TO USE WOOD OR POLYETHYLENE CUTTING BOARDS

While researching for information on our laboratory product which is about determining the survival of microorganism on hardwood cutting boards and polyethylene (plastic) board, I found a research already done on the subject. There have been debates on whether the former, or later are safer to use and when asked what they thought most people said that bacterial will survive more on wood board even after sanitizing. Miller, Brown, and Call (1996), carried out a research to determine potential attachment and removal of bacteria from ground beef on wooden and polyethylene cutting boards. As their methods the researchers used meat and Escherichia coli samples on the board while maintaining basic sanitary measures.  At the end of their experiment, Miller, et al. (1996) found out that beef bacterial micro biota on polyethylene and wooden cutting boards had similar potential for attachment and removal. Nevertheless bacterial count and growth were higher on the new wooden cutting board at the end of the exposure than the old one. This might be due to the fact that wood is biodegradable and so provide a favorable environment for bacterial to grow and reproduce. Bacterial count will normally reduce with the old wood cutting board due to the presence of cracks and cuts which harbor bacterial. On the other hand, old plastic board will harbor more bacteria even after cleaning since it is not biodegradable. Despite the results of this experiment, it does not exclude contrary findings on the same topic. So it is up to everyone to decide either to use wood which does not keep bacteria on its surface or use plastic but replace it often due to the cracks. Whichever method one chooses, it is important to use proper sanitary measures in cleaning them in order to avoid diseases from bacteria like salmonella. This article was not only interesting in relation to my project but also in connection to what is thought in class on physical method of microbial control. This is because before controlling the growth and spread of a microbe, one must learn about the condition under which they survive.

Works Cited

Miller AJ, B. T. (1996). comparison of wooden and polyethylene Cutting Boards: Potential for the attachment and removal of bacteria fron ground beef. Eastern regional research center , 1-5.

INVESTIGATION PART I

For a couple of weeks now, we have been studying the effect and uses of antimicrobial  Thus while choosing an article for my research paper; I came across an interesting article on microbial resistance to triclosan. Triclosan is a broad spectrum antimicrobial which means that it is effective against a variety of microorganisms; bacteria, fungi, and viruses. According to Bauman (2011), triclosan is a Bisphenolic and is included in almost every product we use either for personal care or in materials such plastic and clothing. It is used worldwide toothpaste, shower gels, deodorant soaps, hand lotions, hand soaps, mouth washes, and underarm deodorant.

Serafini and Matthews 2009, as well as other researchers have been worried at the possibility that triclosan overuse can result in microorganism resistance to clinically important antimicrobial  In order to answer this question, Serafini and Matthews carried out two experiment using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to first investigate the development of resistance by a clonal population of theses bacteria. The second experiment involved reversing the experiment to see if the bacteria could return to their wild life sensitivity to triclosan if grown without it. These researchers found out that both bacteria developed resistance to triclosan and both could be returned to their wildlife state.

The most important message to me as an ascribing nurse or to anybody reading this is that the more chemicals we use in and around our environment, the more antimicrobial resistance occurs and increase the risk of the development of “superbugs” that are resistant to traditional treatment. So we should not abuse the use of chemicals on ourselves or on our environment and thus save our world.

Works Cited.

Bauman RW. Microbiology with disease by Taxonomy. 3rd ed. San Francisco (CA): Pearson; 2011. 272p.

Serafini A. and Matthews DM. Microbial resistance to Triclosan: A case study in natural selection. The American Biology teacher. 17(9): 536-540.

PICTUIRES.

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NEW VOCABULARY

IONIZING RADIATION AND IONIZING RADIATION:

Ionizing radiation is a form of radiation with a wave-length shorter than 1nm that are energetic enough to create ions by ejecting electrons from atoms. This type form radiation creates ions that disrupt hydrogen bonding, oxidize double covalent bonds, and create highly reactive hydroxyl radicals. They cause fatal mutations and cell death.

Nonionizing radiation has an electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength greater than 1nm as it does not have sufficient energy to force electrons out of orbit. This type of radiation affect the three dimensional structure of proteins and nucleic acids as electrons cannot form new covalent bonds.

DESICCATION:

This is drying, that inhibiting microbial growth by drying. The drying inhibits the spread of pathogens like syphilis, gonorrhea, and pneumonia bacteria. This form of drying have also be used for years for preserving foods like nuts, peas, grains, yeast, and fruit like apricots (especially in Pakistan).

AUTOCLAVE:

This is a device that uses steam heat under pressure to sterilize chemicals and objects that can tolerate moist heat. This device is used in autoclaving which is a moist heat related method of microbial control. An autoclave has a pressure chamber, pipes to introduce and let out steam, valves to remove air and control pressure, and pressure and temperature gauges to monitor the autoclaving process which is a sterilization method.

REFERENCE:

Bauman RW. Microbiology with disease by Taxonomy. 3rd ed. San Francisco (CA): Pearson; 2011. 664p.

PICTURES:

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NEW AND INSIGHTFUL II

PSYCHROPHILES:

These are microorganism that love cold temperatures and grow best at below 15 degrees census and below zero temperatures. Psychrophilic algae, fungi, archea, and bacteria live in snowfields, ice, and cold water. Due to the mesophilic environment of the human body, psychrophiles cannot survive in the human body.

 

GENOME AND GENOTYPE:

The genome of a cell or virus refers to its entire genetic components of both genes and nucleotide sequences that connect genes to each other. The genome of cells is composed only of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), while RNA viruses use ribonucleic acid.

