Coming soon is the new French version of the Blog

Des sources de MCAT-OCHEM-BIO pour ceux qui prennent leur MCAT en

avril ou peut-être pendant l'été, vous pourriez visiter le lien à

la mémoire en ligne de livre d'Examkrackers. Les livres de revue

d'OCHEM/BIO ont le prix indiqué assez ($29-$35) et les matériaux

intéressant aller plus de pour la revue. Contribué par Farnaz K.

MCAT-OCHEM-BIO sources

For those who are taking their MCAT in April or maybe during summer, you could visit the link to Examkrackers online book store. The OCHEM/BIO review books are fairly priced ($29-$35) and the materials worth going over for review.
Contributed by Farnaz K.

Dental X-Ray ( Courtesy from Stella Tam)

References:


Slide 1: Pano of adult- Image from Science Learning Hub. http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/contexts/see_through_body/sci_media/dental_x_ray

Slide 2: Pedo Pano- Image from Dr. Martin S. Spiller’s Website. http://www.doctorspiller.com/Children's%20Dentistry.htm

Slide 3: Adult Pano w/ perio- Hirsh, Robert. Diabetes and periodontitis. Aust Prescr 2004;27:36-8.

Slide 4: Pano w/ Abscesses- Wetherell, John. Management of acute dental pain: a practical approach for primary health care providers. Aust Prescr 2001;24:144-8

Slide 5: Bone Levels- Image from Baystate Dental Website. http://www.baystate-dental.com/dental_services/dental_procedures/periodontal.html

Slide 6: Bitewings- Image from Dr. Ethan Janson’s Website. http://www.seattle-dentist.com/x-rays.htm

O-Chem,DAT ( Carboxylic Acid)

Here is a quick review on the Carboxylic Acid. note the Carboxyl group COOH in the RCOOH. This is the site where the electron delocalization occurs. make sure you are confortable with the nomenclature as this functional group as established a great reputation on the MCAT as well as DAT. also be familiar with the common names such as Formic acid, Acedic acid and propionic Acid (1C,2C and 3C respectively). Going back to the Carboxyl, H next to the Oxygen is highly acidic. very polar and also miscible ( water soluble). Once the H ionizes, H+ and Acetate is producted. The Acetate has equivalent Resonance structure. The pKa decreases with the electron withdrawing effect while opposite is true with electron donating molecules.

DAT-OCHEM (Reactions of Aldehyde and Ketones)

Aldehyde and Ketones are very important functional groups, due to the carbonyl C=O.
Basically, the reactions are either oxidation or nucleophilic additions. Synthesis of Aldehyde and ketones: from alkenes, cleaving the double bond with Ozonelysis. H subsituents will give Aldehyde while R groups yield ketones.

Oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to aldehyde and ketone by PCC and dimethyl chloride (Jone's oxidation) respectively. Mercuration of the alkynes with HgSO4 in the acidic condition (Markovnikov's) or Anti-Mark with BH3,THF in presence of H2O2 and Base. Aromatic structure like benzene will also work (Alkylation) using RC=OCl and AlCl3.

Reduction with Hydrozine( Wolff-Kishner) in presence of base will take out the O from the carbonyl and replaces it with H's. (look up the mechanism). Reduction also with H2 and presence of catalyst ( know everything about catalyst including the energy diagram).

Wittig reaction with Wittig reagent RCHPPh3 will give alkene off of aldehyde and ketones.
For more information, refer to Vollhardt O-chem book.

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM SLIDES

Here is the slides from Tuesday March 4th on the circulatory system w/notes

INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM (SKIN) SLIDES W/DESCRIPTION

Integumentary System Drawings (Skin) Thurday March 6th

The actual drawing belongs to Dr. Jennifer Breckler.

Which section of DAT is more important?

1. Almost all schools look at the PAT first. This section is your key to the dental schools.
(One note for those taking KAPLAN Review courses- The PAT PRACTICE problems that comes with the $1300 KAPLAN REVIEW package is not quit the same as the one you get on the REAL DAT). DAT CRACKER is really good at solving that problem so if you want further practice.

2. Your Critical reading section is absolutely crucial for your survival during the first year of any Med/Dent School. READ AS MANY ARTICLES AND JOURNALS AS POSSIBLE RELATED TO YOUR FIELD. And don’t forget to YOUR TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS.

