Pennsylvania Research Articles

Session: Innovative Approaches to Teaching Portuguese

This session comprised two presentations. The first was by Maria Antonia Cowles, from the Lauder Institute, University of Pennsylvania, who presented How and What: Teaching a Portuguese Business Communication Program. The language component of the dual degree of the Lauder Institute of the University of Penn sylvania (an MBA from the Wharton School and an MA in International Studies from the School of Arts and Sciences) enables business practitioners to communicate effectively and appropri ately in one of eight foreign languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. The five-segment proficiency-based curriculum?a summer immersion and a four-semester sequence?is grounded on a tripod of language, culture and business. An admission requirement of ACTFL Advanced and a graduation requirement of Superior validate the language skills of the graduates. The profile of the students in the Portuguese track is unique because Portuguese is their third language after either English and Spanish or Spanish and English, resulting in difficulties in separating the framework of par languages and in little background on Luso/Brazilian culture. The special needs of Spanish speakers are addressed (1) by offering a thirty-hour immersion on transfer strategies prior to the beginning of the summer immersion when students are main streamed into the group of Advanced-level speakers. From this point on, all Portuguese students follow the regular program and meet the Superior-level exit requirement; and (2) by incorporating the use?with the instructor's guidance?of a comprehensive portfolio with program goals, student's individual goals, longitudinal discourse analyses, repair and development strategies, results of achievement and proficiency tests, learning styles assessment and notes from one-on one meetings with the instructor. The modular curriculum design comprises topics derived from the program goals and the students' needs where tasks and functions are drawn from the main topic. Activities emulate authentic settings with ample use of technology to permit the development of virtual partnerships and data-gathering in language to maximize the learning experience. The profile of a language instructor for such a program would require current knowledge of second-language acquisition and pedagogy, experience with curriculum design, knowledge of the functional areas of business and of business discourse and culture, in addition to time for critical one-on-one coaching. In order to address the need for training that combines second-language pedagogy and busi ness, Penn Lauder CIBER (Center for International Business Education and Research) funded by the U.S. Department of Education has created a two-tier program taught jointly by faculty from Penn's Wharton School and Graduate School of Education: a thirty-hour Summer Institute and a

Latissimus Dorsi Tendon Transfer for Irreparable Posterosuperior Rotator Cuff Tears

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of latissimus dorsi tendon transfer in patients with an irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tear to help determine which patient and anatomic factors affect clinical outcome. Fourteen patients with a latissimus dorsi tendon transfer were clinically evaluated with use of the PENN (University of Pennsylvania) shoulder score as well as with quantitative measurement of isometric muscle strength and the range of motion of both shoulders at a minimum of twenty-four months postoperatively. The anatomic results were evaluated with postoperative magnetic resonance imaging and electromyography. Nine patients were satisfied with the outcome, had significant clinical improvement, and reported that they would have the operation again under similar circumstances. The other five patients were dissatisfied with the result and had significantly worse PENN scores, active elevation, and objective measures of strength. Eight of the nine patients with a good clinical result were male, and four of the five with a poor result were female. Patients with a good clinical result had had significantly better preoperative function in active forward flexion and active external rotation compared with the patients with a poor result. The magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated healing of the tendon to the greater tuberosity in twelve patients and equivocal healing in two. There was no significant atrophy of any of the transferred muscles. Electromyography demonstrated clear activity in the transferred latissimus muscle during humeral adduction in all fourteen patients, some electrical activity with active forward elevation in only one patient, and some electrical activity with active external rotation in six of the nine patients with a good clinical result. None of the patients with a poor clinical result demonstrated electrical activity of the transferred muscle with active forward flexion or external rotation. Synchronous in-phase contraction of the transferred latissimus dorsi is a variable finding following the surgical treatment of irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears, but when it is present it is associated with a better clinical result. Preoperative shoulder function and general strength influence the clinical result. Female patients with poor shoulder function and generalized muscle weakness prior to surgery have a greater likelihood of having a poor clinical result.

