Rebellion Against Oppression Essay Example for Free

Rebellion Against Oppression Essay How Does Oppression Within â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate† and â€Å"The House of Bernarda Alba† Lead To Unnatural Consequences? In both ‘Like Water for Chocolate’ and ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ rebellion against oppression is a strong theme, with both Tita and Adela struggling to break free of their mother’s authoritarianism. However, it is important to realise that with both characters, the authors are using them to symbolise their own journeys. Federico Garcia Lorca uses Adela’s strong willed fight against Bernarda Alba to represent the costs of repressing the freedom of others. Likewise, in Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel uses Tita’s constant battle against Mama Elena to show how women struggle to be heard and how both men and tradition can be strong oppressors. Laura Esquivel employs magic realism throughout ‘Like Water For Chocolate’ to show how Tita’s emotions are transmitted and exaggerated through food. Laura Esquivel presents the supernatural as an everyday event, however not all the characters accept it in the same way as reality, for example Mama Elena remains convinced that Tita is somehow doctoring the food to her own liking, instead of it being ‘magical tears’. Tita lives in a traditional female role, she enjoys cooking and is a selfless nurturer but she lives under a matriarchal rule. A woman who has â€Å"never needed a man for anything†, which leaves the reader questioning why Tita seems to require a man in her life in order to â€Å"alight her matches†. Adela, although fighting for her right for freedom again Bernarda Alba, still believes that she must take orders from Pepe. The traditional roles the mothers have created for their daughters continue even in their rebellion. The men in both books are not particularly strong characters. All leaving the women to suffer for the mess they have created themselves. When Librada’s daughter kills her newborn baby in order to avoid the shame of having sex with someone out of wedlock, â€Å"a big crowd† gather in order to kill her. It is completely unnatural that the woman is being prosecuted for being a â€Å"woman who tramples on decency† as opposed to a murderer. This is an ironic recasting of the Mary Magdalene narrative, which exposes the hypocrisy of Bernarda Alba’s society. This shows however, that within both texts, men are far less restricted than the women. The man is of no fault for having sex out of wedlock, it is her shame. Similarly, in ‘Like Water For Chocolate’ Mama Elena is far more annoyed at the idea of Tita shaming her family than of Pedro cheating on her eldest daughter. Mama Elena is obsessed with tradition and all her actions reflect this. Tita, being the youngest daughter of the family, is forced to remain at home until the day her mother dies. Mama Elena immediately disregards Tita’s questioning of the tradition, saying, â€Å"for generations not a single person in my family has questioned this tradition†, expressing that Tita should simply accept these traditions as fact and that she does not have the right to question her mother’s authority. Rosaura informs Tita that her only daughter will care for her and never marry, according to family tradition. Rosaura tries to mirror her relationship with Esperanza to the relationship her mother and Tita shared. Tita is horrified to discover that Rosaura plans to ‘perpetuate such an inhumane tradition†. Rosaura does not seem to have any powerful emotions and persists to carry on the family traditions as a poor imitation of her mother. It is class and not tradition that keeps Bernarda Alba from concealing her daughters from the world of marriage and men within ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’. Her mind is focused on how the world views her and her family. When Angustias is seen looking at Pepe El Romano, her mother asks â€Å"is it proper for a woman of your class to go chasing after a man? She is instantly noticing that her daughter is stepping outside her class and reining her back in. When Matirio is set to marry Enrique Humanas, Bernarda won’t allow it because her ‘blood will never mix with that of the Humanas family’ proving that her only real interest is in class rather than the welfare of her daughters. Mama Elena and Bernarda Alba have different reasons for oppressing their daughters but both women are equally as keen to enforce their rules. It is ironic how un-natural the ends of oppression are shown to be. When Tita is brought into the world prematurely after her fathers sudden death, Mama Elena is the opposite of a nurturer, never forging any bond with Tita. Tita develops a relationship with food that gives her the power to nurture and give outlet to her emotions. Tita rebels against her mother’s authority first through her consorting with Pedro. When Tita receives the news that Pedro is to be married to Rosaura, her life begins to crumble around her and throughout the novel there are many times when they meet without Mama Elena’s knowledge. Roberto, Rosaura and Pedro’s son is a strong, if not surprising influence in Tita’s actions. Roberto forges the bond with Tita that her and her mother never had and ‘contary to what she had expected’ she feels â€Å"an immense tenderness towards the boy†. It is when Roberto dies that Tita’s desire to please her mother and her own desires clash and she outwardly defies her mother and steps out of the shadow of oppression for the first time. She â€Å"tears apart all the sausages† symbolizing her finally destroying her mother’s rules. When Tita is found in the dovecote, it is ironic that Mama Elena states that â€Å"there’s no place in this house for maniacs! † when her oppressive nature is what caused Tita to break down. When John arrives and removes her from the oppressive atmosphere her mother has created, and she is offered comfort and love, Tita’s failing sanity returns leaving the reader questioning Mama Elena’s own sanity as she confines her daughters to a life of unnatural solitude. Adela is quietly rebelling continuously through the three act play; her real emotion doesn’t arise until the end. From the first act, after the funeral Adela wears a ‘green dress’ making her stand out from her more conservative siblings. The colour green symbolises fertility which Bernarda objects to. This immediately separates her from her family. Unlike Tita, Adela never covers up her feelings in front of her mother or siblings, she knows what she wants and â€Å"her body will be for anyone†. Bernarda’s cane is her symbol of authority, one bang on the floor and all is silenced. In her fury Adela breaks ‘the tyrant’s rod’, the ultimate rebellion, breaking Bernarda’s status symbol. With her object of authority broken, Bernarda can no longer oppress her youngest daughter. Lorca structures the conflict between the characters, short sentences forces the audience to feel the panic of the women and the strength of Adela as Bernarda’s matricachal world crashes down around her. In the last act Adela’s repression from being with the man she loves causes her to