Entry #11: Dear Future Blogger,

It is with great sadness that I end this chapter of my blogging story. I have posted around 24 different blog posts this last semester. They were a culmination of both ENG101 and ENG102 writing posts. The many topics posted challenged my abilities as an author. I had to stretch my comfort zone and really embrace the idea of blogging my ideas publicly. My purpose in blogging was to entertain and present scientific topics that were fun to read about. Hopefully someone saw a post and got excited about science and did more research into the subject. I would like to end my final blog by doing a little Q and A for future bloggers or students.

Q: What advice would you give a future blogger?
A: I would tell a future blogger to follow their passions. I would tell them to write about things that interest them and to chase after topics that make them curious of that generate questions. It is always easier to write on topics that have strong emotional connections with the topic. Look into those. As you develop and get better you can learn how to spin assigned or "boring projects" into works of art that are uniquely you. I didn't always get a topic I enjoyed writing about but I most definitely took advantage of placing my own voice into the writing piece.

Q: What helped you to stay on track and focused for this blog?
A: I used my time wisely. Assignment would be posted far in advance. I used this time to make lots of drafts before publishing. I would draft many different subjects and assigned topics and I would add a little bit each day. I would then publish them when they were completed or on the day of the deadline.

Q: How did you push yourself past writers block?
A: That's a great question! For me, it was finding a balance. You have the ability to write about any topic under the sun. Make it a valuable experience find your voice and let it shine. When I didn't know what to write about or how to start a topic I would think about my blog purpose/theme. It was something science related. I would then think about different topics that interested me either currently or in the past. I chose a topic and I ran with it. I remembered to try and be less intense with the subjects and to be more applicable, What would my audience understand. If I didn't know how to start my writing I would just pick any aspect of the topic and I would start to write something about it. That something would grow and develop and eventually I could make it my own.

Q: How has blogging changed you?
A: It has changed me dramatically. I was not very passionate about writing before taking ENG101 and ENG102. Now I think it's one of my favorite topics. I was given the chance to develop my voice and I could write to an audience that I chose and I didn't have to write to a professor or an a very rigid subject. Blogging is like the ultimate freedom for writers to express themselves. I loved the challenges and the rewards gained from blogging and I would easily do it again.

Q: Do you like the social media aspect of blogging?
A: Yes! The social media aspect of blogging was great. Just getting to watch and see my classmates develop in their own writing was amazing. You could easily start to see what topics interested who and how that played into their character. You could see their voice shining through in their writing. It was also encouraging to know that everyone was really in it together.

Thanks for all these great questions. I have enjoyed blogging and I think I might just continue to do it in the future. I might use the platform to give research updates as I continue through my Undergraduate studies. Thank you to anyone who has enjoyed reading the posts and I wish you all good luck on your own blogging adventures.

Entry #10: Immunoglobulins and You: Understanding Your Immune System

The human immune system is one of natures most ingenious designs. This system allows humans to fight back foreign intrusions within the body. Microscopic organisms are everywhere and many exist normally on skin and in mucous membranes and even your own digestive track is littered with little bugs. So, how does are body keep this system in check? What makes up the human immune system?


The human immune system is made up of several different parts. Most notably these are White Blood Cells, Immunoglobulins, and other chemical/protein substances that attack or damage other cells. To fully discuss the entire immune system would quite literally take maybe one to two semesters of upper division college coursework. No worries though, I will keep it short and simple and we will just look at one of the most important immune factors. These are called immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins are just a fancy way of saying antibodies. The illustration at the top left describes the different parts of an immunoglobulin. The three really important parts are the antigen binding sites (Ag), the Fab zone, and the Fc chain.

Take a look at the illustration to the left and directly below. These immunoglobulins look different. That's because there are 5 distinct types of immunoglobulins. These are IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE and IgD. The most common type is IgG which accounts for nearly 80% of the body's total immunoglobulins. Each type of Immunoglobulin has a role and often times they are found in different areas of the body. Take a look at the chart below to see where and what these different types do. The reason its so important to talk about your immune system is so that you understand the roles vaccines play and how herd immunity protects large groups of people. Most vaccines contain an inactivated virus or bacteria. This usually means that only the antigens, that line the surface of these micro-organisms, are present. When injected into your body the first thing the immune system does is think. Oh my gosh what is this? This doesn't belong! Then the body has to think about whether it has encountered this type of antigen before. Most likely it hasn't or it simply doesn't remember if it did. In these cases, the immune system responds by sending large amounts of IgM in an attempt to find and antibody that will work. Once the body discovers a good defense the White Blood Cells start to produce IgG. These IgG form the an immune systems long-term defenses. They are specialized in a certain antigen.

In vaccines, the body learns to identify the antigens that were injected and then to produce an immune response to defend against them. This production of IgG attributes to future immune responses. So if you were vaccinated against polio, your body no longer has to go through the IgM learning phase. It would recognize the polio virus and the already circulating IgG (learned immunity) would respond to a new introduction of the virus very quickly, which increases the odds for a favorable outcome.

So when a group of people in society get vaccinated it makes it incredibly hard for a virus to jump through and infect a large number of people. By isolating the illness it can stop the spread of it and eventually reduce or eliminate it. This is why certain diseases have become almost completely extinct. Smallpox for example, was reduced this way.

