How to Write a Successful Job Application Essay

A job application essay could be more effective than a regular resume or CV as it includes a call-to-action. The goal is not just to list your skills and experience, but to motivate an employer to pick you out of the pool of other candidates. You should show all your qualities in the best light as competition on the recruiting market is rather harsh, especially when it comes to senior positions. You’ll have to get your work cut out. In this post, we will explain how to compose great job application essays: from the purpose of this document and things you have to reveal to its detailed structure. What Is a Job Application Essay? Definition by Expert A job application essay (a.k.a. admission essay or supporting/personal statement) is an integral part of most job applications nowadays. The length of this document should not exceed 2 pages depending on the applicant’s skills and experience. The purpose of this document is to help college applicants showcase their academic professional expertise and skills that meet the requirements of the specific position. Many candidates confuse a job application paper with a resume. While a resume is a brief summary of the candidate’s skills, qualifications, work experience, education, and achievements; a job application is rather a narrative explaining why you might be the best candidate for the job. Unless you were invited to work for the organization, you should come up with a powerful job application package that includes a resume/CV, job application essay, and cover letter. In some cases, you may also need a follow-up and thank-you letter. How to Write a Good Job Application Essay: Basic Info We have analyzed more than 20 top positions in the United States and the United Kingdom to find out which qualities a worthy candidate should possess. Most of the market belongs to business-related organizations, so most of the modern employers value MBA diploma most of all. According to the feedback obtained from numerous recruiters and HR managers, an average applicant should have these qualities: Leadership; Collaborative nature; Critical thinking; Emotional intelligence; Integrity; Creative approach; Global viewpoint; Self-awareness; Time management; Community orientation. On the whole, you should understand that a job application is a legal document, and requires less creativity and more formal tone. You should not go into details while listing your professional qualities and skills. At the same time, a resume contains even fewer details. While a job application essay looks like a complete story, a resume is a statement of bare facts about the candidate. The primary goal is to help the employers to compare and contrast all the candidates to pick the best one. How to Start a Job Application Essay: Pre-Writing Stages Before you actually start writing, you should check examples of successful application essays for a job. Try to find the ones that were written for the position you’re interested in. Also, it is critical to read the prompt (in the case of job application essay, it is the description of job vacancy) several times to understand what exactly the hiring managers expect to see. Consider the relevant keywords and use them in your paper. Usually, those are the specific skills: from creative to technical. Prepare a draft before writing the final version of your essay. Unlike a college essay, there is no need to come up with a specific topic or title, but you can make it a narrative for a creative position like the author of books or designer. Get ready with your portfolio as it might be useful to submit it along with the rest of the application documents. Then, develop an outline based on the paper’s structure. How to Structure a Job Application Essay Properly The first thing to mention about a job application essay structure is its chronological order. It means that, for example, in the section about your employment history, you should start with your earliest experience mentioning the dates and place of work and finish with your last position and responsibilities. On the whole, an outline for this paper looks like an outline of an ordinary essay, but the content is different (more selling): Introduction; Main point 1 (and three more supporting points); Main point 2 (and three more supporting points); Main point 3 (and three more supporting points); Also, you should include your contact information before the title and introduction. In the upper-left corner, add such details as your name and last name, physical address (full), phone number, email address, and date. After that, add the basic info about the employer (name, title, organization, address). Things to Include in Your Job Application Essay Introduction An introduction has to be as brief as possible. It is a general statement introducing the candidate and specifying the job of his or her interest. You may also shortly explain why you would like to work as this expert in the particular field. The good idea is to mention how you learned about the vacancy (online, magazine, word-of-mouth, ad in a subway, etc.) One more recommendation is to list 3-5 job responsibilities from the vacancy description to prove that you understand what you’re applying for. What to Write in the Job Application Essay Body In the first body paragraph, state the reason for applying as well as why you believe you’re the best applicant. In the second paragraph of your body, explain what you can offer to the recruiting agency. We recommend creating bullet lists with your qualifications that match the vacancy best of all. Do not forget to use the highlighted keywords! Use specific examples from real life and professional career to prove your competence in the chosen area. Unite all the body paragraphs with the help of transition words. Job Application Essay Conclusion to Leave a Positive Impression Do not forget about good manners to leave a positive impression always thank the potential employer for dedicating some time to reading your application. Admit how you plan to follow up.  The best way is to start with the word, â€Å"sincerely,† and then conclude with your signature and typed signature. If you find it hard to cope with your job application essay or wish to make sure the paper is excellent before submitting it to the employer, hire professional writers or editors from our writing team. For a reasonable price, you will get a polished application essay for your success!

