Design study on, HER2 overexpression and HER2 glycobiology changes Essay

Design study on, HER2 overexpression and HER2 glycobiology changes - Essay Example In the last years, multiple attempts have been conducted to develop strategies that could actually determine the over-expression of HER 2 positive breast cancer indicators in secondary breast cancer cell line compared to the primary cell line expression and the glycosylation process changes connected. In this regard, breast cancer lines have significantly been used to investigate the cancer pathobiology for new emerging therapies thereby identifying the cancer oncogenesis as a molecular heterogeneous disease (Schwab & Thomson Gale 2008). HER2 over-expression in metastatic breast cancer and O-Glycan changes exhibition has been used in invasive breast cancer in conjunction with the therapy involved for the illness. Therefore, HER-2 issues in metastatic versus primary breast cancer overexpression are associated with the HER-2-positive discovered disorder (Tavani, 2006). The increased prominence of HER-2 overexpression accompanied by glycosylation changes has increased interest in Breast cancer pathobiology researchers and academic learners to focus mainly on the basic theories and explanations for the origin and therapies for this particular condition. Many authors claim that the HER-2 oncogenes have been found to encode a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor that is responsible as the central classifier for the targeted therapy and invasive breast cancer disease (Jo & Zeon, 2015). On a broad analysis, the immunohistochemistry, fluorescence and chromogenic in-situ hybridization and the major marketed slide-based HER-2 methods are presented and contrasted broadly against the fundamental background of the HER-2 testing guideline testing (American Society of Clinical Oncology–College of American Pathologists guidelines). The over-expression of the HER2 receptor and glycosylation changes associated with breast cancer

Team Work on the example of the film Oceans Eleven Essay

Team Work on the example of the film Oceans Eleven - Essay Example The paper describes the leadership influence on team work and the group processes. Our goals were simple: we wanted to work together to achieve a quality project with very little conflict and low stress. We made this happen by coming to agreements on section length and due dates and we followed this schedule. It worked out well for us because they were SMART goals. While doing our project we didn’t really ever have to influence each other to do anything we didn’t want to. We think this is because we used a logical, collaborative approach to accomplish our task. Both of these were effective; we were logical in the sense that if we were to force other group members into roles that they didn’t want to be in, they probably wouldn’t excel in those areas which would negatively affect the outcome of our project and we were collaborative in that we worked together to make sure we accomplished the set goals of the group. A passive or assertive approach would most l ikely not work to influence our group members to accomplish our goals. The process of decision making is extremely important and every member must be in unison when it comes to decision making, usually good decisions are made when the team members are all in unison but at times it is just not plausible but even if it is not plausible the team leader must convince each member of the group and a unanimous decision must be made. Communication is another very important factor, each member in a group must communicate and communication must always be a two way process.

Gender Inequality in the Nursing Profession

Gender Inequality in the Nursing Profession Over the past ten years, the profession of nursing has seen an increase to the number of male nurses (Cite). Despite this fact, men still comprise the minority within the nursing profession both in Canada and the United States, in fact, nursing remains one of the most female-dominated occupations. To most individuals, this seems an appropriate if not a natural occurrence as women are more naturally suited to the profession (Cite). Many factors contribute to this bias however, a review of the history of this phenomenon has shown that the first nurses were actually men as opposed to women (Cite). Ironically, women have made enormous strides into previously male-dominated professions, while the movement of men in nursing has been quite the opposite (MacPhail, 1996). Ideas of appropriate behavior according to gender vary among cultures and eras largely due to what society deems appropriate. In the recent past we have seen this concept adapt to the changing needs of our communities throug h the support of the movement of women into male-dominated professions. While this remains a laudable achievement, virtually no support has been given to men to break into professions dominated by women, such as nursing (Cite). Theoretical Perspectives Historically, nursing is considered a single-sex occupation, identified as a role that is inherently natural to the female gender. Thus, it has become identified as a profession deeply embedded in the gender-based power relations of society. Nursing is an occupation established by women; it supports the stereotypical feminine image with traits of nurturing, caring, and gentleness in contrast to masculine characteristics of strength, aggression, and dominance (Evans, 2002). For this reason, occupations requiring these qualities have been considered exclusively suited to women, and labeled womens work. However, the art and science of nursing has not always been a predominantly female profession (Evans, 2004). Men have played a dominant role in organized nursing dating back to 330 A.D. in the Byzantine Empire. During this era, hospitals were one of the major institutions where nursing emerged as a separate occupation, primarily for men. Moreover, military, religious, and lay orders of men known as nurses have a long history of caring for the sick and injured during the Crusades in the llth century (MacPhail, 1996). In the United States, men served as nurses during the Civil War. John Simon, the lesser-known rival of Florence Nightingale, was the founder of an experimental field hospital in Germany during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871). Male nurses were hired to staff the hospital, and mortality rates among the troops were kept abnormally low (Evans, 2004). Unfortunately, men were not accepted readily in nursing schools for many years. Interestingly, in 1888, Darius Odgen Mills established the first male nursing school in America, based at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. This school of nursing provided education and training for nurses to care for psychiatric patients. However, it appears that this mens contribution to nursing has been forgotten. This nonrecognition has likewise perpetuated the feminine image of nursing in society and the perception of the male nurse as an anomaly Generally, nursing as we know it today came to be regarded as a womans profession through the efforts initiated and developed by Florence Nightingale during the 19th century. She saw nursing as suitable for women because it was an extension of their domestic role. It was assumed that it was natural for women to become nurses because of their innate caregiving and healing traits; nursing was not a place for men. At that time, more and more women entered the profession of