Should science educators deal with the science/religion issue?

I begin by examining the natures of science and religion before looking at the ways in which they relate to one another. I then look at a number of case studies that centre on the relationships between science and religion, including attempts to find mechanisms for divine action in quantum theory and chaos theory, creationism, genetic engineering and the writings of Richard Dawkins. Finally, I consider some of the pedagogical issues that would need to be considered if the science/religion issue is to be addressed in the classroom. I conclude that there are increasing arguments in favour of science educators teaching about the science/religion issue. The principal reason for this is to help students better to learn science. However, such teaching makes greater demands on science educators than has generally been the case. Certain of these demands are identified and some specific suggestions are made as to how a science educator might deal with the science/religion issue. © 2008 Taylor & Francis

Percutaneous Cardiopulmonary Bypass

We have employed a percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass (PCPB) system during high risk interventional procedures in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Eight patients (group 1) were elective and six (group 2) were emergencies. Group 1 (ages 39 - 80 years, mean 56 years) includes seven patients who were high risk percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and one patient who underwent balloon aortic valvuloplasty. Group 2 (ages 54 - 80 years, mean 66 years) were in cardiogenic shock, five of whom had arrested. All patients were fully heparinized (300 iu•Kg1) prior to percutaneous insertion of 17 - 19F cannulae. Group 1 patients underwent ilio-femoral angiography prior to cannulae insertion. Mean bypass time was 103 minutes (range 37 - 231 minutes) in group 1 and 406 minutes (range 40 -1781 minutes) in group 2. Bypass was instituted at a flow of 0.5 1•min-1 in group 1, flow was increased if chest pain, ECG changes or hypotension occurred, (maximum flow 0.5-2.5 1•min-1 mean flow 1.7 1•min-1) Maximum bypass flow in group 2 was 4 - 5.5 1•min-1 (mean 4.5 1•min-1). Mean fluid infusion during PCPB was 200 ml•hour-1 in group 1 and 385 ml•hour-1 in group 2. The mortality was four patients, all in group 2. Three patients were unable to support their circulation when weaned from PCPB and one patient had a massive intrathoracic bleed such that PCPB could not be maintained. There were no procedural complications associated with cannulae insertion or perfusion management. Of the survivors two had an unexplained haematuria (normal plasma haemoglobin). Two patients bled from the cannulation site following cannulae removal, haemostasis was achieved without surgical intervention