Usage Of Newspaper In English Teaching English Language Essay

Usage Of Newspaper In English Teaching English Language Essay Over the last three decades, major changes have taken place in the English language teaching methods, especially in second and foreign language learning scenario. This paper aims at analyzing the importance of usage of newspaper and magazines in the classroom and finding the ways on how to use print media. The classroom becomes a multidimensional environment. It is difficult for the teachers to manage this multidimensional environment. It is essential for them to make the students able to use the news paper and at the same time deal with other activities such as researching for information from books and magazines. The following issues are open for discussion: the importance of media in general and education in particular; media are persuasive and pervasive, example newspapers and magazines. The possibilities of interactive or student-centered approaches to teach writing skills in English through newspaper and I review basic procedures common in English Language Teaching to design ta sks for literary study will be discussed. Such tasks I suggest, newspapers can definitely supplement the traditional lectures. Keywords: Teaching English, use of print media, newspapers, language acquisition. 1. Newspapers in the classroom Newspapers are easy to be brought in the class in different subjects and courses, especially in geography, history, literature, language classes, etc. Some of them have valuable information for these subjects, but we should know how to find this information. Many libraries have systems of classification according to the topics and issues and we can easily find our way in searching this information. If not we would spend a lot of time to find something. It is often said that academic success starts at the library. There are different purposes and ways for using newspapers in language classroom. They may be used for the culture they transmit. The more widely students read, the greater their understanding of this cultural meaning will be. They may also be used for reflecting changes in the language as well, and in doing so, helping students and teachers keep up pace with such changes. Most newspapers are linguistically up-to-date and provide valuable linguistic data. They may be used fo r the wide variety of text types and language styles, not often found in textbooks. At the same time, newspapers provide a natural source of many of the varieties of Written English that become very important to students, and valuable for language study as the students progress. So, they may be used as supplementary material and examples in Text Analysis, Academic Writing, Stylistics, Semantics, etc. while analyzing different types of texts. The variety of subjects and topics makes newspapers interesting and motivating for the students to work with. Newspapers report real-life events, and this arouses students curiosity. Newspaper-based activities in the classroom may engage students in enjoyable activities and encourage their further reading. Newspapers are an invaluable source of authentic materials. The more students read, the more they want to explore. People learn through reading, and reading about interesting new things in ones interest subject, undoubtedly helps motivation. (Paul Sanderson, 2002) Newspapers are also a great source for ESP teachers. They can be used as teaching materials to develop students language skills. They can be used effectively with a wide range of levels from Elementary to Advanced, either interpreting them or using them as they are. Some newspapers are easy to read, easy to use. The committed teachers can design exercises to develop reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, writing skills, grammar skills, vocabulary, map/chart reading skills, geography skills, social study skills and more. Having a lot of newspapers and information the teachers should be careful with the way how to organize a certain activity using them. So, they are particularly suitable for mixed-ability classes, depending on the activity, questions, etc. In planning a lesson using a newspaper, the teacher should take into consideration the length of the article, paragraph, the complexity of the language, the density of information, the subject-matter and content, the time a vailable and the level of the students. Nowadays, we are living in a period of rapid technological changes in mass communications. Through Internet, we are now able to access thousands of newspapers and magazines worldwide. Internet has increasingly become a major source of newspapers and magazines for language teachers; just find the web site and click. But we should be very careful in choosing suitable newspaper materials to use with our students. It is helpful to bear in mind these questions: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Will my students find the materials interesting? If yes, they will raise students motivation. If no, the students will be frustrated. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Are the materials appropriate for their level of knowledge? If they are too difficult to be understood, students will be discouraged. Otherwise their level of understanding would be O.K. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Are the materials appropriate for the students in terms of language level? Choose more challenging materials, choose materials where the language level is suited to the level of students, and choose tasks that can be done by the students at a certain level. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Should I use only materials from todays newspapers? The answer is yes and no. