Search

OBJECTIVE / SCOPE An injector has been developed that is able to continuously move conventional jointed tubing in and out of wells that may be underbalanced. It is an advantage to use the jointed tubing injector rather than coiled tubing or conventional hydraulic snubbing due to cost, speed of operation, transportation, effectiveness, and safety. The paper will describe the function and application of the jointed pipe injector. METHODS, PROCEDURES, PROCESS An injector has been designed with retractable gripping segments integral to the gripper blocks that are able to function on conventional jointed tubing, over interconnecting couplings and with the advantages of continuously operating injector movement. The description is to include how the geometry of the retractable gripper block system works and how the technical and safety risks of a conventional snubbing system or coiled tubing are overcome. Configurations whereby the jointed tubing injector can be used to provide methods of completing wells that are safer and more efficient than coiled tubing or a conventional hydraulic snubbing jack will be presented. RESULTS, OBSERVATIONS, CONCLUSIONS The biggest limitation of coiled tubing is due to its size and residual bend, it is not capable of reaching the end of the well before the wellbore friction causes helical buckling. The OD of the coiled tubing is limited by the available reel sizes and the difficulty transporting the large reels due to road dimensional and weight limitations. Coiled tubing is not able to be rotated at any time in the well. The use of jointed tubing eliminates those limitations. When a well is being completed with a conventional hydraulic snubbing jack, the length of the stroke that the jack can take is limited by the allowable unsupported length of the tubing to ensure that it will not buckle. It is also forced to stop workstring movement each time the jack is reset therefore the static friction of the workstring must be overcome during each movement of the jacks. The design of the jointed tubing injector minimizes the unsupported length of the tubing and allows the continuous movement of the tubing. The operation is less labor intensive, and the controls can be moved to a position that is less exposed to danger. NOVEL / ADDITIVE INFORMATION The Jointed Tubing Injector can continuously move jointed tubulars in and out of a well. There is no other piece of equipment that will address as many of the problems that have been experienced in the completion of extended reach wells. The paper will describe the injector and control system and how it can be applied to solve the challenges.

This Letter reports the first scientific results from the observation of antineutrinos emitted by fission products of $^{235}$U at the High Flux Isotope Reactor. PROSPECT, the Precision Reactor Oscillation and Spectrum Experiment, consists of a segmented 4 ton $^6$Li-doped liquid scintillator detector covering a baseline range of 7-9 m from the reactor and operating under less than 1 meter water equivalent overburden. Data collected during 33 live-days of reactor operation at a nominal power of 85 MW yields a detection of 25461 $\pm$ 283 (stat.) inverse beta decays. Observation of reactor antineutrinos can be achieved in PROSPECT at 5$\sigma$ statistical significance within two hours of on-surface reactor-on data-taking. A reactor-model independent analysis of the inverse beta decay prompt energy spectrum as a function of baseline constrains significant portions of the previously allowed sterile neutrino oscillation parameter space at 95% confidence level and disfavors the best fit of the Reactor Antineutrino Anomaly at 2.2$\sigma$ confidence level., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures; v3: Added additional supplemental files

The Precision Reactor Oscillation and Spectrum Experiment, PROSPECT, is designed to make both a precise measurement of the antineutrino spectrum from a highly-enriched uranium reactor and to probe eV-scale sterile neutrinos by searching for neutrino oscillations over meter-long baselines. PROSPECT utilizes a segmented $^6$Li-doped liquid scintillator detector for both efficient detection of reactor antineutrinos through the inverse beta decay reaction and excellent background discrimination. PROSPECT is a movable 4-ton antineutrino detector covering distances of 7m to 13m from the High Flux Isotope Reactor core. It will probe the best-fit point of the $\bar\nu_e$ disappearance experiments at 4$\sigma$ in 1 year and the favored regions of the sterile neutrino parameter space at more than 3$\sigma$ in 3 years. PROSPECT will test the origin of spectral deviations observed in recent $\theta_{13}$ experiments, search for sterile neutrinos, and address the hypothesis of sterile neutrinos as an explanation of the reactor anomaly. This paper describes the design, construction, and commissioning of PROSPECT and reports first data characterizing the performance of the PROSPECT antineutrino detector., Comment: 30 pages, 33 figures; updated with journal revision and reference

