(EDITOR’S NOTE: ‘Common Sci-
ence” is a science column written
by Joe Jeffers, Ph.D. Jeffers
biology and biochemistry from
Purdue University. He teaches
chemistry and biology at Ouachita
Baptist University in Arkadelphia,
Arkansas. ‘Common Science” is
sponsored by The National Science
Foundation and appears periodi-
ToS
8
Termites can cause tremendous
damage to wooden structures. Each
year approximately $500,000,000 is
spent in the United States on the
control of wood-eating termites. It
seems odd, then, to say that ter-
mites cannot digest wood. Termites
can eat wood, but they cannot digest
it:
In order to digest, a food any
creature needs enzymes that can
break the food material into smaller
parts. The major structural mate-
rial in wood is cellulose. Consider
cellulose as a very long chain made
up of as many as 1500 individual
links.
The links themselves are glucose
molecules. Glucose is a high energy
food that is needed in the diets of
animals. As long as the glucose is
tied up in the structure of the
cellulose chain, it is not available as
an energy food. In order to break
molecules are released, the proper
J »
Termites do not have the enzymes
that breaks cellulose down into glu-
cose. They do have, however,
microscopic creatures called proto-
zoa that live in their intestines. The
protozoa do have the enzyme neces-
sary to digest cellulose. They digest
enough for their own uses and have
enough left over to supply the ter-
mite as well.
A termite cannot survive without
the protozoa. It would die of a
rather acute case of indigestion. A
newly hatched termite instinctively
licks the anus of another termite to
obtain a supply of the protozoa.
Each time a termite molts it loses
its gut linings and with them its
protozoa. Again it must lick another
termite to replenish its supply of
protozoa. What does the protozoa
back and waits for the termite to
deliver its dinner. In this relation-
ship, a form of symboiosis, both the
termite and the protozoa benefit.
Other examples of symbiosis are
common in nature. Cows routinely
eat grass which has a high cellulose
content. They cannot digest cellu-
lose either, but types of bacteria
and protozoa that live in their stom-
achs can digest it and produce
enough excess glucose to supply the
cows as well.
We humans also do not digest
cellulose. We have neither the
proper enzyme nor the microorgan-
isms that can digest it for us.
Cellulose passes through us undig-
ested, providing roughage in our
diets.
We get our major supply of glu-
cose from starch, which is also a
long chain composed of glucose
units. The glucoses in starch are
linked together in a different way
than the glucoses in cellulose.
Fortunately we do have the
enzyme that breaks starch into glu-
cose units. Humans do have a sym-
biotic relationship with intestinal
bacteria, however. These bacteria,
called E. coli, digest some foods we
cannot and as a result supply us
with vitamin K and vitamin B12.
Symbiosis is not limited to ani
mals. Plants in the legume family -
beans, peas, clover, peanuts, etc. -
have knots on their roots. Inside,
these knots live bacteria that can
convert nitrogen from the air into
ammonia, thereby supplying the
plant with its own in-house fertilizer
system. The plant in return supplies
other nutrients to thewe ‘nitrogen
fixing” bacteria.
Symbiosis also occurs with crea-
tures living separetely from one
another. Many fish are involved in
‘cleaning symbiosis.”
A small fish sets up a station on a
coral reef where other types of fish
can come to have fungi and other
parasites removed. The small fish
eats away the parasites, even going
into the mouth of the larger fish.
Both types of fish benefit from the
relationship. The small fish has its
food brought to it; the large fish
gets cleaned.
Insect-pollinated plants depend on
visits by insects to carry pollen
from one plant to another. Plants
have developed colorful flowers or
attractive odors to lure the insects
to the plants. The insects typically
get some food from the .plants -
either pollen or nectar - as they
travel.
Nature is full of interesting rela-
tionships like these. Some of them,
of course, benefit only one of the
creatures involved and harm the
other. But that is the subject of a
future issue.
Dressed in clown attire includ-
ing hat sporting a long-stemmed
flower, Billy Boom-ba is a popu-
lar entertainer at College Miseri-
cordia, whether it be the Faculty
Follies, Christmas Party, Mercy
Center or Meadows Nursing
Center.
Playing the unusual instru-
ment, usually to polka music, the
musician is always welcome at
college affairs. Most recently,
Billy Boom-ba played during
halftime at the College Miseri-
cordia girls and boys basketball
games with Keuka College.
Who is Billy Boom-ba? Proba-
bly few people could successfully
identify her — she (yes, she) is
Sister Sharon Gallagher, librar-
ian at College Misericordia.
A “frustrated” musician, as
Sr. Sharon describes herself, she
is one of those. talented persons
who has a harmonica, guitar,
accordion, and other such instru-
ments laying around. Her most
recent addition about eight years
ago, the boom-ba.
Sr. Sharon first saw a boom-ba
at the Wyoming Valley Mall,
where a group of artists was
advertising the Bavarian Festi-
val. Fascinated by the instru-
ment, she asked where she could
get one but they couldn’t tell her.
Since the group was promoting
the Bavarian Festival, Sr.
Sharon thought the boom-ba
came from Germany.
