Using The Scientific Method - This Document Has 3 Pages Make

Using The Scientific Methodthis Document Has 3 Pages Make Sure You Com

Using the Scientific Method This document has 3 pages make sure you complete all 3! For the first scenario answer the questions. Scenario You are concerned about the rate of death in catfish at your aquaculture operation in tanks that have a high amount of algae growth. You collect some of the algae and send it to the university to have it identified. You find that it is a blue-green alga called Anabaena.

Anabaena is known to be toxic to fish. You design an experiment to test how much of the algae the fish can stand before they die. You obtain 3 large aquariums (all the same size) and fill them with water taken from a healthy catfish pond at your operation. You put each aquarium on the same bench in the laboratory, where the light and temperature values are identical. You let the water stand for one day before starting the experiment.

In aquarium 1, you add 0 grams of algae and 20 catfish. In aquarium 2, you add 20 catfish and 10 grams of algae. In aquarium 3 you have 20 grams of algae and 20 catfish. The aeration rate (air pumped into the tank) of each aquarium is identical. You make two observations at the same time each day for two weeks. You keep track of the numbers of fish in each tank that die. 1. What has been observed? 2. What questions does this present? 3. What is your hypothesis? (In the form of If….Then statement) 4. Fill in the table below to represent your experiment. Constants (These are the same for each trial.) Independent Variable Dependent Variable 5. What is the difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable? 6. How are these different from constants? 7. What might be some conclusions from this experiment? 8. Why is it important that a non-science student understand the scientific method? 9. How do you think that this method can be used in everyday life? Continue to next scenario….page down U sing the Scientific Method- Designing your own experiment from the following scenario. Scenario You are a farmer raising corn. You wish to know the differences in yield (how many pounds of corn) with corn raised without pesticides and corn raised with applications of pesticide. Design an experiment. 1. What is your hypothesis? (In the form of If….then statement) 2. You need to design an experiment to test your hypothesis. Fill in the table below to represent your experiment. Constants Independent Variable Dependent Variable 3. Explain your experiment using the technical language used with the scientific method. You are working with Dr. Lee today. She hands you a triage note from the nurse regarding your next patient, Mr. Payne: Forty-five-year-old male truck driver complaining of two weeks of sharp, stabbing back pain after lifting a 10-lb. box. The pain was better after a couple of days but then got worse after playing softball with his daughter. This morning his pain is so bad that he had trouble getting out of bed. Dr. Lee provides you some background information about low back pain. TEACHING POINT Low Back Pain Prevalence, Cost, & Duration Low back pain (LBP) is the fifth most common reason for all doctor visits. In the U.S., the lifetime prevalence of LBP is 60% to 80%. The direct and indirect costs for treatment of LBP are estimated to be $100 billion annually. Fortunately, most LBP resolves in two to four weeks.

