Hey

What happen i thought we were supose to maintain this and keep it going...well lets get it going...how is everyone doing? i miss you guys so much! holla!!!!

Animal Resource Center Field Trip Recap

Dear Random Person,

On Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 12:51pm I arrived at a location with many flags hanged on a corridor. The various flags pertain to various countries that I do not recall the name of. This location is more properly known as FXB Lobby located on 651 Huntington Avenue. On this day we were going to visit the Animal Resource Center.

At the Animal Resource Center we went on a tour lead by _____________. On this tour we learned about what the workers at the Animal Resource Center do with their animals, what the animal resource center is used for, what materials and resources the Animal center has, and what procedures must be taken to enter the facility. The main animals that we looked at were mice and rats. The rats were separated by their sex, mating and those that were being experimented on.

Before we enter the facility we had to undergo an interesting routine that every visitor that is entering the Animal Resource Center. From the FXB lobby we went down stairs and then ________ opened the door using her access card into the Animal Resource Center. After we all entered into the cramped space, she made sure the door behind her was tightly shut. The Animal Resource Center has air tight lock doors. Once inside the small room, she told us to put on these funky looking jump suits. I personally taught it looked very dumb, but hey those are the rules into getting to the Animal Resource Center. Plus, I later learned from __________ that the reason all visitors must wear this weird looking jump suit is to help protect the animals in the center against any outside infectious disease or life form that can be harmful to the animals inside the center. In addition, ________ told us that they ran out of jump suits in our size so we had to wear the X-Large suits. Seriously, they were design for very tall and big people because I felt like I was wearing my two bed sheets. The color of these jump suits were dark navy blue, and we also had to wear a head cap and what I thought look like the same head cap but for my feet. Once we looked like we were ready for Halloween we were allowed to enter the next room. "Gasp"...to our surprise there was something else we had to accomplish before seeing the furry little creatures. We had to take a shower. I honestly taught in my head, seriously? Am I going to need to take my clothes off? I really don't want to do that. Luckily, ___________ then mentions that we have to take an "air shower". I was glad to hear that, yet questionable about what exactly that was? Every individual had to step into a chamber individually so he and she can take the air shower. Once both doors of the chamber were locked, air began to blow at your face and all around you, while wearing the funny looking costume. It's like a Jacuzzi without the water. It had the same type of air sockets to blow air towards you.

Finally, we are inside the furry creature’s lair. So exciting! That's until you take a good sniff of the room and your face turns to an angry pit bull's face. Actually I forgot to mention, that smell was notable since you enter the small little room where we put on the jump suits. Ok, so now that we were inside. The first thing I saw many yellow and dirty looking cages. We were escorted by __________ into the mice room. There we saw a huge collection of mice. Each cage had a certain owner and special trait. Each card had a different colored card that stood for something about the mice or rats in the cage. Any cards with three letter symbol STAMPED on the card meant that the mice or rat was going to be let to rest because he or she was not needed for the study anymore.

Rats are smarter than mice and dogs, according big cool guy name ____________. He showed us the rat room, they were place on stands just like the mice, and each rat was in a cage. Most of these cages had two or more mice or rats. The rats were big and ALBINO. They use albino rats for studies, because I think he mention that they live longer. However, I do remember that he said albino rats tend to obtain cancer tumors more than non albino rats. So scientists study these cancer tumors using different drugs on the rats. I learned from the cool guy named __________ that the rats that are more excited and come close to you to smell you are the rats that have not experienced many injections or experimentation. However, the rats that are just sitting away from you and don't move around too much are the rats who get poked around a lot.

Rats and mice are used for experimentation because they are not expensive to keep alive, and they reproduce very rapidly. I forgot the exact number but it takes about every 18 or 24 days I think he said, for mother rats or mice to give birth again. The mother rat or mouse can get pregnant while giving birth.

The experiment that the workers at the Animal Resource Center do with the rats is figuring out what diseases the rats carry and what can be used to cure the diseases. This is useful for humans. The sad part is when the rats have to die.

We were also demonstrated there MORG room? Well I think it was a morg room for mice and rats? It was the room where they do surgery on the rats and mice. They place anesthesia on the rat or mouse and use a microscope to do the surgery more carefully and accurately because you are handling such a small delicate creature.

