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News AssignmentTo encourage you to make the connection between textbook biology and biology that appears in daily newspapers and weekly periodicals, you will write a short paper that will help you recognize how science and technology influence and contribute to modern culture. Begin by clicking the Biology in the News link above, then select the Evaluation Criteria file to view the instructions for this assignment. This is where you will attach your completed paper in the form of a Word document, which is worth 20 points. Late work will count half credit. Before beginning your paper, please also view the checklist, rubric, and examples that are provided.check all attatched paper bitn_example_1___1_.doc final_biology_in_the_news_checklist_1_august_2018__3_.docx bitn_three_paragraph_assignment_august_2018__2_.doc bitn_rubric_evaluation_august_13_2018_updated__3_.xls bitn_example_1___1_.doc Unformatted Attachment Preview Name Biology 1408, Sec. #### Date Instructor Gross Showers! Marshall, Jessica. “Dangerous Pathogens Live in Showerheads.” Discovery News. September 14, 2009. http://news.discovery.com/human/showerhead-pathogens-disease-bacteria.html Taking a shower may not always be a healthy thing, according to an article from Discovery News, entitled “Dangerous Pathogens Live in Showerheads.” A team of researchers led by Norma Pace at University of Colorado at Boulder found that taking showers can actually be unhealthy for some people. They did research in nine American cities and found high concentrations of a tiny microbe called Mycobacterium avium in 45 showerheads. They also found a wide variety of other microorganisms growing in biofilms on the showerheads. M. avium is harmless unless it is aerosolized and inhaled. The researchers found the risk for healthy people is much lower than for the elderly, the immune-compromised, and people already suffering a pulmonary disease, such as emphysema. The study did not determine exactly how much bacteria is being aerosolized or inhaled. Replacing grimy showerheads with new metal ones or just taking a bath will help, but cleaning with bleach actually made the concentrations of M. avium higher. These bacteria are chlorine resistant, so the bleach only killed other organisms making more room for the dangerous bacteria to grow (Marshall, 2009). Material from chapter two of our text helped me understand how the bacteria got into the lungs in the first place. Hot water turns into a vapor when sprayed into the air. The water is forced through the contaminated showerhead, and the bacteria mix with the water vapor. We breathe in the moist bacteria-filled air, and once the microorganisms are in the lungs, they can cause infection. As we learned in class, water is the universal solvent, meaning that many things easily disperse in water, including these bacteria apparently. Also, in lab, we have used microscopes to view bacteria and other cells. You can see every little dust particle and grain of sand under the microscopes, so it is not hard to believe that there are germs living everywhere; not only in our showerheads. This article is important to me because I had no idea that so many germs could be growing in my showerhead. I know that bacteria can grow in warm, moist places, but I didn’t know that it could pose such a threat to my health. I am a relatively healthy person so I am not likely to contract an infection, but it does make me more aware about keeping the showerhead clean. My grandmother, on the other hand, may want to buy a new showerhead if she has had the same one for a while because the elderly are more prone to getting an infection. This is important information for doctors who treat patients who have respiratory illnesses, as their patients could potentially be taking dirty showers, putting their health at even greater risk. Shower heads in hospitals and nursing homes should regularly be inspected for microorganisms and replaced frequently to insure that patients do not take unnecessary risks just by taking showers. If I were in change, I would make sure that this information is widely distributed to ensure those at risk and their caregivers know the problem so they can take action to protect themselves, their patients and loved ones. Reference: Marshall, Jessica. “Dangerous Pathogens Live in Showerheads.” Discovery News. September 14, 2009. http://news.discovery.com/human/showerhead-pathogens-disease-bacteria.html Dangerous Pathogens Live in Showerheads Dangerous Pathogens Live in Showerheads. SEPTEMBER 14, 2009 Its warm and damp and dark -- the perfect place for bacteria to nestle and stay for a while. It turns out that thats just what they do -- in your showerhead. Whats more, says a new study, the mucky film of microorganisms lining the inside of your showerhead often harbors bacteria that can cause lung disease, including a cough, fever, fatigue and weight loss. These mycobacteria -- close relatives of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis -- can be more than 100 times more prevalent in showerheads than in the water in the pipes just upstream, according to the