| Office Hours Schedule for Fall Semester, 2007 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| 11:00 AM-1:00 PM | 10:00 AM- 3:00 PM | 11:00 AM-1:00 PM | 9:30 AM-1:00 PM | 11:00 AM-3:00 PM |
Your instructor welcomes the opportunity to assist students in any possible way. If you have questions, please contact me via e-mail, call me on the telephone, or stop by my office (Walters 150) during the time periods listed above. Look for me in my laboratory (Caylor 241) or in Caylor 112 if you do not see me in my office during these times. Occasionally, university duties require my presence elsewhere during regularly scheduled office hours; please check with the administrative assistant, Ms. Barbara Knight, in Walters 150 for information about my location as well as my expected return time. If my regular office hours are not convenient for you, please contact me to arrange a meeting at a time that fits both of our schedules.
Required textbooks for BIO 447/547:
No textbook is required for BIO 447/547. The course notes provided by your instructor are the equivalent of a course textbook.
A pocket medical dictionary may be very helpful to the student in BIO 447/547.
There are several Web sites, listed in the "Internet resources for BIO 447/547 Parasitology students"
section of the Syllabus Contents, that provide text and images about
parasitology that can be used by the student via a computer with Internet
access. If you feel that a textbook is an absolute necessity for your
study habits, your instructor can recommend several titles that can be purchased.
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Course description and objectives: Parasitology (BIO 447/547) is an introduction to the biological relationship known as parasitism.
Although there are many different types of parasites, this course is directed at studying the parasites that cause disease in humans and domestic animals.
Lecture periods in BIO 447/547 are intended to be dynamic, interactive presentation/discussions of the general biology of the parasites causing illness in humans and domestic animals around the world.
The laboratory portion of BIO 447/547 provides the student with the opportunity to learn about parasite identification, the methods used in identifying parasites of medical/veterinary importance, and the ways in which parasitic infections produce harm in animal hosts.
Your active participation in the course should provide you with a basic, contemporary understanding of the material presented in lecture and laboratory sessions.
Your progress in learning the course material will be assessed through examinations and exercises in the lecture and laboratory portions of the course, and you will earn a grade that will be determined by your performance in these activities.
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Prerequisites for the course: BIO 300 is currently the only official prerequisite for BIO 447/547. If you are a transfer student, see your advisor to make sure that you have had an equivalent course that fulfills this requirement.
Students should be aware that BIO 447/547 is an upper division course that is offered for graduate credit to students working toward the Master of Science in Biological Sciences at DSU.
Undergraduate students who have enjoyed the greatest academic success in BIO 447/547 typically are seniors, majoring in Biological Sciences, who have completed courses in anatomy and physiology, immunology, histology, and invertebrate zoology.
In accordance with Department of Biological Sciences policy, undergraduate students who do not have "Full Admission" status in the Department of Biological Sciences will not be permitted to enroll in BIO 447/547.
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Grading in BIO 447/547: You will receive a final grade based on the percentage of
800 possible points that you obtain through your participation in several
course activities.
These course activities are (1) Lecture examinations (25% of your final grade),
(2) Laboratory examinations (25% of your final
grade), (3) Case studies/problem sets (25% of your
final grade), and (4) service-learning project (25% of your final
grade).
The following scale will be used to determine your final grade:
| Grade: | A | B | C | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of possible points: | 100-90 | 89-80 | 79-70 | 69-60 | <60 |
Lecture examinations: There will be two lecture examinations administered during regularly-scheduled lecture sessions in BIO 447/547 this semester. Each lecture examination will be worth 100 possible points, for a total of 200 possible points. The dates for these examinations are: Exam 1, October 5, 2007 (Friday), Exam 2, TBA (during Finals Week).
Laboratory examinations: Two laboratory practical examinations will be given during regularly-scheduled laboratory sessions in BIO 447/547 this semester.
Approximately 25 items, representative of the diagnostic stages of parasites that have been presented to the student in lab sessions, will be displayed either grossly or microscopically for identification by the student during the laboratory practical examination.
Each laboratory examination will be worth 100 possible points, for a total of 200 possible points.
