drosen's blog

Our group (#2) chose to focus on the hours slept and hours studied in relation to GPA. We determined that making 2 graphs showing the gradual change in GPA with both hours slept as well as hours studied would change the average GPA per student, regardless of gender. The independent variables in these graphs would be either the hours slept or the hours studied.  Upon analyzing the data we suspect that the hours spent studying, nor the hours one spent sleeping are significntly correlated to the GPA of the students. We could do this by comparing the overall graphs or the averages of 2 distinct groups such as the top 10 and the bottom 10 students. In addition, we could also create a normal distribution of the data and establish a standard deviation from the class average. From there, we could determine who are outliers and then assess their hours slept and studied to see if there are any obvious differences that may have led to this variability. 

Throughout the course of the United State’s history the foundation of human rights has continually shifted and expanded. At first, the focus was on human rights for those of certain races or gender and over time the focus of these progressive movements has shifted to more specific issues, such as health care. The concepts of affordable universal health care as a human right as well as a single-payer healthcare system have risen in popularity amidst the rises expenses and conversely deteriorating levels of care. Currently 55% of the american public support a single payer system. (Norman). In its present state, health care in the United States is covered by both public insurance programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid, as well as private insurance companies that are typically granted through one’s employer or directly purchased. (Rice). Following the mounting pressure from the american public as well as several democratic government employees, the affordable care act (ACA) was passed in 2014 which attempted to decrease the amount of uninsured or underinsured citizens. This was the United State’s first step towards a system that began to resemble a single-payer system or national health insurance system where a centralized government system provides universal healthcare that is then performed by private practices. (Dorning). Galae’s article describes the current socio-economic implications of this change, particularly in regards to a single-payer system. Galea provides an assessment of the political landscape by identifying the opposing parties and their concerns before countering these claims using the concept of a single-payer system and the nations that have already implemented this system.

I personally work in the medical field and I have been personally exposed to the struggles associated with the complexity and  shortcomings of the current system. As the wage gap continues to rise and the middle class erodes the fraction of lower to middle class citizens will only increase. As this class has historically struggled to have proper health care due to the aforementioned regulation of current insurance companies, cessation of private health insurance and the implementation of a single-payer system would likely benefit the masses, especially with emphasized focus on preventative care. Over time, this would eventually reduce the end of life costs that are the primary contributing factor to America’s atypically high expenditure.  

Despite the mounting supportive evidence, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies and republican representatives have claimed that transition to universal coverage would lead to increased costs and ultimately a socialist state of health care. (Galea). However, this is a false narrative that I suspect is meant to prey on the fear of generations who existed during the cold war, where the fear of a communist-socialist superpower was ingrained. In actuality, a single-payer system is only a universal health care system, however, medicine can still be performed by private practitioners as seen in Canada. (Rice). Furthermore, physicians as well as government officials at the state level are allowed flexibility in process so long as the main goal of universal care is achieved. (Galea) In addition, Canada’s single payer system has allowed them to spend over 6% less of its GDP on health care than the United States, showing that this system is not inherently more expensive. (Martin).

The United States’ healthcare system was first implemented by several powerful industries that likely saw the american public as a source of profit rather than a populace that deserved affordable, high quality care. This conglomerate, composed of the various insurance and pharmaceutical companies, have continually opposed the transition to a national health care system as they have profited tremendously from the sale of high-cost pharmaceuticals as well as the annual rise of both premiums and deductibles. Furthermore, while not a direct oppositional force, the Government would likely not provide universal health care without some form of tax reform to compensate as the increasing rate of diseases such as obesity and diabetes will likely lead to increasing cost.  Similarly, physicians and employers may also appear apprehensive as health care providers have been concerned with loss of autonomy and some nations, such a Germany, require employers to pay a percentage of the taxes that ultimately fund their national health care system. The implantation of a single payer system would likely benefit the average american citizen, particularly those of lower average income, minorities and children, however, a single-payer plan continues to be misrepresented as a socialist movement and is therefore seen as a direct threat to a capitalist nation.The various parties involved have different perspectives, opinions and concerns regarding to the healthcare system used and these feelings are not all exclusively to ensure efficacy and affordability.  

Throughout the course of the United State’s history the foundation of human rights has continually shifted and expanded. At first, the focus was on human rights for those of certain races or gender and over time the focus of these progressive movements has shifted to more specific issues, such as health care. the concepts of affordable universal health care as a human right as well as a single-payer healthcare system have risen in popularity amidst the rises expenses and conversely deteriorating levels of care. In its present state, health care in the United States is covered by both public insurance programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid, as well as private insurance companies that are typically granted through one’s employer or directly purchased. Following the mounting pressure from the american public as well as several democratic government employees, the affordable care act (ACA) was passed in 2014 which attempted to decrease the amount of uninsured or underinsured citizens. This was the United State’s first step towards a system that began to resemble a single-payer system or national health insurance system where a centralized government system provides universal healthcare that is then performed by private practices.  Galae’s article describes the current socio-economic implications of this change, particularly in regards to a single-payer system. Galea provides an assessment of the political landscape by identifying the opposing parties and their concerns before countering these claims using the concept of a single-payer system and the nations that have already implemented this system.

Experimentation is a fundamental pillar of the scientific process that is built upon a systematic approach and organized collection and presentation of data. No matter how conclusive or groundbreaking an experiment may be, the results should be viewed with skepticism until the results can be accurately and consistently replicated. While perfect replication of any experiment or action is an unfair expectation, these indescrepencies can be mitigated by a detailed and well written methods section.  The goal of this project was to highlight the importance of a detailed methods section as well as the wide array of variables that need to be addressed, such as time of day, distance, angle and orientation by photographing a flowering  plant from two different perspectives and creating a figure showing the regions that the subject inhabits. No matter how detailed, there will likely be minor inconsistencies between independent processes as not all variables, such as the weather or physiologic changes naturally occurring within the subject, can be controlled and instead must be accounted for when comparative analysis is being performed.

Migratory patterns are intrinsic behaviors that are controlled by photoperiods, gonad cycles and hormones as well as proximate factor such as weather and food availability trigger day-to-day actions while migrating. These behaviors are typically recurrent, however,  they also require correct conditions or access to resources to remain viable.  Given the extraordinarily long distances that some species travel; monitoring their movement and accumulating data on this has been challenging. Modern technological advances in doppler radar technology has allowed for more detailed tracking of large migratory patterns of several species. With information regarding their altitude, speed and direction, experts can made educated assumptions or even confidently identify which species they are monitoring.

The first experiment, done in the 1950s by the German, Gustav Kramer,  suggested that birds use the sun for directional positioning. The birds were housed in a circular cage that allowed them to see the sun. During migrating season,  they would face Northeast at all times, as if they were preparing for migration. However, on cloudy days they would not have any inclination towards any direction. Similar results were also observed in pigeons that were exposed to varied climates and asked to return to their homes. The birds in clear weather excelled where as the subjects in poorer conditions were unsuccessful or less efficient.  Of note, these birds were observed correcting for the sun’s position,  a technique that was noted to be similar to telling time.  This phenenomenon, dubbed the sun-arc hypothesis, was supported by an experiment where a lightbulb was substituted for the sun and the birds naturally corrected in anticipation of this pseudo-sun setting.