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Primary biological aerosol (PBA) is a component of coarse mode aerosol which may affect climate and health. The possible climate impacts arise from interactions between PBA and water vapor, especially since some PBA nucleate ice at warm temperatures. The health impacts span from seasonal allergies to transmission of pathogens. Despite their potential importance, the emissions, transport, and atmospheric distribution of PBA are poorly understood, especially at high latitudes where cloud effects could be pronounced. Here we report summertime measurements of fluorescent aerosol (a proxy for PBA) over the Bering and Chukchi Seas using a Wide‐Band Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor aboard a Twin Otter, alongside a lidar which detected water column productivity. Most observations occurred at 300 m over the ocean with periodic excursions to 60 and 900 m. Loadings were always low in the marine boundary layer, despite the presence of subsurface plankton layers and in contrast to other recent reports, likely indicating low oceanic emissions during our study. Large variability was observed in PBA aloft, with higher concentrations approaching those observed over the Continental US. Back trajectory analysis showed that high loadings were associated with recent transit through the continental boundary layer and we estimate PBA emissions from the Arctic tundra of up to 300 m−2s−1at the warmest observed temperatures. On days with strong transport from land (∼50% of our flights), PBA accounts for 12% of supermicron number and 64% of supermicron volume, indicating potentially significant effects on the albedo, glaciation and lifetime of Arctic clouds. Cloud cover affects Earth's temperature because clouds reflect sunlight back to space. Biological particles can cause warm clouds to freeze sooner than most other materials. This makes the clouds go away faster and reflect less sunlight. In the warming Arctic, ice, and snow (which also reflect sunlight) are melting, exposing water. Water absorbs sunlight, which makes cloud cover even more important. At the same time, Arctic ecosystems are changing, and might emit more biological particles in response. We measured biological particles over the Arctic Ocean. We found more than we were expecting and we think most of them came from land. This could change how Arctic clouds behave in important ways. As the Arctic continues to warm there might be even more of these particles in the future. High loadings of fluorescent biological aerosol observed over the summertime Arctic, associated with remarkably warm air temperaturesBack trajectories indicate a terrestrial source for these particles with estimated emission rates comparable to those for the continental USNo evidence of biological aerosol emission from the surface ocean High loadings of fluorescent biological aerosol observed over the summertime Arctic, associated with remarkably warm air temperatures Back trajectories indicate a terrestrial source for these particles with estimated emission rates comparable to those for the continental US No evidence of biological aerosol emission from the surface ocean

A six-month prospective study to identify malabsorbing alcoholic cirrhotics was performed in a 500-bed general medical and surgical Veterans Administration Hospital. Of 50 patients with alcoholic liver disease, only 9 met the criteria of, cirrhosis and malabsorption. Six of these subjects were studied using pancreozymin-secretin tests and Lundh tests meals. Only 1 of the 6 malabsorbing cirrhotics had distinctly abnormal test results from both methods of study.

Fecal chymotrypsin assays were done on 34 patients with alcoholic liver disease. Only one such patient had low fecal activity. Correlation of fecal chymotrypsin with fat malabsorption and duodenal drainage tests was undertaken. Although fat malabsorption was frequently encountered (13 of 34), the low incidence of abnormal fecal chymotrypsin suggests that severe pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is an unusual occurrence in this population. Six patients had pancreozymin-secretin tests and Lundh test meals and one showed abnormal results, but fecal chymotrypsin assays were uniformly normal in this small subgroup.

The effects of caffeine (250 mg orally) on plasma free fatty acids (FFA), urinary catecholamines, and drug binding were studied in 16 normal subjects (six men, five women on oral contraceptives, and five women not on oral contraceptives). FFA doubled 1 hr after caffeine, and remained elevated for at least 4 hr, with elevation of each FFA. Urinary excretion of epinephrine and dopamine increased (p < 0.05) in the first 2 hr, returning to baseline in the next 2 hr. Plasma binding of chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, and propranolol was estimated in each of the hourly plasma samples after caffeine; there was no change in percent unbound drug in any of the samples. In vitro addition of oleic acid to plasma samples of four subjects caused a step-wise increase in percent unbound fraction of all three drugs whereas in vitro addition of caffeine did not further alter drug binding. In our study circulating plasma FFA and urinary catecholamine levels were elevated after caffeine ingestion. In spite of a rise in FFA, there was, however, no change in plasma binding of chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, or propranolol.Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1980) 28, 398–403; doi:10.1038/clpt.1980.179

In the few surveys of injuries occurring in schools, severity has been defined usinga priori criteria based on the nature of injury and by the area injured. The validity of these methods of classifying injury severity has not been established. The association between two commonly used measures of injury severity (nature of injury and body area injured) with referral to medical assessment was explored, based on a simple model derived from the literature. Kendalls Tau-b was used to assess the association between the indicators of injury severity and referral; controlled for both school level (elementary school and secondary school) and the degree of behavioural control that could be exerted in the location of the injury. There was a very low association between indices of injury severity and referral for medical assessment regardless of level of school or degree of behavioural control. It is concluded that the simple model derived from the literature does not adequately describe the relationship between injury severity and referral in the school setting.

Discusses the efforts to build a segmental concrete bridge over the Connecticut River to ease a major traffic bottleneck. Design by Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas, Inc.; The substructure; The superstructure; Details of construction process; More.