of syndicate and corruption is the main reason behind this. But international market price, fuel cost, power crisis, natural disaster, transportation problem, illegal toll collection, action against corruption by the caretaker Government, street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces, lack of communication and co-ordination in between different Government officers etc are also responsible for recent price hike in Bangladesh. And the rate of this price hike is very fast.Even the military back Government was failed to solve this problem. They were not able to find the root behind this problem due to lack of appropriate monitoring system. But just the Government can solve this problem by using his i ntelligence agency, by introducing effective monitoring system, by improving law & order and by identifying the evil syndicate groups. But it is not a very easy job. The support of general public is also needed to solve this problem. FINDING The main reasons behind this problem: The prices of commodities are almost uniform across the capital, which only implies that a group of people are fixing the prices and that they have enough clout in the market to be able to decide what the prices should be. * Corruption of so called political leaders, corruption of different Government officials and law enforcing agency is the main reason behind this problem. We can solve this problem by taking the following measures. * Identify the syndicate groups. * By improving law and order. * By framing appropriate laws by the Government to eliminate middle classes in trading. By introducing effective monitoring system. TABLE OF CONTENT TITLE| PAGE NUMBER| | | INTRODUCTION| 6| RESEARCH AREA| 7| HYPO THESIS| 13| METHODOLOGY| 14| DATA PRESENTATION| 15| DATA ANALYSIS| 16| LIMITATION| 28| CONCLUSION| 29| RECOMMENDATION| 30| PUBLIC’S RECOMMENDATION| 31| REFERENCE LIST| 32| INTRODUCTION With the price increase of essentials capturing headlines of our national newspapers and TVs almost everyday. Because this price hiking problem has become the main social problem in Bangladesh.People are suffering most in this problem specially the poor peoples. There are many reasons behind this problem. According to The finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Al-Muhit, â€Å"international price hike of essential necessities as being responsible for high domestic prices. †Of course, international market price is also responsible for domestic inflation, but only partially. The ministers’s statement simply ignored other domestic factors, many of which created by the action by the Government, and also some of which created by the previous government.According to our study we identify some supply-side factors as being responsible, such as hoarding, and loss of business confidence, administered energy price hike, international price hike of essential commodities, bribe and illegal toll collection, structural and institutional constraints etc. corruption of so called political leaders and different government officials etc are also responsible for this problem. And if the food price is not controlled, the inflation rate may reach double-digit level very soon which is currently 7. 5%. In our research paper we tried to figure out these reasons.And we tried to find some solution about this problem. we also tried to figure out the bad effects of this problem. we hope by reading this paper the readers will able to figure out the main reasons behind this problem and also able to reduce or solve this problem. RESEARCH AREA In our proposal paper our had mentioned some question at which point we did like to investigate to prove our hypothesis. Our question were > What is the main reason behind this recent price hike in Bangladesh? > Is corruption and local syndicate only responsible about this price hike? gt; What should be the role of government to reduce this price hike? > How can we solve it? Obviously formation of syndicate and hoarding by them, corruption, power failure, traffic fames and load-shading, international price hike of essential commodities, bribe and illegal toll collection, structural and institutional constraints etc. according to Ahmed. T. (2009), the oil crisis of 1973, when oil prices increased in exponential proportions, was not so much due to shortage of oil supply as it was due to the decision of the major oil exporters, Arab states, to increase the prices.It was not that oil reserves had suddenly sunk through the floor or that its demand had shot through the ceiling. In strictly economic terms, a handful of oil exporters were in collusion, which led to dramatic increases in global oil prices. The entire western world was affected and the sudden price hike resulted in a long-term recession ending decades of economic boom. It was also the first time that the United States faced an oil shortage since the Second World War. The Arab states had succeeded in their intent to use oil as a weapon against those not friendly to their cause. It is perhaps a classic example of collusive oligopoly.The situation in the current-day Dhaka markets is similar except that the collusion does not concern one item but several ~ mostly such essential food items as rice, wheat, potatoes, lentils, edible oil, onions and milk powder. According to a report in Amar Desh (May 11, 2009), prices of essential food items have increased 25 per cent on an average in the past four months. According to a report in New Age (May 11, 2009), prices rose between five and 50 per cent during the same period ~ most of it under the military-backed interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed that assumed office after the proclamation of a state of emer gency on January 11.According to the government’s own statistics, inflation increased from just fewer than six per cent in January this year to almost 7. 5 per cent by March. While the government appears to be in denial suggesting that inflation is not really out of control and quite below the danger level, experts fear that it might, in fact, have crossed the double-digit mark driven by the soaring food prices. According to SLATE magazine (2009), about our very own mafia groups that group has come to be known, and often referred to in the media, as the syndicate.Despite the fact that academics, researchers and even politicians have acknowledged such collusion, its existence is denied upfront, both by government officials and businesspeople, in a manner that can be likened to that regarding the mafia. For the longest time, the existence of the mafia, or rather Cosa Nostra, was denied by insiders as well as government officials till misconceptions and myths were laid to rest b y, what came to be known as, the Maxi Trial in a court in Sicily over a hundred years after its existence was officially reported.As for the syndicate, it has proved to be invincible and even immune to a state of emergency, which has not been able to curb It’s potential for collusion and thereby manipulation of the prices. The tenure of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government saw two changes of commerce ministers, each given the sack for the same reason, while the last one had utterly failed in his pledge to rein in the prices of essentials. The invincibility of the syndicate was perhaps never felt with such force as it was on July 25, 2006 at a monthly luncheon meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh.The third commerce minister of the last government, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, squarely put the responsibility of controlling the prices of essentials on other ministries and went so far as to suggest that the government should set up another ministry for the Task. „T he Consumer Protection Act is being scrutinized now and I have urged the food ministry to make anti-hoarding laws for checking unscrupulous trader’s syndicates and hoarders,†he said.He also suggested that the finance and food Ministries were better equipped to tackle the matter. It was just three months after Hafiz had taken up his new portfolio on April 26 with the pledge to reduce prices of essentials within a month. Barely a week earlier, at a meeting with businesspeople at his office, he assumed a dramatically different tone and harped on a different note, although, even then, it was obvious that his success in bringing down the prices of essentials was at the mercy of the businesspeople.On July 19, Hafiz announced to the press ~ following the meeting ~ that the intelligence agencies had identified the members of the syndicate „who were involved in manipulating prices through hoarding and other means. But he only â€Å"hoped that the relevant ministry would t ake Necessary action. His comments about the meeting betrayed his helplessness and utter Inability to hold sway over the businessmen. „They have given us assurance that they will not make any windfall profit by making the people hostage, said Hafiz about the traders present at the meeting.With hindsight it appears that the minister did his best to divert attention from the syndicates citing a marked difference of prices between wholesalers and retailers, and the producers and wholesalers that he suggested added to the woes of the people. M Saifur Rahman, then the minister for finance and planning, and perhaps the most influential cabinet member of the BNP-led government, when approached with the possibility of reducing import tariffs on essential food items, told the press, it never paid off. He said the prices would decrease for a short while but resume their rising trend soon after.Instead, he suggested, the syndicates that manipulated the prices were the main reason behind the price hike and had to be dealt with decisively. But government officials deny their existence quite categorically despite overwhelming circumstantial facts that testify exactly the opposite. The commerce secretary was quoted in January as saying they are „yet to receive any conclusive evidence on the existence of syndicates?. He went further to substantiate his claim asking, „When the prices went up everyone was blaming syndicates.But now that they are going down how come everybody is quiet? If there was a syndicate why are the prices coming down? He did partially admit to their existence since former ministers had claimed that syndicates exist. But the rebuff of a prominent businessman, quoted in New Age’s weekend supplement Xtra on January 12, smacks of the classic mafia disclaimer. â€Å"I read about this regularly in newspapers but I have never seen one or been a part of it,†says Mostafa Kamal, chairman of the Meghna Group, one of the leading impor ters of edible oil, powderedMilk and sugar. â€Å"How, where and when are questions people who accuse us of syndication should answer,†he said. It is alleged that the Meghna Group is among the leading syndicate members in the country. Hossain. E. (2009), programmed officer of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, echoed the general apprehension. â€Å"I have attended meetings at the commerce ministry where powerful and well-known businessmen have directly threatened government officials with cutting out supply if they did not accept their chosen prices,†he told Xtra.According to the Daily Star (May 18 2009), a report of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, a research organization, based on records of the National Board of Revenue, found that a strong cartel accounted for a substantial share of the imports. The report says the top five importers have accounted for importing 96 per cent raw sugar, 46 per cent refined sugar, 67 per cent crude soybean oil, 60 per cent crud e palm oil, 49 per cent wheat, 37 per cent rice, 31 per cent lentil, and 31 per cent onion of national imports till March of this fiscal year.While the report did not mention any names, a number of reports in other newspapers have done so. For instance, according to a report of Amar Desh (May 11, 2009) the TK Group, the Meghna Group and the City Group account for 65 per cent of edible oil imports. The next three ~ the SA Group, the MEB Group and the Marine Group ~ account for another 25 per cent of the imports. Quoting sources, the report says traders of Dhaka and Chittagong are the major importers of lentils, ginger, garlic and other essentials that come from India.It goes on to mention the names of Shathi Enterprise, Seven Star and Banijjya Bhandar from Dhaka, Rumpa Enterprise of Bogura, Pahari Enterprise, AB Trading and Akhter Impex of Chittagong as significant market players. When the country is badly shaken by the unprecedented floods there is another alarming factorâ€â€the price hike of essentials that is slowly but very steadily engulfing the rural life of the common people. It is appalling that one kg of green chili costs you TK 200! There are no vegetables that cost you less than TK 30 per kg! It also creates shortage of foods. That also increases the price of essentials.Similarly other factors such as power failure, international market price, fuel cost, power crisis, natural disaster, transportation problem, illegal toll collection, action against corruption by the caretaker Government, street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces, lack of communication and co-ordination in between different Government officers etc factors are also responsible for recent price hike in Bangladesh. By taking serious action and frame effective laws for the elimination of the middle men groups existing various trading circles and to control bribery in between law enforcing agencies and traders.By minimize the traffic jams and load shadings. By f orming a strong co-ordination efforts and monitoring system, established for the cooperation, co-ordination and exchange of information in between different Government officials entrusted to check price level. By identifying syndicate groups and taking appropriate action against them. The Government can control the price. By creating awareness against corruption and establish a price list for all kinds of goods to control price hike. And by electing an honest and stable Government, the general people can solve this problem.HYPOTHESIS There are many reasons behind this recent price hike in Bangladesh. But we think formation of syndicate and corruption is the main reason behind this. But international market price, fuel cost, power crisis, natural disaster, transportation problem, illegal toll collection, action against corruption by the caretaker Government, street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces, lack of communication and co-ordination in between different Government officers etc are also responsible for recent price hike in Bangladesh.And the rate of this price hike is very fast. Even the military back Government was failed to solve this problem. They were not able to find the root behind this problem due to lack of appropriate monitoring system. But just the Government can solve this problem by using his intelligence agency, by introducing effective monitoring system, by improving law & order and by identifying the evil syndicate groups. But it is not a very easy job. The support of general public is also needed to solve this problem. METHODOLOGY There are two types of data in my research paper. . Primary Data. & 2. Secondary Data Primary Data:- We have collected my primary data to figure out the mail reasons and public’s reaction about recent price hike in Bangladesh by conducting a survey on 30 general people. To do that survey first we had prepared some questions and some suitable answer against each question. Aft er that we went out for general people to conduct our survey. The shopkeepers, doctors, teachers, tailors, chemists, retired peoples, servants, housewives and students were the people who were participate in our survey.We have had some difficulties to conduct our survey. We had very little time to conduct this survey. Within this short period of time we had to find 30 peoples of different classes. People of all class were participating in our survey. Some of them did not know hoe to write and read. We had to read and translated my question for them. After knowing there answers we filled the answers for them. Thus we completed our survey to get our primary data. Secondary Data:- We have collected my secondary data mostly from different websites such as â€Å"www. vjel. org, www. unnayan. rg†etc, different newspaper such as â€Å"The daily star, The New Age†etc, and from different magazines. DATA PRESENTATION CAPTION: A survey has been taken of 30 people for the topic of â€Å"The main reasons and public’s reaction about recent price hike in Bangladesh. Question No. | Option A| Option B| Option C| Option D| 1| 63%| 40%| 0%| 6. 67%| 2| 48. 67%| 23. 33%| 20%| *| 3| 83. 33%| 3. 33%| 13. 33%| *| 4| 43. 33%| 43. 33%| 13. 33%| *| 5| 20%| 63. 33%| 16. 67%| *| 6| 30%| 30%| 46. 67%| *| 7| 53%| 16. 67%| 10%| *| 8| 3. 33%| 16. 67%| 46. 67%| 26. 67%| 9| 13. 33%| 26. 67%| 50%| *| 10| 36. 7%| 30%| 26. 67%| *| 11| 53%| 10%| 26. 67%| *| 12| 66. 67%| 20%| 3. 33%| *| 13| 46. 67%| 10%| 33. 33%| 16. 67%| 14| 10%| 53%| 0%| 46. 67%| 15| 36. 67%| 46. 67%| 23. 33%| *| TABLE: THE SURVEY RESULT DATA ANALYSIS Recently we have done a survey for about 30 people to find the main reasons behind this recent price hike in Bangladesh. For this survey we prepared a set of question consisting of 16 questions. According to Our survey here we analysis some of the important questions from my questioner. Question No: 1| A| B| C| D| What do you think aboutthe main reason behindt his recent price hike? Formation of Syndicates| Corruption| Extortion| Taking bribe from traders| Chart 1: The survey result of question no: 1 Question No: 2| A| B| C| Do you thinkthereis any Syndicate groupsinvolved in price hike? | Yes, because the governmentCan’t control the price. | No, there is no syndicate groups exist| May be, not sure| Chart 2: The survey result of question no: 2 According to my survey, in reply of my first question 63% people said formation of Syndicates is the main reason behind this recent price hike. While 40% people said corruption is the main reason behind this.In reply of my second question 83. 33% people said syndicate groups are involved in price hike because the government can? t control the price. In my survey most of the people think the syndicate groups are mainly responsible for this problem. These syndicate groups controlling the price by hoarding. Hoarding by businesses has been widely blamed by many as being main culprit behind the cu rrent crisis. Indeed, if we let aside moral issues, hoarding markets perfect economic sense to businesses and that is why they build up stocks to make larger profits.For example suppose the current market price of a NOKIA 1202 mobile phone is TK 1800. Now let us assume that for some unknown reasons, the price of the same brand mobile is expected or any mobile phone dealer in the market sell NOKIA 1202 at the lower price now or wait to sell at the higher price a month later? What would happen to the current market price of NOKIA 1202, if most dealers hold off selling? This is exactly how inflationary expectation, expectation about future price hike, leads to hoarding, creates shortage, raises current market price and, finally, brings larger profits for businesses. From the above analysis we conclude that the syndicate groups are nothing but a well-known business farms, run by well-known business man. But the syndicates, for all their collusion, manipulation and public denial, are not entirely responsible for the price hike. There are other related factors some of which are compelling, even more than syndication. To begin with, production costs have risen and So have the prices. But it gives an impression that the farmers are linked to the market and thereby benefit from the price rises at the consumer end. That is hardly the case.They are paid the bare minimum below which the farmers cannot afford to cultivate crops the next year. And prices at their end have increased only marginally over the years. The real value addition (pun intended) to agricultural produce begins with the middlemen who buy from farmers. Along the supply chain there are warehouses, wholesalers, retailers and micro-retailers often with several more layers of middlemen sandwiched among them. Reports in the media indicate that prices, especially those of vegetables, appreciate by up to 500 per cent between the farmer and the end-consumer.That is how the middleman also controlling the market p rice. And the Government is not able to identify them, catch them, and even control them. Even the Government has blamed international market price hike of essential commodities as being responsible for high domestic prices to cover their failure. The Government has failed to solve this problem due to the corrupted Government officers and corrupted law enforcing agencies. They are not willing to monitor the market price. They are just willing to take bribe.Again lack of communication and co-ordination in between different Government officers and lack of communication system in between different Upozela and districts head quarters with the capital is also responsible for this recent price hike. Question No: 3| A| B| C| Which political factors are responsible for price hike? | Blockade and strike| Corruption of so called political leaders| Conflict between political parties| Chart 3: The survey result of question no: 3 According to my survey, in reply of my third question, 63. 