3. Quantitative Reasoning is also important since you will be using your statistical analysis well in any field.

4. And Lastly if the above were satisfying enough, Comes your BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SECTION or "Total Science".

Keywords: DAT, MCAT,Rank,total science,biology,quantitative reasoning,articles, journals, DAT cracker, Time Management.

GENETICS- BIOLOGY DAT

GENETICS- BIOLOGY (DAT)

Make sure you are comfortable with the Mendelion genetics as this concept could be asked in many different combinations. Also look at Chromosome’s pattern of inheritance.

Dihybride cross is very popular topic for the test makers.  KNOW MEIOSIS AND MITOSIS. Expect at least one pedigree problem on the REAL DAT EXAM. 

For more genetics visit: 

http://sfsubiol355.blogspot.com/

LINK TO HISTOLOGY SLIDE ON SNAPFISH

Here is link for those interested in more histology slides with description. 

Courtesy of Horacio Falcone. 

Please use the following info to get in:

Username: sfhistology@gmail.com

Password: Histology

DAT-Prepare for the BIOLOGY SECTION

How to Study the BIOLOGY SECTION OF DAT?

I have asked by few close friends to help them prepare for their DAT test by end of July. They are concerned about the BIOLOGY SECTION of the DAT. They have asked if they should just read their Intro BIO or move on into more detail stuff like upper division text book like Physiology book. Although DAT is not that advance, using a upper division text book would certainly make a lot of difference. So Do take out you Cell and Molecular upper division text, plus Physiology, Genetics, Ecology and Developmental Biology. They will certainly be your most reliable resource, in case you need to look up something. 

Here is the list of topics in case you never read about:

Action Potential/Graded Potential

Refractory Period ( Absolute vs. Relative)

Resting membrane potential

Molecular Mechanims of Synapse

Sensory Receptor

Lateral Inhibition

Adaptation of sensory receptors

Reduction in response

Receptor Field

Stimulus Intensity

Latent period

Mechanims of neurotransmitter release

Tetanus

NMJ

Sarcomere

What to do for the Genetics?

Genetics is a subject that changes almost every other year, so make sure you have the latest book so you can look up things quickly. here are some tips:

look at the Cell cycle very closely because you will see a lot of questions. Don't forget your mitosis and meiosis. please don't underestimate the power of those two words because there are almost a million possibility of making questions just on those two words. make sure you study them well. Do look over transcription, translation and Replication both in Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes. Cover as many important concept as you can. look over electrophoresis and problems concerning cloning and protein recognition. The genetic portion of the biology does cover deep into genetics, as you will at least have 5-7 questions on genetics.

Here is a good source for Physiology text:

 Vander's 11th edition Principles of Human Physiology.

Another source for Genetics: From gene to genomes (Hartwell)

MCAT VS DAT

Differences and similarities between DAT and MCAT
In the nutshell, as far as difficulty, MCAT is little bit harder than DAT. Lets talk about their similarities:
They both test your basic sciences.
DAT Biology, Gen Chemistry, O-CHEM
MCAT All the above plus Physics

NO PAT (perceptual ability test for MCAT) while DAT people have to master this section to become a highly compatitive candidates. Actual DAT has 90 questions, six section and 15 questions per section. ( Any score above 20 is considered compatitive). As the matter of fact, Dental schools look at this score first, because this particular section proves that you can work in a very small space. Second comes the reading score which says alot about you as a student. It is part of the admission process to make sure that you are able to follow the hard 1st year curriculum of any graduate level school. DAT has only readings while in MCAT, there are multiple writing section.

PAT includes:
Angle Ranking, Hole punching, Keyhole, Top/Frond/End View, Cube counting, Paper Folding

Practice lots of these.

Here is more O-CHEM topics for DAT takers:
make sure you are confortable with all the functional groups:

Alcohols
Their properties: Acidity,boiling point and solubility
Their preprations: a. From RX, ROTos, ROAc b. Reduction from aldehyde and ketones with NaBH4 and LiAlH4. c. Gringard reaction: (Mg in Et2O) RMgBr or RMgCl
Reaction of Alcohols
a. reaction with a base and a metal
b. Dehydration with H2SO4
c. converstion to a good leaving group and substition reactions. ( with HBr, SOCl2, PBr3, p-TosCl and MsCl)
d. Oxidation with PCC and Na2Cr2O7 or CrO3 (in acid or H2SO4)
Primary ROH into COOH with Na2Cr2O7
Primary ROH into aldehyde with PCC
Secondary ROH into ketone with Na2Cr2O7 or PCC
Tertiary ROH: NO REACTION
Carbocation rearrangment: hydride and alkyl shift.