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lessons take time to prepare. The schedules of the teachers are periodically busy. Once we find an interesting material, we may use it over and over again, avoiding articles or news mentioning dates or topical events, data for well-known personalities, etc. Another very important issue about newspaper use is materials collection. It is an on-going process and worth doing it. Choosing and collecting short articles, weather forecast, advertisements, headlines, etc. is a hard task, but we may use them at a later time and more than once for different students. So, it is necessary to be very careful in organizing newspaper materials. Once we start collecting them we should begin thinking to organize them, put under certain categories, systematize them, etc. Everyone has experienced many times the frustration when he/she knows that he/she has that piece of information but does not remember where he/she has put it. It is good to categorize the materials under certain titles, headlines, advertisements, etc. or under topic titles, sport, cinema, relationship, according to language level of students, etc. Of great importance are the use of the photographs and illustrations. We should be careful to prepare these materials in good quality to use them again and again, and with every passing year we create folios and enrich them, then photocopy what we want for students use. We should not avoid using newspapers in the classroom only thinking that they are difficult for our students. It is true that the language there is difficult, but after all it is authentic. There are several ways of making newspaper materials usable for the various levels of students, by selecting interesting newspapers and the students will be interested in reading them and would skip some difficult expressions. A very important thing that enhances success in using newspapers in the classroom is the careful design of tasks. Grade the task not the material is a well-known maxim in langua ge teaching. In spite of the difficulty of the texts, the task should suit the level of students, this is more important than the difficulty of the text. The involvement of students in pre-activity, while-activity preparation techniques, in the selection of materials and in carefully designing the tasks are the key to success. Here are some pre-activity and while-activity preparation techniques that can be used in combination with one another: (Paul Sanderson, 2002) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Give the students the materials before the lesson, ask them to look for vocabulary at home à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Explain any key vocabulary in the materials à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Summarize the newspaper item à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ask the students to brainstorm what they know about the newspaper item à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Tell the students the headline and show any accompanying photograph à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Before reading, write on the board and explain key vocabulary à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ask the students to predict the story-line à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Allow your students to use a dictionary during the activity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encourage your students to go for the overall meaning of a text, rather than to understand every word à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encourage your students to bring to their reading their own world knowledge à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Try to help the students in understanding the grammatical complexity of the text, facilitate to assimilate the density of information, guess the low-frequency vocabulary, etc. The newspaper activities might be a lot, interesting and multidimensional. They might be about the headlines, headline combinations, articles, categorizing articles, news flash, putting it back together, exchanging the news, ranking articles, press conference, filling in the gaps, news in brief, photographs, predicting photographs, famous faces, photo stories, moving pictures, putting the picture in the story, advertisements, classifying adds, role-plays ads, job interviews, horoscopes, problem page letters, TV guides, cartoons and strip cartoons, acting out cartoons, strip cartoon stories, weather forecast, predicting the weather, matching weather forecasts, newspaper reading corner, find someone whoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ special interest groups, newspaper puzzles, crosswords, and many others. 2. Magazines in the Classroom There are different kinds of magazines. According to a questionnaire done with high school and university students most of them mentioned that they liked to read mostly political, scientific, fashion, cultural, entertaining and sport magazines. This interest of the university and high school students should be exploited by the teachers to up-date their teaching materials and break the monotony of the lesson by using always the textbooks. As with newspapers, magazines are resources for different subjects, cutting out pictures and passages associated with particular topics. Magazines are also sources in language development in providing pictures to stimulate verbal or written stories. For example, they may be used for introducing colors and clothes, means of transport, short stories, stimulating picture discussions and for other supplementary materials as well, which cover a topic that may be under discussion in a language class. As for the ways how to use magazines in the classroom we can refer to the ideas and clues given for the newspapers. Both newspapers and magazines have a lot of things in common.