Please Please Please. Think about stopping by your local pharmacy to learn about getting vaccinated. Also think about exploring more into the immune system. Take science courses and discover new things. 

Entry #9: Media in my College Career

I was 14 years old, a high school freshman, when Apple introduced its iPhone in 2007. It was an amazing time in the cell phone industry. This was the first phone that relied solely on finger touch to operate. All phones before that used some sort of keypad, keyboard, or stylus type of operation. Needless to say I was amazed. The most advanced phone I had at the time was a Motorola Razr. Like the original flip phone style Razr (pictured left). If you were really cool you had a sidekick (pictured right). Technology rapidly progressed and as of 2013 Samsung and Apple were gridlocked in a war to see who could make the best phone.

Now, how does this all play into the college experience and how we interact with media? Well the push to provide users better platforms and quicker access has also reached the college scene. When I first entered college in 2011 at Northern Arizona University, school was very different. We had an email and online student center but our classes were not monitored online. The syllabus was carried around like a bible and I had at least 6 binders and notebooks to keep track of all the lectures and assignments. Tests were on paper with pen and textbooks were heavy with hundreds of pages.

This picture is a sharp contrast to the college experience I am having now. Look at this blog! I have a class that requires blogging and counts the blogs as a major writing project. This is borderline blasphemy and I am sure dusty old academics are churning in their graves at the idea students are not writing every word on thousands of sheets of paper. My current school uses an application called Canvas. I can now track all of my classes and the grade books online. Most of my assignments are digital uploads. I even take most of my tests through the online application. Some of the learning content and lectures are uploaded digitally as well.

The changes are really dramatic but they also help to improve and facilitate learning as well. I have become more addicted to my phone over the years. However, I have a broad professional network that spans many states and most of my friends live on the east coast or even as far away as Alaska. Having access to quick communication with these people are invaluable. I don't think it takes away from my experience of the present world. I think it helps me to be more aware of it. On the other hand though, I can see how technology could easily become a negative influence if it completely consumes the user. When your digital contacts become your only contacts you really lose out on the human experience.

I think in the case of advancing technology, moderation and balance are key.

Entry #8: Bill Nye is at it again

Netflix has a brand new show that is bringing on a wave of nostalgia for 90's kids who grew up on the classic show Bill Nye the Science Guy. In the time frame between 1995-1999 several amazing shows caught my attention and PBS being the only station that my parents had led me to become fascinated with the world of science. Other shows during this time period greatly influenced my desire to become a scientist. Shows like the Magic School Bus and Arthur helped to  reinforce a positive image of learning. Take a look at the trailer below for the new show.

The show holds a lot of promise and i am excited to see what Bill has to teach this time around. My only concerns for this show are politically based. I hope that politics don't factor into the show. Bill Nye has been attacked recently on the political forefront. However, it is important to note the consequences and applications of scientific research. I just hope Bill can stay objective enough to sway his political enemies.

The small segment of his show that I did see had to do with alternative medicine and the placebo effect. He very eloquently demonstrated how alternative medicines are continually proven not to work scientifically, while also touching on the placebo affect to explain why so many people believe otherwise despite the research. he proposes that many people believe that alternative medicine works simply because they believe it will work and thanks to the placebo effect they mentally trick their bodies into feeling better.

Entry #7: Organization in the Digital Space

The Hashtag, or as I once knew it, the pound sign. This symbol was commonly used to represent numbers and weights within North America. When the # preceded a number it meant literally "number X". #3 translates to number 3. In terms of weight, when the symbol follows a number it commonly meant weight in pounds. 2# translates to 2 pounds. The symbol was also referred to as a hash symbol, especially in the U.K. where the word pound could easily be confused with the system of currency. The symbol was also used in computer program to highlight import text or sequences.

So, How did we get the Hashtag? The answer is simple, it developed as a result of Twitter and it's use of the symbol to highlight key words that could be made searchable and link-able. When a # symbol is used, the text that follows becomes a key word. Key words and tags are exactly the same they ear mark certain content. In a search engine if you wanted to read something about Pomeranian puppies, you would likely type that same phrase into the search bar. In turn the search engine is going to try and find all the pages that have puppies and that have Pomeranian as key terms or tags. These pages get pulled up and are presented. Twitter uses the same idea to link posts. If you search by a hashtag it will pull up all of the content that includes the hashtag that was searched for. This provides users with an easy effective way to search for relevant content.

The use of the hashtag has presented journalists a newfound medium with witch to asses public opinion and gain quotable commentary on an issue. A journalist could simply look up a topic by its hashtag and they would be immediately flooded with public opinions on the topic. The use of hashtags are an excellent addition to search and sift through large amounts of data.

If you are like me and you lack any experience with twitter at all, you may like these neat guide featured on Mashable. The Hashtag. Its an easy to read beginners guide to all things hashtag.

Entry 6: Vaccinations!? Measles, Mumps, and Rubella.. Oh My!

Vaccinations have been a hot topic lately in modern society. Questions and accusations about safety and efficacy of vaccines have been hurled back and forth. Determining the validity of statements on both sides of an argument can help to discern which statistics are false and which statistics are valid.

Take a look at the CDC website for the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine) webpage. CDC MMR.

