Love Malin problems related to hunger and life and death Case Study

Love Malin problems related to hunger and life and death - Case Study Example On a more specific ground, Mali, a nation in the West Africa is evaluated and assessed on the basis of its problems related to hunger, life and death. There are numerous causes of deaths in Mali. Most of them are: accidents, wars, homicides and diseases (Dettwyler, 1994). These causes are just but general, are the same as in the rest of the world. Therefore, there are unique conditions that accelerate Mali’s problems in relation to the three variables aforementioned. The distinctive reasons are intertwined to explain the gap between this nation and the rest of Africa, as well as with the rest of the world. On the same note, anthropology has a role to play. Malnutrition is a common problem in Mali. Lack of proper nutrition among both children and adults has been a result of extensive hunger across the country. There are little or no efforts by the government to resolve this issue, so affording proper meals is a hustle by itself. Over and above the hunger issue there are certain diseases that have kept this country cornered. They are: malaria, HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases. Malian problems mostly impact young children since they are adversely affected by malaria. Biomedicine has fundamental role to play here, but the core values of the Malian culture are a significant stumbling block. There are some efforts in pursuit to address the Malian problem. Some have succeeded while others have failed. The impact characteristic of these efforts depicts collaboration with the locals in order to deal with the problem from their perspective. Malian condition of hunger, life and death makes its impacts across personal and social boundaries. There are social, economic, political and psychological effects of these problems. Emotional stress, tragedies and frustrations are often experienced by locals prior to problems that relate to hunger, life and death. These problems cannot be simply addressed by taking

Discussion Questions III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion Questions III - Essay Example The effectiveness depends on the strength of understanding and ability to influence and achieve. â€Å"Strategies for communication and influence need to be rooted in a detailed, context-specific understanding of both the behavioral patterns and the underlying cultural values of those with whom we want to engage. Recognition of this is a vital first step for professionals†¦ who want to exert influence upon and engage with others across the globe.† (Dr Mooij, 2009) Negotiations are an important part of conducting business to arrive at mutually acceptable decisions or resolve issues where participants hold differences of opinion or objectives. But, â€Å"operating across national cultures often magnifies negotiation problems† (Hendon, 1999, p.16) due to differences in interpreting the subtle languages of time, space and other concepts. Apart from culture, the ability to negotiate is also affected by emotions, and body language is interpreted differently in different cultures. Take the simple action of a friendly handshake for example. Like the Germans, Americans tend to shake hands forcefully, but â€Å"in some parts of Europe a handshake is usually quick and to the point† (ibid, p.70) and the Asian handshake may be limp. Asians might interpret an American handshake as being â€Å"too abrupt and heavy-handed† (ibid) whereas an American may consider the less firm handshake as a sign of being unassertive. Spatial concepts dictate greeting rituals, the size of one’s personal ‘comfort zone’, eye contact, acceptable seating arrangements, and so on, all of which differ between cultures. Concerning time, this is something that is followed more strictly in a fast paced country like America than it is in many other countries of the world. The typical western mode of thinking perceives the concept of time as linear and sequential rather than cyclic and simultaneous. Thus, the negotiating style for someone having the former perception

Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Report - Assignment Example All these factors together with local conflicts have resulted in a poorer educational system in countries such as Africa and South Asia and in countries with a high population the situation is even worse (Crawford, 1995). Even those institutions which are backed by sufficient funding do suffer from certain shortfalls such as lack of appropriate teaching materials, shortage of teachers and less motivation programs for both teachers and students to completely enjoy the fruits of education (Notes). The teaching fraternity plays a vital role in the promotion of education among students, especially in the primary classes, and they should have access to the right teaching materials which would help to develop basic reading and writing skills of students. As if this is resolved students will have the confidence to excel and do better in higher classes as foundation is definitely the key to higher learning. Despite this understanding modern schools have shied away from providing the much needed encouragement for both teachers and students (Holmes, 2008, Notes). Additionally schools have also not been supported by suitable governmental policies and practices as they only focus on the economic or social outcomes of education. Unless the primary educational system is strengthened we will not be able to achieve the right benefits of education and it will merely remain only as a solution to global problems rather than as a means to realize the true potential of an individual (Carroll,

