Students learn about the differences between types of water (surface and ground), as well as the differences between streams, rivers and lakes. Then, they learn about dissolved organic matter (DOM), and the role it plays in identifying drinking water sources. Finally, students are introduced to conventional drinking water treatment processes.

Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:List the basic components of the bloodCompare red and white blood cellsDescribe blood plasma and serum

By the end of this section, you will be able to:List the basic components of the bloodCompare red and white blood cellsDescribe blood plasma and serum

Students are introduced to the circulatory system with an emphasis on the blood clotting process, including coagulation and the formation and degradation of polymers through their underlying atomic properties. They learn about the medical emergency of strokes the loss of brain function commonly due to blood clots including various causes and the different effects depending on the brain location, as well as blood clot removal devices designed by biomedical engineers.

• Explain how the properties of blood qualify it as a connective tissue
• Describe the various functions of blood
• Distinguish among the three major categories of formed elements
• Describe the shape, structure, and contents of an erythrocyte
• Know what hematocrit test determines, and what are the normal lab values
• Describe the differences between agranulocytes and granulocytes
• Visually differentiate each of the leukocytes on a normal blood smear
• Visually identify platelets, describe their function, and explain what coagulation tests are used to determine

It is important that all aspects of haemostasis can be independently evaluated. This will help to identify the phase affected and to pinpoint what the abnormality is. There are tests available to assess primary haemostasis, secondary haemostasis and fibrinolysis.

In this activity, students will use a tutorial on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website to learn about how surface water is treated to make it safe to drink.

Students work as biomedical engineers to find liquid solutions that can clear away polyvinyl acetate polymer "blood clots" in model arteries (made of clear, flexible tubing). Teams create samples of the "blood clot" polymer with different concentrations to discover the concentration of the model clot and then test a variety of liquids to determine which most effectively breaks down the model blood clot. Students learn the importance of the testing phase in the engineering design process, because they are only given one chance to present the team's solution and apply it to the model blood clot.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Many lung cancer deaths are due to cancer-associated coagulation disorders (CACDs) that lead to blood clots. However, the exact mechanisms of these disorders aren’t clear. Researchers recently investigated whether immune cells called mast cells, which are known to participate in other coagulation abnormalities, contribute to CACDs. Specifically, they analyzed the presence of mast cells in lung cancer tissues using sequencing data. The researchers found that the proportion of mast cells was closely correlated with the expression levels of blood clot–related genes, as well as genes associated with neutrophil extracellular traps, which are web-like structures released by immune cells that can act as scaffolds for blood clots. In cell experiments, mast cells derived from mouse bone marrow were able to take up small vesicles (exosomes) from lung cancer cells..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Students learn about the separation techniques of sedimentation and centrifugation and investigate whether blood is a homogeneous or a heterogeneous mixture. Working in groups as if they are biomedical researchers, they employ the scientific method and make observations about the known characteristics of urine, milk and blood. They probe further by analyzing research on the properties and fractionation modes of blood. As students learn about certain strange characteristics with the fractionation behavior of blood, they formulate hypotheses on the unique nature of blood. Using provided materials —olive oil, tomato juice and petroleum jelly—they design an experiment and construct a blood model. They test their hypotheses by conducting experiments on the blood model, and then propose theories for the nature of blood as a mixture—arriving at the theory of mixture dualism in blood—that blood is a complex mixture system. An activity-guiding handout and PowerPoint® presentation are provided for this student-directed, project-based activity.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Sepsis – life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by infection – is a major cause of death in intensive care units. Inflammation and coagulation are known to build off of each other to contribute to sepsis pathogenesis. Unfortunately, the detailed mechanisms behind signaling in sepsis are incompletely understood. In a new study, researchers evaluated signaling pathways using human cell lines and a mouse model of sepsis. They found that inhibiting phosphorylation of the Tyr705 site on STAT3 (pY-STAT3) reduced inflammation. In septic mice, pY-STAT3 inhibition reduced proinflammatory factors, coagulation, lung injury, and vascular leakage, improving the sepsis survival rate. Inhibiting pY-STAT3 decreased LPS-induced cytokine production by macrophages, protecting pulmonary endothelial cells from damage, and procoagulant factors were downregulated by pY-STAT3 inhibition. Although further studies are needed to translate these findings to the clinic..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Students experience the steps of the engineering design process as they design solutions for a real-world problem that could affect their health. After a quick review of the treatment processes that municipal water goes through before it comes from the tap, they learn about the still-present measurable contamination of drinking water due to anthropogenic (human-made) chemicals. Substances such as prescription medication, pesticides and hormones are detected in the drinking water supplies of American and European metropolitan cities. Using chlorine as a proxy for estrogen and other drugs found in water, student groups design and test prototype devices that remove the contamination as efficiently and effectively as possible. They use plastic tubing and assorted materials such as activated carbon, cotton balls, felt and cloth to create filters with the capability to regulate water flow to optimize the cleaning effect. They use water quality test strips to assess their success and redesign for improvement. They conclude by writing comprehensive summary design reports.

Presents the basic operating principles and techniques of the conventional surface water treatment processes of coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration, plus those of disinfection processes.