Mango (Mangifera Indica) Leaves Extract and Coconut Oil as an Antibacterial Ointment

Mango (Mangifera indica) leaves extract and Coconut Oil as an Antibacterial Ointment A Science Investigatory Project of Kristifany C. Mamba Bansud National High School-Regional Science High School for Region IV – MIMAROPA Pag-asa, Bansud, Oriental Mindoro Abstract The purpose of this study is to produce an antibacterial ointment out of Mango leaves extract and coconut oil. Young mango leaves were gathered and was chopped into small pieces. 50 mL of coconut oil was put in a frying pan. Then, the chopped mango leaves was added to the coconut oil. It was mixed for 10 minutes. Next, the small bits of mango leaves were removed from the coconut oil. Lastly, candle wax was added to the mixture. It was stirred again thoroughly. The solution was transferred into an empty container and left to cool down. The mango leaves extract with coconut oil was tested at the Bureau of Plant Industry. It was tested against the bacteria E. coli and S. aureus. The resulting Numerical value was 2. 5 for E. coli and 3. 0 for S. aureus. The bureau used the standard parameter 1-2- slightly inhibited and 3-5 as partially inhibited. Thus, the inhibition of the mango leaves extract and coconut oil in E. oli was slight and it is partial in S. aureus. The researcher concluded that mango leaves extract with coconut oil can kill bacteria like E. coli and S. aureus. It can also be concluded that it can help wounds heal faster because of its antibacterial property. Chapter I Introduction Background of the Study The Philippines have many different herbal plants that can cure different illne ss like body pain, toothache, arthritis, and other diseases. The herbal plants we have contain helpful constituents and properties that can cure different kinds of diseases. We can make useful product made from these plant and other materials. Nowadays, many herbal plants are being discovered with more uses. Many companies used herbal plants to make ointments, tablets, coffee or teas. Ointments are very useful in treating different kind of wounds. The production of ointments from herbal plants found in our country can help us minimize our dependence on the use of high – cost ointments. The herbal plant must have anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic and antibacterial properties to produce an effective ointment. Most of the wounds are infected by the common bacteria like Escherichia coli. As the wounds go deeper and become more complex they can infect the underlying muscles and bone causing osteomyelitis. Coliforms and anaerobes are associated with osteomyelitis in those people who have infected wounds. You also see the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus in the infected wound. Local factors that increase chances of wound infection are having large wound area, increased wound depth, degree of chronicity, the body, necrotic tissue, and mechanism of injury (bites, perforated viscus). (Neal R. Chamberlain. n. . ) The mango leaves (Mangifera indica) and coconut oil possesses antibacterial activity against different bacteria. (Research Update of Mango and Mango Leaf Extract, n. d. ). Coconut and olive oils are traditionally used to moisturize and treat skin infections. Extensive research done by scientists such as Jon J Kabara, PhD, has shown that the Lauric acid found in Coconut Oil is a potent antim icrobial agent  . Lauric acid is a major component (49%) of Coconut oil. It has also been found to kill the H. Pylori bacteria  in the stomach which are responsible for many stomach problems such as ulcers. The good thing about Lauric acid is that it doesn't kill friendly bacteria in the stomach. Antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria in the stomach and often need to be followed with probiotics such as acidophilus bacteria to replenish friendly bacteria in the gut. Objectives General Mangifera indica leaves and coconut oil have anti-bacterial contents which can help remove the infection on the wounds. This study aimed to produce an ointment which can kill the bacteria and cure different types of wounds out of Mangifera indica leaves and coconut oil. Specific This research study was conducted to determine if mango leaves extract and coconut oil can be made into an ointment and if it can help wound heal faster. Statement of the Problem Specifically, this study ought to answer the following questions: 1. Can the ointment made from Mangifera indica leaves extracts and coconut oil kill the bacteria in the wounds? 2. Can the Mangifera indica leaves extract and coconut oil be made into an ointment? 3. Can the ointment made from Mangifera indica leaves and coconut oil extract help the wound to heal faster? Hypothesis 1. The ointment made from Mangifera indica leaves extracts and coconut oil can kill bacteria in the wounds. 