The biggest concern citizens and parents have with vaccinations, are the claims that they can cause autism in children. How did this suspicion arise? It started in 1995 when a British physician, Andrew Wakefield, published a study that proposed MMR combination vaccines were causing children to develop autistic symptoms. He also made a statement, that said single vaccinations would not likely cause autism like a combination vaccine such as MMR. It was later revealed, that Andrew Wakefield had filed for a patent of a single-antigen measles vaccine. Andrew Wakefield was in a position where he could profit financially if he propagated the views in his statement, despite the fact the study could not find a causal link to autism. It was also later revealed, that lawyers were the primary source of funding for his research.

In the twelve years following Andrew Wakefield's initial claims, numerous studies have been conducted to try and prove a link between vaccines and autism. All of these studies failed to find any link between the two. As a result of the failure to reproduce Wakefield's study and the information that came out, about his patent and lawyer backing, the British General Medical Council banned Wakefield from practicing medicine in the U.K. More information and history can be found at this link: History of Vaccines.

If science has largely disproved that autism is caused by vaccines, then why is there such a huge scare and outcry from parents?

The answer to that question is simple. Anti-Vaccines proponents use techniques of persuasion to appeal to their audiences. They employ the use of fear (pathos) and they use false logos and reasoning to back-up there claims. They employ every fallacy of persuasion and debate possible.
The fallacies of logic they employ include:

• argumentum ad antiquitatem
• argumentum ad hominem
• argumentum ad ignorantiam
• argumentum ad logicam
• argumentum ad nauseam
• argumentum ad numerum
• argumentum ad populum
• argumentum ad verecundiam
• circulus in demonstrando
• complex question
• dicto simpliciter
• naturalistic fallacy
• non sequitur
• petitio principii
• post hoc ergo propter hoc
• red herring
• straw man

The descriptions to these fallacies can be found by clicking on the links.

Anti-vaccine propagators prey on the public's fear. Because of their efforts the reality of the situation is very bleak. Vaccines have successfully eradicated terrible illnesses that at one time took the lives of many people. If vaccine use declines, then the United states could face a very real epidemic and healthcare crisis. The CDC explains more at the following link: Consequences 

Entry 5: Arizonas Quest for Higher Education

Current Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, has recently announced a project that he hopes will push Arizonians into completing higher education. He makes a compelling case for the attainment of a degree or certificate by highlighting the benefits and statistics surrounding higher education. While I agree that this is a desirable goal, Ducey has significantly failed to address the issues surrounding the attainment of a degree.

You can see the article here: Arizona Achieve60. The website for the Program can also be found here: Achieve60 WEB.

No mention is made of the factors that cause people to drop out of school. No mention is made of the skyrocketing costs of an education. In addition, to these glaringly obvious oversights, Ducey proposes that his plan can be achieved by offering financial management classes and degree completion incentives. He fails to offer any details of this plan.

If I were Ducey, I would have laid out a better plan. my plan would offer phases of implementation. Phase one would be research into the factors surrounding post secondary educational enrollment, degree completion, and financial impact. Once these areas where thoroughly research and understood, I could move on to phase two. This phase would include identifying and implementing solutions. Without knowing exact causes to the identified problem areas, I cannot present an adequate solution. However, I can make a proposal to what I think would be the right course of action.

Phase 2 Solutions:

• Enrollment:
• Solutions to enrollment should come about as a secondary response from the solution to other problems. For example, a potential student might not consider enrolling because of the financial hardships of attaining an education. Making school affordable should by extension also increase enrollment.
• Identify ways to educate and inform potential students of degree pathways and opportunities. The availability of trained academic advisers with a wide array of knowledge on education needs to increase.
• Financial costs:
• Companies could partner with the State of Arizona and its educational institutions by offering loan repayment options. Perhaps the company could offer matching student loan repayment in Lieu of matching 401K to help reduce student loan debt. The state of Arizona could also offer to forgive some of the debt if a student is signed on to work for an Arizona company. This would make, sense considering if we retain the students educated they will continue to provide for and benefit local economies. 
• Ensure State Colleges follow ACE guidelines in acceptance of transfer and work related credits.
• Encourage the federal government to make changes on how it handles student loans.
• Degree Completion
• Encourage and/or require public colleges and universities to honor prior credits or ACE recommendation for credits. Offer alternatives to a 16 week course in general education classes for individuals who already have adequate knowledge of a subject.
• Offer to forgive portions of debt for students that complete a degree. 
• Encourage Colleges to offer classes that meet the needs of working families.
• Offer colleges monetary incentives for the increase and retention of students.

Phase three would include observation and analysis of solutions outcomes. It is the evaluation stage that determines if the programs implemented actually work or if they need to be adjusted. This stage ensures ongoing quality and allows flexibility in eliminating old ideas or introducing new ideas that might better suit the changing needs of college students.

No plan is perfect of course and no one individual has all the answers. However, I would expect the Governor to at least provide citizens some sort of model or implementation plan or even some ideas that he would like to try. In order to get 60% of Arizona's population to have at least one degree or certificate, will require collaboration and community lead efforts as well. This will not succeed though if a better more fleshed out plan is not available.

Entry #4: National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

Every year during the last week of April a special event recognizing the clinical laboratory team is held to promote and expand the profession. Lab Week started in 1975 and is now sponsored by over 16 member organizations that represent the various science fields within clinical pathology.

For the entire month of April there is a social media challenge that goes along with the event. The posts are related to an individuals career in Med. Lab Sciences.

You can check out my responses to the daily questions at my sister blog here. The Pending Blog.


