HUMAN DISEASE AND SOCIETY
Human Biology - 217
Summer, 2016
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
E-Mail:
James C. Marker, Ph.D.
LS 445
465-2230 (2681)
markerj@uwgb.edu
Office Hours: by appointment
Home Page: http://www.uwgb.edu/markerj/home.htm
Course Web Page: http://www.uwgb.edu/markerj/hdz.htm
Course Overview:
This course is intended to help students develop understanding, perspective, and an appreciation for the
interaction between disease and society. Developing such perspective requires an understanding of the
“scientific aspect of disease”, e.g., immunology as well as the “cultural aspect of disease”, e.g., attitudes
towards disease.
Why are you taking this course? Presumably to fulfill a general education – natural science – values
requirement. OK, but what does that mean?
Purpose of General Education
The general education program helps you strengthen academic skills, broaden intellectual
horizons, develop and explore new academic interests, reflect on personal values and build a
foundation of knowledge for future course work and lifelong learning. The general education
program provides learning experiences in fine arts, humanities, social sciences, natural
sciences, other cultures and ethnic studies.
Natural Sciences Learning Outcomes
An Understanding of the natural sciences, including: major concepts, principles, and theories
of the biological and physical environment; and the impact of scientific and technological
activities and products on individuals, society, and the environment.
This course is NOT a WRITING EMPHASIS COURSE! Do not misinterpret what that
means!! It does not mean that writing is not involved and/or important!! Writing makes up a
sizable component of the course/exams, and there is an expectation that you be able to
clearly, effectively, and logically articulate a response in writing.
Specific Goals:
1. Develop a working model/outline that reflects the relationships and/or interactions between human
disease and society and/or culture.
 This is the core of the course! Your experience, perspective, opinion, and ideas are of the
utmost value and importance in developing this model. As a class we can bring together
much more experience and perspective than we can as individuals. For example, what are
issues that a business major would consider relevant to disease as opposed to a biologist or
political scientist? Think about the contribution of a student who has or knows someone
with cancer or AIDS or those with no experience with a chronic disease – that is a valid
and important perspective (?) as well!!
2. Understand principles of immunity – particularly as they related to preventing the spread of disease
via vaccination.
3. Understand the various dimensions to the etiology of disease.
4. Be able to communicate on this topic in both written and oral means.
5. Gain an appreciation of the impact of disease on society and on the impact of society on disease.
Texts: Viruses, Plagues & History, Michael Oldstone, M.D., Oxford University Press, 1998.
Plagues & Poxes – The Rise and Fall of Epidemic Disease, Alfred Bollet, M.D., Demos Publication,
1987.
Recommended (but not required) – some type of historical atlas that will help you locate past/present
geographical areas relating to disease, e.g., World History Atlas, Longman
Class Schedule: Mon - Thurs 9:00 – 11:50, MAC-109
Class Format:
The format used for this course will include lecture, class discussion, small group discussion, media
presentations, web “discussion”, and student presentations. Considerable emphasis will be put on student
input, insight, reaction, perspective, and even conjecture. As such, your attendance is important and expected!
Putting it all together, at the end of most class periods, we will, AS A CLASS, highlight (1) components of
our model including additions, modification, refinement etc, (2) important points, principles and/or concepts
relevant to the topics, and (3) needed and/or noteworthy terms. The “information” from these 3 categories will
make up the majority of what you will be evaluated on. The culminating project of the course is your
(individual) model/outline/characterization of human disease and society!
…on the Web. Components of the model will be put on the course web page. Students will be assigned/asked
to submit the highlights of the model for the day. If you have that assignment, you will submit (to me via email) any additions, changes, etc to the model which I will put on the web page.
Assignments:
Assignments include questions associated with the readings (which will be used for discussion), questions
associated with the video presentations, and taking notes on the “model (as described above). Your “score” for
this category will be based simply on your completion record, i.e., if you had 17 assignments (from any
combination described) and you completed 14, your percentage will be 82.3%. This component of the grade
inherently includes attendance. As such, you must personally turn in your assignment for full credit. If you
turn it in before (or after) class but are not in attendance, or if it is turned in (on time) via another student, it
will only count for half of the points!
