MicroJournal2: February 2013

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Blog 6: "Reflection after Exam 1"

Blog 6: "Reflection after Exam 1"

Questionaire between Exam 1 & Myself

Exam 1: How many chapters was I consisted of?

Me: You were consisted of chapters 1 through 6, by the way, when i saw that on the syllabus I thought I was going to literally die, but instead I got sick!

Exam 1: Wow! I hope you feel better now as we speak (laughs aloud)

Me: Yes, yes I do. All i needed was some sleep. I did just that after I finished you in class and I felt back to myself in no time

Exam 1: Good to hear :). Soooo...how prepared were you to take me on friday?

Me: Much much prepared, there were 4 words on the test i really didn't know but i do recall Professor V. lecturing on them in class before, so I should've focused more on them as well as I did with the others you know

Exam 1: Mmmm interesting, okay. So what chapter (s) do you feel were your strength on the exam?

Me: Uhmmm, i would have to say Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 6...I was a little shabby when it came to 2 and 3, but I felt confident in them all though

Exam 1: How would you rate the fairness in the exam?

Me: It was very fair, I actually enjoyed it a lot

Exam 1: How did you go about preapring for the exam?

Me: Well I've decided that since this is a science class and we will have a cummultive exam at the end of the semester, I should prioritize myself early and study the chapters one by one. Being that I ended up getting sick, it procrastinated my studying a bit though. So I ended up getting a 'C' on my Quiz on monday than the B i've intended on getting. With that said, I studied Chapter 6 to a T and the night before the exam, I started to feel a bit better but still was sick as ever but I pushed to study them all and I did. Even on the morning of the exam, I was still learning new things and reviewing. I must say I've enjoyed taking you.

Exam 1: Good to hear! Did you study alone or with others?

Me: To be honest, I studied a lone. My sister wanted to study together, but I study well by myself and teaching myself. I studied well with others when I know the material thoroughly, not when I am now learning it and is 50/50 on the material at hand.

Exam 1: Does this class help you with other classes?

Me: Yes it actually does! I am currently taking Medical Terminology and Organic Chemistry which all related with Microbiology in some way, atleast they all help me.

Exam 1: That's a lot of major classes for one semester, but good for you. What kind of learner are you?

Me: I am a visual learning, which then compliments my photographic memory. My photographic memory is amazing, sometimes I have no words for it, like, in terms of describing it, its sooo amazing, i am left speechless sometimes

Exam 1: Do you find having a phtotgraphic memory to be an advantage? And do you find it of benefit to your learning?

Me: People ask me this a lot. And of course! Having a photographic memory has its major perks beyond what you know of it. The con about having it though, is that depending on how you store that memory, it can become a short term memory which is of no use. And it doesn't teach you anything, it just gives you the answers. It will not come in handy when I am in a clinical setting because having to mentally flip through pages is not an assertive act as a nurse and will only delay my processing. And as far as it being an advantage, I would say yes and no. Yes because it stores all the answers to an exam or quiz. And no, because its a memory frame that someone can't help having, neither is it considered a form of cheating. If your brain does its job at storing information that you give it, it doesn't give you an advantage at all because at the end other day, everyone's brain does that

Exam 1: What assignment (s) do you find challenging in the class? And what assignments do you find not challenging at all?

Me: Well, i like that Professor V. gives us a lot of assignments as though we have no other classes (laugh aloud) but...it does come to our benfit in so many ways that it doesn't. I must say I really don't understand why my classmates complain about the work load when really its helping us both learning and grade wise. I don't really find anything in lecture nor the assignments challenging. I enjoy doing them all and her critique is challenging to many but i love the push it gives me to do better next time. I actually didn't think I would favor this class at all. Especially with it being my weakenss in the beginning. I love doing the blogs, i love going to class to hear her lecture because its so intriguing and informative to my brain, i love doing the pathogens and the articles thus far.

Exam 1: Do you like lab or lecture the most?

Me: I personally dislike lab from every angle its presented! I am always confused in there. To me, my chemistry lab is way more structures, informed and taught. The book in microbiology says one thing and the lab is led another way. To describe how miserable I am in my microbiology lab, words can't explain. I would rather have lecture instead of lab.

Exam 1: Wow! Well lab compliments your lecture notes. Its the hands on part of your lecture that helps you to further understand your lecture class and its consisted materials. But just hang in there and continue the great job Ms. Booker. This interview has come to a closing and I will meet with you again for another blog after you've completed Exam #2. Enjoy!

Me: Will do and thank you :)

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Blog 5- Encounter

"MY PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH FUNGUS!"

Written by: Bryoni Booker

It all started with my little brother, he came home with this strange bald spot in his head and my family all ruled out what it could have possibly been. Since my mother is the professional Nurse in the house, we looked to her for further investigation as to what his new condition could have been. After a while of examining his head, my mother then confirmed that my little brother has a fungi infection and immediately she decided to get him treatment from a nearby CVS. As the week went on, my sister, of whom I share room with, started having these strange round and cocci shaped mini bumps on her skin and once again my mother confirmed she got it from my mother. At this point, I was completely grossed out at the sight of it and I was sure to catch it.