commit suicide, an ironic tragedy. Lorca makes the audience judge public morality by showing how women are oppressed throughout the scenes and how people react in the most unnatural fashion, women are convicted of adultery before murder. When Adela hangs herself, Bernarda is strong on the knowledge that her daughter â€Å"died a virgin†, she is much more interested in how the town see her as oppesed to the fact her daughter murdered herself due to Bernarda’s rules. Gertrudis and Paca Le Roseta seem very similar characters; they both follow their carnal desire and run away. Paca La Roseta was â€Å"carried off to the top of the olive grove† by the men, when Bernarda finds out ‘she agreed to it’ she is eager to announce her distaste, claiming Roseta is a ‘loose woman’ and therefore to be shunned. Because she breaks the rules of what is deemed acceptable she is immediately rejected In chapter three, Tita’s lustful emotions find themselves in the quail in rose petal sauce. When served, the family’s hidden lust rise to the surface, all of them experiencing Tita’s desire. Gertrudis is the ‘conducting body’ for Tita’s rebellion giving her the opportunity to enter Pedro’s ‘hot, voluptuous, totally sensuous’ body. Esquivel uses magic realism to describe Gertrudis setting aflame and running away with a man. Totally defying the rules of tradition set down by her own mother. Bernarda’s mother rebels against her daughter constantly and loudly. Constantly shouting that she wants to ‘get married at the edge of the sea’. She questions ’why isn’t there any foam here? Nothing but black mourning shawls’, she wants to go somewhere bright and full of hope instead of being locked up surrounded by the darkness of oppression. Maria Josepha is persistent in trying to escape her oppressor, trying to be a mother, outstepping her boundaries. She wishes a lamb to ‘be a child’ as she has a strong maternal instinct that represents all the girls’ wish to be a mother. How they all must have a maternal instinct Bernarda is not allowing them to have. The family is unnatural, a denial of nature. Maria Josepha represents rebelling against oppression much like Gertrudis in ‘Like Water For Chocolate’. Throughout both books, the matriarchal oppression forces both women to come to an unnatural end. The strict ideas of tradition, class and how a woman should act condemn everyone to a life of tragedy. Lorca and Esquivel are both fighting for the voices that were not allowed to speak in their own society.

Comparison of Available Psoriasis Treatments

Comparison of Available Psoriasis Treatments Although there is no available cure for psoriasis at present, there are different approaches to treat psoriasis and all you need to do is choose the best method.What works for your friend might not work for you.The severity of the condition, health and fitness of the sufferer, age, and other factors affect the extent of the needed treatment. Doctors often try several methods with utmost care in order to find the best one for a particular patient. Here are some of the options you have available for Psoriasis treatment 1. Natural treatments Lifestyle Change Once you have had psoriasis expect it to occur again. If you have an unhealthy lifestyle (drinking, smoking, staying up late, and the likes) making changes that are healthier is important.You know that stress, that includes lack of proper sleep, too much alcohol, and smoking can contribute to make your psoriasis worse or make it flare up again. If you are following a treatment now but keep on doing things that trigger psoriasis, don’t be surprised if your psoriasis evolves into a more dangerous form.Wear comfortable clothing that allows your skin to breathe.Try light fabrics like cotton because it is soft against your skin and will not irritate your psoriasis. Cotton also allows moisture in. Dietary recommendations that help control Psoriasis As you monitor your food, cut down on red meats or completely eliminate them from your diet if you can. Processed foods must go because they are packed with more chemicals than actual nutrients.You should also stay away from fatty foods.Passing up vegetables such as eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers may aid in controlling psoriasis related inflammation.Make sure to eliminate these vegetables from your diet and don’t give in to the temptation, even if the eggplant lasagna looks succulent. Try eating foods that cleanse your liver and kidneys such as celery, fish, lettuce, turkey, fiber-rich fares, and lemons.The National Psoriasis Foundation includes soy, chocolate, nuts, and cranberries in their list of foods that prevent psoriasis outbreaks, or at least keep those outbreaks at a minimum.Drinking plenty of water can flush out toxins from your body, keep it well hydrated, and make you feel fresh all day. Although there are many power drinks that claim to keep you energized and well hydrated, nothing beats pure, plain water. Nutritional Supplements you should take daily You need to consider taking the necessary nutritional supplements along with a well-balanced diet.You can include vitamins A, D, and E in your daily diet. You can choose to include fish oil, primrose oil, or milk thistle in your diet. Taking selenium, lecithin, and folic acid can also help prevent psoriasis. 2. Direct Skin Treatments There are natural remedies that you can try if you have psoriasis. These remedies might not completely make your psoriasis go away but they can help lessen the irritation and discomfort that psoriasis causes.Prepare a bath of lukewarm (not hot) water.Add mineral oil, Epsom salt, milk, German chamomile, or olive oil (choose only one).Any of these choices can soothe itching and can penetrate the plaques and scales. Apply a doctor recommended moisturizer when you finish your bath for double benefits. Apply vegetable oil or olive oil on your skin that has psoriasis plaque to help loosen them. The oil provides the needed moisture to the skin. If you have psoriasis on your scalp, try massaging it with a few tablespoons of olive oil to loosen the plaque before you take your shower. Stick with these suggested oils and don’t do any experimenting using different oils because those might make the condition worse.These natural treatments compliment other treatments. Just make sure you ask your doctor first before proceeding. 