research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Infections with such non-tuberculosis mycobacteria have risen in recent years, up six fold since 1997, according to another study. The bacteria dont threaten healthy people, but those with cystic fibrosis, AIDS, recent organ transplants or other immune-compromising conditions are at risk of an infection. Theres been a growing voice in the medical field hypothesizing that showering has caused some of this increase, said the studys lead author, Leah Feazel of the University of Colorado, Boulder. One hundred years ago, people bathed, they didnt shower. The problem is not just that the microorganisms are enriched in the showerhead, Feazel said. Its also that the spray nozzle creates a fine mist of tiny water droplets. These tiny, tiny particles can go all the way into your deep lungs, she said. Most of us are in the shower long enough to inhale a fairly reasonable amount of mycobacteria, Joe Falkinham of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg told Discovery News. Feazel and colleagues isolated and sequenced DNA from showerheads and compared the findings with a database of DNA sequences to determine what organisms were living in the showerhead. The study considered 45 different sites in nine U.S. cities, sampling several sites repeatedly to get a feeling for how microbial communities changed over time. The results showed that theres a very complex community inside most shower heads, Feazel said. There are lots of different species. One of those is Mycobacterium avium, which causes pulmonary disease in people who are immune compromised. Mycobacteria have a waxy exterior that makes them prone to stick to surfaces and join mats of microorganisms known as biofilms. Even the small amount of organic matter remaining in water supplies is enough to feed these organisms. If you are scrubbing out your showerhead already, put the sponge down. Disinfecting the showerhead might make things worse, the researchers found. They tried cleaning one showerhead with bleach and found that it carried even more mycobacteria after the cleaning than before. Mycobacteria are known to be very chlorine resistant, Feazel said. By using bleach, we probably killed everything else. The researchers recommend that those people who are at risk of infection take baths instead of showering. Metal showerheads appear to foster less growth than plastic showerheads, although many showerheads that look metallic are actually plastic. Another option is to buy a cheap showerhead and change it every few months Feazel said. Its also a good idea to open the window while you shower, Falkinham said, and to keep your water heater above 130 degrees, which he acknowledges runs counter to energy-saving advice to turn the heat down. Once youre infected with mycobacteria, youre always infected, he said. The drug therapy requires multiple drugs. If a patient can tolerate the drugs, theyll get rid of the disease symptoms. Theyll never get rid of the organisms. Unlike tuberculosis, these mycobacteria are not transmitted from person to person. While it might make us feel a little dirty to know what is lurking at the very source of our washing up, the presence of these microbes is better than skipping the chlorine treatment in our water systems, Falkinham notes. These are normal inhabitants that, as we have cleaned up our environment, now find a niche in which to grow, he said, but its a lot better than having a water system that has shigella or salmonella or one of the real pathogens. Biology in the News Checklist Format, Presentation, and Citation ☐ Does your paper have a title, different from the title of the article? ☐ Does your paper have three paragraphs with at least four sentences each? ☐ Is the article cited at the bottom of the title page? ☐ Is a copy of the article stapled to the paper? ☐ Is the article no more than three months old? ☐ Is the article from a major news source used by the general public? ☐ Is it news about something related to the course, and is not a blog, editorial, or wiki? Summary Paragraph ☐ Does the summary mention the source of the information by providing the article title, author, and publication? For example, in a New York Times article, New Study on Heart Attacks, by John Jones, a relationship is proposed between obesity and heart disease. ☐ Does the summary include all the main points of the article? ☐ Does the summary make it clear that you understand the content of the article? Correlation Paragraph ☐ Is the correlation logical? ☐ Did you correlate the article to all topics of the course which relate to the article? For example, an article about heart attacks should be associated with general information on the circulatory system, the heart and heart disease. ☐ Did you give details to explain what you learned in your course about the topic? ☐ Did you reference a specific chapter in the textbook or a lab topic? ☐ Did you explain why knowing this information helped you to understand the article? Continues on next page Personal Reaction Paragraph ☐ Did you explain why you found this article interesting? ☐ Did you answer two or more of the following questions? ☐ Did the article make you