Comparison of physician based reporting of tobacco attributable deaths and computer derived estimates of smoking attributable deaths, Oregon, 1989 to 1996

BACKGROUND: Tobacco use prevention programmes need accurate information about smoking related mortality. Beginning in 1989, Oregon began asking physicians to report on death certificates whether tobacco use contributed to the death. OBJECTIVE: To determine the long term comparability of this method of estimating tobacco attributable mortality to estimates of smoking attributable mortality derived from a computer model. DESIGN: For the period 1989 to 1996, we compared mortality resulting from tobacco use reported by Oregon physicians to estimates of smoking attributable deaths (SADs) derived by "Smoking attributable mortality, morbidity and economic costs" software version 3.0 (SAMMEC 3.0), a widely used software program that estimates SADs on the basis of smoking prevalence and relative risks of specific diseases among current and former smokers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Numbers of deaths, age, sex, and category of disease. RESULTS: Of 212, 448 Oregon deaths during 1989-1996, SAMMEC 3.0 estimated that 42, 778 (20.1%) were attributable to cigarette smoking. For the same 27 diagnoses, physicians reported that tobacco contributed to 42, 839 (20.2%) deaths-a cumulative difference of only 61 deaths over the eight year period. The age and sex distributions of tobacco and smoking attributable deaths reported by the two systems were also similar. By category of disease, the ratio of SAMMEC 3.0 estimates to physician reported deaths was 1.11 for neoplasms, 0.88 for heart disease, and 1.04 for respiratory disease. CONCLUSIONS: Physician reporting provides comparable estimates of smoking attributable mortality and can be a valuable source of data for communicating the risks of tobacco use to the public.     

Physical and thermal behaviour of Sr-La-Al-B-Si based SOFC glass sealants as function of SrO content and B2O3/SiO2 ratio in the matrix

A series of SOFC glass sealants with composition SrO (x), La₂O₃ (15), Al₂O₃ (15), B₂O₃ (40 − x), and SiO₂ (30) [x = 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30] (wt.%) [SLABS] are investigated for their structure property correlations at different compositions. Quantitative Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows structural rigidity with increasing SrO content, as demonstrate by an increase in the Si-O-Si/O-Si-O bending and B-O-B stretching frequencies. The role of SrO as a modifier dominates the control of the structure and behaviour of glasses compared with the effect of network formers, i.e., the B₂O₃/SiO₂ ratio. Consequent to the structural changes, increasing substitution of B₂O₃ by SrO the glasses causes increases in the density, glass transition temperature and dilatometric softening point. On the other hand, the crystallization temperatures show a decreasing trend and the coefficient of thermal expansion increases with increase in substitution.     

Pilot-scale gasification of woody biomass

The gasification of pine and mixed-hardwood chips has been carried out in a pilot-scale system at a range of gas flow rates. Consuming ∼17-30 kgh⁻¹ of feedstock, the producer gas was composed of ∼200 dm³ m⁻³ carbon monoxide, 12 dm³ m⁻³ carbon dioxide, 30 dm³ m⁻³ methane and 190 dm³ m⁻³ hydrogen, with an energy content of ∼6 MJ m⁻³ for both feedstocks. It was found that the efficiency of the system was enhanced at higher flow rates.     

CuInS2-Poly(3-(ethyl-4-butanoate)thiophene) nanocomposite solar cells: Preparation by an in situ formation route, performance and stability issues

In this contribution we present an in situ method for the preparation of CuInS₂-poly(3-(ethyl-4-butanoate)thiophene) (P3EBT) nanocomposite layers and their application in nanocomposite solar cells. A precursor solution containing copper and indium salts, thiourea and the conjugated polymer was prepared in pyridine, which was coated onto glass/ITO substrates followed by a heating step at 180 °C. The heating step induced the formation of the CuInS₂ nanoparticles homogeneously dispersed in the conjugated polymer matrix. The formation of the nanocomposite was investigated in situ by X-ray scattering techniques and TEM methods showing that nano-scaled CuInS₂ was formed. By addition of small amounts of zinc salt to the precursor solution, zinc containing CuInS₂ (ZCIS) was formed. ZCIS-P3EBT active layers exhibited higher V_OC than CuInS₂-P3EBT layers and showed efficiencies of about 0.4%. Additionally the stability of the solar cells was tested over a time scale of 172 h.     

Toxaphene trends in the Great Lakes fish

As part of the U.S. Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP), more than 300 lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) collected from the Laurentian Great Lakes each year from 2004 to 2009, have been analyzed for total toxaphene and eight selected congeners. The analytical results show fish toxaphene concentrations are quite different among lakes. Between 2004 and 2009, Lake Superior lake trout had the highest concentration (119 to 482 ng/g) and Lake Erie walleye had the lowest concentration (18 to 47 ng/g). Combining these results with the historical total toxaphene data (1977–2003), temporal changes were examined for each lake. Because of different analytical methods used in the previous studies, the historical data were adjusted using a factor of 0.56 based on a previous inter-method comparison in our laboratory. Trend analysis using an exponential decay regression showed that toxaphene in Great Lakes fish exhibited a significant decrease in all of the lakes with t_1/2 (confidence interval) of 0.9 (0.8–1.1) years for Lake Erie walleye, 3.8 (3.5–4.1) years for Lake Huron lake trout, 5.6 (5.1–6.1) years for Lake Michigan lake trout, 7.5 (6.7–8.4) years for Lake Ontario lake trout and 10.1 (8.2–13.2) years for Lake Superior lake trout. Parlars 26, 50 and 62 were the dominant toxaphene congeners accounting for 0.53% to 41.7% of the total toxaphene concentration. Concentrations of these congeners generally also decreased over time.     

