TOW #23 Bioprocess development for niotinic acid hydroxamate synthesis by alcytransferase activity of Bacillus smithii strain IITR6b2 (Agarwal, Gupta, and Choudhury)

     

A harmless cousin of anthrax (pictured here) is used in the biotechnology industry.

     Published in the Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology, this article is very professional and almost overwhelmingly technical. Conducted by three researchers in the Indian Institute of Technology's Department of Biotechnology, this experiment attempted a new method for synthesizing nicotinic acid hydroxamate (NAH), a chemical that serves a wide variety of purposes as a "bioligand, urease inhibitor, anityrosinase," etc. This study comes as a part of the biotechnological revolution, utilizing living organisms to produce and regulate chemicals necessary for medicine and research. This particular article's purpose is to prove that the method the three researchers developed and implemented is better than previous ones, and to explain, in meticulous detail, how they carried out the experiment and its results.
     The most obvious rhetorical device is the abundant scientific jargon. The three authors assume that their audience is educated and well-versed in scientific literature, particularly concerning biotechnology. They spend very little time giving background information on their subject of study, and offer no explanation of the processes the bacteria use to synthesize NAH. Knowledge of the chemicals involved and how they interact is assumed. This serves as a very efficient mode of transporting knowledge. The jargon does not serve to muddle the meaning of the experiment, in fact, it does just the opposite. All of the information is presented and packaged into two pages. If a reader does not understand a word or process, it is not the purpose of the article to explain it.
     The organization of the essay aids somewhat in guiding readers. There is a very clear format to technical writing, beginning with the abstract, an introduction that shows the meaning and purpose of the experiment, followed by the procedures carried out, results obtained, and analysis/conclusion. Each topic sentence serves to give an overview to guide the understanding of the technical paragraph. These reliefs are very brief, however. For example, they write "Development of a single-step biotransformation process for NAH synthesis will provide a simple, convenient, and environmentally friendly economic route. In the recent past, acyltransferase activity of amidases has been utilized for hydroxamic acids and acid hydrazides syntheses."
     From what I could understand, the article was actually concise. It spends no time in flowery or attractive prose; the authors want to succinctly deliver their knowledge using as little paper as possible. The amount of detail is phenomenal, and effectively accomplishes their purpose.

TOW #22 The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo)

     

     One of the most popular religious artworks of all time, "The Creation of Adam" was painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1511 as part of Michelangelo's series of works there. It is presumably based off of Genesis 1:27 in the Bible, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him." The painting features both God and Adam, as well as many angels, and is meant to show this relationship between God and humans. Commissioned by Pope Julius II during the Renaissance Period of artistic expression, the painting was intended for the congregation of the Chapel and to attract visitors from around the world.
     The primary subjects of the painting are Adam on the left and God on the right. Michelangelo has positioned them in identical poses, showing how we are the supposedly reflection of God himself. However, Adam, in his fabled ignorance, is naked, whereas God is clothed and wise. God hovers in the sky, whereas Adam is grounded on a rocky cliff. Both clearly inhabit separate realms, and, though Adam is certainly aware of God's presence, cannot quite reach him. This is a metaphor for Christianity and faith itself, how we believe we have a relationship with the divine but at the same time can never directly interact.
     The light colors in the painting are an appeal to pathos. They engender positive feelings, as opposed to if it was stormy and dark. Adam sits in a green field and God is garbed in a pink robe and surrounded by a cloud of red. Nothing clashes and the background is even and smooth, suggesting feelings of peace. In Michelangelo's perception of creation, the world is simple and new, not yet tainted with the darkness of sin.
     Michelangelo created a work of beauty meant to inspire faith with the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Through his depictions of Adam's creation, he provides a representation that exceeds simply reading words in a Bible, and effectively achieves his purpose.

TOW #21 Influencers (Cora Frazier)

Cora Frazier refutes GQ's claim that President Barack Obama is not an influential person.