3. Over the counter and Systematic Treatments Doctors often choose topical or Over-The-Counter (OTC) treatments for psoriasis. If your skin does not respond to the current treatment, another topical treatment can be selected.Topical treatments bought over-the-counter can be applied directly on the affected area of the skin. Topical treatments usually include lotions, creams, gels, and ointments.Topical treatments are always the first option for most doctors for treating mild to moderate cases of psoriasis. Topical or OTC treatments include: Dandruff shampoos. Vitamin D analogues Cortisone in ointment or cream form. Retinoids that can be applied on the skin. Coal tar. Lactic and salicylic acids. Anthralin. It is important to consult with your doctor first to select the right topical treatment for your psoriasis. Opting for a Systematic Treatment If you have a more severe form of psoriasis, or if a topical treatment is not helping, doctors usually turn to oral or injectable drugs.If your psoriasis is due to infection, taking antibiotics for the infection might also stop, or alleviate, your psoriasis. The medicines used for systematic treatments include: Retinoids. Immunomodulator drugs. Methotrexate. Thioguanine. Cyclosporine. Hyrdroxyurea. Keep in mind that you should always seek your doctor’s advice even if you have had psoriasis before. There is the possibility that your new psoriasis outbreak (if you failed to prevent psoriasis from re-occurring) may be different from your previous one. It is always best to be safe, meaning check in with your doctor to be sure the current outbreak can be treated as before. Don’t re-start a medication from a prior outbreak without first checking with your doctor. 4. Light Treatments Some psoriasis sufferers prefer light treatments over other methods simply because they are non-pharmaceutical and famous for being effective.As always, it is best to take the recommendation of your doctor to minimize any problems. Sunlight There are reports that some psoriasis sufferers achieve favorable results via sun exposure, but take note that too much sun exposure can do more harm than good. It is still best to consult with your doctor regarding the matter. Your doctor can give the correct time of day to get a beneficial amount of sunlight and tell you how long you can stay in the sun.Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter. Via UVB Phototherapy Phototherapy is a perfect option for most individuals with moderate to severe inverse psoriasis, although other forms of psoriasis can also benefit from this treatment.UVB rays can slow the growth of skin cells for some psoriasis sufferers.Treatment involves a light box that creates faux UVB rays that are used within a specified amount of time for each session. There is a catch when using phototherapy. Your psoriasis might get worse temporarily before you experience the good part. Tell your doctor immediately if you have developed rashes after the treatment. Don’t even think of doing it on your own by using a tanning bed because there could be other adverse complications. The Goekerman Therapy This therapy combines UVB treatment with coal tar.The combination is more effective than doing either separately. Coal tar can make the skin more accessible to UVB light. This is ideal for use with mild to moderate psoriasis. Pulsed Dye Laser If other treatments fail to deliver positive results, your doctor may suggest trying a pulsed dye laser. This treatment tears down the tiny blood vessels in the areas that surround the plaque to cut off the flow of blood, reducing cell growth in the affected area. The only trouble with laser therapy is that it cannot cover large areas and may only be useful in areas that are smaller in size. Conclusion Your doctor help you find the right treatment after making a proper evaluation of your condition. It is best to take any advanced treatment under the supervision of your doctor.You are more likely to achieve favorable results.Now you know the things you need to do, and you know the options to consider for treating your psoriasis. It is time to act and you need to act to eliminate psoriasis from your life.

Streak Plate And Viable Cell Count

Streak Plate And Viable Cell Count Aim and introduction should display insight into what the streak plate and viable cell count method are employed to achieve. They should also introduce MacConkey agar and how its selective and differential properties allow the characteristics of the test organism to be determined. Escherichia coli (E.coli) The aim of this experiment is to allow a certain bacterium to divide and multiply enabling us to view the bacteria in a single cell structure. E.coli is one bacterium that is good for such an experiment. E.coli can be said to be both bad and harmless, some E.coli bacteria have are highly toxic and can harm humans and animals. However, the majority of E.coli strains are relatively harmless with low toxicity. These harmless strains of E.coli are found naturally occurring in the human body, especially in areas such as the human intestines. Some E.coli can even benefit their hosts; they do this by producing specific vitamins. It is for reasons like the ones mentioned why E.coli is an appropriate bacteria to use for this experiment. Another reason is that E.coli bacterial cells have an average bacterial size of 2um; this can be seen under a light microscope. Other bacteria however may be even smaller and may require a larger microscope for viewing or even an electron microscope. Also the incubation period for E.coli to multiply and grow rapidly isnt very long and temperatures arent too high or too low. E.coli can be incubated overnight at 37oC and then stored at 4oC until its requirement. The technique use to manipulate and isolate the E. coli bacteria is known as the streak plate procedure. The technique was developed to allow bacteria to multiply and produce many colonies, during the incubation period, depending on the amount of bacteria present. Each colony will contain millions of bacteria cells derived from a single parent cell. (Talk in more detail about this procedure). We will be using this technique to allow the E. coli to multiply and divide splitting itself into colonies. The viable cell count, also known as viability count, is a method used to determine the number of living cells within a suspension, in this case E. coli. To obtain an understanding of how much E. coli cells are present in a sample this method must be put into action. (Expand) The MacConkey agar is specifically designed to allow gram negative bacteria to grow; its a recipe of many substances such as bile salts, sodium chloride proteose and many more. One of the properties of the MacConkey agar is its selective isolation and identification of bacteria; it is a medium that allows us to distinguish gram-negative bacteria. E. coli is a rod shaped gram negative bacteria, so using the MacConkey agar plate to multiply it would be appropriate, the agar will also cause the E. coli to change colour from pink to red, and this is an indication of gram negative bacteria present. A Nutrient agar is a growth medium used for the cultivation of bacteria, this specific agar remains solid even at high temperatures. The gram-stain technique was developed for viewing cells clearly under a microscope and to enable us to establish their structures. It is a very simple procedure of just adding 4 different substances accordingly, however one of these substances is toxic to humans therefore the procedure must be carried out in a fume hood. The gram stain method was introduced by It is important for scientists and medics to know the structure and function and identity of bacteria and viruses, it is for reasons like this why such experiments are carried out. Without such procedures so many bacteria and viruses wouldnt be known and could spread and become out of control. Methods: Explain why each procedure was done highlight key points state any deviation from