The dates for these examinations are: Laboratory Exam 1, October 8, 2007;
Laboratory Exam 2, November 26, 2007 (Monday of the week before Finals Week).
Case studies/problem sets: As the midsemester (October
10) approaches, your instructor will provide you with information about specific cases of parasitic infections in humans and/or animals. The student will be asked to formulate solutions, outside of the classroom, to various problems presented by these case studies.
Adequate responses to case studies typically will require the student to use knowledge acquired via active participation in both the lecture and laboratory portions of BIO
447/547, as well as through independent consultation with other sources of information. The student will be expected to submit their responses to the case study questions in the form of text-based files (preferably compatible with Microsoft
Word®).
Four case studies will be assigned to the student during the semester; the due dates for student responses will be announced as the cases are assigned.
Each case study set will be worth 50 possible points, for a total of 200 possible
points.
Students who demonstrate exceptional ability in their responses to case study questions may earn points beyond the stated limit of 50 possible points per case study set as a form of "extra credit" in BIO 447/547.
Service learning project: During laboratory sessions in BIO 447/547, students will spend a portion of their time screening specimens collected from animals (primarily dogs and cats) housed in the Cleveland Bolivar County Animal Shelter (CBCAS) for the presence of parasites.
The parasites that are potential threats to the animals housed at the CBCAS
produce stages that can be detected using some routine, relatively inexpensive
diagnostic methodologies. You will be provided instruction on how to
perform the diagnostic techniques used in detecting parasite stages in the
laboratory, and you will be trained in how to identify the parasite stages that
are detected in these animals. A laboratory results form will be
completed for each specimen that you examine. As you increase your
knowledge in diagnostic parasitology, your work will assist the mission of the
CBCAS. The reports that are generated each week on the class' findings are provided to the shelter and this information is used to treat
animals that are up for pet adoption by the local community. In addition
to the lab reports, you will maintain a journal, in which you write about
your experiences in learning about diagnostic parasitology through the screening
of the animals at the animal shelter. You will be expected to read outside
of the classroom about the parasites that you find in the animals, and you will
be requested on an unannounced basis to participate in class discussions
concerning the harm that these disease agents can cause in animals as well as
people. Participation
in the activities of this project is worth a total of 200 points.
There may be opportunities for "extra credit" points to be obtained through
deeper involvement in this project.
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A reminder to all biology majors: Division of
Biological and Physical Sciences policy requires biology majors to maintain good academic standing after "full admission" status is attained.
Whenever an undergraduate student receives a grade below "C" in an upper division course, the student must retake the course.
If the grade in the course is not improved to "C" or better within 2 semesters, the student will be placed on probationary status and will not be permitted to advance in their
biological sciences course work until the deficiency has been corrected.
Delta State University requires undergraduate students to maintain a 2.0 quality
point average for all major course work. See the current edition of the
Delta State University Undergraduate Bulletin for further explanation of the
undergraduate academic requirements of the Division of Biological and Physical Sciences.
Graduate students must earn a grade of "B" or higher in all course work attempted at DSU.
Graduate students should consult the Delta State University Graduate Bulletin
for more details about graduate degree requirements. Some information
about Division of Biological and Physical Sciences academic requirements
can be found at the
DSU Division of Biological and
Physical Sciences website.
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Class attendance policy: The following statement concerning course attendance is taken from
the Delta State University Undergraduate Bulletin.
"CLASS ATTENDANCE
CLASS ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCE. Students who will not be present at the first class meeting must contact the instructor before classes begin. A student who pre-registers for classes and is unable to attend must remove these courses from the registration term. Failure to remove the registration or to notify the Registrar or Bursar will result in charges to the student account and financial obligations to the university. A student who registers for classes and never meets the classes will be reported to the Registrar's Office by the instructors as a No Show. No Shows are reported to the Financial Aid Office and may affect the student's current and future financial aid. A grade of NS will be posted for these classes.
Regular and punctual attendance at all scheduled classes
and activities is expected of all students and is regarded as integral to course
credit. University policy holds that students must attend a minimum of 75
percent of all scheduled classes and activities. When a student accumulates
absences for any reason greater than 25 percent of the scheduled meetings of
class, the student receives a grade of F in the class.