2. The extract of Mangifera indica leaves and coconut oil can be made into an ointment for curing wounds. Significance of the Study This study greatly benefits the people in the community who cannot afford to buy expensive ointment for wounds. It can also benefit the hospitals and in small clinics. The additional medication in curing wounds can help a lot to save a life. It has significance to those who were far from the store or drug store because they can cure our wounds without taking too long from buying ointments from far drugstores. It can be also a source of income for the people in provinces. Scope and Limitation This study was limited only on the production of ointments from mango leaves extracts and coconut oil. The ointment produced from mango leaves extracts and coconut oil focuses on killing the bacteria in the wounds. It was limited to use if there is irritation on the skin after the application of the ointment. For the patients who have sensitive skin should ask permission from a doctor before using the ointment. Chapter II Review of Related Literature Review of Related Literature Antibacterial Pertaining to a substance that kills bacteria or inhibits their growth or replication. Antibiotics synthesized chemically or derived from various microorganisms exert their bactericidal or bacteriostatic effect by interfering with the production of the bacterial plasma wall; by interfering with protein synthesis, nucleic acid synthesis, or plasma membrane integrity; or by inhibiting critical biosynthetic pathways in the bacteria. (2009, Elsevier. ) E. coli E. coli  is a common type of  bacteria  that can get into food, like beef and vegetables. E. oli  is short for the medical termEscherichia coli. E. coli  normally lives inside your intestines, where it helps your body break down and digest the food you eat. Unfortunately, certain types (called strains) ofE. coli  can get from the intestines into the blood. This is a rare illness, but it can cause a very serious infection. (Steven Dowshen, MD, August 2009) S. aureus Staphylococci (staph) are Gram-positive s pherical bacteria that occur in microscopic clusters resembling grapes. Bacteriological culture of the nose and skin of normal humans invariably yields staphylococci. In 1884, Rosenbach described the two pigmented colony types of staphylococci and proposed the appropriate nomenclature:  Staphylococcus aureus  (yellow) and  Staphylococcus albus  (white). The latter species is now named  Staphylococcus epidermidis. Although more than 20 species of  Staphylococcus  are described in Bergey's Manual (2001), only  Staphylococcus aureus  and  Staphylococcus epidermidis  are significant in their interactions with humans. S. aureus  colonizes mainly the nasal passages, but it may be found regularly in most other anatomical locales, including the skin, oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. S. ureus  is often hemolytic on blood agar;  S. epidermidis  is non hemolytic. The bacteria are catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. S. aureus  can grow at a temperature range of 15 to 45 degrees and at NaCl concentrations as high as 15 percent. Nearly all strains of  S. aureus  produce the enzyme coagulase: nearly all strains of  S. epidermidis  lack this enzyme. S. aureus  should always be considered a potential pathogen; most strains of  S. epidermidis  are nonpathogenic and may even play a protective role in humans as normal flora. Staphylococcus epidermidis  may be a pathogen in the hospital environment. Pathogenesis of  S. aureus  infections Staphylococcus aureus  causes a variety of suppurative (pus-forming) infections and toxinoses in humans. It causes superficial skin lesions such as  boils,  styesand  furuncules; more serious infections such as  pneumonia,   mastitis, phlebitis,  meningitis, and  urinary tract infections; and deep-seated infections, such as  osteomyelitis  and  endocarditis. S. aureus  is a major cause of  hospital acquired (nosocomial) infection  of surgical wounds and infections associated with indwelling medical devices. S. aureus  causes  food poisoning  by releasing enterotoxins into food, and  toxic shock syndrome  by release of superantigens into the blood stream. S. ureus  expresses many potential  virulence factors: (1)  surface proteins that promote colonization of host tissues; (2) invasins that promote bacterial spread in tissues (leukocidin,  kinases,  hyaluronidase); (3) surface factors that inhibit phagocytic engulfment (capsule,  Prote in A); (4) biochemical properties that enhance their survival in phagocytes (carotenoids,  catalase production); (5) immunological disguises (Protein A,  coagulase); (6) membrane-damaging toxins that lyse eucaryotic cell membranes (hemolysins, leukotoxin, leukocidin; (7) exotoxins that damage host tissues or otherwise provoke symptoms of disease (SEA-G,  TSST,  ET); and (8) inherent and acquired resistance to antimicrobial agents. Membrane-damaging toxins alpha toxin (alpha-hemolysin)  The best characterized and most potent membrane-damaging toxin of  S. aureus  is alpha toxin. It is expressed as a monomer that binds to the membrane of susceptible cells. Subunits then oligomerize to form heptameric rings with a central pore through which cellular contents leak. In humans, platelets and monocytes are particularly sensitive to alpha toxin. Susceptible cells have a specific receptor for alpha toxin which allows the toxin to bind causing small pores through which monovalent cations can pass. The mode of action of alpha hemolysin is likely by osmotic lysis. ?