Love Malin problems related to hunger and life and death Case Study

Love Malin problems related to hunger and life and death - Case Study Example On a more specific ground, Mali, a nation in the West Africa is evaluated and assessed on the basis of its problems related to hunger, life and death. There are numerous causes of deaths in Mali. Most of them are: accidents, wars, homicides and diseases (Dettwyler, 1994). These causes are just but general, are the same as in the rest of the world. Therefore, there are unique conditions that accelerate Mali’s problems in relation to the three variables aforementioned. The distinctive reasons are intertwined to explain the gap between this nation and the rest of Africa, as well as with the rest of the world. On the same note, anthropology has a role to play. Malnutrition is a common problem in Mali. Lack of proper nutrition among both children and adults has been a result of extensive hunger across the country. There are little or no efforts by the government to resolve this issue, so affording proper meals is a hustle by itself. Over and above the hunger issue there are certain diseases that have kept this country cornered. They are: malaria, HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases. Malian problems mostly impact young children since they are adversely affected by malaria. Biomedicine has fundamental role to play here, but the core values of the Malian culture are a significant stumbling block. There are some efforts in pursuit to address the Malian problem. Some have succeeded while others have failed. The impact characteristic of these efforts depicts collaboration with the locals in order to deal with the problem from their perspective. Malian condition of hunger, life and death makes its impacts across personal and social boundaries. There are social, economic, political and psychological effects of these problems. Emotional stress, tragedies and frustrations are often experienced by locals prior to problems that relate to hunger, life and death. These problems cannot be simply addressed by taking

Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Report - Assignment Example All these factors together with local conflicts have resulted in a poorer educational system in countries such as Africa and South Asia and in countries with a high population the situation is even worse (Crawford, 1995). Even those institutions which are backed by sufficient funding do suffer from certain shortfalls such as lack of appropriate teaching materials, shortage of teachers and less motivation programs for both teachers and students to completely enjoy the fruits of education (Notes). The teaching fraternity plays a vital role in the promotion of education among students, especially in the primary classes, and they should have access to the right teaching materials which would help to develop basic reading and writing skills of students. As if this is resolved students will have the confidence to excel and do better in higher classes as foundation is definitely the key to higher learning. Despite this understanding modern schools have shied away from providing the much needed encouragement for both teachers and students (Holmes, 2008, Notes). Additionally schools have also not been supported by suitable governmental policies and practices as they only focus on the economic or social outcomes of education. Unless the primary educational system is strengthened we will not be able to achieve the right benefits of education and it will merely remain only as a solution to global problems rather than as a means to realize the true potential of an individual (Carroll,

Architecture Research Paper Kansai International Airport Essay Example for Free

Architecture Research Paper Kansai International Airport Essay The Kansai International Airport designed by architect Renzo Piano is a very fascinating and unique building. It construction combines a man-made island, a high-tech new age looking structure and creative architectural design to create one of the biggest and most expensive airports in the world as seen to right in (Figure-1a). Human use of Kansai Airport is best expressed by the lecture topics discussed in class that include: Designation and Organization of Use, Architectural Determinism, Humanism at a Personal Scale, and Humanism at the Scale of Neighborhoods / Communities/Bureaucracies and Meaning in Architecture. In the Professor Speck’s class lecture over Designation and Organization of Use, there are many themes that I feel parallel with the design of Kansai International Airport. In lecture Professor Speck said that the overall environment a building is in encourages both the behavioral aspects and the physical environment, which in turn alters the shape behavior of the building. This statement correlates perfectly to Kansai Airport, because first of all the building is built of the coast of Osaka, Japan on a made-island. So before the building is built there is already a sense of behavioral and physical difference that sets it apart from other buildings. According to the lecture space is designated for three reasons. The first reason being the practicality of the designated space, then the injection of certain cultural values and taboos and finally the intrinsic human need to claim pace- intervals and community. Also, he said that when architects are planning the zoning for building they consider time, efficiency and machines. Kansai Airport