Particular policies and procedures on absences and makeup work are established
for each class and are announced in writing at the beginning of the term. Each
student is directly responsible to the individual professor for absences and for
making up work missed. A student absent from class when a test is scheduled is
entitled to a makeup test if evidence is presented to the instructor that
absence was due to illness or death in the immediate family.
Official absences are granted to students required by the University to miss
class for events such as athletics, performing groups, and student government
groups. Commuting students are excused from classes during periods of time when
the Weather Bureau has issued a weather advisory of hazardous driving
conditions. For these absences which are authorized by the Vice President for
Academic Affairs, students are entitled to make up any work missed.
A student who has been reported as having excessive absences has the right to
appeal the Attendance Committee and may continue to meet class with the
permission of the Committee during the period of appeal. For more information
about the appeal process, contact the Vice President for Academic Affairs."
The above policy will be adhered to by your instructor in BIO 447/547 this semester.
Makeup examinations are offered only when the student's absence is excused,
due to documented illness, death in the immediate family, and/or any official
absence granted to the student by the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs of
Delta State University. The student should contact the Vice President for
Academic Affairs office for the proper procedures in documenting illness or
death in the immediate family. When a student becomes aware that a circumstance
may interfere with the student's ability to attend any course examination, the
student should inform the instructor of the situation as soon as possible, via
telephone, FAX, e-mail, or in person. Course materials (such as handouts) may be
provided occasionally by the instructor during class meetings, on a
one-time-only basis, and the instructor will not provide to students these
materials that were not obtained as a consequence of an unexcused class absence.
Punctuality is encouraged; if late arrival to class is unavoidable, the student
should enter the classroom in a manner that creates as little disruption as
possible. Students who are chronically late, or whose late arrival disrupts the
class, will be asked to meet with the instructor outside of regular class hours
to discuss the situation.
Note: Students with perfect attendance in lecture and laboratory sessions this
semester will have an additional 3 percentage points added to their final point
percentage total.
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Official holidays recognized by Delta State University, during which class is regularly scheduled
to meet, but will not, are: Labor Day Holiday (Monday,
9/3/2007); Fall Break (Thursday, 10/18- Friday, 10/19/2007); Thanksgiving
Holidays (Monday, 11/19 - Friday, 11/23/2007).
The Elliott-Nowell-White Science Symposium is scheduled for the afternoon
of October 11, 2007 (Thursday), and the morning of October 12, 2007
(Friday). Although there will be no lecture session in BIO 447/547
Parasitology on 11/12/2007, BIO 447/547 students are expected to attend that
day's Elliott-Nowell-White sessions if they wish to maintain perfect attendance
in the course.
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Academic dishonesty: Academic dishonesty, in any form, will not be tolerated by your instructor, and any case of academic dishonesty that is detected will be dealt with according to Delta State University's regulations.
The official DSU policy concerning cheating and plagiarism is found in the
2006-2007 Undergraduate Bulletin of Delta State University.
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Students with disabilities: If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act and requires accommodation, he/she should contact the Academic Support Lab for information on appropriate policies and procedures.
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General comments related to the lecture portion of BIO 447/547: Student behavior, such as excessive talking in class, that disrupts lecture/discussion sessions will not be tolerated by the instructor.
You should insure that the volume of the incoming call signal of your cell phone does not disturb class.
Students may make audio recordings of lecture/discussion sessions for their personal use during the semester; the instructor assumes no responsibility for the student's personal equipment related to audio recording.
The student should bring sharpened #2 lead pencils to scheduled lecture examinations in BIO 447/547 in order to mark answers on the Scantron® answer sheet provided by the instructor.
Electronic devices such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, organizers, digital music players, etc. will not be allowed in the classroom during examinations.
General comments related to the laboratory portion of BIO 447/547: No food or drink will be permitted at any time in Caylor 112. This regulation will be strictly enforced by your instructor, because it exists for your safety. Consumption of food and beverages in the vicinity of biological and chemical hazards could be detrimental to your health. If you develop an acute need to eat and/or drink, please do so outside of Caylor 112.