Later while in Florida, Sr.
Sharon and some friends went to
a Bavarian Restaurant where the
entertainment was a family of
trampoline artists. Sister went
up to the father, who couldn’t
speak English but through
numerous motions she used to
describe the boom-ba and inquir-
ing how she could find one, the
His answer came as a com-
plete surprise when he said
“Allentown.”
On her return home, Sr.
Sharon went all over Allentown
looking for a boom-ba and finally
found one in the Crest Music
Store. In that same store, they
told her the place to go for boom-
ba music was the Leather Corner
Post Hotel in Allentown.
The place is well known and
persons from New York, Philda-
delphia and New Jersey come to
the Leather Corner Post Hotel
for the boom-ba playing.
There are numerous stories
about how the boom-ba was
called the “Devil’s Standard.” It
was believed that its boom-ba
chased out evil spirits. At one
time, the boom-ba was also used
with the army.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Sr.
Sharon. “I have entertained for
the Senior Citizens and at the
Meadows. I use polka records
because of the beat. I don’t play
regularly but only for special
occasions. I started with the Fac-
ulty Follies about five years
ago.”
Sr. Sharon said she was sur-
prised when Public Relations
Director Judy Daley asked her to
play at the Friday night event,
but that it was fun. It was also
fun for the fans, who filled the
gym. Sr. Sharon’s boom-ba play-
ing was a highlight of the eve-
ning.
several years now.
Attend festival
Frank Riggins-Tenor
Brent Bernstein-
Computer Camps for Kids will be
offered for the Spring semester by
the Office of Continuing Education
at Luzerne County Community Col-
lege at its newly established com-
puter laboratory at the Oblates of
St. Joseph’s in Yatesville.
A Computer Camp for children
between the ages of 7 to 11 will be
held on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to
noon, beginning February 15
through March 15; and a Computer
Camp for 12 to 16 year olds will be
offered on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to
noon beginning April 5 through May
3.
Dr. John Pisano, associate dean
of continuing education at the com-
munity college, noted, “In today’s
society the demand for computer
literacy has infiltrated into practi-
A
cally every occupation imaginable.
In realizing this, LCCC is taking
steps to induce this form of training
in not only adults, but also chil-
dren.”
The Computer. Camps will be
instructed by Richard Tokar, part-
time instructor at LCCC who
teaches in the Business and Hotel
and Restaurant Management areas.
Through supervised instruction and
the utilization of a variety of soft-
ware applications, the students will
explore proper usage and receive
total hands-on experience. Students
will also receive elementary
instruction on computer program-
ming.
The computer laboratory, located
in the second floor of the Oblates
Building, is equipped with 14 TRS-80
¥
&
Model IV single disk drive micro-
computers, one TRS-80 Model IV
double disk drive microcomputer, a
Network III system, and a DMP 500
high density dot matrix printer.
Creidt courses for adults utilizing
the computer laboratory are cur-
rently underway for the Spring
semester at the Oblates. Courses
offered include Basic Programming
and Word Processing I.
Registration for the Computer
Camps for Kids are currently being
accepted. For further information,
or to register, contact the Office of
Continuing Education at Luzerne
County Community College, 829-7477
or 829-7483. Students successfully
completing the program will be
awarded a certificate of completion
accompanied by one Continuing
Education Unit (CEU).
Nit
OT Program
receives
accreditation
The Occupational Therapy (OT)
program at College Misericordia
has received accreditation from The
American Occupational Therapy
Association, announced Dr. Joseph
R. Fink, president of the college.
The program status of ‘‘accred-
ited” follows a full five-year accre-
ditation granted by the Committee
on Allied Health Education and
Accreditation of the American Med-
ical Association.
“The accreditation culminates a
effort,” said Academic Dean Dr.
James J. Pallante. ‘The Committee
noted both the academic component
and the extent and quality of clini-
cal experiences available to Miseri-
cordia students.”
Students enrolledin the OT pro-
gram must complete six months of
full-time fieldwork at a clinic, hospi-
tal or rehabilitation center. Miseri-
cordia’s program is affiliated with
over 90 such facilities throughout
the United States.
According to Dr. Pallante, most
OT programs are based in large
university centers affiliated with
medical schools. Misericordia offers
a unique approach which follows a
humanistic framework that trains
therapists for roles in both tradi-
tional medical settings and in
schools, mental health centers and
home-health agencies. The distinc-
tion of the program is its strong
foundation in the liberal arts and
sciences, he said.
Misericordia’s occupational ther-
apy program, which is one of only
five in the state leading to a bache-
lor’s degree, has an enrollment of
160 students.
Selection begins
The Guidance Department of
Lake-Lehman Junior-Senior High
School has begun course selections
with students in Grades 8 through
11.
The Program of Studies Booklet
has been distributed to all students.
Discussions on requirements, stu-
dent interests and plans are taking
place during the Social Studies
Class.
Parents are encouraged to review
students’ course selections and to
call the Guidance Office if they
have questions regarding their
child’s course selections for the
1986-87 School Year. I
School reps
Phonathon.
College.
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