Big Story Essays - Talia Al Ghul, Free Essays, Term Papers

Big Story Essays - Talia Al Ghul, Free Essays, Term Papers Connor Johnson Mr. Pollard Creative Writing P. 6 12/3/15 Wind whistled softly through the trees of the Renruin forest. Their long leaf fronds and sacks of unusual orange and green fruits susurrating in lazily created a quiet hum that some might find annoying. A gust of wind from the east sent a cluster of leaves shooting upward and like dancing girls spiraled back down to earth landing on the bare foot of a tall slender woman. As the light of the sun fighting its way through the tree leaves, She lifted her face, her long auburn hair pushed behind her head and held in a loose knot. Outstretching her hand, she let the light and shadows dance across her fingertips. Large dangerous looking red and black insects droned while hovering in and out of the shadows of the trees. The woman inhaled the minty smells of the Renuin and continued on, delighting in the sound of her bare feet sliding through the leaves. As she continued to walk, she lifted her face smiling, the heat of the sunbeams warming her skin. Its been awhile since I checked the map I must be getting close. The woman leans against a tall dark walnut tree, and set her deer hide pouch on the ground alongside her roughly made oaken bow. Opening the sack, she fished around, fetching an old worn folded piece of paper ripped and stained darker in some areas from water damage. She unfolded it, crackled, dust and paper pieces. Damn I need a new one, she thought as she examined the faded ink on the page. Wow, she thought, I shouldve kept walking its about a mile away. If this person isnt still here Im going to kill someone. I need this money. She folded her map, and stored it away in her pouch. as she pulled her hand out her fingertips brushed up against another sheet of paper, this one much thinner. She drew it from the bag, and opened it up. Talia, it read, You have proved to be quite the ally when it comes to ridding ourselves of the evil of this world. While your methods are not conventional and could very well be considered illegal, Im willing to offer you my friendship and pardon for your actions. I do feel that is payment enough for what I am about to ask you, but I know your kind dont do anything for free. She Along with this letter you should receive 500 gold pieces. Now this should more than compensate for your travel to Port Vicrion and back as well as leave a hefty sum for your personal gain. Now for the actual mission. Weve gotten word of a man or group of men that is forcing its way through our major cities taking control of our sports arenas. We are losing money from this, and I know someone like you understands the importance of money. We cannot let our men go after those monsters it would create too much insecurity among the people, but if we send you, you could assassinate with ease, and end this mater ra ther quickly. I am begging you here. This needs to end one way or the other. God speed, Lord Hildeguard Talia smiled slightly, I hate rich people, but hey its money, and it feels good to be wanted. Talia packed her things, and got to her feet, stretching and letting out a long yawn. She picked up her bag and began to jog, running no deftly on her feet she could barely be heard. Just a few minutes later the sound of people could be heard, and the loud crashing of water. Water, Talia moaned, Im so thirsty. As Talia neared the town walls, she could make out the voices easier. It wasnt just the normal town chatter and bickering; it was screaming. What the heck? Talias pace quickened, she ran quickly into the town scaling a small hut with ease pulling her bow off her back. She quickly scanned the horizon of the city, and saw a small cloud of dust or smoke in the northeastern corner of the city. Talia bounded along the rooftops, making sure to keep a solid footing, while keeping herself

Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau - Essay Example According to Rousseau, the development in the field of science and arts led to the destruction of human virtue and morality. This is one statement which led many thinkers to contemplate on in the future theoretical world. This thinking of Rousseau, also bestowed upon him fame and recognition. Rousseau claim is that human beings by nature are virtuous but got corrupted during many historical events. He became a prominent figure in history of philosophy due to his unique contribution emphasizing on natural state of human .According to Rousseau, human beings are good by nature, but the social conventions have corrupted them along the history. In his article (Younkins) writes that â€Å"According to Rousseau, in the state of nature, people tended to be isolated, war was absent, and their desires were minimal and circumscribed† Rousseau reestablishes the necessity of a governed body to monitor the social security and needs of human beings. According to him state would have been â⠂¬Å"class state† with no rights to poor and weak in the absence of Government. The Social Contract† one of his controversial