You should dress appropriately for BIO 447/547 laboratory sessions and other working periods in Caylor 112. A laboratory coat is highly recommended for the student in BIO 447/547, in order to minimize the accidental contact of skin and/or clothing with biological stains, broken glass, etc. Footwear that does not cover the entire foot in Caylor 112 should be avoided, due to the possibility of injury from broken glass and spilled chemicals. Keep in mind that appropriate dress in BIO 447/547 is required as part of an effort that is designed to protect you from possible injury.
A light microscope will be assigned to each student in BIO 447/547 during the first laboratory session. The student's name and the number of the microscope assigned to this student will be posted on the door of the storage cabinets in the back wall of Caylor 112. Do not use any other microscope while performing laboratory work in BIO 447/547 without the permission of your instructor. Problems with the function of your microscope should be promptly brought to the attention of your instructor, in order to correct the problem as soon as possible.
Folders containing prepared microscope slides (designated as "loan slides") will be available for study during laboratory sessions in BIO 447/547. These loan slide sets should not be removed from Caylor 112. Students are responsible for the care of these slides during the semester. Keep in mind that these slides are being shared by all of the students in the class, and when you are finished viewing a slide please return it to the proper folder. You and your laboratory bench partner (the person sitting at the same laboratory bench as yourself) may want to coordinate the usage of loan slides. Abuse of these glass slide sets will result in deduction of points from the student's basic laboratory skills point total.
You and your laboratory bench partner may be asked to work together in completing various laboratory activities. Please work cooperatively with your classmates in the laboratory, in a mature, civilized manner.
Students may find it necessary to work in Caylor 112 outside of the regularly scheduled laboratory session hours.
During regular business hours at DSU (between 8:00 AM-4:00 PM), the student may
enter Caylor 112 as long as another class is not meeting in this laboratory.
If the door to Caylor 112 is found to be locked by the student from 8:00 AM-4:00
PM, the student may obtain entry either by asking the Division of Biological and
Physical Sciences administrative personnel for help in entering the room, or by requesting assistance from either myself or
another DSU biology faculty member.
A list of the names of students enrolled in BIO 447/547 has been submitted to the DSU Police; if the student requires access to Caylor 112 outside of normal building hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-10:00 PM), the student must contact the DSU Police in order to obtain entry.
The student should be prepared to show identification to the DSU Police when requesting permission to enter Caylor 112.
Whenever the student departs Caylor 112 outside of normal building hours, the student is responsible for contacting the DSU Police to insure that the doors to this room are locked.
Students who enter Caylor 112 after normal building hours will sign the log sheet for the room, indicating the time of entry and departure.
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Click here to view the podcast feed for BIO 447 Parasitology lectures this semester.
| Lecture # | Date | BIO 447/547 Lecture/Discussion Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8/15/2007 (W) | Introduction to BIO 447/547 Parasitology Lecture; Interspecific biological relationships (phoresy, symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism); Major taxa of parasites of medical/veterinary importance; General patterns of parasite transmission. |
