HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing all my reader from the following countries a HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

May the year bring you fresh energy and excitements in all your endeavors. Stay strong and remain positive. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. I hope you find that light this coming year. I will keep you all in my prayers. 

PEACE BE UPON YOU AND YOUR COUNTRIES!

Afghanistan Bahrain Canada Australia Bangladesh Colombia Barbados Dominican Republic Ecuador Germany Egypt Ghana Ethiopia Guatemala India Jamaica Lebanon Indonesia Japan Ireland Jordan Italy Malaysia Nepal Oman Maldives Netherlands Mexico New Zealand Nigeria Pakistan Saudi Arabia Peru Serbia Philippines Singapore Puerto Rico Slovakia South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Taiwan United Arab Emirates Vietnam Tanzania United Kingdom Thailand United States Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Islands Zambia Zimbabwe

KEY DEFINITIONS FOR CELL DIVISION

What is a gene?

 It is the basic unit of heredity and it codes for a specific trait.

What is a genome?

 It is the total hereditary endowment of DNA of a cell or organism

What is a locus (plural loci)?

 It is the specific location of a gene on a chromosome

What is a somatic cell?

 It consists of all the body cells except reproductive cells.

What is a gamete?

 It is the reproductive cells  (sperm and egg)

What is a chromosome?

 It is the elongate cellular structure composed of DNA and protein. They are the vehicles which carry DNA in cells.

What is a homologous chromosome?

 It is a chromosome of the same size and shape which carry the same type of genes.

What is a diploid (2n)?

 It is the cellular condition where each chromosome type is represented by two homologous chromosomes.

What is a haploid (n)?

 It is the cellular condition where each chromosome type is represented by only one chromosome.

What is a chromatid?

 It is one of two duplicated chromosomes connected at the centromere.

What is a centromere?

 It is the region of chromosome where microtubules attach during mitosis and meiosis.

What is an allele? 

It is an alternate form of the same gene. For example, there are two genes that control height, that is, one for shortness and the other for tallness.

What is a homozygous individual? 

It is the condition where an individual has two identical alleles for a given gene. 

What is a heterozygous individual?

 It is the condition where an individual has two different alleles for a given gene.

What is a genotype? -

It is the genetic makeup of an organism?

What is a phenotype?

It is the expressed traits of an organism or the outward manifestation of the genes. 

There are two types of cell divisions. They are mitosis and meiosis?

• Mitosis results in two diploid daughter cells.
• Meiosis results in four haploid daughter cells.

We will discuss more details of cell division in the next post.

NURSING: AN ART OR SCIENCE?

Nursing is considered as an art and a science. It is an art because it requires the unique application of personal skills such as caring nature, compassion, kindness, good communication and inter-personal relationships, respect of the dignity and the personhood of the patient or client. It is a science because it relies on the advancement and innovations of scientific research and discoveries. The techniques and practices of nursing evolve everyday with the introduction of new findings in the management of various diseases and conditions. It is not a stagnant field. Old techniques and practices are constantly replaced by new ones as and when necessary.

Nursing is an interdisciplinary field that utilizes information from the biological to the social sciences. It also uses information from the world of technology such as bioinformatics. 

The are numerous career options for nurse. These include:

• Clinical practice
• Research
• Education
• Management 
• Administration
• Entrepreneurship 

So as you can see, the nurse is not limited to only the hospital setting as most people think. The bedside nursing is just one aspect of nursing. A nurse can choose to work with a pharmaceutical company, insurance company, a college or university, or be a travelling nurse who visits clients in their homes. There are countless possibilities.

YOUR NEXT JOURNEY AFTER TEAS EXAM

This will be the next journey in the life of anyone who intends to be in the field of nursing.

According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), nursing is defined as the "protection, promotion and optimization of health and ability, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and population."

As you already can visualize, nursing practice has undergone dramatic changes over the years all over the world and is a multifaceted discipline, not just the care of those who are ill. To break it down again, it involves:

• Protection, promotion and optimization of health 
• Protection, promotion and optimization of ability
• Prevention of illness and injury
• Alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis of human response
• Alleviation of suffering through the treatment of human response
• Advocacy in the care of individuals,
• Advocacy in the care of families
• Advocacy in the care of communities
• Advocacy in the care of the population

Nursing is, therefore, an art as well as a science. 

We will be exploring more of this in the days ahead. Join me on this exciting ride!

HOLIDAY BLESSINGS JUST FOR YOU

As you celebrate a new chapter in your life during this Christmas,

May the joy of the Lord be your portion.

May you find an uncommon favor with the Lord,

And may your territories be enlarged beyond your understanding.

The goodness and mercies of the Lord is upon you

And you will enjoy the days of your life.

You shall lack nothing in the coming years because His eyes are upon you.

Your pockets will never run dry. It shall run over.

Your are the apple of the Lord’s eyes and He will guide you

As you make your journey in life.