Water quality assessment of a tropical coastal lake system using multivariate cluster,principal component and factor analysis

Statistical techniques represent a reliable tool for classifying, modelling and interpreting surface water quality monitoring data, particularly for lakes. The complexity associated with the analysis of a large number of measured variables, however, is a major problem in water quality assessments. Multivariate analysis, such as cluster analysis and factor analysis (FA), was utilized in this study for the analysis of water quality data (including water discharges and 28 water quality parameters) for Akkulam–Veli Lake, a tropical coastal lake system in Kerala, India. This lake is partially divided into two sub‐systems, namely Veli Lake and Akkulam Lake. Akkulam Lake exhibits freshwater characteristics, in contrast to Veli Lake, which exhibits saline water characteristics because of its close proximity to the sea. Thus, studying this lake provides insights into water quality variations in both a freshwater and saline water lake in a tropical region. Water quality patterns and variations in Akkulam–Vela Lake over three seasons, including pre‐monsoon (PRM), monsoon (MON) and post‐monsoon (POM), also were studied, utilizing multivariate techniques. The organic pollution factor played a significant role on lake water quality during PRM. The influence of organic pollution tends to decrease during MON and POM, a particular situation faced by urban lakes in tropical regions. Polluted stretches in a lake system during different seasons can easily be ascertained by hierarchical cluster analysis. Further, the factors affecting a lake system as a whole, as well as for a particular sampling site, can easily be identified by FA. Improved water quality can be observed during POM. Akkulam and Vela lakes exhibit a wide variation in water quality during all seasons, a finding that corroborates a water flow obstruction from Akkulam Lake to Veli Lake because of the bund existing between the two lakes. The location of the bund is identified as the major reason for different hydrochemical processes in A–V Lake.     

Small-scale lacustrine drifts in Lake Champlain,Vermont

High resolution CHIRP (Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse) seismic profiles reveal the presence of two lacustrine sediment drifts located in Lake Champlain's Juniper Deep. Both drifts are positive features composed of highly laminated sediments. Drift B sits on a basement high while Drift A is built on a trough-filling acoustically-transparent sediment unit inferred to be a mass-transport event. These drifts are oriented approximately north–south and are parallel to a steep ridge along the eastern shore of the basin. Drift A, located at the bottom of a structural trough, is classified as a confined, elongate drift that transitions northward to become a system of upslope asymmetric mudwaves. Drift B is perched atop a structural high to the west of Drift A and is classified as a detached elongate drift. Bottom current depositional control was investigated using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) located across Drift A. Sediment cores were taken at the crest and at the edges of the Drift A and were dated. Drift source, deposition, and evolution show that these drifts are formed by a water column shear with the highest deposition occurring along its crest and western flank and began developing circa 8700–8800 year BP.     

Harmonic distortion assessment for a single-phase grid-connected photovoltaic system

Nowadays, grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems constitute an emerging technology. This has given rise to concerns about their contribution to harmonic distortion levels in utility grids. Valuable insight into the electrical behavior of such a system, including its impact on power quality, can be obtained through extensive simulation studies. In this paper, models are developed with a focus on not only accurate but also fast simulation of grid-connected PV systems. First, time-consuming processes are identified and discussed. These are mainly associated with the semiconductor power switching devices and the non-linear characteristics of the system components (isolation transformer, PV generator). Next, models are developed in order to increase simulation speed by avoiding time-consuming procedures. The validity of the approach is ascertained by comparing simulation results with published measurements. A case study is then performed in order to obtain current and voltage waveforms and, subsequently, harmonic distortion levels. Further simulations are carried out using different values for various system parameters in order to make an assessment of their impact in terms of waveform distortion.     

Studies on melanoidin-type colorants generated from the Maillard reaction of protein-bound lysine and furan-2-carboxaldehyde – chemical characterisation of a red coloured domaine

 The identification of a coloured substructure of melanoidin-type colorants is reported in the present paper. Brown-orange melanoidins with mass >10000 daltons were isolated from a thermally treated aqueous solution of casein and furan-2-carboxaldehyde using ultracentrifugation. After complete enzymatic digestion of the protein skeleton, two intense red coloured compounds were detected in the melanoidin hydrolysate by HPLC. These compounds were identified as the previously unknown chromophoric amino acid (S)-2-amino-6-{4-[(E)-1-formyl-2-(2-furyl)ethenyl]-5-(2-furyl)-2-[(E)-(2-furyl) methylidene]-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-pyrrol-1-yl}hexanoic acid and its 2-[(Z)-(2-furyl)methylidene] isomer, by using several NMR techniques, by MS, UV, and IR spectroscopy. The identification of these novel compounds verifies the idea that melanoidin-type colorants can be generated by a cross-linking reaction between a low molecular weight chromophore and a non-coloured high molecular weight biopolymer. Received: 19 August 1997 / Revised version: 24 October 1997