was built because of a need for a big international airport; however, Piano had to find an alternate location due to the crowdedness of the Osaka Bay area. Thus, he used the theme of designation and organization use to come to the conclusion of a manmade island. Piano decision for the island can be compared to early American houses expressed in the book The Place Houses. In the book the authors describe how the early houses in New England, Virginia and Deep South differed in design to help adapt to there environment. However, after Piano solved the problem of where the airport would be built he still had to decide how long to make the island so it could house the massive structure. The final decision was for the island to be four kilometers long and one kilometer wide. The Phaidon Press describes this well in the book On Tour with Renzo Piano when they write, â€Å"Projects such as Kansai International Airport are so large in scale that they are almost impossible to grasp. †(p. 7). The size of the island is seen from an aerial view above in (Figure 2-a). Architectural Determinism, as mentioned by Professor Speck, played an important role in the design and construction of the Kansai Airport. The interior of the building is very easy to navigate around. Transparent glass helps calm people down and at the same time speed up the process of arrival and departure. The long and narrow design allows for a nearly infinite field of vision, creating a stress free and carefree environment. This is described well in the book Renzo Piano when Emilo Pizzi writes, â€Å"The desire to maximize transparency between the various areas allocated to embarkation and arrival procedures mans that precedence is given at every point to the passengers need to find their way, as well as enabling them to see the planes parked in front of the building through windows. † (p. 228). Rather than some buildings where people can feel like a needle in hay stack and get lost easily, Kansai International is very easy to navigate through even with its massive size. The transparency of the interior that results in easy and efficiency of movement from one place to another is apparent in (Figure 3-a) right and above. The next issue presented in lecture related to the Kansai Airport is Humanism at a Personal Scale. The assortment of different kinds of plant life inside the terminal give let the airport connect with the people walking through it. The plants help to offset the cold, unwelcoming feeling that is given off by the vast amount of steel, high ceiling and open spaces. Also helping to offset this unwelcoming feeling is the beautiful view of the Osaka Bay. The large glass windows combined with sun reflecting off the water allows a lot of natural light into the terminal. As expressed in the book The Place of Houses natural light helps give a warm vivid feeling to room that will stay in our minds long after we walk out of that room. Another small but import feature of Kansai Airport is the small signs that give directions. While all airports have these signs, they are especially important particularly in this massive terminal. Convenience of restaurants and stores also helps the airport to connect to the people walking through it on a more personal scale. This range of activities helps everyone that is arriving or departing feel a little bigger in such a enormous place. All of the small tributaries from the restaurants, stores, etc. lead to a â€Å"canyon† area that is the focal point of the terminal. Again this is to try and make arrival and departure run more smoothly. This is explained well in the book Renzo Piano when Emilo Piano writes, â€Å"Inside, the different levels convene into the â€Å"canyon,† a tall atrium occupying the fall of the height of the building, which acts as a sorting point for those arriving or disembarking off the planes. † (p. 28). The importance of focus is also cited in the book The Place of Houses, which says that the â€Å"focus† of a room is one of the most important and critical characteristics, because they (foci) are meant help to organize the room around the center of interest. In this case is canyon is both the center of interest and the â€Å"gateway† to the re st of the terminal. In (Figure 4-a) right and above one can clearly see how the â€Å"canyon† along with the massive signs help to make Kansai International Airport more manageable and how it helps to cater to people on a more humanistic and personal scale. Humanism at the Scale of Neighborhoods/Communities/Bureaucracies is the next issue I will discuss and its connection with the Kansai International Airport. I think that buzzing, busy atmosphere makes the people in the terminal feel warm and jovial. While it could be argued that to many persons walking scurrying through the airport at the same time could be disturbing and annoying, I think that like the plants, stores and restaurant the sea of people helps to fill the gigantic inside space of the terminal. However, if Kansai were compared to a city I would definitely compare it to one of the larger metropolises in the US, simply because of number of people and the crowded feeling it gives off. I think that the feel in the terminal would be like an exaggerated effect of what west campus is like during the afternoon of a school day. Both require a lot of walking and there is almost no opportunity to drive an automobile through either. Although I do not believe that Kansai Airport is necessarily a bad environment, it is certainly not a nurturing one. In lecture Professor Speck pointed out that there are eight principles