Genotype of an organism is however the actual set of genes in its genome. Unlike the genome that include some nucleotides that are not part of the gene, the genotype is made up of all the series of DNA nucleotide that carry instructions for an organism’s life.

                                                                                                       

MUTATION:

It is a permanent change in the nucleotide base sequence of a genome, especially its genes. Mutation of genes is often always bad with a few instances where it improves an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce. Types of mutation are point, frameshift, silent, missense, and nonsense mutations.

REFERENCES:

Bauman RW. Microbiology with disease by Taxonomy. 3rd ed. San Francisco (CA): Pearson; 2011. Print.

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Going forward in microbiology

  My knowledge of the microbiology world have extensively increased from the last time i wrought on reflection. The more microbiology knowledge is  impacted on me, the harder it seems to get to retain all of the knowledge. The further into chapters we get, the more in connects to previous chapetrs and make it easier to understand. The thing learned was the trechnique and rationale for performing Gram stains which at the beginning of the semester i learned that it was discovered by a microbiologist named Christian Gram.

From Gram staining procedure gram positive bacteria will stain purple due to their thick peptidoglycan layer and Gram negative will stain pink due to their thin peptidoglycan layer. Another thing that i learnt in this class and that i was able to connect to previous knowledge of the first chapter is the diferent methods of isolating bactring and transferring them from one medium to another. This methods were first discovered by Robert Koch and his colleagues.


The above learned information however relate to my nursing career as the transport medium will help when transporting specimen and also the use of universal precautions. I have also discovered a new learning style that has helped me improved my grades. This learning techniques is visual and hands-on learning styles by practicing online quizzes. The two most confusing things still is DNA and RNA, but i however believe that with more studying and watching videos i should be ok. Another issue is learning a way to memorize different examples of different shapes of bacteria. Every time i watch television, browze the internet, or read the newspaper i always go to the science section to be able to connect the outside world to the knowledge acquired in class. I have learned about nosocomial infection in the health care sector. The journey thus continues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An encounter with beautiful and useful creatures

       Microorganisms and bacteria are known by all to be useful, beneficial, and at times pathogenic. These benefits of bacteria ranges from use in fermentation, probiotic use in food and beverages and use for creating household detergent agents to many other uses. However, we have or, more specifically i had estimated the use of bacteria to the human advantage. While reading the science column of the New York Times, i came across an article talking about different diverse uses of unwanted bacteria to beautify the environment and people. It is quite interesting to see that some people are bacterial lovers, which is different from the perception that people have about handling bacteria. The most mind blowing of all was that there are several examples of scientist creating light sources out of bacteria. The  following are some of those light sources and how the bacteria were handled in order to generate light;

Moss Table makes use of the small electrical charge produced when bacteria consume organic compounds released by moss; here, a battery supplements that power to light the lamp

Bacteripca, a chandelier designed by Petia Morozov, with petri dishes loaded with bacterial cultures nesting in a tangle of fiber optics. The pattern and color of the blooming bacteria which was ideally supplied by individual family members, including pets changes the quality of the light.

       The the above examples and others, it is clear that bacteria are not just meant to be stoke in conserved places or discarded, but can also be used to beautify our hopes and serve as energy sources. This article helps me reflects on the study of bacteria and their metabolism especially electron transportation and the creation of hydrogen gradient. 

   However, this article raises some questions on the validity and the universal control precautions in handling bacteria. How were the bacteria handled and isolated to prevent contamination? This is however another broad topic on itself.

REFERENCES:

Lasky, J. (2013, January 16). The beauty of bacteria. The New York Times, p. 1. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/garden/bio-design-in-the-home-the-beauty-of-bacteria.html?pagewanted=all

NEW AND INSIGHTFUL

GLYCOLISIS:

   Glycolysis also known as Embden-Meyerhof pathway is the first step in the catabolism of glucose through respiration and fermentation (Bauman Robert, 2012). It involves the dividing of a molecule containing 6-carbon glucose into two three-carbon sugar molecules. The end-product of glycolysis is 2 pyruvic acid and release of stored energy in ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). Glycolysis is an anaerobic process.

Figure 1 Glycolysis

COMPETITIVE and NONCOMPETITIVE INHIBITORS:

Competitive inhibitors are inhibitory substances that block enzymatic activity by blocking active site. They fit on site and prevent the binding of substrate. These inhibitors can either bind permanently resulting in the loss of enzymatic activity or reversibly by increasing concentration of substrate which increases the likelihood of binning site being filled with substrate instead of inhibitors (Bauman Robert 2011).

Noncompetitive inhibitors also known as allosteric inhibitors bind to allosteric site on any part of the cell which changes the shape of the active site and making the substrate unable to bind. Excitatory allosteric inhibitors occur when an activator molecule binds to an allosteric site and changes the active site, thus capable of binning substrate (Bauman Robert 2011).

Figure 2 Competitive and noncompetitive inhibitors

ENZYME:

An enzyme is an organic catalyst. In order to understand enzymes one need to know the definition of a catalyst which is a chemical that increases the likelihood of a reaction but is not permanently changed. Enzymes acts on molecules called substrate. Enzymes can be classified into six categories based on their reaction types (Bauman Robert 2011).

Figure 3 Enzyme

REFERENCES:

Bauman RW. Microbiology with disease by Taxonomy. 3rd ed. San Francisco (CA): Pearson; 2011.

http://www.tutorialz360.com/inhibitors/ (FIGURE 3)

http://students.cis.uab.edu/clight/whatisenzyme.jpg (FIGURE 2)

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