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Background Hexavalent chromium has been found to increase the risk of lung cancer in occupational studies. It has been suggested that the relative risk of lung cancer may vary by age. Methods The cohort examined is the Baltimore cohort of chromium production workers. The effect of age on the lung cancer risk from hexavalent chromium exposure was examined using a conditional Poisson regression modeling approach of Richardson and Langholz (R&L) and Cox models with interaction terms of age and cumulative hexavalent chromium exposure. Results The inclusion of multiple age groups in the R&L approach suggests the existence of an age effect that is also supported by a Cox proportional hazard analysis. The hazard ratio in Cox models with age‐cumulative exposure interaction terms was significantly elevated for the youngest age group and significantly decreased for the oldest age group. Conclusions Our analyses are consistent with the observation that younger chromium production workers have a greater lung cancer risk than older workers.

A bystander claimed to have been shot by a police officer, and CT scans were used to match qualitative and quantitative aspects of the unremoved bullet with police issued 9 mm Luger ammunition. CT scan methodology proved a valid approach for the measurement of bullets based on calculated measurement capability and correlation with “gold standard” physical measurement by vernier caliper. Measurements regarding length and base diameter, as well as length/diameter ratio, were insufficient to unambiguously identify a specific caliber, or a bullet of specific mass within a caliber class. It was, however, possible to exclude a bullet of specific design and mass with well-characterized precision and accuracy values under selected CT scan conditions. A 9 mm Luger bullet (115 gr FMJ RN) was excluded from involvement in a shooting based on qualitative bullet shape combined with length, base, and ratio measurements of the bullet in-situ for the victim.

In this study, an in situ imaging system has been analysed to characterize the crystal size, the shape and the number of particles during a continuous crystallization process in a Continuous Oscillatory Baffled Crystallizer (COBC). Two image analysis approaches were examined for particle characterization in the suspension containing both small nuclei and larger grown crystals (nonspherical and irregular in shape). The pattern matching approach, in which the particles are approximated to be spherical, did result in an overestimation of the size. Alternatively, a segmentation-based algorithm resulted in reliable crystal size and shape characteristics. The laser diffraction analysis in comparison to the image analysis overestimated the particle sizes due to the agglomeration of particles upon filtration and drying. The trend in the particle counts during the start of crystallization process, including nucleation, determined by the image analysis probe was comparable with the one measured by FBRM, highlighting the potential of in situ imaging for process monitoring. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2018

Due to favorable conditions of preservation, sedimentary basins provide rich records of human behavior and its environmental context. The conditions for the preservation of archaeological material however vary between basin types (large, river-fed or small, closed basins), while conditions also differ within a particular basin environment. The goal of this paper is to understand how the dynamics of a small postglacial basin such as Neumark-Nord 2, a context that dominates the Eemian archaeological record, affected the archaeology situated at its basin margin. The approach used here is to correlate the archaeological record with reconstructions of patterns of deposition and the water conditions within the basin, using lithology, micromorphology, pollen, and macroremains from a transect running from the basin center to the margin. The results show that (1) find levels were exposed to overland flow-induced winnowing, which vertically concentrated finds but did not cause significant transport, (2) find levels correspond to phases of increased water presence in the basin, and (3) lateral shifts in hominin activity areas may reflect adjustments in the water level. The research shows the importance of large-scale archaeological excavations and a multidisciplinary sampling strategy that covers both the basin center and the margins, when studying postglacial basin localities like Neumark-Nord 2.

