mad-scientist

[mad-scientist]

[mad-scientist]

Stephen Hawking, renowned scientist, dies at 76

#stephen hawking #scientist #science #mathematics #math #physics #quantum physics #astronomy

[mad-scientist]

Biosafety Levels 1-4

We’ve known that breathing in or touching infectious/infected material is probably bad since before germ theory, but it wasn’t until 1943 that our first formal guidelines and laboratories for technician separation from the infectious agent were set up. It was the 1960s before the first conference to standardize personal protection equipment (PPE) guidelines. 

These days we have 4 basic safety levels when working with biological agents: Biosafety Levels (BSL) 1-4

BSL 1 includes well-understood agents not known to regularly affect adult humans, and which present a minimal level of hazard to the technician. Canine hepatitis, non-pathogenic strains of E. coli, and other non-infectious bacteria. Aside from standard healthy-living procedures (washing with soap etc), laboratory equipment is decontaminated via autoclave between uses, protective gloves, and sometimes protective goggles are required.

BSL 2 includes many of the milder infectious diseases that we know about, such as Salmonella, measles, mumps, MRSA, C. difficile, and hepatitis A, B, and C. These are sometimes serious illnesses, but are not easily aerosolized in a laboratory setting. When aerosols may be formed, biological safety cabinets are used, extreme care is taken with sharps, access to the laboratory is limited during work, and all technicians are trained in pathogen handling procedures.

BSL 3 includes dangerous pathogens that can cause potentially lethal infection, such as Yersinia pestis (black plague), rabies, SARS, tuberculosis, tularemia, and yellow fever. Laboratory personnel have specific training in handling pathogenic and potentially lethal agents, and are supervised by competent scientists who are experienced in working with these agents. All procedures involving the manipulation of infectious materials are conducted within biological safety cabinets, specially designed hoods, or other physical containment devices, or by personnel wearing appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment. The laboratory usually has special engineering and design features, such as restricted access, double-door entrances, and sealed penetrations. BSL 3 laboratories are sometimes called warm zones.

BSL 4 includes the most lethal and exotic agents that there are no cures or vaccines for, such as Ebola, Lassa, Argentinian hemorrhagic virus, and smallpox (smallpox for its extreme virulence, despite its vaccine availability). When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a positive pressure personnel suit, with a segregated air supply, is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a level four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a biosafety level 4 (or P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release. Agents with a close or identical antigenic relationship to biosafety level 4 agents are handled at this level until sufficient data is obtained either to confirm continued work at this level, or to work with them at a lower level.

Members of the laboratory staff have specific and thorough training in handling extremely hazardous infectious agents and they understand the primary and secondary containment functions of the standard and special practices, the containment equipment, and the laboratory design characteristics. They are supervised by qualified scientists who are trained and experienced in working with these agents. Access to the laboratory is strictly controlled by the laboratory director.

The facility is either in a separate building or in a controlled area within a building, which is completely isolated from all other areas of the building. A specific facility operations manual is prepared or adopted. Building protocols for preventing contamination often use negatively pressurized facilities, which, even if compromised, would severely inhibit an outbreak of aerosol pathogens.

BSL 4 labs are hot zones.

[mad-scientist]

Leo as a lab tech: Brags about their speed and accuracy on the hardest benches. Friends with the managers or tries to be them. -really? 😆

Aries as a lab tech: ALWAYS impatient when waiting for results even though that’s 80% of the job. Says they don’t need coffee/energy drinks… even though they still like to drink them. 

Taurus as a lab tech: Works hard, sometimes easily taken advantage of, but is first to complain about the over time that is inevitable.

Gemini as a lab tech: Easily distracted, makes work interesting with gossip or fun. Good with doctors/nurses but first to complain about them.

Cancer as a lab tech: Determined to master all benches. Will cover for others. Complains when a manager tries to work a bench.

Leo as a lab tech: Brags about their speed and accuracy on the hardest benches. Friends with the managers or tries to be them.

Virgo as a lab tech: Nit-picky about all the rules in the lab, dreads ever making a mistake/getting a strike, first to offer to train or help. 

Libra as a lab tech: Somehow finds a way to not work holidays and gets their preferred shift. Good with doctors, hates the stress of the job.

Scorpio as a lab tech: First to spot someone else’s mistake and to fix it, never grossed out, likes to make dirty jokes. Still intense on the job.

Sagittarius as a lab tech: The speediest! Makes all the lab puns. To the point. Secretly feels bad when someone has a bad result. 

Capricorn as a lab tech: Likely a manager. Knows how to run an efficient lab. Knows who is skipping lunch. Has a highly practical and science-oriented mind. 

Aquarius as a lab tech: Somehow does the tech support too. Good at their job but wishes they can do procedures differently. Either the aloof lab rat or goofball of the lab or both.

Pisces as a lab tech: Rolls with the punches. Loves it when they can do unusual cultures. Always helping others and covering for others.

[mad-scientist]

Science is nothing but a series of questions that lead to more questions.

Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter - Long Earth (via terrypratchettparadise)

[mad-scientist]

The sine of a quality match

[mad-scientist]

[mad-scientist]

[mad-scientist]

beyond excited to watch these halloween movies! Disney has the best ones.

[mad-scientist]

😂😂😂

Don’t

[mad-scientist]

It’s leviorca not levy-ohrc-HAAA

[mad-scientist]

I have so much micro hw so i found your blog #procrastination

♥️ micro! yah it can be overwhelming sometimes. 😅 just don't give up! Good luck!

[mad-scientist]

Hello I love your blog! As a lab tech do you or did you ever have to kill an animal for dissection? I'm in love with everything about the field but my morals hold me back from actively killing a living creature.

Hi! Hope all is well with you! Glad you are enjoying my blog.We only had to dissect a frog for our anatomy class during our first year. I know the feeling! I didn’t like it but we had to do it for our class. 😞 Other courses have to study cats. Glad we didn’t have to do that! 🙂

[mad-scientist]

saturn devouring his son

Navanax inermis cannibalizes a smaller relative

Los Angeles county CA Nov 2015

[mad-scientist]

The Hamster from Japan Who Can’t Get Enough of Snack Time

Follow @sou_ham to make sure you never miss one of Kuzuki’s — or Uzuki’s! (the other hamster in the family) — adventures.

Hello, world! It’s time for another dose of #WeeklyFluff. Meet Kuzuki (@sou_ham), a happy hamster from Japan who has been described as a “small vacuum cleaner.”

[mad-scientist]

#quote #life #survival #tired #exhausted

[mad-scientist]

#lol #science #medicine #funny