33% of people said corruption of so called political leaders is the main political factor behind this price hike.And only A B 20% of people said blockade and strike is responsible for this. Political leaders are not actually political leaders. Actually they are political business man. They invest there money to own the party nomination and also own the election. Actually they bought there place in Parliament. After wining the election they start to gain black money as much as they can. And they gain it by corruption. And that’s why the price of essential commodities is increasing day by day. This political don’t care about the general people, they just care about themselves. Even they don’t know how uch black money they have gained by corruption. The current anti-corruption drive by the Caretaker Government clearly shows the statistic how much black money they have gained through corruption. That’s why the corruption of so called political leaders also responsib le for recent price hikes. Question No: 4| A| B| C| D| What| Bribe & illegal| Traffic| Power failures| Lackof| structural&institutional constraints are mainlyresponsible for thisrecent price hike? | toll collection| congestion| | storage capacity| Chart 4: The survey result of question no: 4According to my survey, in reply of my forth question 46. 67% people said bribe and illegal toll collection is the main structural & institutional constraints that are mainly responsible for this recent price hike. And 33. 33% people said power failure is also responsible for this problem. But I think this both factors are equally responsible for this problem The illegal practices of bribes toll collections and associations greatly influence in raising the price of essential commodities. The traders has to paid toll and bribe at each entering point of a town.And this increases the transportation cost of goods. As a result the price is increases. And the Government has failed to stop t his because of the involvement of corrupted law enforcing officers. While the Scarcity increases the opportunity cost of any service and provides opportunities for corruption. The acute shortage of generation capacity and its consequent effects – frequent load-shedding, low voltage and low frequency – on different economic sectors, as well as on essential services such as water supply, hospitals, and telecommunications, have opened up doors for many types of corruption.That is also responsible for this recent price hike. Why that is happening? Because of the corruption of the employee of DESA and PDB. According to the Transparency International Bangladesh (2006), ? A Ledger Keeper in DESA, a very low level employee, became the envy of many when he purchased a house in a middle-income residential area of Dhaka for Tk 3. 8 million and an allotment in a shopping arcade. ? Many Assistant Engineers of BPDB own private cars, which they cannot afford to buy and maintain on th eir official salary. A particular Assistant Engineer, with close links with the Collective Bargaining Agent, comes to office in a luxury four-wheeler, while another mints money by making various interventions in the name of a minister. ? A meter reader who was placed under suspension joined the ruling political party, got his job bank, became a CBA leader, and is now the happy owner of two houses and a shop. ? A corrupt and overweight meter reader, who employed agents to do his job and concentrated on eating instead, was transferred from Dhaka to an outstation by an over-zealous DESA officer.Fretting and fuming, the reader came to see a very senior DESA official and told him in no uncertain terms, â€Å"Sir, I have been working for 25 years in one place and nobody dared to touch me. You have not done well by transferring me. I will see how you can move me. †Sure enough, he stayed where he was, with the help of his co-operative union leaders. And due to this corruption load s hading occurs frequently, as a result the price of essential goods is increasing rapidly. Question No: 5| A| B| C| Do you think natural disaster, street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces are also responsible for recent price hike? Yes| No| Partly responsible| | | | | | | 4 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 30 30| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Chart 5: The survey result of question no: 5 According to our survey, in reply of our fifth question 46. 67% people said natural disaster; street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces are partly responsible for recent price hike. And equal number of people said yes and no. But we think it is responsible and why? You will find your answer right now.When the country is badly shaken by the unprecedented floods there is another alarming factor the price hike of essentials that is slowly but very steadily engulfing the rural life of the common people. It is appalling that one kg of green chili costs you TK 200! There are no vegetables that cost you less than TK 30 per kg! It also creates shortage of foods. That also increases the price of essentials. And that’s why we think natural disaster is directly responsible for price hike, but the others are partly responsible. Question No: 6| A| B| C| D|How can the| By taking| Identifying the| By improving| By improving| Government| necessary steps| syndicate| traffic| law & order| control the price hike? | to stop cross border smuggling of fuel and fertilizer| groups| congestion| | Chart 6: The survey result of question no: 6 According to our survey, most of the people said we can able to control the price by identifying the syndicate groups and by improving law & order. If the government framed strong laws to improve the law and order we can able to identify the syndicate groups and also able to control the price of essential goods.To 4. 67 Improve this situation the persona ls of different law enforcing agencies should immediately be deployed in different trading centers, sea port, river ports, and land ports to check up and down of price level due to hoarding black marketing of essential food grains and other food items. Thus we can improve the current situation. Question No: 7| A| B| C| Which methods can be most applicable toreduce or improve this problem? | By framing appropriate law by the Government to eliminate middle classes in trading. | By introducing effectivemonitoring system. By re-introducing old rationingsystem by the Government to stable the prices| Chart 7: The survey result of question no: 7 According to our survey, in reply of my seventh question 46. 67% people said by introducing effective monitoring system we can able to reduce this problem. And 36. 67% people said we can solve this problem by framing appropriate law to eliminate middle classes in trading. We are passing through a revolutionary communication and contract system due to the introduction of most modern computer and mobile communication system in our country.It is now very easy for the Government to established scientific monitoring systems and cells to keep constant observation data collection and exchange of information? s about the causes up and down, price level of important food items and essential commodities. According to our survey most of the people said the rate of price hike is quite fast. And the general public’s can help the Government to remove this problem. Most of the people in Bangladesh can afford to meet their family essential commodities, but they said it was very tough.Surprisingly the upper class people are also by price hike. Most of the people agree to that if laws and regulation enforced properly, it is practically possible to reduce this price hike. And the general peoples can also play a big role to solve this problem. LIMITATION We had very little time to do that survey. If we had enough time we may go out of Dha ka to find the poorest people. We want to take the interview of the poorest people. We had also faced lots of obstacles, but after all of these obstacles finally We finished our research paper and we are quite satisfied about it.CONCLUSION Given the scenario in Bangladesh, any measure to control prices, barring one that addresses the syndicates, is bound to be band-aid-like ~ a bit of eyewash. That is perhaps the first area where the government should focus in its bid to reduce the prices of essential items. But it is not possible for the Government to reduce this problem alone. The general people, the mass media everybody should came forward to help the Government to reduce this problem. Other wise the price of essential commodities will increase day by day. And nobody will able to control this problem.
суббота, 28 сентября 2019 г.
Cultural Norms Essay
Society comes from the French word â€Å"socià ©tà ©Ã¢â‚¬ and the Latin word â€Å"societas†which mean fellowship and companionship respectively. Other popular definitions of society are; a group of people living together because of their same interests and ways of living. All countries of the world have their own set of societies that varies depending on its citizens preferred ways of living. Societies are defined by historical events, norms and the cultures that the specific society has become accustomed to. The most influential aspect of a certain civilization to a society is its culture. The word ‘culture’ has many meanings. It could mean the way of living of certain societies or the cultivation of plants and other things that could be cultivated. Culture is one of the strong driving points of a society because, from its definitions, it is the collection of traits that define the people of a society and even a whole civilization. It is the collection of traits that has been acquired by people from different experiences and events that have happened in their and other people’s lives. Culture greatly defines the kinds of societies. But, culture is broad. It consists of several other ‘traits’ that give it definition. One of which is ‘norms’. Norms are the practices that people in societies call normal. If having unlimited children in a society is a norm, then having unlimited children is normal. Thus, if you have no children or refuse to have more than what you already have, in that society, you would be considered abnormal. If norms are what define cultures and cultures are what define societies and civilizations as a whole, by deductive reasoning, the norms are what support the societies. Different countries have different cultures. This is because different countries are composed of multitudes of different norms. Norms are commonly established when a majority of the society’s population practice a particular or common habit of living. Other justifications are when the leader of that society orders its subordinates or people to follow his rules thus making his preferences norms. Norms and cultures have broad meanings that are difficult and complex to explain. To help explain these ideas, use of examples would be most appropriate. A particularly good example that can help explain the function of ‘norms’ in defining a culture is the general differentiation of the East from the West. The people of the Orient consider living with nature while practicing art in forms of sculpture, pottery, painting, and writing poems as the general norm. On the other hand, the West considers building and using machines and other inventions in making discovery, art, and everyday living more bearable and easier for its people. The Orient used herbs and natural oils in curing their sicknesses and relied on priests to make the sicknesses go away. In the West, discovery of medicines and other man-made products that help make the common people healthy is the norm for medicines. The general norms of the East and the West were established from the habits that the residents of the different cultures have grown to practice. Their geographical location also helped in establishing their norms. Also, in some countries, the rulers dictated the norms. Other factors that gave their cultures essence are religion, art, war, and ethics which were established from their norms. I am an American citizen. Living in America has taught me to be self-confident and judgmental at times but I understand that today, skin color, artistic preferences, and religion are more similar in every culture than different and I believe that to close the gap between the culture disparities of different nations, understanding of other cultures must be exercised before making judgments. References: Bibikova, A. and Kotelnikov V. (n.d.). East versus West. Retrieved September 18, 2007 from http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/cultures_east-west-phylosophy.html Calverley, N. (2006). â€Å"Where did the term â€Å"The West†originate?†. Retrieved September 18, 2007 from http://hnn.us/articles/25977.html Culture. Merriam-Webster online dictionary. Retrieved September 18, 2007 from http://m-w.com/dictionary/culture Norm. Merriam-Webster online dictionary. Retrieved September 18, 2007 from http://m-w.com/dictionary/norm Swindler, A. (n.d). Culture in Action: Symbols and Strategies. Retrieved September 18, 2007 from http://www.asanet.org/galleries/default-file/Unit3.pdf
пятница, 27 сентября 2019 г.
Application task Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Application task - Essay Example There is an example of how to use non-countable noun: Let me give you some advice (not an advice). In this question, 'information' is a non-countable noun, so it does not take plural form, so we need ‘information’. 2. 1) I walk and then take the subway 2) Jack asked about 'every day'. It is a general fact (rountine), so we have to use simple present tense verbs instead of present progressive tense. In general, simple present tense is used for events or situations that exist always, usually, and habitually. We also use the simple present to narrate events in sequence. On the other hand, present progressive tense is used for actions (verbs) that are in progress during a particular time, so actions are still taking place and have not ended yet. The tenses say that an action being before, is in progress during, and contiues after another time or action. In this case, Jack uses ‘every day’ which refers to habitual action – rountine -, so we need ‘wal k’ and ‘take’. 3. 1) It was such a good movie. Or It was so good. 2) ‘Such’ is used when the object being talked about comes after the adjective; hence, ‘such’, followed by a or an, is used before an adjective and noun – for example, such a long time, such a good idea, such a nice guy, such a wonderful day (such+ adjective + noun). When we use ‘such’ with a plural countable noun, we don’t use ‘a’ or ‘an’ after ‘such’.
четверг, 26 сентября 2019 г.
Finace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words
Finace - Essay Example licly traded company can be defined as those companies which are involved in selling its various securities like stocks, bonds, etc to the public in general. The primary role of a publicly traded company should be to work for the interest of the public and disclose information about all its company affairs to the public. It is so because all the investors and public in general would have access to same, meaningful and relevant information about the company, which would facilitate them in their decision making process. Fiduciary responsibility of the CFO or Chief Financial Officer of a company means that the CFO has the responsibility of ensuring that the company is able to achieve its missions through the money generated by the firm. The CFO of a company also ensures that the vision of the company set by the executive directors is feasible and it does not result in the bankruptcy of the company (Burns 7). The fiduciary responsibility of CFO also includes that he should work for the interest of the company and its owners. Different types of exchanges operate within the financial and futures markets like, stock exchange, foreign exchange, etc. All these exchanges plays a vital role in the financial markets by regulating, assisting and controlling the business procedures involving selling, buying and dealing with securities like stocks and derivative instruments in the market. Its primary objective is to facilitate an efficient, attractive and well regulated market for the investors, companies, and intermediaries like stock brokers. In a broader sense financial markets are the places where different sellers and buyers take part in the trading of various financial instruments like stocks, bonds, derivatives, currencies, etc. Financial markets are characterized by having a pricing system which is transparent in nature, having trading regulations, including various transaction costs and are driven by market forces that help in the determination of the prices of the
Budhist ethics and victimized children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Budhist ethics and victimized children - Essay Example Right thinking, religious and social citizenry have provided relief. Nevertheless, the end to the sufferings of these innocent victims still seems a distant dream. (Help for Victimized Children) The Buddhist ethics highlights the eightfold path that applies to the normal citizens, perpetrators of sufferings on the victimized children, and the victims themselves. The Buddhist ethics provides gripping insights to awaken concern and care, penitence to the perpetrators and solace to the victims. The jungle law of ‘Might is right†has predators and preys following it with their own interpretations of attack or escape. The carnivores kill to satisfy their hunger. However, the perpetrators of crime on children do so to satisfy their greed and lust. Greed is like a bottomless pit and it ends in tragic misery. Buddhist ethics exposes the debilitating consequence and futility of greed as also other fleshly desires. According to the second truth of Buddhist ethics, all sufferings are the results of tanha (cravings). The handling or mishandling of tanha produces fruitful results or sufferings, depending on the process. Tanha is not restricted to criminal actions alone. Tanha in all forms lead to sufferings, according to Buddhist ethics. The tanha for power and good life also leads to suffering. (Michael C. Brannigan) It is difficult to interpret this concept to victimized children because it is practically inconceivable and unreasonable to explain a horrified child why he or she must not crave for solace or good life. The Buddhist concept of anatman (no self, soullessness) provides the eightfold path to freedom from sufferings. This eightfold path of right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration is instrumental in a society eager to alleviate the sufferings of victimized children. The
среда, 25 сентября 2019 г.