protocol document any errors or difficulties you had with the technique Discuss the importance of aseptic technique and what steps could be taken to prevent contamination during manipulation of bacteria All methods were doing under aseptic conditions; the reason for this is to prevent contamination of the bacteria during its manipulation. Many errors could arise if aseptic conditions arent used, eventually resulting is wrote results. Streaking bacteria on MacConkey agar method: Prior to the experiment, an E. coli sample was made and given to during the practical. Risk assessment: Materials used: 10ml liquid culture of E. coli the bacteria sample to be use in this practical Sterile plastic loops used for transferring E.coli bacteria from one place to another uncontaminated. MacConkey agar plate used to allow E.coli bacteria to grow as it provides energy recourses and support Sharps bin for loops etc. these are used to keep the laboratory area as uncontaminated as possible and to make sure bacteria doesnt spread Marker pens and labels to label the plate Step 1: using a sterile plastic loop I touched a given sample of E. coli and streaked an inoculum onto a MacConkey agar plate in a specific pattern (see..). This plastic loop is then disposed of into the sharps bin. Step 2: using another sterile plastic loop, I created a run of parallel lines from the edge of the initial streaks Step 3: step 2 was repeated 2 more times with a new sterile loop used. Step 4: a final streak was made, creating a simple streak from the previous streaks into the centre of the plate. The picture below illustrates this. The MacConkey plate was then given to the technicians to incubate. It was important to dispose- on the plastic looks by placing them into the sharps bin because they are contaminated and if they touch any other surface it can lead to the spread of bacteria resulting in major contamination. Throughout this procedure plastic gloves and a lab-coat were worn, also to prevent contamination. Viable cell counts: Risk assessment Materials used: P1000 and P100 pipettes and tips used to transfer certain amounts of PBS etc. Three Nutrient agar plates 10ml sterile PBS buffer, used to maintain the pH Sterile plastic spreaders to spread the E.coli on the Nutrient agar plates Eight sterile bijoux bottles for dilutions To start the dilution, using a pipette I transferred 900 ul of diluents (PBS) in eight different sterile bijoux bottles. The PBS (phosphate buffered solution) solution is a commonly used buffer to maintain a pH; it is used in this practical because of its ability to aid biological research. After the PBS was placed into the labelled bottles, using a new sterile tip for the pipette I transferred 0.1ml of E.coli liquid culture sample (neat) into the first bottle (10-1). For the dilution to continue a new pipette tip was placed and 0.1ml of the 10-1 diluted E.coli was transferred to the 10-2 bottle, this process continued up till bottle 10-8. By doing so the E.coli will become more and more dilute within the different solutions, because less E.coli is being added each time. 10-5, 10-6 and 10-7 samples were then spread onto three different Nutrient agar plates using different sterile plastic spreaders so contamination wouldnt occur. This was done by placing 0.1ml of each dilution onto th e centre of the agar plate and then spreading it over with a sterile spreader. The agar plates were labelled and given to the technician for incubation. Gram Stain of bacteria from an isolated colony Risk assessment In order to stain the bacteria I selected an appropriate colony to stain, the colony must appear to be uncontaminated and its appearance must obviously look grown.. After this procedure is complete, the bacterial cells will be visible under a microscope. Materials needed: Bunsen burner used to heat-fix bacteria onto microscope slide Saline (PBS) emulsifier Light microscope to view bacterial cells Lens tissue to clean the lens Immersion oil for light microscope lens to allow better view at 100x magnification Stains for Gram stain method Before the bacteria can be modified to be viewed under the microscope clearly, the microscope glass slide must be cleaned to prevent contamination. After doing so a drop of sterile saline was placed onto the centre of the slide, the saline drop was placed because it can emulsify any bacterial colony that will be placed on top. To move some of the bacteria off the agar plate onto the slide, a sterile loop was used I touched the bacterial colony on the agar plate with the top of the loop and then spread the bacteria into the saline drop making it thin. Due to the moisture of the liquid I let the slide dry then used a Bunsen-burner to heat-fix the bacteria onto the slide by passing it through a few times then allowing it to cool. Heat-fixing was done so that during the staining the bacteria or wouldnt move or fall off. Once that was complete the slide was moved to a laboratory fume hood where the staining can take place, the follow 4 stage method was used: at first the bacteria sample on the slide was soaked in crystal violet for 30 seconds, after so it was rinsed with distilled water and drained. The second part is to soak the bacteria with gram iodine (mordant) for another 30 seconds then rinse with distilled water and drain it. Gram iodine is a toxic substance; it is for this particular reason why this part of the practical was carried out in a laboratory fume hood. Acetone decolouriser was then added for 10 second and the bacteria was again rinsed with distilled water and drained. The final part is to add Safranin, a counter stain, to the bacteria. It was placed on the bacteria for 30seconds and then the bacteria was further rinsed with distilled water, drained, blotted and allowed to dry. Substance Duration Further action Crystal violet (primary stain) 30 seconds Rinse with water drain Gram Iodine (Mordant) 30 seconds Rinse with water drain Acetone/alcohol (Decolouriser) 5-10 seconds Rinse with water drain Safranin (Counter stain) 30 seconds Rinse with water, drain, blot dry Stain was carried out in a laboratory fume hood due to the toxic gram iodine substance used. The transparent plastic shield of the fume hood was lowered so that only my hands were inside dealing with the chemical and biological substances. Gloves were worn during this procedure so that no stain would come into contact with the skin. When the slide was rinsed with water, it was rinsed gently with distilled water so that the bacteria are not shifted. After the staining was completed the sample can now be viewed under a light microscope and compared to other bacterial samples. The slide is placed on the stage with a drop of oil for immersion, the microscope is focused on 100x and the bacteria is viewed. Results: Should describe your findings in : prose/text, diagrams, tables and graphs which includes a description of growth characteristics and how successful your aseptic technique was MacConkey agar plate results: During the experiment there were no results to be noted as it was too early for anything to occur. After the agar plate containing the E.coli was incubated at 37oC and then stored at 4oC, its appearance was as expected. Colonies were separated, and as the streaks moved on less E.coli was present. The colonies were well distinctive and were round in their shape. The sample initially given was simply liquid, the result showed significant growth of this E.coli liquid into 3D structures. This indicates the growth of the bacteria in a fine way; the 3D structures appeared in a yellowing solid colour. Because the practical was conducted in aseptic techniques no contamination occurred. Aseptic techniques were successful in allowing me to produce accurate results. Viable cell counts My results: The colonies that appeared on the nutrient plate had a badge colour; visually they all appeared relatively same sized and volume. 