The Lord is faithful. He will establish you and protect you from the evil one.

Enjoy this Christmas and the many, many years to come!

STUDENT'S TIPS ON PREPARING FOR THE TEAS EXAM

A student who was very successful on the TEAS exams has posted his experience and some tips on the allnurses.com website forum on how he was able to prepare and pass the exam. It is very comprehensive and I hope you will benefit from reading it. Click here to read more about it.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS: PHOTOGRAPH EXHIBITION

I am posting some pictures I took at a park in New Jersey, USA. It is always good to take a walk in a park to enjoy the natural environment. Living in harmony with the plants and the environment reduces stress and prolongs life. Exercising, such as walking for at least 30 minutes can prolong your cardiovascular health. Try it and your memory will also improve.

ODE TO PLANTS

From the dawn of history you ministered to our needs;
Thou ancient of days, present in the beginning of life;
For your love, you furnish us with food,
Clothing and shelter we lack not.
In you we have life, for the air we breath is enriched by your oxygen.

For without you, we perish.
Oh how, you purify the air we breath!
Our waste, carbon dioxide, is your delicacy. 
Mills are powered by thee, 
Your raw materials are made into products.
Wages are earned because of you.

For your love, Columbus set off in search of thee;
Your spices are worth more than you think.
What would Henry Hudson have done without you?
From the Hudson River Basin to Eastern Canada, he marveled at your beauty.
Wars have been fought because of you,
For you are priceless and worth keeping.

You furnish the settings and beautify the surroundings;
Your fragrance perfuse our minds with wonder.
Literature, music and art are inspired by thee.
Thou ancient of days, present in the beginning of life;
We adore thee!

TROPISMS

What is tropism?

It is the turning of all or part of an organism in a particular direction in response to an external stimulus. The response is due to the differential growth of a part of the organism. Note that the whole organism is not displaced or moved from one spot to another. It is a positive or negative response to the external stimulus. A positive response means "towards the stimulus" and a negative response means "away from the stimulus". Tropisms are typically associated with plants but not necessarily restricted to them. Tropism occurs due to the effect of the plant growth hormone called auxin. Tropisms are usually named for the stimulus involved. Here are some examples:

1. • Chemotropism: It is the movement or growth in response to chemicals.
   • Geotropism (or gravitropism): It is the movement or growth in response to gravity. For example, the roots grow towards the ground.
   • Heliotropism: It is the movement or growth in response to sunlight. For example, the shoot grows towards the sunlight.
   • Sonotropism: It is the movement or growth in response to sound.
   • Hydrotropism: It is the movement or growth in response to water.
   • Phototropism: It is the movement or growth in response to light or colors of light.
   • Thermotropism: It is the movement or growth in response to temperature.
   • Electrotropism: It is the movement or growth in response to an electric field.
   • Thigmotropism: It is the movement or growth in response to touch or contact. For example, the climbing plants, such as vines, develop tendrils that coil around supporting objects. Touched cells produce auxin and transport it to untouched cells. Some untouched cells will then elongate faster so cell growth bends around the object. 

WHAT IS TAXONOMY?

The classification of living things is called "Taxonomy." Living organisms are classified into 

• Domains - This includes Archea, Eubacteria, Eukaryote. Domains are classified into five kingdoms.
• Kingdom is then split into smaller groups, called Phyla (singular is Phylum).
• Phylum is split into smaller groups called Classes.
• Class is split into Orders, 
• Order is split into Families
• Family is split into Genera (singular is Genus).
• Genus is split into Species.
• Species is a single organism, not a group.

This results in eight types of groups in order from largest to smallest as shown above. This is known as the Linnaean classification system.

Eubacteria are bacteria, made up of small cells, which differ in appearance from the organisms in the above kingdoms. They lack a nucleus and cell organelles. They have cell walls made of peptidoglycan.

Archae (or Archaebacteria) are bacteria which live in extreme environments, such as salt lakes or hot, acidic springs. These bacteria have unique properties and features such as unusual lipids that are not found in any other organism. Their cell walls lack peptidoglycan.

The five kingdoms:

• Animalia (Animal) - This includes sponges, worms, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
• Plantae (Plant) -This includes mosses, ferns, woody and non-woody flowering plants.
• Fungi -This includes fungus, molds, mushrooms, yeasts, mildews, and smuts.
• Protist - This includes protozoans and algae of various types.
• Monera - This includes bacteria, blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), and spirochetes.

Binomial nomenclature is used to name an organism. The first word beginning with a capital is the genus of the organism and the second word beginning with lower-case letter is the species of the organism. The scientific name can be also abbreviated, where the genus is shortened to only its first letter followed by a period. For example, Lepus europaeus can be written as L. europaeus. 

                   Homo sapien can be written as H. sapien

What are Eukaryotes? 