nursing. Nightingales image of the nurse as subordinate, nurturing, domestic, humble, and self-sacrificing, as well as not too educated, became prevalent in society. The ostracization of men in nursing was established. Factors Contributing to Gender Inequality in the Nursing Profession According to several authors, one major barrier that may deter men from entering the profession is nursings traditional image. Nursings image perpetuates cultural understandings and societal attitudes about occupations appropriate for men and women. As such, nursing remains stereotyped as a female occupation. After all, gender-role socialization patterns in society provide examples of ways in which boys and girls are exposed to different role models and different me sages about what is appropriate to each gender. Society has presented men with strong stereotypical boundaries concerning masculine or feminine behavior. Men who choose nursing as a career risk challenging traditional gender-defined roles and stereotypes (Evans, 2002; Nelson Belcher, 2006). These stereotypes-enhanced by social, political, and economic systems-often lead to discrimination for men choosing careers outside their gender. Males appear to encounter more negative criticism from the public on entering female-identified occupations. For example, they are held suspect and penalized for role violation. Furthermore, these traditionally female jobs are perceived by society as a step down in status (Williams, 1992). Accordingly, these beliefs deter men from pursuing nontraditional careers. It is troublesome for some to accept the image of men as caring, compassionate, and gentle. Men wanting to enter the female-identified occupation challenge societys stereotypical image of nursing. Some scholars have argued that caring and nurturing traits are not exclusive to women. These traits, however, are not inherent in the biological and social nature of the sexes, but are cultural constructs reinforced by the social activities associated with being male or female. Evans (2004) maintains that gender and politics have influenced how the responsibility for caring activities has been settled exclusively on women. Actually, this appropriation has influenced how the division of labor is postulated along gender lines, meaning that occupations are socially or culturally defined through constructions of gender. Thus, because ones identity is linked to the sex/gender system in society, it is difficult to rethink the concept of masculinity. As such, men in or aspiring to female-dominated professions are evaluated less positively by society than their female colleagues in male-dominated occupations (Williams, 1992). These views restrict career choice and sustain societal stereotypes, inhibiting men from entering the nursing profession. Nursing Images The traditional image of the nurse has been supported through the use of symbols such as the angel, battle-ax, sex symbol, or doctors handmaiden, and, most notably, nurses as women. These images, based on female attributes and values, have been used by interpersonal and mass communication, reinforcing the stereotypes of nurses as women. These behaviors and attitudes are further strengthened by the exclusion of men in any recruitment and promotional materials depicting the profession of nursing. Evans (2004) argues for a shift away from the womanly traits associated with the old Nightingale image of the nurse, the basis for the feminine stereotype of nursing that is still evident today. When the nurse is a man, societal images of the caregiver role are not associated with the gender. For example, Williams (1995) conducted in-depth interviews with 32 men employed in nursing. One nurse reported that a teacher at a day-care center told his daughter that her father could not be a nurse, and insisted that he must be a doctor. Thus, nursing has been socially constructed as an occupation requiring gender traits that are associated with feminine, regardless of the sex of its individual members. In a study of 126 male high school students using a career questionnaire, Barkley and Kohler (1992) investigated opinions about nursing. The teenagers surveyed held a positive view of men in nursing. Seventy-three percent rejected the idea that only women should be nurses, and 77% thought that male nurses are not wimps. Evans (2002) surveyed 25 male nurses to investigate the perceptions of being a male nurse. The most prevalent negative factor identified was sex stereotyping resulting from the general perception that nursing is a female profession. According to Kleinman (2004), language and images are dominant forces, which may have the effect of marginalizing any group. Subsequently, for centuries men in nursing have been excluded from the language and image of nursing, therefore from its history. As such, he believes nursing practice has been sexualized. It could be argued that the label of nursing as womens work is a significant deterrent that inhibits recruitment of men into the profession and aids promotion of the sex imbalance in the nursing workforce. Because of their gender, male nurses have been prohibited from working in specific clinical areas, such as maternal/infant child care. These beliefs have been supported by court decisions; however, there are no restrictions on the practice of female nurses with male patients. These attitudes tend to succor sexism in the profession, affecting the recruitment of men. Williams (1992) claims that cultural barriers are more pronounced in the medias representation of mens occupations. She contends that women in traditionally male professions have achieved acceptance on popular television programs. Today, women are portrayed as doctors, lawyers, and architects, but where are the male nurses, teachers, and secretaries? These beliefs are reinforced by language used in nursing. Women in nursing are simply nurses, not female nurses; however, men in nursing are frequently identified as male nurses. These images, perceptions, and language influence societal views of the nurse. This, too, leads to the marginalization of men nurses and fortification of negative stereotypes. Kleinman (2004) stated that the work belongs to neither sex. By excluding males, such messages constitute a critical barrier to men considering nursing as a career. This fact is reflected in the invisibility of men in the profession. This is demonstrated in the example of a 1997 photo feature called Nurses at the Bedside in the American Journal of Nursing. Of the 15 pictures of the nurse caring and working with clients, none shows a man. This assessment substantiates the invisibility of mens contributions and visibility in the profession. Moreover, such findings nourish societys stereotypical image of nursing as a feminine occupation, negatively affecting recruitment of men into the profession. According to Evans (2002), The hope for change lies in challenging and transforming hegemonic notions of masculinity and femininity (p. 230). Sex-Related Stereotypes Another commonly held stereotype concerning men who choose nursing as a career is that they are effeminate or gay (Williams, 1995). According to Williams, it is assumed by society that in order to be a nurse, female attributes such as a capacity to serve, empathize, and nurture are required. Hence, men who nurse must be feminine and are regarded as gay. Although there are a number of gay men in the profession, this stereotype forms a major obstacle to many heterosexual men who might otherwise consider pursuing