Introduction Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is the most commonly performed procedure in bariatric surgery, greatly reducing stomach size and bypassing much of the small intestine. Hence it may reduce the absorption and bioavai-lability of oral medications, especially modified release products. However, the pharmacokinetics of drugs after RYGB are poorly studied. An in vitro dissolution method simulating the conditions before and after RYGB might be a valuable tool to predict the behaviour of drugs with possible bioavailability problems in vivo. The objective of this study was to develop a gastrointestinal simulation system (GISS) mimicking conditions before and after RYGB for investigating dissolution characteristics of oral medications. Methods The GISS is a dissolution method which is based on a design by Schellekens et al. [1]. The GISS enables variation in parameters which are relevant to drug release in vivo: pH, volume, transit time, osmolality and agitation. During the test an oral drug formulation is exposed to solutions simulating stomach, (duodenum) jejunum, ileum and colon in fasting and non-fasting conditions before and after RYGB. Metoprolol immediate (IR) and controlled release (CR) tablets were tested in triplo. Release profiles were determined by measuring the concentrations of metoprolol spectrophotometrically. Results The GISS is able to expose an oral dosage form to subsequent environments simulating fasting and non-fasting conditions before and after RYGB. So far, release profiles of the tested products have been studied in conditions before RYGB. In non-fasting conditions after 30 min the release of metoprolol from the IR tablet is complete. From the CR tablet after 300 min almost 30 % of metoprolol is released. Conclusion A GISS has been developed to study release behaviour of medication during its passage through the gastrointestinal tract in fasting and non-fasting conditions before and after RYGB. Studies in which the situation after RYGB is simulated are in progress.

BACKGROUND Metal sulfide recovery in sulfate reducing bioreactors is a challenge due to the formation of small precipitates with poor settling properties. The size of the metal sulfide precipitates with the change in operational parameters such as pH, sulfide concentration and reactor configuration has been previously studied. The effect of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the metal precipitate characteristics such as particle size for settling has not yet been addressed. RESULTS The change in size of the metal (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) sulfide precipitates as a function of the HRT was studied in two sulfate reducing inversed fluidized bed (IFB) reactors operating at different chemical oxygen demand concentrations to produce high and low sulfide concentrations. The decrease of the HRT from 24 to 9 h in both IFB reactors affected the contact time of the precipitates formed, thus making differences in aggregation and particle growth regardless of the differences in sulfide concentration. Further HRT decrease to 4.5 h affected the sulfate reducing activity for sulfide production and hence, the supersaturation level and solid phase speciation. Metal sulfide precipitates affected the sulfate reducing activity and community in the biofilm, probably because of the stronger local supersaturation causing metal sulfides accumulation in the biofilm. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that the HRT is an important factor determining the size and thus the settling rate of the metal sulfides formed in bioreactors. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry

The dose-response analyses of cancer and noncancer health effects of aldrin and dieldrin were evaluated using current methodology, including benchmark dose analysis and the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) guidance on body weight scaling and uncertainty factors. A literature review was performed to determine the most appropriate adverse effect endpoints. Using current methodology and information, the estimated reference dose values were 0.0001 and 0.00008 mg/kg-day for aldrin and dieldrin, respectively. The estimated cancer slope factors for aldrin and dieldrin were 3.4 and 7.0 (mg/kg-day)(-1), respectively (i.e., about 5- and 2.3-fold lower risk than the 1987 U.S. EPA assessments). Because aldrin and dieldrin are no longer used as pesticides in the United States, they are presumed to be a low priority for additional review by the U.S. EPA. However, because they are persistent and still detected in environmental samples, quantitative risk assessments based on the best available methods are required. Recent epidemiologic studies do not demonstrate a causal association between aldrin and dieldrin and human cancer risk. The proposed reevaluations suggest that these two compounds pose a lower human health risk than currently reported by the U.S. EPA.

This review aims to present an overview of the application of stable isotope technology in clinical pharmacology. Three main categories of stable isotope technology can be distinguished in clinical pharmacology. Firstly, it is applied in the assessment of drug pharmacology to determine the pharmacokinetic profile or mode of action of a drug substance. Secondly, stable isotopes may be used for the assessment of drug products or drug delivery systems by determination of parameters such as the bioavailability or the release profile. Thirdly, patients may be assessed in relation to patient-specific drug treatment; this concept is often called personalized medicine. In this article, the application of stable isotope technology in the aforementioned three areas is reviewed, with emphasis on developments over the past 25 years. The applications are illustrated with examples from clinical studies in humans.

Ecological theory predicts that individual survival should vary between sex and age categories due to differences in allocation of nutritional resources for growth and reproductive activities. During periods of environmental stress, such relationships may be exacerbated, and affect sex and age classes differently. We evaluated support for hypotheses about the relative roles of sex, age, and winter and summer climate on the probability of mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) survival in coastal Alaska. Specifically, we used known-fates analyses (Program MARK) to model the effects of age, sex, and climatic variation on survival using data collected from 279 radio-marked mountain goats (118 M, 161 F) in 9 separate study areas during 1977–2008. Models including age, sex, winter snowfall, and average daily summer temperature (during Jul–Aug) best explained variation in survival probability of mountain goats. Specifically, our findings revealed that old animals (9+ yr) have lower survival than younger a...