work on political philosophy has raised many debates among his counterparts Age of Enlightenment and Locke The Age of enlightenment is a movement in 18th century where all the intellect raised awareness among societies to reform and adapts oneself to natural and liberal state. In the age of enlightenment, the social and political scenario of central European societies was pathetic, as the power was in the hands of rich and elite. When it comes to Locke and Rousseau, both had prominent role to play in reforming the society. One of the philosophers Locke can be considered as pioneer of â€Å"Age of enlightenment† and his book called... Age of Enlightenment and Rousseau The theories of Rousseau had a significant role to play in enhancing the â€Å"Age of enlightenment†. Like Locke, Rousseau believed and put forward the natural rights of human beings and liberty as ideal principles of society. During, the age of enlightenment, Rousseau along with the other thinkers and philosophers questioned the dominating authority of church and state alike. Rousseau is a thinker, who did not believe in an authority, who need better quality of life than other. According to him, all has the right to live on the earth with equal power and freedom. However the government’s role comes in to play to preserve the rights of the property. When these messages were passed on to the society, people got enraged and a revolution broke out. Thinkers like Rousseau have had a majestic role to play during the age of enlightenment. Rousseau’s main statement is that human are basically good by nature but the historical and social conventions corrupt them in the long run. This is where the weak and the less able got awakened and a powerful enlightenment movement started. The age of enlightenment put forward the rationality and reasoning as a major force in human -kind, as nature is not self – ordering. This rational based â€Å"age of enlightenment â€Å"spread to the West from France and ignite awareness among the Americans. This in later times, led to the independence of America. Finally we could analyze that Locke being an advocate of â€Å"liberalism† and Rousseau being the pioneer of the â€Å"Age of Enlightenment† has contributed invaluably for the social upgrading of human rights and freedom in West So it can be well said that Locke and Rousseau are the cornerstone in political theory and age of enlightenment movement.

Say-on-Pay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Say-on-Pay - Essay Example And will it reduce the situations where pay for failure takes place?† Shareholders are the owners of any given firm or company and the interest of the operations of the firm is always at their heart. They would not wish to impact negatively on the firm’s performance at any time, as this is likely to translate into losses. Furthermore, this is not a good happening for shareholders as they are interested in the returns that their investments are likely to bring. A talk on the aspect of say-on-pay is much in place since it has become a daily activity among investors to lay check on their employees. Most companies are today acting to ensure that the performance of their employees is commensurate to the returns they expect. Moreover, excellent performance results from an employee; this depends on how they are handled in terms of their welfare, remuneration and work environment. This study in its efforts to respond to the statement laid down above has to undergo a series of testing procedures of the hypothesis. This will involve a study on the thesis; the study will take varied approaches and methods. Since the practice is still new, it means there are no adequate secondary data hence observations of the few companies, which have employed the practice, would aid us in making deductions about the raised questions. Strict rules have to be laid down against executive compensation; this is because without this the executive are capable of embezzling shareholders’ funds. The fact that executives normally take the advantage of the separation that exists between the ownership and the management makes this even worse. Therefore, such a study is important for the following reasons. One, the study will give us the clear relationship that exists between pay and performance. Moreover, strategies or required changes are recommended in the process. The study will also clear the air as to whether there is any significant change when shareholders conduct a voting system to