-toxin  is a sphingomyelinase which damages membranes rich in this lipid. The classical test for ? -toxin is lysis of sheep erythrocytes. The majority of human isolates of  S. aureus  do not express ? -toxin. A lysogenic bacteriophage is known to encode the toxin. (2008 Kenneth Todar, PhD  ) delta toxin  is a very small peptide toxin produced by most strains of  S. aureus. It is also produced by  S. epidermidis. The role of delta toxin in disease is unknown. Leukocidin  is a multicomponent protein toxin produced as separate components which act together to damage membranes. Leukocidin forms a hetero-oligomeric transmembrane pore composed of four LukF and four LukS subunits, thereby forming an octameric pore in the affected membrane. Leukocidin is hemolytic, but less so than alpha hemolysin. Only 2% of all of  S. aureus  isolates express leukocidin, but nearly 90% of the strains isolated from severe dermonecrotic lesions express this toxin, which suggests that it is an important factor in necrotizing skin infections. (2008 Kenneth Todar, PhD  ) Wound Healing Wound healing is a complex process with many potential factors that can delay healing. There is increasing interest in the effects of bacteria on the processes of wound healing. All chronic wounds are colonized by bacteria, with low levels of bacteria being beneficial to the wound healing process. Wound infection is detrimental to wound healing, but the diagnosis and management of wound infection is controversial, and varies between clinicians. There is increasing recognition of the concept of critical colonization or local infection, when wound healing may be delayed in the absence of the typical clinical features of infection. The progression from ound colonization to infection depends not only on the bacterial count or the species present, but also on the host immune response, the number of different species present, the virulence of the organisms and synergistic interactions between the different species. There is increasing evidence that bacteria within chronic wounds live withi n biofilm communities, in which the bacteria are protected from host defences and develop resistance to antibiotic treatment. (Edwards R,  Harding KG Apr. 17, 2004) Bacteria and Wounds Bacteria are ubiquitous in the geography of the human body. In the skin, the average human being harbors at least 200 species of bacteria, totaling more than 1012 organisms. Therefore, when the skin is broken by trauma or disease, bacteria are also ubiquitous in wounds. When discussing the presence of bacteria in an open wound of a human host, three conditions are noted with respect to their presence on or in the tissue, their impact on the healing of the wound, and the associated immune response from the host. The first condition is bacterial contamination or the simple existence of bacteria on the surface of the wound. Contamination is specifically defined as the presence of non-proliferating organisms on the superficial tissues. Contaminating bacteria do not elicit an immune response from the hos t and do not impact the healing process. The second condition, bacterial colonization, is differentiated from contamination in that it refers to proliferating organisms on the wound surface – bacteria that have adhered to the superficial tissues and have begun to form colonies. Colonization is also characterized by a lack of immune response from the host and generally is not believed to impact or interfere with the healing process. 2 Wounds that contain nonviable tissue (ie, slough and/or eschar) offer a particularly hospitable environment for colonization because the dead tissues provide a ready source of nutrients for the growing bacterial colonies. In the third condition, bacterial infection, proliferating bacteria are not only present on the surface of the wound or in nonviable tissue, but have also invaded healthy, viable tissue to such a depth and extent that they elicit an immune response from the host. Local clinical signs of tissue redness, pain, heat, and swelling generally characterize this immune response, along with an increase in exudate production or purulence. Bacterial infection delays and may even halt the healing process. The mechanism of this healing delay involves competition between host cells and bacterial cells for oxygen and nutrients and increased host cell production of inflammatory cytokines and proteases in response to the bacteria and their associated toxins. (Liza Ovington, PhD, CWS, n. d) Related studies In the research update of mango and mango leaf extract, effects of a natural extract from Mangifera indica L, and its active compound, mangiferin, on energy state and lipid peroxidation of red blood cells. Following oxidative stress, modifications of several biologically important macromolecules have been demonstrated. In this study they investigated the effect of a natural extract from Mangifera indica L (Vimang), its main ingredient mangiferin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on energy metabolism, energy state and malondialdehyde (MDA) production in a red blood cell system. Analysis of MDA, high energy phosphates and ascorbate was carried out by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Under the experimental conditions, concentrations of MDA and ATP catabolites were affected in a dose-dependent way by H(2)O(2). Incubation with Vimang (0. , 1, 10, 50 and 100 mug/mL), mangiferin (1, 10, 100 mug/mL) and EGCG (0. 01, 0. 