We investigate the mobility of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) over a carrier-density range from 1015 to 1020cm-3. Hole-only diodes were used for densities below 1016cm-3 and field-effect transistors were used for carrier densities higher than 1018cm-3. To fill the gap, intermediate densities were probed using chemically doped Schottky diodes and transistors. Combining of the mobilities in doped and undoped devices experimentally establishes the full relation of the mobility over the whole carrier-density range. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A positive effect of ultrasound on crystallization has been shown for many applications especially on small scale. Predictable scale-up of sonocrystallization is a challenge due to the inherent dependency of ultrasound on scale. The presented research discusses the experimental application of ultrasound to induce nucleation at low supersaturation for start-up of evaporative batch-wise crystallization of ammonium sulfate in a 75-L draft tube (DT) crystallizer. A comparison is made with a conventional start-up procedure using primary nucleation or seeding. Ultrasound is applied in two geometrically different vessels of 1.2-L connected to a 75-L DT crystallizer. Application of ultrasound for start-up of a 75-L DT crystallizer shows that an optimum amount of ground seeds is better capable to suppress nucleation. A challenge for future research is to improve the efficiency of ultrasound to produce a large number of nuclei for start-up of batch crystallization at larger scale. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011

North Dakota is the leading producer of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in the United States. In order to remain competitive, growers need to find ways to optimize yields and minimize input costs. Direct harvest may decrease equipment investment, harvest time, and operational costs when compared with conventional methods. However, direct harvest is often associated with reduced seed yield and quality. Experiments were conducted at four environments in North Dakota to evaluate the harvest efficiency of nine dry bean cultivars representing three market classes. Seed yield, seed loss, and other agronomic/morphological traits were measured using a split plot design. Harvest method and cultivar were consistently the most important factors contributing to seed yield and seed loss. Seed yield was significantly greater (830 kg ha -1 ) with the conventional method and seed loss was significantly greater (23.2%) under direct harvest. For conventional harvest, there was no difference in seed yield among cultivars within a market class. However, under direct harvest, one pinto (Lariat) and two black bean (T-39 and Eclipse) cultivars showed the highest yield. There were no differences among the navy cultivars for seed yield. Lariat was the most efficient cultivar across and within both harvest methods, with the best combination of highest yield (2232 kg ha -1 ) and lowest seed loss (11.1%). None of the morphological traits measured had a strong association with seed yield or seed loss. Results indicate that for optimal yields, growers need to select a cultivar with the best harvest efficiency possible, in addition to other factors.

Hydrolysis of 6-(bromomethyl)- 1,2,4-trichloro-3,7,7-trimethoxybicyclo[2.2.1] hept-2-ene with perchloric acid in aqueous ethanol yields inter alia the title compound. X-ray analysis proved the positioning of the substituents to be 6-endo-(bromomethyl)-2-endo-chloro,3-endo-ethoxy, which is evidence that the addition in this case follows an endo-tram mechanism. The title compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 10.504 A, b = 10.507 A, c = 15.783 A, γ = 92.20° and Z = 4. The structure was solved by conventional techniques to an R = 0.063 using Mo(Zr) diffractometer data. The effect of the substitution on the conformation of the norbornane skeleton is discussed, as well as the geometry of the acetal groups in terms of the anomeric effect.

The advantages and adoption of subsurface drainage are well documented in many parts of the Upper Midwest. The adoption of subsurface drainage in the northern half of Minnesota, in particular the Red River of the North Basin (RRB), has been relatively small compared with other intensively drained regions of the Upper Midwest. The objectives of this research were to measure the effect of subsurface drainage on grain yield and grain quality of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] in the RRB. Experimental sites were established near Brooks and Crookston, MN. At each site subsurface drainage was installed based on drainage coefficients of 6.3, 12.7, and 19 mm d ―1 of excess soil water. The grain yield of both wheat and soybean did not improve with subsurface drainage. In contrast to grain yield, grain protein in both wheat and soybean increased. The grain protein increased linearly in spring wheat as the drainage coefficient increased. In soybean, grain protein showed a quadratic response to the increase in the drainage coefficient. A correlated response to the increase in grain protein was detected with the quadratic decrease in oil content in soybean. These results suggest that subsurface drainage as a means to supplement the predominant system of land leveling and surface drainage may have limited applicability in the RRB as subsurface drainage did not improve grain yield of spring wheat or soybean, greatly limiting the economic feasibility of subsurface drainage.