| 2 | 8/17/2007 (F) | Factors influencing parasitism; Possible outcomes of parasitic infection, and implications for hosts and parasites. |
| 3 | 8/20/2007 (M) | Possible outcomes of parasitic infection, and implications for hosts and parasites (continued); Introduction to parasitic protists; Entamoeba and amebiasis; Nonpathogenic amebae of primates and other animals; opportunistic free-living amebae. |
| 4 | 8/22/2007 (W) | Parasitic ameboflagellates (Dientamoeba fragilis & Histomonas meleagridis); Enteric flagellates; Giardia and giardiasis. |
| 5 | 8/24/2007 (F) | Urogenital flagellates of humans (Trichomonas vaginalis) and cattle (Tritrichomonas foetus); Hemoflagellates; African trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma gambiense, T. rhodesiense, T. brucei complex) in humans and other mammals |
| 6 | 8/27/2007 (M) | Hemoflagellates (continued); Leishmania spp.; Cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. |
| 7 | 8/29/2007 (W) | Hemoflagellates (continued); Trypanosoma cruzi (American trypanosomiasis/Chagas' disease); Introduction to Apicomplexa |
| 8 | 8/31/2007 (F) | Introduction to Apicomplexa (continued); The "coccidia" (enteric Apicomplexa of vertebrates; Eimeria, Isospora, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora). |
| 9/3/2007 (M) Labor Day Holiday (Class does not meet) | ||
| 9 | 9/5/2007 (W) | Apicomplexa (continued); Tissue Apicomplexa (Sarcocystis, Toxoplasma, and Neospora). |
| 10 | 9/7/2007 (F) | Apicomplexa (continued); Blood-dwelling Apicomplexa of vertebrates; Plasmodium (malaria) in humans, other primates, rodents, birds, and reptiles. |
| 11 | 9/10/2007 (M) | Apicomplexa; Plasmodium (continued). |
| 12 | 9/12/2007 (W) | Apicomplexa; Plasmodium (continued); Other Apicomplexa of blood cells (Babesia, Hepatocystis, Haemoproteus, Leukocytozoon); |
| 13 | 9/14/2007 (F) | Ciliate protists (Balantidium coli); Microsporidia; Pneumocystis carinii. |
| 14 | 9/17/2007 (M) | Introduction to Phylum Platyhelminthes (flatworms); Class Trematoda (flukes); Subclass Digenea; Hepatic trematodes of humans and/or animals (Fasciola, Fascioloides, Clonorchis, Opisthorchis, and Dicrocoelium). |
| 15 | 9/19/2007 (W) | Intestinal trematodes (Fasciolopsis, Heterophyidae, Nanophyetus, Echinostomatidae, Paramphistomatidae, Diplostomatidae). |
| 16 | 9/21/2007 (F) | Lung-dwelling trematodes; Paragonimus and paragonimiasis. |
| 17 | 9/24/2007 (M) | The Schistosomatidae (blood flukes) of humans (Schistosoma spp.) and/or animals; Human schistosomiasis due to S. mansoni, S. haematobium, and S. japonicum. |
| 18 | 9/26/2007 (W) | Human schistosomiasis (continued); Schistosome dermatitis ("swimmer's itch"). |
| 19 | 9/28/2007 (F) | Phylum Platyhelminthes (continued), Introduction to the Class Cestoda (tapeworms); Cyclophyllidean cestodes (Taenia, Echinococcus, Dipylidium, |
| 20 | 10/1/2007 (M) |
Class Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea (continued); Hymenolepis, Mesocestoides, Anoplocephalidae and human/animal disease. |
| 21 | 10/3/2007 (W) | Pseudophyllidean cestodes (Diphyllobothrium and Spirometra) and human/animal disease. |
|
10/5/2007 (F) Lecture Examination I |
||
|
22 |
10/8/2007 (M) | Introduction to the Phylum Nematoda (roundworms); Order Ascaridida, Superfamily Ascaridoidea (Ascaris, Parascaris) |
| 23 | 10/10/2007 (W) | Phylum Nematoda, Order Ascaridida, Superfamily Ascaridoidea (continued); Toxocara, Toxascaris, Baylisascaris, Anisakidae. |
| 10/13/2006 (F) No BIO 447/547 lecture (Elliot Science Symposium) | ||
| 24 | 10/15/2007 (M) | Superfamily Ascaridoidea (continued); Visceral larva migrans (VLM). |
|
25 |
10/17/2007 (W) | Order Oxyurida (pinworms; Enterobius, Oxyuris, Syphacia, and Aspiculuris). |
|
10/19/2007 (F) Fall Break (Class does not meet) |
||
