JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION, December 2013, p. 279-286 Copyright © 2013 American Society for Microbiology
JOURNAL WATCH
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v14i2.676 In this section, I provide articles on recent developments and new technology used in microbiology and related fields. I also post articles that may help you bring new information or techniques into your laboratory or classroom via case studies or lab exercises. I hope you find this information useful, and I encourage you to send suggestions, questions or comments to me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you! Jennifer A. Herzog Herkimer County Community College, Herkimer, NY E-mail: [email protected] Research Articles Memish, Z. A., et al. 2013. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in bats, Saudi Arabia. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 19. doi:10.3201/eid1911.131172. (The identification of Middle East respiratory virus betacoronavirus (MERS CoV) in bats points to their role in disease transmission.) Etienne, L., and M. Emerman. 2013 The mongoose, the pheasant, the pox, and the retrovirus. PLoS Biol. 11:e1001641. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001641. (The accidental spread of an ancient virus may provide future insight into human pandemics.) Biedermann, L., et al. 2013. Smoking cessation induces profound changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota in humans. PLoS ONE 8:e59260. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0059260. (Identification of distinct microbiomes in the gut of smokers versus nonsmokers and the impact on weight gain.) DiMarzio, M., N. Shariat, S. Kariyawasamv, R. Barrangou, and E. G. Dudley. 2013. Antibiotic resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium associates with CRISPR sequence type. Antimicr. Agents Chemother. 57:4282. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00913-13. (CRISPRs are effective genomic markers for tracking the transmission of drug-resistant strains of Salmonella Typhimurium within the food supply.) Wilharm, G., J. Piesker, M. Laue, and E. Skiebe. 2013. DNA uptake by the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii occurs during movement along wet surfaces. J. Bacteriol. 195:4146-4153. (Insight into environmental conditions required for efficient horizontal gene transfer may lead to advances in controlling this often drug-resistant healthcare-associated pathogen.) Volume 14, Number 2
Reviews
Pedagogy Articles Kim, Y., S.-M. Lim, and I.-S. Lee. 2013. Observation of microorganisms in milk after the expiration date using dry rehydratable film. Am. Biol. Teach. 75:345-348. (A simple hands-on learning activity for K–12 outreach demonstrating microbiology of milk.) Gross, P., et al. 2013. Final evaluation of the next generation science standards. [Online.] http://www.edexcellence. net/publications/final-evaluation-of-NGSS.html. Accessed August 30, 2013. (One leading institute’s commentary on the new standards set to take K–12 science education on a completely new course.) NOTE: Please do not forget to review all of the information presented in May 2013 at the 20th American Society for Microbiology’s Conference for Undergraduate Educators (http://www.asmcue.org/index.php/past-meeting-resources/ asmcue-2013-highlights-and-proceedings).
BOOKS A Cautionary Tale of Damage to the Public Health from Miscommunication and Willful Misunderstanding DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v14i2.664 Review of: The Panic Virus. A True Story of Medicine, Science and Fear; Seth Mnookin; (2011). Simon and Schuster, New York, NY. 427 pages. The Panic Virus, by Seth Mnookin, describes the origins and progression of the anti-vaccine movement in the US. A long piece of investigative journalism (it includes a 37-page bibliography), the book explores events leading to the current standoff between anti-vaccine proponents and many public health and medical practitioners. The Panic Virus is not friendly to the anti-vaccine movement but neither does it shy away from holding responsible medical and public health communities, and the media, for creating an atmosphere of distrust. Chapters are organized into three sections. The first includes a history of vaccine discovery, analysis of several post-1950 events giving rise to distrust of public health efforts (e.g., an early polio vaccination campaign), and a history of autism diagnosis. The second section begins with Andrew Wakefield’s entry into the controversy and, together with the third section, covers events in approximate chronological sequence. These events include a rise in concerns about the vaccine preservative thimerosal, the establishment of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, vaccine-related litigation in US courts, emergence of anti-vaccine organizations (e.g., Autism Speaks) and pop star advocacy (e.g., Jenny McCarthy).
