Degree In Biological Sciences Research Articles

Foot Notes From Seattle

Editor’s note: In the “Practice Profiles” department of Clinical Diabetes , we spotlight clinicians who have chosen to dedicate a significant portion of their time to the care of patients with diabetes. Suggestions for clinicians to interview in the future are welcome and can be e-mailed to levetan@juno.com. I was born and raised for 10 years in Santa Monica, Calif., but then moved with my family to Bethesda, Md. I went to high school and college locally (University of Maryland, College Park) and worked at the National Institutes of Health for 7 years, from 11th grade through 5 years of college. I do not have any podiatric family connections and had never met one before applying to school. I learned about podiatry from the national executive director of the American Podiatric Medical Association, which is based in Chevy Chase, Md. He had learned that I was a pre-med student and had immunology research experience and told me that I would make a great podiatric medical student. I decided to take a look at the podiatric medical school in San Francisco (one of seven schools and the only one in the western United States). I fell in love with the school, the curriculum, and the location. I believe that choosing your medical specialty early still allows you to obtain a thorough medical core background, but it also helps you focus on securing appropriate clinical rotations and residency experience. So after earning my bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, I went to San Francisco for …

Gregory Gordon Dimijian, MD: A Conversation with the Editor

Greg Dimijian (Figure ​(Figure11) is a fascinating man. He was born on February 5, 1935, in Birmingham, Alabama, and that is where he grew up. As a youngster he almost became a concert pianist. By age 8 he had a camera, and since then he has taken >100,000 photographs. He has developed most of the black and white and color prints himself. Greg graduated from Davidson College in 1956 with a bachelor of science degree in biology and chemistry and from Cornell University Medical College in 1961. He did a rotating internship at the Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, and then spent 2 years in the Epidemic Intelligence Service of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), being stationed in Maryland. He then did a residency in psychiatry, spending 2 years at the University of Washington in Seattle and 1 year at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas. He went into the private practice of psychiatry in Dallas, Texas, retiring from that practice in 1993.

Studies on sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of the Parque Estadual do Turvo, RS, Brazil, and their role in Leishmania transmission