International Business and Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Business and Anthropology - Essay Example A further development of this notion sheds light on the vast applications of anthropology and how the theories, concepts, and knowledge of this discipline can assist the operations of international business. Even though, the amalgamation of international business and anthropology may appear to be a novel concept to the masses, the role of industrial and cultural anthropologists in organizations can be traced back to as early as the 1930s (Hamada 2; Ferraro 10). Ferraro and Andreatta define cultural anthropology as a systematic study of the similarities and differences between cultures on the basis of various features and characteristics (10). Accordingly, the research process for cultural anthropology is classified under the categories of basic research and applied research in accordance with the design which governs other subjects of social science (Ferraro and Andreatta 19). Kedia and Willigen state that career opportunities for anthropologists within the context of international b usiness are endless with a special focus on employee development, growth and training prospects (251). A cultural anthropologist can opt for a range of positions within a business organization such as international business consultant, cross-cultural consultant, international economic development worker and an international human resources manager amongst several others (Ferraro and Andreatta 19). Of utmost importance to international business is applied anthropology which aims to comprehensively prepare and effectively equip practitioners with relevant perspectives, theories and learning of anthropology to ensure that this knowledge is applied for uncovering the solutions to the problems of the real world (Peoples and Bailey 412). Kedia and Willigen identify three key capabilities and proficiencies that anthropologists can promote within an organization to maximize value, these areas are classified as; 1) vast scope of knowledge and information about culture and its related concept s, 2) expertise in ethnography and its application and 3) focused knowledge regarding specific cultures such as the ability to communicate with various groups of individuals (251). While the first two components that have been identified in the aforementioned discussion are indeed important in business operations, the anthropological expertise that is most relevant within the context of international business is a practitioner’s ability to understand, examine and communicate with individuals belonging to a variety of cultures. Kedia and Willigen understand the dynamics which have led to the globalization of business and how these observations translate to business activity and organizational performance, for example, strategic actions that are taken to enhance a company’s ability to reach its aims, goals, and objectives such as a plan for expansion in another country has several anthropological implications (257). In order to successfully expand its operations in anoth er country, an organization must examine the distinct needs of its business landscape by employing the services of a cultural anthropologist.

Effect of Microhardness on Chemical Degradation

Effect of Microhardness on Chemical Degradation Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chemical degradation media associated with brushing on surface roughness (Ra) and Knoop microhardness (KHN) analyses of different composites. Material and Methods: Eighty specimens were prepared for each composite: Grandio SO (Voco), Amaris (Voco), Filtek Supreme (3M/ESPE), Filtek LS (3M/ESPE). The specimens were divided into four groups according to the immersion in chemical degradation media for 7 days: artificial saliva (control), heptane, 0.02M citric acid, 70% ethanol. The surface of specimens was submitted to 10950 brushing cycles (200g load) in an automatic tooth-brushing machine with abrasive slurry. Surface roughness and microhardness measurements were obtained at baseline, after immersion in chemical degradation media and after brushing. Data were submitted to three-way repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey’s test (pResults: The KHN means for composites were: Grandio (153.5 ±35.9)a, Filtek Supreme (87.0 ± 24.9)b, Amaris (64.5 ±24.5)c, LS (69.0 ±15.3)c; for storage media: artificial saliva (97.3 ±46.7)a, ethanol (93.3 ±49.9)a, citric acid (95.8 ±42.1)a, heptane (87.6 ±36.7)b; and after treatments: after chemical degradation (104.8 ±49.7)a, baseline (93.8 ±42.5)b, after brushing (81.9 ±36.5)c. The Ra results for composites were: LS (0.15 ±0.25)a, Grandio SO (0.19 ±0.24)ab, Filtek Supreme (0.20 ±0.22)ab, Amaris (0.23 ±0.37)b; for storage media: artificial saliva (0.18 ±0.31)a, heptane (0.18 ±0.25)a, ethanol (0.20 ±0.26)a, citric acid (0.21 ±0.28)a; and after treatments: brushing (0.11 ±0.14)a, after chemical degradation (0.23 ±0.32)b, baseline (0.24 ±0.32)b. Conclusions: Brushing after chemical degradation reduced surface roughness values. In general, chemical degradation did not affect composites roughness, but microhardness was significantly reduced. Heptane produced the biggest reduction in composites microhardness. Clinical Relevance: The food-simulating solutions and brushing simulating alter the composites properties, and these alterations are material-dependent. Keywords: composites, chemical degradation, brushing, Knoop microhardness, surface roughness. Introduction Improvements on the composition and mechanical properties of resin-based materials along with increased esthetic demands have resulted in the enlarged use of direct composite restorations in anterior and posterior