" This course covers topics on the engineering of computer software and hardware systems: techniques for controlling complexity; strong modularity using client-server design, virtual memory, and threads; networks; atomicity and coordination of parallel activities; recovery and reliability; privacy, security, and encryption; and impact of computer systems on society. Case studies of working systems and readings from the current literature provide comparisons and contrasts. Two design projects are required, and students engage in extensive written communication exercises."
This course is designed to introduce graduate students to the foundations of database systems, focusing on basics such as the relational algebra and data model, query optimization, query processing, and transactions. This is not a course on database design or SQL programming (though we will discuss these issues briefly). It is designed for students who have taken 6.033 (or equivalent); no prior database experience is assumed though students who have taken an undergraduate course in databases are encouraged to attend.
The fungi which cause rot and decay in our forests are vital members of the ecosystem. By decomposing the hard woody stems of trees they help recycle important nutrients, minerals, and carbohydrates. Unlike many organisms which are easy to see, the fungi are often hidden under bark or within living stems and their presence is not obvious. This laboratory exercise provides instructors with information about where to find and how to visualize and manipulate fungi which cause rot and decay, while discovering how ubiquitous and important they are.
Recovery of Escherichia coli from a rectal swab begins a series of procedures combining mastery of technique with productive experiments. After isolating his/her own E. coli strain, each student recovers a unique coliphage from raw sewage and determines its host range, thereby revealing the genetic individuality of each bacterial and viral isolate. Colonies of virus-resistant mutants can often be recovered in regions where sensitive bacteria have been destroyed. After antibiotic sensitivity testing of E. coli isolates, a variety of antibiotic resistant mutants can be recovered, thus yielding genetically marked strains for future bacterial genetics experiments.
Soil contains a wider variety of microorganisms than in other types of environments. Many kinds of bacteria, algae, protozoans, yeasts, molds, and microscopic worms are present in soil. Bacteria are the dominant species found in soil and many of the biological changes that occur in soil are due to bacteria. These biological changes include fixation of nitrogen for photosynthetic plants, and the recycling of other important biological elements from the decomposition of plants and animals. This laboratory exercise involves isolating an unknown bacterium from soil, maintaining a pure culture of the microbe, determining the staining, cultural, and physiological characteristics of the organism, and narrowing the identification of the bacterium to a specific microbial group.
" This course looks at medicine from a cross-cultural perspective, focusing on the human, as opposed to biological, side of things. Students learn how to analyze various kinds of medical practice as cultural systems. Particular emphasis is placed on Western (bio-) medicine; students examine how biomedicine constructs disease, health, body, and mind, and how it articulates with other institutions, national and international."
Using simple microbiological techniques, this exercise will introduce students to the variety of bacterial type present in their mouths. Enriched, selective, and differential media will be used to isolate the major aerobic and anaerobic species. Visual observations of the bacteria enhance the students' appreciation for the complex microbial world of the mouth. Note: This workshop is not included in the published proceedings volume because it was not submitted by the author.
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