Newly discovered biogenic organo halogens with an emphasis on the biologically active examples from marine organisms, bacteria, terrestrial plants and higher life forms, including humans, are focused. Organohalogen compounds represent a valuable and expanding class of natural products, in many cases boasting exceptional biological activity.

The public controversies associated with biotechnological progress (genetic modification, cloning, and so forth) increasingly impact upon biology teaching in school; teachers find themselves engaged in discussions with pupils on value-laden issues deriving from the social and ethical implications of the 'new science'. The research described in…

The UK Food Standards Agency has decided not to recommend fortification of foods with folate, the family of vitamins associated with the prevention of neural tube defects in babies. This is a change in attitude from previous recommendations made by a series of committees and reports in the UK. Notably, it differs from US policy on the matter. The…

Due to a stronger dependency on biomass for energy, there is a need for improved technologies in biomass-to-energy conversion in Tanzania. This paper presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of pyrolysis technology used for conversion of wood and wood waste to liquid biofuel. In particular, a survey of environmental impacts of the process is…

Discussions of socioeconomic liability and compensation must necessarily start from an understanding of the socioeconomic, legal, and scientific basis for identifying, assessing, managing, and apportioning blame for hazards related to innovations. Public discussions about the nature of the liability challenge related to genetically modified (GM)…

Rice University has created a team-taught interactive biology course for nonmajors with a focus on cutting edge biology in the news--advances in biotechnology, medicine, and science policy, along with the biological principles and methodology upon which these advances are based. The challenges inherent to teaching current topics were minimized by…

The importance of engaging students in science and helping them to become informed citizens has been highlighted by many groups invested in science education. This report describes a project that furthers both academic and civic goals through the integration of a service learning component into an undergraduate course. This nonmajors class covers…

The ability to understand and evaluate news reporting of science is often cited as an attribute of a scientifically literate person. This work reports on an attempt to develop such attributes in a group of 19 student-teachers. They were introduced to a review technique designed to help them evaluate newspaper representation of science and engage…

Today, societal decisions in areas of complexity are often dominated by one of three alternative ways: (a) by scientists, nowadays often in combination with commercial interest; (b) by politicians alone; and (c) by simply "laissez-faire," or "the tyranny of small steps." None of these three ways of decision making is fully…

Introduction: In this paper, we discuss the link between information sharing and organizational knowledge production in two very different organizations; a company that handles insurance claims and a small, entrepreneurial hi-tech company. We suggest that this link has not been adequately addressed by studies of information behaviour, though a…

Taking into account the historic transitions and progressions in agricultural science, this article examines the emergence of the phenomenon of agricultural biotechnology. It identifies pivotal sites of tension between agricultural biotechnology and alternative approaches to agriculture. The article identifies two distinct sources of contemporary…

Presents a laboratory model system for introductory microbiology students that involves hands-on studies of bacteria vectored in soil nematodes. Describes a series of experiments designed to demonstrate vector-fomite transmission, bacterial survival, and disinfectant activity. Introduces the concept of genetically engineered microorganisms and the…

Describes a method of cutting up pages in texts to make moveable, magnetic cards that can be used for instruction and assessment. Uses the diagrammatic illustrations associated with the complicated biotechnology procedures of the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. (JRH)

Describes an activity that would be useful for any level biology class discussing recombinant DNA technology to help students visualize the step-by-step process involved. (JRH)

Presents a laboratory procedure that involves students extracting their own DNA from a single hair follicle, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a polymorphic locus, performing electrophoresis on the PCR products on an agarose gel, and visualizing the alleles to generate a "DNA fingerprint." Discusses theoretical background,…