Since the exams have a short answer component, we will be using some of the assignments to prepare you for
such. One or two of the questions on most assignments will be designated as writing evaluation (WE)
questions. The expectation for these questions is that they be written out as per the expectation of a written
exam question. They will be peer reviewed (not graded) for effective writing (which we will discuss). Again,
not all assignment question responses need be written at that level.
Exams:
The exams will cover information from the lecture, assigned reading, class discussion, group presentations, and
videos shown in class. They will be made up of multiple choice questions, True-False questions, matching and
short essay questions. Part of each test will be computer scored so you must bring a #2 lead pencil for the
exams. If you will not be available for an exam, you must contact me in advance to work out a suitable
alternative. Make-up exams will be given only for verifiable emergencies! Please contact me or the
department as soon as possible if a situation comes up that prohibits you from taking the exam as scheduled.
Challenge Sheets: Students will have the opportunity to "challenge" questions on the exams that they
feel were "ambiguous", "misleading" etc. To challenge a question, the student must turn in a challenge
sheet. Challenge sheets are due one week from the day the exam is returned! Challenge sheet forms
are available via the web page.
Group Presentation:
You will participate as part of a group in preparing and presenting information about a disease. You may
choose any disease or aspect of disease NOT discussed in lecture! It must be approved! The write-up and
presentation should be consistent with the model that we will have developed. Each group will have ~30
minutes to do their presentation. You can be as creative as you want as long as you get the job done of
educating the rest of the class regarding the disease (and society). As part of the presentation, each person in
the group will be required to submit questions relating to your topic/presentation.
You will receive a score from your group (including yourself) which will account for 30% of your presentation
score, and you will receive a score from the instructor which will account for 70% of your presentation score.
Grading:
Grades will be based on the student's performance on assignments, unit exams, web participation,
and the group presentation. The final grade will be determined as follows:
Model of HDZ & Soc
Assignments
Group Presentation
Exams
Highest
(40%)
(35%)
Lowest
(25%)
TOTAL
10.0%
10.0%
15.0%
65.0%
100%
10.0%
10.0%
15.0%
26.0%
22.8%
16.3%
100%
The following scale will be used in determining by the final grade. Note: This is a guaranteed
grade (no curve) though I reserve the right to lower the scale (in your favor)!
A
AB
B
BC
C
CD
D
F
100 – 92.5
92.4 – 87.5
87.4 – 82.5
82.4 – 77.5
77.4 – 72.5
72.4 – 67.5
67.4 – 60
<60
PLEASE NOTE: ANY STUDENT WHO DOES NOT ATTEND AT LEAST 60% OF THE CLASSES
HELD WILL NOT PASS THE COURSE REGARDLESS OF THEIR SCORE!!!
Calendar/Topics for course:
… next page
Disabilities:
As required by federal law and UW-Green Bay policy for Individuals with Disabilities, students with a
documented disability who need accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at 4652841. Reasonable accommodations can be made unless they alter the essential components of the class.
Contact the instructor and Disability Services Coordinator in a timely manner to formulate alternative
arrangements.
Human Disease & Society – Topic Schedule – Summer 2009
Jun 22
Jun 23
Welcome
Pre-course assessment.
The vision; The model; The syllabus;
Assignment 1: What is disease?
Assignment 2: Virology, immunology, variolation.
Assignment 3: Small Pox
Oldstone, Ch. 2, 3.
Oldstone, Ch. 4. pp. 35-40
Oldstone, Ch. 4
Principles of Virology, Principles of Immunity;
Oldstone, Ch. 2, 3.
Discuss Assignment 2
Video - Immune System (V120-1028)
Lecture/clarification immune system
Jun 24
Small Pox – variolation, practicing medicine without a
license, aka using technology without knowing the
science?