The nature and scope of marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
The nature and scope of marketing - Essay Example Marketing is about developing winning offers to each segment of customers. Furthermore, marketing is about managing productive customer relationships by attracting new customers and retaining existing one through offer of quality goods and services as well as satisfying them. They also measure the level of company’s brand image and customer’s satisfaction level. Selling and marketing have to be differentiated clearly. Selling mainly focuses on the sellers needs while marketing focuses on satisfying the buyer’s needs through product and everything that is linked with its creation, delivery and consumption. There are four pillars that support the marketing concept and they include; the target market, the needs of the consumer, integrated marketing and profitability. The marketing concept unlike selling takes a unique perspective. It begins its focus on a market that is well defined, focuses on the various needs of consumers, organizes activities that influence the consumers and makes profits through customer satisfaction. The fundamental marketing concepts include; marketing analysis, customer behavior, marketing instruments and marketing strategies. The nature and scope of marketing Over the past years, the argument on marketing nature and scope has continued to build up. This issue has resulted in newer definitions being introduced in some of the marketing textbooks. However, it is the obligation of the marketers to clearly give a clarification on what they would like the scope of their field to be like. This requirement results from the definition of marketing. It is referred to as a declaration of the scope of the field that has to be decided in a way that benefits the subject’s theoreticians, practitioners, and even teachers. In order to define the marketing scope in a logical way, standards ought to be established. These standards will provide useful guidance in testing all the marketing definition. Usually marketing task is perc eived to be that of creating, promoting and delivering different products and services to various consumers and businesses. Marketing is a wide subject involving a number of activities, which are aimed at increasing market share, retaining customers and adding new customers. The scope of marketing is classified to include; first, the study of the needs and wants of a consumer, the aim of production of goods is to satisfy different human wants. Therefore it is the obligation of every marketer to study consumer’s needs and wants. Consumers are motivated to buy the goods and services by their needs and wants. Secondly, marketing concern itself to the study of behavior of the buyer and competitors. The study of an individual buyer behavior is emphasized in the modern marketing. For market segmentation and market targeting, a marketer has to carefully analyze the customers’ pattern of behavior. The study of competitors helps a business entity to establish own competitive ad vantage and explore the strengths to win more customers. Thirdly, marketing involves planning and development of product. In marketing, product remains to be the core. The planning and development of a product begins with product idea creation and ends with the product commercialization and development. The decisions such as branding, packaging, labeling and grading comes under the product planning. It also covers existing product lines expansion or
вторник, 24 сентября 2019 г.
Human cloning and stem cell research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Human cloning and stem cell research - Essay Example This essay examines prominent scientific and ethical elements related to human cloning and stem cell research. While the nature of human cloning and stem cell research has a number of important medical implications, these notions are always accompanied by the ethical concerns of biotechnology. In considering current usages of genetic engineering one is able to establish a more broad ranging understanding of these questions; in these regards, genetic engineering finds widespread use in agricultural procedures, as well as genetically engineered animals (‘Ethical Issues’). As scientists experiment animal engineering questions emerge regarding what constitutes human cloning, as human genes have been inserted into animal organisms (‘Ethical Issues’). Stem cells specifically are biological cells found in multicellular organisms. Research has allowed scientists to artificially grow or replicate these cells that can be used in medical therapies. Stem cell research and human cloning poses a number of widespread benefits to humanity. Indeed, it’s been indicated that this technology could potentially be implemented to aid, â€Å"debilitating diseases and disabilities, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, and spinal cord injury†(Lindsay, p. 228). Still, Federal funding has oftentimes been withheld from such research among arguments that such research kills an entity that is the equivalent of a person. While theology has ostensibly objects to cloning and stem cell research in terms of religious doctrine, it’s clear that even from a secular perspective the process poses a number of concerns. In these regards, if stem cell experimentation is allowed groups worry that eventually full-scale human cloning will occurs (Lindvall). Questions emerge concern the potential of human/animal chimeras. While such considerations are somewhat sensational, one also considers the moral issues
понедельник, 23 сентября 2019 г.
The christian faith Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
The christian faith - Literature review Example Schleiermacher asserts that the Church is nothing rather than a spiritual union in association to piety. It is not a knowing and not even a doing; rather, it is an alteration of feeling, or of instantaneous self-consciousness. In this case, feeling is employed in a scientific manner in order to portray a clear mental state within self-consciousness without including the unconscious phases. According to Schleiermacher, a feeling that comprises of not knowing or Doing tends to be the real meaning of piety (Schleiermacher 1928, p.10). On the other hand, knowing, and doing are relevant to piety, and this is a phase that merges them with a feeling. However, piety continues being a distinctive feeling, exclusive amongst all the other feelings since it is the conscious that is wholly dependent. The feeling of dependence tends to expresses an interest that  is affected by some exterior forces, yet merely the feeling of dependence tends to be complete. Schleiermacher articulates that feelings of complete dependence on God are the greatest level of instantaneous self-consciousness, which turns out to be a significant factor human nature. ... Each communal piety contains an outward unity, as well as an inward unity. According to Schleiermacher, outward unity defines the characteristic origin of every religion, while, on the other hand, inward unity is the weird type that the religious emotions, as well as their utterances undertake in every. Therefore, any declaration of God that is to be operational within a person expresses the relationship between God and people, as well as human incompleteness in relation to God. Christianity tends to be a monotheistic faith differentiated by the fact that everything contained in it connects to the salvation brought about by Jesus of Nazareth (Schleiermacher 1928, p.52). The only way of gaining involvement in the Christian communion is through having faith in Jesus since he is the Redeemer. In The Christian Faith, Schleiermacher asserts that there is no midway between faith and the partaking in the Christian communion; faith in this case being dependant not just on the impulsive activity of human beings changing into believers, but also on the impulsive action of the communion, as the root under which the testimony goes ahead in the initiation of faith. The Christian Faith brings out the issue of Christian doctrines, which are descriptions of Christian religious love, which is illustrated in speech (Schleiermacher 1928, p. 76). Schleiermacher makes a distinction between the dogmatic suggestions and Christian sermonizing, by describing the former as beliefs of moralistic kind, and the latter as primarily the speech and appearance that contain a directly inspiring effect. Therefore, a person turn into a pro of Dogmatic
воскресенье, 22 сентября 2019 г.
True Educations Begins at Home Essay Example for Free
True Educations Begins at Home Essay People learn everything they know from some sort of influence. Religious groups are influenced by preachers to believe what they want. Students are influenced by teachers on what to learn. North Koreans are influenced by Kim Jong Il to do exactly as he wants. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s only book, Scout, a main female character has to be taught the hard way. She sees a man prosecuted and killed because of his skin color for something he clearly could not have done. She learns that prejudice is abused every day, even past times of slavery. Scout’s main motivation for not being prejudice is her father, Atticus, who defends the black man, Tom Robinson, in a clearly biased trial. Although influenced to think that she should hate black people, her true education comes from home. When one first learns to speak, who are their words learned from? They, typically, learn from their parents. If someone acts poorly, they are usually punished at home. Outer influences can affect someone’s decision to do something wrong, and, if brought up well, this person will not make these poor decisions. Scout is enticed to hate black people, but Atticus teaches her why humans are all equal. Jem, Scout’s older brother, learns as he matures that one should accept people for who they are. After Tom gets accused of being guilty, Jem even cries. In essence, Jem and Scout are both taught from home how to act throughout life. When Scout begins talking to Miss Maudie and Dill, she hears wild stories of the man who is locked inside his house for fifteen years, and once he is in his thirties, he attacks his father with a pair of scissors. This man is Arthur â€Å"Boo†Radley. Atticus catches his children and Dill trying to lure him out of the house and teaches them that not everything they hear is true (although, this rumor is true. The children quit provoking Boo for a while, but near the end of the book, they meet him on person after he saves their lives from a drunken man. They learn that Atticus was right in saying that not everything that one hears is true. I have learned nearly all I know from my mother and father. They have taught me basic skills, as well as proper etiquette. I have had many mentors in my life, and I believe that my parents are the best ones I have and will have. They have taught me all I need to know in my life from home.
суббота, 21 сентября 2019 г.
History Of Piet Mondrian History Essay
History Of Piet Mondrian History Essay Pieter Cornelis Mondrian was born March 7, 1872 in the small Dutch village of Aamersvoort. He was the second oldest of 2 brothers and one sister. His father made a living as a teacher but had talent as an amateur artist and was gifted in drafting. His father noticed at an early age that his son Piet had a gift for drawing and was able to give him drawing lessons. Credit must be given to his Uncle Fritz Mondrian, an artist as well that was self taught and made a living within the commercial art world. He taught the young Mondrian the basics of painting and his father took him to the countryside to sketch landscapes. Mondrian senior had hopes that his son would follow in his footsteps into the more stable profession of teaching. After winning his licenses he was allowed to teach at primary and secondary schools. Piet met his fathers demands by teaching but was not satisfied personally and in 1892 decided he was after all, going to become an artist. (Mondrian Biography) He studied at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam, from 1892 to 1897 with an allowance provided by his Uncle Fritz. There he studied either full time or attended evening classes and while there he joined several artist societies. He exhibited his work, for the first time in 1893 (he was 21). Traveling back and forth between Amsterdam and various parts of rural Holland he devoted practically all of his time to painting landscapes, first in the style of the The Hague School then gradually more and more abstract, omitting details he felt irrelevant. His work started to take on a more abstract style as the details of form started to get omitted, as he felt they were irrelevant. As his work got more abstract the more recognition he received and criticism from the art community. (Mondrian Biography) In 1909 Mondrian joined a theosophical society that cast him away from his religious up-bringing as a Calvanist, but took him on a trip far from his foundation of thinking and influenced his art by his intellectual transformation. His style became a quasi-random and had disorderly qualities of nature, which started to transform his better known works of horizontal and vertical lines. The horizontal lines represent femininity and the worldly, the vertical defining masculinity and the spiritual. He coined the term neo-plasticism where he aimed to create a balance between the horizontal and the vertical, keeping in tune with the universe and his theosophical beliefs. In 1911 he saw for the first time the Cubist styles of Braque and Picasso at an art exhibition in Amsterdam. Soon after this he moved to Paris, the hub for French art and cubism, and it is believed by many, their works influenced this move. (Mondrian Biography) Mondrians style went through a transformation. He painted a series of trees, the earliest the Red tree, it has realistic form and the texture is soft. In less than a year in 1911, the painting of the Gray tree still can be considered representational but can be seen for the more abstract style. A year later his painting of an apple tree is composed of short, straight lines and slight curves, symbols of a trees elements rather than actual details. Mondrians style got simpler with implied lines and geometric shapes and their relationships to each other on the canvas. Mondrian was taken by the cubist movement, he was already advancing to a more abstract style, rejecting mixed colors and curving or diagonal lines in order to make paintings of squares and rectangles. (Baker. 297) Mondrians evolution as an artist represents the origin and essence of De Stijl. Working to free painting completely from both the depiction of real objects and the expression of personal feelings, he developed an austere style based on the expressive potential of fundamental visual elements and their relationships. (Frank. 408) He labored to achieve balance and harmony, modifying shapes and lines in limitless variations. He never received much payment for his work and not until after his death was his work internationally acknowledged as one of the most important developments in twentieth-century abstract art. He felt he had found, as he put it, A new way to express the beauty of nature, to gain pure reality. After moving to Paris he was internationally recognized for his exhibitions. He loved the night-life, parties and especially the dancing in Paris. He was said to have enjoyed the company of young women. His sales of art were few in Paris but he survived by painting copies of famous paintings from the Louvre. Piet returned to Holland in 1914 to visit his ill father. (Mondrian Biography) The Great War as it was called erupted in 1914 most people felt it would not be a long fought war, with Prussias rapid spankings in the 1860s and 1870. The unthinkable happened and it became a full-scale war of nearly all societies. This was the first time the world was at war making for the moniker of World War I. Germany craved a larger empire to be had by packaging Russia into parcels and incorporating parts of Belgium, France, and Luxemburg. The French were interested in getting back Alsace and Lorraine which was ceded to Germany following the Franco-Prussian War. The British craved to harden their footings in Egypt and the Suez Canal. This World War was wide-spread and involved more than the large European powers and Japan: their colonies were involved as well. Over one million Africans, one million from India, and over one million members of the British common-wealth fought in the battle fields. (Hunt. 394-401) The Netherlands were able to remain neutral during the Great War. It did so, in large part to the fact that both aggressive powers had too much at stake to let their enemy invade the country. The War, transformed the feasibility of the Dutch remaining neutral. So much so, that the hopes and desires attached to neutrality in 1914 had disappeared in 1918 and the force of non-involvement had also been threatened. The war years and all the dealings the Dutch had involved themselves in with trade and picking friends on both sides failed to live up as a valuable foreign affairs policy. They were a tiny industrially challenged country that could not protect its very independence and nation state identity, without needing assistance from elsewhere. In another war situation neutrality could not sustain. (Abbenhauis) Mondrian was trapped in Holland for 4 years. His father died in 1915 and after his death he moved to an artists community where he conversed with artists such as Van Der Leck and Van Doesburg. Van Doesburg founded a magazine called De Stijl Mondrian wrote some articles for the magazine. This group felt that architects and sculptors should work together to build a new society more in tune with the Laws of the Universe. This De Stijl art movement is most synonymous with the red, yellow, and blue neo-plasticism paintings of Piet Mondrian. He moved back to Paris in 1919, in Paris he had some more exhibitions, joined an art group and met American artist Harry Holtzman in 1934. (Mondrian Biography) Hitler came to power in 1933 Mondrians work was put on the list of Entartete Kunst (degenerate art). After his experience during World War I when all his paintings were left behind in Paris, he decided to leave before the dawning of the German invasion. He was in London for two years and September1940, during the German bombardment he left for America. He arrived with borrowed money in New York City, Harry Holtzman found and paid for his apartment and introduced him to many friends. His life in New York influenced his career with internationally important works like Broadway Boogie-Woogie and his unfinished Victory Boogie-Woogie. He succumbed to pneumonia in a New York hospital in 1944, he was 71. (Mondrian Biography) Tableau 2 with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray This work completed in 1922, is oil on canvas measuring 21 7/8 X 21 1/8 and is located at the Soloman R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City. ( Frank.409) The paints used in this are derived from pigment mixed with oil as a base to carry the color in a liquid from. Artists such as Michelangelo and DaVinci were concocting and milling their own paints by hand and added it to oils available. In modern times linseed oil is used for pre-mixed paints and they store well, sometimes for years. Special oils and mediums are required to thin these kinds of oil paints. Linseed oil is one of the most common mediums for modern oil painters. Canvas comes in two materials: cotton and linen. Unprimed cotton is a natural off-white color, and is the least expensive. It comes in several grades of thickness and quality. (MacIntosh) The work is in the abstract style which Mondrian was best known for. The vertical and horizontal lines and blue, red, and yellow, are the primary style of his earlier mentioned self named neo-plasticism. The visual element of color is utilized in a bold way. The use of the three primary colors along with black and gray is almost shocking to the visual senses. The use of line as a visual element is clearly a bold separation for all the color elements. The design principles of unity and variety are used but there is no repeating in this design element, only single usage of each color. The black and yellow are the only two colors that are actually touching. This gives me an emotional fear of caution when I see them together. I really wish I knew what this means. The directional forces of the bold black lines carry your sight line outward toward the geometrical shapes. I dont feel there is repetition to Tableau 2 but I can feel a rhythm with the strong emotions from each primary color. I feel the content of this work has the appearance of being incomplete in some ways. My eyes want to travel along the incomplete black lines that stop short of the edges. It has a very grid-like quality, as if these colored sections hold meaning to something more important. I think the content of the work is to make the viewer want to see more.