   
     Cora Frazier, a frequent contributor to the Shouts & Murmurs column of the New Yorker, challenges GQ's recent list of the "25 Least Influential People of 2013." In particular, she focuses on the ranking of Barack Obama, listed as #17. In this sarcastic work, Frazier debates that ranking sarcastically, making the point that if the President is one of the least influential people in the world, he would have had to have had less of an impact than her. Using fictional scenarios, Frazier presents a series of examples comparing his actions to hers so that her audience sees fault in GQ's list. She believes Obama is extremely influential and should be respected as such.
     The most obvious rhetorical device employed by Frazier is her structure of comparing and contrasting the actions of Obama and her. This often employs humor as she builds with an example of Obama's influence and then uses an anecdote of her own experience in comparison. For example, she writes "Obama saw the implementation of his historic health-care legislation, which Administrations have been trying to pass for years, while I wrote the wrong Social Security number on my gynecologist form." Each example compares similar categories of actions (in this case health care), but the influence of Obama could not appear greater. The humor of the difference is an appeal to pathos, pulling the reader in and nudging them onwards to each great achievement of our President. It also diffuses any of the partisan tension usually seen in an argument about the effectiveness of a president.
     Despite the humor, the article is a really clever appeal to logos. She presents the claim she intends to refute first (that Obama is one of the least influential people in the world), further defines it (if the list hypothetically incorporates everyone in the world, she must have been considered), and then presents evidence in the form of anecdotes (like the one seen above). She provides a little back-handed analysis, though it is not really necessary given her examples. For example, she talks about how she writes checks out of order "as a kind of quiet rebellion against Chase Bank...I don't see how this could possibly put me higher, influence-wise, than a man with the power to launch a nuclear weapon." She makes it quite clear that her influences are personal and small-scale, whereas Barack Obama leads an entire nation.
    Overall, this is probably the funniest satire I have read in a while. I think it was very effective at completing Frazier's purpose, if not a little cheeky at times. I appreciated how it diffused partisanship, even though she is clearly in support of the Democratic Party.

TOW #20 The American River Ganges (Thomas Nast)

     The late 19th century featured tremendous social, economic, and educational change. Religious and ethnic groups struggled, presidents of the Gilded Age sat idly in the Oval Office ignorant to government corruption, and the lithograph gave rise to the mass production of newspapers. Thomas Nast, one of the most influential political cartoonists in American history (responsible for the modern depiction of Santa Claus and the Republican/Democratic party symbols), frequently offered his social commentary in the form of artfully created political cartoons, such as in The American River Ganges. Nast was a firm supporter of the Republican party and anti-Catholicism. Therefore, when parochial schools began to gain prevalence and local governments were deciding whether to incorporate religious morality in public schools, Nast attempted to dissuade voters (most likely "the common man": middle class wage earners) from allowing the invasion of Catholic principles.
     Nast makes his negative opinion clear with his striking imagery and metaphors. The cartoon takes place on the "American River Ganges," an allusion to the massive river in India that harbors large numbers of crocodiles and gharials. The cartoon clearly depicts a river, and the image is completed with scaled creatures emerging from the depths. At first glance they appear to be crocodiles, but with help from the caption it is revealed that the monsters are, in fact, Catholic priests. The beasts are descending on children moored on the beach, presumably representative of the entire nation's youth. Immediately, this elicits appeals to pathos; first one of compassion, as no adult wants a child to come to harm, and then of anger or fear in response to the religious predators.
     Nast also incorporates the Capitol and a depiction of Boss Tweed (the man with the beard and hat leaning over the edge of the cliff) to engender an appeal to logos. Many voters in America owed allegiances to corrupt politicians like Tweed and blindly voted for him in hopes of earning his positive influence. Because Nast's audience supports the actions of Washington and/or politicians like Tweed, who in turn back the destruction of the apparent American education system, Nast's audience assumes indirect responsibility. These emotions may illicit change in behavior at the polls, fulfilling Nast's purpose.
     The cartoon is largely hyperbole and propaganda. However, because it presents an obvious correlation between voters and Nast's Catholic invasion as well as forcing a powerful emotional response, I think the cartoon does accomplish its purpose.