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
279
JOURNAL WATCH
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v14i2.676 In this section, I provide articles on recent developments and new technology used in microbiology and related fields. I also post articles that may help you bring new information or techniques into your laboratory or classroom via case studies or lab exercises. I hope you find this information useful, and I encourage you to send suggestions, questions or comments to me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you! Jennifer A. Herzog Herkimer County Community College, Herkimer, NY E-mail: [email protected] Research Articles Memish, Z. A., et al. 2013. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in bats, Saudi Arabia. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 19. doi:10.3201/eid1911.131172. (The identification of Middle East respiratory virus betacoronavirus (MERS CoV) in bats points to their role in disease transmission.) Etienne, L., and M. Emerman. 2013 The mongoose, the pheasant, the pox, and the retrovirus. PLoS Biol. 11:e1001641. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001641. (The accidental spread of an ancient virus may provide future insight into human pandemics.) Biedermann, L., et al. 2013. Smoking cessation induces profound changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota in humans. PLoS ONE 8:e59260. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0059260. (Identification of distinct microbiomes in the gut of smokers versus nonsmokers and the impact on weight gain.) DiMarzio, M., N. Shariat, S. Kariyawasamv, R. Barrangou, and E. G. Dudley. 2013. Antibiotic resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium associates with CRISPR sequence type. Antimicr. Agents Chemother. 57:4282. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00913-13. (CRISPRs are effective genomic markers for tracking the transmission of drug-resistant strains of Salmonella Typhimurium within the food supply.) Wilharm, G., J. Piesker, M. Laue, and E. Skiebe. 2013. DNA uptake by the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii occurs during movement along wet surfaces. J. Bacteriol. 195:4146-4153. (Insight into environmental conditions required for efficient horizontal gene transfer may lead to advances in controlling this often drug-resistant healthcare-associated pathogen.) Volume 14, Number 2
Reviews
Pedagogy Articles Kim, Y., S.-M. Lim, and I.-S. Lee. 2013. Observation of microorganisms in milk after the expiration date using dry rehydratable film. Am. Biol. Teach. 75:345-348. (A simple hands-on learning activity for K–12 outreach demonstrating microbiology of milk.) Gross, P., et al. 2013. Final evaluation of the next generation science standards. [Online.] http://www.edexcellence. net/publications/final-evaluation-of-NGSS.html. Accessed August 30, 2013. (One leading institute’s commentary on the new standards set to take K–12 science education on a completely new course.) NOTE: Please do not forget to review all of the information presented in May 2013 at the 20th American Society for Microbiology’s Conference for Undergraduate Educators (http://www.asmcue.org/index.php/past-meeting-resources/ asmcue-2013-highlights-and-proceedings).
BOOKS A Cautionary Tale of Damage to the Public Health from Miscommunication and Willful Misunderstanding DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v14i2.664 Review of: The Panic Virus. A True Story of Medicine, Science and Fear; Seth Mnookin; (2011). Simon and Schuster, New York, NY. 427 pages. The Panic Virus, by Seth Mnookin, describes the origins and progression of the anti-vaccine movement in the US. A long piece of investigative journalism (it includes a 37-page bibliography), the book explores events leading to the current standoff between anti-vaccine proponents and many public health and medical practitioners. The Panic Virus is not friendly to the anti-vaccine movement but neither does it shy away from holding responsible medical and public health communities, and the media, for creating an atmosphere of distrust. Chapters are organized into three sections. The first includes a history of vaccine discovery, analysis of several post-1950 events giving rise to distrust of public health efforts (e.g., an early polio vaccination campaign), and a history of autism diagnosis. The second section begins with Andrew Wakefield’s entry into the controversy and, together with the third section, covers events in approximate chronological sequence. These events include a rise in concerns about the vaccine preservative thimerosal, the establishment of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, vaccine-related litigation in US courts, emergence of anti-vaccine organizations (e.g., Autism Speaks) and pop star advocacy (e.g., Jenny McCarthy).
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
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