Stanislaus County Research Articles

Polymers check furrow erosion, help river life

Each year, irrigation runoff from West Stanislaus County farmland carries about 1.2 million tons of sediment into the San Joaquin River. The sediment contains pesticide residues which threaten aquatic wildlife. One solution for this problem is to inject polyacrylamide polymers into irrigation water, a practice which reduces soil erosion and has economic benefits to the grower, such as increasing infiltration rates. In recent trials, this practice reduced soil erosion and runoff water from a furrow-irrigated spinach field. Polyacrylamide-treated furrows had a 10% lower outflow rate than the untreated furrows. In addition, the polyacrylamide flocculated the suspended soil particles; on average, 99.7% settled out compared to soil particles in untreated furrows.

Controlled trial of vitamin-mineral supplementation: Effects of intelligence and performance

615 schoolchildren were examined on multiple measures of intelligence, randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups for 12 weeks, and post-tested on the same measures of intelligence. One cohort received placebos while the other three were given different strength vitamin-mineral supplements. The trial was completed under ‘blind’ conditions, i.e. the subjects, the testers, and the scientists conducting the data analyses did not know any subject's group assignment. This created a triple-blind placebo-controlled, classical design capable of determining whether supplements could produce significant gains in standardized validated indices of intelligence/performance. The study was carried out in Stanislaus County, California, using 4 different schools. Results showed that for non-verbal Wechler Tests there were highly significant improvements in I.Q., whereas for the verbal tests there were none; a conclusion expected on the basis that ‘fluid’ intelligence, as measured by the non-verbal test, might be improved by supplementation, whereas ‘crystallized’ ability tests (verbal tests) would be unlikely to be so improved. This difference was predicted on the basis of previous studies also finding similakr results. Other tests (Raven's Matrices, the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills, the Matrix Analogies Test, and measures of Reaction Time and Inspection Time) gave additional confirmatory evidence on the contribution which supplementation of the diet by vitamins and minerals can make to the improvement of I.Q.

Effect of malathion-bait sprays on biological control of insect pests of olive, citrus, and walnut

The effect of malathion-bait sprays, directed against Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata [Wiedemann]), on biological control of selected non-target insects was investigated in northern California during 1982 and 1983. In Stanislaus County, 19 applications of malathion-bait spray were applied over a period of 7 months; following cessation of the spray program, increases of olive scale (Parlatoria oleae [Colvee]) and black scale (Saisettia oleae [Olivier]) on olive and of brown soft scale (Coccus hesperidium Linn.) and black scale on citrus were detected, compared to population levels of these scales in the adjacent unsprayed zone. The secondary outbreaks of these scales were attributed to destruction of natural enemies (chiefly parasites) by malathion. The outbreaks of black scale (citrus and olive) and brown soft scale were not apparent until 1 year after the first application of malathion-bait spray, or 5 months after the last application. Populations of cottony-cushion scale (Icerya purchasi Maskell), citrophilus mealybug (Pseudococcus calceolariae [Maskell]) and citricola scale (Coccus pseudomagnoliarum [Kuwana]) remained at low levels on citrus in the spray zone; no treatment effect on these species was detected. Latania scale (Hemeberlesia lataniae [Signoret]) on olive was apparently suppressed by the sprays. Walnut aphid (Chromaphis juglandicola [Kaltenbach]) in Commercial walnut orchards was less abundant in the spray zone 2 months after the last application of malathion-bait; no suitable explanation for this was available. In the city of Stockton, a secondary outbreak of walnut aphid occurred in the spray zone (during the spray period) whereas an outbreak of black scale on olive was detected shortly after the spray program ended. These outbreaks were attributed to destruction of natural enemies by malathion. In general, concentrations of malathion-bait sufficient to kill most adult parasites tested were less toxic to the pest species tested. These results indicate that future (medfly) eradication programs which employ numerous sequential applications of malathion-bait spray can be expected to disrupt a substantial portion of the biological control which exists in the target zone.