10-5 10-6 10-7 10-8 TMTC 46 1 For the 10-7 the calculation for the number of bacteria in 1ml of the original culture is: (1107/0.1) x (X/1) [cross multiply] 0.1X = 1 x(1107) [divide by 0.1] Therefore X = 1.0108 For the 10-6 the calculation for the number of bacteria in 1ml of the original culture is: (46106/0.1) x (X/1) [cross multiply] 0.1X = 1 x(46106) [divide by 0.1] Therefore X = 4.6108 The number of bacteria present in 1ml of the 10-5 culture cannot be calculated as there was no value noted (TMTC). X= number of bacteria. The number of bacteria present in 1ml of 10-6 dilution is 4.6108 and in the 10-7 dilution culture is 1.0108. Class results: Pair number 10-5 10-6 10-7 10-8 1 TMTC 46 1 2 95 9 0 3 TMTC 52 9 4 TMTC 23 1 5 34 2 6 84 11 4 7 TMTC 24 18 8 2 2 26 9 102 6 0 10 19 3 3 11 TMTC 140 15 12 TMTC 57 9 13 61 12 0 14 8 6 1 15 195 51 4 16 55 27 3 17 TMTC 94 11 18 TMTC TMTC TMTC 19 TMTC TMTC TMTC 20 TMTC 113 18 Total 266 985 177 28 Average 66.5 57.9 9.8 7 Should describe your findings in : prose/text, diagrams, tables and graphs which includes a description of growth characteristics and how successful your aseptic technique was To determine the amount of bacteria within a culture a simple calculation must be done using my personal results for this experiment. There was no value for the 10-5 so this cannot be done. The result for 10-6 was 46, 46 x 10 = 460ml. To estimate the amount of E.coli present this is further multiplied by 106, therefore 460 x 106 = For the 10-7 result Æ’Â   7 x 10 = 10 Æ’Â   10 x 107 = However, I have selected some reasonable results from the table to calculate an average. Gram-stain of bacteria from an isolated colony: (view method number 3) Gram stains help us distinguish between microbial organisms, for example gram negative bacteria and gram positive bacteria. This method was developed to know the identity of bacteria present. (See procedure for The Gram Stain in the methods section). During step 5 of the Gram Strain Method above the following results were made when applying the four different substances: Substance Colour after stain Crystal violet (primary stain) Purple Gram Iodine (Mordant) Purple Acetone/alcohol (Decolouriser) Transparent (dye was washed off) Safranin (Counter stain) Reddish-pink The appearance of the E.coli bacteria under a microscope with 100x magnification was quite clear; it had a rod-like structure with a reddish-pink colour. The rods were all more or less the same size, however some were packed together and others were on their own. Discussion: Were the results the expected? Did the methods adopted achieve their aim? How the experiments could be improved. Include background information, critical evaluation of results Throughout all the experiments and procedures a lab-coat and gloves were worn to avoid skin contact with bacteria and harmful substances. Overall the aims were accomplished and the results were as predicted. MacConkey agar The colonies were expected to be in such a form, indicating that it was E.coli present and that it has rapidly multiplied into individual colonies. This further suggests that when E.coli is present under conditions where it could multiply, it multiplies by forming a round colony and expanding from there. However, some of the colonies were stuck together making it difficult to count the number of them present. What this means is that the growth of the bacteria was a success and the method adopted was accurate. The reason why some colonies were packed together may be the result of pressing too hard on the agar while streaking, with more streaking practice more accurate results can be obtained with colonies being on their own. The methods adopted for this practical achieved what was aimed for. After the incubation of the MacConkey agar plate the plate was stored for a week at a temperature of 4oC, this may have changed the appearance in colour and in shape of the formed colonies. Contam ination of the agar plate may have even occurred. An improvement to the experiment is to note down results straight after incubation is finished. Gram Stain results After analysing the microscope slide which contains the Gram Stained E.coli under the microscope its features were obvious. There were many average sized rods with a reddish-pink colour, some of these rods were packed together whist others were separated. Comparing this with another prepared sample of B.subtilis, the B.subtilis was a purple colour and has a longer and curved shape, like fine threads. However some again were packed together and others separated. The purple colour of the B.subtilis indicates that it is gram positive, and the pink colour of E.coli indicates its gram negative. When the Gram Stain method was applied to the B.subtilis it obviously stayed purple though out, with E.coli it will decolourise once the decolouriser is added. The gram stain method is highly effective and efficient when dealing with different bacteria; it helps identify them to a great extent. B.subtilis remains purple throughout the Gram Stain procedure, this itself can be an indication that it is a Gram positive bacteria. Bacterial cells have different types of cell walls, the gram negative and gram positive terms describe the nature of their structural differences. One of the important differences is that Gram positive bacteria have no outer membrane whereas Gram negative bacteria do, the purpose of this outer layer is to cover the peptidoglycan layer. When staining occurs the outer membrane of a gram positive bacterial cell wall becomes permanently stained as the strain can easily penetrate the thick peptidoglycan layer, so that if a decolouriser or distilled water is added the colour will remain purple. In the case of the gram negative bacterial cell wall the stain gets attached to the far outer membrane layer (lipopolysaccharide and protein), this layer decreases the penetration depth of the strain on the peptidoglycan, so the stain can be decolourised or removed. The diagrams below illustrate this. Gram positive: Æ’Â   Æ’Â   Æ’Â   Primary stain Mordant Decolourisation Counter-stain Note: colour remains the same throughout addition. Gram negative: Primary stain Mordant Decolourisation Counter-stain Note: colour changes Æ’Â   Æ’Â   Æ’Â   The aim of the Gram Stain method was confirm that the bacteria that was initially being dealt with was E.coli, after tests and results it confirmed that it was so the results were as expected