пятница, 20 сентября 2019 г.
Free Essays - Anklyosing Spondylitis Will Not Dictate My Life :: Personal Narrative Essay Example
Anklyosing Spondylitis Will Not Dictate My Life Anklyosing Spondylitis. When I first heard these words, I was tempted to say "God bless you," because I had never heard of such a disease. I could not appreciate that I would be living with it for the rest of my life. Anklyosing Spondylitis (AS) is a form of arthritis that affects the peripheral joints of the body, including the spine, bowels, and even the eyes (iritis). It causes the joints and ligaments that allow the back to move to become inflamed. It often begins in the late teens or early 20's and if it is not treated correctly, it can cause the spine, hips, and ribs to become rigid, which will make bending, turning, flexing, and breathing difficult. The actual severity of these symptoms vary a great deal from person to person. An early diagnosis along with proper treatment can help pain and stiffness be controlled and reduce or stop major deformity. It is important for all those afflicted with this disease, their families, and their friends, to fully understand the causes and effects of this arthritis and the ways to manage it throughout life. The exact cause of AS is still unknown. Over 90 percent of people with AS possess a genetic marker called BLA-B27. This gene is involved in the body's defense against infection. It has been confirmed that other genes are involved in this disease as well, but they have yet to be identified. A person can have this gene and not have AS. There also exists an environmental factor in the onset of AS. It appears to be normal bacteria in the bowel. I was diagnosed with AS after several occurrences. I suffered a head injury during a wrestling match. My skull was cracked and I was put on an antibiotic to fight off any possible infection. This drug caused my bowels to become infected by another disease called C-Difficile bacteria. After that was cured, I became afflicted with a Septic Hip. My hip was filled with infectious fluid. During this time I developed iritis, an inflammation of the eye. I had suffered iritis before. To make sure the infections would not come back, I had to stay on a home IV for six weeks. I was also identified as a carrier of the gene BLA-B27. During this time my doctors simply put the pieces together.
четверг, 19 сентября 2019 г.
Cameron’s The Terminator and Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale as Responses to Neo-conservatism :: Movie Film Essays
From abortion to pornography, the â€Å"war on drugs†to the end of the Cold War, the 1980s played host to considerable controversy; amidst such political uneasiness, then, it seems that Reagan Era rejuvenated middle-America’s latent conservatism. This return to the traditional Puritan values of the â€Å"nuclear family†also sponsored heightened State intervention and policing of the private sphere, thereby buttressing cultural myths of the dangerous, unknown â€Å"Other†. As such a fear of the Other was socially perpetuated, it seemed the responsibility of liberal-minded skeptics to note such propaganda as an alarming preparation for totalitarianism. Many cultural texts from the period, such as James Cameron’s 1984 science-fiction film, â€Å"The Terminator†, and Margaret Atwood’s 1986 feminist predictive-text, â€Å"The Handmaid’s Tale†, used this opportunity to illustrate the drastic outcomes of a society founded on such mass ignorance. Following in the tradition of â€Å"dystopian†, or anti-utopian, fiction, both texts use a depiction of a â€Å"perfect†future world in order to isolate, exaggerate and expose certain problematic social trends. While not intended as realistic or plausible predictions, these dystopian texts seek to expose extremist attitudes (such as radical conservatism, religiosity, or technological reliance) as fundamentally threatening to human nature and individualism. Dystopia, then, can be understood as a locale for the constant impediment of human freedom, maintained by a regime’s oppressive control of technology, gender and ideology. What makes this fictional society so fascinating, however, is its cunning transformation from utopia to dystopia, or from Heaven to Hell; each of these corrupt worlds is originally presented as a safer, more stable and efficient alternative to contemporary society. Atwood’s tale, for example, presents a portrait of a society, Gilead, which is superficially ideal: it is free of (visible) violence, hatred or suffering. Yet this apparent perfection comes with sacrifice, for all aspects of the population are controlled: social class and intellectual ability are all carefully regulated, with stability maintained at all costs. Similarly, Cameron’s â€Å"Terminator†presents members of modern-day (circa 1984) Los Angeles in a beneficial symbiotic relationship with machinery: as technology improves daily life for humans, so too do humans improve technology. Yet this techno-friendly society based on social alliance is jaded once the machines begin to overpower and out-wit humans; here the oppressive regime that threatens humanity is technology itself. In both texts it seems clear that both technological advancement and control are imperative to the succession of an autocratic state. And as the audience is always kept keenly aware of the dangers that homogeneity poses to the quality of life, these dystopian texts question whether technology necessitates a sacrifice of human individuality.
среда, 18 сентября 2019 г.
Biography of Ogden Nash Essay -- Papers
Ogden Nash was born on August 19, 1902 in Rye, New York and was raised there and in Savannah, Georgia. He received his education from St. George’s School in Rhode Island and he also attended Harvard University. His first published poem "Spring Comes to Murray Hill" was featured in the New Yorker Magazine in 1930. He subsequently joined the staff of the New Yorker Magazine in 1932. Throughout his career he published a total of nineteen books of poetry before his death on May 19, 1971. He manipulates the English language to fit in his poems to male jokes and keep his audience entertained. Nash says he gave up hope of becoming a serious poet and decided that it would be better to be a good bad poet than to be a bad good poet. Ogden Nash employs the use of humor and light hearted verse to talk about relationships, parenting, and life in general. Relationships were one of Ogden Nash’s most written about subjects. Relationships are a hard subject to write fun poetry about, but Nash makes it work like a charm by using funny generalizations and making them rhyme. He can do this like no other with any voice he feels needed. He uses serious, silly, and sincere tones in his work relating to relationships. In one poem in particular â€Å"u of an Ode to Duty†he tells about the confusing ever confusing relationship between men and women, and seems to take no obvious side in the matter. â€Å"On some occasions he writes in conventional modes, which means dropping the playful and the lightly satirical to write the pure lyric or to add a didactic note to the prevailing humorous tenor of his verse,†(Louis Hasley,2). Many of his poems about this topic are written with a personal feel, reading them makes you feel as... ... which he views on a daily basis. â€Å"The expression of wisdom, the incongruous sound effects, the comic deflation, all serve to endear the poet-fool to his audience,†(George Crandell,3). Through viewing Nash’s poetry I have learned that there needs to be a voice like his out in society to comment on nonsense, otherwise we would lose touch with our senses of humor. Works Cited Crandell, George W. Studies in American Humor, Vol. 7, 1989, pp.94-103. http://www.galenet.com/servelet/LitRC/ (10/26/1999) Frankenberg, Lloyd The New York Times Book Review, November 19, 1950, p.4 http://www.galenet.com/servelet/LitRC/ (10/26/1999) McCord, David The Saturday Review, February 10, 1951, p. 18 http://www.galenet.com/servelet/LitRC/ (10/26/1999) Hasley, Louis The Arizona Quarterly, Vol.27, 1971, pp. 241-250 http://www.galenet.com/servelet/LitRC/ (10/26/1999)
вторник, 17 сентября 2019 г.
Do It Yourself Natural Beauty Tips
Having beautiful skin, complexion and body involves eating healthy and right Some of the best beauty treatment and solutions are simple foods found in our kitchen or grocery stores. These foods are easily available and cheap as you can buy them during your marketing trip. The best about natural foods is that these foods do not contain preservatives, chemicals or irritant fragrances present in many commercial brands products.These natural food can be used for natural remedies and improve our body overall health. These foods also provide a quick beauty fix routine at the comfort of your home. Simply grab one of these foods from your fridge and start your health and beauty treatment immediately. * To be on the safe side, it is suggested that you patch test these foods to check for any allergic reaction before spreading them over your face and skin. Steep a pair of Earl Grey teabags in boiling water, run them under a tap and place over eyes for 10 minutes before night out. Use four bags of chamomile tea.Leave them to steep for 5 minutes then hold your face over the bowl. Freeze cooled chamomile tea in an ice-cube tray. When set, remove cubes and run over your face. Soak some gauze in cooled green tea and apply on skin the way you would a toner. OLIVE OIL Heat a cup of olive oil in the microwave for a few seconds. Massage onto dry areas of your skin. Heat enough olive oil to fill half a small clothes basin. Soak your hands in the oil for about 10 minutes, followed by the feet. Use it as a conditioner by leaving warmed olive oil on your hair for 15 minutes before shampoo.Remove all traces of cascara by dipping an overused mascara wand into some olive oil and use it to apply on your lashes the way you would mascara. Chop up a cucumber and drizzle a few drops of lemon Juice in the mixture. Apply on your face. Soothe tired eyes by cutting two rounds and place them on the eyelids. Rub down hot skin with a mixture of chopped cucumber, olive oil and plain yoghurt. LEMON Fo r sparkling teeth, mix one teaspoon of fresh lemon Juice with one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and half teaspoon of salt. Use like toothpaste – once a week.Lighten the skin and smoothen rough edges of elbows and knees. Cut a lemon into two halves and rest your elbows in each half for 15 minutes. Or squeeze Juice of lemon and apply on your knees. TOMATO Peel a tomato and chop it finely before spreading on face. Work as an effective cleanser and gentle astringent to tighten pores. Squeeze Juice of an orange and mix with a tablespoon of plain yoghurt. Apply on face, avoiding the eye area. Rinse off after 10 minutes and splash face with cold water. POTATOES A great way to get rid of dark underage circles. Run a large potato in a blender.Squeeze the pulp to get rid of excess Juice and form two patties from it. Place the patties over your eyes and keep them there for 10 minutes. APRICOTS Pound the kernel and add body lotion to blend into smooth paste. Use it as a gentle exfoliat ed for face. Note the pip is the rough â€Å"seed†and the ivory kernel is what you need when split open the pip. MAYONNAISE Massage mayonnaise into your hair after shampoo. Leave it on for a few minutes before rinse off. You can also use mayonnaise as a lip mask. Leave it on for 10 minutes before removing with cold water.AVOCADOS Mash a ripe one and use it as a facial mask; rinse off after 10 minutes. To get rid of puffy eyes; use a linen cloth, make a â€Å"moneybag†filled with mashed avocado. Dab it gently on eyes. GINGER Chop ginger and mix it with body lotion for a facial scrub. Avoid the sensitive eye MILK Soak a cotton pad with cool fresh milk and press it gently all over your face. Besides protein to feed your face, it gets rid of dirt thoroughly. Chill a cup of milk in the fridge before pouring the contents into a clothes spray. Use it like a sprinter over inflamed skin.Warm a bowl of milk in the microwave for half a minute and pour contents into a clothes ba sin. Soak your feet for half an hour and then give tit good hard brush to remove dead skin. Mix two teaspoons of turmeric powder and one teaspoon of honey with Just enough warm water to make a thick paste. Spread the mixture all over your face and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse off with water. For a three-in-one pre-bath treatment; blend two tablespoons of brown sugar with one teaspoon of fresh lemon Juice and two to three drops of olive oil.Rub the paste over rough areas like the knees and elbows. Citric IAC d trot the lemon unclogs the ores, skin-polishing sugar gets rid of surface dirt and olive oil moisture the skin. Run about 10 unripe cherries in a blender. Mix the Juice with a tablespoon of dry oatmeal and use as a five-minute facial mask. For the body; mix cherry Juice with a tablespoon of sea salt and massage over damp Dilute one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of water then heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds. When it's cooled, apply on your lips and lea ve for 10 minutes.To dry out pimples, pour out a teaspoon of honey into a bowl. Dip a cotton bud into the honey and apply on the spots. For a temporary facilitate, use Just the eight. Mix it with a tablespoon of honey and spread over face and throat in an upward motion. Leave on for 15 minutes and rinse off with warm water. Whisk egg yolk with a tablespoon of olive oil and leave on your hair for a few minutes before your shampoo. It makes a great hair conditioner. Mash half a ripe papaya with two teaspoons of honey.Apply to areas of face that are prone to wrinkles such as between the brows and along the sides of the nose. Leave on it for 10 minutes. Recommend below are the secret recipe for healthy drinking. Carrot + Ginger + Apple ; Boost and cleanse our system. Apple + Cucumber + Celery ; Prevent cancer, reduce cholesterol, and improve stomach upset and headache. Tomato + Carrot + Apple ; Improve skin complexion and bad breath. Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk ; Avoid bad breath and re duce internal body heat.
понедельник, 16 сентября 2019 г.
