Notes to Volumes I and II : from the creation to the exodus

by Louis Ginzberg

Notes to Volumes III and IV. From Moses in the Wilderness to Esther

by Louis Ginzberg

Identfying predictors of St. Louis encephalitis activity in Houston Texas

Generalized linear Poisson and logistic regression models were utilized to examine the relationship between temperature and precipitation and cases of Saint Louis encephalitis virus spread in the Houston metropolitan area. The models were investigated with and without repeated measures, with a first order autoregressive (AR1) correlation structure used for the repeated measures model. The two types of Poisson regression models, with and without correlation structure, showed that a unit increase in temperature measured in degrees Fahrenheit increases the occurrence of the virus 1.7 times and a unit increase in precipitation measured in inches increases the occurrence of the virus 1.5 times. Logistic regression did not show these covariates to be significant as predictors for encephalitis activity in Houston for either correlation structure. This discrepancy for the logistic model could be attributed to the small data set.^ Keywords: Saint Louis Encephalitis; Generalized Linear Model; Poisson; Logistic; First Order Autoregressive; Temperature; Precipitation. ^

Effects of asbestos and silica on superoxide anion production in the guinea pig alveolar macrophage

Asbestos and silica are important industrial hazards. Exposure to these dusts can result in pulmonary fibrosis and, in the case of asbestos, cancer. Although the hazards of asbestos and silica exposure have long been known, the pathogenesis of dust-related disease is not well understood. Both silica and asbestos are thought to alter the function of the alveolar macrophage, but the nature of the biochemical alteration is unknown. Therefore, this study examined the effect of asbestos and silica on the activation pathway of the guinea pig alveolar macrophage. Activation of macrophages by physiological agents results in stimulation of phospholipase C causing phosphatidyl inositol turnover and intracellular calcium mobilization. Phosphatidyl inositol turnover produces diacylglycerol which activates protein kinase C causing superoxide anion production.^ Chrysotile stimulated alveolar macrophages to produce superoxide anion. This stimulation proceeded via phospholipase C, since chrysotile stimulated phosphatidyl inositol turnover and intracellular calcium mobilization. The possible involvement of a coupling protein was evaluated by pretreating cells with pertussis toxin. Pertussis toxin pretreatment partially inhibited chrysotile stimulation, suggesting that chrysotile activates a coupling protein in an non-classical manner. Potential binding sites for chrysotile stimulation were examined using a series of nine lectins. Chrysotile-stimulated superoxide anion production was blocked by pretreatment with lectins which bound to N-acetylglucosamine, but not by lectins which bound to mannose, fucose, or N-acetylgalactosamine. In addition, incubation with the N-acetylglucosamine polymer, chitin, inhibited chrysotile-stimulated superoxide anion production, suggesting that chrysotile stimulated superoxide anion production by binding to N-acetylglucosamine residues.^ On the other hand, silica did not stimulate superoxide anion production. The effect of silica on agonist stimulation of this pathway was examined using two stimulants of superoxide anion production, N-formyl-nle-leu-phe (FNLP, which stimulates through phospholipase C) and phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (which directly activates protein kinase C). Sublethal doses of silica inhibited FNLP-stimulated superoxide anion production, but did not affect phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate-stimulated superoxide anion production, suggesting that the site of inhibition precedes protein kinase C. This inhibition was not due to cell membrane damage, since cell permeability to calcium-45 and rubidium-86 was not increased. It is concluded that chrysotile binds to N-acetylglucosamine residues on macrophage surface glycoproteins to stimulate the physiological pathway resulting in superoxide anion production. In contrast, silica does not stimulate superoxide anion production, but it did inhibit FNLP-stimulated superoxide anion production. ^

Proceedings of the 14th Annual Biochemical Engineering Symposium

The Annual Biochemical Engineering Symposium series is devoted to presentations by students on their research topics. The fourteenth event, held in 1984, was organized at the University of Missouri–Columbia. It was attended by the biochemical engineering faculty and the students from Colorado State University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, University of Missouri–Columbia, University of Missouri–Rolla and Washington University, St. Louis. Contents"Estimation of Product Formation Kinetics and Microbial Yield Parameters for Anaerobic Organic Acid and Solvent Production," M.D. Oner, Kansas State University "Characterization of Soy Protein Texturization in a Complex Bioreactor," J.L. Ibave, Colorado State University "Acid and Solvent Fermentations Using Mixed Cultures," D. Stevens, University of Missouri–Columbia "Preliminary Process Design for Ethanol from Sweet Sorghum Ensilage Feedstock," Keith D. Lange, Colorado State University "Lamella Settlers in Ethanol Fermentation," Yong Jayanata, University of Missouri–Columbia "Bubble Size Distribution in the Down Flow Section of an Air-Lift Column," Snehal A. Patel and C.H. Lee, Kansas State University "The Sensitivity of Plant Cells to Shear Stress," Morris Z. Resenberg and Eric H. Dunlap, Washington University, St. Louis "Estimation of Growth Yield Parameters Associated with Microbial Growth," Hyeon Y. Lee, Kansas State University "Capillary Gas Chromatography of Trimethylsilylated Trisaccharides," Etienne J.M. Selosse, Iowa State University "Subsite Mapping of an Endo-Xylanase Labeled Xylooligo-saccharides," Bernard Y. Tao, Iowa State University "Cellulase Enzyme Recycle," Kate M.V. Baptie, Colorado State University "Non-Homogeneous Poisson Renewal Reward Process for Modelling Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulose," M.M. Gharpuray and L.T. Fan, Kansas State University