Ethers:
properties
prepration from Ethers: Willamson synthesis for ethers
Reaction of Ethers with acids
Reaction of Epoxides with acids, with bases and with gringard reagent.

Alkene:
Nomenclature: E/Z, Cis/Trans
Degree of unsaturation
stability of alkenes: more subsitued, more stable
Hydrohalogenation (mechanism): follow Markovnikov's rule (electrophilic addition on double bonds: addition on more substituded carbon the alkene)
***Stability of the carbocation
***Rearrangment
Halogenation
Halohydrin
Hydration
Oxidation
Cyclopropene formation
Epoxide formation
Polymerization Reactions.

Alkanes:
Hyperconjugation
Free radical chain mechanism
Determination of estimated yields from relative reactivity of different C-H bonds

Make sure you pay very close attention to SN2, SN1, E2 and E1 Mechanims

Stereoisomers:
Chiral center, chirality center, chiral carbon, stereocenter
Optically-active compounds: dextrorotatory (D,+) and Levorotatory (L,-)
Specific Rotation [alpha] ( in degrees)
Enatiomers, mirror images: drawing structure
Diastereomer
Meso Compound
Absolute configuration: R,S
Racemic mixture or racemates
Stereochemistry in free radical reactions.

For more topics, Refer to ORGANIC CHEMISTRY by Vollhardt & Schore"STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION" 5th edition

Dont forget the to look at H & C NMR, IR and mass spectroscopy.
Also study Benzene in detail because you will find that your synthesis problems start with that.

Some notes for those taking DAT during summer:

Make sure you submit your application before July '08 and send in your transcrips as soon as you can. Don’t forget your letters of recommendation. (sfsu letter forwarding serives) 1st floor HH.
I highly recommand using CrackDAT for the PAT (Perceptual Ability Test) portion of the test.
Don’t forget the DAT destroyer. This multiple choice oriented book covers all sciences, as well as the quantitative reasoning section of the PAT.
Regarding KAPLAN review course, I have to add that the material they provide is really good but the class portion of the course is total waste of time. I‘ve heard the same scenario for Princeton review.

For the BIOLOGY section, Campbell and Reece would be one of the best references out there.
For General chemistry, your notes from your gen chem. Class would be the best choice. They are written in the most simplest format and they are easier to understand. Don’t waste money buying new Gen chem. Books. Almost everything is the same. THIS SECTION IS NOT THAT HARD IN THE ACTUAL TEST.

For ORGANIC CHEMISTRY use Schore and Vollhardt would be a good source, although destroyer does the O-CHEM.

For READING section, make sure you read articles related to Dentistry and lots of technical writing so you get used to the graduate level written papers. And just to let those who are not familiar with this section, you will basically get 3 readings each around 13-15 paragraph of graduate written level. There will be 15 to 17 questions for the total of 50 and one hour to finish this part. Practive fast reading because there is just not enough time.

QUANTITAVE REASONING
I was really surprised on this portion of the actual DAT test. Lots of problems with little time to do. Expect a lot of statistic questions. Also, do look over geometry, math solving skills. (40Q-45min)
and lastly, Practice your time management skill becuase time is the biggest enemey.
It should be a very straightforward test if you have been doing your studies consistantly.
DONT FORGET TO POST YOUR COMMENTS.

Sources for Full lenght Test:
Crack DAT ( I hightly recommand the Royal Flash version)
http://www.crackdat.com
DAT ACHIEVER (3 FULL LENGH)-$50
http://www.3tquest.com/?OVRAW=ada%20dat%20full%20practice%20test&OVKEY=dat%20practice%20test&OVMTC=advanced&OVADID=2885757021&OVKWID=28054712021
ADA WEBSITE SAMPLE TEST:
http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/dat/index.asp ( look over additional Resources)

How to share your content? a few people have emailed and asked how to share their stuff.

here is what we can do to speed up the process.

It would be very helpful if they are images taken with D-Camera. its really quick to upload them and they are accessible to almost anyone with a printer. other files like audio is fine as long as its in some popular format like mp3 or wma or real player format. 

if you still have questions, please email. 

Thanks