Dr. Lee continues: "There are many causes for LBP. For presenting symptoms that have a broad differential diagnosis, I find it helpful to think of systems of etiologies in which diseases or conditions can be categorized." TEACHING POINT Common Causes of Back Pain Musculoskeletal (MSK) and Non-MSK Causes of Back Pain MSK Causes Axial: · Degenerative disc disease · Facet arthritis · Sacroiliitis · Ankylosing spondylitis · Discitis · Paraspinal muscular issues · SI dysfunction Radicular: · Disc prolapse · Spinal stenosis Trauma: · Lumbar strain · Compression fracture Non-MSK Causes Neoplastic: · Lymphoma/leukemia · Metastatic disease · Multiple myeloma · Osteosarcoma Inflammatory: · Rheumatoid Arthritis Visceral: · Endometriosis · Prostatitis · Renal lithiasis Infection: · Discitis · Herpes zoster · Osteomyelitis · Pyelonephritis · Prostatitis · Spinal or epidural abscess Vascular: · Aortic aneurysm Endocrine: · Hyperparathyroidism · Osteomalacia · Osteoporotic vertebral fracture · Paget disease Gastrointestinal: · Pancreatitis · Peptic ulcer disease · Cholecystitis Gynecological: · Endometriosis · Pelvic inflammatory disease Dr. Lee tells you: "Working from such a broad list is difficult. Having a shorter list of working diagnoses will help you conduct a more focused initial history and physical exam. What are the three most common causes of back pain?" Degenerative joint disease Disc herniation Lumbar strain Dr. Lee suggests, "Now, let's look a bit more at the risk factors for mechanical low back pain that you can review with Mr. Payne during your history." Dr. Lee continues, "The major task in treating back pain is to distinguish the common causes for back pain (95% of cases) from the 5% with serious underlying diseases or neurologic impairments that are potentially treatable." You and Dr. Lee take a few minutes to review Mr. Payne's chart: Vital signs: · Temperature is 37 °C (98.6 °F) · Pulse is 80 beats/minute · Respiratory rate is 12 breaths/minute · Blood pressure is 130/82 mmHg · Weight is 77 kgs (170 lbs) · Body Mass Index is 24 kg/m2 Past Medical History: Diabetes, well-controlled. Hypertension, fair control. Hyperlipidemia, fair control. Past Surgical History: None Social History: Works as a truck driver, which involves lifting 9-16 kgs (20-35 lbs) 4 hours of the day, married with 2 daughters, Habits: Smoked one pack per day for 20 years. Quit smoking two years ago, drinks one to two beers occasionally on the weekends, no history of IV drug use. Medication: · Metformin 1000 mg PO twice daily · Glyburide 10 mg PO twice daily · Amlodipine 2.5 mg PO daily · Lisinopril 40 mg PO daily · Simvastatin 40 mg PO daily Allergies: No known drug allergies. After introducing yourself to Mr. Payne, you sit down across from him and begin your history, focusing on the key elements. "Can you tell me about your back pain?" "As I told the nurse, the pain started two weeks ago after I lifted a box at work. Right away, I got this sharp pain on the left side of my back. The box wasn't even that heavy." "I talked to the nurse at work; she said to ice it and to take ibuprofen. It got better after three days." But, I was playing softball with my daughter last weekend, and the pain came back. This time it was worse than before and became constant. This week, the pain is so bad I can hardly get out of bed. I get a sharp pain in my back which goes down my left leg to my ankle." "On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain, how severe is the pain?" "It's probably a 7." "Have you found anything that improves the pain?" "Ibuprofen and Naproxen worked at first, but they are not helping much anymore." "What dose of ibuprofen and naproxen were you taking, how often, and for how many days?" "I was taking ibuprofen 400 mg every six hours for three days and then I tried naproxen 250 mg once daily for five days." "What about positions that make things better or worse?" "The pain is worse with any movement of my back or sitting for a long time. It is better when I lie down." "Have you had back pain before?" "Yes, I have back pain from time to time. But I'm usually better after 2 to 3 days. This is the worst pain I have ever had." You complete your history with a review of systems and discover: Review of Systems Mr. Payne does not have numbness or weakness in his legs. The pain is better when he lies down. He has not had urinary frequency, dysuria, problems with bowel or bladder control, fever or chills, nausea or vomiting, or weight loss. He also reports no recent trauma or unrelenting night pain. You excuse yourself from Mr. Payne to discuss your findings with Dr. Lee. the top four diagnoses on your differential for low back pain in this patient. Degenerative