Hi folks,



Please see attached a picture illustrating a typical micrograph of an acid-fast stained slide (Ref: http://inst.bact.wisc.edu/inst/index.php?module=Book&func=displayarticle&art_id=147). Accordingly, the red colored cells are considered as acid-fast organisms while those in purple/blue are non acid-fast organisms (Please read through your theory section in the practical manual for the interpretations).



As per our staining in the class (performed by myself and Randall C, Alina, Anna and others), we did not manage to see what was depicted in the attached diagram. Instead, our supposingly acid-fast organism was stained purple/blue. For your lab report pertaining to the acid-fast bit, I would like you guys to discuss briefly on what could have contributed to our 'failure' of not getting the expected results.



Similarly, like what I had told some of your classmates on your Gram staining, I'd can remember vividly who were those who did not manage to get the expected Gram stain results. For example, E. coli was stained purple while S. aureus was stained pink. I would like those of you to reflect your observations as truthfully as possible. As long as you are able to offer a logical explanation pertaining to your observation, e.g. over-decolorization of cells, resulting in wrong color observation etc etc, I'd still award you with the marks accordingly. At the end of the day, you guys want to be trained in the proper way of documenting a scientific observation and not just solely on getting an extra mark or two for your reports.

JohnnyQ

Hi folks,



Please see attached a picture illustrating a typical micrograph of an acid-fast stained slide (Ref: http://inst.bact.wisc.edu/inst/index.php?module=Book&func=displayarticle&art_id=147). Accordingly, the red colored cells are considered as acid-fast organisms while those in purple/blue are non acid-fast organisms (Please read through your theory section in the practical manual for the interpretations).



As per our staining in the class (performed by myself and Randall C, Alina, Anna and others), we did not manage to see what was depicted in the attached diagram. Instead, our supposingly acid-fast organism was stained purple/blue. For your lab report pertaining to the acid-fast bit, I would like you guys to discuss briefly on what could have contributed to our 'failure' of not getting the expected results.



Similarly, like what I had told some of your classmates on your Gram staining, I'd can remember vividly who were those who did not manage to get the expected Gram stain results. For example, E. coli was stained purple while S. aureus was stained pink. I would like those of you to reflect your observations as truthfully as possible. As long as you are able to offer a logical explanation pertaining to your observation, e.g. over-decolorization of cells, resulting in wrong color observation etc etc, I'd still award you with the marks accordingly. At the end of the day, you guys want to be trained in the proper way of documenting a scientific observation and not just solely on getting an extra mark or two for your reports.

JohnnyQ