Carbon sequestration potential by afforestation of marginal agricultural land in the Midwestern U.S.

Carbon sequestration has been well recognized as a viable option to slow the rise in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration. The main goals of this study were to assess the carbon sequestration potential (CSP) by afforestation of marginal agricultural land (MagLand) and to identify hotspots for potential afforestation activities in the U.S. Midwest region (Michigan (MI), Indiana (IN), Ohio, Kentucky (KY), West Virginia, Pennsylvania (PA) and Maryland (MD)). The 1992 USGS National Land Cover Dataset and the State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) database were used to determine MagLand. Two forest types (coniferous and deciduous) and two management practices (short-rotation versus permanent forest) were combined to form four afforestation scenarios. Simulation models were employed to predict changes in four carbon pools: aboveground biomass, roots, forest floor, and soil organic carbon (SOC). A scenario-generating tool was developed to detect the hotspots. We estimated that there was a total of 6.5 million hectares (Mha) MagLand available in the U.S. Midwest region, which accounts for approximately 24% of the regional total agricultural land. The CSP capacity was predicted to be 508–540 Tg C (1 Tg = 10 12 g) over 20 years and 1018–1080 Tg C over 50 years. The results indicate that afforestation of MagLand could offset 6–8% of current CO 2 emissions by combustion of fossil fuel in the region. This analysis showed only slight differences in carbon sequestration between forest types or between short-rotation and permanent forest scenarios. Note that this calculation assumed that all suitable MagLand in the U.S. Midwest region was converted to forest and that “best carbon management” was adopted. The actual CSP could be less if the economical and social factors are taken into account. The most preferred locations for implementing the afforestation strategy were found to be concentrated along a west-east axis across the southern parts of Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, as well as in an area covering southern Michigan and northern parts of Indiana and Ohio. Overall, we conclude that afforestation of MagLand in the Midwest U.S. region offers great potential for carbon sequestration. Future studies are needed to evaluate its economic feasibility, social acceptability, and operation capability.

The Culture of Surveillance Revisited: Total Information Awareness and the New Privacy Landscape

It's late November 2002 on a drizzly, cold day in Washington, D.C., a little more than a year after four hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsyl vania killing more than 3,000 people. In one of the bewildering number of Starbucks ofFDupont Circle, Jeff Bezos, iconoclast lead er of the mega online e-tailer Amazon.com, and John Poindexter, then director of the Pentagon's Office of Information Awareness, meet. Bezos orders a low-fat latte. Poindexter, ex-Regan national security advisor and a convicted felon charged with lying to Con gress and obstruction of justice, takes an Americano (of course). Poindexter gets right to the point. Poindexter: Jeff, we have a problem. The world has changed dramatically. During the years I was in the White House it was relatively simple to identify our intelligence collection targets. Today, the most serious asymmetric threat facing the United States is terrorism, a threat characterized by collections of people loose ly organized in shadowy networks that are difficult to identify and define and whose goals are the destruction of our way of life. The intelligence collection targets are thousands of people whose iden tities and whereabouts we do not always know. It is somewhat analogous to the antisubmarine warfare problem of finding sub marines in an ocean of noise—we must find the terrorists in a world of noise, to understand what they are planning, and develop options for preventing their attacks. I think the solution is largely associated with information technology. We must become much

