Blog

Please comment here if you experienced any technical difficulties during the exam or if you wanted to comment on the clarity of a question, etc. Thank you!

A patient presents with easy bruising and petechiae. A CBC shows a low platelet count flagged by the automated analyzer, so a manual platelet count is performed using a hemocytometer for confirmation. A 1:100 dilution of the blood sample is prepared, and platelets are counted in the center square of both sides of the hemocytometer grid. The total platelet count from both center squares is 30 platelets. What is the platelet count in x10⁹/L? Enter the numeric value only.

A 7-year-old child presents with fatigue, pallor, and growth delay. The CBC and peripheral smear results are as follows: WBC Count: 25.0 x 10⁹/L RBC Count: 5.8 x 10⁶/µL Hemoglobin (Hgb): 6.5 g/dL Hematocrit (Hct): 19% MCV: 65 fL MCH: 18 pg MCHC: 30 g/dL RDW: 16.1% Platelet Count: 450 x 10⁹/L NRBCs: 35 per 100 WBCs Peripheral Smear Findings: Microcytic, hypochromic RBCs. Target cells, anisocytosis, poikilocytosis, and basophilic stippling. Numerous NRBCs. Based on the laboratory data and peripheral smear findings, what is the next best step in the workup of this sample?  

When a patient presents with an abnormal platelet count or bizarre platelet morphology, it is essential to evaluate the number and characteristics of megakaryocytes in the bone marrow. Click on the correct cell in the image below to identify a megakaryocyte.

Assuming this image represents an average field in the peripheral smear, calculate the WBC estimate (40x). Report the numeric value (x109/L).  

You are reviewing the peripheral blood smear and the appearance of the smear is making it difficult to evaluate the morphology of intact lymphocytes. What is the best troubleshooting step?  

Puberty What are Kisspeptin and KNDy neurons and what role do these neurons play in regulating GnRH secretion and onset of puberty? A 17-year-old female long-distance track star at a local high school has failed to obtain puberty. She visits you, a world-renowned reproductive endocrinologist, to determine the cause of the delay.  A physical is performed and it was discovered that she has an extremely low BMI (body mass index) and approximately 5% body fat.  Explain to your patient a potential cause for this delay.

Unit 9 MATCHING INSTRUCTIONS: Match the dependent clause with the correct explanation.

9. At first I didn’t like cold weather, but I am used to it now.

INSTRUCTIONS: Look at the underlined clause. Write Main (Independent) if it is the main clause and Dependent if it is the dependent clause.