SUMMARY OF THESIS* SILVA, Onilda Santos da - Studies on sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of the Parque Estadual do Turvo, RGS, Brazil, and their role in Leishmaniatransmission. Tubingen, Germany, 2000. (Thesis presented to Department of Medical Entomology, Hygiene Institute of the Eberhard-Karls-University, to obtain a Doctor Degree in Biological Sciences). STUDIES ON SANDFLIES (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE) OF THE PARQUE ESTADUAL DO TURVO, RS,BRAZIL, AND THEIR ROLE IN Leishmania TRANSMISSION To identify the local sandfly fauna of the Parque Estadual do Turvo,and estimate their role in Leishmania transmission in the Park’s marginalforest zone (27°10' - 27°20' S and 53°40' - 54°10' W), sandflies werecollected during three summer seasons (Nov 1996 to Feb 1997, Nov1997 to Jan 1998 and Nov 1998 to Jan 1999). Domicile sites sampledby aspirator were the indoor and outdoor surfaces of the walls of thehouse. Peridomicile sites were a chicken pen and cattle shelter. The forestsite was sampled by a Shannon trap 3 km west of the lodge.Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) probes were applied to 2,270females to identify natural infection by Leishmania (Viannia), thecausative agent of ACL.A total of 5,244 specimens were collected comprising 12 Lutzomyiaand 2 Brumptomyia species. The species belonged to Lu. migonei, Lu.pessoai, Lu. lanei, Lu. misionensis, Lu. neivai, Lu. shannoni, Lu.monticola, Lu. fischeri, Lu. bianchigalatiae, Lu. schreiberi, Lu.correalimai, Lu. alphabetica, B. pintoi and B. nitzulescui. All threesurveys revealed that Lu. migonei and Lu. pessoai predominate in thedomicile and peridomicile areas, while Lu. misionensis was the mostnumerous species in the forest.Naturally infected females were only found during the first survey.From 920 females examined Leishmania (V.) infections were detectedby kDNA amplification in two Lu. pessoai females from the domicilearea and one Lu. misionensis female from the forest area. Lu. misionensishas never been found before carrying a natural infection of Leishmania(V.).While identifying the sandflies it was noticed that one male hadblood in the alimentary canal. By careful examination of 1,743 malescollected, 62 were found to have blood in the gut (55 Lu. migonei, 5 Lu.pessoai, 1 Lu. fischeri and 1 B. pintoi). The presence of mammalianerythrocytes was confirmed by examining the gut by Giemsa-stainedsmears. All blood-fed males were caught in the peridomicile area.To obtain more information about the mechanism of blood feedingin males, the mouthparts of both males and females of Lu. migonei werecompared by scanning electron microscopy and light microscope.Mandibles are posses in both sexes but in males they are reduced and incontrast to females no teeth were observed. As in females, the laciniae inmales are highly sclerotised, but the number of lateral teeth are reducedand retrorse teeth are absent. Only females present teeth at the tip of thehypopharynx while in males they are substituted by spicula. Except forthe length from the junction with the hypopharynx to the tip, that isshorter in males than in females, the labrum is similar in both sexes interms of form and sensilla. On the labrum of males sensilla could bedetected, similar to the apical sensilla of females which might play arole in the identification of blood. However, further studies should identifyif the function of these sensilla in males Lu. migonei , are homologous tothose in females.Because of the epidemiological importance of Lu. migonei on Le.(V.) braziliensis transmission, studies were conducted to investigate DNApolymorphism in samples originating from three areas of Brazil (SaoPaulo, Turvo park and Santa Maria, RGS), and one sample reared inlaboratory, originating from Venezuela. The sudies were conducted usingrandom-amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). From ten decamer primers tested, only three were able todiscriminate between the samples. In the Brazilian samples, only constantfragments were obtained when compared with Venezuelan samples. Thisdifferentiation among the samples could be associated with geographicaldistribution or be may due to particular adaptive strategies related to thebiology of these species.

Women in Biological Sciences

The National Science Foundation's annual survey does indeed show that the proportion of earned doctoral degrees in biological sciences going to women has steadily been increasing from about 19% in 1975 to 38% in 1995 (Random Samples, 15 Jan. p. 323). However, there is more to celebrate than these numbers convey. In that same time, the proportion of bachelor's degrees in biology awarded to women has also reached parity (49.7%) from a 1975 level of 29% (see [www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind98/append/c2/at02-20.xls][1]). The difference in these proportions (Ph.D. to B.S.) has remained fairly constant, with a 12% deficit at the Ph.D. level representing a 10-year lag (see [www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind98/append/c2/at02-30.xls][2]). If current trends continue, we should expect parity for doctoral degrees conferred in biology by 2005. There are also telling trends in the relative proportion of those earning a B.S. in biology who later complete a Ph.D. Assuming an average of 5 years to complete a doctoral degree, only 5% of women completing an undergraduate degree in the late 1970s and early 1980s later completed a doctoral program in biological sciences. Ten years later, the proportion continuing in academia is at 11%; a value that finally is identical to the proportion of men who continue (a proportion for men which, incidentally, is down from a high of 15% in 1990). With these numbers in mind, it is now critical that universities be proactive in retaining women faculty. Only 21% of senior faculty positions in biological sciences are occupied by women (see [www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind98/append/c5/at05-24.xls][3]). The proportion of junior women faculty exceeded that level in 1981, and it generally does not take 15 years to get tenure. [1]: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind98/append/c2/at02-20.xls [2]: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind98/append/c2/at02-30.xls [3]: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind98/append/c5/at05-24.xls

