Automation is the trend in clinical laboratories today because it saves time, avoids human errors and could perform several procedures simultaneously. Even in the pipetting of liquids, reagents or samples, manual pipetting is rarely utilized. It is not an excuse…
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There will be no final battle in the war against HIV and AIDS. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and viruses are both difficult to treat and able to evolve quickly. Antiretroviral drugs are expensive and…
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Life on Earth takes on many different forms. One of the most basic categories of life the nature of the cells that constitute an organism. There are two major types of cells, eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Prokaryotes are bacteria, while every…
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Students new to using a microscope often get frustrated when trying to view objects, particularly at higher magnifications. Here’s how to do it sans the aggravation. The magnification of a compound microscope is the result of two sets of lenses:…
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Bacteria are a type of single-celled microorganism. They can come in many different species and in several very different forms that have implications for how they live and how they interact with other organisms. One of these types is the…
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Within the womb, a baby’s body is axenic, meaning that the uterus is sterile and free of microbes, but soon after birth, the newborn becomes colonized by microbes, most of which are beneficial to human health. These microbes are called…
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Some growth media, such as Blood Agar (BAP), can be used to do more than just grow bacteria; specialized agars can be used to help identify microbes. * Blood Agar Is a Differential Medium * A growth medium is considered…
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All bacteria (the domain Eubacteria) and bacteria-like Archaea, are prokaryotes. Prokaryotic cells are simpler than the eukaryotic cells of the human body. One of the most striking distinctions is that prokaryotes lack a membrane bound nucleus. Their genetic material is…
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A eukaryotic cell is one which contains complex structures bound together by a cell membrane. Large species such as humans, animals and plants and fungi have eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells contain a membrane bound nucleus, this nucleus is what sets…
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Interfering substances, like proteins, are usually present in blood specimens for testing. These substances, if not eliminated, would be a contributory factor to the inaccuracy of laboratory results because they may increase or decrease the readings of other substances tested…
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