The succession of a phytoplankton community was investigated through an intensive period of sampling and related to physical, chemical and biological conditions sampled at an equal, or higher, temporal resolution. Phytoplankton samples were taken on a weekly basis from June to September 2004 and analysed for diversity, species composition, and contribution of different functional groups to total biomass. Physical and chemical data were collected on the sampling days, and physical environmental factors were also logged continuously throughout the period by automatic measuring stations. This continuous logging allowed community structure to be compared with physical data averaged over periods from a day to a week before each sampling date. The Schmidt stability of the lake, a measure of the strength of stratification calculated from thermal data, showed a negative correlation with phytoplankton species diversity. This is consistent with the hypothesis that mixing was preventing exclusion by species that would otherwise dominate in stratified conditions. At a functional level, stress tolerant (S-type) species dominated during the stratified summer conditions, with small, colonising species (C types) and ruderal, disturbance tolerant species (R types) contributing little to the overall biomass. Of the stress tolerant species, the faster growing (SC) phytoplankters were significantly favoured by more stable, stratified conditions and higher solar radiation. Increased abundance of this group resulted in decreased species diversity. Correlations were generally strongest when using the 6- to 7-day averaged physical data, stressing the importance of continuous measurements of these drivers in phytoplankton studies.

A hand-held device for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been investigated for the determination of uranyl fluoride surface contamination. This research demonstrates the ability to successfully detect uranium on surfaces when using a low resolving power (λ/Δλ=4000) spectrograph, with a 5 mJ energy per 1 ns pulsed laser radiation, available as a commercially packaged hand-held system. Sand/uranyl fluoride mixtures are prepared to simulate residue likely encountered during decontamination efforts at facilities that handle uranium hexafluoride. Detection limits are described for four uranium lines with one revealing the capability to detect uranium at a level of 250 parts per million. Advantages of the studied compact device include that location specific information can be obtained on-site to augment contamination identification.

The microenvironmental effect on catalysis is quantified by the neighboring group content. Opposing variables in the reaction mechanism are then identified by the critical neighboring group content. The Prins reaction between formaldehyde and styrene is probed in the present study with immobilized sulfonic acid ligands as the catalyst. Cross-linked polystyrene beads were sulfonated to varying degrees of substitution. Styrene was also copolymerized with butyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate followed by complete sulfonation of the phenyl rings. The reaction kinetics were correlated with the neighboring group content, defined as the mole percent of neighboring groups (i.e., phenyl, carbobutoxy, or carbomethoxy) relative to the total sites (neighboring and sulfonic acid) in the polymer. Increasing the phenyl group content from 0 to 25% (i.e., decreasing the degree of substitution from 100 to 75%) increases the rate constant from 23.1 to 56.2 M-1 s-1 while a further increase lowers the rate constant. The ...

The performance of belt, airbag, and force limited belt restraint systems for the driver were compared using frontal sled tests. Nine human cadaver and six dummy sled tests were conducted at 56 km/h using a test buck representing a mid-size vehicle. Subject instrumentation included upper and lower chestbands to measure local thoracic deformations and sternal and spinal accelerometers to record torso deceleration. Following the sled tests, radiographs and autopsy results were used to correlate cadaver injury with measured engineering parameters and dummy response. Chest compression, acceleration, change in curvature and Viscous Criteria were evaluated for all occupants. Occupant kinematics were determined from analysis of high speed film. Local differences in the chest loading behavior among the restraint systems were identified using the chestband contours. The results of the research indicate that improvements in thoracic occupant protection may be achieved with the use of force limited belt and...