Chiropractic: The Victim's Perspective

<i>Chiropractic: The Victim's Perspective</i>explores the field of chiropractic therapy from its inception in the early 1900s, when it was touted as a panacea for all human ailments, to its modern-day struggles for recognition as a legitimate and reimbursable form of medical care for patients with low back pain. The author, George Magner, who has a bachelor of science degree in biology, developed tinnitus and sensory loss following chiropractic cervical manipulation for treatment of low back pain. After learning that chiropractic neck manipulation is of no value for treatment of back pain, Magner founded Victims of Chiropractic, a support network and clearinghouse for information about the hazards of chiropractic therapy. The author has done extensive investigation of the scientific and medical basis for chiropractic therapy and concludes that it is primarily based on quackery, fraud, deception, and greed. In fact, the author admits, "I wrote this book as a way

Working from home: freelance medical writing

As a working mum I consider that I am fortunate to have a well-balanced working/family life. t work in the comfort of my own home as a freelance medical writer. This gives me the freedom to organize my time so that I can collect my two young children from school, attend the various school functions such as sports day, and basically be there when needed. Did I plan to have such a career from the outset? No, not at all! I come from a medical background with a father who was a Scottish country Cl’. At schml I decided that I wanted to do pharmacology after reading a careers brochure. I did an Honours degree in Pharmacology at Edinburgh University and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, despite having to work hard to pass the exams! The course started as a degree in Biological Sciences and 1 specialized in pharmacology in the final year. During this year we had to choose certain modules, which were based on the research specialities of the departmental staff. I selected the courses on cardiovascular pharmacology and prostaglandins. In Ihe final term we were supposed to do a project that had become a library project due to fir.+d constraints, but I approachti ;):lc of the staff about the poss!hiliht ~>f dolrlg a lab oratory pr+ct. I irad ,@cularly enjoyed the sessions r.~ tht newly discovered sbbstancc c:-Ikd d+elet activating factor !PAFI ai4, crC : prsuading my fellow Honoum So .‘eikis to donate their blood, l yi. :mall project on 31; effects of ijAl: on platelet aggrqgi0n. Thqsr few UL~S spent workin?; 111 a r,search cs;,icitf

Escribir para aprender: ensayo de una alternativa en la enseñanza universitaria de las ciencias

Many professors of scientific disciplines are unsatisfied by a teaching strategy which consists mainly of formal lectures and laboratory exercises. We describe in this paper the implementation of a possible alternative based on the principles of the educational approach termed «Writing to Learn». This is a preliminary essay applied to a full -year course on "Chordates" in the Biological Sciences Degree from the University of Málaga. The students employ a «journal notebook)) in which they record various writing exercises and an ongoing written dialogue about the course material. The objective is using writing as a tool to help students master a subject matter, developing analysis and synthesis skills as well as making students more active participants in the learning process.

A student-centred learning project: the production of leaflets for ‘live’ clients

Microbiology students on the penultimate year of a BSc Hons Applied Biological Sciences degree, undertake ‘live’ projects as a student-centred learning component of their course. They produce leaflets on microbiological topics, for clients. The organization, management, assessment and evaluation of the project is described.