and predicted. The methods used for this procedure were successful at achieving good results, however some can be altered. For example, the E.coli used for this experiment was used from experiment number one, not that that is a problem but when the E.coli was incubated over night and it had successfully multiplied it was stored at 4oC for quite a while (this experiment was carried out 1 week after the first one). This possible may have altered the activity of the E.coli and also its appearance. Many resources state that gram negative bacteria should have a pink colour after the counter-stain has been added and rinsed off. In this case the E.coli bacteria in this experiment had quite a dark pink colour which was really close to the colour red, this appearance of colour was visual both with the naked eye and under the microscope as individual bacterial cells. Viable cell counts As I predicted, the more dilute (10-8) solution will have less E.coli bacteria growing on its surface. As there were 20 different pairs doing the practical, and the dilutions were all done 20 times by different people, there is plenty room for error from contamination of inaccurate measurements. The 10-5 agar plates had many E.coli bacterial colonies growing on it, according to the results there was far too many bacteria that it was too many to count (TMTC). Gradually as the dilution increased the bacteria became less, 10-6 dilution had numbers ranging from 6-140. Obviously with such great difference within what is meant to be the same dilution there was some error/contamination present. The most obvious ones which had error are pair numbers 18 and 19 there was TMTC throughout (10-6, 10-7 and 10-8). What would be expected is that fewer bacteria should be present in the 10-8.

Way Back In The Ozarks :: essays research papers

Way Back in the Ozarks Book Report Part One Title – Way Back in the Ozarks Author – Howard Hefley # Of Pages – 262 Publisher – Copyright Date - November 1992 Part Two This novel is about a young boy’s life (the author). It starts of f him describing his hometown and how life was back then. The name of his town is Judy. Then it goes start into his life story. He ask his dad if can go hunting with him one early morning in the summer. He is bout 8 years of age now and is almost old enough to handle a gun. He begged his dad and he ends up in going with his dad and uncle hunting. This is his first time and he has to try to keep up. So he struggles to keep up and he does. Then later on in the book he is about 10 and wants a dog of his own so he can win money in dog field trials and hunt. He only his two dollars and a hunting pup is bout 15 dollars. So he goes up to uncle Lloyds house cause he hears dogs barking and wants to see what’s going on. Well when he gets their he sees a cur pup (a mix breed dog) and his uncle training bluetick hounds. He ask he uncle bout the cur and his uncle doesn’t want and is going to get rid of it cause its no good to any hunter and the author or monk talks him to selling him the dog for 2 bucks the ending is when monk get a coon (raccoon) for a pet. Big John try's to find it and try’s to kill several times. Until one night when he does get it and monk finds out and goes to johns house and hold he at gun point with he the cur dog at monks side. He tells john to turn around and drop his jeans and then monk tell he is dog to bite he butts. If john were to move monk would shoot him. It ends with him talking bout his brother Fesser help writing this book. Part Three Chapters 1 and 2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The start of these two chapters goes something like this. Howard Hefley (the author) get his nick name monk. He gets this from going hunting with he is dad and uncle one night. Monk ran ahead and climbed a tree and when they got

The Concept of Communication Style Essays -- Interpersonal Communicati

The Concept of Communication Style The concept of communication style has been defined by Rober Norton as "the way one verbally, nonverbally, and para verbally interacts to signal how literal meaning should be taken, interpreted, filtered, or understood"(1996.p.229) In this, Norton has identified nine communicator styles. A persons style may be dominant, dramatic, contentious, animated ,impression leaving, relaxed, open, or friendly. These dimensions measure how you interact in various situations. For example, if I speak frequently and try to control the converstaion, you might assume that I am dominant in my communicator style. In determining my own commuication style I had a questionnaire completed by both a friend, acquaintance , as well as completing one myself. The friend that I chose was my room mate Ryan Seslow. . Ryan and I have been friends since highschool so he knows me very well. The person that I chose to complete the acquaintance section was my friend Leslie Margasak. Leslie is my girlfriends roommate therefore our communication is somewhat limited. Through the following research and analysis I have created a table (Table:1) that shows the means for my friend aquaitance, and myself. The summaries and findings in which I calculated provided me with insight of my dominant yet friendly communication style. It also provided me with a different perspective as to how other people interpret my communication habits. For example, the mean for myself on the category "relaxed" scored a 1.3. However, my friends mean was 3.1 and my acquaintance was 5.1. Through the text of Interpersonal Communication, I was able to determine that this fluctuation has to do with the self concept theory. "Self -concept is defined as each person's own subjective view or image of him or herself as a person" (tremont p.213) In my opinion I do not see myself as relaxed(1.3), but my friend does as well as acquaintance. I do not see as relaxed as the others indicated in the table. Usually I feel rather more stressed and even a little nervous rather than relaxed when communicating. One calculation in which which I noticed to have simmialr realuts was based on the means for being dramtic. I scored high in this category on all three surveys.(see table:1) When a person is classified as dramatic it refers that the person "likes to act ... ...do so by staying relaxed. I scored a relatively low mean in the openess category and this is an area I would like to change. The means showed that I am not open nor am I percieved to be a very open person. Overall my communication style is very dominant, dramatic and friendly. Howvevr, despite this though Im not a very open person. I feel that my communication style does allow me to get people to listen to me closely becayse of my dramatics or ability to tell srotires in vivid detail and picturesqe. I am animated and expressive when I feel the need to emphasize a point or statement. This also helps my communication confidence since I know now that what I say often does an considerable impact on those who I am communicating with. In conclusion I am very pleased with the data which I recorded. I now understand my communciation style better yet at the same time have located areas in which I can begin to improve on. Through this assignment I learned a great deal about how I communcate as well as how others percieve my communication style. References 1.)Trenholm and Jensen, (1996). Intterpersonal Communication. Belmont, CA:Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Analysis of Bruce Dawe and his Poetry Essay

