Parental response to mid-trimester therapeutic abortion following amniocentesis

This article reports the results of a retrospective study designed to examine the responses of couples to genetic amniocentesis and subsequent therapeutic abortions due to birth defects. Fourteen women and 12 men were interviewed by experienced interviewers using a structured format designed by the authors, and each interview was audiotaped for later rating. The 5 raters (all women) were instructed to independently rate each interview using forms designed by the authors to elicit information about many aspects of the participant's individual responses as well as perceptions of spouse's responses to the process of pregnancy, amniocentesis, therapeutic abortion, and sequelae. Ratings of all 5 raters were conjoined and an homogeneous narrative was constructed for each interview. Results indicate, in general, that the respondent couples coped well with this experience. In fact 70 per cent of the respondent couples described their marital relationships as becoming closer as a result of their experience. Only a few participants reported long-term deleterious effects. Most couples coped by relying on relatives, friends, and occasionally, professional counsellors. In addition, most participants in this study suggested ways to improve the medical and psychological aspects of this experience.     

Prediction of zinc, cadmium, lead, and copper availability to wheat in contaminated soils using chemical speciation, diffusive gradients in thin films, extraction, and isotopic dilution techniques

To predict the availability of metals to plants, it is important to understand both solution- and solid-phase processes in the soil, including the kinetics of metal release from its binding agent (ligand and/or particle). The present study examined the speciation and availability of Zn, Cd, Pb, and Cu in a range of well-equilibrated metal-contaminated soils from diverse sources using several techniques as a basis for predicting metal uptake by plants. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was grown in 13 metal-contaminated soils and metal tissue concentrations (Zn, Cd, Pb, and Cu) in plant shoots were compared with total soil metal concentrations, total soluble metal, and free metal activities (pM2+) in soil pore waters, 0.01 M CaCl2-extractable metal concentrations, E values measured by isotope dilution, and effective metal concentrations, C(E), measured by diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT). In the DGT technique, ions are dynamically removed by their diffusion through a gel to a binding resin, while E values represent the isotopically exchangeable (labile) metal pools. Free metal activities (Zn2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+) in soil pore waters were determined using a Donnan dialysis technique. Plant Zn and Cd concentrations were highly related to C(E), while relationships for Zn and Cd with respect to the other measures of metals in the soils were generally lower, except for CaCl2-extractable Cd. These results suggest that the kinetically labile solid-phase pool of metal, which is included in the DGT measurement, played an important role in Zn and Cd uptake by wheat along with the labile metal in soil solution. Plant Pb concentrations were highly related to both soil pore water concentrations and C(E), indicating that supply from the solid phase may not be so important for Pb. Predictions of Cu uptake by wheat from these soils by the various measures of Cu were generally poor, except surprisingly for total Cu.     

Adaptation of Climate Model Projections of Streamflow to Account for Upstream Anthropogenic Impairments

A statistical procedure is developed to adjust natural streamflows simulated by dynamical models in downstream reaches, to account for anthropogenic impairments to flow that are not considered in the model. The resulting normalized downstream flows are appropriate for use in assessments of future anthropogenically impaired flows in downstream reaches. The normalization is applied to assess the potential effects of climate change on future water availability on the Rio Grande at a gage just above the major storage reservoir on the river. Model‐simulated streamflow values were normalized using a statistical parameterization based on two constants that relate observed and simulated flows over a 50‐year historical baseline period (1964–2013). The first normalization constant is a ratio of the means, and the second constant is the ratio of interannual standard deviations between annual gaged and simulated flows. This procedure forces the gaged and simulated flows to have the same mean and variance over the baseline period. The normalization constants can be kept fixed for future flows, which effectively assumes that upstream water management does not change in the future, or projected management changes can be parameterized by adjusting the constants. At the gage considered in this study, the effect of the normalization is to reduce simulated historical flow values by an average of 72% over an ensemble of simulations, indicative of the large fraction of natural flow diverted from the river upstream from the gage. A weak tendency for declining flow emerges upon averaging over a large ensemble, with tremendous variability among the simulations. By the end of the 21st Century the higher‐emission scenarios show more pronounced declines in streamflow.     