Sci 241 Week 5
( ©Reinhard/Age Fotostock America, Inc. ) CHAPTER 8 CONCEPTS I I I I I I I I I Thiamin, ribo? avin, niacin, biotin, and pantothenic acid are B vitamins needed to produce ATP from carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Vitamin B6 is important for amino acid metabolism as well as energy production. Folate is a coenzyme that is needed for cell division. Vitamin B12, only found in animal foods, is needed for nerve function and to activate folate. Vitamin C is needed to form connective tissue and acts as a watersoluble antioxidant. Vitamin A is essential for vision, and it regulates cell differentiation and growth. Vitamin D is necessary for bone health. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting. u s t A Ta s t e J Do vitamins give you extra energy? Should everyone take folate supplements? Does eating carrots improve your vision? Can vitamin E protect you from heart disease? The Vitamins Vitamins Are Vital to Your Health Vitamins Provide Many Different Functions in the Body Vitamins Are Found in Almost Everything You Eat We Need Enough but Not Too Much of Each Vitamin Some Vitamins Are Soluble in Water and Others Are Soluble in Fat Many B Vitamins Are Essential for Energy Production Thiamin: Important for Nerve Function Ribo? vin: A Bright Yellow Vitamin Niacin: De? ciency Caused an Epidemic of Mental Illness Biotin: Eggs Contain It but Can Block Its Use Pantothenic Acid: Widely Distributed in Food and Widely Used in the Body Vitamin B6 Is Important for Protein Metabolism Vitamin B6 Is Needed to Synthesize and Break Down Amino Acids Both Animal and Plant Foods Are Good Sources of Vitamin B6 Too Much Vitamin B6 Is Toxic Folate and Vitamin B12 Are Needed for Cell Division Folate: Important for Rapidly Dividing Cells Vitamin B12: Absorption Requires Intrinsic Factor Vitamin C Saved Sailors from Scurvy Vitamin C Is Needed to Maintain Connective Tissue Vitamin C Is a Water-Soluble Antioxidant Citrus Fruit Is One of the Best Sources of Vitamin C Vitamin C Is the Most Common Vitamin Supplement Choline: Is It a Vitamin? Vitamin A Is Needed for Healthy Eyes Vitamin A Comes in Preformed and Precursor Forms Vitamin A Requires Fat for Absorption and Protein for Transport Vitamin A Is Necessary for Vision Vitamin A Regulates Gene Expression -Carotene Is a Vitamin A Precursor and an Antioxidant Vitamin A Needs Can Be Met with Plant and Animal Sources Vitamin A De? iency Is a World Health Problem Preformed Vitamin A Can Be Toxic Vitamin D Can Be Made in the Skin Vitamin D Is Needed to Maintain Normal Calcium Levels Vitamin D De? ciency Causes Weak Bones Only a Few Foods Are Natural Sources of Vitamin D Too Much Vitamin D Causes Calcium to Deposit in the Wrong Tissues Vitamin E Protects Membranes Vitamin E Is a Fat-Soluble Antioxidant Vitamin E De? ciency Damages Membranes Most of the Vitamin E in Our Diets Comes fr om Plant Oils Vitamin E Is Relatively Nontoxic Vitamin K Is Needed for Blood Clotting Vitamin K De? iency Causes Bleeding Drugs That Inhibit Vitamin K Prevent Fatal Blood Clots The Requirement for Vitamin K Is Met by Bacterial Synthesis and Food Sources 8 INTRODUCTION Vitamin D Concerns on the Rise By Karen Collins, R. D. Dec. 5, 2003â€â€A lack of vitamin Dâ€â€thought to be a problem of a bygone eraâ€â€is showing up in growing numbers of women, children, and the elderly, increasing the risk of bone disease and possibly other health problems. Exposing only the face, hands, and forearms to sunlight for 10 to 30 minutes, just two or three days a week, can usually produce all the vitamin D we need. Longer exposure doesn’t produce more of this vitamin. Yet today, many people’s lifestyles and locations do not allow them to produce enough, making dietary sources vital. For more information on vitamin D concerns go to www. msnbc. msn. com/id/3660416. A ren’t vitamin de? ciency diseases a thing of the past? After all, the vitamins have been identi? ed, characterized, and puri? ed. We get them from foods that are natural sources and they are added to our breakfast cereal and sold in pill form. For over 100 years scientists have been experimenting with how much of which ones we need to stay healthy and public health of? ials have been providing us with guidelines as to how best to get enough from our diets. How can anyone have a de? ciency? Despite advances in vitamin research over the last century, millions of people around the globe still suffer from vitamin de? ciency diseases. In the United States, the plentiful and 235 236 Chapter 8 The Vitamins varied food s upply make severe vitamin de? ciencies unlikely but this doesn’t mean everyone gets enough of everything all the time. Marginal de? ciencies often go unnoticed and can be mistaken for other conditions. Vitamins Are Vital to Your Health L Vitamins Organic compounds needed * in the diet in small amounts to promote and regulate the chemical reactions and processes needed for growth, reproduction, and the maintenance of health. Vitamins are essential to your health. You only need very small quantities but if you don’t get enough your body cannot function optimally. Severe de? ciencies cause debilitating diseases but even marginal intakes can cause subtle changes that affect your health today and your risk of chronic disease tomorrow. An organic substance is classi? ed as a vitamin if lack of it in the diet causes symptoms that are relieved by adding it back to the diet. The fact that the vitamins we eat in food are essential to health seems simple and obvious, but it was not always so. For centuries, people knew that some diseases could be cured by certain foods. But it was a long time before we understood why particular foods relieved speci? c ailments. Cures attributed to foods seemed like nothing short of a miracle. People too weak to rise from their beds, those with bleeding wounds that would not heal, those too mentally disturbed to function in society, and those with other serious ailments were cured with changes in diet. Even before the chemistry of these substances was unraveled, the civilized world was enchanted with the magic of vitamins. They brought hope that incurable diseases could be remedied by simple dietary additions. Today we understand what vitamins do and why they cure de? ciency diseases, but we still hold out hope for more miracles from these small molecules. And we might get a few. Scientists continue to discover important links between vitamins and the risk of developing illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure. What is being uncovered is far subtler than the miracle cures of the 19thcentury de? iency diseases, but people cling to the belief that taking more vitamins will cure what ails them. As a result of this â€Å"more is always better†attitude vitamin toxicities have become a concern. A toxic reaction can be as devastating as a de? ciency. Trying to get the right amount of each of the vitamins may sound analogous to walking a tightr ope between not enough and too much. In reality it is not that hard to get enough of most vitamins from a well-planned diet and most toxicities are not caused by foods but rather by excessive use of supplements. Vitamins provide many different functions in the body To date, 13 substances have been identi? ed as vitamins essential in the diet (Table 8. 1). They were named alphabetically in approximately the order in which they were identi? ed: A, B, C, D, and E. The B vitamins were ? rst thought to be one chemical substance but were later found to be many different substances, so the alphabetical name was broken down by numbers. Vitamins B6 and B12 are the only ones that are still commonly referred to by their numbers. Thiamin, ribo? avin, and niacin were originally referred to as vitamin B1, B2, and B3, respectively, but today they are not typically called by these names. Vitamins each have a unique role in the body. For instance, vitamin A is needed for vision, vitamin K is needed for blood clotting, and vitamin C is needed to synthesize connective tissue. Many body processes require the presence of more than one vitamin. For example the B vitamins thiamin, ribo? avin, niacin, biotin, and pantothenic acid are all needed to produce ATP from carbohydrate, fat, and protein. In some cases adequate amounts of one vitamin depend on the presence of another. For example, vitamin B12 is needed to provide the form of folate needed for cell division and vitamin C helps restore vitamin E to its active form. Vitamins Are Vital to Your Health 237 TABLE 8. 1 Where Does Each Vitamin Fit? Water-Soluble Vitamins B Vitamins †¢ Thiamin (B1) †¢ Ribo? avin (B2) †¢ Niacin (B3) †¢ Biotin †¢ Pantothenic acid †¢ Vitamin B6 †¢ Folate †¢ Vitamin B12 Vitamin C Fat-Soluble Vitamins Vitamin A Vitamin D Vitamin E Vitamin K Vitamins are found in almost everything you eat Almost all foods contain some vitamins (Figure 8. 1). Grain products are good sources of the B vitamins thiamin, niacin, ribo? avin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6. Meats, such as beef, pork, and chicken, and ? sh are good sources of all of the B vitamins. Milk provides ribo? avin and vitamins A and D; leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, provide folate, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K; citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit provide vitamin C; and vegetable oils, such as corn and saf? ower oil, are high in vitamin E. FIGURE 8. 1 All the food groups contain choices that are good sources of vitamins. ( © Topic Photo Agency) (PhotoDisc, Inc. /Getty Images) Processing affects vitamin content The amount of a vitamin in a food depends on the amount naturally found in that food as well as how the food is cooked, stored, and processed. The vitamins naturally found in foods can be washed away during preparation, destroyed by cooking, or damaged by exposure to light or oxygen. Thus, processing steps such as canning vegetables, re? ning grains, and drying fruits can cause nutrient losses. However, other processing steps such as forti? cation and enrichment add nutrients to foods. Some nutrients are added to foods to prevent vitamin or mineral de? ciencies and promote health in the population (see Chapter 10). For example, milk is forti? ed with vitamin D to promote bone health, and grains are forti? ed with folic acid to reduce the incidence of birth defects. Some foods are also forti? ed with nutrients to help increase product sales. Dietary supplements can boost vitamin intake We also get vitamins in dietary supplements. Currently about half of adult Americans take some form of dietary supplement on a daily basis and 80% take them occasionally. 1 While supplements provide speci? c nutrients, they do not provide all the bene? ts of foods. A pill that meets vitamin needs does not provide the energy, protein, minerals, ? ber, or phytochemicals that would have been supplied by food sources of these vitamins (see Chapter 10). Not all of what you eat can be used by the body The vitamins that we consume in our diets are needed in the cells and ? uids of our body. In order to provide their essential functions, vitamins must get to the target tissues. The amount of a nutrient consumed that can be used by the body is referred to as its bioavailability. Bioavailability is affected by the composition of individual foods, the diet as a whole, and conditions in the body. For example, the thiamin in certain individual foods such as blueberries and red cabbage cannot be used by the body because these foods contain antithiamin factors that destroy the thiamin. An example of how L Forti? cation A term used generally to * describe the addition of nutrients to foods, such as the addition of vitamin D to milk. L Enrichment The addition of speci? c * nutrients to a food to restore those lost in processing to a level equal to or higher than originally present. L Dietary supplement A product * intended for ingestion in the diet that contains one or more of the following: vitamins, minerals, plant-derived substances, amino acids, or concentrates or extracts. L Bioavailability A general term that * refers to how well a nutrient can be absorbed and used by the body. 38 Chapter 8 The Vitamins Chewing helps break apart fiber and release vitamins Bile produced by the liver helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins Digestion in the stomach releases vitamins from food Some niacin absorption Liver Stomach Digestive enzymes released by pancreas help to further release vitamins Fat-soluble vitamins absorbed from micelles along with dietary fat Pancreas Water-sol uble vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, biotin, pantothenic acid) absorbed by simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and active transport Vitamin C absorbed in later portion (ileum) of small intestine Small Intestine Vitamin B12 absorbed in later portion (ileum) of small intestine Large Intestine Absorption of small amounts of vitamin K, biotin, and pantothenic acid made by bacteria in the large intestine FIGURE 8. 2 An overview of vitamins in the digestive tract. diet composition affects vitamin bioavailability is dietary fat and the absorption of fatsoluble vitamins. Because fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed along with dietary fat, diets very low in fat reduce absorption (Figure 8. 2). Conditions in the body affect bioavailability in several ways. Some vitamins require speci? c molecules in order to be absorbed. If these aren’t available, the vitamin cannot be absorbed in suf? cient amounts. For example, vitamin B12 must be bound to a protein produced in the stomach before it can be absorbed in the intestine. If this protein is not available, adequate amounts of vitamin B12 cannot be absorbed. Other vitamins require transport molecules to travel in the blood to the tissues that need them. Vitamin A is stored in the liver, but it must be bound to a speci? transport protein to travel in the blood to other tissues; therefore, the amount delivered to the tissues depends on the availability of the transport protein. We need enough but not too much of each vitamin The right amounts and combinations of vitamins and other nutrients are essential to health. Despite our knowledge of what vitamins do and how much of each we need, we don’t all consume the right amounts. In developing countries, vitamin de? ciencies remain a major public health problem. In industrialized countries, a more varied food supply, along with forti? ation, has almost eliminated vitamin-de? ciency diseases in the majority of the population. Concern in these countries now focuses on meeting the needs of high-risk groups such as children and pregnant women, determining the effects of marginal de? ciencies such as the effect of low B vitamin intake on heart disease risk, and evaluating the risk of consuming large amounts. The RDAs and AIs of the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) recommend amounts that provide enough of Vitamins Are Vital to Your Health 239 each of the vitamins to prevent a de? ciency and promote health (see Chapter 2). Because more is not always better when it comes to nutrient intake, the DRIs have also established Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) as a guide to amounts that are high enough to pose a risk of toxicity (see inside cover). Some vitamins are soluble in water and others are soluble in fat We group vitamins based on their solubility in water or fat, a characteristic that affects how they are absorbed, transported, excreted, and stored in the body. The watersoluble vitamins include the B vitamins and vitamin C. The fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K (see Table 8. 1) With he exception of vitamin B12, the water-soluble vitamins are easily excreted from the body in the urine. Because they are not stored to any great extent, supplies of most water-soluble vitamins are rapidly depleted and they must be consumed regularly in the diet. Nevertheless, it takes more than a few days to develop de? ciency symptoms, even when these vitamins are completely eliminated from the diet. Fatsoluble vitamins, on the other hand, are stored in the liver and fatty tissues and cannot be excreted in the urine. In general, because they are stored to a larger extent, it takes longer to develop a de? iency of fat-soluble vitamins when they are no longer provided by the diet. In this chapter the water-soluble vitamins are presented ? rst because many play an important role in the reactions that produce energy from carbohydrate, fat, and protein that have been addressed in Chapters 4 through 7 (Table 8. 