Perfect timing! Watch the following clips, you will be enlightened and creeped out all at the same time.
Lovely sneeze on Glee!
http://www.fox.com/glee/full-episodes/
Seafood Safety (or, rather, lack thereof):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#40243006
Food Safety at the Food Court!
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40220033/ns/today-today_health/
What do you think about all of this? What have you learned in Microbiology that you can relate to these stories?
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Highlights of the So Cal ASM (SCASM) meeting
I went to the annual meeting of the Southern California branch of the American Society for Microbiology (SCASM). ASM is one of the largest scientific organizations in the world. It is the premiere Microbiology professional organization. I have been to several ASM conferences, but this was the first time I've been able to attend our branch's meeting. The meeting was held in San Diego at the Hilton Torrey Pines (nice!) with a dinner reception at the Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institute in La Jolla. So yes, it was all very nice, and the food was abundant and surprisingly good over the weekend. Especially the cheesecake lollipops and the made to order cupcakes...but getting to the real highlights...
Hot topics in Microbiology today:
Hot topics in Microbiology today:
- Fungal taxonomy and diagnosis (doesn't sound too exciting, but I heard some great case studies that I'll use next year. I'll probably talk about the case of the nurse who unknowingly contaminated the NICU this year!) is undergoing tremendous change and not enough clinicical folks are trained to recognize fungal pathogens. Yet, we have very serious fungal diseases, and emerging fungal diseases.
- 4 talks were on antibiotic resistance! Increasingly resistant organisms, clinical antimicrobial susceptibility levels are having to be adjusted. FDA is way behind in studying, assessing and changing these, yet they regulate it. And, as I have talked about, very few new antibiotics are being produced.
- More on antibiotic resistance: we will never win the war--microbes have been producing antibiotics for billions of years and developing resistance to each other's over the same time span. Our actions have selected for those resistant organisms. We will continually have to fight the battle however and must provide incentives for antibiotic research and production, and fix the FDA process for approval. Check out this website:
http://www.idsociety.org/10x20.htm
- Think about this: 70% of antibiotics are used in farmed animals to promote growth (not to fight disease!). This is contributing to our problems with antibiotics. In terms of bacterial evolution and resistance: Microbes have been producing antibiotics for 3.5 billion years. The time that Penicillin has been around (1928-2009) is 2.6 billion seconds.
- Onto another topic: New molecular tests are flying onto the market. Many of these are PCR based and can detect very small numbers of pathogens. But, how do those numbers actually relate to infection and disease? Are false diagnosese possible?
- Several speakers talked about how important it is for nurses and clinicians to take good specimens at the bedside. Garbage in garbage out--in other words, if the lab gets a crappy specimen, they will not be able to produce good results. This is important for you to know.
- In the research field topics included Chlamydia and the Type 3 secretion system--how they invade and replicate inside a host cell. Influenza's mechanism of how its mRNA leaves the host nuclei--findings could help in the discovery of new anti-virals. Deep ocean organisms were discussed-how their metagenomics and single cell genomics are informing diverse fields of microbiology.
- Finally, several speakers talked about the huge need for Clinical Lab Specialists and Bioinformatics scientists. These are areas that should have big opportunities for employment for a very long time.
Lots of opportunities and interesting things going on in Microbiology these days! Check out
Monday, November 1, 2010
A hospital visitation
I had the great opportunity the other day to visit a local hospital as part of the evaluation process for a nursing faculty member. I was able to follow her around as she instructed nursing students during their clinical rotation in Peds/OB. It was so inspiring and relates well to Thasha's blog, "Where the Rubber Meets the Road", and the idea I posted before--the moments in which nursing skills and science come together to help one individual. I was impressed on how much the students are allowed to do, and how many decisions they must make. Let me give you a couple of examples.
One nursing student was caring primarily for a very young, single mom. She was helping arrange for lactation consultation, social worker, etc. She was also showing mom how to take care of baby's basic needs, and encouraging her. The young woman's parents were not around. The student would also have the opportunity to explain the purposes of various tests, like the erythromycin ointment applied to newborns eyes at birth. Her science background is relevant!
I also observed (a former micro student of mine no less!) who had a question about an antibiotic dosage for a child. Dosages for children are based on weight, and conversions (mg/kg usually) have to be made for each child by the doctor and checked also by the nurse. The charted dosage was different (less) than she expected it to be based on the child's weight. In this case, the nursing student recognized a discrepancy in the expected. This is critical thinking! Now, the doctor might have a perfectly good reason to have prescribed that dosage but what if it was a mistake?
I think that both of these examples show the importance of having a strong math and science background. In the first case, knowing the science of antibiotics would help ease a young mom's mind over what was happening to her new baby. In the second case, although the dose was likely correct, it illustrates how being able to do the basic math might make a difference in the recovery of a sick child, or even catch a mistake.