EPA’s LIMB Development and Demonstration Program

This paper describes and discusses key design features of the retrofit of EPA’s Limestone Injection Multistage Burner (LIMB) system to an operating, wall-fired utility boiler at Ohio Edison’s Edgewater Station, based on the preliminary engineering design. It further describes results of pertinent projects in EPA's LIMB program and shows how these results were used as the basis for the design of the system. The full-scale demonstration is expected to prove the effectiveness and cost of the LIMB concept for use on large-scale utility boilers. To date, a preliminary engineering design for the Edgewater unit has been prepared incorporating the technology developed in smaller-scale studies. The schedule calls for system start-up by March 1987. EPA is engaged in a multiyear program to develop an improved control technology for emission of sulfur and nitrogen oxides from the combustion of fossil fuels. The technology involves staged-flow coal burners and injection of a reactive sorbeht into the furnace to reduce emissions. The program includes fundamental studies of reaction chemistry and kinetics, bench and pilot scale experimental studies, a full-scale demonstration, and economic and applicability studies. It is structured to establish a basis for future public sector commercialization, as well as help in understanding the technology’s controlling factors.     

Relationships between soil and runoff phosphorus in small Alberta watersheds

Field-scale relationships between soil test phosphorus (STP) and flow-weighted mean concentrations (FWMCs) of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and total phosphorus (TP) in runoff are essential for modeling phosphorus losses, but are lacking. The objectives of this study were (i) to determine the relationships between soil phosphorus (STP and degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS)) and runoff phosphorus (TP and DRP) from field-sized catchments under spring snowmelt and summer rainfall conditions, and (ii) to determine whether a variety of depths and spatial representations of STP improved the prediction of phosphorus losses. Runoff was monitored from eight field-scale microwatersheds (2 to 248 ha) for 3 yr. Soil test phosphorus was determined for three layers (0 to 2.5 cm, 0 to 5 cm, and 0 to 15 cm) in spring and fall and the DPS was determined for the surface layer. Average STP (0 to 15 cm) ranged from 3 to 512 mg kg(-1), and DPS (0 to 2.5 cm) ranged from 5 to 91%. Seasonal FWMCs ranged from 0.01 to 7.4 mg L(-1) DRP and from 0.1 to 8.0 mg L(-1) TP. Strong linear relationships (r2=0.87 to 0.89) were found between the site mean STP and the FWMCs of DRP and TP. The relationships had similar extraction coefficients, intercepts, and predictive power among all three soil layers. Extraction coefficients (0.013 to 0.014) were similar to those reported for other Alberta studies, but were greater than those reported for rainfall simulation studies. The curvilinear DPS relationship showed similar predictive ability to STP. The field-scale STP relationships derived from natural conditions in this study should provide the basis for modeling phosphorus in Alberta.     

HYDROCLIMATIC VARIABILITY IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS1

ABSTRACT: The spatial and temporal variability of hydroclimatic elements were investigated in the central and northern Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming) during the 1951–1985 period. The three hydroclimatic elements studied were total water-year (October 1-September 30) streamflow (ST), winter (October 1-March 31) accumulated precipitation (PR), and April 1 snowpack (SN). An analysis of 14 virgin watersheds showed wide spatial djfferences in the temporal variability of SN, PR, and ST, and these were found to be caused largely by basin exposure to moist air flows. The more stable (low variability) basins were those exposed to prevailing northerly to westerly flow, while unstable (high variability) basins were exposed to occasional southwesterly to southeasterly moist flow. Snowpack was the better indicator of ST in 11 of the 14 watersheds, explaining 37 to 87 percent of the ST variance. Analysis of the spatial variability, based on all SN and PR data from across the study area, revealed 11 discrete climatic regions. Both SN and PR exhibited coherent regions of stable and unstable temporal variability. The average variability between stable and unstable regions differed by a factor of two, and the differences were best explained by the exposure of the mountain barrier to moist air flows.     