AMMONIA EMISSIONS FROM U.S. LAYING HEN HOUSES IN IOWA AND PENNSYLVANIA

Ammonia (NH3) emission rates (ER) of ten commercial layer houses (six high-rise or HR houses and four manure-belt or MB houses) with different manure handling or dietary schemes were monitored for one year in Iowa (IA) and Pennsylvania(PA). Gaseous (NH3 and CO2) concentrations of incoming and exhaust air streams were measured usingcustom-designed portable monitoring units that shared similar performance to EPA-approved measurement apparatus.Building ventilation rates were determined by calibrated CO2 mass balance using the latest metabolic rate data for modernlaying hens. The field monitoring involved a total of 386 and 164 house-day measurements or 18,528 and 7,872 30-min emissiondata points for the HR houses and the MB houses, respectively. The ER showed considerable diurnal and seasonal variations.The annual mean ERs (g NH3 hen-1 d-1) and standard errors were 0.90 0.027 for IA-HR houses with standard diet, 0.810.02 for IA-HR houses with a nutritionally balanced 1% lower crude protein diet, 0.83 0.070 for PA-HR houses with standarddiet, 0.054 0.0035 for IA-MB houses with daily manure removal, and 0.094 0.006 for PA-MB houses with twice a weekmanure removal. Mass balance of nitrogen (N) intake and output performed for IA-HR houses revealed a total N intake recoveryof 94% to 101%, further verifying the certainty of the NH3 ER measurements. Results of the study contribute to the U.S.national inventory on NH3 emissions from animal feeding operations, particularly laying hen facilities as affected by housingtype, manure handling scheme, crude protein content of the diet, and geographical location.

Mortality from prostate cancer (PC) in Pennsylvania(PA) in civilian versus Veterans Administration (VA) populations

4768 Background/Methods: The PA Cancer Registry was used to identify all cases of PC diagnosed in PA from 1996–2000. The hospital code of diagnosis(dx) distinguished VA from civilian hospitals. Registry data were used to compare age at dx, ethnicity, stage of dx, year of death, and cause of death between the VA and civilian populations. All of these factors and treatment at a VA facility were included in a multivariate analysis to assess their impact on PC-specific mortality. A case was included in the analysis if data for all variables were present and they were from the years 1996 to 2000. Results: From 1996 to 2000, 49,779 cases of PC were diagnosed. 36,191 patients met the inclusion criteria, 35,186 cases in the civilian population and 1,023 cases in the VA population. Ethnicity data between the civilian and VA populations were as follows: Caucasian 89.9% vs. 67.5% and African-American 9.6% vs. 31.6%. The median ages of dx were 68 and 69 years in the civilian and VA populations, respectively. The stages of disease at dx were equivalent between the civilian and VA populations (local or in situ disease 87.3% vs. 89.2%, locally advanced 9.6% vs. 6.7%, metastatic 3.1% vs. 4.0%). PC-specific mortality was higher in the VA population (1.8% vs. 2.6%). In the multivariate analysis, when controlling for all variables, VA patients were 1.3 times as likely to die from PC as civilians. Although this result is not statistically significant (p=0.16), an analysis including more detailed information regarding the time of death might be statistically significant because the analysis would have more power. This analysis is being pursued. Interestingly, age at dx was a statistically significant (p<0.01) independent predictor of mortality. Patients had a 1.1 fold higher mortality than patients diagnosed one year younger. Conclusions: Mortality from PC is equivalent between the VA and civilian populations in PA. The increased risk of death from PC found in this analysis in older men diagnosed in PA contradicts other multivariate analyses. In this analysis, age at dx may be a surrogate marker for other factors, like hemoglobin, that have been found to impact survival. Author Disclosure Employment or Leadership Consultant or Advisory Stock Ownership Honoraria Research Funding Expert Testimony Other Remuneration Philadelphia VA-Heme/Onc Division Head, Veterans Administration Veterans Administration

Mortality from prostate cancer (PC) in Pennsylvania(PA) in civilian versus Veterans Administration (VA) populations

Mortality from prostate cancer (PC) in Pennsylvania(PA) in civilian versus Veterans Administration (VA) populations

An Economic Analysis of Auto Compensation Systems: Choice Experiences From New Jersey and Pennsylvania

