Where passion for animals, science, and medicine lives…
Like incidence and prevalence, sensitivity and specificity are twin sons of different mothers. And there is no Fogleberg fallout here. These guys stick together. Knowing their similarities and differences is vital to understanding diagnostic testing and the associated biostatistics.
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Winter has arrived in many parts of the country. For many, this means months of snow and below freezing temperatures. Here are a few things you can do to prepare yourself and your animals to get through as comfortably as possible.
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Gosh, Gram it! Why is it that every time I take a class or read an article that involves bacteria, there is an insistence on explaining whether it is gram-negative or gram-positive? Who cares? After all, you culture bacteria, perform an antibiotic sensitivity test, then prescribe the correct antibiotic. Done and done. No gram-nonsense involved […]
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Protecting workers from occupational hazards is a complex process. Workplace injuries cost industry billions of dollars every year in lost production and medical expenses. To help combat this, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed the Hierarchy of Control to provide a framework for implementing control measures. We will cover each control method, starting […]
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Personal protective equipment (PPE) is often overlooked in day-to-day activities. But, in some cases, your life could literally depend on your PPE. It could be as simple as wearing exam gloves when handling possibly contaminated material, up to a positive air pressure suit used in a Biosafety Level 4 lab. We will help you sort […]
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If you prefer to listen to podcasts, feel free to play the audio version of this blog by clicking on the player above. Podcast: Garlic and Onion ToxicityLength: 4 min 39 secondsWritten and read by the author
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What is a BSL? Sounds kind of scary, but they are very important in research and diagnosing disease. BSL stands for Biosafety Lab. There are four levels of BSLs. Each handles increasing levels of infectious material, and therefore require higher measures of protection for lab workers. If you prefer to listen to podcasts, feel free […]
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Canning your own foods at home is a great way to preserve extra food, and provide meals for your family. If the process is not carried out correctly, however, it is also a potential source of botulism. There are many descriptive names for botulism: Shaker Foal Syndrome (horses), Limberneck (ducks), and Floppy Baby Syndrome (humans). […]
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We all learned about the “Black Death” in school. The bubonic plague swept across Europe in the Middle Ages, killing nearly two-thirds of the population. It was at that time that rats on ships became associated with plague. It would take almost 500 years for researchers to identify rat fleas infected with the […]
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If you prefer to listen to podcasts, feel free to play the audio version of this blog by clicking on the player above. Podcast: Rabbit Fever Length: 3:48 minutes Written and read by the author Fall is upon us, and many people are getting ready for fall and winter hunting. Now is a good time […]
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