More importantly, this week is about expanding and promoting the sciences and STEM education to encourage more students to enter the science field. The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (ASCLS) estimates that there are approximately 300,000 laboratory scientists in the United States. This sounds like a huge number but the American Society for Clinical Pathology estimates that to meet the healthcare demands of the growing U.S. population the healthcare field will need approximately 12,000 new laboratory scientists per year. In contrast to the need, only about 4-6,000 new graduates enter this field each year. Their is a large shortage of trained professionals.

To emphasize the importance and the role of the Clinical Laboratory Team please watch the following video.

The different career opportunities and educational requirements can be found in this digital brochure.

While this topic is not very exciting to most people, it is a very important thing to discuss. Society has placed a great demand on the medical field that is making it extremely difficult for hospitals and clinics to provide timely diagnoses and treatment plans. If there is an increase in training and production of lab professionals then this demand on the healthcare field will be alleviated and advances in medicine can be made. 

Entry #3 Sensationalism and a Misinformed Public.

In the year 2014 mass panic ensued at the thought of a world wide Ebola epidemic. This idea was greatly sensationalized by the media who severely misinformed the public on the actuality of the situation and the means wit which infection could spread. Take a look at the the following article. The headline incites fear and panic with its word choice.

Ebola Airborne!!

The heading of the article reads "Ebola in the air? A nightmare that could happen." The use of the word nightmare and the conclusion that, airborne Ebola could happen, equate an unrealistic situation with what was actually going on. For example, A piano could land on your head tomorrow, killing you. However, the reality of the situation is highly unlikely. It goes along with the saying that 'anything is possible but not everything is probable.'

The article is not very rhetorically sound. A proper argument would not constantly contradict the statement it was trying to defend. An example would be this line "The World Health Organization says its scientists are unaware of any virus that has dramatically changed its mode of transmission," and this line "Speculation that Ebola virus disease might mutate into a form that could easily spread among humans through the air is just that: speculation, unsubstantiated by any evidence." Oh and of course this line from the articles "cited source" stating that "Osterholm and other experts couldn't think of another virus that has made the transition from non-airborne to airborne in humans. They say the chances are relatively small that Ebola will make that jump."

The article fails to mention that rapid spread of the virus in industrialized cities is unrealistic due to the health systems in place, cultural taboos, and societal practices of American culture. 

The reason Ebola was dangerous in Africa was largely due to a lack of health infrastructure, lack of access to clean water, and cultural burial practices that include lots of contact and touching of dead bodies. In order for ebola to spread the virus has to come in contact with an individuals mucous membranes. This would require an individual to get some sort of fluid from an infected individual inside of their eyes, nose, or mouth. According to the CDC and WebMD, Ebola is one of the least contagious viruses. HIV is considered more contagious than Ebola.

Due to this articles headline on a prominent news source like CNN, it instilled great fear and panic on the American people who lacked a general understanding of the disease.

This type of sensationalism is dangerous and it represents the power of slanted media.

On a lighter note, here is the meme on slanted reporting.

Entry #2: Canine Parvovirus

Canine Parvovirus, commonly refereed to as just Parvo, is a highly contagious pathogen that affects dogs. It usually results in death within two to three days from the onset of symptoms. Symptoms usually include loss of appetite and lethargy. This soon develops into diarrhea and vomiting, often with bloody stools.

The dogs who are at most risk include puppies under four months of age and un-vaccinated dogs.


The image above shows what the virus looks like at the microscopic level. Different variations of the virus can infect different species. For example only Parvovirus B19 can infect humans. This means that an infected dog or cat will not be able to pass Parvo on to a human. The shape of Parvovirus is icosahedral and results in the slightly spherical shape pictured above. It is a DNA virus that is unique from other viruses because it does not have a capsid or envelope. Instead, it is surrounded by protein structures. More technical info about Parvoviruses can be found at this link. Big Picture Book of Viruses.

If you want to keep your puppy and other furry friends safe remember to keep them vaccinated and seek veterinary help as soon as Parvo is suspected. To aid in prevention it is also best to keep the dog as isolated as possible.

See the American Veterinary Medical Associations page on Parvo by clicking HERE.

Entry #1: How my Blogging has Changed

My first experiences with blogging began several months ago. I was unwillingly thrust into a blogging assignment that I regarded with much apprehension. Butterflies churned in my stomach as I thought about an assignment I have never encountered; I had to write about things I didn't have a prompt for. This meant generating original content of my choosing. My mind screamed "academic heresy!"

Despite my initial reactions, I soon found blogging to be a very entertaining and enjoyable medium. Writing about things I am interested in is less boring than droning on about a set topic.

My initial post on my blogging experiences can be found at this link. ENG 101 Entry #1

Along the way I found some blogs that I thought were helpful in developing my own style.

The first blog I looked at this time was Kotaku Blog. Its a video gaming blog and because I am a total nerd, I really enjoyed the articles they featured. The post I looked at recently was titled "Zelda Player Beats Guardian in Underpants on a Horse." The title itself generated profound giggles. The post was a video of a character in their underpants fighting a Guardian in the new Legend of Zelda game. This blog is entertaining but there is little written content involved. The majority of posts are linked to videos and other media content. While this is effective for the purpose of their blog it does not really fit into the purpose of my blog. One thing I can take away is learning to incorporate different elements into my blog.