2). L Water-soluble vitamins Vitamins that * dissolve in water. L Fat-soluble vitamins Vitamins that * dissolve in fat. TABLE 8. 2 A Quick Guide to the Water-Soluble Vitamins Food Sources Pork, whole and enriched grains, seeds, nuts, legumes Recommended Intake for Adults 1. –1. 2 mg/day Major Functions Coenzyme in glucose metabolism, needed for neurotransmitter synthesis and normal nerve function Coenzyme needed in energy metabolism De? ciency Symptoms Berberi: weakness , apathy, irritability, nerve tingling, poor coordination, paralysis, heart changes In? ammation of mouth and tongue, cracks at corners of the mouth Pellagra: diarrhea, dermatitis on areas exposed to sun, dementia Groups at Risk of De? ciency Alcoholics, those living in poverty Toxicity and UL None reported. No UL Vitamin Thiamin (vitamin B1, thiamin mononitrate) Ribo? vin (vitamin B2) Dairy products, 1. 1–1. 3 mg/day whole and enriched grains, leafy green vegetables, meats Beef, chicken, ? sh, peanuts, legumes, whole and enriched grains. Can be made from tryptophan 14–16 mg NE/day None None reported. No UL Niacin (nicotinamide, nicotinic acid, vitamin B3) Coenzyme needed in energy metabolism and lipid synthesis and breakdown Those consuming a limited diet based on corn, alcoholics Flushing, nausea, rash, tingling extremities. UL is 35 mg from forti? ed foods and supplements (Continued) 240 Chapter 8 The Vitamins TABLE 8. 2 (Continued ) Food Sources Liver, egg yolks, synthesized in the gut Recommended Intake for Adults 30 g/day Major Functions De? ciency Symptoms Groups at Risk of De? ciency Those consuming large amounts of raw egg whites, alcoholics None Toxicity and UL None reported. No UL Vitamin Biotin Coenzyme in Dermatitis, glucose production nausea, and lipid synthesis depression, hallucinations Pantothenic acid (calcium pantothenate) Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine) Meat, legumes, whole grains, widespread in foods Meat, ? sh, poultry, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds Leafy green vegetables, legumes, seeds, enriched grains 5 mg/day Coenzyme in Fatigue, rash energy metabolism and lipid synthesis and breakdown Coenzyme in protein metabolism, neurotransmitter and hemoglobin synthesis Coenzyme in DNA synthesis and amino acid metabolism Headache, numbness, tingling, convulsions, nausea, poor growth, anemia Macrocytic anemia, in? ammation of tongue, diarrhea, poor growth, neural tube defects Pernicious anemia, macrocytic anemia, nerve damage Scurvy: poor wound healing, bleeding gums, loose teeth, bone fragility, joint pain, pinpoint hemorrhages Liver dysfunction None reported. No UL Numbness, nerve damage. UL is 100 mg 1. 3–1. 7 mg/day Women, alcoholics Folate (folic acid, folacin, pteroyglutamic acid) 400 g DFE/day Pregnant women, alcoholics Masks B12 de? ciency. UL is 1000 g from forti? ed food and supplements None reported. No UL Animal products 2. 4 g/day Vitamin B12 (cobalamin, cyanocobalamin) Coenzyme in folate metabolism, nerve function Vegans, women, those with stomach or intestinal disease Alcoholics, elderly men Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, ascorbate) Citrus fruit, broccoli, strawberries, greens, peppers 75–90 mg/day Collagen (connective tissue) synthesis; hormone and neurotransmitter synthesis, antioxidant Synthesis of cell membranes and neurotransmitters GI distress, diarrhea. UL is 2000 mg Choline* Egg yolks, organ meats, leafy greens, nuts, body synthesis 425–550 mg/day None Sweating low blood pressure, liver damage. UL is 3500 mg UL, Tolerable Upper Intake Level; NE, niacin equivalent; DFE, dietary folate equivalent. *Choline is technically not a vitamin but recommendations have been made for its intake. Many B Vitamins Are Essential for Energy Production 241 Many B Vitamins Are Essential for Energy Production For many people the term vitamin is synonymous with energy. But vitamins do not actually contain any energy at all. We get energy from the carbohydrate, fat, and protein in our diet, but we can’t use the energy contained in these nutrients without the help of vitamins. The B vitamins thiamin, ribo? avin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and biotin are directly involved in converting the energy in carbohydrate, fat, and protein into ATPâ€â€the form of energy that is used to run the body (Figure 8. 3). Each of these vitamins acts as a coenzyme in one or more of the chemical reactions necessary to generate usable energy from these nutrients (Figure 8. 4). Thiamin: important for nerve function Thiamin is needed for nerve cells to obtain energy and to synthesize an important neurotransmitter. A de? ciency of thiamin causes beriberi, a condition that has been known for over 1000 years in East Asian countries. In Sri Lanka, the word beriberi literally means â€Å"I cannot†; this phrase refers to the extreme weakness that is the earliest symptom of the condition. Beriberi came to the attention of Western medicine in colonial Asia in the 19th century. It became such a problem that the Dutch East India Company sent a team of scientists to ? nd its cause. What they were expecting to ? d was a germ like those that caused cholera and rabies. What they found for a long time was nothing. For over 10 years, a young physician named Christian Eijkman worked C C C C C C Although people often take B vitamins to get more energy these vitamins do not actually provide energy. They are however necessary for the body to produce energy from other nutrients. L Coenzymes Small nonprotein o rganic * molecules that act as carriers of electrons or atoms in metabolic reactions and are necessary for the proper functioning of many enzymes. L Beriberi The disease resulting from a * de? iency of thiamin. O C C O C C C C C OH C C Glucose Fatty acid Amino acids Niacin Biotin Niacin Riboflavin Biotin Pantothenic acid Niacin Riboflavin Biotin Pantothenic acid O2 Thiamin Riboflavin Niacin Pantothenic acid C C Thiamin Riboflavin Pantothenic acid C C C Niacin Riboflavin H2O CO2 ATP FIGURE 8. 3 Thiamin, ribo? avin, niacin, biotin, and pantothenic acid are needed in the reactions that produce energy from carbohydrate, fat, and protein. If one of these is missing, energy production is disrupted. 242 Chapter 8 The Vitamins Coenzyme Incomplete enzyme Active enzyme A B A B Enzyme reaction FIGURE 8. 4 The B vitamins serve as coenzymes. This ? gure shows that the coenzyme must bind to form an active enzyme. The enzyme in this example can then join A and B to form a new molecule, shown here as AB. AB to ? nd the cause of beriberi. His success came as a twist of fate. He ran out of food for his experimental chickens and instead of the usual brown rice, he fed them white rice. Shortly thereafter, the chickens came down with beriberi-like symptoms. When he fed them brown rice again, they got well. What did this mean? To Eijkman it provided evidence that the cause of beriberi was not a poison or a microorganism, but rather something missing from the chicken feed. The incidence of beriberi in East Asia increased dramatically the 1800s due to the rising popularity of polished rice. Polished or white rice is produced by polishing off the bran layer of brown rice creating a more uniform product. However, polishing off the bran also removes the vitamin-rich portion of the grain (Figure 8. 5). Therefore, in populations where white rice was the staple of the diet, beriberi, became a common health problem. FIGURE 8. 5 Unenriched white rice is a poor source of thiamin. (Charles D. Winters) L Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome A form * of thiamin de? ciency associated with alcohol abuse that is characterized by mental confusion, disorientation, loss of memory, and a staggering gait. Thiamin is needed to produce energy from glucose The reason thiamin is needed for nerve cells to obtain energy is because it is a coenzyme for some of the important energy-yielding reactions in the body. One of these is essential for the production of energy from glucose, the energy source for nerve cells. In addition to its role in energy production it is needed for neurotransmitter synthesis and is also essential for the metabolism of other sugars and certain amino acids, and for the synthesis of ribose, a sugar that is part of the structure of RNA (ribonucleic acid). Thiamin de? ciency affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Without thiamin, glucose, which is the primary fuel for the brain and nerve cells, cannot be used normally and nerve impulses cannot be transmitted normally. This leads to weakness and depression, which are the ? st symptoms of beriberi; other neurological symptoms include poor coordination, tingling sensations, and paralysis. The reason de? ciency affects the cardiovascular system is not well understood, but symptoms include rapid heartbeat and enlargement of the heart. Overt beriberi is rare in North America today, but a form of thiamin de? ciency called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome does occur in alcoholics. People with this condition experience mental confusion, psychosis, memory disturbances, and eventually coma. They are particularly vulnerable because thiamin absorption is decreased due to the effect of alcohol on the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, thiamin intake is low because alcohol contributes calories to the alcoholic’s diet but brings with it almost no nutrients. Many B Vitamins Are Essential for Energy Production RDA Sunflower seeds (1/4 c) Walnuts (1/4 c) Peanuts (1/4 c) Lentils (1 c) Pork (3 oz) Beef (3 oz) Trout (3 oz) Chicken (3 oz) 2% Milk (1 c) Cheddar cheese (1. 5 oz) Orange juice (1 c) Kiwi (2 med) Apple (1 med) Corn (1/2 c) Asparagus (1/2 c) Spinach, raw (1 c) Oatmeal (1 c) Spaghetti (1 c) Brown rice (1 c) White bread (2 sl) Whole-wheat bread (2 sl) 0 0. 2 0. 4 0. 6 0. 8 Thiamin (mg) 1. 0 1. 2 243 FIGURE 8. 6 Thiamin content of selections from each group of the Food Guide Pyramid. The dashed line represents the RDA for adult men. Pork is a better source of thiamin than other meats. (Randy Mayor/Foodpix/PictureArts Corp. ) The recommended intake for thiamin can be met by eating a varied diet You can meet your needs for thiamin by snacking on sun? ower seeds and having a serving of roast pork for dinner. These foods are exceptionally good sources of thiamin. Together 3 ounces of pork and a quarter cup of sun? ower seeds provide 1. 5 mg of thiamin, well above the RDA, which is 1. mg per day for adult men age 19 and older and 1. 1 mg per day for adult women 19 and older. 2 But even a diet that doesn’t include these foods can meet your thiamin needs as long as you make nutritious choices such as those recommended by the Food Guide Pyramid (Figure 8. 6). Legumes, nuts, and seeds are good sources. Grains are also good sources; thiamin is found in the bran of whole grains and i t is added to enriched re? ned grains. A large proportion of the thiamin consumed in the United States comes from enriched grains used in foods such as baked goods. Some breakfast cereals are forti? d with so much additional thiamin that a single bowlful contains more than the RDA. Although it is easy to meet thiamin needs some of the thiamin in foods may be destroyed during cooking or storage because it is sensitive to heat, oxygen, and low-acid conditions. Thiamin availability is also affected by the presence of antithiamin factors that destroy the vitamin. There are enzymes in raw shell? sh and freshwater ? sh that degrade thiamin during food storage and preparation and during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. These enzymes are destroyed by cooking so they are only a concern in foods consumed raw. Other antithiamin factors that are not inactivated by cooking are found in tea, coffee, betel nuts, blueberries, and red cabbage. Habitual consumption of foods containing antithiamin factors increases the risk of thiamin de? ciency. 2 Despite the fact that intakes of thiamin above the RDA have not been shown to be bene? cial, many supplements contain up to 50 mg of thiamin and promise that they will provide â€Å"more energy. †Although thiamin is needed to produce energy, unless it is de? cient, increasing thiamin intake does not increase the ability to produce energy. There is no UL for thiamin since no toxicity has been reported when excess is consumed from either food or supplements. 2 Enriched grains have thiamin as well as ribo? avin, niacin, and iron added to them (see Chapter 4). * Remember 244 Chapter 8 The Vitamins Ribo? avin: a bright yellow vitamin Ribo? avin is a water-soluble vitamin that provides a visible indicator when you consume too much of it. Excess is excreted in your urineâ€â€turning it a bright ? uorescent yellow. The color may surprise you but it is harmless. No adverse effects have been reported from high doses of ribo? vin from foods or supplements. FIGURE 8. 7 Milk is packaged in opaque or cloudy containers to protect its ribo? avin from destruction by light. (Charles D. Winters) Milk is the best source of ribo? avin in the North American diet Ever wonder why milk comes in opaque cardboard or cloudy plastic containers? The reason is that it is one of the best sources of ribo? avin in our diet and ribo? avin is destroy ed by light. If your milk was in a clear glass bottle and sat in a lighted grocery store display case for several days much of the ribo? avin would be destroyed. The most ribo? vin-friendly milk containers are opaque so the ribo? avin is fully protected from light (Figure 8. 7). Other major dietary sources of ribo? avin include other dairy products, liver, red meat, poultry, ? sh, whole grains, and enriched breads and cereals. Vegetable sources include asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, and leafy green vegetables such as spinach. The RDA for ribo? avin for adult men age 19 and older is 1. 3 mg per day and for adult women 19 and older, 1. 1 mg per day. 3 Two cups of milk provide about half the amount of ribo? avin recommended for a typical adult. If you do not include milk in your diet you can meet your ribo? avin needs by including two to three servings of meat and four to ? ve servings of enriched grain products and high-ribo? avin vegetables such as spinach (Figure 8. 8). Ribo? avin is needed to produce energy from carbohydrate, fat, and protein Ribo? avin has two active coenzyme forms that function in producing energy from carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Ribo? avin is also involved directly or indirectly in converting a number of other vitamins, including folate, niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin K, into their active forms. When ribo? vin is de? cient, injuries heal poorly because new cells cannot grow to replace the damaged ones. Tissues that grow most rapidly, such as the skin and the lin- RDA Sunflower seeds (1/4 c) Walnuts (1/4 c) Peanuts (1/4 c) Lentils (1 c) Pork (3 oz) Beef (3 oz) Trout (3 oz) Chicken (3 oz) 2% Milk (1 c) Cheddar cheese (1. 5 oz) Orange juice (1 c) Kiwi (2 med) Apple (1 med) Corn (1/2 c) Asparagus (1 /2 c) Spinach, raw (1 c) FIGURE 8. 8 Ribo? avin content of selections from each group of the Food Guide Pyramid. The dashed line represents the RDA for adult men. Milk is an exceptionally good source of ribo? avin. Corbis Images) Oatmeal (1 c) Spaghetti (1 c) Brown rice (1 c) White bread (2 sl) Whole-wheat bread (2 sl) 0 0. 4 0. 8 Riboflavin (mg) 1. 