Pair compassion with science and I think the best kind of healthcare will be provided. When you have a loved one in the hospital...do you want the folks who are taking care of them to have learned micro, and anatomy/physiology, pharmacology, and be able to do the math? So embrace the math and science you are learning! It will help make you the best practioner possible, don't you think?
One nursing student was caring primarily for a very young, single mom. She was helping arrange for lactation consultation, social worker, etc. She was also showing mom how to take care of baby's basic needs, and encouraging her. The young woman's parents were not around. The student would also have the opportunity to explain the purposes of various tests, like the erythromycin ointment applied to newborns eyes at birth. Her science background is relevant!
I also observed (a former micro student of mine no less!) who had a question about an antibiotic dosage for a child. Dosages for children are based on weight, and conversions (mg/kg usually) have to be made for each child by the doctor and checked also by the nurse. The charted dosage was different (less) than she expected it to be based on the child's weight. In this case, the nursing student recognized a discrepancy in the expected. This is critical thinking! Now, the doctor might have a perfectly good reason to have prescribed that dosage but what if it was a mistake?
I think that both of these examples show the importance of having a strong math and science background. In the first case, knowing the science of antibiotics would help ease a young mom's mind over what was happening to her new baby. In the second case, although the dose was likely correct, it illustrates how being able to do the basic math might make a difference in the recovery of a sick child, or even catch a mistake.
Pair compassion with science and I think the best kind of healthcare will be provided. When you have a loved one in the hospital...do you want the folks who are taking care of them to have learned micro, and anatomy/physiology, pharmacology, and be able to do the math? So embrace the math and science you are learning! It will help make you the best practioner possible, don't you think?
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Beauty of Small Things
"...by the help of Microscopes, there is nothing so small, as to escape our inquiry; hence there is a new visable World discovered to the understanding" Robert Hooke, in Micrographia ,1665
The link below will take you to the Nikon Small World Photography Competition winners. The images are incredible! I would love to be able to take images like these--it meshes my love of microscopy and photography. I've linked an image that relates to something we talked about earlier in the semester; Henrietta Lacks and her immortal HeLa cells. The image is of HeLa cells dividing. This image was the 11th place winner in the top 20. The number one winner is a fluorescence microscopy image of the heart of an Anopheles mosquito (malaria, remember?). Take a look through the images (they take some time to load). What do you think? Makes Gram staining seem very mundane!
Nikon Small World Gallery
I've changed the link. Click on this, choose 2010, look for image 11 for HeLa cells, and browse the other winners.
The link below will take you to the Nikon Small World Photography Competition winners. The images are incredible! I would love to be able to take images like these--it meshes my love of microscopy and photography. I've linked an image that relates to something we talked about earlier in the semester; Henrietta Lacks and her immortal HeLa cells. The image is of HeLa cells dividing. This image was the 11th place winner in the top 20. The number one winner is a fluorescence microscopy image of the heart of an Anopheles mosquito (malaria, remember?). Take a look through the images (they take some time to load). What do you think? Makes Gram staining seem very mundane!
Nikon Small World Gallery
I've changed the link. Click on this, choose 2010, look for image 11 for HeLa cells, and browse the other winners.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Where the Rubber Meets the Road...
Hello class! My name is Thasha Chu, I am a College of the Canyons alumni, and am now a senior at the Emory University School of Nursing in Atlanta, GA. Professor Burke has invited me to share with you a couple insights I have discovered on my journey to becoming a nurse, to encourage you as you begin your own journeys.
Recently your Dean of Nursing said that nursing is when: "all the math and science comes together at a point in time when someone really needs you." When I first read this, a recent experience I had came to mind.
During my pediatric rotation I was assigned to a 12 week old infant admitted to the hospital for having "blue spells." The baby also had many other birth defects, and his mother was extremely distraught by this new development. Because I was pregnant at the time, the mother immediately felt comfortable with me, and when the rest of the care team left the room, the mother approached me. With tears in her eyes, she asked me what was going on, and asked me what the doctors and nurses were talking about. I sat with her for over an hour, explaining to her what was happening to her child.
It was at this time I realized that I was in a very unique position, I had the science and math background to enable this mother to make a more informed choice about her child's care, as well as give her the support she needed to continue to confront the huge battle she had ahead of her. If I didn't work hard while I was at COC to make anatomy, microbiology, and math second nature, there was no way Id have been able to help her, or the many other patients Ive treated over the past two years. These disciplines are the basis for every single thing you do and say while in the hospital.
The little patient I mentioned above was sent into the PACU the next day after having a cardiac arrest that night. I went to visit him two days later, and the mother said that because of her new understanding of what her son was going through, she decided to sign a Do Not Resuscitate order (what the doctors were asking her to do for quite a while). She had peace that she had done everything she could. A week later the little one passed away.