Statistics of the National soil test database of France

In France, farmers commission about 250,000 soil-testing analyses per year to assist them managing soil fertility. The number and diversity of origin of the samples make these analyses an interesting and original information source regarding cultivated topsoil variability. Moreover, these analyses relate to several parameters strongly influenced by human activity (macronutrient contents, pH...), for which existing cartographic information is not very relevant. Compiling the results of these analyses into a database makes it possible to re-use these data within both a national and temporal framework. A database compilation relating to data collected over the period 1990-2009 has been recently achieved. So far, commercial soil-testing laboratories approved by the Ministry of Agriculture have provided analytical results from more than 2,000,000 samples. After the initial quality control stage, analytical results from more than 1,900,000 samples were available in the database. The anonymity of the landholders seeking soil analyses is perfectly preserved, as the only identifying information stored is the location of the nearest administrative city to the sample site. We present in this dataset a set of statistical parameters of the spatial distributions for several agronomic soil properties. These statistical parameters are calculated for 4 different nested spatial entities (administrative areas: e.g. regions, departments, counties and agricultural areas) and for 4 time periods (1990-1994, 1995-1999, 2000-2004, 2005-2009). Two kinds of agronomic soil properties are available: the firs one correspond to the quantitative variables like the organic carbon content and the second one corresponds to the qualitative variables like the texture class. For each spatial unit and temporal period, we calculated the following statistics stets: the first set is calculated for the quantitative variables and corresponds to the number of samples, the mean, the standard deviation and, the 2-,4-,10-quantiles; the second set is calculated for the qualitative variables and corresponds to the number of samples, the value of the dominant class, the number of samples of the dominant class, the second dominant class, the number of samples of the second dominant class.

Chemical composition and isotopic ratios of basic lavas from Iceland and the surrounding ocean floor

Major and trace dement data are used to establish the nature and extent of spatial and temporal chemical variations in basalts erupted in the Iceland region of the North Atlantic Ocean. The ocean floor samples are those recovered by legs 38 and 49 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. Within each of the active zones on Iceland there are small scale variations in the light rare earth elements and ratios such as K/Y: several central complexes and their associated fissure swarms erupt basalts with values of K/Y distinct from those erupted at adjacent centres; also basalts showing a wide range of immobile trace element ratios occur together within single vertical sections and ocean floor drill holes. Although such variations can be explained in terms of the magmatic processes operating on Iceland they make extrapolations from single basalt samples to mantle sources underlying the outcrop of the sample highly tenuous. 87Sr/86Sr ratios measured for 25 of the samples indicate a total range from 0.7028 in a tholeiite from the Reykjanes Ridge to 0.7034 in an alkali basalt from Iceland and are consistent with other published ratios from the region. A positive correlation between 87Sr/86Sr and Ce/Yb ratios indicates the existence of systematic isotopic and elemental variations in the mantle source region. An approximately fivefold variation in Ce/Yb ratio observed in basalts with the same 87Sr/86Sr ratio implies that different degrees and types of partial melting have been involved in magma genesis from a single mantle composition. 87Sr/86Sr ratios above 0.7028, Th/U ratios close to 4 and La/Ta ratios close to 10 distinguish most basalts erupted in this part of the North Atlantic Ocean from normal mid-ocean ridge basalt (N-type MORB) - although N-type MORB has been erupted at extinct spreading axes just to the north and northeast of Iceland as well as the presently active Iceland-Jan Mayen Ridge. Comparisons with the hygromagmatophile element and radiogenic isotope ratios of MORB and the estimated primordial mantle indicate that the mantle sources producing Iceland basalts have undergone previous depletion followed by more recent enrichment events. A veined mantle source region is proposed in preference to the mantle plume model to explain the chemical variations.

Geochemistry of the volcanic basement of ODP Hole 134-831B

The basement of Bougainville Guyot drilled at Site 831 consists of andesitic hyalobreccias derived from a submarine arc volcano. The volcanic sequence has been dated by K/Ar at approximately 37 Ma. The 121 m of andesitic hyalobreccias drilled in Hole 831B have been divided into five subunits of two types: one appears to be primary, and the other contains evidence of reworking and a subaerial clastic input. Variations are attributed to fluctuations in water depth. The distinctive hyalobreccias consist of andesitic blebs with chilled margins and peripheral fractures set in a chaotic greenish matrix that is mainly altered glass, with crystals similar to those in the blebs or clasts. Their formation is attributed to violent reaction of andesitic magma discharged into seawater, in perhaps the submarine equivalent of fire-fountaining. There was limited reworking by currents and debris flows on the flanks of the submarine volcano. The andesite shows no significant compositional variation in phenocryst phases throughout the drilled sequence and contains phenocrysts of plagioclase (An88-43), clinopyroxene (Ca44Mg46Fe10-Ca41Mg40Fe19), orthopyroxene (Ca4Mg79Fe17-Ca3Mg58Fe39), and titanomagnetite. There is a systematic change in volcanic composition with height in the section, from more mafic andesites at the base, to overlying more acid andesites, and strong evidence exists that magma mixing may have played a significant role in the genesis of these lavas. The andesites have affinities with the low-K arc tholeiite series. Trace element and isotopic systematics for these rocks indicate very minor involvement of a LILE- and 87Sr-enriched slab-derived fluid in their petrogenesis. This accords with the previous suggestion that Bougainville Guyot forms part of an Eocene proto-island arc developed along the southern side of the d'Entrecasteaux Zone, above a southward-dipping subduction zone.