a career in nursing (Nelson Belcher, 2006; Trossman, 2003). Williams (1992) also suggests that the stigma associated with homosexuality leads some men to enhance or magnify their masculine qualities. Using focus groups, Williams (1995) investigated the experience of being a male student nurse. All participants reported that nursing is viewed as a womens profession, and several stated a fear of being perceived as unmanly by their peers or by clients. These beliefs fostered among the men a view that the profession is a threat to their masculinity. Subsequently, these men felt a need to show their wedding ring or to mention their wife and children in order to acknowledge their heterosexuality. In addition, the labeling of male nurses as effeminate or homosexual can be interpreted as a social control mechanism that redefines nursing as womans work. This signifies that male nurses are different from other men. Consequently, as a result of these attitudes and perceptions, one can understand why nursing remains an occupation low on career choice for males. Economic Factors Another factor suggested as contributing to mens underrepresentation in nursing is the low economic status, pay, and value given to nursing in comparison to male occupations (Kleinman, 2004). Overall, social and economic inducements for women to enter male-dominated professions are lacking for men who may contemplate careers in female-dominated areas. Moreover, he believes that current cutbacks in healthcare funding may deter some men who might otherwise have considered a nursing career. Historically, nursing is considered to be a natural extension of a womans role in society. As a result of this notion, it is considered a low-value occupation (Williams, 1992). It is well known that the average income of men is well above that of women. Accordingly, these findings support the view that jobs customarily held by women are devalued. Williams (1995) argues that the economic value of other major disciplines and that of nurses reinforces the limited value attached to the role of the nurse. Consequently, the separation, isolation, and labeling of certain roles as womens or mens roles in both traditional and modern society reflect the patriarchal social structure. Barkley and Kohler (1992) administered a career questionnaire to 126 male high school students, grades 9 to 12. Findings indicated that most rejected nursing as a future career because of their beliefs about nurs economic status. Sixty-two percent of the subjects surveyed did not think that nurses made high salaries, and 46% believed that nurses do not get paid well. These researchers concluded that in order for nursing to compete financially with other male-dominated professions, salary discrepancies need to be changed. In spite of changes in nursing education today, in practice, social attitudes valuing mens work over womens work are still apparent (Kleinman, 2004). Traditionally, the female role has a lower value in society, thus the importance of a nurses value is not reflected by economic rewards. These resilient attitudes have been reinforced through gender socialization, leading to less status and power for nurses within society. In a similar study, using in-depth interviews, Williams (1992) examined the barriers to mens entry into three female-dominated professions: social work, nursing, and teaching. Participants felt they were all underpaid relative to comparable male occupations. Moreover, several of the respondents suggested that instituting a comparable-worth policy might attract more men to these professions. Even so, nursing is still recognized as a female profession, and, in general, womens roles in society continue to be less valued as reflected in social status and financial compensation. Strategies to Promote Equality How would nursing look today if it had remained a male-dominated profession? Would nursing enjoy greater prestige, power and status than it receives today? How would nursing practice and education differ? Would there have been a revolution in the profession as more and more females entered nursing, as they have in other traditionally male-dominated professions? Strategies to Recruit More Men to the Profession Currently, the realities of healthcare cutbacks have had a negative impact on the nursing profession. As a result, nursing education programs are attracting fewer students. Admission levels are now lower than they have been in decades (Trossman, 2003). These facts may provide an opportunity to recruit an available source of male applicants into the profession. Such recruitment efforts may lead to increasing support and enrollment of men in the profession. Undertaking these endeavors might help eliminate the societal barriers and perceptions of nursing as a sex-typed occupation. Presently, several people in Canada and the United States are predicting that a nursing shortage is looming. Both countries could face a registered nursing shortage by the year 2011. Since the profession is still largely female dominated, it is recruiting almost exclusively from one half of the population. Likewise, because of falling birthrates, aging workforce, and shrinking recruitment pools, the nursing pool is not renewing itself at a sufficient rate. Furthermore, enrollment in baccalaureate programs has been declining for several years. It is suggested that this may be due to students reluctance to enroll because of hospital right-sizing and healthcare cutbacks. Meanwhile, many women are not considering nursing as a career, opting to pursue nontraditional careers. Other professions such as medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy have seen a steady growth in gender equality; nursing has not been so fortunate. The tendency to consider nursing as a single-sex occupation has to end. Active recruitment of young males in high schools and colleges may be a new means of addressing nursing shortages. They provide an untapped pool of nursing school applicants (Trossman, 2003). Because nurses enter a profession, which naturally maintains and reflects societys sex stereotypes, it is important that strategies attack both the myths and barriers (Kleinman, 2004). Accordingly, general acceptance of nursing as a viable career for men requires input and promotion by nurse educators, administrators, professionals associations, unions, and government. Marketing nursing to men requires a concentrated effort by all interested stakeholders to break down the socially constructed, stereotypical myths and barriers to help change the perception of nursing as a sex-typed occupation. Thus, nursing schools, professional associations, and governments must reach out to the schools in the community. Here they have an excellent opportunity to educate all students about nursing as a career choice. One endeavor to correct the public image is the development and promotion of career education materials that promote sex equity. This information can be supplied to children and adolescents in schools, providing them an opportunity to acquire a realistic understanding of the nursing profession. School counsellors influence career choice; however, information provided by counselors to students about nursing is limited and often inaccurate. Research has found that counselors experience misconceptions about nursing (Barkley Kohler, 1992). Thus, they are not likely to advise academically capable male and female students to pursue a career in nursing. For this reason, a re-education of high school counselors about