aware of things you had not thought of before? ☐ Did the article make you change your mind about the topic? ☐ Was the article about something you have personally experienced? ☐ Did the article address ethical or public policy issues? ☐ Do you agree or disagree with information presented in the article? ☐ Did you speculate beyond the contents of the article? What else would you like to learn about the subject of the article? Did you think the author of the article omitted relevant information? Overall Accuracy of Communication ☐ Is your paper clear and easy to understand? ☐ Is your paper written in your own words? Were you careful to avoid plagiarism and quotations? ☐ Do sentences flow and contain proper spelling and grammar? Biology in the News Assignment The biology concepts presented in this course encourage you to make the connection between textbook biology and biology that appears in newspapers, periodicals, and the Internet. This Biology in the News (BITN) assignment enables you to focus on the connection between the textbook and the world you live in and to recognize how science and technology influence and contribute to modern culture. Select an article from a recent newspaper, periodical, or the Internet which correlates with the content of one or more concepts of instruction covered in the course. Select an article that is written for the general public. Avoid scientific publications. Choose an article that is: • related to content presented in a lesson. • of appropriate length, not just an announcement and not ten pages. • less than three months old. • From current news, not encyclopedic reference. • Written for the general public, not a scholarly scientific publication. Your BITN paper should contain three parts: 1. The title page includes the date, your name, course, section, and instructor name in the upper right corner. The title of the article should be centered on the page. Position the article reference citation on the bottom. 2. The body of the essay will include three carefully written paragraphs. Each paragraph should contain a minimum of four sentences. Paragraph one: Summarize the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the article content. Paragraph two: Correlate the content of the article with the subject matter of a lesson covered in the course. Explain how the textbook helped you understand the article. Did the article agree with or contradict the textbook? Paragraph three: Give your opinion on the content of the article. Explain how the content of the article impacts you, your family and friends. Relate the content of the article to real life by answering two or more of the following questions: • • • • • Did the article make you aware of things you had not thought of before? Did the article change your mind about the topic? Was the article about something you have experienced personally? Did the article address ethical or public policy issues? Do you agree or disagree with information presented in your article? 3. Attach a copy of the article to your paper. This assignment counts 20 points. Late work will count half credit. Points are earned as follows: Format, Presentation, and Citation (4 points) 1. Cover sheet contains: • Name, course, section number, date, and name of instructor • Article title • Article citation in a standard format such as APA or MLA 2. Three Paragraphs: • Minimum of four sentences per paragraph • Article relates to content of a Lesson presented in class 3. Attach a copy of the article to the BITN assignment: • Article is less than three months old • Article is news, not reference material Accurate Written Communication Skills (4 points) • • Assignment includes coherent paragraphs with proper sentence structure, spelling, grammar, punctuation and use of scientific terminology. Paragraphs should be written in your own words from information in the article and textbook. No parts of the article, textbook, or other sources may be copied. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Papers the instructor determines contain plagiarism will be given a zero. See http://www.plagiarism.org/ for additional information on what constitutes plagiarism. Summary Paragraph (4 points) • Demonstrate your understanding by identifying main points of the article and summarizing into one coherent paragraph. Correlation Paragraph (4 points) • • Discuss how the main ideas of your article relate to the textbook, lab or lecture material. Specifically reference textbook and lab materials to provide a clear connection between the main ideas in the article and your biology course. Personal Reaction Paragraph (4 points) • Explain why you chose this article and why it is important to you, your family and friends by answering two or more of the following questions: • • • • • Did the article make you aware of things you had not thought of before? Did the article change your mind or feelings about the topic? Was the article about something you have experienced personally? Did the article address ethical or public policy issues? Do you agree or disagree with information presented in your article? Biology in the News Rubric Teacher Name: Student Name: Points: 4 pts. 3 pts. Exceeds expectations. All requirements are No errors. Correct met with only minor citation. errors in format or Format, Presentation, citation that do not and Citation detract from the presentation. 