arthritis Disc herniation Lumbar strain Spondylolisthesis Dr. Lee tells you, "On physical exam, you can discover problems with the bony structures and muscles of the spine through inspection of posture, contour, and symmetry, palpation of the bony prominences, and range of motion testing. A solid understanding of the neurological exam of the lower extremity will help you determine if the pain is due to nerve impingement or from muscle and bone." You and Dr. Lee return to examine Mr. Payne together. TEACHING POINT Physical Exam for Back Pain—Standing Throughout the whole exam make certain to note how your patient is sitting, standing, and walking in general, asking yourself, "What is his degree of impairment?" and "How uncomfortable is he?" I. Inspection: Look at posture, contour, and symmetry. Also, inspect overlying skin to check for any lesions or abnormalities. · Check for lordosis · Check for kyphosis · Check for scoliosis Slight scoliosis may be more easily visualized during lumbar flexion. This is performed by having the patient stand with their feet and hands together, like they are about to dive off a diving board, bending forward toward their toes. Look out across the back to see if the shoulders are level. II. Palpation: Check for any tenderness, tightness, rope-like tension, or inflammation in the paraspinous muscles or tenderness over bony prominences. This procedure checks for muscle spasms, vertebral fractures, or infection. III. Range of Motion (ROM): · Lumbar Flexion (normal is 90 degrees): This is the best measure of spine mobility. Restriction and pain during flexion are suggestive of herniation, osteoarthritis, or muscle spasm. · Lumbar Extension (normal is 15 degrees): Pain with extension is suggestive of degenerative disease or spinal stenosis. · Lateral Bending (normal is 45 degrees): Most patients should be able to touch the proximal fibular head of the knee. Pain on the same side as bending is suggestive of bone pathology, such as osteoarthritis or neural compression. Pain on the opposite side of bending is suggestive of a muscle strain. · Rotation to the left and rotation to the right. Compare side to side. · Range of motion may be varied due to the patient's age and body habitus IV. Gait: Ask the patient to walk on heels and toes. Expect normal gait, even with disc herniation. · Difficulty with heel walk is associated with L5 disc herniation · Difficulty with toe walk is associated with S1 disc herniation V. Stoop Test: Have the patient go from a standing to squatting position. In patients with central spinal stenosis, squatting will reduce the pain. However, asking the patient to run is not part of a back exam and may cause discomfort to the patient who is already in pain. Dr. Lee walks through the steps for completing a neurologic exam in a patient with back pain. Back Exam - Standing: Mr. Payne has normal curvature, tenderness on palpation on the left lumbar paraspinous muscle with increased tone. Full range of motion, but has pain with movement. His gait is normal. He can walk on his heels and toes. He can do deep knee bends. Back Exam - Seated: Mr. Payne reports no pain when checked for CVA tenderness. He has no pain in his right leg with the modified version of SLR. While he does not exhibit a true tripod sign, he does complain of pain when his left leg is raised. Mr. Payne's reflexes are 2+ and equal at the knees and 1+ at both ankles. The motor exam reveals 5/5 strength throughout the lower extremities. His sensory exam is normal. Pulmonary Exam: His lungs are clear on auscultation and percussion. Cardiovascular Exam: His cardiac exam demonstrates a regular rhythm, no murmur or gallop. Dr. Lee continues, "The final part of the exam is done in the supine position." What do you want to check while the patient is supine? . Check for abdominal bruit, especially on older adult patients. Perform passive straight leg raise on all patients. Exam—Supine Mr. Payne's abdominal exam is negative. His straight leg raising is positive at 75 degrees on the left and negative on the right. His FABER test is negative and sacroiliac joint is non-tender. His motor exam reveals no weakness of the muscles of the lower extremities. After finishing your exam together, you and Dr. Lee excuse yourselves from the exam room for a moment. What are your top two working diagnoses for Mr. Payne's back pain? Disc herniation, Lumbar strain Based on physical exam, you believe that Mr. Payne has back pain with radiculopathy, likely at the L5/S1 level. Given his risk factor as a truck driver and pain radiating down his leg, Mr. Payne's pain is likely due to disc herniation. However, lumbar strain is still a possibility. Dr. Lee