teeth [1,2]. These improvements provided more strength and durability to the composite restorations under the conditions of the oral environment. Most of the available composites contain a polymer matrix of dimethacrylate monomers, such as Bis-GMA, UDMA, and TEGDMA (organic phase), inorganic filler particles (dispersed phase) coated with a methyl methacrylate-functional silane coupling agent to bond the filler to the organic matrix, a photoinitiator system to allow photoactivation by light units and other minor additions including polymerization initiators, stabilizers and coloring pigments [3-5]. However, the critical oral environment conditions (pH changes or humidity) may increase the composite biodegradation over time [6]. Under oral conditions, dental materials may be exposed either intermittently or continuously to chemical agents present in saliva, food and beverages [1]. Previous studies have shown that some dietary foods and beverages can cause surface degradation of restorative materials [7-14]. Their constituents can soften the organic phase and promotes disintegration of the dispersed phase, altering the surface hardness [1,15]. Besides of chemical environment, the toothbrushing is another condition that influences the longevity of composites restorations in vivo. Although toothbrushing plays an important role in oral hygiene, the effects of abrasion constitutes another important issue on dental materials wear processes, which can result in alterations in surface roughness, loss of contour, staining and plaque retention [16]. There are several types of composites nowadays, such as nanohybrid, nanofill and microhybrid, which have the similar polymer matrix composition. However, the inorganic phase (size, type and distribution of filler particles) are different. Therefore, the effects of chemical degradation liquids and toothbrushing on surface roughness and microhardness of these types of composites must be reported. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chemical degradation associated with toothbrushing on surface roughness and microhardness of different composites. The null hypothesis tested was that the immersion in chemical degradation media and brushing are not able to modify the surface roughness and microhardness of the tested materials. Material and Methods Specimens preparation Eighty cylindrical specimens of each composite were fabricated (shade A3) using a metallic matrix with 2 mm in height and 3 mm in diameter. A mylar strip was placed over the composite and pressed with a glass plate to provide a flat surface, being removed after curing. The composites were applied in increments of 2 mm and cured on the top surface using LED photocuring unit (Elipar Freelight 2, 3M/ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA) at 1200 mW/cm2 power density, activated for 40 s. After curing, they were stored in individual containers with deionized water for 24 h. Then, they were polished using a sequence of 1200, 2400 and 4000 grit aluminum oxide abrasive disks (Extec, Enfield, CT, USA) in a polishing device (DP-10, Panambra, Sà £o Paulo, Brazil). After polishing, all the specimens were immersed in deionized water at 37  ºC for 24 h. Four direct restorative materials were tested, as described in Table 1. Knoop microhardness measurements The microhardness measurement was performed with a microhardness tester (FM-700, Future-Tech, Tokyo, Japan), Knoop tip, under 25 g load for 10 s. Three indentations were performed 100  µm apart from each other, at the surface of the specimens. The means were determined as Knoop Hardness Number (KHN). Surface roughness analysis The mean surface roughness (Ra) was evaluated using a profilometer (MaxSurf XT 20, Mahr, Goettingen, Germany). The diamond stylus moved 2.5 mm long starting the first measurement 0.2 mm from the lower area of specimen. Three profile measurements were performed for each specimen at intervals of 0.25 mm and a final average was used. The mean Ra values were determined with a cut-off value of 0.8 mm, a transverse length of 0.8 mm, and a stylus speed of 0.1 mm/s. Chemical degradation media immersion The specimens of each composite were randomly divided according to the food-simulated substances tested (n=20). The solutions tested are mediums recommended by FDA (1976) to be used as food-simulating liquids [17]. Heptane P.A. (Synth – Labsynth, Diadema, Sà £o Paulo, Brazil) was used to simulate butter, fat meals and vegetable oils. Citric acid 0.02M (Synth) simulated beverages, vegetables, fruits and candies. Ethanol 70% (Zulu Hospitalar 70% Companhia Nacional de à lcool, Piracicaba, Sà £o Paulo, Brazil) simulated alcoholic beverages and mouthrinses. Artificial saliva was used as control and prepared according to Gohring et al. [18] using 22.1 mmol/l hydrogen carbonate, 16.1 mmol/l of potassium, 14.5 mmol/l sodium, 2.6 mmol/l hydrogen phosphate, 0.8 mmol/l boric acid, 0.7 mmol/l calcium, 0.4 mmol/l thiocyanate and 0.2 mmol/l magnesium. The specimens were kept in individual vials with 2 ml of each solution for 7 days at 37  ºC. After this period, the