Nursing is about caring, about changing the world one life at a time. But if you don't understand why your patients are your patients, then you aren't doing everything you can to help them.
Recently your Dean of Nursing said that nursing is when: "all the math and science comes together at a point in time when someone really needs you." When I first read this, a recent experience I had came to mind.
During my pediatric rotation I was assigned to a 12 week old infant admitted to the hospital for having "blue spells." The baby also had many other birth defects, and his mother was extremely distraught by this new development. Because I was pregnant at the time, the mother immediately felt comfortable with me, and when the rest of the care team left the room, the mother approached me. With tears in her eyes, she asked me what was going on, and asked me what the doctors and nurses were talking about. I sat with her for over an hour, explaining to her what was happening to her child.
It was at this time I realized that I was in a very unique position, I had the science and math background to enable this mother to make a more informed choice about her child's care, as well as give her the support she needed to continue to confront the huge battle she had ahead of her. If I didn't work hard while I was at COC to make anatomy, microbiology, and math second nature, there was no way Id have been able to help her, or the many other patients Ive treated over the past two years. These disciplines are the basis for every single thing you do and say while in the hospital.
The little patient I mentioned above was sent into the PACU the next day after having a cardiac arrest that night. I went to visit him two days later, and the mother said that because of her new understanding of what her son was going through, she decided to sign a Do Not Resuscitate order (what the doctors were asking her to do for quite a while). She had peace that she had done everything she could. A week later the little one passed away.
Nursing is about caring, about changing the world one life at a time. But if you don't understand why your patients are your patients, then you aren't doing everything you can to help them.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Influenza!
Based on what we covered in lecture, your text, and after reading through the resources in BB on Influenza (In the Lectures section) post your comments on at least two of the following questions regarding Avian flu H5N1:
1. What is the source of this flu?
2. What is the relationship betwAeen birds, pig, humans and the flu?
3. How might an outbreak today compare with the1918 outbreak?
4. What would some of the consequences be of a pandemic today?
5. What is being done in light of the possibility of a pandemic?
Current situation with Avian flu outbreak
Reflect on the following:
1. Do you think there will be a major flu pandemic in the next few years?
2. How do we balance individual rights versus public welfare?
1. What is the source of this flu?
2. What is the relationship betwAeen birds, pig, humans and the flu?
3. How might an outbreak today compare with the1918 outbreak?
4. What would some of the consequences be of a pandemic today?
5. What is being done in light of the possibility of a pandemic?
Current situation with Avian flu outbreak
Reflect on the following:
1. Do you think there will be a major flu pandemic in the next few years?
2. How do we balance individual rights versus public welfare?
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Craig Venter, the sea, genomics, and microbes
TED videos....a small nonprofit group produces videos based on the theme "Ideas worth spreading". In this video Craig Venter (remember from our History of Micro? Human Genome, cruising the oceans for genes?) talks about the genomic data they are collecting from the oceans. Watch the video and then comment:
What was the most interesting thing you learned?
What does he hope to accomplish with this research?
What is the significance of microbes on earth and in the sea?
What are transposons?
What is synthetic DNA and what is Venter proposing?
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/craig_venter_on_dna_and_the_sea.html
What was the most interesting thing you learned?
What does he hope to accomplish with this research?
What is the significance of microbes on earth and in the sea?
What are transposons?
What is synthetic DNA and what is Venter proposing?
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/craig_venter_on_dna_and_the_sea.html
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Follow the blog and comments via Google
Here's the tip of the week: If you want an easy way to follow the blog, click on the "Follow" icon in the upper right corner. All new blog posts will then appear in your gmail account. You don't have to go directly to the blog! Even better, if you want to follow the comments for each blog, click on subscribe at the bottom of the post next to the comment icons. Voila! All comments will be sent to your gmail. This allows you to know when others have posted comments, and you can keep track of your comments and others. Also, you can easily find a comment you might want to read again without going through each blog and comment. Highly recommend!
Next up, I'll be posting the graph of Semmelweis's data and giving you the final story of what was happening in that Vienna hospital.
Next up, I'll be posting the graph of Semmelweis's data and giving you the final story of what was happening in that Vienna hospital.