My next guilty pleasure blogging site is more academic in nature. Being a scientist I love learning new things and seeing the new advance being made. That is why I frequently browse the American Society for Microbiology's blog. The article I read recently dealt with intrinsic resistances naturally found in different types of bacteria. It then went on to to say research is being conducted to identify combination drugs that can greatly assist the effects of an antibiotic based on the pathogens intrinsic resistance. In normal everyday language this would be similar to saying 'you can cut down a tree with a hand saw but if you attach a gas powered motor it becomes much easier and takes less time.' The article can be found here. While I enjoy reading this blog, it is very academic and general audiences would not be interested in it. I like to model some of posts off science blogs that way these cool discoveries can be easily translated into every day language.

The final blog I looked at was called Cal Newport's Study Hacks blog. I really enjoyed most of the content on this blog. It was professional and not too academic. However, most of it was un-interesting or it no longer pertained to the authors original stated purpose of the blog which made it slightly misleading.

The adventure of blogging continues to fascinate me and I am always excited to see more blogs, whether they are professional or from my own classmates.

Introduction: Round Two

Hello, again!!
For me, this is round two on using blogger for academics. I had an absolute blast posting blogs about science, food, and blogging experiences. I hope to continue that trend as I move forward. So if you enjoy learning something new and a little dash of humor thrown in then you will most likely enjoy my blog. Click the link below, or on the right, to view my about me page. It provides a good intro and introduces my blog a little more eloquently.

About Me!

I work as a Medical Technologist and I am very passionate about the sciences. So, my posts will usually follow a science trend. Thanks for taking a look and I hope you enjoy my blog.

Entry #11 What I learned in boating school is......

I'm not going to lie. When it comes to writing, sometimes I feel like Spongebob Squarepants. 12 hours go by and the most significant thing I have written down is my name in the top left corner of the page.

However, getting the opportunity to blog my English class assignments has been really fun. I was able to talk about topics that interested me and I had the freedom to develop my own voice and writing style.

Blogging has taught me to enjoy writing and to be proud of the posts I make. To be able to write what I want and see it unfold on social media is probably the most fun I've ever had writing. I hope I can continue with this blog going forward. The possibilities are endless.

I think more English professors should implement writing projects that involve blogging or other creative outlooks like maintaining a website. Students benefit from the freedom of expression that comes with writing on social media. It is more relevant because all students will leave college. This means that most of them will never write academically again. If they have the exposure to blogging or writing on social media, then they have a real life application for their writing. Companies prefer individuals who can effectively market and promote on social media. Most professional organizations even use social media to discuss their achievements and research goals and progress. These projects will allow students to see better applications for English composition and it will make them competitive in their chosen career fields.

School should not have you feeling like good ole Spongebob to my right. Professors should help students feel like what they learn is meaningful and applicable. The best way to do this is by offering diversity in assignments.

With that in mind it is time for this chapter of my blog to close. If you enjoyed what you saw on my blog then please stay tuned there will be more in store. Whether or not its a continuation of my academics or just for fun, blogging will remain a part of my life.

Entry #10 The Power of Electrolytes!!!

ELECTROLYTES!!! What every sports drink commercial wants you to know about replenishing energy and staying hydrated to keep fit! Sounds like a win-win right? Well, maybe not.

So what exactly are electrolytes? Electrolytes are substances that conduct electricity and dissociate into ions when dissolved in water. They are essential for organic life. The human body uses the following electrolytes:

All of these ions are essential for normal body function. If you listen to the sports drink commercial you will likely be told that the drink is the best way to replenish "lost electrolytes." 

The truth of the matter is that yes sports drinks do contain electrolytes, However, it is better to reach for the water if you are thirsty following strenuous exercise. The push to stay hydrated has had some negative consequences. Over-hydrating and drinking too many sugar loaded sports drinks can lead to hyponatremia (fancy for low levels of blood sodium) which can, in serious cases lead to death. More information about this can be found at the link below.

Harvard Medical Journal: Trade sports drinks for water

Hydration is best achieved by simply listening to your body. If you are thirsty, drink water. If you have a big race or another sports activity planned, still listen to your body, drink when thirsty and take rests as needed.

Sports drinks are not all bad though. Because sports drinks contain large amounts of carbohydrates (sugar) and electrolytes they can be beneficial if you plan on working out and doing strenuous exercise for longer than a 60 minute period of time.

Just like with food consumption, water hydration depends largely on listening to your body and by balancing your liquid choices.

Entry #9 Play on Foods?

Take a look at the video below. It is titled "Fresh Guacamole" and it was made by director/producer PES (Adam Pesapane). It was nominated for an Academy Award in best animated short.

The video uses stop motion to show the process of making food using non food objects like baseballs and dice. While the video doesn't necessarily contain social commentary on the food industry, I still found it to be an entertaining short film that uses play on words and pun style humor. If I were to psycho analyze the short film i could say that its a commentary on how food is not always as real or as fresh as we think it is. Overall though I think its a nice break from the depressing doom and gloom from my previous food related posts. If you have the chance take a second to view some of the other shorts by PES(I have included them at the bottom of this post). Like Fresh Guacamole the videos are a nice break from the daily routine.