the nursing profession is important in aiding recruitment of future nurses of both genders. Nursing associations could target school counselors individually, give presentations, and emphasize the positive aspects of the profession for both male and female students. Such attempts will produce a population of wellinformed high school counselors to aid recruitment of future nurses (Nelson Belcher, 2006). Studies have shown that nursing schools have shunned men by paying little attention to targeting and retaining men as a source of nursing school applicants (MacPhail, 1996). Consequently, campaigns to recruit male high school and college students into nursing programs must become a priority. Schools of nursing should employ higher numbers of male nursing faculty to be role models for male nursing students. Nurses and nursing organizations must wage an effective public media campaign to correct the image and the publics perception of the nurse. Furthermore, hospitals, nursing schools, and other health agencies need to portray men in the role of nurse in their publicity materials. Recruitment, promotional advertisement posters, and brochures should not portray only the female image of the nurse. Another endeavor is the monitoring of the media for sexist images of the nurse, eliminating sexist language from nursing journals, texts, nursing conferences, and other personal communications (MacPhail, 1996; Kleinman, 2004). Elimination of sexist language and images of nurses might help change the deeply entrenched societal stereotypes about nursing. Recruiters should emphasize the positive aspects of nursing in all media communications to the public. Most important, involving male nursing students in recruitment efforts and making them visible in recruitment materials and publications may increase mens representation in the profession. However, the active recruitment of men into nursing should not be viewed as a panacea. Other recruiting strategies would be to encourage professional journals and other literature to portray men nurses in their advertising. Finally, an improvement of pay scales might help make nursing a more attractive occupation for both genders. This would involve the cooperation of nurses, government, and nursing unions through collective bargaining. Although the literature has identified a long history of men in nursing, their contribution has not been recognized. Nursing is still seen as a role that is inherently natural to females. Many factors have deterred men from entering the profession, and one of the main barriers keeping them away is the wellentrenched societal stereotypes associated with nursing. Even though women and men are socialized differently, both genders have the caring and nurturing characteristics required for nursing. Societal attitudes have aligned these traits exclusively to the female gender. With the changes currently taking place in the healthcare system, nursing needs to recruit the best candidates, regardless of gender, who have the potential to develop their knowledge and skill in caring for individuals. To attract and retain more men will require a concentrated effort not only for those within nursing, but by other stakeholders as well. Nursing must be the forerunner in breaking and correcting the b arriers that impede the entry of men into the profession. As these barriers are broken, career options and choices in nontraditional careers may increase for both sexes (Trossman, 2003). Conclusion Altogether one might believe that nursing is one of the most important jobs in the medical field based on the reputable history it has, its diversity, and its growing demand. One might also believe that nursing is a very important job due to the fact that people will always need health care. No matter whether it is female or male nursing is more than just caring for the sick, it is not only giving care to the patient but also caring about the patient and his or her well-being.

Negotiating with Chinese Essay -- Business and Management Studies

Negotiating with Chinese Introduction When a company want to establish in China they have to follow some unwritten rules based on the cultural development China ´s. You cannot come to China and doing business as you know it from Germany. That will not work. The chinese people will misunderstand you. In this assay I will give some informations about chinese negotiating methods and how western people can manage it, where they have to be careful. I chose this topic because in my opinion this is very important for doing business in China where you can see heavily the cultural differences between China and western countries. My assay will give information about this topic from the the first contact over the negotiation process to what may happen after the contract is signed. Getting in contact with Chinese companies Before you can negotiate with anyone you need to know with whom you can do business in China. There are different ways to get in contact with Chinese companies. - getting in contact with the â€Å"Außenhandelsgesellschaft† in Shanghai - contact the responsible ministry - trade fairs/exhibitions - specific lectures, lecture travel to institutes/universities/ministries - private advice companies with seat in Hongkong - finding a chinese single person who have good contacts (guanxi) - advertise in magazines and newspapers - contact Chinese great companies of the same branch and try to get in direct contact with them or to get informations about other possible partners - contact an other german company who already established their business in china and asking them to work as a contact person to china - asking the german embassy in china - speak to homebank, consolidated companies, chamber of industry and commerce These different ways to get into china are in a way ranked as how important or effectful they are in my opinion. Pre-Negotiation Negotiation with Chinese or getting in the first contact with Chinese can be made in several ways like mentioned above. The Chinese negotiation process starts with contacts with the Chinese partners. The Chinese are first of all interested in getting to know the other party during first initial contacts. They try to determine whether or not the foreign firm has: - the most advanced technology required for their project, art of business - the willingness... ...s not as worse as it in my assay sometimes seems to be. If you know and understand the cultural differences as a western person it is not easy but you will make good negotiations because in my opinion it is naive to think that chinese people do not know what your values are. They know as much as you know about them so they know that you manage the things in your country in another way round. So if you make a mistake I am sure chinese people will "forgive" (if it is not a part of the negotiating tactic to bring you in embarrassments with your mistakes). Very important maybe most important in my opinion is the face because this is also very important for the chinese. Do not lose ones face. That is for a chinese people often not really forgiveable. The worst case what may happen if you let a chinese negotiating partner lose his face is that the negotiating process finish immediately. So this in my opinion one of the most important thing western people have to take care of in the negotiating process. Last I want to say that it was very interesting to work on this assay because I got a further inside view through chinese negotiating and with this the chinese culture.