2 Many B Vitamins Are Essential for Energy Production 245 ings of the eyes, mouth, and tongue, are the ? rst to be affected. This causes symptoms such as cracking of the lips and at the corners of the mouth; increased sensitivity to light; burning, tearing, and itching of the eyes; and ? aking of the skin around the nose, eyebrows, and earlobes. A de? ciency of ribo? avin rarely occurs alone; it usually occurs in conjunction with de? ciencies of other B vitamins. This is because the same foods provide many of the B vitamins. Because ribo? avin is needed to convert other vitamins into their active forms, some of the symptoms seen with ribo? avin de? ciency re? ect de? ciencies of these other nutrients. Niacin: de? ciency caused an epidemic of mental illness In the early 1900’s psychiatric hospitals in the southeastern United States were ? lled with patients with the niacin-de? ciency disease pellagra. At the time, no one knew what caused it but the prime suspects were toxins or microorganisms. The mystery of pellagra was ? nally unraveled by Dr. Joseph Goldberger, who was sent by the U. S. Public Health Service to investigate the pellagra epidemic. He observed that individuals in institutions such as hospitals, orphanages, and prisons suffered from pellagra, but the staff did not. If pellagra were an infectious disease, both populations would be equally affected. Dr. Goldberger proposed that pellagra was due to a de? ciency in the diet. To test his hypothesis, he added nutritious foods such as fresh meats, milk, and eggs to the diet of children in orphanages. The symptoms of pellagra disappeared, supporting his hypothesis that pellagra is due to a de? ciency of something in the diet. In another experiment he was able to induce pellagra in healthy prison inmates by feeding them an unhealthy diet. The missing dietary component was later identi? ed as the water-soluble B vitamin niacin. L Pellagra The disease resulting from a * de? ciency of niacin. A niacin de? ciency causes dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia The need for niacin is so widespread in metabolism that a de? ciency causes major changes throughout the body. The early symptoms of pellagra include fatigue, decreased appetite, and indigestion. These are followed by symptoms that can be remembered as the three D’s: dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia. If left untreated, niacin de? ciency results in a fourth Dâ€â€death. Niacin coenzymes function in glucose metabolism and in reactions that synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol (see Figure 8. 3). There are two forms of niacin: nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. Either form can be used by the body to make the active coenzyme forms. Niacin is found in meats, legumes, and grains Meat and ? sh are good sources of niacin (Figure 8. 9). Other sources include legumes, wheat bran, and peanuts. Niacin added to enriched grains provides much of the usable niacin in the North American diet. Niacin can also be synthesized in the body from the essential amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan, however, is only used to make niacin if enough is available to ? rst meet the needs of protein synthesis. When the diet is low in tryptophan, it is not used to synthesize niacin. The reason pellagra was prevalent in the South in the early 1900’s is because the local diet among the poor consisted of corn meal, molasses, and fatback or salt pork all poor sources of both niacin and protein. Corn is low in tryptophan and the niacin found naturally in corn is bound to other molecules and therefore not well absorbed. Molasses contains essentially no protein or niacin and salt pork is almost pure fat, so it does not contain enough protein to both meet protein needs and synthesize niacin. Although corn-based diets such as this one are historically associated with the appearance of niacin de? ciency it has not been a problem in Mexico and Central American countries. One reason may be because the treatment of corn with lime water, as is done during the making of tortillas, enhances the availability of niacin (Figure 8. 10). The diet in these regions also includes legumes, which provide both niacin and a source of tryptophan for the synthesis of niacin. In searching for the cause of pellagra, Dr. Goldberger and his coworkers ingested blood, nasal secretions, feces, and urine from patients with the diseaseâ€â€none of them developed pellagra. This helped to disprove the hypothesis that pellagra was an infectious disease. 246 Chapter 8 The Vitamins RDA Sunflower seeds (1/4 c) Walnuts (1/4 c) Peanuts (1/4 c) Lentils (1 c) Pork (3 oz) Beef (3 oz) Trout (3 oz) Chicken (3 oz) 2% Milk (1 c) Cheddar cheese (1. 5 oz) Orange juice (1 c) Kiwi (2 med) Apple (1 med) Corn (1/2 c) Asparagus (1/2 c) Spinach, raw (1 c) FIGURE 8. 9 Niacin content of selections from each group of the Food Guide Pyramid. The dashed line represents the RDA for adult men. Meat, legumes, and grains are good sources of the vitamin. (PhotoDisc, Inc. /Getty Images) Oatmeal (1 c) Spaghetti (1 c) Brown rice (1 c) White bread (2 sl) Whole-wheat bread (2 sl) 0 2 4 6 8 10 Niacin (mg) 12 14 16 L Niacin equivalents (NEs) The * measure used to express the amount of niacin present in food, including that which can be made from its precursor, tryptophan. One NE is equal to 1 mg of niacin or 60 mg of tryptophan. Today, as a result of the enrichment of grains, including corn meal, with niacin, thiamin, ribo? vin, and iron, pellagra is rare in the United States but it remains common in India and parts of China and Africa. Efforts to eradicate this de? ciency include the development of new varieties of corn that provide more available niacin and more tryptophan than traditional varieties. Because some of the requirement for niacin can be met by the synthesis of niacin from tryptophan, the RDA is expressed as niacin equi valents (NEs). One NE is equal to 1 mg of niacin or 60 mg of tryptophan, the amount needed to make 1 mg of niacin. 3 To estimate the niacin contributed by high-protein foods, protein is considered to be about 1% tryptophan. The RDA for adult men and women of all ages is 16 and 14 mg NE per day, respectively. A medium chicken breast and a cup of steamed asparagus provide this amount. FIGURE 8. 10 Tortillas, eaten in Mexico and other Latin American countries, provide niacin because the corn is treated with lime water, making the niacin available for absorption. (Jeff Greenberg/Photo Researchers) Many B Vitamins Are Essential for Energy Production 247 High-dose niacin supplements can be toxic There is no evidence of any adverse effects from consumption of niacin naturally occurring in foods, but supplements can be toxic. The adverse effects of high intakes of niacin include ? ushing of the skin, a tingling sensation in the hands and feet, a red skin rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, high blood sugar levels, abnormalities in liver function, and blurred vision. The UL for adults is 35 mg, but high-dose supplements of one form of niacin (50 mg or greater) are used under medical supervision to treat elevated blood cholesterol (see Chapter 5). Another form is under investigation for its bene? ts in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. When vitamins are taken in large doses to treat diseases that are not due to vitamin de? iencies, they are really being used as drugs rather than vitamins. Biotin: eggs contain it but can block its use You probably know that you shouldn’t eat raw eggs because they can contain harmful bacteria, but did you know that eating raw eggs could cause a biotin de? ciency? Raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin that tightly binds biotin and prevents its absorption. Biotin was discovered when rats fed protein derived from raw egg whites developed a syndrome of hair loss, dermatitis, and neuromuscular dysfunction. Thoroughly cooking eggs kills bacteria and denatures avidin so that it cannot bind biotin (Figure 8. 1). FIGURE 8. 11 Raw eggs are often used to make high-protein health drinks. This is not recommended because raw eggs may contain bacteria that can make you sick, and egg whites contain a protein that makes biotin unavailable. (Charles D. Winters) Biotin is important in energy production and glucose synthesis Biotin is a coenzyme for a group of enzymes that add an acid group to molecules. It functions in energy production and in glucose synthesis. It is also important in the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids (see Figure 8. 3). Although biotin de? iency is uncommon, it has been observed in those frequently consuming raw egg whites as well as people with malabsorption or protein-energy malnutrition, those receiving intravenous fe edings lacking biotin, and those taking certain anticonvulsant drugs for long periods. 3 Biotin de? ciency in humans causes nausea, thinning hair, loss of hair color, a red skin rash, depression, lethargy, hallucinations, and tingling of the extremities. Biotin is consumed in the diet and made by bacteria in the gut Good sources of biotin in the diet include cooked eggs, liver, yogurt, and nuts. Fruit and meat are poor sources. Biotin is also synthesized by bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Some of this is absorbed into the body and contributes to our biotin needs. An AI of 30 mg per day has been established for adults based on the amount of biotin found in a typical North American diet. High doses of biotin have not resulted in toxicity symptoms; there is no UL for biotin. Pantothenic acid: widely distributed in food and widely used in the body Pantothenic acid, which gets its name from the Greek word pantos (meaning â€Å"from everywhere†), is widely distributed in foods. It is particularly abundant in meat, eggs, whole grains, and legumes. It is found in lesser amounts in milk, vegetables, and fruits. In addition to being â€Å"from everywhere†in the diet, pantothenic acid seems to be needed everywhere in the body. It is part of a key coenzyme needed for the breakdown of carbohydrates, fatty acids, and amino acids as well as the modi? cation of proteins and the synthesis of neurotransmitters, steroid hormones, and hemoglobin. Pantothenic acid is also part of a coenzyme essential for the synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids (see Figure 8. 3). The wide distribution of pantothenic acid in foods makes de? ciency rare in humans. It may occur as part of a multiple B vitamin de? iency resulting from malnutrition or chronic alcoholism. The AI is 5 mg per day for adults. Pantothenic acid is relatively nontoxic and there are not suf? cient data to establish a UL. 3 248 Chapter 8 The Vitamins Vitamin B6 Is Important in Protein Metabolism Vitamin B6 is one of only two B vitamins that we still know by its number. The ch emical name for vitamin B6 is pyridoxine but we rarely hear it called this. The important role of vitamin B6 in amino acid metabolism distinguishes it from the other B vitamins. Vitamin B6 is needed to synthesize and break down amino acids Vitamin B6 has three formsâ€â€pyridoxal, pyridoxine, and pyridoxamine. These can be converted into the active coenzyme form, pyridoxal phosphate, which is needed for the activity of more than 100 enzymes involved in the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat, and protein. It is particularly important in amino acid synthesis and breakdown; without vitamin B6 the non-essential amino acids cannot be made in the body (Figure 8. 12). Pyridoxal phosphate is needed to synthesize hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells, and is important for the immune system because it is needed to form white blood cells. It is also needed for the conversion of tryptophan to niacin, the release of glucose from the carbohydrate storage molecule glycogen, the synthesis of certain neurotransmitters, and the synthesis of the lipids that are part of the myelin coating on nerves, which is essential for normal transmission of nerve signals. Vitamin B6 de? ciency causes numbness and tingling Vitamin B6 de? ciency causes neurological symptoms including numbness and tingling in the hands and feet as well as depression, headaches, confusion, and seizures. These symptoms may be related to the role of vitamin B6 in neurotransmitter synthesis and myelin formation. Anemia also occurs in vitamin B6 de? ciency, because without B6 hemoglobin cannot be synthesized normally. Other de? ciency symptoms such as poor growth, skin lesions, and decreased antibody formation may occur because of the central role vitamin B6 plays in protein and energy metabolism. Since vitamin B6 is needed for amino acid metabolism, the onset of a de? ciency can be hastened by a diet that is low in vitamin B6 but high in protein. H H2N C C O OH Amino acids NH2 C O OH B6 Energy production and glucose synthesis B6 B6 FIGURE 8. 12 Vitamin B6 is essential for many different types of reactions involving amino acids. It is needed to remove the acid group so neurotransmitters can be synthesized, to remove the amino group so what remains can be used to produce energy or synthesize glucose, and to transfer an amino group to make a new amino acid. Neurotransmitter synthesis NH2 Synthesis of nonessential amino acids Vitamin B6 Is Important in Protein Metabolism Folic acid from food and supplements 249 DNA synthesis Active folate Vitamin B12 Inactive folate Methionine High levels in the FIGURE 8. 13 blood increase cardiovascular The accumulation of homocysteine in the blood is associated with an disease risk Homocysteine Vitamin B6 increased risk of heart disease. Vitamins B6, B12, and folate, are needed to keep homocysteine levels in the normal range. Vitamin B6 is needed to break down homocysteine. Vitamin B12 and folate are needed to convert homocysteine to methionine. Vitamin B6 status is related to heart disease risk Vitamin B6 is needed to break down the amino acid homocysteine. If B6 levels are low, homocysteine can’t be broken down and levels rise. Even a mild elevation in blood homocysteine levels has been shown to be a risk factor for heart disease (Figure 8. 13). Two other B vitamins, folate and vitamin B12 are also involved in homocysteine metabolism. These are needed to convert homocysteine to the amino acid methionine. If they are unavailable, homocysteine levels will increase. A study that examined the effect of folate and vitamin B6 intake in women found that those with the highest levels in their diets had about half the risk of coronary heart disease as women wit h the lowest levels. 5 Both animal and plant foods are good sources of vitamin B6 Animal sources of vitamin B6 include chicken, ? sh, pork, and organ meats. Good plant sources include whole wheat products, brown rice, soybeans, sun? ower seeds, and some fruits and vegetables such as bananas, broccoli, and spinach (Figure 8. 14). Re? ned grains, like white rice and white bread, are not good sources of vitamin B6, because the vitamin is lost in re? ning whole grains but is not added back in enrichment. It is added to many forti? ed breakfast cereals; these make an important contribution to vitamin B6 intake. 6 It is destroyed by heat and light, so it can easily be lost in processing. The RDA for vitamin B6 is 1. 3 mg per day for both adult men and women 19 to 50 years of age. A 3-ounce (85-g) serving of chicken, ? sh, or pork, or half a baked potato, provides about one-fourth of the RDA for an average adult; a banana provides about one-third. Too much vitamin B6 is toxic For years people assumed that because water-soluble vitamins were excreted in the urine they could not cause toxic reactions. However, reports in the 1980’s of seve re nerve impairment in individuals taking 2 to 6 g of pyridoxine per day showed these assumptions to be false. 7 The reactions of some supplement users were so severe that they were unable to walk; symptoms improved when the pyridoxine supplements were stopped. The UL for adults is set at 100 mg per day from food and supplements. 3 Despite the potential for toxicity, high-dose supplements of vitamin B6 containing 100 mg per dose (5000% of the Daily Value) are available over the counter, making it easy to obtain a dose that exceeds the UL. These supplements are taken to reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), treat carpal tunnel syndrome, and strengthen immune function. Although studies have not found a relationship between carpal tunnel syndrome and vitamin B6 status, some studies report that low-dose supplements of vitamin B6 may reduce symptoms of PMS and improve immune function. Individuals with an inherited disease called homocysteinuria have extremely high levels of homocysteine in their blood and may have heart attacks and strokes by the age of 2. 250 Chapter 8 The Vitamins RDA Sunflower seeds (1/4 c) Walnuts (1/4 c) Peanuts (1/4 c) Lentils (1 c) Pork (3 oz) Beef (3 oz) Trout (3 oz) Chicken (3 oz) 2% Milk (1 c) Cheddar che ese (1. 