specimens were washed thoroughly, and stored in deionized water at 37  ºC, for 24 h. The microhardness and surface roughness were evaluated. Brushing protocols Subsequently, the experimental units were subjected to brushing abrasion in an automatic toothbrushing (TB) machine (ODEME Biotechnology – Joaà §aba, Santa Catarina, Brazil) which imparted reciprocating motion to 6 soft bristle toothbrush heads (Sanifill Ultraprofissional, Hypermarcas – Sà £o Paulo, Brazil). This apparatus provides linear brushing movements across the specimens at a speed of 120 cycles per min at 37 °C, with a double pass of the brush head over the surface. The top surface of resin composites cylinders were submitted to 10950 brushing stokes under a vertical load of 200 g with abrasive slurry, simulating one year of clinical situation [19]. The abrasive slurry consisted of fluoridated dentifrice (Colgate Tripla Aà §Ãƒ £o, Colgate-Palmolive, Sà £o Paulo, Brazil) and artificial saliva, in a ratio of 1:3, by weight [20]. Toothbrushes were replaced after the completion of each brushing cycles. After brushing, the specimens were kept in deionized water at 37 ºC, for 24 h. At the end of this protocol, the microhardness and surface roughness was obtained. Statistical analysis This experiment followed a factorial scheme of the 4x3x4 type. The experimental variables under study were composites [Grandio, Amaris, Filtek LS, Filtek Supreme], time [baseline, after chemical degradation (CD) and after brushing (TB)] and the food-simulating media [artificial saliva (AS), heptane (H), citric acid (CA) and ethanol (E)]. The variable responses were the mean roughness measurement value obtained in profilometer, and the average of three microhardness readings. Data were submitted to statistical analysis using the computer software Statistica for Windows (Statsoft, Tulsa, OK, USA). The inferential statistics consisted of three-way repeated measures ANOVA (composites, time, and chemical degradation media), in which the variable time was considered as a repeated factor, followed by Tukey’s test. The level of significance was the conventional value of 5%. Results Microhardness evaluation The mean KHN values of the composites after chemical degradation media are shown in Figure 1. The application of RM-ANOVA showed significant differences for the factors composites (p=0.0001), time (p=0.0001) and chemical degradation (p=0.0001). Grandio SO composite presented the highest KHN values for all times tested. Amaris and Filtek LS exhibited values significantly lower than Filtek Supreme and Grandio SO (Table 2). For the chemical degradation media factor, the immersion in heptane produced the lowest microhardness means, compared to the other tested media (Table 3). Regarding the different times, the microhardness (KHN) values significantly increased after immersion in chemical degradation media and decreased after brushing, compared to baseline means (Table 4). Surface roughness analysis The means of roughness surface (Ra) for the composites are shown in Figure 2. The application of RM-ANOVA showed no significant differences for composite (p=0.034) and time (p=0.626) factors. The roughness means obtained for Amaris composite were significantly higher than Filtek LS. Grandio SO and Supreme exhibited intermediate means (Table 2). For the chemical degradation media, no significant differences were obtained for surface roughness (Table 3). The Ra means after brushing were lower than at baseline and after chemical degradation CD (Table 4). Discussion The chemical environment is one aspect of the oral conditions which has an appreciable influence on the in vivo degradation of composites [21]. Some chemicals substances from food and drinks can lead to surface degradation of composite restorations, resulting in unaesthetic appearance and increased surface roughness, accelerating the wear of dental materials [22,23]. This degradation is mainly due to the softness of composite matrices with exposure to organic acids and various food and liquid constituents [24,25,12]. Previously published studies have reported that acidic conditions show a tendency to degrade glass ionomer cements, polyacid modified composite resins, and composite resins [9,26,10,27,11]. The present study was performed to investigate the Knoop microhardness and surface roughness of four composites, before and after simulating oral conditions. Hardness is defined as the resistance to permanent indentation or penetration [28,1]. It is used to predict the wear resistance of a material and its ability to cause abrasion opposing tooth structure [28]. The composites exposed in food-simulating media can suffer chemical softening, reducing their physico-mechanical properties. Changes in the composite hardness usually occur within the first 7 days after exposure to chemical solutions [21]. Therefore, this study conducted the initial readings of the hardness in the specimens after post-cure [1], and another reading after the exposure period of immersion. In the present study, specimens stored in heptane showed significantly reduction in microhardness, as also observed previously [14,28]. Heptane simulates butter, fatty meals and vegetables oil [14,1] and may damage the resin matrix,[12,28] producing cracks in the interface, and consequently, weakening the material.