The microenvironment surrounding the active sites in polymer-supported reagents can be tailored for maximized kinetics and yields in organic reactions. Results with the Mitsunobu reaction are presented. Cross-linked copolymers of poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) are substituted with diphenylphosphine ligands at 18, 40, 67, and 100% substitution and used under Mitsunobu conditions to probe benzyl benzoate formation. It is found that the choice of groups surrounding a ligand can be as important as the choice of ligand. Decreasing the percent substitution while increasing the number of unsubstituted phenyl rings directly bonded to the polymer backbone increases the percent alcohol conversion at a 0.1 h contact time (41.7, 68.4, 83.7, and 94.5% conversion for polymers at 100, 67, 40, and 18% substitution). Polymers at 18 and 40% substitution give an equilibrium solution that is purer (97.6 and 97.0% ester) than that with a comparable soluble reagent (85.3% ester). The rapid conversion and high yield obtained as the...

Summary Consumtion of woody debris was common in salmon farmed near a British Columbian pulp mill. This study of a proposed technology designed to reduce the passage of debris into rearing cages noted: Consumption of woody debris occurred in 32 % of fish in modified cages and in 21 % of fish in the regular cage. Wood chips and bark were the dominant components of the woody debris consumed. The proportion of chips to bark in fish from both the modified and regular cages was the same. The tree species composition of the consumed wood chips reflected the chip composition utilised at the pulp mill. Debris-consuming fish from modified cages, however, had a greater average mass and larger number of items in their stomachs than did fist from the regular cages. Significant histopathologic changes were noted in the stomachs of affected fish, and fish in the modified cages suffered a higher mortality rate.

A rare association of multisystemic manifestations with plasma cell dyscrasia has been termed POEMS syndrome, which includes polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy. M-protein, and skin changes. From literature reports, organomegaly consists of hepatosplenomegaly and/or lymphadenopathy. We here present a case of POEMS syndrome that had most of the typical features of POEMS, except that organomegaly only involved the heart. The patient's multiple clinical manifestations, including cardiomyopathy, improved with chemotherapy, which is characteristic of POEMS syndrome. However, cardiomegaly or cardiomyopathy have not previously been described with POEMS. The present case suggests that cardiomegaly and cardiomyopathy may be added to the organomegaly in POEMS.

The Alonso spatial interaction framework encompasses a wide variety of movement phenomenon models; most notably, the 'family' of spatial interaction models. The production- constrained formulation of the Alonso framework incoporates a destination-related relative accessibility effect and therefore generalizes the traditional production-constrained interaction model. In this paper, the properties and estimation procedures for a production-constrained Alonso model are presented. Two related estimation approaches are developed: an ordinary least squares (OLS) procedure and a maximum likelihood (ML) procedure. The results of estimation experiments for these methods provide important insights for operationalizing the Alonso framework. It is demonstrated that the Alonso parameters can be recovered from a simulated data set if the exogenous weights are measured correctly. However, errors in the measurement of the 'true' exogenous weights in the data set result in incorrect estimates of parameters.

The total bacterial populations, fluorescent pseudomonads, and actinomycetes in the rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and endorhizosphere of two wheat lines (C-R5B and C-R5D) were investigated weekly during plant growth. The total numbers of bacteria (colony-forming units) were counted on a low-nutrient agar medium, while the numbers of fluorescent pseudomonads and actinomycetes were determined by means of selective media. Fluorescent pseudomonads generally constituted less than 0.5% of the total bacterial numbers and the percentage significantly decreased with time in the rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and root-free soil. The percentages of fluorescent pseudomonads were lower in the rhizoplane than in the rhizosphere, and in the endorhizosphere they were barely detectable. The rapid decline of fluorescent pseudomonads frequently observed in survival studies may be explained by the inability of the plant to support this group of bacteria during later development of its rhizosphere. Actinomycetes generally represented no more than 7% of the total bacterial numbers. Actinomycete percentages were highest in the rhizosphere and root-free soil and lowest in the endorhizosphere. Only minor differences were found in total bacterial numbers and in the numbers of fluorescent pseudomonads between the two wheat lines. However, numbers of actinomycetes were significantly different over the whole experiment between wheat line C-R5B and C-R5D in the rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and endorhizosphere. Key words: actinomycetes, bacteria, fluorescent pseudomonads, rhizosphere, sampling time.