AbstractNearly since the first automobile traveled on U.S. soil, questions about how best to compensate people injured by their use have been raised. As early as in 1932, in fact, the tort system of imposing costs on negligent drivers was strongly criticized, and a system of compensation without regard to negligence recommended. Yet despite various efforts to identify and implement improved systems during the past more than 70 years, no clear best compensation mechanism has been found. Current discussions have focused on the “choice” system, under which insureds are allowed to select either a tort system or a no‐fault system of compensation at the time of insurance purchase. New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which implemented very similar choice programs in 1989 and 1990, respectively, offer an opportunity to observe the effects of choice on outcomes such as: use of attorneys, speed of payment, and consistency (equity) of payment. Our results indicate outcomes consistent with expectations in New Jersey (NJ), which switched from no‐fault to choice, but inconsistent with expectations in Pennsylvania (PA), which switched from tort to choice. Furthermore, analysis of tort versus no‐fault selectors postchoice in New Jersey and Pennsylvania does not offer clear evidence of no‐fault's lower administrative costs and speedier, more equitable payment in these jurisdictions.

Coal-induced interleukin-6 gene expression is mediated through ERKs and p38 MAPK pathways

In the present study, we have tested the ability of coal dust to stimulate kinase phosphorylation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) signal transduction pathways and production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in both mouse epidermal JB6 and human lung epithelial A549 cells. Seven coal samples from three coalmine regions of Pennsylvania (PA), West Virginia (WV), and Utah (UT) with high, medium, and low prevalence of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), respectively, were investigated. Results from the present study indicate that three PA coals stimulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and p38 MAPK, but not c-Jun-NH 2-terminal kinases (JNKs) in human lung A549 cells. The effects of three UT coals on the kinase phosphorylation were less as compared to those of the PA coals. Coal dusts from three coalmine regions induced IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner in both JB6 and A549 cells. Interestingly, levels of IL-6 in both cells treated with coals from three coalmine regions correlated well with CWP prevalence from that region. To assess the role of AP-1 pathways in coal-mediated transcriptional activation of IL-6, various inhibitors were used in cells treated with one PA coal, which induced a maximal response. It was found that the increase in IL-6 protein and mRNA by the PA coal was completely eliminated by the pretreatment of both cell types with PD98059, a specific MEK1 inhibitor, and SB202190, a p38 kinase inhibitor. Our results indicate that coal dust can stimulate IL-6 release from mouse epidermal JB6 cells and human lung epithelial A549 cells, and the coal-induced IL-6 increase may involve ERKs and p38 MAPK pathways.

Ralstonia solanacearum Race 3, Biovar 2, the Causal Agent of Brown Rot of Potato, Identified in Geraniums in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Connecticut.

The Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture received diseased geranium (Pelargonium × hortorum) samples from several Pennsylvania (PA) greenhouses in 1999 and 2000 and from one Delaware (DE) greenhouse in 1999. Originating from Guatemala, plants exhibited yellowing, wilting, stunting, and bacterial oozing from the vascular tissues. Isolations on yeast dextrose-CaCO3 (YDC) and triphenyl-tetrazolium-chloride (TTC) agars resulted in off-white mucoid colonies and white, fluidal colonies with pink centers, respectively. Such colonies are typical of Ralstonia solanacearum (1). The disease was similar to a bacterial wilt of geranium caused by an unidentified biovar of R. solanacearum (3). Preliminary tests using Biolog MicroLog 3 (Hayward, Ca; 4.01A) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Agdia Inc., Elkhart, IN; BRA 33900/0500) identified the organism as R. solanacearum. For pathogenicity tests, a 10-μl droplet of water suspension containing 1 × 106 CFU of each of five geranium strains (PDA 22056-99, 81849-99, 81862-99, 51032-00, and 64054-00) per milliliter was placed on a stem wound made by cutting off the terminal growth of each of 4 6-leaf stage plants of geranium 'Orbit Scarlet', tomato 'Rutgers', potato 'Russet Norkotah', and eggplant 'Black Beauty' in a growth chamber at 28°C, 86% relative humidity, and 12 h light/dark cycle. Water was included as a control. The five strains caused severe yellowing and wilting within 10 days. Colonies typical of R. solanacearum were reisolated from symptomatic tissue on YDC and TTC. To determine the specific biovar, 20 pathogenic geranium strains from PA and DE plus a strain of R. solanacearum originally isolated from a geranium plant of Guatemalan origin received from Connecticut in 1995 were grown up to 28 days on Ayers mineral medium supplemented with a 1% final concentration of D-cellobiose, dextrose, meso-inositol, lactose, maltose, D-ribose, trehalose, mannitol, sorbitol, or dulcitol (1). Acid was produced by 21 test strains from the first five carbohydrates only. Such carbohydrate utilization is typical of bv 2 (1). Bv 2 identification was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction using bv 2-specific primers and probes (N. Schaad, unpublished) designed from a bv 2-specific DNA fragment (2). All tested strains were positive using ELISA. In contrast, strains of bv 2 from geraniums in Wisconsin and South Dakota were reported to be negative using ELISA (4). From our results, it appears that bv 2 was introduced into the United States on geraniums from Guatemala in 1995 and 1999. This cool climate bv 2, a regulated agent by the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002, has caused extensive crop loss in potatoes in Europe, but has not been found in potatoes in the United States.