CHANGE IN FIELD OF STUDY FROM UNDERGRADUATE TO GRADUATE SCHOOL: CREATION OF A GRE DATA BASE FOR STUDYING TALENT FLOW

In recent years the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) files have become recognized as a valuable source for studies of talent flow. When test takers register to take the GRE, they complete a background questionnaire that asks, among other things, their undergraduate major field and their intended field of graduate study. With this information, along with subsequent test scores, grades, parents' education, age, gender, ethnic group, citizenship, and other variables, we are able to examine patterns that relate major field choices, and changes in those choices, to background data and academic ability. Studies using the GRE files had been costly because of the length and complexity of the files and because of the careful and tedious programming that has had to be done to accommodate the coding changes that took place as the questionnaire was revised over the years. If we were to conduct further talent flow studies using the GRE data, it became clear that we needed a data base designed especially for that purpose. In this project we designed a special GRE talent flow data base from 1978 to 1987 having three different structures. The first is an individual examinee file in which one record exists for each test taker. The record is short and identically formatted from year to year. The second structure is a matrix in which rows correspond to intended graduate fields of study and columns correspond to undergraduate majors. One hundred major fields are arranged in a rational order. Contained within the cells of the matrices are statistics such as numbers of test takers, mean GRE verbal score, percentage planning to earn a doctorate, numbers of minorities, and so forth. The third matrix structure collapses the 100 specific fields into 10 general fields. All three data bases are on computer files for public use; the matrices are available in hard copy as well. During the project, we demonstrated some uses of the data base and devoted considerable effort to the design of graphic representations that could clearly express various aspects of talent flow. Some of the findings from our examples (on U.S. citizens only) were as follows: • Engineering, physical sciences, and mathematics showed steady growth as graduate fields of study, whereas all other broad fields showed declines through about 1984 and then increases. • The common belief that as numbers entering a field decline, student quality rises, and as numbers rise, quality declines, was not supported. • The percentage of examinees over age 30 increased from 15% to 28%; the greatest percentage were in the service professions. • The percentage of female test takers grew only slightly; physical sciences and engineering showed very little increase in female representation. • Consistent with the decline in doctorates earned by Black students was the number of Black test takers, which also declined. • Among test takers with degrees in humanities, and physical, biological, and social sciences, a higher percentage of women than men changed fields for graduate work. Among those in health sciences, education, and business, men were more likely to change than were women. • Test takers appeared to choose graduate specialties consistent with their relative verbal and quantitative skills, as reflected in their GRE scores: low-scoring students in demanding undergraduate fields appeared to move to less demanding graduate fields, and high-scoring individuals in less demanding fields appeared to move to more demanding ones.

Uncovering the high costs of teaching hospitals.

Prologue: Teaching hospitals are expensive places to treat patients. In the price competitive health marketplace of the 1980s, this high cost puts teaching hospitals at a disadvantage and has caught the attention of both industry analysts and policymakers in Washington looking to control the federal deficit. In this article, Frank Sloan and Joseph Valvona delve into the costs of teaching hospitals, explaining how and where they differ from nonteaching hospitals. As the authors write: “Given this change in environ-ment, identifying the cost of graduate medical education is now much more than an academic exercise. For there to be informed public policy making, it is necessary to know what the cost differentials are, why they occur, and then to assess the advantages and deficiencies of alternative funding mechanisms. “ Professor Sloan, a well-respected health economist, is director of the Vanderbilt University Health Policy Center and chairman of the university's department of economics. Sloan has a doctorate in economics from Harvard University and has been affiliated with Vanderbilt for over a decade. Valvona is a research associate at the Vanderbilt Health Policy Center. He holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from Emory University, a master of science degree in genetics from the University of Arizona, and an M.B.A. in finance from Vanderbilt University. This article is drawn from a paper originally presented at a Vanderbilt Health Policy Symposium, “Providing and Paying for Medical Education: Past, Present, and Future. “ This symposium was one of three such meetings on health care issues held at Vanderbilt within the past three years.

Negro Higher and Professional Education in Alabama

By constitutional directive, Alabama provides a dual system of education on all educational levels. Because of the high concentration of Negroes (the third largest of any state in the South) in the population, this legal requirement has imposed a tremendous burden upon the state. Notwithstanding its efforts to provide adequate educational opportunities for two racial groups, the state has fallen short of a satisfactory standard of educational provisions, most especially in its institutions of higher learning. There are fourteen institutions of higher learning for whites in Alabama, seven of which are supported and controlled by the state. Alabama College (a state college for women) offers courses in four general divisions leading to two bachelors degrees as follows: bachelor of arts in (a) liberal arts, (b) art, (c) music, (d) retail economics, (e) sociology and social studies, (f) speech and dramatics; and the bachelor of science degree in (a) biology, (b) biology for public health and medical technicians, (c) chemistry, (d) mathematics, (e) physical education, (f) secretarial science. Alabama Polytechnic Institute offers residence instruction through eleven schools and a department of health and physical education. The schools are agriculture, architecture and the arts, chemistry, education, engineering, home economics, military science and tactics, pharmacy, science, and literature, veterinary medicine; and the graduate school which admin-