My sister went to see a dermatologist immediately after she began to be annoyed at the random outbreaks of this infection. Strangely it spread to one of the knot on her collar bone, her thigh and her hands. Her dermatologist informed my sister that the infection is very contagious causing it to be easily spread from person to person if not treated with care and cautiousness. My sister received a prescription called "Ketoconazole". She used it and both her and my little brother were cleaned of the infection until I accidently wiped my sister's towel on my hand when rushing out of the house.

It was not until I got home that I felt the itch and decided to look at what area i was itching at and I saw the same formation i saw on my sister a few days ago appearing in that area. I was terrible and the hair on my skin felt strange with irritation and uncomfortness just at the sight of this infection. I showed my mother and she insisted that I use the remaining treatment my siblings both used during their infection. The treatment works great and it left. I must confessed, I itched it even though my mother told me not too. I was so disgusted by the sight of it that I woke up in the middle of the nights to treat it with the cream. This experience was an awful one and I was very annoyed with it presence in every way shape and form.

Check out the images below that I've taken when the fungus started to heal a bit.

RIGHT THIGH

LEFT THIGH

RIGHT WRIST

TREATMENT: 'KETOCONAZOLE'

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Blog4-Investigation

MICROJOURNAL 4: (INVESTIGATION)

“HOW DO BACTERIUM FORM

ENDOSPORES?”

By: Bryoni Booker

What are Endospores?

Ever wore a coat that made you feel so warm when the weather is extremely cold? Well the Endospores of cell not only does that, but it’s almost the same as your house that shelter you from the rain. An umbrella could be an example as well, BUT the rain can reach you at other angles besides your head. A perfect example would be our skin, which is the external covering that protects us from many of things. But the Endospore of a bacterium is amazingly unique, almost like a ‘protective mother’ of the bacteria. It covers the entire bacteria and shields it from almost anything that could harm it.

· Endospores are hardy, defensive structures that enable some bacteria to survive harmful environmental conditions, such as starvation, high temperatures, desiccation, chemical disinfectants and extremes in pH

Source: According to ScienceProfOnline

What is it called when a bacterium forms an Endospore?

When a bacterium forms an endospore, it has a unique name given to it, sort of like a process. For examples, as human beings we go through a variety of phases as we experience the growth that comes with it. So we have the ‘sporulation steps” from fetal to infant to toddler to pre-teen to teenage to adolescent to adulthood to middle adulthood to older adulthood. So the bacteria has its phases too that defines them at that stand point as well.

· The ability to form endospores, a process called sporulation, is a rare talent

Source: According to ScienceProfOnline

Sporulation Steps:

· bacterium's DNA chromosome replicated is copied)

· cell's plasma membrane pinches off between the replicated chromosomes, forming the forespore

· a second membrane encloses the forespore, with calcium and dipicolinic acid forming a cortex between the inner and outer membrane

· an external spore coat encloses the endospore

· endospore is released once the vegetative cell that generated it dies and disintegrates

Did you know that there are bacteria that have the ability to form their own Endospore? Well guess what, there are a few, check out the list below:

MICROSCOPIC IMAGES OF ENDOSPORES!

Come and Check out these cool microscopic images

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Blog3-Investigation

WHAT IS GRAM STAINING?
MicroJournal #3
By: Bryoni Booker

Gram Staining

Is used to tell the difference between gram +/- organisms when dealing with Microbiology
It is a very important procedure used quite often to conclude an experiment

Gram Staining have 4 Processes:

crystal violet, the primary stain
iodine, the mordant
a decolorizer made of acetone and alcohol
safranin, the counterstain

Gram Positive VS Gram Negative

They can be distinguished based on their cell walls
"the way the cell takes up and retains stains" (microbugz)

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Procedure:

WATCH THE GRAM-STAINING IS DONE!

Resources:

http://www.austincc.edu/microbugz/handouts/Stain%20protocols.pdf

http://www.microbiol.org/resources/monographswhite-papers/the-gram-stain/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6d7zOIP6Vo&feature=youtu.be

http://www.austincc.edu/microbugz/gram_stain.php

Friday, February 1, 2013

Blog2-Encounter

"SCRUB - Bacterial Movement

(My Cabbage Episode)"

MicroJournal2 > Encounter

Written by: Bryoni Booker

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Hello MicroJournal:

I remembered this really funny BUT factual informative episode on a televised show called SCRUBS. This episode was titled "Bacterial movement (My cabbage episode)" and showed just how easy it is for bacteria to be spread. It showed how it's spread from person to person through almost every physical contact. I was at home when I was watching the episode and I recall my mother, who is a RN, explaining the importance of us washing our hands throughout the day. The conversation led to us discussing other ways bacteria can cause infections just by having a simple contact through physical.

EXAMPLES OF BACTERIAL SPREAD

I've attached some beautiful images from the movie that showed some ways that bacteria in the hospital scene in the movie:

- From CHILD to MOTHER >>>>>> From MOTHER to MALE DOCTOR