1, 1, 10 muM) significantly enhances erythrocyte resistance to H(2)O(2)-induced reactive oxygen species production. In particular, they demonstrate the protective activity of these compounds on ATP, GTP and total nucleotides (NT) depletion after H(2)O(2)-induced damage and a reduction of NAD and ADP, which both increase because of the energy consumption following H(2)O(2) addition. Energy charge potential, decreased in H(2)O(2)-treated erythrocytes, was also restored in a dose-dependent way by these substances. Their protective effects might be related to the strong free radical scavenging ability described for polyphenols. Mango and Mango Leaf Extract, n. d. ) Mangifera indica L. extract consists of a defined mixture of components (polyphenols, terpenoids, steroids, fatty acids and microelements). It contains a variety of polyphenols, phenolic esters, flavan-3-ols and a xanthone (mangiferin), as main component. This extract has antioxidant action, antitumor and immunemodulatory effects proved in experimental models in both in vitro and in vivo assays. The present study was performed to investigate the genotoxicity potential activity of Vimang assessed through different tests: Ames, Comet and micronucleus assays. Positive and negative contr ols were included in each experimental series. Histidine requiring mutants of Salmonella typhimurium TA1535, TA1537, TA1538, TA98, TA100 and TA102 strains for point-mutation tests and in vitro micronucleus assay in primary human lymphocytes with and without metabolic activation were performed. Results of Comet assay show that the extract did not induce single strand breaks or alkali-labile sites on blood peripheral lymphocytes of treated animals compared with controls. On the other hand, the results of the micronucleus studies (in vitro and in vivo) show Vimang induces cytotoxic activity, determined as cell viability or PCE/NCE ratio, but neither increased the frequency of micronucleated binucleate cells in culture of human lymphocytes nor in mice bone marrow cells under their experimental conditions. The positive control chemicals included in each experiment induced the expected changes. The present results indicate that M. indica L. extract show evidences of light cytotoxic activity but did not induce a mutagenic or genotoxic effects in the battery of assays used. (Mango and Mango Leaf Extract, n. d. ) Anti-allergic properties of Mangifera indica L. extract (Vimang) and contribution of its glucosylxanthone mangiferin. : Vimang is the brand name of formulations containing an extract of Mangifera indica L. , ethnopharmacologically used in Cuba for the treatment of some immunopathological disorders, including bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis and other allergic diseases. However, the effects of Vimang on allergic response have not been reported until now. In this study, the effects of Vimang and mangiferin, a C-glucosylxanthone isolated from the extract, on different parameters of allergic response are reported. Vimang and mangiferin show a significant dose-dependent inhibition of IgE production in mice and anaphylaxis reaction in rats, histamine-induced vascular permeability and the histamine release induced by compound 48/80 from rat mast cells, and of lymphocyte proliferative response as evidence of the reduction of the amount of B and T lymphocytes able to contribute to allergic response. In these experiments, ketotifen, promethazine and isodium cromoglicate were used as reference drugs. Furthermore, they demonstrated that Vimang had an effect on an in-vivo model of inflammatory allergy mediated by mast cells. These results constitute the first report of the anti-allergic properties of Vimang on allergic models, as well as suggesting that this na tural extract could be successfully used in the treatment of allergic disorders. Mangiferin, the major compound of Vimang, contributes to the anti-allergic effects of the extract. (Mango and Mango Leaf Extract, n. d. ) Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and hypoglycemic effects of Mangifera indica Linn. (Anacardiaceae) stem-bark aqueous extract.   Previous studies in their laboratories and elsewhere have shown that some members of Anacardiaceae family possess antiinflammatory, analgesic and hypoglycemic effects in man and mammalian experimental animals. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to examine the antiinflammatory, analgesic and antidiabetic properties of the stem-bark aqueous extract of Mangifera indica Linn. , M. indica a member of the Anacardiaceae family, in rats and mice. The stem-bark powder of M. indica was Soxhlet extracted with distilled water and used. M. indica stem-bark aqueous extract (MIE, 50-800 mg/kg i. p. ) produced dose-dependent and significant (p

A close reading of Beowulf Essay