5 oz) Orange juice (1 c) Kiwi (2 med) Apple (1 med) Corn (1/2 c) Asparagus (1/2 c) Spinach, raw (1 c) Oatmeal (1 c) Spaghetti (1 c) Brown rice (1 c) White bread (2 sl) Whole-wheat bread (2 sl) 0 0. 0. 8 Vitamin B6 (mg) 1. 2 FIGURE 8. 14 Vitamin B6 content of selections from each group of the Food Guide Pyramid. The dashed line represents the RDA for men and women up to 50 years of age. The best sources are meats, legumes, and whole grains. (David Bishop/Foodpix/PictureArts Corp. ) PMS causes mood swings, food cravings, bloating, tension, depression, headaches, acne, breast tenderness, anxiety, temper outbursts, and over 100 other symptoms. Because vitamin B6 is needed for the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, insuf? ient vitamin B6 has been suggested to cause the anxiety, irritability, and depression associated with PMS by reducing levels of these neurotransmitters. Trials on the effect of vitamin B6 supplements on PMS have had con? icting resultsâ⠂¬â€ in some cases low-dose supplements appear to be effective in reducing symptoms. 9 Vitamin B6 supplements have been found to improve immune function in older adults, but the reason for the improvement is unclear. 10 Immune function can be impaired by a de? ciency of any nutrient that hinders cell growth and division. Therefore, one of the most common claims for vitamin supplements in general is that they improve immune function. Vitamin B6 is no exception. Since the elderly frequently have low intakes of vitamin B6, it is unclear whether the bene? cial effects of supplements are due to an improvement in vitamin B6 status or immune system stimulation. Folate and Vitamin B12 Are Needed for Cell Division Inside the nucleus of every cell is the DNA that holds the genetic code. Before a cell can divide it must make a copy of its DNA. The B vitamin folate is needed for the synthesis of DNA and vitamin B12 is needed to keep folate active. Therefore if either B12 or folate is missing, DNA cannot be copied and new cells cannot be made correctly. As a result of this interdependency, many of the same symptoms are seen when either vitamin B12 or folate are de? cient. Folate: important for rapidly dividing cells A number of different forms of folate are needed for the synthesis of DNA and the metabolism of some amino acids. Because folate is needed for cells to replicate, it is particularly important in tissues where cells are dividing rapidly such the bone marrow, where red blood cells are made, and the developing tissues of an unborn baby. Folate and Vitamin B12 Are Needed for Cell Division 251 folate adequate folate deficient Normal cell division Red blood cells Red blood cell precursor FIGURE 8. 15 Cells are unable to divide (megaloblast) Macrocyte Megaloblastic or macrocytic anemia occurs when developing blood cells are unable to divide, leaving large immature red blood cells (megaloblasts) and large mature red blood cells (macrocytes). Folate de? ciency results in anemia One of the most notable symptoms of folate de? ciency is anemia. Without folate, developing red blood cells cannot divide. Instead, they just grow bigger (Figure 8. 15). Fewer mature red cells are produced so the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood is reduced. This condition is called megaloblastic or macrocytic anemia. Other symptoms of folate de? ciency include poor growth, problems in nerve development and function, diarrhea, and in? ammation of the tongue. Groups most at risk of a folate de? ciency include pregnant women and premature infants because of their rapid rate of cell division and growth; the elderly because of their limited intake of foods high in folate; alcoholics because alcohol inhibits folate absorption; and tobacco smokers because smoke inactivates folate in the cells lining the lungs. Folate intake is related to neural tube defects A low folate intake increases the risk of birth defects that affect the brain and spinal cord called neural tube defects (Figure 8. 16). The exact role of folate in neural tube development is not known, but it is necessary for a critical step called neural tube closure. Neural tube closure occurs ve ry early in pregnancyâ€â€only 28 days after conceptionâ€â€when most women may not yet even know they are pregnant. Therefore to reduce the risk of these defects, folate status must be adequate before a pregnancy begins and during the early critical days of pregnancy (see Chapter 12). However, folate is not the only factor contributing to neural tube defects. Not every pregnant woman with low folate levels gives birth to a child with a neural tube defect. Instead, these birth defects are probably due to a combination of factors that are aggravated by low folate levels. Folate status may affect heart disease and cancer risk Low folate intake may increase the risk of heart disease because of its relation to homocysteine levels (see Figure 8. 13). Low folate status may also increase the risk of developing cancer L Megaloblastic or macrocytic anemia * A condition in which there are abnormally large immature and mature red blood cells and a reduction in the total number of red blood cells and the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. L Neural tube defects Irregularities in * the formation of the portion of the embryo that develops into the brain and spinal cord. These occur early in development and result in brain and spinal cord abnormalities. Vertebrae Spinal cord Vertebrae Spinal cord FIGURE 8. 16 Early in pregnancy, the neural tube develops into the brain and spinal cord. If folate is inadequate during neural tube closure, neural tube defects such as spina bi? da, shown here, occur more frequently. In spina bi? da the bones that make up the back do not completely surround the spinal cord, allowing membranes, ? uid, and, in severe cases, the nerves of the spinal cord to bulge out where they are unprotected. Normal spine Spine with spina bifida 252 Chapter 8 The Vitamins For more information on folic acid and birth defects, go to the Spina Bifida Association of America at www. sbaa. org of the uterus, cervix, lungs, stomach, esophagus, and colon. Although folate de? iency does not cause cancer, it has been hypothesized that low folate intake enhances an underlying predisposition to cancer. The relation between folate and cancer is strongest for colon cancer. Alcohol consumption greatly increases the cancer risk associated with a low folate diet. 11 L Dietary folate equivalent (DFE) A unit * used to express the amount of folate available to the body that accounts for the higher bioavailability of folic acid in supplements and enriched foods compared to folate found naturally in foods. One DFE is equivalent to 1 g of folate naturally occurring in food, 0. 6 g of synthetic folic acid from forti? d food or supplements consumed with food, or 0. 5 g of synthetic folic acid consumed on an empty stomach. Vegetables, legumes, oranges, and grains are good sources of folate Asparagus, oranges, legumes, liver, and yeast are excellent food sources of folate. Fair sources include grains, corn, snap beans, mustard greens, and broccoli, as well as some nuts. Small amounts are found in meats, cheese, milk, fruits, and other vegetables (Figure 8. 17). Folic acid is added to enriched grain products, including enriched breads, ? ours, corn meal, pasta, grits, and rice. If you look at the label on a bag of enriched ? ur you will see that it is forti? ed with folic acid. Folic acid is a stable form of folate that rarely occurs naturally in food but is used in supplements and forti? ed foods; it is more easily absorbed than natural folate. In the 3-year period after the forti? cation of grain products with folic acid, the incidence of neural tube defects decreased by 25%. 12 Women of childbearing age need extra folate The RDA for folate is set at 400 g dietary folate equivalents (DFEs) per day for adult men and women. Expressing needs in DFEs allows one unit to be used for all the forms of folate; one DFE is equal to 1 g of food folate, 0. g of synthetic folic acid from forti? ed food or supplements consumed with food, or 0. 5 g of synthetic folic acid consumed on an empty stomach. Because supplementing folic acid early in pregnancy has been shown to reduce neural tube defects, a special recommendation is made for women capable of becoming pregnant; 400 g of synthetic folic acid from forti? ed foods and/or supplements is recommended in addition to the food folate consumed in RDA Sunflower seeds (1/4 c) Walnuts (1/4 c) Peanuts (1/4 c) Lentils (1 c) Pork (3 oz) Beef (3 oz) Trout (3 oz) Chicken (3 oz) 2% Milk (1 c) Cheddar cheese (1. oz) Orange juice (1 c) Kiwi (2 med) Apple (1 med) Corn (1/2 c) Asparagus (1/2 c) Spinach, raw (1 c) Oatmeal (1 c) Spaghetti (1 c) Brown rice (1 c) White bread (2 sl) Whole-wheat bread (2 sl) 0 100 200 Folate ( µg DFE) 300 400 FIGURE 8. 17 Folate content of selections from each group of the Food Guide Pyramid. The dashed line represents the RDA for adults. Legumes, forti? ed foods, and some fruits and vegetables are good sources. (George Semple) Folate and Vitamin B12 Are Needed for Cell Division 253 PIECE IT TOGETHER Is It Hard to Meet Folate Recommendations? Marcia would like to have a baby but before she tries to conceive, she wants to be sure she is in the best condition possible. She consults her physician who gives her a clean bill of health but suggests she make sure she is getting enough folate. women who are capable of becoming pregnant should consume 400 g of folic acid from forti? ed foods or supplements each day in addition to the folate found in a varied diet. Folic acid is added to enriched grains, so it can be found in any food that contains enriched grains; you can check the ingredient list to see if the food you have chosen contains added folic acid. The percent Daily Value includes both the natural folate and added folic acid. W HY IS FOLATE A CONCERN FOR WOMEN CAPABLE OF BECOMING PREGNANT ? M Research shows that consuming extra folic acid can reduce the risk of a type of birth defect called a neural tube defect that affects an unborn child’s brain or spinal cord. For the extra folic acid to be bene? cial, it must be consumed for at least a month before conception and continued for a month after. Since many pregnancies are not planned, it is recommended that all women of childbearing age consume 400 g of folic acid from forti? d foods or supplements. Marcia records her food intake for 1 day to determine her folate intake: Food Breakfast Oatmeal, regular Milk Banana Orange juice Coffee Lunch Hamburger Hamburger bun French fries Coke Apple Dinner Chicken Refried beans White rice Tortilla Salad Salad dressing Milk Cake Total Servings 1 cup 1 cup 1 medium 8 ounces 1 cup 1 1 20 pieces 12 ounces 1 medium 3 ounces 1/2 cup 1 cup 1 1 cup 1 Tbsp 1 cup 1 piece Total Folate ( g) 2 12 22 75 0 11 32 24 0 4 4 106 80 60 64 1 12 32 541 g FOLATE INTAKE MEET THE W HICH FOODS IN M ARCIA’ S DIET ARE HIGHEST IN FOLATE ? O F THESE , WHICH DO YOU THINK HAVE BEEN FORTIFIED WITH FOLIC ACID ? M Food Rice Orange juice Your answers: Amount 80 g 75 g Natural Forti? ed W HY IS THE OATMEAL LOW IN FOLATE BUT THE OTHER GRAIN PRODUCTS ARE GOOD FOLATE SOURCES ? M Oatmeal is a whole grain, so it has not been forti? ed with folic acid. The other grain products in her diet, such as the white rice, tortilla, and hamburger bun, are re? ned so they contain added folic acid. Even though Marcia is trying to increase her intake of the folic acid form of this vitamin she should not pass up whole grainsâ€â€they are good sources of most B vitamins, minerals, and ? er. L IST SOME MODIFICATIONS M ARCIA COULD MAKE IN HER DIET TO PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNTS AND FORMS OF FOLATE ? M Your answer: W OULD YOU RECOMMEND M ARCIA TAKE A FOLATE SUPPLEMENT ? D OES M ARCIA’ S RDA? Your answer: M Yes. Marica consumes 541 g of folate, which is greater than the RDA of 400 g DFE, but her doctor told her that M 254 Chapter 8 The Vitamins Not everyone needs a folate supplement. If you are male or a female who is too young or too old to have a baby, the amount of folate you get from a healthy diet will meet your needs. Even women of childbearing age can get enough folic acid without a supplement if they eat enough folic acid forti? ed foods. a varied diet. The folic acid form is recommended because it is the form that has been shown to reduce birth defects. This recommendation is made for all women of childbearing age because folate is needed very early in a pregnancyâ€â€before most women are aware that they are pregnant. To get 400 g of folic acid, you would need to eat 4 to 6 servings of forti? ed grain products each day or take a supplement containing folic acid. Excess folate can mask anemia caused by vitamin B12 de? ciency Although extra folate is recommended for pregnant women, too much is a concern for some groups. There is no known folate toxicity, but a high intake may mask the early symptoms of vitamin B12 de? ciency, allowing it to go untreated so irreversible nerve damage can occur. The UL for adults is set at 1000 g per day of folate from supplements and/or forti? ed foods. This value was determined based on the progression of neurological symptoms seen in patients who are de? cient in vitamin B12 and taking folate supplements. L Pernicious anemia An anemia * resulting from vitamin B de? ciency that 12 Vitamin B12: absorption requires intrinsic factor If you lived in the early 1900’s and developed a condition called pernicious anemia, it was a death sentence. There was no cure. In the 1920’s researchers George Minot and William Murphy pursued their belief that pernicious anemia could be cured by something in the diet. Their experiments were able to restore good health to patients by feeding them about 4 to 8 ounces of slightly cooked liver at every meal. Today we know that liver contains high levels of vitamin B12. We also know that pernicious anemia is not actually caused by a lack of the vitamin in the diet, but rather an inability to absorb the vitamin. Vitamin B12 absorption requires a protein called intrinsic factor that is produced by cells in the stomach lining. With the help of stomach acid, intrinsic factor binds to vitamin B12 and this vitamin B12-intrinsic factor complex is then absorbed in the small intestine. When very large amounts of the vitamin are consumed, some can be absorbed without intrinsic factor. This is why Minot and Murphy were able to cure pernicious anemia with extremely high dietary doses of the vitamin. Today, pernicious anemia is treated with injections of vitamin B12 rather than plates full of liver. occurs due to a lack of a protein called intrinsic factor needed to absorb dietary vitamin B12. L Intrinsic factor A protein produced * in the stomach that is needed for the absorption of adequate amounts of vitamin B12. L Cobalamin The chemical term for * vitamin B . 12 Vitamin B12 is needed for nerve function Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is necessary for the maintenance of myelin, which is the coating that insulates nerves and is essential for nerve transmission. Vitamin B12 is also needed for the production of energy from certain fatty acids and to convert homocysteine to methionine (see Figure 8. 13). This reaction also converts folate from an inactive form to a form that functions in DNA synthesis. Because of the need for vitamin B12 in folate metabolism, a de? ciency can cause a secondary folate de? ciency and, consequently, macrocytic anemia. Symptoms of vitamin B12 de? ciency include an increase in blood homocysteine levels and anemia that is indistinguishable from that seen in folate de? ciency. Other symptoms include numbness and tingling, bnormalities in gait, memory loss, and disorientation due to degeneration of the myelin that coats the nerves, spinal cord, and brain. If not treated, this eventually causes paralysis and death. Consuming extra folate can mask a vitamin B12 de? ciency When the diet is de? cient in vitamin B12, consuming extra folate can mask the vitamin B12 de? ciency by preventing the appearance of anemia. If the d e? ciency is not treated, the other symptoms of B12 de? ciency, such as nerve damage, progress and can be irreversible. This connection between folate and vitamin B12 has raised concerns that our folate-forti? d food supply may allow B12 de? ciencies to go unnoticed. So far, this
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