of nurturing communities. They are as follows, convenience, wide range of articles, wide range of activities, sense of human presence, personal human scale, variety of visual experiences, freedom from intrusion of disturbance and natural relief. In my opinion Kansai Airport satisfies all of them except for intrusion of distraction, which is definitely does not satisfy because of the mass amounts of people. Emilo Pizzi explains this well in Renzo Piano when we he writes, â€Å"The place seems to evoke the turmoil of Japanese cities, but also the spirit of a millenary civilization†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 228). Although Kansai is not terrible as far as its Humanism at the Scale of Neighborhood/Communities/Bureaucracies is concerned it is definitely not as personable as the examples given in lecture, such as Kresege College in California, Byker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England, Tapiola New Town, Finland or the Crown Fountain, Millennium Park, Chicago. The final issue that Professor Speck discussed about in lecture was the Meaning of Architecture. The issue begins with the visual culture progression in the past fifty years leading to both greater reading comprehension and greater visual comprehension; architecture had to progress as well. Thus, architects started to use certain ways to â€Å"communicate† these ways of communication include Literal Direct Communication (LDC), Literal Indirect Communication (LIC) and Abstract. An example of LDC is a billboard of a cow with the caption â€Å"eat more,† so physically the meat is depicted. An example of LIC would be a picture of Bevo with the caption â€Å"We’re Texas. † Finally Abstract is defined as depicting certain feeling, colors, shapes, etc. I believe that Kansai International Airport is a combination of LDC and Abstract, because it looks like an airport with runways, planes, etc. but also is made of very unique shapes that set it apart from any other building. The uniqueness of Kansai that make it abstract are demonstrated well in Renzo Piano when Emilo Pizzi writes, â€Å"From the air, the building looks like a shining flag that cheerfully greets the traveler from the vast artificial island. The image stays in the mind when, having landed, the plane comes to a halt in front of the large metallic facade of the building. † (p. 224). A visual Kansai is flag-like structure and its Abstract communication is clearly depicted in (Figure 5-a) below. In conclusion, Professor Speck discussed many issues in lecture that distinguished the human and personal use of buildings all over the globe. The issues consisted of : Designation and Organization of Use, Architectural Determinism, Humanism at Personal Scale, Humanism at the Scale of Neighborhoods/ Communities/Bureaucracies and Meaning in Architecture. These issues/topics are especially vital in expressing the personal and human architectural use of Kansai International Airport. Theses issue give a small sample of truly how creative and unique Kansai Airport’s Architect Renzo Piano is and how impressive and world renounced Kansai International is by both world-class architects and just the every day observer alike. This airport with its manmade island and unique high-tech look will always be remembered and will mostly definitely used as a model for airports and other buildings in the future.

Streptococcus Mutans: Causes, Effects and Transmission

Streptococcus Mutans: Causes, Effects and Transmission Introduction Streptococcus mutans is the bacteria responsible for dental cavities in humans. The full taxonomy, or classification of the organism, is Bacteria Firmicutes Bacilli Lactobacillales Streptococcaceae Streptococcus Mutans (1). From S. mutans’ scientific name one can understand quite a bit about the bacteria. The domain and kingdom are Bacteria, meaning S. mutans is a one celled organism that doesn’t have a distinct nucleus. The phylum Firmicutes tells us that the cell wall is strong, thick, and most likely Gram-positive. The class Bacilli explains the rod-shape of the bacteria. The order is Lactobacillales and the definition of Lactobacillales is â€Å"lactic acid bacteria†. Streptococcaceae family classifies S. mutans as Gram-positive, facultative anaerobe, usually nonmotile, and found in pairs, chains, or tetrads. From the genus of streptococcus, we know that the bacteria is non spore forming, in pairs or chains, and usually requires a complex culture medium to gr ow. Finally, the species Mutans specifies that the bacteria lives in our mouths and causes dental cavities. Cavities are permanent tooth decay that makes holes in teeth and are usually painful. They can lead to more serious health complications. Morphology The morphology of S. mutans, or form and structure of an organism, is why this bacteria can create cavities so well and why it is so hard to kill. S. mutans is 0.5 to 0.75 micrometers in diameter, Gram-positive cocci, strepto arrangement(1,2). To put the size of S. mutans into prospective, a micrometer is one millionth the size of a meter. Gram- positive cells turn purple from crystal violet in the Gram stain test. Gram-positive cells turn purple because the cell wall is composed of a thick layer of peptidoglycan, a polymer made from polysaccharide and peptide chains(1). The peptidoglycan holds onto the crystal violet and doesn’t let it get washed out. This component of the cell wall also prevents osmosis lysis. That means the cell will not burst from an imbalance of solvent concentration from inside the cell to the outside of the cell. Streptococci bacteria such