Morphological, Phenological, and Pollen-Distribution Evidence of Autogamy and Xenogamy in Gilia achilleifolia (Polemoniaceae)

In three populations of Gilia achilleifoliafloral morphological and phenological characters and pollen distribution on stigmas suggest that different breeding systems are associated with the two main races of the species. The shade race has small corollas, stigmas maturing below the anthers, low pollen production, low pollen-ovule ratios, homogamy, many pollen grains per stigma, and high seed set. The sun race differs in all these characters. Gilia achilleifolia Bentham, including ssp. multicaulis (Bentham) V. & A. Grant, is an annual species endemic to California. It is composed of two races-a race occupying sunny hillsides, characterized by dense inflorescences of large, showy flowers, and a race occupying shady places, having inflorescences with fewer, smaller flowers (Grant, 1954). Evidence for the genetic control of these characters was provided by Grant in a series of reciprocal transplant studies. Flowers of the sun race have stigmas exserted beyond the anthers whereas those of the shade race have stigmas situated below the anthers. Both races are self-compatible, but the progeny of self-pollinated shade-race plants show no inbreeding depression whereas the progeny of self-pollinated sun-race plants are less vigorous than their cross-pollinated counterparts (Grant, 1954). Populations of both races are interspersed throughout the southern and central Coast Ranges (Grant, 1954). While Grant's observations of the flowers and reproductive behavior of plants of the two races of G. achilleifolia led him to postulate that the species is composed of xenogamous and autogamous races, he did not explore this supposition further. In the present study floral characters of populations of the two races, and of a population intermediate between the two, were compared. The characters are: corolla size, degree of stigma exsertion, amount of pollen produced per flower, pollen-ovule ratio, degree of dichogamy, number of pollen grains per stigma, and seed set. MATERIALS AND METHODS The three populations sampled were: a small-flowered population (SML) on the upper slopes of Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County, a population with intermediate-sized flowers (IMD) in Del Puerto Canyon in Stanislaus County, and a large-flowered population (LGE) in Cerro 'This work was supported in part by a grant from Sigma Xi. I thank Robert Ornduff, Herbert Baker, and Dale Johnson for comments and suggestions. 2 Botany, University of California, Berkeley CA 94720.

Parent Education Groups

Parent Education Groups Get access Mark L. Zwick, MSW Mark L. Zwick, MSW Director Ćonsultation and Education, Department of Mental Health, Stanislaus County, Modesto, California Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Social Work, Volume 19, Issue 6, November 1974, Pages 729–731, https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/19.6.729 Published: 01 November 1974

Adventure in Learning

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Additional informationNotes on contributorsWilliam M. HammermanWilliam M. Hammerman is coordinator of Outdoor Education, San Francisco State College. Richard Brians is coordinator of Science and Outdoor Education, Stanislaus County, Modesto, California.Richard M. BriansWilliam M. Hammerman is coordinator of Outdoor Education, San Francisco State College. Richard Brians is coordinator of Science and Outdoor Education, Stanislaus County, Modesto, California.

Drainage by wells — an investigation in the Patterson Water District

A ground-water study was undertaken to investigate the feasibility of controlling water levels and draining agricultural land in areas of the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, California. The region selected for the field study was south of the town of Patterson, in Stanislaus County. Ground-water levels in the area had been rising due to intensive irrigation coupled with increased underground flow from new irrigated land which had been developed with water from the Delta-Mendota Canal. A test well, 10 shallow observation wells, and 21 deep piezometer holes were drilled. Well logs were recorded and correlated with general geologic information. The water quality in the te t well was determined periodically from 1959 to 1961. Shallow watertable level and deep piezometric-table levels were recorded continuously from October 1959 to July 1961. Several pumping and recovery tests were run and conventional as well as new methods of well hydraulic analysis were applied to the test data. An optimum pattern and spacing were computed for the proposed drainage wells.

