Mercury emissions from geothermal power plants.

Geothermal steam used for power production contains significant quantities of volatile mercury. Much of this mercury escapes to the atmosphere as elemental mercury vapor in cooling tower exhausts. Mercury emissions from geothermal power plants, on a per megawatt (electric) basis, are comparable to releases from coal-fired power plants.

Pattern of bombardment-produced radionuclides in rock 10017 and in lunar soil.

A large number of radionuclides have been measured as a function of depth in lunar rock 10017 and in bulk fines. Data are reported on (10)Be, (22)Na, (26)Al, (36)Cl, (49)V, (53)mn, (54)Mn (55)Fe, (56)Co, (57)Co, and (59)Ni and on upper limits for (46)Sc, (48)V, (51)Cr, and (60)Co. The results for several nuclides show striking evidence of excess surface production attributable to solar flare particles. Data for short-lived species, (56)Co, (57)CO, (54)Mn, (55)Fe, and (22)Na, appear consistent with fluxes from known recent events. Long-lived species demonstrate the existence of solar flare protons and alphas at least for the last 10(5) to 10(6) years, at fluxes comparable to those now observerved.

Mount st. Helens ash from the 18 may 1980 eruption: chemical, physical, mineralogical, and biological properties.

Samples of ash from the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens were collected from several locations in eastern Washington and Montana. The ash was subjected to a variety of analyses to determine its chemical, physical, mineralogical, and biological characteristics. Chemically, the ash samples were of dacitic composition. Particle size data showed bimodal distributions and differed considerably with location. However, all samples contained comparable amounts of particles less than 3.5 micrometers in diameter (respirable fraction). Mineralogically, the samples ranged from almost totally glassy to almost totally crystalline. Crystalline samples were dominated by plagioclase feldspar (andesine) and orthopyroxene (hypersthene), with smaller amounts of titanomagnetite and hornblende. All but one of the samples contained from less than 1 percent to 3 percent free crystalline silica (quartz, trydimite, or cristobalite) in both the bulk samples and 1 to 2 percent in the fractions smaller than 3.5 micrometers. The long-lived natural radionuclide content of the ash was comparable to that of crustal material; however, relatively large concentrations of short-lived radon daughters were present and polonium-210 content was inversely correlated with particle size. In vitro biological tests showed the ash to be nontoxic to alveolar macrophages, which are an important part of the lungs' natural clearance mechanism. On the basis of a substantial body of data that has shown a correlation between macrophage cytotoxicity and fibrogenicity of minerals, the ash is not predicted to be highly fibrogenic.

Doctors on trial: a comparison of American and Jewish legal approaches to medical malpractice.

The recent and continual call for tort reform has many scholars proposing alternatives to current U.S. medical malpractice law. Most commentators limit their discussions to variations of the two Anglo Saxon theories of liability--negligence and strict liability. Little has been written examining the legal treatment of medical malpractice in other cultures. This article compares and contrasts Jewish and American medical malpractice law, examining both the contemporary and ancient sources of the law.

The changing face of religion: supporting a woman's right to choose.

PIP: In the US, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice asserts that socially conservative religious groups have misled the American people into believing that all religious people oppose the right to an abortion, reproductive choice, and sex education when, in fact, mainstream clergy are overwhelmingly pro-choice. A 1998 survey indicated that 92% of 420 Jewish rabbis and Protestant clergy support a woman's right to decide when to have children, sex education in religious schools, and discussing sexuality and reproductive choice from the pulpit. The respondents pointed to religious tradition, personal beliefs, medical considerations, and quality of life as the most important factors in sexuality and abortion decision-making. Islamic teachings also encourage reproductive responsibility and personal choice. Religious leaders note that their pro-choice positions are neither new nor radical but have been obscured by right-wing religious groups. A 1995 Time/CNN national poll revealed that Roman Catholic laity deviate from their church hierarchy by practicing contraception (59%), supporting abortion in certain circumstances (82%), and supporting a woman's right to choose abortion in all circumstances (39%). These statistics reflect the fact that 90-95% of Americans identify themselves as religious and 70% as pro-choice. Much support for legalized abortion comes from older women who remember when abortion was illegal and unsafe. Young women must be taught not to be complacent about their reproductive rights.^ieng

Volcanic activity: a review for health professionals.

Volcanoes erupt magma (molten rock containing variable amounts of solid crystals, dissolved volatiles, and gas bubbles) along with pulverized pre-existing rock (ripped from the walls of the vent and conduit). The resulting volcanic rocks vary in their physical and chemical characteristics, e.g., degree of fragmentation, sizes and shapes of fragments, minerals present, ratio of crystals to glass, and major and trace elements composition. Variability in the properties of magma, and in the relative roles of magmatic volatiles and groundwater in driving an eruption, determine to a great extent the type of an eruption; variability in the type of an eruption in turn influences the physical characteristics and distribution of the eruption products. The principal volcanic hazards are: ash and larger fragments that rain down from an explosion cloud (airfall tephra and ballistic fragments); flows of hot ash, blocks, and gases down the slopes of a volcano (pyroclastic flows); "mudflows" (debris flows); lava flows; and concentrations of volcanic gases in topographic depressions. Progress in volcanology is bringing improved long- and short-range forecasts of volcanic activity, and thus more options for mitigation of hazards. Collaboration between health professionals and volcanologists helps to mitigate health hazards of volcanic activity.

Experimental model for the quantitative estimation of transendothelial transport in vitro; a two-compartment system.

A two-compartment system was set up for the measurement of macromolecules, particles and water transfer through the monolayers of cultured endothelial cells. Experimental parameters like differential hydrostatic and osmotic pressures (delta P and delta pi, respectively) concentration gradients, temperature could be controlled. The experiments were carried out, on a cellular line of bovine aortic endothelium produced in our laboratory. Morphological and immunological investigations attested the differentiation of these cells grown on a porous support membrane separating the two compartments. The system allowed morphologic check up on the continuity of endothelial monolayer and ultrastructural studies. Hydraulic conductivity determined for endothelial monolayers was 6.86 +/- 0.85 cm. sec-1 X cm H2O-1 X 10(-7) at delta P = 10 mm Hg and 8.23 +/- 0.80 cm. sec-1 X cm H2O-1 X 10(-7) at delta P = 30 mm Hg, which proves an adequate functional integrity. Investigations using successive radioactive pulses on the same culture were possible without notable residual radioactivity between pulses.

[Trichinosis: review of the epidemic in the south suburbs of Paris in January, 1976 (apropos of 125 cases)]. / Trichinose: bilan de l'épidémie de janvier 1976 dans la banlieue sud de Paris (à propos de 125 cas).

The authors report the results of the trichinosis epidemic which occurred in the southern suburbs of Paris in January 1976. 125 patients from a total of 65 families were affected. The major signs: oedema of the face and eyelids, fever and myalgia, were commonly found. There were even laboratory abnormalities with eosinophilia, increase in muscle enzymes and positive specific serology. The course over a period of months was very favourable. There were no deaths. The most severe symptoms rapidly regressed. Only myalgia and headache, and above all fatugie, persisted for 3 to 4 months, in the adults. The biological course was marked by the disappearance in one month of the majority of the disturbances seen in the acute phase, apart from the eosinophilia and serological findings which remained pathological after one year in a number of cases. The particular aetiology, due to horsemeat, may be explained by modern industrial rearing techniques and the complexity of current commercial circuits.