The epic poem Beowulf contains contradictions about the heroic character of the protagonist Beowulf. Two certain passages in Beowulf, one at the beginning of the text and one near the end, offer evidence of inconsistencies within Beowulf’s character. We must ask one question of the poem’s protagonist: Is he really the hero he claims to be? Certain aspects of Beowulf’s integrity, mainly his lies about people’s perceptions of him, contradict the conventional classification of a hero. The legend of Beowulf begins with King Hrothgar, who is in a dilemma because Grendel, an evil monster, has been unremittingly attacking Heorot for twelve years. Beowulf, a warrior and thane of the Geat King Hygelac, hears of this and decides that he must go to Heorot to help Hrothgar, for he is the only one who can accomplish this great feat: ;He announced his plan: to sail the swan’s road and seek out that king, that famous prince who needed defenders. Nobody tried to keep him from going, No elder denied him, dear as he was to them. Instead they inspected omens and spurred His ambition to go [†¦] (200-209). This passage is one of the first introductions to Beowulf as a character. The sentence â€Å"†¦prince who need defenders† portrays Beowulf as a noble warrior, well respected at home. He would â€Å"seek out that king,† the king who needed Beowulf the great warrior. Here, the poet’s word choice implies that Beowulf is fearless. Beowulf knows that he is the only one who can help Hrothgar, the â€Å"famous prince who needed defenders.† But Hrothgar had other warriors who helped to defend Heorot from Grendel, â€Å"†¦powerful counselors, the  highest in the land, would lend advice, plotting how best the bold defenders might resist and beat off sudden attacks† (171-74). Here, it is evident that Beowulf has told a lie. It is not true that Hrothgar needed defenders. Although Hrothgar had defenders that may have been unsuccessful in the slaying of the monster, that does not imply that he needed defenders, or more specifically, Beowulf himself. A different version of how the elders viewed Beowulf becomes apparent after his victorious defeats of both Grendel and his mother. Beowulf returns home to be greeted with this speech from Hygelac: â€Å"How did you fare on your foreign voyage, dear Beowulf, when you abruptly decided to sail away across the salt water and fight at Heorot? Did you help Hrothgar much in the end? [†¦] (1987-1991). Apparently, Hygelac did not fully support Beowulf’s ambitions to rescue Heorot. It is obvious Hygelac views Beowulf’s undertaking as childish and quite impulsive, which is made clear by his using of the word â€Å"abruptly.† When Hygelac says â€Å"did you help Hrothgar much in the end?† he doubts Beowulf’s ability to defeat Grendel. It is obvious that he did not think he would see Beowulf alive again. This feeling is reinforced a few lines later when Hygelac says, â€Å"I dreaded the outcome of your expedition [†¦]† (1993-94). The sudden apprehensiveness on Hygelac’s part creates a sharp contrast to the first introduction to Beowulf, where he is seemingly the Geat’s top warrior, who could not be defeated; â€Å"he was the mightiest man on earth† (197). This poses the question; are we to believe anything Beowulf has said so far in relation to his heroic accomplishments? Does this contradiction make him a liar? If he is a liar, does it diminish the feats he has achieved, such as the slaying of Grendel and Grendel’s mother? Another one of Beowulf’s contradictory lies can be found within these passages. The first passage states that â€Å"†¦ no elder denied him,† while in the second passage the poet’s words, such as when Hygelac asks Beowulf if he â€Å"helped Hrothgar much in the end,† imply that the Geats were less than thrilled about Beowulf’s decision to go to Heorot. It is obvious that Hygelac’s words are contemptuous and that he is not asking Beowulf what happened at Heorot because he truly wants to know if Heorot is saved. Hygelac is asking Beowulf in a mocking manner because the elders did indeed deny Beowulf in his endeavor to help Heorot. Evidence of the true sentiments toward Beowulf from his kin can be seen when the poet writes â€Å"he had been poorly regarded for a long time, was taken by the Geats for less than he was worth: and their lord too had never much esteemed him in the mead-hall†(2183-2186). This sentence explains that Beowulf was not held in such high esteem as he would have liked. His decision to go to Heorot is an attempt to assert his worth to his family and people because they â€Å"firmly believed he lacked force, that the prince was a weakling [†¦]†(2187-88). Beowulf, who holds Hygelac in high regard, wants to defeat Grendel to make Hygelac proud. If Beowulf is a weakling, how is it that he was the only one able to fight and defeat the indestructible Grendel? Beowulf somehow knows that it is his destiny to defeat Grendel, which may be the true reason for â€Å"abruptly† deciding to travel to Heorot. For twelve years, no one in Heorot could stop Grendel. They tried time and again to kill him by using any kind of weaponry they could forge. How is it that a newly arrived foreigner defeat Grendel without any armor or weapons? It must be because God had helped the â€Å"hero.† This is apparent in Beowulf’s many references to God: â€Å"Whichever one death fells must deem it a just judgment by God† (440-41) and â€Å"the Geat placed complete trust in his strength of limb in the Lord’s favor† (669-670). The Oxford English dictionary defines a hero as â€Å"a man distinguished by extraordinary valour and martial achievements; one who does brave or noble deeds; an illustrious warrior.† Valor, braveness and nobility are not  characteristics usually found in people who are liars. Noble warriors do not have to lie to assert their worth, their actions speak for themselves. Brave warriors do not lie because they are courageous and do not fear anything, especially the truth. Because one cannot be brave and noble while also being a liar, and because being brave and noble are characteristics of being a hero, it is clear that Beowulf cannot be called a hero.