An outline is given of the procedure and computer programmes used by the electron diffraction groups of the universities of Leiden and Antwerp for the determination of the structure of molecules in the gaseous phase.

Active metal slurries, prepared by the reduction of TiCl3, TiCl4, NbCl5, MoCl5 and WCl6 with LiAlH4 in THF, can bring about the reductive coupling of benzophenone to tetraphenylethene. Yields depend critically on the metal used.

Reaction at room temperature of gaseous ammonia with acetophenone under the influence of low-valent titanium - prepared from TiCl3: LiAlH4 in the molar ratio 2 : 1 - leads to formation of 2,3-diamino-2,3-diphenylbutane in a synthetically useful yield (58 %). It is essential to simultaneously add NH3 and ketone keeping their ratio 1 : 1 until the ratio Ti: NH3: ketone = 1 : 1 : 1 is reached. Mass spectral characteristics and other spectroscopic properties of the new compound and of some side compounds are discussed. A plausible mechanism of the aminative reductive ketone coupling is given.

The configuration of trans, trans-1,2-dimethyl and of trans, cis-1, 2-dimethylethylene-sulfite, as suggested by NMR, is in agreement with electrondiffraction results in the gas phase. The best fit to the observed diffraction intensities was obtained with a non-planar sulfite ring, ϕmax = 42.6°. In the trans, cis derivative the methyl groups are pseudo-equatorial, whereas in the trans, trans compound one methyl is pseudo-axial, the other pseudo-equatorial. Although these are the best, static representations of the molecules, mixtures containing several conformations cannot be excluded.

Macroheterocyclic molecules can be used to organize the binding sites required for selective molecular recognition and/or molecular catalysis. Although most work in the literature deals with recognition of ionic species, there is an increasing interest in the selective complexation of neutral molecules. Based on X-ray analysis of solid complexes and NMR in solution, hydrogen bonding of host to guest and/or vice versa determines the structure, and very likely also the stability of these complexes between neutral host and guests. This paper describes an NMR method to determine the (weak) association constants of such complexes. Subsequently, two strategies are described for the enhancement of the thermodynamic stability, viz. the introduction of (intraannular) acidic groups in the molecular cavity and the use of metallomacrocyclic hosts in which a ‘soft’ cavity is combined with a ‘hard’ macrocyclic moiety. For both approaches novel synthetic methodology has been designed and for the first approach, the pKa values of acidic groups present in molecular cavities have been studied. Finally we have used the novel metallomacrocycles to organize two (or more) different metal centres in molecular cavities.

Bis(di-n-butyl)(2,3,6-trifluorobenzoato)- and bis(di-n-butyl)(2,3,4,5-tetrafluorobenzoato)tin oxides were synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C, 19F and 119Sn NMR as well as by 119mSn Mossbauer spectroscopy. They were screened in vitro against six human tumour cell lines. MCF-7 and EVSAT. breast cancers, WiDr, a colon carcinoma, IGROV, an ovarian cancer, M19 MEL, a melanoma and A498, a renal cancer.

The isomer of 2,4-dioxa-3-oxo-3-phospha-3-phenoxy-trans-bicyclo [4.4.0] decane with the configuration P3(S), C1(S), C6(R) or its mirror image crystallizes in the space group P21/n with Z = 8, a = 20.59, b = 6.587, c = 20.67 A, β = 114.9°. The molecule has an all chair form with P = 0 pointing into axial and P-OR into equatorial direction. It is the first X-ray determination of a cyclic phosphate with an axial P = 0. Systematic geometrical differences in comparison with cyclic phosphates having an equatorial P = 0 are discussed. They are found to be in complete agreement with predictions based on the anomeric effect.