then asks you: "Which of the following findings would support the diagnosis of disc herniation?" Pain worse with sitting Pain worse with cough and sneezing Drop foot Dr. Lee reminds you that disc herniation, a condition which is self-limited and usually resolves in two to four weeks, remains a working diagnosis for Mr. Payne. She says, "Let's take a few minutes, though, to discuss some conditions we still don't want to miss." What are the red flags or alarm symptoms that would suggest a more serious underlying condition causing his back pain? Loss of bowel/bladder control Severe pain that awakens the patient from sleep. Weight loss Fever Mr. Payne does not have any red flags, so it is safe to wait to do any imaging or lab tests. Even with a disc herniation the pain often resolves on its own in six weeks, and no further workup is necessary. While Dr. Lee takes the time to return to the exam room and review mechanical low back pain with Mr. Payne, she asks you to consider what other testing should be done at this time. Is an MRI indicated? no While Dr. Lee takes the time to return to the exam room and review mechanical low back pain with Mr. Payne, she asks you to consider what other testing should be done at this time. Is an MRI indicated? Mr. Payne has no red flag symptoms to suggest an urgent need for imaging. Given that most radicular back pain, such as he has, resolves on its own within a month, it is most appropriate to avoid imaging in this situation. "Now that you have a diagnosis of disc herniation with radiculopathy for Mr. Payne, let's discuss what would you like to do for him." Which of the following are indicated at this time? Prescribe NSAID and muscle relaxant Moist heat Referral to physical therapy Would physical therapy be helpful for Mr. Payne? Yes, There is some data to show that tailored physical therapy is slightly more effective for acute back pain compared to patients who just stay active. At four weeks, patients who received physical therapy had 10-point improvement in a 100-point disability score compared to the control group. There is great variation in physical therapy because various interventions (exercises, traction, massage) and different modalities (heat, ice, ultrasound) may be used. There is also evidence that spinal manipulation is safe and can help in the short term. You and Dr. Lee now return to Mr. Payne's exam room to talk about treatment options with him. Dr. Lee tells Mr. Payne to avoid strenuous activities but to remain active. Dr. Lee increases the dosage of naproxen to 500 mg BID to take with food. Since his pain is intense (7/10), he is given a prescription for acetaminophen with codeine to take at night, when his pain is severe, and he is given a limited supply for seven days. Dr. Lee tells Mr. Payne about the side effects of both naproxen and codeine. Mr. Payne declines a muscle relaxant because they usually make him drowsy. He would like to be referred to physical therapy as it was helpful in the past. Mr. Payne asks Dr. Lee: "What's the likelihood that this pain will go away completely?" Longer time to recovery is associated with older patients. Most back pain is improved in 4 to 6 weeks. Recurrence rate for back pain varies from 35% to 75%. Three weeks later, Mr. Payne returns for his follow-up appointment and you discover the following: Pertinent History Mr. Payne has had little relief with the treatment prescribed. He is frustrated that he has been in pain for more than a month. His pain has been progressively worse. It radiates down the lateral part of his left leg and side of his left foot. This pain is worse than the back pain. He does not have any problems with bowel or bladder control and there is no weakness of his leg. Pertinent Exam Findings Vital signs: stable Neurologic: Normal gait, but moves slowly due to pain; range of motion is full, with pain on flexion; SLR is positive at 45 degree on the left; motor strength intact; reflexes 2+ bilaterally at the knees, absent at the left ankle, 1+ at the right ankle. Dr. Lee agrees with your diagnosis of radiculopathy of S1 nerve root with progression. She orders an MRI and sets up an appointment to see Mr. Payne after the MRI. One week later, Mr. Payne returns for follow-up. You review the results of the MRI report. MRI report: 1. Moderate-size, herniated disc at L5-S1 with associated marked impingement on the left S1 nerve root and mild to moderate impingement on the right S1 nerve root. There is mild central canal stenosis. 2. Annular tear with a small central disc herniation at L4-5 causing mild central canal stenosis. You review the findings with Dr. Lee. She agrees with your diagnosis of radiculopathy of the S1 nerve root due to