The transport of photosynthates from the leaves to the rhizosphere of wheat and incorporation in the soil microbial biomass was investigated by growing plants in a continuously 14 C-labelled atmosphere. Two different varieties of wheat (C-R 5 B and C-R 5 D) were used and two nitrogen concentrations in soil were applied. At the high N relatively more 14 C was released by the roots as indicated by higher percentages of the translocated 14 C found in root-soil respiration and soil residue. The amount of 14 C-labelled microbial biomass in the soil, as welt as rhizosphere bacterial numbers, was significantly higher at the high N. It would appear that most of the increase in microbial biomass 14 C resulted from a higher exudation rate at the higher N. However, in response to a higher N concentration the relative increase in 14 C-labelled microbial biomass was larger than the relative increase in release of 14 C-labelled C from the roots. This indicated that the root exudates were more efficiently used at the high N. No differences in soil microbial biomass or rhizosphere bacterial numbers were found between the two wheat lines. While the higher N treatment stimulated the decomposition and microbial utilization of root-released materials it appeared to have a negative effect on the decomposition of native soil organic matter since the rate of respiration of unlabelled C from the soil decreased.

To compare surgical outcomes of vaginal hysterectomy between women who have had one or more cesarean deliveries and those who have not.A retrospective, chart review study was performed on women undergoing vaginal hysterectomy during a four-year period. Of 275 women who met the study criteria, 104 had a history of previous cesarean deliveries, and 171 did not. The groups were compared for indications for surgery, operative time, length of hospitalization and surgical complications.Previous cesarean delivery did not affect hemoglobin loss, hospital stay or operative time among women undergoing vaginal hysterectomy. The complication rate (either operative or postoperative) was 12.3% among women without a history of cesarean section, 6.8% among those with one, 3.7% among those with two and 11.1% among those with three or more (chi 2 = 2.8, P = .4). The odds for surgical complications were not significantly different between women with one or more prior cesarean deliveries as compared to those without after adjustment for possible confounders.Surgical complications with vaginal hysterectomy do not appear to be higher among women with a prior cesarean section as compared to those without a history of such operation.

The current organization of most Computerized Medical Records (CMR) is based on the Problem Oriented Medical Record (POMR) and the SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan) note. The organizational structure of the POMR and especially the SOAP note, does not allow for optimal use of computer capabilities in the follow up note. Since follow up visits are the most common office visit by far, this is a major flaw in the CMR. The authors propose a Problem Focused Medical Record and the OHEAP (Orientation, History, Exam, Assessment and Plan) note to resolve this problem. OHEAP starts with a powerful orientation structure that brings forward the timeline, last Assessment and Plan, and Plan Results for each problem along with the patient's historical tables as the starting point of every follow up visit. The Assessment and Plan portion brings problem specific differential diagnoses and their workups along with other relevant tables such as expert systems, treatments, instructions, medical literature or pathways. This leads to Problem Focused Knowledge Navigation that brings powerful efficiencies to the CMR. By recognizing the true workflow in the longitudinal diagnosis and management of any medical problem, the efficiency of the CMR is maximized. OHEAP allows for optimal use of both personal and external data elements in the medical record. Its powerful orientation attributes minimize the time spent in analyzing the current status of the problem while its connections to problem specific databases help resolve the problem.

e14123 Background: Molecular diagnostics are at the forefront of cancer therapy. Defining cellular profiles of malignancies facilitates selecting the most efficacious chemotherapy regimen. Thymidyl...

e14058 Background: Irinotecan (CPT-11) is a potent therapy in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). EGFR plays an important role in cell proliferation promoting entry of cells into the S-phase. Cells with high EGFR expression are thought to be more sensitive to topoisomerase-I inhibitors which are predominantly active in the S-phase. ERCC1 reflects increased DNA repair in tumor cells with amplified replication. These unstable cells are highly sensitive to topoisomerase-I inhibitors. Furthermore, EGFR increases expression of ERCC1. Previous studies have identified that gene expression of EGFR and ERCC1 are predictive of clinical outcomes in advanced CRC patients treated first-line with a CPT-11 based regimen. Methods: EGFR and ERCC1 gene expression were measured from metastatic tumors (primary tumor tissue was used if metastatic was not available) via RT-PCR extraction of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples. A total of 36 patients treated with an irinotecan–based regimen for advanced colorectal cancer at...