Historical Court Cases and Landmark legislation on Special Education

Historical court cases and landmark legislation on special education schools have had various impacts on parents, children as well as the school and have directly impacted on various activities and rules that govern special education in our schools today. Though there are various historical court rulings on special education, in this paper I will emphasize on four cases to show how their ruling have had an impact on today’s special education.The first case to discuss was presented in 1972 by the Association for retarded citizens (PARC) vs. the Pennsylvania where children were not allowed in public school if they possessed certain characteristics. Some of the children were told that they could not attend schools because of their horrible appearances, which could otherwise be described as ugly to look at. The court ruling held that every child had a right to free and a public education. This ruling has impact on special education even today in that, it has enabled every child to have access of a free public education since it is right of children to receive education no matter of their disabilities or looks. It has also enabled children to freely interact with the others in school even though physical appearance of some of them may be horrible.In the case presented in 1979 by the Armstrong vs. Kline in Pennsylvania where the students who had disabilities were not allowed to go to the summer school even if the program was provided to the enabled students. The parents made a request to the district to provide this program to special students who have disabilities. The court ruling held that students who have severe disabilities are entitled the right of Extended School Year (ESY). Determination of this would be the by the use specific data, which will be part of individual program in education. The impact of this ruling is that children with disabilities up to now receive education in a long duration over the year than the other children especially in the sc hools of special education for students with disabilities.In another case presented in 1988, Honig vs. Doe, two students with diagnosed behavior disorders where each of them suspended because of acting out. The parents were of the view that, both these students were being punished because of their disability. The court held that students who have handicaps should not be expelled out of school due to handicap related behaviors. The impact of this ruling is that in the process of punishing a student with disabilities, one should think on what type of punishment he should give. This has prompted teachers to devise proper means and ways of punishing these students in schools.The fourth case to discuss here was presented on 1989, Daniel R.R vs. The state education board. Parents wanted Daniel to be put in main stream school program even though he was disruptive and yelling in the class. The court held that schools can have use of inquiry of two parts so that they can determine extend to which a child needed to be mainstreamed or to determine that regular classroom had a learning room environment. The impact of this ruling is that a child who is disruptive can not be placed in one classroom with the other children since he can make the classroom not to have a good learning environment, which will affect the learning of the other children. This is what is put in practice even today and that is why there are special schools for students with such disabilities.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 30-32

CHAPTER 30 SB level. Senate basement. Robert Langdon's claustrophobia gripped him more tightly with every hastening step of their descent. As they moved deeper into the building's original foundation, the air became heavy, and the ventilation seemed nonexistent. The walls down here were an uneven blend of stone and yellow brick. Director Sato typed on her BlackBerry as they walked. Langdon sensed a suspicion in her guarded manner, but the feeling was quickly becoming reciprocal. Sato still hadn't told him how she knew Langdon was here tonight. An issue of national security? He had a hard time understanding any relation between ancient mysticism and national security. Then again, he had a hard time understanding much of anything about this situation. Peter Solomon entrusted me with a talisman . . . a deluded lunatic tricked me into bringing it to the Capitol and wants me to use it to unlock a mystical portal . . . possibly in a room called SBB13. Not exactly a clear picture. As they pressed on, Langdon tried to shake from his mind the horrible image of Peter's tattooed hand, transformed into the Hand of the Mysteries. The gruesome picture was accompanied by Peter's voice: The Ancient Mysteries, Robert, have spawned many myths . . . but that does not mean they themselves are fiction. Despite a career studying mystical symbols and history, Langdon had always struggled intellectually with the idea of the Ancient Mysteries and their potent promise of apotheosis. Admittedly, the historical record contained indisputable evidence that secret wisdom had been passed down through the ages, apparently having come out of the Mystery Schools in early Egypt. This knowledge moved underground, resurfacing in Renaissance Europe, where, according to most accounts, it was entrusted to an elite group of scientists within the walls of Europe's premier scientific think tank–the Royal Society of London–enigmatically nicknamed the Invisible College. This concealed â€Å"college† quickly became a brain trust of the world's most enlightened minds– those of Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, Robert Boyle, and even Benjamin Franklin. Today, the list of modern â€Å"fellows† was no less impressive–Einstein, Hawking, Bohr, and Celsius. These great minds had all made quantum leaps in human understanding, advances that, according to some, were the result of their exposure to ancient wisdom hidden within the Invisible College. Langdon doubted this was true, although certainly there had been an unusual amount of â€Å"mystical work† taking place within those walls. The discovery of Isaac Newton's secret papers in 1936 had stunned the world by revealing Newton's all-consuming passion for the study of ancient alchemy and mystical wisdom. Newton's private papers included a handwritten letter to Robert Boyle in which he exhorted Boyle to keep â€Å"high silence† regarding the mystical knowledge they had learned. â€Å"It cannot be communicated,† Newton wrote, â€Å"without immense damage to the world.† The meaning of this strange warning was still being debated today. â€Å"Professor,† Sato said suddenly, glancing up from her BlackBerry, â€Å"despite your insistence that you have no idea why you're here tonight, perhaps you could shed light on the meaning of Peter Solomon's ring.† â€Å"I can try,† Langdon said, refocusing. She produced the specimen bag and handed it to Langdon. â€Å"Tell me about the symbols on his ring.† Langdon examined the familiar ring as they moved through the deserted passageway. Its face bore the image of a double-headed phoenix holding a banner proclaiming ORDO AB CHAO, and its chest was emblazoned with the number 33. â€Å"The double-headed phoenix with the number thirty-three is the emblem of the highest Masonic degree.