2 pts. All but one requirement met or incorrect citation format. 1 pts. Zero pts. All but 2 requirements More than 2 elements met or missing the of presentation are in citation. error or missing. Coherent paragraphs in students own words. Uses technical Accuracy of Written terminology Communication Skills appropriately, no grammatical errors. 1 or 2 minor errors in grammar that does not detract from overall readability. Appropriate use of technical language. Several errors in grammar that do not detract from overall readability; 1 or 2 missed uses of technical terminology. Poor readability. Lacks coherence due to poor grammar or word usage. Good summary with major points covered. Reflects understanding of the article. Main points summarized but leaves out article details or reflects little student understanding. Poor summary of the Summary paragraph is article, missing major missing. points, over simplified, or incorrect summarization. Exceeds expectations. Article and textbook Correlation is specific, content is accurately accurate and connects correlated. article to course content. Correlation is vague, overly general, or missing major points of correlation. Incorrectly correlates No correlation to article and textbook. course given paragraph is missing. Explains how article influenced feelings, extrapolates beyond articles information and answers 2 or more questions. Explained why the article was chosen, why its important and answered 1 or 2 questions. Answered one No personal relevance question, but did not given. explain why the article was chosen or why it is important. CATEGORY Summary Paragraph Correlation Personal Reaction Exceeds expectations and is excellent summary of major points, reflecting student understanding. Explains why the article was chosen, why its important and answered 2 or more questions. 1 or 2 paragraphs is composed of quotations from the article. Name Biology 1408, Sec. #### Date Instructor Gross Showers! Marshall, Jessica. “Dangerous Pathogens Live in Showerheads.” Discovery News. September 14, 2009. http://news.discovery.com/human/showerhead-pathogens-disease-bacteria.html Taking a shower may not always be a healthy thing, according to an article from Discovery News, entitled “Dangerous Pathogens Live in Showerheads.” A team of researchers led by Norma Pace at University of Colorado at Boulder found that taking showers can actually be unhealthy for some people. They did research in nine American cities and found high concentrations of a tiny microbe called Mycobacterium avium in 45 showerheads. They also found a wide variety of other microorganisms growing in biofilms on the showerheads. M. avium is harmless unless it is aerosolized and inhaled. The researchers found the risk for healthy people is much lower than for the elderly, the immune-compromised, and people already suffering a pulmonary disease, such as emphysema. The study did not determine exactly how much bacteria is being aerosolized or inhaled. Replacing grimy showerheads with new metal ones or just taking a bath will help, but cleaning with bleach actually made the concentrations of M. avium higher. These bacteria are chlorine resistant, so the bleach only killed other organisms making more room for the dangerous bacteria to grow (Marshall, 2009). Material from chapter two of our text helped me understand how the bacteria got into the lungs in the first place. Hot water turns into a vapor when sprayed into the air. The water is forced through the contaminated showerhead, and the bacteria mix with the water vapor. We breathe in the moist bacteria-filled air, and once the microorganisms are in the lungs, they can cause infection. As we learned in class, water is the universal solvent, meaning that many things easily disperse in water, including these bacteria apparently. Also, in lab, we have used microscopes to view bacteria and other cells. You can see every little dust particle and grain of sand under the microscopes, so it is not hard to believe that there are germs living everywhere; not only in our showerheads. This article is important to me because I had no idea that so many germs could be growing in my showerhead. I know that bacteria can grow in warm, moist places, but I didn’t know that it could pose such a threat to my health. I am a relatively healthy person so I am not likely to contract an infection, but it does make me more aware about keeping the showerhead clean. My grandmother, on the other hand, may want to buy a new showerhead if she has had the same one for a while because the elderly are more prone to getting an infection. This is important information for doctors who treat patients who have respiratory illnesses, as their patients could potentially be taking dirty showers, putting their health at even greater risk. Shower heads in hospitals and nursing homes should regularly be inspected for microorganisms and replaced frequently to insure that patient ... Purchase answer to see full attachment