Survey Monkey Results
Here are the results from our Web 2.0 Surveymonkey:
To date there are 94% response (remember, it was required!); 45 students. 91% of respondents said they were not familiar with Web 2.0 tools or the term Web 2.0. 36% said they read online newspapers and magazines; 27% had followed a blog; 31% had a blog at some point. 36% had made a video and uploaded it to youtube. The following chart shows responses to a query about their knowledge and use of specific tools:
Never heard of it. Heard of it, but never used it. Used it once or twice. Use it frequently. Response
Count
Google Docs 57.8% (26) 31.1% (14) 6.7% (3) 4.4% (2) 45
Google Reader 57.8% (26) 26.7% (12) 13.3% (6) 2.2% (1) 45
Feedly 93.3% (42) 6.7% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Diigo 95.6% (43) 2.2% (1) 2.2% (1) 0.0% (0) 45
Delicious 97.8% (44) 2.2% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Twitter 0.0% (0) 60.0% (27) 26.7% (12) 13.3% (6) 45
RSS feeds 60.0% (27) 33.3% (15) 6.7% (3) 0.0% (0) 45
Facebook 0.0% (0) 6.7% (3) 15.6% (7) 77.8% (35) 45
Glogster 93.3% (42) 6.7% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Flickr, snapfish, etc. 20.0% (9) 46.7% (21) 24.4% (11) 8.9% (4) 45
wikis 57.8% (26) 22.2% (10) 15.6% (7) 4.4% (2) 45
Voicethread 95.6% (43) 4.4% (2) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Prezi 97.8% (44) 2.2% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Wordle or Tagxedo 93.2% (41) 6.8% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 44
Hmmm, another challenge...to work on formatting and tables...never ends! Are you surprised by these results? We'll learn a few of these during the term starting with a simple graphing tool: Create a Graph.
To date there are 94% response (remember, it was required!); 45 students. 91% of respondents said they were not familiar with Web 2.0 tools or the term Web 2.0. 36% said they read online newspapers and magazines; 27% had followed a blog; 31% had a blog at some point. 36% had made a video and uploaded it to youtube. The following chart shows responses to a query about their knowledge and use of specific tools:
Never heard of it. Heard of it, but never used it. Used it once or twice. Use it frequently. Response
Count
Google Docs 57.8% (26) 31.1% (14) 6.7% (3) 4.4% (2) 45
Google Reader 57.8% (26) 26.7% (12) 13.3% (6) 2.2% (1) 45
Feedly 93.3% (42) 6.7% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Diigo 95.6% (43) 2.2% (1) 2.2% (1) 0.0% (0) 45
Delicious 97.8% (44) 2.2% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Twitter 0.0% (0) 60.0% (27) 26.7% (12) 13.3% (6) 45
RSS feeds 60.0% (27) 33.3% (15) 6.7% (3) 0.0% (0) 45
Facebook 0.0% (0) 6.7% (3) 15.6% (7) 77.8% (35) 45
Glogster 93.3% (42) 6.7% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Flickr, snapfish, etc. 20.0% (9) 46.7% (21) 24.4% (11) 8.9% (4) 45
wikis 57.8% (26) 22.2% (10) 15.6% (7) 4.4% (2) 45
Voicethread 95.6% (43) 4.4% (2) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Prezi 97.8% (44) 2.2% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 45
Wordle or Tagxedo 93.2% (41) 6.8% (3) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 44
Hmmm, another challenge...to work on formatting and tables...never ends! Are you surprised by these results? We'll learn a few of these during the term starting with a simple graphing tool: Create a Graph.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Welcome to Our Microbiology Blog
The purpose of this blog is to give you, the students, the opportunity to share your thoughts, assignments, and projects with each other and perhaps the world. It is a classroom blog to begin with, however if you want to start your own blog we can certainly talk about that! The blog will be the hub of collaboration and sharing for our class. You will also comment on the work of your classmates. Finally the blog will become a repository of your good ideas.
We will learn some cool easy Web 2.0 tools to help you complete assignments and projects. You may already know some and can teach me! Eventually, with your own blog or using something like Google docs, you can begin to create an eportfolio of your work. This blog is different from our BB site because it allows you to embed projects, comment directly on other's work, read postings from guests, and more. There will be plenty of guidelines for you to follow and information on how, when, why, etc. So don't freak out! We will ease into it and I promise it will enhance your learning and not just take time away from your studies.
Take the survey on web tools (posted on BB) and watch the following video. Go to the "Tips for Blogging" page here and then share your thoughts (via comments below) on your reaction to using a blog in our class by answering the following questions: Have you blogged before? How do you think it might be helpful? What is your biggest concern? What might be fun about blogging here?
Let's get started!
Blogs in Plain English:
We will learn some cool easy Web 2.0 tools to help you complete assignments and projects. You may already know some and can teach me! Eventually, with your own blog or using something like Google docs, you can begin to create an eportfolio of your work. This blog is different from our BB site because it allows you to embed projects, comment directly on other's work, read postings from guests, and more. There will be plenty of guidelines for you to follow and information on how, when, why, etc. So don't freak out! We will ease into it and I promise it will enhance your learning and not just take time away from your studies.
Take the survey on web tools (posted on BB) and watch the following video. Go to the "Tips for Blogging" page here and then share your thoughts (via comments below) on your reaction to using a blog in our class by answering the following questions: Have you blogged before? How do you think it might be helpful? What is your biggest concern? What might be fun about blogging here?
Let's get started!
Blogs in Plain English:
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