† Technically, this prestigious degree existed solely within the Scottish Rite. Nonetheless, the rites and degrees of Masonry were a complex hierarchy that Langdon had no desire to detail for Sato tonight. â€Å"Essentially, the thirty- third degree is an elite honor reserved for a small group of highly accomplished Masons. All the other degrees can be attained by successful completion of the previous degree, but ascension to the thirty-third degree is controlled. It's by invitation only.† â€Å"So you were aware that Peter Solomon was a member of this elite inner circle?† â€Å"Of course. Membership is hardly a secret.† â€Å"And he is their highest-ranking official?† â€Å"Currently, yes. Peter heads the Supreme Council Thirty-third Degree, which is the governing body of the Scottish Rite in America.† Langdon always loved visiting their headquarters–the House of the Temple–a classical masterpiece whose symbolic ornamentation rivaled that of Scotland's Rosslyn Chapel. â€Å"Professor, did you notice the engraving on the ring's band? It bears the words `All is revealed at the thirty-third degree.' â€Å" Langdon nodded. â€Å"It's a common theme in Masonic lore.† â€Å"Meaning, I assume, that if a Mason is admitted to this highest thirty-third degree, then something special is revealed to him?† â€Å"Yes, that's the lore, but probably not the reality. There's always been conspiratorial conjecture that a select few within this highest echelon of Masonry are made privy to some great mystical secret. The truth, I suspect, is probably far less dramatic.† Peter Solomon often made playful allusions to the existence of a precious Masonic secret, but Langdon always assumed it was just a mischievous attempt to coax him into joining the brotherhood. Unfortunately, tonight's events had been anything but playful, and there had been nothing mischievous about the seriousness with which Peter had urged Langdon to protect the sealed package in his daybag. Langdon glanced forlornly at the plastic bag containing Peter's gold ring. â€Å"Director,† he asked, â€Å"would you mind if I held on to this?† She looked over. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"It's very valuable to Peter, and I'd like to return it to him tonight.† She looked skeptical. â€Å"Let's hope you get that chance.† â€Å"Thanks.† Langdon pocketed the ring. â€Å"Another question,† Sato said as they hastened deeper into the labyrinth. â€Å"My staff said that while cross-checking the concepts of the `thirty-third degree' and `portal' with Masonry, they turned up literally hundreds of references to a `pyramid'?† â€Å"That's not surprising, either,† Langdon said. â€Å"The pyramid builders of Egypt are the forerunners of the modern stonemasons, and the pyramid, along with Egyptian themes, is very common in Masonic symbolism.† â€Å"Symbolizing what?† â€Å"The pyramid essentially represents enlightenment. It's an architectural symbol emblematic of ancient man's ability to break free from his earthly plane and ascend upward toward heaven, toward the golden sun, and ultimately, toward the supreme source of illumination.† She waited a moment. â€Å"Nothing else?† Nothing else?! Langdon had just described one of history's most elegant symbols. The structure through which man elevated himself into the realm of the gods. â€Å"According to my staff,† she said, â€Å"it sounds like there is a much more relevant connection tonight. They tell me there exists a popular legend about a specific pyramid here in Washington–a pyramid that relates specifically to the Masons and the Ancient Mysteries?† Langdon now realized what she was referring to, and he tried to dispel the notion before they wasted any more time. â€Å"I am familiar with the legend, Director, but it's pure fantasy. The Masonic Pyramid is one of D.C.'s most enduring myths, probably stemming from the pyramid on the Great Seal of the United States.† â€Å"Why didn't you mention it earlier?† Langdon shrugged. â€Å"Because it has no basis in fact. Like I said, it's a myth. One of many associated with the Masons.† â€Å"And yet this particular myth relates directly to the Ancient Mysteries?† â€Å"Sure, as do plenty of others. The Ancient Mysteries are the foundation for countless legends that have survived in history–stories about powerful wisdom protected by secret guardians like the Templars, the Rosicrucians, the Illuminati, the Alumbrados–the list goes on and on. They are all based on the Ancient Mysteries . . . and the Masonic Pyramid is just one example.† â€Å"I see,† Sato said. â€Å"And what does this legend actually say?† Langdon considered it for a few steps and then replied, â€Å"Well, I'm no specialist in conspiracy theory, but I am educated in mythology, and most accounts go something like this: The Ancient Mysteries–the lost wisdom of the ages–have long been considered mankind's most sacred treasure, and like all great treasures, they have been carefully protected. The enlightened sages who understood the true power of this wisdom learned to fear its awesome potential. They knew that if this secret knowledge were to fall into uninitiated hands, the results could be devastating; as we said earlier, powerful tools can be used either for good or for evil. So, in order to protect the Ancient Mysteries, and mankind in the process, the early practitioners formed secret fraternities. Inside these brotherhoods, they shared their wisdom only with the properly initiated, passing the wisdom from sage to sage. Many believe we can look back and see the historical remnants of those who mastered the Mysteries . . . in the stories of sorcerers, magicians, and healers.† â€Å"And the Masonic Pyramid?† Sato asked. â€Å"How does that fit in?† â€Å"Well,† Langdon said, striding faster now to keep pace, â€Å"this is where history and myth begin to merge. According to some accounts, by the sixteenth century in Europe, almost all of these secret fraternities had become extinct, most of them exterminated by a growing tide of religious persecution. The Freemasons, it is said, became the last surviving custodians of the Ancient Mysteries. Understandably, they feared that if their own brotherhood one day died off like its predecessors, the Ancient Mysteries would be lost for all time.† â€Å"And the pyramid?† Sato again pressed. Langdon was getting to it. â€Å"The legend of the Masonic Pyramid is quite simple. It states that the Masons, in order to fulfill their responsibility of protecting this great wisdom for future generations, decided to hide it in a great fortress.† Langdon tried to gather his recollections of the story. â€Å"Again, I stress this is all myth, but allegedly, the Masons transported their secret wisdom from the Old World to the New World–here, to America–a land they hoped would remain free from religious tyranny. And here they built an impenetrable fortress–a hidden pyramid– designed to protect the Ancient Mysteries until the time that all of mankind was ready to handle the awesome power that this wisdom could communicate. According to the myth, the Masons crowned their great pyramid with a shining, solid-gold capstone as symbol of the precious treasure within–the ancient wisdom capable of empowering mankind to his full human potential. Apotheo sis.† â€Å"Quite a story,† Sato said. â€Å"Yes. The Masons fall victim to all kinds of crazy legends.† â€Å"Obviously you don't believe such a pyramid exists.