Rhizosphere interactions between plants and microbes are to a large degree determined by the supply of carbon from root exudates but the availability of mineral nutrients to microbes and plants is also of importance. Root exudates from maize were found to be utilized more efficiently when a higher level of a mixed mineral fertilizer was given (Merckx et al., 1987).

Corynebacterium fascians, which causes leafy gall, has been shown to be responsible for the unusual symptoms recently found in lilies. The symptoms are described and the different bacterial isolates compared by biochemical, serological and pathogenicity experiments. No evidence could be found for the existence of specialized strains even though considerable variation in virulence could be demonstrated. Although the role of variation in susceptibility of the different lily cultivars should not be underestimated, it would appear that high inoculum levels ofC. fascians in the soil may be largely responsible for these outbreaks.

A yellow pigmented, rod-shaped, Gram negative, peritrichously flagellated, fermentative bacterium was isolated from galls on the stems of the ornamental plant,Gypsophila paniculata. The galls appeared to be similar to those described on the plant by Brown (1934). The isolate proved pathogenic when inoculated into healthy stems; it was identified as a strain ofErwinia herbicola (Lohnis) Dye. It is suggested that the organism should be namedE. herbicola f. sp.gypsophilae.

Different wood preparation techniques for a SEM study of the growth ofOphiostoma ulmi (Buisman) Nannf. in elm tissue were compared. Critical point drying appeared to be the most suitable method. All observations were made 10–14 cm above the site of inoculation. In the resistant elm,Ulmus hollandica cl. 390, inoculated with a non-aggressive strain ofO. ulmi, no hyphae could be found until 5 days after inoculation. However, whenU. hollandica cl. 390 was inoculated with the aggressive strain, the fungus could already be observed after 3 days. In the susceptible elm,U. hollandica cl. Belgica, whether inoculated with an aggressive or non-aggressive strain, hyphae were found within 2 days after inoculation. The fungus appears only to penetrate the vessel pits and has at no time been seen to penetrate the cell wall directly.

The occurrence of low numbers of fluorescing coryneform bacteria located by immunofluorescence microscopy (IF) in heel-end extracts of healthy potatoes was demonstrated to be a normal phenomenon. The number of bacteria found was highly dependent on the antiserum dilution. Bacteria isolated from other healthy potato material also cross-reacted, mostly at low antiserum dilutions compared with homologous isolates or bacteria of the same species, which reacted at a dilution of 1∶1280. Only relatively small differences were found between the antisera tested. Failure to recognize the occurrence of cross-reacting unknown soil bacteria, indicated by the data presented in this paper, can only increase the dangers of incorrect interpretation of IF results.

A method is described in which the recovery ofCorynebacterium sepedonicum from heel ends of suspected latently infected potatoes is improved by modified extraction and concentration steps. Detection ofC. sepedonicum with the help of indirect immunofluorescence microscopy (IF) is compared with the eggplant challenge test; the use of IF for routine surveys for latent ringrot infection is considered preferable providing that potato extracts are submitted to the eggplant test when IF tests are in doubt.