as S. mutans are cocci, or a circular bacteria that sticks together in a line, or strepto arrangement. This single cell organism does not have a nucleus or organelles in its cytoplasm. The genetic material is kept in single strands that get duplicated during binary fission, which is how the cell reproduces because it does not produce spores. This bacteria has a capsule composed of polysaccharide and dextran glucose. S. mutans uses a protein on its surface to attach itself to a tooth, the bacteria then grows this dextran capsule that is a slime that binds the bacteria to the tooth enamel. In this slime is where the bacteria divides and produces colonies, this is a biofilm. S. mutans is a facultative anaerobe so the bacteria uses oxygen if it is present, but does not need oxygen to survive(2). This mesophilic bacteria grows best at 18 to 40 degrees Celsius (64 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit)(1). All of S. mutans morphology makes it completely adapted to living in such an extreme place as a mouth. Biofilm S. mutans is an animal parasite, especially in animals with a high carbohydrate diet. Because this bacteria is a parasite, it needs a host to survive and the host suffers from the bacteria. S. mutans is the main reason for dental cavities and is found mostly on the surface of teeth. It is found in higher concentration in the natural crevices and fissures of teeth. On these surfaces S. mutans creates plaque. Plaque is a biofilm. Biofilm is microorganisms sticking to a surface and to each other in an extracellular matrix that is usually self-produced. Plaque is formed in three steps. First the pellicle, or film, is formed. The pellicle is the dextran polymer capsule on the bacteria. This also becomes the extracellular matrix of the biofilm. Second is the cell to surface attachment of S. mutans to the tooth(1). Last is later S. mutans attaching to the first S. mutans that landed on the tooth. This plaque biofilm is 300-500 cells(1). Plaque formation begins immediately after the tooth su rface is cleaned and takes four to seven days for the plaque to become fully mature. After only one to two days of uninterrupted formation, the plaque is visible. Plaque can calcify and become hard, forming calculus. Plaque will continue to grow over calculus(3). Metabolism S. mutans have a fairly simple metabolism. A metabolism is the chemical processes that occur in an organism to maintain life. S. mutans cleave, or cut, sucrose from the host’s diet into glucose and fructose(1). They eat these food particles with channels in their cell wall that help molecules cross the cell wall and get into the cell(4). If there are no food particles the bacteria leaks an enzyme that attacks and breaks down certain tissues in its environment. The fructose that came from the sucrose is fermented and used as an energy source for the bacteria to grow. The glucose is polymerized into the dextran polymer that is the extracellular matrix that cements the S. mutans to tooth enamel(1). The dextran slime can later be depolymerized back into glucose. This glucose would be used as a carbon source that results in the production of lactic acid. The lactic acid in the plaque decalcifies the enamel and leads to cavities and infections of a tooth. Diseases Cavities caused by S. mutans cause many unpleasant symptoms and may cause more health issues. When a cavity is just beginning you may not have any symptoms, this makes cavities hard to catch unless you visit the dentist regularly. Once the cavity gets larger it can cause a toothache, tooth sensitivity to something as simple as the air we breathe, pain when eating or drinking anything sugary, pain brought on by hot or cold substances, pain while chewing or biting down, and a bitter taste in your mouth. Cavities will create visible holes, discoloration on teeth, and bad breath, which can lead to low self-esteem and poor social interactions. If cavities get deep enough to get into the pulp chamber of the tooth, it can cause an abscessed, or infected, tooth. The cavity causes inflammation in the center of the tooth and an infection forms. The infection will create a puss pocket, this is the abscess. Abscesses can spread to the gum and jaw bone, causing pain and inflammation. Sometimes th e pain caused by an abscessed tooth is so extreme it can’t be relieved by pain medication. If the abscess spreads quickly it can cause fever and swelling in the face. If an abscess pops it may cause flu- like symptoms. These abscesses that are caused by the cavities created by S. mutans can lead to another mouth disease, periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is divided into two categories: gingivitis and periodontitis(5). Gingivitis is less severe and more common, it is the inflammation of gum tissue. Periodontitis is an inflammatory response due to plaque that causes the gum to come loose from the tooth and recede and causes loss of bone in the jaw. In extreme cases, the gum recedes enough to expose the entire root of the tooth. The overall oral health of an individual is closely related to health throughout the body. Heart disease, stroke, endocarditis, premature birth and low birth weight, diabetes, and osteoporosis are all closely linked to periodontal disease and othe r mouth infections. S. mutans can cause some serious health issues if proper oral health is not maintained. The surgeon general has called tooth decay the â€Å"silent epidemic†. Transmittion S. mutans take up 30 to 60 percent of an adult’s normal oral flora(4). This means out of all the normal microorganisms that live in