† â€Å"Of course not,† Langdon replied. â€Å"There's no evidence whatsoever to suggest that our Masonic forefathers built any kind of pyramid in America, much less in D.C. It's pretty difficult to hide a pyramid, especially one large enough to hold all the lost wisdom of the ages.† The legend, as Langdon recalled, never explained exactly what was supposed to be inside the Masonic Pyramid–whether it was ancient texts, occult writings, scientific revelations, or something far more mysterious–but the legend did say that the precious information inside was ingeniously encoded . . . and understandable only to the most enlightened souls. â€Å"Anyway,† Langdon said, â€Å"this story falls into a category we symbologists call an `archetypal hybrid'–a blend of other classic legends, borrowing so many elements from popular mythology that it could only be a fictional construct . . . not historical fact.† When Langdon taught his students about archetypal hybrids, he used the example of fairy tales, which were recounted across generations and exaggerated over time, borrowing so heavily from one another that they evolved into homogenized morality tales with the same iconic elements– virginal damsels, handsome princes, impenetrable fortresses, and powerful wizards. By way of fairy tales, this primeval battle of â€Å"good vs. evil† is ingrained into us as children through our stories: Merlin vs. Morgan le Fay, Saint George vs. the Dragon, David vs. Goliath, Snow White vs. the Witch, and even Luke Skywalker battling Darth Vader. Sato scratched her head as they turned a corner and followed Anderson down a short flight of stairs. â€Å"Tell me this. If I'm not mistaken, pyramids were once considered mystical portals through which the deceased pharaohs could ascend to the gods, were they not?† â€Å"True.† Sato stopped short and caught Langdon's arm, glaring up at him with an expression somewhere between surprise and disbelief. â€Å"You're saying Peter Solomon's captor told you to find a hidden portal, and it didn't occur to you that he was talking about the Masonic Pyramid from this legend?† â€Å"By any name, the Masonic Pyramid is a fairy tale. It's purely fantasy.† Sato stepped closer to him now, and Langdon could smell her cigarette breath. â€Å"I understand your position on that, Professor, but for the sake of my investigation, the parallel is hard to ignore. A portal leading to secret knowledge? To my ear, this sounds a lot like what Peter Solomon's captor claims you, alone, can unlock.† â€Å"Well, I can hardly believe–â€Å" â€Å"What you believe is not the point. No matter what you believe, you must concede that this man might himself believe that the Masonic Pyramid is real.† â€Å"The man's a lunatic! He may well believe that SBB Thirteen is the entrance to a giant underground pyramid that contains all the lost wisdom of the ancients!† Sato stood perfectly still, her eyes seething. â€Å"The crisis I am facing tonight is not a fairy tale, Professor. It is quite real, I assure you.† A cold silence hung between them. â€Å"Ma'am?† Anderson finally said, gesturing to another secure door ten feet away. â€Å"We're almost there, if you'd like to continue.† Sato finally broke eye contact with Langdon, motioning for Anderson to move on. They followed the security chief through the secure doorway, which deposited them in a narrow passage. Langdon looked left and then right. You've got to be kidding. He was standing in the longest hallway he had ever seen. CHAPTER 31 Trish Dunne felt the familiar surge of adrenaline as she exited the bright lights of the Cube and moved into the raw darkness of the void. The SMSC's front gate had just called to say that Katherine's guest, Dr. Abaddon, had arrived and required an escort back to Pod 5. Trish had offered to bring him back, mostly out of curiosity. Katherine had said very little about the man who would be visiting them, and Trish was intrigued. The man was apparently someone Peter Solomon trusted deeply; the Solomons never invited anyone back to the Cube. This was a first. I hope he handles the crossing okay, Trish thought as she moved through the frigid darkness. The last thing she needed was Katherine's VIP panicking when he realized what he had to do to get to the lab. The first time is always the worst. Trish's first time had been about a year ago. She had accepted Katherine's job offer, signed a nondisclosure, and then come to the SMSC with Katherine to see the lab. The two women had walked the length of â€Å"The Street,† arriving at a metal door marked POD 5. Even though Katherine had tried to prepare her by describing the lab's remote location, Trish was not ready for what she saw when the pod door hissed open. The void. Katherine stepped over the threshold, walked a few feet into the perfect blackness, and then motioned for Trish to follow. â€Å"Trust me. You won't get lost.† Trish pictured herself wandering in a pitch-black, stadium-size room and broke a sweat at the mere thought. â€Å"We have a guidance system to keep you on track.† Katherine pointed to the floor. â€Å"Very low- tech.† Trish squinted through the darkness at the rough cement floor. It took a moment to see it in the darkness, but there was a narrow carpet runner that had been laid down in a straight line. The carpet ran like a roadway, disappearing into the darkness. â€Å"See with your feet,† Katherine said, turning and walking off. â€Å"Just follow right behind me.† As Katherine disappeared into the blackness, Trish swallowed her fear and followed. This is insane! She had taken only a few steps down the carpet when the Pod 5 door swung shut behind her, snuffing out the last faint hint of light. Pulse racing, Trish turned all of her attention to the feeling of the carpet beneath her feet. She had ventured only a handful of steps down the soft runner when she felt the side of her right foot hit hard cement. Startled, she instinctively corrected to the left, getting both feet back on soft carpet. Katherine's voice materialized up ahead in the blackness, her words almost entirely swallowed by the lifeless acoustics of this abyss. â€Å"The human body is amazing,† she said. â€Å"If you deprive it of one sensory input, the other senses take over, almost instantly. Right now, the nerves in your feet are literally `tuning' themselves to become more sensitive.† Good thing, Trish thought, correcting course again. They walked in silence for what seemed entirely too long. â€Å"How much farther?† Trish finally asked. â€Å"We're about halfway.† Katherine's voice sounded more distant now. Trish sped up, doing her best to stay composed, but the breadth of the darkness felt like it would engulf her. I can't see one millimeter in front of my face! â€Å"Katherine? How do you know when to stop walking?