Differences in the size and composition of bacterial populations found in the rhizospheres of maize, wheat, and grass were compared. Significant differences in the fluorescent pseudomonad and "coryneform" groups were found among the cultivars of each plant species. Only between the two maize cultivars, reported to be resistant and susceptible to Fusarium species, and between the two grass lines, known to be resistant and susceptible to Dreschera poae, could significance be found in the total numbers of bacteria counted. In each case higher bacterial counts were recorded in the rhizospheres of cultivars susceptible to disease. No conclusion could be reached with regard to differences that occurred between the two cultivars of wheat that are known to differ in tolerance to pH. Although actinomycetes appeared to represent a high percentage of the total bacterial population in maize, insufficient data prevent further interpretation. Bacillus numbers do not differ with any significance betewen cultivars or even between cultivars and counts made in root-free soil. Both the Bacillus and fluorescent pseudomonad groups were found to be represented in lower numbers in the rhizosphere of all cultivars than either the actinomycetes or "coryneform" groups. The findings of this study correlate highly with previously published work in stressing the importance of the plant's influence on the bacteria in its own rhizosphere. As this may mean that a plant, given the right genetical configuration, can influence the development of a favourable rhizosphere flora, the mechanism involved in this relationship should be investigated.Key words: bacteria, disease resistance, pH, rhizosphere, selective stimulation.

The preparation of Erwinia amylovora isolations by different treatments or from different sources is shown to influence the results obtained by immunofluorescent microscopical examination. Where absorption of antisera is impracticable, serial dilutions of the antiserum involved when using constant numbers of the bacterium to be tested, can result in a reduction of cross-reactions. Emphasis is made on standardization of such procedures in order to increase the chances of more accurate diagnosis.

Throughout the whole history of agricultural chemistry attention has been fixed upon. the ammonia in the atmosphere as a possible source of the nitrogen of vegetation, and without reviewing the early controversy that centred round Liebig, we may agree that the dispute was largely due to the exaggerated opinions then prevailing as to the amount of ammonia in the atmosphere. The most trustworthy determinations are the long series that have been carried out by Lévy at Montsouris, and they agree with other determinations by Ville, Schloesing and Muntz and Aubin. showing only from ·01 to ·02 of nitrogen as ammonia per million of air even in Paris, with a still smaller proportion in the air of the country.

A transient technique for seismograph calibration was developed and tested by a variety of methods. In the application of this technique a known transient in the form of an electrical signal is injected, through (a) a Willmore-type calibration bridge or (b) an independent coil, into the seismometer and the corresponding output transient of the system is recorded. The ratio of the Fourier transform of this transient to that of the input pulse yields phase and relative amplitude response of the seismograph as a function of period. Absolute amplitude response may be calculated if two easily determined constants of the seismometer are known. This technique makes practical the daily calibration of continuously-recording seismographs without disturbing the instruments more than a very few minutes. The transient technique was tested and proven satisfactory with results of more conventional steady-state methods, using both digital and analog analyses of the output transients. A variety of output transients corresponding to various theoretical response curves has been calculated for two standard input transients. By comparison of the calculated output transients with experimental results it is possible to obtain the response of the instrument with considerable precision quickly and without computation.

During the last sixty years numerous percolation and evaporation experiments have been made in this country and elsewhere. The method employed has been that originally used by Dalton, which has the advantage that the chemical and physical properties of the soil may, if desired, be thoroughly investigated. In addition to these experiments in which the evaporation from the soil, or from the soil with vegetation, is estimated by deducting the amount of drainage from the rainfall of the same period, numerous determinations of soil moisture have been made in the United States, from which evaporation may be directly determined. The difference between the estimated evaporation and the rainfall gives of course the amount of percolation.

De hypothese dat de thyllenvorming in de houtvaten van de iep als reactie op een infectie metOphiostoma ulmi alleen in de compatibele waardplant-pathogeen combinatie vertraagd zou zijn, werd getoetst. Er bleek geen significant verschil in snelheid van thyllenvorming op te treden als de vatbare kloon Belgica geinoculeerd werd met een agressieve en een niet-agressieve stam vanO. ulmi of metFusarium oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici, een niet-pathogeen voor iepen. Overeenkomstige resultaten werden verkregen wanneer kloon 390, die resistent is tegen de niet-agressieve stam vanO. ulmi, geinoculeerd werd met deze drie schimmels. In deze gevallen wordt de snelheid van thyllenvorming alleen bepaald door de aard van de betreffende iepekloon.