They are cells that are complex in structure, with nuclei and membrane-bound organelles. Examples are the animal and plant cells.

What are  Prokaryotes? 

Prokaryotes are the smallest and simplest type of cells, without a true nucleus and no membrane-bound organelles.

Examples are the bacteria and viruses.

THE TEN MOST VIEWED POST FOR THE WEEK

Here are the ten most viewed post for this week:

PARTS OF THE FLOWER

TIMED VOCABULARY GAME

THE STRUCTURE OF THE EAR

ECOLOGY - FOOD CHAIN AND WEB

ELECTROMAGNETISM AND MAGNETS

MATH TOPICS YOU NEED TO REVIEW

TYPES OF TISSUES

GLOBAL CELEBRATION!

THE REFLEX ARC

THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

MATH TOPICS YOU NEED TO REVIEW

Checkout this page for the math topics that you need to master for the TEAS exam.

TOPICS

Very soon, I will be posting review materials on these topics. I intend to make this blog a one-stop center for all your review needs for nursing entrance exams all over the world. Keep coming back and spread the word!

TIMED VOCABULARY GAME

Here is a link to the website of Encyclopedia Britannica. It has vocabulary exercise that is time. You are given the word and you have about 10 seconds to choose the correct synonym from about five options. The faster you answer the questions, the more points you get. This is a very interesting way to learn vocabulary - a vocabulary game. There are over 1000 words to practice on. There are 10 words per game.

Click this link: Vocabulary Game

Here is a link to a similar word game on the human organs. Have fun!

GLOBAL CELEBRATION!

I am excited to have so many people visit my blog. I hope you find the materials interesting and easy to read. As always, I will strive hard to simplify the materials to make it easy for you to acquire and retain the concepts. I hope those who have utilized the knowledge on this blog and have passed their exams will leave some comments so that we can rejoice with you. Continue to spread the word!                                 Let's have a GLOBAL CELEBRATION!

Here are the top ten page views of all times starting with the highest:

1.       THE STRUCTURE OF THE EAR

2.       ECOLOGY - FOOD CHAIN AND WEB

3.       TYPES OF TISSUES

4.       ELECTROMAGNETISM AND MAGNETS

5.       PARTS OF THE FLOWER

6.       THE REFLEX ARC

7.       FROM THE SHORES OF JAMAICA

8.       HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO MY USA FANS!

9.       PHYSIOLOGY OF THE EYE

10.    QUESTIONS FOR THE DAY

LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

The lymphatic system is involved with the clearing of infectious agents from the body. It transports the lymph which is the clear fluid originating from the plasma (liquid portion of blood). 

Functions

• Lymph drains interstitial fluid
• Transports dietary lipids 
•  Facilitates immune responses.

The plasma filters out of the capillaries and drains into lymphatic vessels to become lymph. It also transports fat. The lymph flows in the lymphatic vessels, lymphatic tissue and red bone marrow. The content of lymph is the same as interstitial fluid (the fluid around tissue cells). The Lymph eventually drains into venous blood via the right atrium.

What are the primary lymphatic organs? 

These are the sites where the lymphoid cells (T-LYMPHOCYTES and B-LYMPHOCYTES) are produced. It includes:

• Bone marrow
• Thymus

What are secondary lymphatic organs?

Secondary lymphoid tissues are arranged as a series of filters that monitor the contents of the extra-cellular fluids (lymph, interstitial fluid and blood). Secondary lymphoid tissues are also where lymphocytes are activated.

These include: 

• lymph nodes: The lymph is filtered by lymph nodes. These are encapsulated lymphoid tissue. There are about 100-200 lymph nodes, which mostly occur in the neck, thorax, abdomen and pelvis. They contain B-lymphocytes (cells) and T-lymphocytes (cells), which mostly enter the nodes via the blood stream. It also contains macrophages. 
• Mucosa Associated Lymphoid Tissue (MALT): These are non-encapsulated lymphoid aggregations found close to moist epithelial surfaces such as the mucous membranes of the digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems. They respond to any bacteria or micro-organisms that do get through the epithelia. The activated B-cells in these areas can develop into plasma cells, which then produce antibodies. They filter tissue fluid.  This makes up 85% of lymphoid tissue in the mucosa. They are usually small (around 1 millimeter in diameter), with the exception of the tonsils, peyers patches and the appendix.
• Tonsils are large partially-encapsulated masses of lymphoid tissue, found in the walls of the pharynx and nasopharynx, and at the base of the tongue. 
• Peyer's patches are large masses of confluent lymphoid follicles, found in the walls of the ileum (small intestine).
•  Spleen: The blood is filtered by the spleen, an encapsulated lymphoid tissue. This is the body's largest lymphatic organ. 

Functions of the spleen: 

• It is important for antibody production
• Facilitates immune responses to blood borne antigens 
•  It eliminates worn-out blood cells and platelets.