Phonology and Geographic Song Discrimination in Song Sparrows

AbstractWe investigated whether song sparrows discriminate foreign from local songs using specific phonologic markers, a mechanism of geographic discrimination previously described for some other songbirds. Song sparrows from Linesville, Pennsylvania (PA) respond more strongly to local songs than to songs from Millbrook, New York (NY). We identify 61 note categories in PA and NY songs, of which 13 are unique to PA, 17 are unique to NY, and 31 are shared. The most common note category in PA song, ‘buzz BO5’, is present in 89% of PA songs and only in 8% of NY songs; this difference in percentage representation is the largest we found for any note category. Substituting this potential PA marker into NY songs, however, did not make those songs more salient to PA sparrows; instead, PA males tested with territorial playback responded significantly less aggressively to NY/PA hybrid songs than to NY songs. A series of control experiments showed that song sparrows do not detect substitution of PA notes into PA songs or of NY notes into NY songs. The results weigh against the hypothesis that geographic discrimination in song sparrows is accomplished simply by recognition of a small number of phonologic markers.

Gene Expression of Primary Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells in Response to Coal Dusts with Different Prevalence of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis

Striking regional differences in the prevalence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) have been observed but not fully understood. This study investigated the early biological responses of primary lung cells to treatment with coal dusts from various seams. High-density oligoarray technology (GeneChip, Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA) was used to compile gene expression profiles of primary human bronchial epithelial cells to low concentrations (2 w g/cm 2 ) of coals for 6 h or 24 h of treatment. Data showed that a total of 1050 out of 12,000 genes on the chip were altered by 2 coal dusts. The coal from the Pennsylvania (PA) coal-mine region with a high prevalence of CWP altered 908 genes, many more than the coal from Utah (UT) with a low prevalence of CWP, which affected 356 genes. Many genes decreased their expression levels in response to the PA coal at 6 h and/or 24 h of treatment. For example, transferrin receptor, a gene known to control cellular iron uptake, was downregulated in the cells treated with the iron-containing PA coal in order to protect cells from iron overload. The UT coal without bioavailable iron had no such effect. The downregulation patterns of genes were confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). This study is one of the first in profiling gene expressions of primary bronchial epithelial cells treated with coals from various seams, which may set stages for future studies on specific genes.

Conservation of a Lyre From Dr: Atreatment Review

In 1976, the University of Penn sylvania Museum Conservation Laboratory took apart the gold, silver, and lapis bull head from a Sumerian lyre. The head, excavated in the 1920s, had been previously restored. The head was taken apart and the component parts cleaned, revealing details of the original construction that had never been recorded. The head and beard were reassembled using more modern materials and a complex armature to support the weight of the lapis beard. After 16 years on exhibit, the head was reexamined for a traveling exhibit, and the methods and materials used in the 1970s were evaluated.