It has been shown that many rocks, when samples are taken from such a depth as precludes all possibility of weathering, contain nitrogen in amounts comparable to those present in soil, especially when the strata consist of indurated clays like the Lower Lias, Oxford, Kimmeridge or London Clay. Since the rocks also contain carbon the nitrogen is without doubt of organic origin; the carbon and nitrogen compounds represent the humus present in the clay when it was deposited, and are in fact the mineralised remains of that organic matter. When soil is produced by the weathering of such rocks these carbon and nitrogen compounds will remain wholly or in part in the soil and may there account for a considerable proportion of the total nitrogen they contain. It thus becomes of some importance to ascertain if this nitrogen is ever likely to become available for the plant by the normal processes of bacterial oxidation, or whether it has passed into such a state of combination as to be susceptible of no further change under such conditions as prevail in the soil. If the compounds are too mineralised or bituminised to be attacked by bacteria it would explain the fact that much of the nitrogen present in soils seems to remain permanently beyond the reach of plants. For example the soil of Broadbalk wheat field at Rothamsted, which had been cropped continuously with wheat for 50 years without the addition of any manure, still showed in 1893 very nearly 0·1 per cent. of nitrogen, equivalent to about 2500 lbs. per acre in the top 9 inches of soil; yet the average wheat crop on this plot only contains about 17 lbs. of nitrogen, of which 5 lbs. is supplied annually by the rain, without taking into account any further additions by the action of Azotobacter and kindred organisms.

Comparison of unauthorised absenteeism rates were made between two large textile factories in Isfahan, Iran. The working conditions in the study factory were rather unsatisfactory, unlike the control factory. Comparison showed significantly higher rates for the study factory: the average annual duration per person was 7 days in the study factory versus 2.5 days in the control factory, and lost time percentage was 2.4% in the former versus 0.84% in the control. Inception rate of persons was 0.73 versus 0.48, and point prevalence rates 0.002 versus 0.001, whilst period prevalence rates were 0.016 versus 0.011 for the study and control factories respectively. Examination of the study factory data was made to determine any possible relationship between unauthorised absenteeism rates and age and length of employment. It was found that higher unauthorised rates were found amongst the younger workers, 100% for those age 19 and under, versus 59.6% for those age 50 and over. 9.16% of workers employed for 1--4 years took such leave against 70.14% of those employed for 10 or more years. Only 18.8% of all workers took certified sickness absenteeism and the rate increased with age. It was suggested that worker dissatisfaction toward unsatisfactory working conditions may be expressed in terms of unauthorised absenteeism. In view of the widespread consequences of such absenteeism, it is recommonded that closer attention be paid to improve the quality of working life.

This study reviews pneumobelt use in an acute rehabilitation facility. All pneumobelt users between 1976 and 1986 were identified. Their age, sex, diagnosis, and time required to adjust to the pneumobelt were studied, as were patterns of use at discharge. Information was collected about use after discharge and about reported advantages and disadvantages. Twenty-three subjects were identified: 21 had spinal cord injuries (SCI), two had had poliomyelitis. The average pneumobelt fitting was three to six months after injury. Twelve SCI patients attained four or more hours of continuous, generally all-day use; another patient achieved this after discharge. Of the remaining eight SCI subjects, all achieved a minimum of two hours of continuous use. The two poliomyelitis patients also achieved all-day use. The survey revealed a high level of satisfaction and continued pneumobelt use after discharge. Major reported advantages were cosmesis, improved speech, independence and mobility, comfort, safety, and health. The pneumobelt is recommended as a leading choice for interim or permanent ventilation of the high quadriplegic population without severe brainstem involvement.