Entry #EC Time for a Movie Review

Recently I watched the documentary by Robert Kenner called "Food, inc." The documentary features well known agricultural journalist Michael Pollan and investigative journalist Eric Schlosser.
After watching the film, it was evident that we in America have some serious agricultural problems related to the foods we eat. I took away some of the following points from the film

• Farmer's are slaves to the corporations. They get no say.
• The overproduction of products like corn have led to a push in creating chemicals and fillers out of the extra products produced.
• Corporations have significant influence over the laws and subsidies that were initially meant to protect farmers.
• The system has created a culture where good healthy foods are un-affordable and unhealthy foods are incredibly cheap. 
•  Food safety is less important than preserving commodity production.
• Monsanto has created a monopoly on the genetics of plants. They have become the big brother of the farming industry.
• Companies are lobbying to make it illegal to criticize and speak publicly against food products.

These revelations about the food industry are deeply concerning. At one point in the film they discussed a bill that was introduced to congress known as Kevin's Law. It was created in response to the death of a two year old child from E. coli O157:H7. It was never signed in to law. In my previous post I talked about the impact of E. coli and how even in 2016 there were still outbreaks of the bacteria in our food system. It is a great example of how the massive corporations have lobbied against food safety initiatives in order to protect their profits and interests.

There are many other problems associated with our food industry. Food, inc helps to pinpoint and express the struggles of farmers and consumers against the big corporations. There are no easy answers in determining the right course of action, however, one thing remains clear; something has to change because our agricultural system cannot continue in the way that it has without significant harm to businesses, consumers, and the environment.

Entry #8 Parasites and the Quest to Eradicate them.

Pictured to the left is the dreaded Onchocerca volvolus. This parasite is the pathogen (pathogen is fancy talk for an organism that causes disease) responsible for the disease known as River Blindness.

This disease, like its name suggests, causes blindness and skin lesions. 120 million people in 37 countries are currently at risk of contracting this disease. In addition 37 million people are actively suffering from infection. (CDC).

The infection can be easily treated and PREVENTED by taking a yearly single dose drug.
The efforts to eradicate this disease and others are spear headed by the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. Since 2011 Onchocerciasis (river blindness) was stopped in 11 of the 13 major hazard areas. The disease is almost eradicated in the Americas as well. (CDC progress).

If everyone took some time to educate themselves and do some research on tropical diseases then efforts to lobby or raise funds for countries who cannot afford to stop these diseases, then the world would be a little bit better. The lives of people affected by tropical diseases could be greatly benefited and enhanced through something so simple as a yearly dose of medication.

Currently the CDC lists about 17 different types of neglected tropical diseases(NTD's). The image and the link below contain more information about these diseases and what countries are most affected by them.

                                                               CDC NTD List

Some of the diseases on this list are easily preventable/manageable provided there is access to medication, education, and adequate sanitary care.

Entry #7 Fresh Foods and Where to Find Them.

If you read my previous blog post, you are probably a little grossed out by food at this point. However, the food related torture is not over. I recently had the opportunity to watch a short documentary called "Fresh." You can view the trailer by watching the video below. Or you can buy the DVD at their website by clicking below.

                                                               Fresh The Movie Website

The video is thought provoking and it shows viewers two very different farming styles the United States currently employs. The industrialized money making machine and the sustainable farming model that some farmers have embraced. The movie presents several viewpoints and illustrates the successes and struggles of sustainable farming. It also goes a step further because it persuades the audience of the viability of sustainable agriculture. It is profitable, it is maintainable, and it is better for the environment and the natural resources used in farming.

Sustainable agriculture raises a lot of questions and it is an easy subject to conquer. As the graph to the left illustrates, there are a lot of factors to consider.

Personally, this film made me think. A LOT! I never really considered the methods that are being used in agriculture. Most of the techniques that have negative consequences are things that make sense from the surface. For instance, if I need to produce more cows at my farm I need to increase the number of cows I have. I can't increase the amount of space because I haven't made the money from the sale yet. So, my cows will have to be in tight quarters. If the animals are in tight quarters though I will need to keep them on antibiotics to prevent disease. The consequences of these "solutions" are usually overlooked. If the cows were not crowded to begin they likely would not have the issue with disease and sick cows could easily be quarantined from the heard. The large amounts of antibiotics in these animal will soon start to cause the animals normal flora to develop resistances. This means that the normal bacteria of these animals is incredibly deadly. If a human or other animal gets infected they will have a very difficult time finding an antibiotic to stop the infection.

This also leads into the idea of preserving renewable resources. Animals treated with hormones and antibiotics produce waste that will kill and destroy plant life. It essentially has become toxic and difficult to expose of. Normally the feces from these animals would provide nutrients and encourage plant growth.

Finding sustainable solutions will not always be easy but it is possible and it can work.

Entry #6 Bacteria... The only culture some people have.

Every now and again news stories will pop up about vegetable and/or meat products that are infected with a bacteria known as Escherichia coli or E. coli.  2016 had three outbreaks of this bacteria. More information can be found by clicking the link below:

2016 Outbreaks

The questions many people have about E. coli go unanswered. Why is it dangerous? How can we avoid contaminated products? What do symptoms, treatment, and  prevention look like?

Have no fear. The answers to your questions are here.

Why be concerned about E. coli?
       E. coli by itself is actually a common normally occurring bacteria. It is found in most human and animal digestive tracts and on the skin. It is normally harmless. However, there are certain strains that exist that will produce toxins when they are destroyed by the immune system. These toxins are what scientists are concerned about in terms of illness and epidemics. The strain that produces this is known as E. coli 0157:H7, it can also be referred to as a STEC or a shiga toxin producing E. coli.
These shiga toxins can cause children and the elderly to develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome which can be deadly. Most healthy adults experience an illness that lasts 5-7 days.