Oldstone, Ch. 4. pp. 35-40
Small Pox – past, present and future?
Small Group Discussion/assignment 3.
Oldstone, Ch 4., all
Assignment 4: Yellow Fever
Assignment 5: Medical Mavericks or Political Scientists?
Oldstone, Ch 5.
Bollet, “Herr Professor: It’s easier to …
Yellow Fever – Discussion/assignment 4
Oldstone, Ch 5.
Medical Mavericks or Political Scientists?
Discussion/Assignment 5
Bollet, “Herr Professor: It’s easier to …
Assignment 6: Influenza (Oldstone)
Assignmnet 7: Measles
Jun 25
Oldstone, Ch 14.
Oldstone, Ch 5.
Influenza - video "Influenza 1918… ", V12001644 (60")
Influenza - small group discussion/assignment 6
Measles, Small Group Discussion/assignment 7.
Oldstone, Ch 5.
Assignment 8B: Polio
Bollet, “A President, Polio…”
Jun 29
Polio – video “Search for Polio Vaccine”, V12001815 (50')
Discussion/assignment 8A
Polio – A Presidential Pardon? Discussion/assignment 8B
Bollet, “A President, Polio…”
Jun 30
Exam I
Review and/or Group Work
Assignment 9: Metabolic Disease I (Bollet)
Assignment 10: Metabolic Disease II
Bollet, “Epidemics of Metabolic Disease I:
..."
Bollet, “The Purpura Nautica…” AND
“Epidemics of Metabolic Disease II: ..."
When science outwits itself? - A 3M production,
Discussion/assignment 9
Bollet, “Epidemics of Metabolic Disease I:
..."
Low C on the High Seas? – following the General’s
orders…
What’s NOT in your food can kill you??
Small group discussion/assignment 10
Bollet, “The Purpura Nautica…” AND
“Epidemics of Metabolic Disease II: ..."
Jul 2
Hemorrhagic Fevers – “Ebola”, V12001474, 55 min
Assignment 11/discussion
Oldstone, Ch. 10
Jul 6
The Band Played On (Part I), AIDS,
Assignment 12 (in class) /discussion of part I
Jul 1
The Band Played On (part II), AIDS,
Assignment12 (in class) /disussion of part II
Oldstone, Ch. 12
Assignment 13: Diphtheria
Bollet, "Rushing the serum…"
Diphtheria - Discussion/assignment 13
Bollet, "Rushing the serum…"
Mad Cow Disease – “Brain Eater”, V12001814 (60')
A new concept in disease; Assignment 14 (in class)
/discussion
Oldstone, Ch. 13
Assignment 15: penicillin
Bollet, “Antibodies or Antibiotics”
Jul 8
Penicillin – the miracle drug for then?
Small group discussion/assignment 15
Bollet, “Antibodies or Antibiotics”
Jul 9
Exam II
Jul 7
Group Work
Jul 13
“Coming Plague – Revenge of the Microbes”,
V12001817B, Resistance to Bacteria; (40 ')
Discussion (in class)/assignment 16
Hantavirus "On the Trail of a Killer Virus", V12001473,
(60') Assignment 17 (in class) /disussion
Jul 14
Assignment 18: Presidential Risk Factors
Oldstone, Ch. 11 Bollet, “Was the death of
Pres Harding…” Bollet, AND “Did FDR’s
Hypertension…”
Heart Disease - Presidential Risk Factors?
Discussion/assignment 18
Bollet, “Was the death of Pres Harding…”
Bollet, AND “Did FDR’s hypertension…”
Is Mental Illness?
"Depression" - V12001452,
Assignment 19 (in class)/discussion.
Jul 15
Student presentations
Jul 16
FINAL EXAM! (9:00 - 11:00)
Note: The groups presenting may require
reading and/or include an assignment as
part of their presentation/lecture. If a
group chooses to do so, it will be added to
the schedule.