A 34-year-old man presented with classic glucagonoma syndrome manifested by weight loss, dermatitis, stomatitis, anemia, and mild diabetes mellitus. The diagnosis of glucagonoma was made by light and electron microscopic demonstration of a metastatic alpha cell carcinoma in a liver biopsy specimen. Plasma glucagon concentration was abnormally high. The patient also had symptoms and signs of involvement of the central nervous system. Radionuclide and CAT scans of the brain, negative CSF cytology and myelography excluded the possibility of metastases or other space-occupying lesions. Glucagon was demonstrated in the CSF. We postulate that the neurologic symptoms were due to direct or indirect effect of this hormone on the brain. Following therapy with streptozotocin and 5-fluorouracil, the patient had a subjective and objective clinical and hormonal remission of his disease including amelioration of his neurological impairment.

The hydride evolution atomic absorption spectrophotometric (AAS) method for determining As and Se in foods developed and evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and Agriculture Canada laboratories was subjected to collaborative study, Twenty-four laboratories provided results for As and 23 provided results for Se levels in 13 different samples consisting of tuna, swordfish, flounder, oyster, liver, flour, skim milk poweder, spinach, kale, and apple containing natural levels of As and Se in the ranges 0-15,000 and 0-4000 ng/g, respectively. Reference materials formed a substantial segment of samples, and a number of other laboratories using fluorometry, colorimetry, neutron activation, spark source mass spectrometry, and graphite furnace AAS provided confirmative reference values for the remaining samples. A variety of hydride generation instruments were used, ranging from commercially available devices to semiautomated and fully automated custom-made instruments. Although the accuracy of the method was fairly good, between-laboratory and between-determination (hydride evolution AAS measurement) precisions were not favorable. The main advantage of the hydride AAS method is the rapidity of the determinative step.

Multiple liver adenomas were found in 30 month old female rats which had received for 28 months, 200 ppm polychlorinated biphenyls (Arochlor 1254) in their drinking water. No lung metastases were detected. The examination of fragments of these adenomas under the electron microscope showed group polymorphism of the hyperplastic liver cells. The ultrastructural changes were considered to be as a result of chemical lesions induced by polychlorinated biphenyls and as adaptive morphological responses to the long term exposure to toxic chemical compounds. The group polymorphism was seen in the light of the clonal theory, to be the result of inherited biochemical lesions occurring in cells of hyperplastic liver nodules.

A method based on acid digestion, hydride evolution atomic absorption spectrophotometry for estimating microgram and submicrogram quantities of As and Se in foods was developed and evaluated. Samples up to 3 g dry weight were digested with HNO3-HCIO4-H2SO4. As and Se in aliquots of the digests were reduced with NaBH4 to volatile hydrides, using laboratory-constructed and commercially available generators. As and Se were estimated by transient signal atomic absorbance measurements as the hydrides were decomposed in an Ar-H2-entrained air flame. Recoveries of inorganic As and Se added at levels of 0.1-1.0 microgram/g to a variety of foods ranged from 70 to 125%. Analyses of several standard reference samples indicated the method is capable of recovering native analytes. Detection limits for the determinative step and the method as a whole were as low as 5 and 25 ng, respectively, for both elements.

The wood descriptions of Juniperus communis L. ssp. communis are compared with those of earlier authors. The average and maximum tracheid lengths and the ray height distribution frequencies offer a means of separating the wood of the erect J. communis L. ssp. communis from that of the subspecies nana Syme with an entirely different habit.

The results of all the experiments above described may be shortly summarised as follows.Nitrites have been shown by Molisch, M. Schultz, and by Perciabosco and Rosso to be assimilated by various plants from sufficiently dilute solutions. Perciabosco and Rosso found that plants supplied with nitrogen in this form contain higher percentages of nitrogen than with nitrates as source of nitrogen. This is also the case, as was already shown, when plants take up all, or most, of their nitrogen as ammonium salts.Experiments with other inorganic forms of nitrogen—amidosulphonic acid, hydroxylamine, hydrazine and azoimide—have all given negative results up to the present time.As regards organic compounds the majority have given negative if not uncertain results. The results in which at least 1 milligram of nitrogen was assimilated are set out in Table I, p. 291.