a mouth S. mutans is one of the most common. Adults have a higher concentration of this bacteria in their mouths, but children are more vulnerable to it(1). The most common transfer of S. mutans is from a caregiver to a child. It can be passed vertically, or from a mother to a baby immediately before and after birth. So, if a mother has a lot of S. mutans bacteria there is a good chance the child will inherit that trait. The bacteria can also be passed horizontally, or from one person to another. Saliva will pass S. mutans from one person to another. If a caregiver shares eating utensils with a child, they are giving that child the S. mutans bacteria. If the child doesn’t have teeth the bacteria will colonize in furrows of the tongue(1). Cavities are the most common childhood disease. A child is five times more likely to suffer from cavitie s than asthma. Prevention and Treatment Cavities are the reason for half of all dental visits and two billion dollars are spent a year in treatment(1). S. mutans are extremely hard to treat with medicine because biofilm cells are 1,000 times more tolerant to antibiotics(4). There is no cure for S. mutans because of its virulence factors. It contains water insoluble glycan, has an acid tolerance, and produces lactic acid. Although we can’t get rid of this bacteria, we can prevent and treat its diseases. Brushing at least twice a day, especially after meals, and flossing at least once a day can help prevent cavities causes by S. mutans. If there isn’t any food particles for the bacteria to break down, it can’t form lactic acid to break down the enamel. Fluoride treatments also help prevent cavities by strengthening the tooth enamel. Enamel is the human body’s most mineralized substance. Fluoride can also reverse some decalcification caused by the lactic acid through a process called remineralizati on. Visiting the dentist every six months for a cleaning is recommended. Dentists and dental hygienists will help prevent the damage done by S. mutans and will catch cavities in early stages. Dentists can also apply sealants to the crevices on the chewing side of molars. A sealant is a thin plastic-like coating that will prevent plaque from building up on the tooth itself. Everyone has the S. mutans bacteria and the only thing anyone can do to prevent cavities is to lessen the impact of the acid fermentation caused by this bacteria. Once cavities have formed a dentist will give fillings. Dentist’s drill a small area around the cavity to fit either an amalgam or a composite filling inside of the hole or divot created by the lactic acid. Amalgam fillings are the silver-looking fillings many people have. They are durable, strong, last 10-15 years, and are less expensive than the composite fillings. The negatives of amalgam fillings are they discolor the tooth, cause cracks and f ractures, allergic reactions, and destroy tooth structure. Composite fillings look better because they are made to look the same color as a tooth. They are also chemically bonded for better support and less tooth needs to be removed prior to putting the filling in. The negatives of the composite filling are they need to be replaced about every five years and they are double the cost of amalgam fillings. If a cavity is too bad the dentist may need to perform a root canal and remove the nerves from the tooth. That tooth will then be dead, but it will not hurt anymore. In some cases a dentist might just need to pull a tooth out. Future A University of Florida oral biology professor, Jeffrey Hillman has found a way to tweak the S. mutans bacteria in a way that the bacteria will stop converting sugar into lactic acid. Without lactic acid there are no cavities. S. mutans and humans used to live together in harmony until relatively recently when our diets contained more refined sugar. Hillman’s vision is to have patients swish the dominant modified bacteria in their mouths for a few minutes, then chew gum to activate it. At that point that person would be cavity free for life. Hillman calls this â€Å"replacement therapy†(6). Conclusion S. mutans can very easily live in our mouths because of factors such as its peptidoglycan cell wall that makes it hard to penetrate and polysaccharide and dextran glucose capsule that adheres the bacteria to teeth and forms its matrix. That same dextran slime creates lactic acid that breaks down the calcification on our enamel, creating cavities. Cavities can lead to more serious health issues. There is no guarantee to preventing diseases caused by S. mutans. Brushing, flossing, and dental visits are the best thing one can do to prevent the diseases. Maybe one day Hillman’s discovery will be utilized so humans and Streptococcus mutans can live in harmony again. References Streptococcus mutans. MicrobeWiki. The student editied microbiology resource. Microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Streptococcus_mutans Edited 2014 Heather Payne. Streptococcus mutans. Missouri ST. web.mst.edu/~microbio/BIO221_2005/S_mutans published 2005 Time and Rate of Plaque Formation. University of Illinois at Chicago. www.wic.edu/classes/peri/peri311/lec8sm/dentalplaque3.htm Amber Allmann. Streptococcuss mutans. University of Wisconsin La Crosse. Bioweb,awlax.edu/bio203/s2007/allmann_ambe/ Published 2007 Walter J. loesche. Microbiology of Dental Decay and Periodental. Medical Microbiology. www.ncbi.nlm.nh.gov/books/NBK8259 Published 1996 Explore. Tackling tooth decay. Researched at The University of Florida. www.research.wfl.edu/publications/explore/V09n2/feature_03.html Published summer of 2004