Nursing Practice That Necessitates a Change - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 767 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Introduction Nursing Practice Identification Nursing acts as the most important aspect in our society. It helps in maintaining and improving healthcare. Nursing remains to be one of the most trusted healthcare profession. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Nursing Practice That Necessitates a Change" essay for you Create order A nurse is one of healthcare professional who engages in the practices associated with nursing. Nurses are responsible for maintaining healthcare, safety as well as facilitating effective recovery of patients. Moreover, nurses engages in nursing research which is a path that facilitates provision of evidence based care. Simply, all registered nurses plays a unique role on a healthcare team as they undertake on ongoing assessment of health status of patients as well as response to plan of care associated with patients. Their main focus lies on assisting patients to meet their needs which encapsulates emotional, physical, cognitive as well as social needs. Thus, the role played by nursing professional cannot be underestimated. However, there various areas in nursing practice that needs to be changed. One of the most important nursing practice that need to be changed is hand washing. Description of the Current Practice Preventing the spread of germs is one of the most important aspect in which all nurses should partake in order to promote health care. Hand washing is one way which help in preventing the spread of infections. It has been apparent that health care providers have been at risk of getting infection while performing their daily activities of treating patients.   Failure of washing hands has become an issue that has affected improvement of standards as well as practice for hospitals care. Adherence with recommendations for hand washing which promotes hygiene and prevents spread of infections remains low. For instance, hand washing can help in lowering the cases of diarrhea (Ejemot?Nwadiaro et al, 2015). Hand hygiene is one of the renowned priory measure which lessens the spread of nosocomial pathogens. However, non-compliance with hand washing remains to be one of the challenge faced in various hospitals. As result, washing hand is one of the nursing practice that needs to be changed. T here is an ultimatum need to improve the standards as well as practices in health care settings by changing hand washing nursing practice. Reasons why Nursing Practice need to be changed The importance of maintaining hand hygiene by hand washing has been insufficiently recognized by nurses and other health care professionals. They fail to acknowledge the fact that clean hands count for safe healthcare as clean hands protects them from spreading serious infections to their patients while in hospital. Evidence from credible studies indicate that on average, nurses and other related healthcare professionals do not regularly wash their hands as they are supposed to do (Gould et al, 2017). This has contributed to the spread of infections that have affected many hospitals. Also, if the nursing practice is changed, it will facilitate an efficacy in eliminating bacteria and infections spreads by use of hands (Bhatia Dehankar, 2017). A patient in a hospital is at risk of acquiring infections apart from the one he is being treated for. Further, nurses and other healthcare providers are also at risk of acquiring infections from the same patients they are treating. Hence, there is a satiable reason of changing the highlighted nursing practice. Key Stakeholders and their Roles Stakeholders in health care plays a vital role towards establishing an environment that promotes establishment of effective patient care. Every key stakeholder plays a crucial role in maintaining the required standards within hospitals. Some of the key stakeholders include the healthcare providers in hospitals, patients as well as the public health officers operating at the community level. The public health officer plays a crucial role towards establishing a way of educating people the importance of hand washing. The education comprises of highlighting how hands are used to carry infections. In relation to health care providers which include nurses and other medical officers, they are responsible of ensuring that recommended standards are maintained which include proper hand hygiene which entails proper hand washing. Patients also plays a vital in establishing an environment which promotes their effective recovery. Washing their hands regularly acts as a mean that prevents spread of infections. Scientists are also key stakeholders. Although they don’t belong to the health care setting, they play a critical role who should never be underestimated. They have a responsibilities of coming up with mechanisms of ensuring infections are not spreads through hands. This means that they come up with means of maintaining high levels of hand hygiene. If the key stakeholders highlighted plays their role accordingly, then they will be able to support the recommended change of hand washing.