Avoiding contaminated products and prevention
     E.coli bacteria can grow in a lot of places particularly food crops and around farm animals and other food related products. They can also be found in natural sources of water.
     Do not worry though. This bacteria can be easily avoided even in contaminated products. Ensure that non-homogenized/pasteurized dairy and juice products are avoided. Also by practicing good hand hygiene and by ensuring meats and foods are cooked at the appropriate temperature.

Symptoms and treatment.
     Most adults will experience mild fevers accompanied by severe diarrhea and vomiting. Secretions can also be bloody. The course of illness can be mild to severe and it is important to contact your doctor if symptons get worse as it might be a sign that you are developing hemolytic uremic syndrome.
     The CDC presents the following guidance:
Contact your healthcare provider if you have diarrhea that lasts for more than 3 days, or is accompanied by high fever, blood in the stool, or so much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down and you pass very little urine.



On an interesting side note, this is what E. coli looks like on a MacConkey growth agar. 

Entry #5 To like or not to like?

Subscribe, drop a comment, like this post, are all common phrases in the modern social media world. They represent the social currency of the digital world. One of the main aspects of attaining this social wealth and popularity is through the almighty selfie.

I will admit I take selfies. Step 1 to recovery right, admit you have a problem? I can remember a time where I was upset with my friends who had all gotten together to take a night out on the town filled with clubs and copious amounts of liquor. Sadly as they were posting status updates and garnering likes from our social groups I was cooped up working a night shift by myself in a tiny little lab.

So I did what any self-respecting adult would do. I engaged in a selfie war.  I was Combating their obviously fun time out, with my own equally amusing night surrounded by machines. See at the left:

Today teens and even adults are very concerned about their digital image. People want to look good in public right? I'm not going to wear my Walmart clothes on my blog so to speak.

There is also the struggle to garner likes. Teens want likes immediately and strive to collect so many within certain timeframes.

For example, my cousin, who is 15, has developed her own set of codes to communicate with her friends. Reading her text messages was almost impossible as it consisted of about 98% emoji content and very little words.

Should I be worried if her friend says 'hey, puppy dog, chicken leg, heart, sunshine, smiley face, soccer ball.'


In addition to her bizarre text conversations I also asked her about social media and likes verses comments on her selfies. She seemed to share similar opinions with the guests on the podcast This American Life episode titled Status Update.

Likes were very important and the more you had the more well liked you were considered. She agreed that she really only preferred comments from friends and that close friends really had an obligation to comment. If they did not comment it could be interpreted as the other party being upset with the person posting.

I don't personally have those kind of rules with my friends. Although the night of our little selfie war we determined the winner by the number of likes and by the comments ensuing on our private chat room.

There is definitely a focus on staying relevant and building relationships in the digital space. Whether this is good or bad for society and todays youth I am unsure. I do believe that these interactions help to build confidence and develop social tact and skills. However, I do recognize that the opposite, depression and lowering of self-esteem, have been reported as well.

Regardless, I think that social media and the internet are here to stay and despite opposition and nostalgic dreams of the 'good ole days,' there is a real need to stay current and be informed. By staying informed and educated of the tools these kids use to communicate, society can also become better communicators, working within these systems to reach teens and wider audiences.

Entry #4 Are you my type?

Do you know your blood type? Knowing your blood type is important medical information and knowing what your blood type is can help save your life and others lives if you choose to be a blood donor.

So what exactly is a blood type? Well to put it simply it's all based on genetics and your immune system. If someone is type A their body will make red blood cells that have A type markers on the cell surface known as antigens. Inversely their immune system will make antibodies to the markers they don't have. Type A blood will have antibodies to type B markers (antigens) and vice versa.

Take a look at this video to get a better idea of how exactly antigens and antibodies for your blood type works.

The most important thing to remember though is that just one blood donation can save up to three lives. The reason being is that whole blood can be split up into many different parts. You can separate the red blood cells from the plasma and then the plasma can be separated into platelets and clotting factors.

In addition, The American Red Cross estimates that every 2 seconds in the United States a life saving unit of blood is needed. Despite that high number and the projected needs, less than 10% of the U.S population donates blood each year.

Blood donations save lives and it is possible that you or a loved one might need a life-saving transfusion. Staying informed and knowing how you can make big differences in other peoples lives with a resource that is renewable is essential in ensuring that hospitals and physicians have the resources to care for their patients.

Entry #3 "Funnier than a Placebo" ZDoggMD

There is a very small, almost niche, area for the Dr. type celebrities. The images that come to mind are the staged audience TV shows like Dr. Oz or Dr. Phil. These shows are driven by ratings and producer directed attention grabbers. Somehow, Dr Zubin Damania was able to break through this bubble when he gained YouTube celebrity status for his humorous and educational parodies and lectures/critiques of modern healthcare.

See more about ZDoggMD here.

Under the stage name ZDoggMD, Dr. Damania uses his knowledge of pop culture and combines it with his knowledge of medicine. This makes his videos enjoyable to a broad audience. Although, they are mostly geared towards people in the healthcare industry, most of the messages are universal.

