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    Microbiology

    Microbiology is the scientific study of microorganisms which includes single celled organisms, typically prokaryotic species and multi-celled organisms which are eukaryotes. Additionally, microbiology can involve the study of organisms lacking cells, which are referred to as acellular organisms.

    Microbiology includes many different branches and these branches are based on taxonomy. Some of these branches include:

    • Mycology: The study of fungi
    • Bacteriology: The study of bacteria
    • Virology: The study of viruses.

    These are only some of the branches of microbiology and there is much overlap between these branches.

    Microbiology is a critical scientific study because it has many diverse applications. For example, microbiology is involved in the study of food. Microbes, such as fungi, are the cause of food spoilage and other microorganisms participate in fermentation which produces foods. Thus, this is a way in which the basics of microbiology can be applied to larger fields. Medicine and pharmaceuticals are other fields in which microbiology can be incorporated.

    Microbes play a part in everyday life, both in beneficial and non-beneficial ways. Although on the one hand bacteria can be the cause of human illnesses, bacteria can also be used in industrial processes, for example to compose amino acids.

    Microbiology is a field of science which requires continued funding and research. Hopefully, further study into the realm of microbiology, examining the behaviour and properties of different unicellular and multicellular organisms will uncover other advantageous applications of microbes. 

     

     

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    BrainMass Categories within Microbiology

    Eukaryotic Cells

    Solutions: 29

    Eukaryotic cells are found in either unicellular or multi-cellular organisms and are complex cells which have the defining feature of maintaining multiple organelles and a membrane-bound nucleus.

    Viruses

    Solutions: 133

    Viruses, in a biological sense, are infectious agents which are able to reproduce once they are inside the host cells of another organism.

    Parasites

    Solutions: 6

    A parasite is an organism which engages in a non-mutualistic relationship with another organism, by living either on or within this organism, and experiences an increase in fitness at the expense of the organism.

    Nematodes

    Solutions: 0

    Nematodes belong to the phylum Nematoda and are multicellular organisms which are representative of un-segmented worms.

    BrainMass Solutions Available for Instant Download

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection

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    Vaccines - Calling the Shots video review

    Please watch the Nova episode "Vaccines - Calling the Shots" that aired on September 10, 2014. The episode is available at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/vaccines-calling-shots.html 1.)a.) What percentage of U.S. parents vaccinate their children according to the recommended schedule? b.) How many immunizations are recomme

    Trouble with Antibiotics

    Watch the Frontline episodes "The Trouble with Antibiotics" and "Outbreak at NIH" The episode is available at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/trouble-with-antibiotics/. 1.)a.)Why do industrial farms use antibiotics in animal feed and water? b.) What percent of antibiotics that are sold in the U.S. go to farms? 2.

    Fungi and Bacteria

    Which division of bacteria contains pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria? Are fungi eukaryotes or prokaryotes? Are they more like animals or plants? (Explain how/why)

    Antibiotic Development and Resistance

    Please look at the following websites to help find information and answer the following questions. I have read the the information and suppose I am just looking for "specific quotes" but think I may need someone to put it in simpler terms. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/antibiotic-resistance-faqs.html http://amrl

    Why are viruses not living organisms

    Viruses are typically not classified as true living organisms by biologists. Viruses have DNA or RNA and protein but are not able to replicate until they infect a host cell. Within the cell, they must use the enzymes and molecular building blocks the host cell provides for replicating. Viruses cause disease in all living organis

    Microbiology Review

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    HIV, AIDS, and Immune Cells

    Based on your research and understanding, create a report in a Microsoft Word document, which include a public education and disease control plan for HIV/AIDS. The paper must address the following: What percentage of population was affected by HIV/AIDS? Have there been instances of any historical outbreaks of HIV/AIDS? How w

    Need help with my Microbiology Discussion

    Choose an infectious disease that was prevalent in the United States and had lasting consequences or select a disease from the following: AIDS/HIV Cholera Influenza Malaria Tuberculosis West Nile Fever Yellow fever Based on your research and understanding, create a report in a Microsoft Word document that includes t

    Humoral vs. Cell Mediated

    I am trying to do an APA style format for my current Microbiology Discussion. Any help would be appreciated. Here are the questions I need to answer. Describe cellular and humoral immune responses.How are they different from each other? Give examples of diseases that compromise each of these responses. The examples must in

    Sex Determination and Sex Differentiation in Humans

    I need help in answering these questions with short descriptions: 1. Sex determination and sex differentiation in human. 2. Forms of interaction between allelic genes 3. Rhesus-negative man with I group of blood married with rhesus-positive (homozygotic) woman with IV group of blood. What blood will their children have?

    Microbial Benefits

    Discuss the applications of microbiology that directly benefit mankind. how would your current life style be affected if the application were no longer available? Consider issue of food spoilage, food production, or prevention of food borne illnesses.

    Enviromental Microbiology

    Think back to your childhood and describe a sequence of events that could have led to the death of local body of water, like a swimming pond, following the introduction of large amount of organic matter and microorganisms. How could you use what you have learned to reverse this problem?

    Disease Tranmission

    Discuss he known method used for breaking the chains of disease transmission. Propose a way to educate the general public on their role in preventing disease transmission.

    Parasite infection: malaria

    Choose any one of the parasites: desribe its microbilogy, lifecycle, mode of transmission, disease caused and its health importance.

    Fungal Pathogen: Cryptococcus neoformans

    Choose any one of the fungal pathogens and discuss its appearance, staining reaction, culture characteristics, disease caused, and epidemiology characteristics (where is it common, who is at risk).

    Viral Pathogen: HIV and AIDS

    Choose any of viruses discussed and describe its characteristics including the viral family it belongs to, disease caused, mode of transmission, epidemiology, and vaccination if available.

    Bacterial pathogen

    Choose any on of the bacterial pathogen and discuss its appearance, staining reaction, culture, characteristics, disease caused and mechanism of disease.

    Types of symbiotic relationships

    Imagine yourself to be a virus and you need to establish infection in an organ of your choice. Discuss how you would revise your plan of survival if your symbiotic relationship changes; either from mutualistic to commensalistic, or from commensalistic to mutualistic.

    Factors Influencing Virus Infection

    Imagine yourself as a virus and you need to establish infection in an organ of your choice.Discuss the innate and adaptive immune responses that you will need to overcome along with their attributes to establish the infections and the type of immunodeficiency you will benefited by.

    Microbial Cultivation

    Conduct research using the library or other outside sources to find out what studies are being explored on any pathogen. Pay special attention to cultivation techniques in use to the study the pathogen.

    Microbial Adventure

    Imagine yourself to be a microbial pathogen, tell us the reason for your choice, and describe in detail the structures you would like to have in order to live in the habitat of choosing and the factors needed to cause infection of a specific organ in humans.

    Nitrogen Cycling

    Compare and contrast the nitrogen requirements of microorganisms and higher forms of life, describing how their respective requirements are met.

    Cytology Lab

    For each assignment, you will use the M.U.S.E. link to complete the lab. In this lab, you will observe diagrams showing the structure of plant and animal cells. Using the textbook and virtual library resources, fill in the tables. Cytology Lab Using the M.U.S.E. link, review the background information and animation to c

    Microbes: Characteristics of a Good Germicide

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    Chomestat system

    Define and explain the importance of using a chomestat system. What is logarithmic growth/exponential growth and how is the population count calculated?