† â€Å"You'll know in a moment,† Katherine said. That was a year ago, and now, tonight, Trish was once again in the void, heading in the opposite direction, out to the lobby to retrieve her boss's guest. A sudden change in carpet texture beneath her feet alerted her that she was three yards from the exit. The warning track, as it was called by Peter Solomon, an avid baseball fan. Trish stopped short, pulled out her key card, and groped in the darkness along the wall until she found the raised slot and inserted her card. The door hissed open. Trish squinted into the welcoming light of the SMSC hallway. Made it . . . again. Moving through the deserted corridors, Trish found herself thinking about the bizarre redacted file they had found on a secure network. Ancient portal? Secret location underground? She wondered if Mark Zoubianis was having any luck figuring out where the mysterious document was located. Inside the control room, Katherine stood in the soft glow of the plasma wall and gazed up at the enigmatic document they had uncovered. She had isolated her key phrases now and felt increasingly certain that the document was talking about the same far-flung legend that her brother had apparently shared with Dr. Abaddon. . . . secret location UNDERGROUND where the . . . . . . somewhere in WASHINGTON, D.C., the coordinates . . . . . . uncovered an ANCIENT PORTAL that led . . . . . . warning the PYRAMID holds dangerous . . . . . . decipher this ENGRAVED SYMBOLON to unveil . . . I need to see the rest of the file, Katherine thought. She stared a moment longer and then flipped the plasma wall's power switch. Katherine always turned off this energy-intensive display so as not to waste the fuel cell's liquid hydrogen reserves. She watched as her keywords slowly faded, collapsing down into a tiny white dot, which hovered in the middle of the wall and then finally twinkled out. She turned and walked back toward her office. Dr. Abaddon would be arriving momentarily, and she wanted to make him feel welcome. CHAPTER 32 â€Å"Almost there,† Anderson said, guiding Langdon and Sato down the seemingly endless corridor that ran the entire length of the Capitol's eastern foundation. â€Å"In Lincoln's day, this passage had a dirt floor and was filled with rats.† Langdon felt grateful the floor had been tiled; he was not a big fan of rats. The group continued on, their footfalls drumming up an eerie, uneven echo in the long passageway. Doorways lined the long hallway, some closed but many ajar. Many of the rooms down on this level looked abandoned. Langdon noticed the numbers on the doors were now descending and, after a while, seemed to be running out. SB4 . . . SB3 . . . SB2 . . . SB1 . . . They continued past an unmarked door, but Anderson stopped short when the numbers began ascending again. HB1 . . . HB2 . . . â€Å"Sorry,† Anderson said. â€Å"Missed it. I almost never come down this deep.† The group backed up a few yards to an old metal door, which Langdon now realized was located at the hallway's central point–the meridian that divided the Senate Basement (SB) and the House Basement (HB). As it turned out, the door was indeed marked, but its engraving was so faded, it was almost imperceptible. SBB â€Å"Here we are,† Anderson said. â€Å"Keys will be arriving any moment.† Sato frowned and checked her watch. Langdon eyed the SBB marking and asked Anderson, â€Å"Why is this space associated with the Senate side even though it's in the middle?† Anderson looked puzzled. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"It says SBB, which begins with an S, not an H.† Anderson shook his head. â€Å"The S in SBB doesn't stand for Senate. It–â€Å" â€Å"Chief?† a guard called out in the distance. He came jogging up the hallway toward them, holding out a key. â€Å"Sorry, sir, it took a few minutes. We couldn't locate the main SBB key. This is a spare from an auxiliary box.† â€Å"The original is missing?† Anderson said, sounding surprised. â€Å"Probably lost,† the guard replied, arriving out of breath. â€Å"Nobody has requested access down here for ages.† Anderson took the key. â€Å"No secondary key for SBB Thirteen?† â€Å"Sorry, so far we're not finding keys for any of the rooms in the SBB. MacDonald's on it now.† The guard pulled out his radio and spoke into it. â€Å"Bob? I'm with the chief. Any additional info yet on the key for SBB Thirteen?† The guard's radio crackled, and a voice replied, â€Å"Actually, yeah. It's strange. I'm seeing no entries since we computerized, but the hard logs indicate all the storage rooms in the SBB were cleaned out and abandoned more than twenty years ago. They're now listed as unused space.† He paused. â€Å"All except for SBB Thirteen.† Anderson grabbed the radio. â€Å"This is the chief. What do you mean, all except SBB Thirteen?† â€Å"Well, sir,† the voice replied, â€Å"I've got a handwritten notation here that designates SBB Thirteen as `private.' It was a long time ago, but it's written and initialed by the Architect himself.† The term Architect, Langdon knew, was not a reference to the man who had designed the Capitol, but rather to the man who ran it. Similar to a building manager, the man appointed as Architect of the Capitol was in charge of everything including maintenance, restoration, security, hiring personnel, and assigning offices. â€Å"The strange thing . . .† the voice on the radio said, â€Å"is that the Architect's notation indicates that this `private space' was set aside for the use of Peter Solomon.† Langdon, Sato, and Anderson all exchanged startled looks. â€Å"I'm guessing, sir,† the voice continued, â€Å"that Mr. Solomon has our primary key to the SBB as well as any keys to SBB Thirteen.† Langdon could not believe his ears. Peter has a private room in the basement of the Capitol? He had always known Peter Solomon had secrets, but this was surprising even to Langdon. â€Å"Okay,† Anderson said, clearly unamused. â€Å"We're hoping to get access to SBB Thirteen specifically, so keep looking for a secondary key.† â€Å"Will do, sir. We're also working on the digital image that you requested–â€Å" â€Å"Thank you,† Anderson interrupted, pressing the talk button and cutting him off. â€Å"That will be all. Send that file to Director Sato's BlackBerry as soon as you have it.† â€Å"Understood, sir.† The radio went silent. Anderson handed the radio back to the guard in front of them. The guard pulled out a photocopy of a blueprint and handed it to his chief. â€Å"Sir, the SBB is in gray, and we've notated with an X which room is SBB Thirteen, so it shouldn't be hard to find. The area is quite small.† Anderson thanked the guard and turned his focus to the blueprint as the young man hurried off. Langdon looked on, surprised to see the astonishing number of cubicles that made up the bizarre maze beneath the U.S. Capitol. Anderson studied the blueprint for a moment, nodded, and then stuffed it into his pocket. Turning to the door marked SBB, he raised the key, but hesitated, looking uneasy about opening it. Langdon felt similar misgivings; he had no idea what was behind this door, but he was quite certain that whatever Solomon had hidden down here, he wanted to keep private. Very private. Sato cleared her throat, and Anderson got the message. The chief took a deep breath, inserted the key, and tried to turn it. The key didn't move. For a split second, Langdon felt hopeful the key was wrong. On the second try, though, the lock turned, and Anderson heaved the door open. As the heavy door creaked outward, damp air rushed out into the corridor. Langdon peered into the darkness but could see nothing at all. â€Å"Professor,† Anderson said, glancing back at Langdon as he groped blindly for a light switch. â€Å"To answer your question, the S in SBB doesn't stand for Senate. It stands for sub.† â€Å"Sub?† Langdon asked, puzzled. Anderson nodded and flicked the switch just inside the door. A single bulb illuminated an alarmingly steep staircase descending into inky blackness. â€Å"SBB is the Capitol's subbasement.†