_________ also mention to us some biological genotype references to how they place the rats and mice into certain cages and how they experimentation on them. However, I'm sorry because I haven't taken Biology since freshman year and don't recall much about what she was saying, but it sounded cool.

Danaisha: The trip was ok but not really something that I was interested in because I am not a big fan of rats and mice; they are DISGUSTING little creatures. Another cool part was wear the funny looking scrubs and we had to take an air bath that was really cool.

Roger: I found the trip to be interesting. Personally I find everything new interesting. However, there are things I liked and disliked about the trip. I like how I learned many facts about what the Animal Resource Center does and what it is used for. Yet, I find it cruel and sad how they are scientist out there that experiment on defenseless living creatures, such as mice and rats. I'm sure they would not like to be poked around and giving injections just to know how a certain drug will work. Don't get me wrong, I like learning new things and I like science. However, if it results in bringing the death to a living thing I find that corrupt and wrong. Knowledge is great, but greed for knowledge is destruction.

Sincerely,
Roger and Danaisha

Work update

Hey everyone,

For the past couple of weeks i have been doing a lot of filing and mailing. Yea not so exciting huh? It's because this lab is based on more paper work then actually doing experiments and so on. I enjoy being around everyone in my lab, they are all very kind. When ever i need help they are always there to help me with anything that i need help. My office area is very quite though, its very relaxing because sometimes it can get to relaxing because i get really sleepy sometimes. The following week coming up Taylor and I will be going to the blood lab where we will gain more experience and be a little bit more active working in a lab. I am really looking forward to working in the lab seems kind of interesting according to what i have been told about it. Two more weeks left guys!!!!! Time can really fly, I just want to say that i enjoyed my time with with everyone...Taylor, Midley, Ximora you guys are hilarious and you guys are cool to be around..I did not forget about the boys lol I enjoy my time with you guys too!!

Interview Questions

On July 27, 2010 I interviewed Sarah, who works within the same area as i do doing the same kind of work. Here is what Sarah has to say about being here at HSPH!!

Name: Sarah

Job Title at HSPH: Temp

What made you choose this career?
"My dad knows someone who works at HSPH and he set me up with the job. I also have an interest in working with diseases."
Favorite subject growing up? Why?
"My favorite subject growing up was Science because it's real, science is all around you and you get to know the world around you."
What college did you attend, what did you study there?
"I attended Johns Hopkins University in Maryland as a Chemistry major."
What is a big dream you have that you fear you might not accomplish?
"Becoming a surgeon is a big dream that i have that i fear i might not accomplish because it's a lot of money and a lot of time."
What is your favorite meal?
" My favorite meal is shrimp star fry."
What is your favorite season, why?
" My favorite season is Spring because i hate winter and my birthday is in the spring."
What do you like to do on your day off?
" On my day off from work I like to hang out with my boyfriend, sleep, go to the beach and maybe do a little workout."
Do you have any advise for me?
" Make sure you are happy because if your no its not worth it."

My day at work

For the pass week i have been working at the landmark center on the 3rd floor. I have the honor of working with Ann, we will call her my supervisor. For the most part i have been doing obituary updates. Obituary updates is basically following dead people. Dont take this the wrong way i am not literary folowing dead people i jus update their status, where they lived, marital status, and the year they lived til the year that they died. This is a study on men who have died from different kinds of diseases such as: cancer, hernia, etc. For the pass couple of days i have been doing some filing, no alot of filing. I most definitely am gaingng alot of experience, I have learned alot about different kinds of disease, how they are developed, their cures, and the symptoms. One of the many diseases that i have learned about Hernia is a opening or weakness structure of the wall of the abdomen. It comes in many shapes and sizes.

Danaisha

whats your name?
*Danaisha
what do you do on your free time?
*listen to music
*write my own songs and poems
*read sometimes
what is your dream/future goal?
*major in pediatrics
waffles, pancakes, or french toast?
*waffles
music that you like to listen to?
r&b/hiphop, rap
favorite color?
*blue
sigh?
*aries
favorite hobbies
*music
what i learned being apart of the RAP program?
you can look up people that you have losted by using their social security, i found my uncle by doing obituary filing.