Role of bioavailable iron in coal dust-induced activation of activator protein-1 and nuclear factor of activated T cells: difference between Pennsylvania and Utah coal dusts.

Activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) are two important transcription factors responsible for the regulation of cytokines, which are involved in cell proliferation and inflammation. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is an occupational lung disease that may be related to chronic inflammation caused by coal dust exposure. In the present study, we demonstrate that coal from the Pennsylvania (PA) coalmine region, which has a high prevalence of CWP, can activate both AP-1 and NFAT in JB6 mouse epidermal cells. In contrast, coal from the Utah (UT) coalmine region, which has a low prevalence of CWP, has no such effects. The PA coal stimulates mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and p38 MAPK but not c-Jun-NH(2)-terminal kinases, as determined by the phosphorylation assay. The increase in AP-1 by the PA coal was completely eliminated by the pretreatment of cells with PD98059, a specific MAPK kinase inhibitor, and SB202190, a p38 kinase inhibitor, further confirming that the PA coal-induced AP-1 activation is mediated through ERKs and p38 MAPK pathways. Deferoxamine (DFO), an iron chelator, synergistically enhanced the PA coal-induced AP-1 activity, but inhibited NFAT activity. For comparison, cells were treated with ferrous sulfate and/or DFO. We have found that iron transactivated both AP-1 and NFAT, and DFO further enhanced iron-induced AP-1 activation but inhibited NFAT. These results indicate that activation of AP-1 and NFAT by the PA coal is through bioavailable iron present in the coal. These data are in agreement with our previous findings that the prevalence of CWP correlates well with levels of bioavailable iron in coals from various mining regions.

Where Does it Begin? A Comparative Perspective on the Professional Preferences of First-year Social Work Students

Dr Idit Weiss is a lecturer at the Bob Shapell School of Social Work at Tel Aviv University. Her primary fields of interest are the links between social policy and the social work profession, the development of social work in Israel and the professional ideologies of social workers and social work students. She is currently co-ordinating an international study of the professional preferences and ideologies of social work studies in different countries. E-mail: iditweis@post.tau.ac.il Dr John Gal is a lecturer at the Baerwald School of Social Work at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His primary fields of interest are social policy in Israel and a comparative perspective. In recent years he has undertaken research on issues relating to comparative social security, unem ployment, poverty and various aspects of social policy in the Israeli welfare stae. Dr Gal has published widely in scholarly journals and has edited a number of books on social policy in Hebrew and in English. His latest volume, co-edited with Dr Asher Ben-Arieh, is entitled Into the Promised Land: Issues in the Welfare State and is published by Praeger. E-mail: msjgsw@mscc.huji.ac.il Professor Ram A. Cnaan is an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work. Dr Cnaan is the author of The Newer Deal: Social Work and Religion in Partnership (Columbia University Press, 1999) and is working on a second book The Invisible Caring Hand: American Congregations and the Provision of Welfare (Rutgers University Press). He is the Director of the Program for the Study of Organized Religion and Social Work at the University of Pennsyl vania School of Social Work. He is also Associate Director of CRRUCS (Center for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society), University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences. Rea Maglajlic is a Ph.D. student at the Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, England. The theme of her Ph.D. dissertation is 'Cross-national Co-operative Inquiry in Social Work Education . She is currently working as a project manager for a Tempus project in Bosnia Herzegovina on Community Mental Health. E-mail: reima-ana.maglajlic@zg.tel.hr

Genetic Variation of RAPD Markers for North American White Clover Collections and Cultivars