‘Warrior’ (Reg. No. CV-252, PI 655523), ‘Scout’ (Reg. No. CV-253, PI 655524), and ‘Chief’ (Reg. No. CV-254, PI 655525) indiangrass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.)] Nash were developed for improved yield and forage digestibility by USDA-ARS and the University of Nebraska for use in the central Great Plains and the Midwest USA. Warrior was tested as Oto C3 and was developed by means of both half-sib family selection and restricted, recurrent phenotypic selection (RRPS). Scout and Chief which were tested as NE54 C2 and Holt × Oto Early C2, respectively, were developed by RRPS. Warrior is adapted to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone (HZ) 5 and the upper part of HZ 6 in the Great Plains and Midwest. It produces forage with high in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) that results in improved animal gains when utilized by beef cattle in well managed grazing systems in regions where it is adapted. Scout is adapted to HZ 5 in the Great Plains and Midwest, USA. It produces signifi cantly greater forage yields than other adapted indiangrass cultivars when grown for hay in the western part of its adaptation region. Chief is adapted to HZ 4 and the upper half of HZ 5. It produces signifi cantly greater forage yields than the other available HZ 4 cultivars. Warrior, Scout, and Chief represent the second generation of indiangrass cultivars developed for use in production agriculture. In the regions where they are adapted, these cultivars can be used in pure stands or in multispecies mixtures with other grasses.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: (13)C-urea may be a suitable marker to assess the in vivo fate of colon-targeted dosage forms given by mouth. We postulated that release in the colon (urease-rich segment) of (13)C-urea from colon-targeted capsules would lead to fermentation of (13)C-urea by bacterial ureases into (13)CO(2). Subsequent absorption into the blood and circulation would lead to detectable (13)C (as (13)CO(2)) in breath. If, however, release of (13)C-urea occurred in the small intestine (urease-poor segment), we expected detectable (13)C (as (13)C-urea) in blood but no breath (13)C (as (13)CO(2)). The differential kinetics of (13)C-urea could thus potentially describe both release kinetics and indicate the gastrointestinal segment of release. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The in vivo study consisted of three experiments, during which the same group of four volunteers participated. KEY RESULTS: The kinetic model was internally valid. The appearance of (13)C-in breath CO(2) (F(fermented)) and the appearance of (13)C in blood as (13)C-urea (F(not fermented)) show a high inverse correlation (Pearson's r=-0.981, P= 0.06). The total recovery of (13)C (F(fermented)+F(not fermented)) averaged 99%, indicating complete recovery of the administered (13)C via breath and blood. (13)CO(2) exhalation was observed in all subjects. This indicates that (13)C-urea was available in urease-rich segments, such as the caecum or colon. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: In this proof-of-concept study, (13)C-urea was able to provide information on both the release kinetics of a colon-targeted oral dosage form and the gastrointestinal segment where it was released.

Increased vaccine doses and mid-season boosting may increase the proportion of residents with protective immunity from influenza in long-term care facilities. In a multi-center study (1997-1998), 815 residents from 14 long-term care facilities were assigned at random to receive 15 or 30 microg of inactivated influenza vaccine, followed by a 15 microg booster vaccine or a placebo vaccine at Day 84. Seroresponses were re-analyzed by hemagglutination-inhibition (> or =4-fold titer increases, protective titer > or =40, geometric mean titers. Forty percent of the participants had pre-vaccination titers > or =40. At Day 25 after vaccination, this increased to 66.3% after a 15 microg dose versus 73.3% after a dose of 30 microg (P = 0.049). Participants receiving a 30 microg dose followed by a 15 microg booster showed more > or =4-fold titer increases at Day 109 (43.6% vs. 35.4%, P = 0.003) and protective titers > or =40 (74.2% vs. 64.6%, P = 0.041), compared to those receiving only a 15 microg dose. Differences were most apparent in participants with low pre-vaccination titers. Booster vaccination after an initial 15 microg dose of the vaccine did not increase the protective rate (61.9% vs. 63.9% after placebo). The number of participants needed to vaccinate to protect one additional resident by a dose of 15 microg was 4, by a dose of 30 microg 3, and 15 when using a 30 microg dose instead of 15 microg. Doubling the dose of influenza vaccine increased protection-related responses among residents of long-term care facilities, especially in those with low pre-vaccination titers.