Bacterial Endocarditis Due to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

THIS is the third case report of<i>Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans</i>as the sole infecting organism in subacute bacterial endocarditis. Mitchell and Gillespie¹reported the first case in 1964. Bergein Overholt²reported the second case in 1966. Before the initial report, infections due to<i>A actinomycetemcomitans</i>were of questionable significance since they were thought to be solely associated with actinomycosis. <h3>Report of a Case</h3> A 27-year-old white man was admitted to the Stanislaus County Hospital for the first time on Jan 23, 1964, because of pain in the right hip. For several days before the above date he had night sweats and epistaxis. He had had rheumatic fever at the age of 9. Sometime in 1962, when he was evaluated for life insurance, a heart murmur was found. There was no other pertinent information in his medical history. Physical examination revealed the blood pressure to be 108/60 mm Hg; pulse

Educating Blind Children in Stanislaus County

Educating Blind Children <i>in Stanislaus County</i>

Turlock virus: a presumably new arthropod-borne virus; isolation and identification.

Discussion and SummaryThe agent described in this paper is considered to be a newly-recognized arthropod-borne virus. Infection with this virus seems to be fairly prevalent in C. tarsalis in California, the recovery rate of the virus being approximately 3 per cent of all the pools tested. Infection is not restricted to C. tarsalis, however, since three strains were recovered in 1956 from Culex stigmatosoma. With respect to C. tarsalis, evidence of infection in this species appears during June or early July, the infection rate becomes maximal during July and thereafter diminishes, to fall to non-demonstrable levels by October.It appears probable that the Turlock virus has been present in the Central Valley of California for some time but was not detected until the chick embryo was employed routinely for testing field materials. Since the adult mouse has been almost uniformly employed for the examination of arthropod specimens in epidemiologic studies on the viral encephalitides, agents such as the Turlock virus, which have very little if any pathogenicity for the adult mouse, would be missed. Following the identification of the 46 agents isolated from C. tarsalis in 1954 as strains of a single agent, the immune sera prepared against these strains were used in the identification of two agents which had been isolated in previous years but had remained unidentified. One virus had been isolated from a pool of C. tarsalis captured in Kern County in 1953, and a second had been isolated from a pool of C. tarsalis collected at Turlock (Stanislaus County), California on July 9, 1947. Both isolates were found to be identical with the 46 agents isolated from C. tarsalis in 1954. The 1947 virus, identified retrospectively eight years after its isolation, was used as a basis for naming the new virus; since the mosquitoes which yielded the 1947 strain had been captured at Turlock, the new agent was named after this area.The role of the Turlock virus, if any, in the causation of human or animal disease has yet to be determined. Information thus far acquired, and based on limited material, suggests that human infection with the agent is not common. Likewise, no evidence was obtained that this virus is etiologically involved in the human encephalitides.

Review: Stories of Stanislaus, a Collection of Stories on the History and Achievements of Stanislaus County, by Sol. P. Elias

Review: <i>Stories of Stanislaus, a Collection of Stories on the History and Achievements of Stanislaus County</i>, by Sol. P. Elias

Medical News

(Physicians will confer a favor by sending for this department items of news of more or less general interest; SUCH AS RELATE TO SOCIETY ACTIVITIES, NEW HOSPITALS, EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH, ETC.) <h3>CALIFORNIA</h3><h3>New County Officers.</h3> —At the annual meeting of the Stanislaus County Medical Society, held in Modesto, Dr. Elwin F. Reamer, Modesto, was elected president; Dr. Fred W. McKibbon, Oakdale, vice president, and Dr. Fred R. De Lappe, Modesto, secretary-treasurer. <h3>Personal.</h3> —Dr. Sidney R. Dannenbaum has resigned as professor of medicine of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of San Francisco.—Dr. Jean V. Cook, professor of pathology in the University of California, has been appointed head of the pediatric department of Washington University, St. Louis.—Dr. Arthur D. Houghton, Los Angeles, was operated on for appendicitis at the Clara Barton Hospital, December 30, and is reported to be convalescent.—Drs. Albert H. Taylor and Edward S. Salomon have been given temporary