Cadmium-binding proteins in Mytilus edulis: Relation to mode of administration and significance in tissue retention of cadmium

Tissue cadmium levels and the amount of metal associated with the various protein fractions thereof have been determined in specimens of $\text{Mytilus edulis}$ exposed to cadmium in the water and by direct injection. In addition to metallothionein, heavy-molecular weight proteins are involved in cadmium retention.     

Apportionment of ambient primary and secondary fine particulate matter during a 2001 summer intensive study at the CMU Supersite and NETL Pittsburgh site

Gaseous and particulate pollutant concentrations associated with five samples per day collected during a July 2001 summer intensive study at the Pittsburgh Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Supersite were used to apportion fine particulate matter (PM2.5) into primary and secondary contributions using PMF2. Input to the PMF2 analysis included the concentrations of PM2.5 nonvolatile and semivolatile organic material, elemental carbon (EC), ammonium sulfate, trace element components, gas-phase organic material, and NO(x), NO2, and O3 concentrations. A total of 10 factors were identified. These factors are associated with emissions from various sources and facilities including crustal material, gasoline combustion, diesel combustion, and three nearby sources high in trace metals. In addition, four secondary sources were identified, three of which were associated with secondary products of local emissions and were dominated by organic material and one of which was dominated by secondary ammonium sulfate transported to the CMU site from the west and southwest. The three largest contributors to PM2.5 were secondary transported material (dominated by ammonium sulfate) from the west and southwest (49%), secondary material formed during midday photochemical processes (24%), and gasoline combustion emissions (11%). The other seven sources accounted for the remaining 16% of the PM2.5. Results obtained at the CMU site were comparable to results previously reported at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), located approximately 18 km south of downtown Pittsburgh. The major contributor at both sites was material transported from the west and southwest. Some difference in nearby sources could be attributed to meteorology as evaluated by HYSPLIT model back-trajectory calculations. These findings are consistent with the majority of the secondary ammonium sulfate in the Pittsburgh area being the result of contributions from distant transport, and thus decoupled from local activity involving organic pollutants in the metropolitan area. In contrast, the major local secondary sources were dominated by organic material.     

Variations in pesticide leaching related to land use, pesticide properties, and unsaturated zone thickness

Pesticide leaching through variably thick soils beneath agricultural fields in Morgan Creek, Maryland was simulated for water years 1995 to 2004 using LEACHM (Leaching Estimation and Chemistry Model). Fifteen individual models were constructed to simulate five depths and three crop rotations with associated pesticide applications. Unsaturated zone thickness averaged 4.7 m but reached a maximum of 18.7 m. Average annual recharge to ground water decreased from 15.9 to 11.1 cm as the unsaturated zone increased in thickness from 1 to 10 m. These point estimates of recharge are at the lower end of previously published values, which used methods that integrate over larger areas capturing focused recharge in the numerous detention ponds in the watershed. The total amount of applied and leached masses for five parent pesticide compounds and seven metabolites were estimated for the 32-km2 Morgan Creek watershed by associating each hectare to the closest one-dimensional model analog of model depth and crop rotation scenario as determined from land-use surveys. LEACHM parameters were set such that branched, serial, first-order decay of pesticides and metabolites was realistically simulated. Leaching is predicted to be greatest for shallow soils and for persistent compounds with low sorptivity. Based on simulation results, percent parent compounds leached within the watershed can be described by a regression model of the form e(-depth) (a ln t1/2-b ln K OC) where t1/2 is the degradation half-life in aerobic soils, K OC is the organic carbon normalized sorption coefficient, and a and b are fitted coefficients (R2 = 0.86, p value = 7 x 10(-9)).