The development of the eye lens in the prenatal phase is accompanied by a gradual change in the polypeptide composition of α-crystallin. As the lens matures from that of a 6-week-old embryo to that of a new-born calf, there is a successive appearance of different polypeptides although two obviously principal polypeptides, A2 and B2, are present at every stage of development. The youngest embryonic lenses studied contain four polypeptides. Two of them differ from the well-known polypeptides as found in cortical bovine α-crystallin.

Inbred rodent studies have demonstrated that cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions are exacerbated in stress-susceptible, and attenuated in stress-resistant strains of mice. This physiological response was, in part, mediated by activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during the acute restraint stress. A study was conducted to examine whether or not cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions are also associated with variable cortisol responsiveness to inflammatory stress in an outbred ovine population. High (H), medium (M), and low (L) cortisol responsive sheep were identified from a population of 110 females based on their estimated breeding values for cortisol concentration measured 4 h post-systemic challenge with Escherichia coli endotoxin (400 ng kg(-1)). Cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB), and Candida albicans cellular antigen (CAA) were measured in these variable cortisol-responding sheep, in addition to serum interleukin (IL)-6, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and ovalbumin (OVA)-specific IgG concentrations. When compared to the M cortisol responders, both H and L cortisol responders had significantly greater cutaneous swelling during the elicitation phase in response to DNCB (P0.05) and CAA (P0.05); a similar but not significant trend was observed during the PHA challenge. The primary, but not the secondary, IgG response to OVA was significantly lower in the H and L cortisol responders when compared to the M cortisol responders. Differences in serum IL-6 or IFN-gamma concentration were not observed across variable cortisol-responsive groups. Together, these results demonstrate that cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions are enhanced in outbred H and L cortisol-responding sheep, independent of systemic modulation by IL-6 and IFN-gamma.

Seeding is discussed from the viewpoint of reproducible process actuation. Seeded experiments in a 75-l Draft-Tube (DT) crystallizer were performed in triplicate to verify reproducibility of the product characteristics. The seeded experiments displayed a significantly improved reproducibility of the results in comparison with the corresponding unseeded batches. Narrow sieve fractions of ground seeds were utilized as a seeding material. The seeds were suspended in a saturated solution before being fed into the crystallizer. It was found that the Crystal Size Distribution (CSD) of crystals suspended in a saturated solution changed during the time of their residence in the seeding vessel. Images taken by the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) confirmed that the initial change in the median size was caused by the dissolution of fines. The dissolution was subsequently accompanied by the crystal growth and attrition. An optimal residence time was found. Finally, the influence of the initial supersaturation, the seed load, and the seed size on the product quality was investigated. The experimental studies indicated that the initial supersaturation should be as high as possible yet not high enough to trigger primary nucleation. The lowest admissible sieve fraction and the corresponding minimal seed load were found. The conservatism of the used seeding model with respect to the minimal seed load was addressed.

In this paper we specify a semi-nonparametric competing risks (SNP-CR) model of recidivism, for misdemeanors and felonies. The model is a bivariate mixed proportional hazard model with Weibull baseline hazards and common unobserved heterogeneity. The distribution of the latter is modeled semi-nonparametrically, using orthonormal Legendre polynomials on the unit interval, and integrated out to make the two durations dependent, conditional on the covariates. The SNP-CR model involved corresponds to a Logit model for felony arrest; hence the validity of the SNP-CR model can be tested by testing the validity of the implied Logit model. The latter will be done by using the integrated conditional moment (ICM) test. In the first instance we have estimated and tested two versions of the SNP-CR model, without and with fixed state effects. However, the ICM test rejects these models. Therefore, we have estimated and tested the model for each state separately. These state models are not rejected by the ICM test. Indeed, the estimation results vary substantially per state. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Precipitation of the polymorphic compound L-glutamic acid was initiated by premixing aqueous solutions of sodium L-glutamate and sulfuric acid. Samples of the supersaturated solution were either subjected to vigorous post-stirring or left under quiescent conditions. For low supersaturation (S ≤ 13) without post-stirring aggregated platelet-shaped crystals of the stable beta polymorph formed while post-stirring generated large prismatic crystals of the metastable alpha polymorph. For high supersaturation (S ≥ 17) first smooth spheres were observed which transformed into rough spherulitic crystals of the beta phase. For high supersaturation it is proposed that the spheres are a metastable phase consisting of droplets formed by liquid-liquid phase separation. Subsequently from these spheres crystals of the stable beta phase nucleate. For low supersaturation without post-stirring aggregated beta platelets form according to the same mechanism, while with post-stirring concentration fluctuations are equalized and metastable alpha crystals nucleate from the homogenized solution. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2007.

In pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) a phenotypic switch of the endothelium results in exuberant cell growth and vascular remodeling. Recent animal models of PAH show a high cell turnover with ...

Synthetic agrichemicals are used to minimize nutrient deficiencies and pests when developing and selecting modern small-grain cultivars. Some farmers believe that modern cultivars are not adapted to environments without these inputs, and old cultivars should be grown. Our objective was to determine the adaptability of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars for production in certified organic environments. A single seed lot for 15 cultivars and two seed lots each for two others were used to establish 19 treatments evaluated for grain yield, protein content, kernel and volume weight, along with phenotypical growth traits on four certified organic fields in Minnesota and North Dakota in 2003 and 2004. The cultivars represented different development eras, but 11 were released since 1995. Interactions between environments and cultivars existed for the four grain parameters (P < 0.05), but some modern cultivars ranked high consistently for yield, protein content, and volume weight. For example, the modem cultivar Walworth produced an average of 500 kg ha -1 more grain than the highest yielding cultivar developed before 1970. Seedling vigor and other phenotypical growth traits did not explain consistent yield differences between cultivars. These results suggest that modern spring wheat cultivars are adapted to certified organic environments. The phenotypical growth traits considered in this study are not suited as primary selection criterion for cultivars in certified organic environments.

Forty-nine white-flowered sweet clover (Melilotus alba) genetic stocks and a yellow-flowered sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) genetic stock (N56) were developed jointly by the USDA-ARS and the Agricultural Research Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and were jointly released in May 2004. The genetic stocks, which contain unique combinations of genes and traits, were developed over more than 3 decades of cooperative sweet clover research. The 49 sweet clover genetic stocks include a set of 16 lines (N30-N45), which represent all possible homozygous combinations of 4 allelic pairs, Y/y, C/c, Cu/cu and B/b. The Y/y alleles affect seed colour and the C/c alleles are concerned with both seed and seedling colour. The Cu/cu and B/b genes affect coumarin (more accurately o-hydroxycinnamic acid β-D-glucoside) content and β-glucosidase activity, respectively. The other genetic stocks were N46-N53, N54-N55, N741, N743, N745, N747, U362, U363, U367, U369-U374, U389-U394, U396-U398 and U500. Registration of these genetic stocks supplements 3 previously released and registered biennial, yellow-flowered sweet clover germplasms (N27, N28 and N29).

SUMMARY Objectives To examine the effect of integrated emotion-oriented care on nursing home residents with dementia and nursing assistants. Design A multi-site randomized clinical trial with matched groups, and measurements at baseline and after seven months. Setting Sixteen psychogeriatric wards in fourteen nursing homes in the Netherlands. Participants One hundred and forty-six elderly residents with the diagnosis dementia of the Alzheimer (DAT) type, mixed DAT and vascular dementia, and dementia syndrome (NAO) and 99 nursing assistants. Interventions Integrated emotion-oriented care and usual care. Measurements Demented elderly: Behaviour and mood related to adaptation to the illness and the institutionalization. Nursing assistants: General health as measured by feelings of stress, stress reactions, feeling of competence and illness. Results Positive effects in favour of the integrated emotion-oriented care were found in mild to moderately demented residents on two adaptive tasks: maintaining an emotional balance (less anxiety) and preserving a positive self-image (less dissatisfaction). In the trained group of nursing assistants fewer stress reactions were found only in those who perceived improvement in their emotion-oriented care skills after training. Conclusion Emotion-oriented care is more effective with regard to the emotional adaptation in nursing homes of persons with a mild to moderate dementia. For the severely demented elderly we did not find this surplus value. This outcome is of clinical importance for elderly persons with dementia who are cared for in nursing homes. With respect to the nursing assistants it is concluded that emotion-oriented care has a positive influence on stress reactions in some of them. Copyright # 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.