BSCS Biology . . . A Student\u27s Viewpoint

In recent years a new set of text books have appeared in high school biology courses. These have been prepared by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) of the American Institute of Biological Sciences

A Desktop Universe for the Introductory Astronomy Laboratory

What is a well-intentioned astronomy instructor to do? There is no argument that experience with the real world is desirable in any astronomy course, especially the introductory classes that fulfill the science distribution requirements at many colleges and universities. Though it is a simple matter to take students out of doors, show them the motions of the Sun, Moon, and stars, and have them squint for a few seconds at Saturn\u27s rings through a telescope, these activities represent only a small portion of the subject matter of modern astronomy. It is simply not possible, given the constraints of time, weather, and equipment at most schools, to have students determine the photometric distance of a star cluster, measure the dispersion distance of a pulsar, or confirm Hubble\u27s redshift-distance relation for themselves. [excerpt

Inhibition of Germination of Oospores of Peronospora Manshurica

Oospores of Peronospora manshurica have not previously been observed to germinate. In the present tests, however, oospores on seed coats of soybeans washed in running tap water for 1 week germinated. Each germinating oospore produced a germ tube, which developed into typical branched mycelium. Oospores were placed in the center of water-agar plates, some of which were immediately sprayed with a dilute suspension of conidia of P. manshurica. Other plates were sprayed later. Germination of conidia was inhibited in an area around the oospores. The size of the area of inhibition was proportional to the elapsed time between placing oospores on the agar and spraying the agar with conidia. A germination inhibitor has been described for the conidia of P. manshurica and the same inhibitor may be active in preventing oospore germination

The Uninsured in Georgia - 2008

A report on the health insurance status of Georgian

Ethical and Legal Implications of the Risks of Medical Tourism for Patients: A Qualitative Study of Canadian Health and Safety Representatives’ Perspectives

Objectives Medical tourism involves patients’ intentional travel to privately obtain medical care in another country. Empirical evidence regarding health and safety risks facing medical tourists is limited. Consideration of this issue is dominated by speculation and lacks meaningful input from people with specific expertise in patient health and safety. We consulted with patient health and safety experts in the Canadian province of British Columbia to explore their views concerning risks that medical tourists may be exposed to. Herein, we report on the findings, linking them to existing ethical and legal issues associated with medical tourism. Design We held a focus group in September 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia with professionals representing different domains of patient health and safety expertise. The focus group was transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Participants Seven professionals representing the domains of tissue banking, blood safety, health records, organ transplantation, dental care, clinical ethics and infection control participated. Results Five dominant health and safety risks for outbound medical tourists were identified by participants: (1) complications; (2) specific concerns regarding organ transplantation; (3) transmission of antibiotic-resistant organisms; (4) (dis)continuity of medical documentation and (5) (un)informed decision-making. Conclusions Concern was expressed that medical tourism might have unintended and undesired effects upon patients’ home healthcare systems. The individual choices of medical tourists could have significant public consequences if healthcare facilities in their home countries must expend resources treating postoperative complications. Participants also expressed concern that medical tourists returning home with infections, particularly antibiotic-resistant infections, could place others at risk of exposure to infections that are refractory to standard treatment regimens and thereby pose significant public health risks