[14] It is questioned if alcohol-containing beverages may compromise the longevity of composites restorations [29], since it presents the potential of damaging polymers [1,12], by fully penetrating the resin matrix and promoting the release of unreacted monomers [13]. The partial dissolving of the resin matrix may result in the degradation of the filler-matrix interface, thereby impairing the flexural strength and hardness [14]. In this study, the concentration of ethanol solution (70%) was used according to previous [28] but it showed no significant effect in the microhardness of composites. The differences in hardness values compared to previous studies could be related to the surface characteristics of the composites, filler distribution and conversion rate [30]. Furthermore, the period of 24 h of storage before immersion in ethanol may lead to complete polymerization of the composites, reducing the presence of unreacted monomers on the surface [1,14]. The effects of intraoral organic acids, as citric acid, besides producing tooth erosion, can cause surface degradation of composites [9], favoring the breaking of bonds in Bis-GMA molecules of composites [24,11]. Despite of others studies that citric acid reduced the hardness of composites [7,9], in this study no differences were observed in the microhardness of the composites when immersed in citric acid for 7 days. Nevertheless, the period of storage may have been insufficient to promote differences in the mechanical properties of the specimens’ surface [7,14]. Differences in microhardness means among the composites exposed to the tested solutions were found and are related to their composition and particle content [14,29]. Grandio SO, Filtek Supreme and Amaris have similar matrix composition (Bis-GMA, UDMA, TEGDMA), however, differ in size and amount of filler particles (Table 1). The higher resistance of Bis-GMA to the degradation effects of immersion media can be explained by the fact that bis-acryl resin composite materials contain bifunctional acrylates, which cross-link to provide increased mechanical strength and resistance to weakening in the presence of solvents [28,31]. Grandio SO and Filtek Supreme present nanoscale particles, which provide better mechanical resistance compared to hybrid resins, superior polishing than microfilled resins, higher strength and reduced polymerization shrinkage [32]. Due to their nanoscale, these materials showed the highest microhardness values in this study. By the other hand, Filtek LS is constituted of silorane, with quartz and yttrium fluoride as inorganic filler, which increased hydrophobicity and reduced water sorption [33]. Differences in microhardness among Filtek LS and others composite could be attributed to the lower filler content (76% w/w), as observed by Yesilyurt et al. [14]. Therefore, the differences in composites compositions could have contributed to the differences in hardness. After simulated toothbrushing, there was a reduction in microhardness values. This fact may be due to changes on the surface of the resin matrix when immersed in the solutions before brushing. According to a previous study [2], the immersion in food-simulating media increased the exposure of filler particles by softening the matrix. Additionally, toothbrushing can change the surface of composites [2,34,35]. In clinical situation, the consumption of food or beverages occurs before brushing habits, making this association clinically relevant. Although an increase of the composite surface roughness and degradation after brushing have been previously reported,[2] significantly lower roughness means were obtained after brushing in this study. Likewise, previous studies showed that most of composites did not present significant changes by the immersion on chemical degradation media in surface roughness over time [2,9,15]. This study found differences on surface roughness of mycrohybid, nanofill and nanohybrid composites, as results of their differences in their compositions. Filtek LS, myycrohybrid composite, had the lowest surface roughness, probably due to low filler content. Filtek Supreme e Grandio SO had an intermediate smoother texture, whereas Amaris showed the roughest surface. Nevertheless, despite of these initial differences, the immersion in chemical solutions did not interfere in the final surface roughness. However, interaction between immersion in food-simulating media and simulated brushing decreased surface roughness, as observed by Turssi et al. [20] This may be attributed to the reaction of the solutions with the polymer matrix. Toothbrushing after the immersion on food-simulating media resulted in the removal of part of the organic matrix around the loosen fillers [2]. Then, the softened matrix have become mixed with the abrasive slurry, decreasing its abrasive potential [20]. Roughness