Bruce Dawe is one of the most inspirational and truthful poets of our time. Born in 1930, in Geelong, most of Dawe’s poetry concerns the common person. His poems are a recollection on the world and issues around him. The statement ‘The poet’s role is to challenge the world they see around them’ is very true for Bruce Dawe, as his main purpose in his poetry was to depict the unspoken social issues concerning the common Australian suburban resident. His genuine concern for these issues is obvious through his mocking approach to the issues he presents in his poems. ‘Drifters’ is about a family who move from place to place, as the father needs to move by the demand of his job. Dawe wrote this poem in a very casual language; however, if you read it carefully you would be able to see the seriousness of what he is saying. The young children are growing up to learn no other way of life except the life of continuously moving, as they are all waiting for the day they shall move again. The children get very excited about moving from place to place ‘and the kids will yell truly’. The eldest is becoming aware that their roaming lives may never change ‘the oldest girl is close to tears because she was happy here’. She is becoming frustrated with her life. Dawe shows pity for the wife, as she has to gone through this so many more times before ‘she won’t even ask why they’re leaving this time’. Dawe writes sympathetically about the wife, like when she asks her husband Tom to make a wish in the last line of the poem ‘Make a wish, Tom, make a wish’. Because this is a continuous event, the wife is getting frustrated, as at the time of packing once again she finds that she has not unpacked from there last move. Even though this poem is written in a happy tone Dawe is being serious about the issue of how a family gets upset about being stuck in a life that is continuously moving around and not being permanently settled anywhere. ‘Homecoming’ was written in 1968 during the Vietnam War with the intent of making its audience aware of the senselessness and tragedy of war. The poem  deals with the numerous stages of bringing the dead home for there ‘homecoming’, a supposedly joyous occasion worthy of great celebration. The title serves as a constant reminder of what may have been. Rather than coming home celebrating their Heroic survival, they are being bought home dead. ‘They’re bringing them in, piled on the hulls of Grants, in trucks, in convoys; they’re zipping them up in plastic bags’. Dawe uses a number of clever poetic techniques in order to express his feelings towards war. The repeated use of ‘they’ and ‘they’re’ in the first section hints at the impersonal relationship between the bodies and their handlers. Dawe shows his audience how this is the harsh reality of war, if people allowed the usual human compassion to overcome them every time they saw yet another dead body, it would be too unbearable. Rhythm is also used a great deal in the first section, making it sound almost chant-like through the use of pauses that form a direct beat. This rhythm suggests a slow, mechanical process, almost like an assembly line. Interestingly, Dawe goes against conventional methods of breaking his poem up into different stanzas. Despite this, it is evident that the poem exists in three main sections – the gathering of bodies in the jungles of Saigon, the flight back to Australian for the dead soldiers, and finally the bodies returning home. In the second phase of the poem, this monotonous rhythm is abandoned. Gone is the ‘human touch’ from in the jungles of Saigon, now the bodies are being lifted ‘high, now, high and higher’, suggesting that the bodies are being taken to be laid to rest in heaven. Words like ‘noble’, ‘whine’ and ‘sorrowful’ are used to express the sorrow and regret that Australian’s will feel as their dead youths are bought home.  Through the use of the personification of the planes, Dawe voices the sadness and futility of the situation, ‘tracing the blue curve of the Pacific with sorrowful quick fingers’. In the final phase of ‘Homecoming’ Dawe focuses on the soldiers finally coming ‘home, home, home’. The tone changes, and the lines echo the feeling of homesick Australian soldiers. As the planes approach Australia ‘the coasts swing upward’ to meet the planes. This is the coastline that would have been so familiar to the soldiers had they been coming home alive, yet now they don’t have the opportunity to see the ‘knuckled hills, the mangrove-swamps, the desert emptiness’, an environment vastly different from the jungle they had fought so valiantly in. ‘A Victorian hangman tells his love’ is about a man who enjoys what his job consists of. His job consists of hanging criminals as a punishment for the crimes they have committed. Bruce Dawe writes this poem from the hang mans perspective, it tells the audience how he feels about execution. Dawe explains that the hangman is ashamed to wear his hangman clothes in front of his wife. ‘Two piece tracksuit, welder’s goggles and a green cloth cap like some gross bee- this is the states idea†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. He thinks of a hanging as a nuptial, and by reading these lines you can tell how special hangings are to him. The tone is of this poem is ashamed and proud, the hangman is ashamed because of the cheap clothes he has to wear when it is so special to him and proud because -=—— Dawe writes about the hangings as if they are a ritual, ‘This noose with which we’re wed is something of an heirloom’, the hangman feels as if the hanging gi ves them some kind of special connection. The human condition is explained throughout this poem, the way people feel towards these hangings and the way the hangman feels about these hangings. This was the last hanging to take place in Australia, it was very controversial and Dawe writes about it as if the hangman is very upset, as this will be his final hanging. It is very Australian in setting as it is a defining moment in our history as Australia. It was the last life taken for  capital punishment in Australia. Dawe writes this poem in a controversial way as it describes how the hangman enjoys ‘ hitting the door lever, you will go forth into a new life’ this hangman thinks that he is doing these men a favor by taking their lives. ‘On the Death of Ronald Ryan’ is about a man who is going to be executed for a crime he supposedly committed. Dawe writes this poem in Ronald Ryan’s wife’s or lover perspective. The reader can feel her sadness towards Ronald’s execution, and her respect for him dying ‘most horrifyingly like a man’. The human condition is undeniably Australian as there is the sign of a true fighter ‘annealed un-tranquilized, scorning a final statement’. Dawe writes of the wife as if she wished Ronald died ‘with far more dignity than the shabby ritual which gave you credit for’.