New white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cultivars with improved winter hardiness and persistence are needed for pasture‐based cropping systems in temperate regions of North America. This study evaluated, quantified, and compared genetic variation of populations developed from five recently collected germplasms from Georgia (GA), Iowa (IA), Pennsylvania (PA), West Virginia (WV), and Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, and three improved cultivars (‘Regal’, ‘Sacramento’, and ‘Will’). ‘Aurora’ alsike clover (T. hybridum L.) was included for comparison. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles of these populations were compared. Euclidean metric distance matrices were calculated for all possible pairwise combinations and were evaluated by analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). An interpopulation distance matrix [Φst, an analog of F as described by Excoffier et al. (1992)] for the nine populations was used to calculate a dendrogram based on the unweighted paired group method of arithmetic averages. As anticipated, alsike clover was separated from white clover. At a higher level of similarity, the white clovers were separated into only two groups. One group consisted of GA, IA, PA, and PEI germplasms collected from long‐established pastures. The second group included Regal, Sacramento, and Will cultivars and the WV collection. Although Will was originally derived from pasture collections, it has a larger leaf size than any of the five white clover collections. The surprising genetic similarities of eight populations derived from different climates and geographic regions of the continent may indicate a common European origin for much of the naturalized white clover in North American pastures.

The environmental hazards of locating wastewater impoundments in karst terrain

A wastewater storage lagoon failed due to the development of a sinkhole at a site in the Lehigh River valley in Allentown, Pennsylvania (PA). The polluted wastewater from the lagoon entered into the underlying aquifer and moved within a narrow pathway controlled by cracks, fissures, and solution channels within the karstified Allentown Formation of the Cambrian Period. The Allentown Formation serves as the principal aquifer for the public water supply of the area. To develop appropriate remedial measures, a thorough understanding of the geologic setting was required. Therefore, a geologic and hydrogeologic characterization of the area was completed, aerial photography and satellite imagery interpretations were performed, stratigraphic core holes were drilled and geophysically logged, and the data correlated to define structural control and movement of ground water and pollutants. A number of wells were drilled and constructed, and water levels were monitored on a continuous basis to correlate with climatic changes and determine the direction of flow. Water samples were collected periodically and analyzed to delineate the vertical and lateral extent of migration of pollutants. Five saturated (water-bearing) zones were identified within the bedrock based on the analysis of cores and interpretation of geophysical logs. Ground water in the lower zones is polluted; the concentration of pollution increases with depth. Monitoring stations were established in the creek, south of the site, to measure flow rate several times during different seasons, and at different reaches, to determine the losing and gaining sections of the creek. Pumping tests were conducted to determine hydraulic characteristics of the aquifer. Based on the hydrogeologic model of the karstified aquifer, flow regime and structural control, a plan of action was defined and initiated to remediate the aquifer. The ground water is being remediated using a pump and treat methodology. The cleanup effort is continuous and the pollutant level is fluctuating with an overall-declining trend. The application of this technology has also created a pressure trough, thereby controlling off the site migration of pollutants.

Roles of Bioavailable Iron and Calcium in Coal Dust-induced Oxidative Stress: Possible Implications in Coal Workers' Lung Disease