| 26 | 10/22/2007 (M) | Order Strongylida, Superfamily Ancylostomatoidea (hookworms; Ancylostoma, Necator, Uncinaria, and Bunostomum). |
| 27 | 10/24/2007 (W) | Superfamily Ancylostomatoidea (continued); Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM). |
| 28 | 10/26/2007 (F) | Order Strongylida (continued); Superfamily Trichostrongyloidea. |
| 29 | 10/29/2007 (M) | Superfamily Strongyloidea (Strongylus, Oesophagostomum, Ternidens, Stephanurus, Syngamus, Mammomonogamus). |
| 30 | 10/31/2007 (W) | Order Strongylida (continued); Superfamily Metastrongyloidea (lungworms; Angiostrongylus, Parelaphostrongylus, Filaroides). |
| 31 | 11/2/2006 (F) | Order Spirurida; Dracunculus. |
| 32 | 11/5/2007 (M) | Order Spirurida (continued); Superfamily Filarioidea (Wuchereria, Brugia). |
|
33 |
11/7/2007 (W) |
Order Spirurida, Superfamily Filarioidea (Loa, Onchocerca, Dirofilaria). |
| 34 | 11/9/2007 (F) | Order Spirurida, Superfamily Filarioidea (continued). |
| 35 | 11/12/2007 (M) | Order Spirurida (continued); Other spirurids (Gnathostoma, Gongylonema, Spirocerca, Physaloptera, Thelazia, Habronema). |
| 36 | 11/14/2007 (W) | Order Rhabditida; Superfamily Rhabdiasoidea (Strongyloides, Micronema/Halicephalobus). |
|
37 |
11/16/2007 (F) | Order Enoplida; Superfamily Trichinelloidea (Trichuris, Trichinella, capillariids). |
11/19 (M)-11/23/2007 (F) Thanksgiving Holidays (Class does not meet) |
||
| 38 | 11/26/2007 (M) | Superfamily Dioctophymatoidea (Dioctophyme and Eustrongylides). |
| 39 | 11/28/2007 (W) | Phylum Acanthocephala (thorny-headed worms; Macracanthorhynchus, Moniliformis, Prosthenorchis). |
| 40 | 11/30/2007 (F) | Phylum Pentastomida (tongue worms); Phylum Annelida, Class Hirudinea (leeches). |
| Lecture Examination II (Finals Week) | ||
| Lab # | Date | BIO 447/547 Laboratory Session Focus & Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8/20/2007 | Introduction to Parasitology Laboratory; Laboratory policies; Microscopy review; Introduction to major taxa of parasitic protists, helminths, and arthropods. |
|
2 |
8/27/2007 |
Pathogenic and Nonpathogenic Amebae and Enteric Flagellates |
| 9/3/2007 Labor Day Holiday (Class does not meet) | ||
| 3 | Urogenital Flagellates; Hemoflagellates (Trypanosoma, Leishmania) | |
| 4 | 9/17/2007 | Introduction to Apicomplexa; "Coccidia" (Eimeria, Isospora, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora); Tissue Apicomplexa (Toxoplasma, Sarcocystis, and Neospora) |
| 5 | 9/24/2007 | Plasmodium and other Apicomplexa of Blood Cells; Pneumocystis; Ciliates (Balantidium coli) |
| 6 | 10/1/2007 | Introduction to Phylum Platyhelminthes; Class Trematoda (Flukes) |
|
8 |
10/8/2007 |
Laboratory Practical Examination I |
|
7 |
10/15/2007 |
Class Cestoda (Tapeworms) |
| 9 | 10/22/2007 | Introduction to the Phylum Nematoda (Roundworms); Orders Ascaridida (Ascaris, Toxocara, and Anisakids) and Oxyurida (Pinworms) |
| 10 | 10/29/2007 | Order Strongylida (Hookworms, Lungworms, and Their Relatives) |
| 11 | 11/5/2007 | Order Spirurida (Filarioids and Their Relatives) |
| 12 | 11/12/2007 | Order Rhabditida (Strongyloides); Order Enoplida (Trichinelloids and Dioctophymatoids) |
| 11/19/2007 Labor Day Holiday (Class does not meet) | ||
| 13 | 11/26/2006 | Laboratory Practical Examination II |
Internet Resources for BIO 447/547 Parasitology students: Listed below are several Web sites that may be useful to students taking BIO 447/547. Click on the site's name to go there from here.
CDC Parasitic Diseases Division Web Site
National Library of Medicine (NLM)/MEDLINE
World Health Organization (WHO)/Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR)
Centers for Disease Control/Emerging Infectious Diseases (online journal)
Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine Parasitology Notes
Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (online parasitology/tropical medicine journal)