Post-exams post...

Ok, I know it's been ages since I last did some real posting (instead of just crapping on some online test)... Well, lo and behold, my exams ended yesterday (Friday) morning (it's Friday midnight-Saturday early morning now), half past eleven to be precise... And so, yes, I've got 3 fabulous weeks of holidays to look forward to! 1st week: hang out with Melbourne and Queensland friends who're coming over to Sydney (Jon, Yi Man, Min, Shir, Yasu, etc.), 2nd week: unplanned yet (any ideas?), 3rd week: MYC!!! Oh, for those of you who're not informed, MYC stands for Mid-Year Conference. It's an annual Christian conference and this year's theme is iRelate (relationships)...

To those of you back in IMU (Fun, Wen and LY), gambatte for July's paper! ^_^ I trust you guys will do well (knowing how you gals study!). And like how we used to ramble on questions after each and every exam (this applies to you too, Anne, in Adelaide), here are some questions (YM and Min may be interested in this too) from yesterday's 2.5-hour Society & Health 1 paper consisting of 4 short answer questions (so called short answer, they're more like essays) and 30 MCQs. Pardon the "unprofessionalism" of how the questions sound as these are from memory (question booklets are collected back after exams)...

Question 1
Refer to Rebecca's TB scenario.
(a) Describe the immunological response in the host that leads to caseatous granulomata formation. Describe also the cells present in biopsy and their functions.
(b) Rebecca was not given the BCG vaccine before she left for Papua New Guinea. Comment if she should be given BCG:
(i) before she left for Papua New Guinea
(ii) after she has been diagnosed
(c) Evaluate one strategy of prevention of TB other than BCG vaccination.

Question 2
An elderly man (can't remember his name) aged (forgot the age) presents in the emergency department with tachypnoea, pleuritic chest pain, productive cough with purulent sputum (and some others). There is reduced chest expansion on the lower right region and it is dull to percussion and only bronchial breath sounds are heard. (think there's some other diagnosis stuff as well) Tests indicate the man suffering lobar pneumonia following a Streptococcus pneumoniae infection.
(a) Describe both macroscopically and microscopically the anatomical features travelled by the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria from the nasal vestibule to the alveolar spaces.
(b) Describe and explain the pathophysiological mechanisms involved that led to the clinical presentation (signs and symptoms) described.

Question 3
Refer back to same patient in Question 2. Patient found to have shortness of breath. Ventilation rate of 34/min. Arterial PO2 of 56mmHg and PCO2 of 33mmHg. Oximeter was used to determine his % Hb saturation.
(a) How does (patient's name)'s blood gas levels compare to normal values?
(b) Draw an oxygen-Hb equilibrium curve for a normal human (when arterial PCO2=40mmHg and temperature=37C) with the axes and units clearly labelled.
(c) List 4 factors that would shift this curve to the right.
(d) Indicate on the curve (patient's name)'s PO2 level and use the curve to estimate the % Hb saturation read on the oximeter.
(e) What is the normal breathing rate?
(f) Explain the receptors and processes involved that led to the patient breathing rapidly.

Question 4
Peter is a 37 year old gay accountant living in Sydney. His parent migrated over to Sydney from the UK. He is HIV positive. Recently, his CD4 count has dropped to below 200x10^6/L. He is prescribed with antiretroviral therapy and now suffers occasional headaches, (and some other symptoms).
(a) Explain the public health measures to limit the spread of HIV in Australia. How does this apply to Peter's case?
(b) What are the limitations placed by the HIV infection on Peter's life?
(c) What are the health care facilities that Peter can access to help manage his HIV infection? How would this differ if Peter had lived in a rural town in NSW instead?

There you have it, the 4 so-called "short answer" questions. Not that "short" after all, eh? :p Not to mention the 30 mind-boggling MCQs... Try explaining to me how to tackle all these in 2.5 hours... Meanwhile, enjoy contemplating the questions! :)