The "where is my pen struggle" is a fairly common and understandable struggle. By combining that struggle with a parody of Liam Neeson from the movie Taken, Zdogg makes the video relatable to a wide audience. Knowing what an audience will like and how they might connect with your message is how successful social media icons maintain their followings.

In addition to his creative use of comedy that is both informational and hilarious, ZDogg also seeks to influence health care policy through the power of satire. He seeks to incorporate social media into the health care system and to redesign policies to make it more about the healthcare team and the patient as an individual. YouTubers that garner mass following and views certainly have an amazing power. The power to influence and inform vast amounts of people. Simply by uploading relevant, entertaining and meaningful content.

To learn more about the Healthcare 3.0 movement click here.

Enjoy another fun video below.

Entry # 2 The 5 most exciting things about working in a La

#1 widely unknown/unseen but important

Med techs are widely unknown when it comes to thinking about the healthcare experience. When people go to the doctor, they generally see a nurse and the doctor, and maybe another sort of patient care tech and that’s it. When you get lab work done you likely see the phlebotomist draw your blood and then sometime down the road your physician calls with the results but what happens in between getting blood drawn and the doctor calling? Who handles the blood specimens? The answer to that is the team of healthcare professionals working in the laboratory known as medical technologists or medical lab scientists. According to the American Society for Clinical Pathology approximately 70% of a physicians healthcare decisions are based on laboratory results. This means that the quality of work and accuracy of the data provided to healthcare practitioners directly affect patient outcomes. So, the best thing about working in a lab is that everyday the work that gets done is helping physicians make patients lives better and assisting in the detection, prevention, and monitoring of diseases.

#2 Everyday is a surprise

No two people are alike and no two illnesses are alike either. Every person in the hospital is a puzzle and it can be challenging to figure out what exactly is going on. For example, a tech might have a blood sample that needs to be looked at under the microscope. The first thing they do is count 100 white blood cells. White blood cells have many different types and correctly identifying them by how they look can be difficult. After counting they might notice that a certain percentage of the cells were abnormal.

Problem solving is very real in any lab science as most results don’t always come out as expected and it’s up to these scientists to figure out why and to report what they find to the patients doctor.

#3 Job security and pay

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics Medical Laboratory technician’s median wages (at the associate level) are around $20 per hour nationally and at the bachelor’s level around $30 per hour median salary. Click here for the BLS site

In addition to pay, this career field is also in great shortage. There is an estimated 16% growth rate. Also, it is predicted that the amount of jobs needed to be filled exceeds the amount of graduates produced each year.

#4 working with amazing technology

Okay, the MOST fun part of it lab work is the AMAZING technology scientists have to work with.

There are devices that can detect different levels of chemical in the blood. Things like enzymes, electrolytes and proteins. There are also analyzers that can rapidly count and classify cells and machines that help determine how quickly a patients blood will clot.

These advancements in technology allow for quicker more reliable testing that helps patients have shorter stays and it also prevents delays in treatment.

The following article is a great read for anyone interested in the advancement of medical technology.
Trending technology.

#5 The people you work with are anything but normal

People who work in the lab are quirky, unusual and funny. They are the ones that make every day an adventure and they keep the job interesting and entertaining. Take a look at the following video to see what exactly lab scientists are like in their native environment.

Entry #1: One toe in...

I am very new to the whole blogging arena. Starting off as a new blogger I really have to ask myself, what do I think about blogs? I’ll start with what I know about blogs, nothing. I know that blogs are an account of people's lives, short stories about daily life, informative stores, tasty recipes, or complete nonsense. That small amount of knowledge only scratches the surface when it comes to the vast world of blogs. I only have one toe in the icy, near endless, waters of the blogging internet space.

With that in mind, I realize that I need to gain some experience. I need to educate myself on the inner workings of blogs and I think the best way to do that is to review how other people blog. I need to see what works, what I like and what I don’t like, in order to be a more effective blogger.

The first blog on my list (Chosen randomly from The Top 50 Blogger Blogs) is called Althouse. The blog is written by The University of Wisconsin Law School’s professor Ann Althouse. Ann writes mostly about topics related to law and policy. I really like how she presents a topic and gives links and information about it but she doesn’t offer very much opinion based writing, instead she goes for the inquisitive “what do you think?” approach. This tactic allows her readers to discuss and present ideas of their own in the comment section.

The next blog on my list is one that is more relevant to my blog but is very formal and would be considered more of a professional blog.  It is called the Medical LabAcademy and it is a site/blog dedicated to helping medical technicians pass their certification exams. The blog is very well done and uses common language that is professional but not overly academic. It interests me personally and there is a lot of useful information presented but it does not reflect how I want my blog to be. The content is targeted to a specific audience and does not allow outsiders a casual approach to lab science.

The last blog that I will be looking at is called Indexed. This blog was definitely my favorite. The blog is entirely made up of posts written on index cards. These small cartoons are often very humorous and provide great entertainment. The cards have charts or graphs on them and usually provide a sarcastic view on life circumstances.

After reviewing these blogs I think I got a better sense of what blogging is all about. The authors on these pages were really passionate about what they wrote even though each blog had a different voice and audience. I think I can use what I saw and read to help shape my blog and make it informative, entertaining, and enjoyable.

Hello, welcome to the Pending Blog.
     A quick hello and an introduction can be found on the about page on the right hand side of the screen. or you can click here.