surfaces of composite favors the accumulation of plaque, gingival inflammation, superficial staining and secondary caries. It is noteworthy that the effect of brushing on the composites depends on several factors, such as the type of toothpaste, type and shape of the brush bristles, the proportion of deionized-water solution, as well as speed and weight applied during simulation process. As these parameters were standardized for all groups, it can be suggested that the surface roughness varies with the size, hardness and percentage of composite particles, as reported previously [20,36]. The different treatments tested resulted in alteration of composite properties, and these alterations were material-dependent; thus, the null hypothesis tested was rejected. The present study is important for guiding the improvements of the present composite resins against the challenges they will face during clinical service. It is also relevant to state that esthetics represents only one of the reasons for composite resin restorations failure. Improvements in other areas such as bonding degradation, material deterioration and ability to prevent caries progression/activity should be also considered. Conclusion According to the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that: The microhardness means of the tested composites were influenced by the material; Toothbrushing reduced Ra values of the materials tested, but the solutions used for chemical degradation did not affect the results. Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Liberalism And Freedom Essay -- essays research papers fc

Liberalism and Freedom Liberalism is a force that has produced change from the birth of this nation to the politics of today. Liberal tenets have been a basis of thought and action in American politics since well before the signing of the Constitution. Certainly, liberalism has had to transform in order to remain a legitimate force throughout the years. When considering this transformation, one may ask whether or not the ideas and goals of classical liberalism have been lost in the conversion into modern liberalism. In order to answer this, the areas of freedom, the role of government, human nature, and the function of law should be addressed. While this may not be a complete register of change in liberalism, research into these subjects can provide strong indications toward the nature of this transition. Objectively, the evidence suggests that many of the ideas of classical liberalism were either abandoned or changed fundamentally when America entered the modern era. Freedom The idea of freedom has been a paramount concern of liberalism throughout history. Consider the classical ideas of religious freedom, the right to resist and the inherent right of every individual to be independent. These were some of the main focuses of classical liberalism in early America. On religious freedom, seventeenth century minister Roger Williams wrote: "All Civill States with their Officers of justice in their respectiveconstitutions and administrations are proved essentially Civill, and therefore not judges, governours or defendours of the spirituall or christian state and worship." (Volkomer, 50) This quote is notable because it illustrates the early liberal ideas of religious freedom by stating that government officials have no right to pass judgment on religious practices. In furtherance of his views, Williams founded a colony at Plymouth and contributed to the development of religious tolerance in the new world. Religious tolerance meant that a nation with multiple religions need no longer mean a country with internal strife and civil insurrection due to intolerance (Volkomer, 1969). The notion of religious open- mindedness helped pave the way for individual independence by suggesting that people were able to determine their own fundamental beliefs. The right of ind... ...rrelationship helps ensure liberalism's role in bringing about change in the future. Bibliography An Introduction to the Philosophy of Law: New Haven; Yale University Press, 1922 The Relevence of Liberalism; Westview Press, Boulder, CO. 1978 Beiner, Ronald: What's the Matter With Liberlism? University of California Press, Los Angeles, 1992 De Tocqueville, Alexis: Democracy in America; Penguin Books Ltd., Middlesex, England, 1984 Dewey, John: Liberalism and Social Action; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1935 Dietze, Gottfried: Liberalism Proper and Proper Liberalism, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1985 Dunbar, Leslie: Reclaiming Liberalism, WW Norton & Co., New York, 1991 Gerstle, Gary: "The Protean Nature of American Liberalism", The American Historical Review, October 10, 1994, American Historical Review, New York, New York Kotkin, Joel: "What's Wrong With Liberalism"; The American Enterprise, Jan/Feb 1996 Vol. 7 No. 1, The American Enterprise Institute, Washington D.C. Lewis, Edward: A History Of Political Thought, The Macmillan Co., New York, 1937 Mansfield, Harvey: The Spirit of Liberalism, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1978