Treating the common cold during pregnancy. Many of my pregnant patients inquire as to what medication they can use when they experience symptoms of the common cold, such as cough, congestion, sneezing, and fever. I am hesitant to recommend over-the-counter cold remedies because I have heard conflicting information regarding the safety of these products.
Gametophytes. The gametophyte is the dominant phase in the life cycle of moss plants. This is the form of the plant most people are familiar with since it is often seen carpeting trees, rocks, and parts of the forest floor. Photosynthesis takes place in the gametophyte phase.
Even though both gametophytes and sporophytes contain the genetic material of the plant species in question, these different life phases often look different. Most complex vascular plants spend more time as sporophytes, but mosses are different: the visible part of the plant is actually the gametophyte stage for these species. Haploid gametophytes only have one copy of each chromosome in each of their cells, which is why this life phase must reproduce asexually. Eventually gametophytes produce gametes which combine to form a diploid zygote. This zygote grows into the sporophyte form. Diploid sporophytes have two copies of each chromosome and are therefore able to undergo meiosis to form haploid spores that grow into gametophytes, bringing the alternation of generations full circle.