King Lear Paper Essay

Shakespeare’s play King Lear documents the life a man who experiences a dramatic shift in worldview. The main character, King Lear, begins the play as a self-centered, proud, and materialistic man who cares less about his family than his reputation. By the end of the story, Lear is a humbled man who cares for his family more than his previously precious power. Lear’s strife broke him down until he was finally able to let go of his old perceptions and adopt a better outlook on life. Shakespeare chronicles Lear’s change from selfish to caring throughout the course of the story, and shows how the hardest of times can actually bring out the best in a person. Lear’s old worldview places more importance on superficial, material things than on sincere and important values. At the beginning of the play, Lear was very concerned with maintaining his vast wealth, status, and power. When Lear was dividing up his kingdom among his three daughters, he gave the most land to the daughters who flattered him the most. Lear welcomed the flattery because it made him feel like a strong and powerful king. When Lear’s eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, flattered him the most, Lear split the kingdom between them because they made him feel powerful. Lear completely disregarded and actually disowned his youngest daughter Cordelia because she refused to falsely over-flatter the king. Cordelia was just being honest in her modest praises of the king, but Lear wanted to hear more about how great of a ruler he was. So, when Cordelia didn’t make Lear feel big enough, he undermined even his so-called â€Å"strong† family values and disowned his favorite child. At this point in the play, Lear didn’t have a strong grasp on the important things in life, like genuine relationships or truthfulness and loyalty. King Lear tells Cordelia’s prospective husband to â€Å"†¦leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me, I tell you all her wealth† (1.1.207) Lear means that Cordelia is not worth anything anymore because she has inherited no land in the kingdom. This goes to show how much importance Lear places on material possessions, because he calls his daughter worthless when she owns no land. King Lear’s humbled worldview at the end of the play is miles different than from the materialistic worldview he abided by before. Throughout the course of play, Lear’s troubles taught him to value people more than physical things. Lear ended up losing all of his land, money and power- the three things that were most important to him at the start of the story. Lear was left with nothing that made him the man his old ideals told him to be, so he had to shift his values to fit his new predicament. This shocking change forced Lear to humble himself and focus on the lasting things in life, namely relationships. As the play unfolded, Lear felt more and more remorse for disowning Cordelia, because he realized how important family really was. Lear said of his regret, â€Å"I am a very foolish fond old man† (4.7.24). He came to realize his prior choice to place more importance on false flattery than strong family ties was a sad mistake. In an attempt to right his past wrongs, Lear changed his philosophy to one that cared more about maintaining strong relationships than an impressive reputation. This new philosophy was one that cared more about Cordelia than Goneril, Regan, and their ensemble, because Cordelia was a genuine and honest girl. The new philosophy explains why King Lear spent so much time at the end of his life apologizing to Cordelia and trying to spend time with her. Lear knew that Cordelia was the most virtuous woman in his life, so he sought to deepen his relationship with her. This new philosophy made Lear a loyal, honest, and humbled man- very different than the Lear in the beginning of the play. Lear’s new philosophy benefitted him by making him a more moral person, and it benefittied those around him because everyone got to interact with a much more pleasant Lear. Shakespeare intentionally wrote King Lear’s change from the old philosophy to the new philosophy to teach the reader a lesson about human nature. Lear was extremely proud at the beginning of the play, and the burning fire of his hubris was fueled by the gasoline of his wealth, power, and status in the kingdom. Not until Lear was robbed of all of his physical possessions and meaningless status did he start to care about more important things. Lear hit rock bottom as he wandered through the woods without love, land, money, power, or trust. Only when his material belongings failed him did Lear think to look for solace in wholesome ideals such as love, family closeness, and honesty. These things made up the new philosophy that Shakespeare revealed in King Lear by the end of the play. The adoption of this new worldview somewhat redeemed the King’s unforgivable actions taken at the beginning of the play, and made him a more lovable and virtuous man. Shakespeare obviously favored the new Lear over the old, selfish Lear; this is a comment on human nature in general. Proud and superficial people have to experience hard times in order to experience the cathartic cleansing that allows them to refocus their priorities in life. Lear went through just such an experience, and he became a better man because of it. King Lear is a character that many readers of Shakespeare can relate too. Lear had his priorities in life very confused. At first, he valued things that weren’t important, such as land, money, and power. When Lear was robbed of these things, he realized just how unreliable it is to place so much importance on physical items that can easily be taken away. What really matters in life are relationships, honesty, love, and morals. Lear learned this after he lost everything. He realized that he could be happy even without anything physical to comfort him, because many times the most important things in life can’t be seen. This new philosophy of Lear’s carried his through the hard times he experienced in the play and allowed him to die happier than he would’ve had he still followed the old philosophy. Lear’s shift in perspectives is an example that Shakespeare encourages everyone to follow in order to live the most genuine and satisfying life possible.