Marked regional differences in prevalence of pneumoconiosis are apparent in the US despite comparable dust exposure. In the present study, we examined the ability of 28 coal samples to release bioavailable iron (BAI) and calcium, as well as other metals such as Cr, Ni, Cu, and Co, from three coalmine regions in Utah (UT), West Virginia (WV), and Pennsylvania (PA), respectively. BAI is defined as iron (both Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ ) released by the coals in 10 mM phosphate solution, pH 4.5, which mimics conditions of the phagolysosomes in cells. We found that coals from the UT, WV, and PA regions released average levels of BAI of 9.6, 4658.8, and 12149 parts per million (ppm, w/w), respectively, which correlated well with the prevalence of pneumoconiosis from that region (correlation coefficient r =0.92 ). The low levels of BAI in the UT coals were due to the presence of calcite (CaCO 3 ), which was shown to be preferentially acid solubilized before iron compounds. Release of iron by two coal samples from the PA and UT regions was further examined in vitro in human lung epithelial A549 cells. We found that the coal from PA, with a high prevalence of pneumoconiosis, released BAI in a dose-dependent manner, both in tissue culture media and in A549 cells. At 2 w g/cm 2 , levels of lipid peroxidation induced by the PA coal were increased 112% over control cells at 24 h treatment, and were sustained at this level for 3 days. The coal from UT, with a low prevalence of pneumoconiosis, induced a marginal increase in cellular iron at 5 and 10 w g/cm 2 treatments and had no effect on lipid peroxidation. Calcium levels in the cells treated with the PA and UT coals were 8.6 and 11.5 w moles/10 6 cells, respectively, and were significantly higher than that in the controls (53 w moles/10 6 cells). Our results suggest that the differences in the BAI content in the coals may be responsible for the observed regional differences in the prevalence of pneumoconiosis. Therefore, BAI may be a useful characteristic of coal for predicting coal's toxicity.

Genetic Variation of RAPD Markers for North American White Clover Collections and Cultivars

New white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cultivars with improved winter hardiness and persistence are needed for pasture-based cropping systems in temperate regions of North America. This study evaluated, quantified, and compared genetic variation of populations developed from five recently collected germplasms from Georgia (GA), Iowa (IA), Pennsylvania (PA), West Virginia (WV), and Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, and three improved cultivars (‘Regal’, ‘Sacramento’, and ‘Will’). ‘Aurora’ alsike clover (T. hybridum L.) was included for comparison. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles of these populations were compared. Euclidean metric distance matrices were calculated for all possible pairwise combinations and were evaluated by analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). An interpopulation distance matrix [Φst, an analog of F as described by Excoffier et al. (1992)] for the nine populations was used to calculate a dendrogram based on the unweighted paired group method of arithmetic averages. As anticipated, alsike clover was separated from white clover. At a higher level of similarity, the white clovers were separated into only two groups. One group consisted of GA, IA, PA, and PEI germplasms collected from long-established pastures. The second group included Regal, Sacramento, and Will cultivars and the WV collection. Although Will was originally derived from pasture collections, it has a larger leaf size than any of the five white clover collections. The surprising genetic similarities of eight populations derived from different climates and geographic regions of the continent may indicate a common European origin for much of the naturalized white clover in North American pastures.

Gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle in the northeastern US: results of a producer survey

A questionnaire covering management practices and producer perception of the effects of gastrointestinal nematode infections was sent to dairy and beef producers in the northeastern US. The mailing list was derived from membership in grazing groups and attendance at grazing events. A final total of 474 responses were suitable for analyses. These responses covered 14 states, but for the purpose of analysis were broken into five groups: New England (NE), Vermont (VT), New York (NY), Pennsylvania (PA), and south and west (S and W) of Pennsylvania. Two-thirds of the responses were from dairy producers. The average number of animals for the farms was 50 cows, 27 heifers, and 20 calves. The average acreage used for grazing was 70 acres, and about two-thirds of the responses used rotational grazing for at least the cows. About one-half of the rotational grazers had been practicing rotational grazing for more than 5 years. Most rotational programs for cows involved a daily rotation, but the rotational interval for other age groups was longer. There was a difference of about 2 months (5.25–7.27) in the length of the grazing season as one moved from New England to south and west of Pennsylvania. Parasite control practices varied greatly by location and animal class. Most producers used anthelmintics one to two times per year, but 10–30% of responses said they did not deworm their cattle. The most common time to deworm was in the spring, and the second most common time was the fall. Between 10 and 20% of respondents reported deworming as a response to decreased productivity or body condition. The use of anthelmintics increased as the location moved from New England to south and west of Pennsylvania. Producer perception of parasite effects was closely related to their anthelmintic use, and also increased as the location moved to the south, and is most likely the result of the increased length of the grazing season. Of producers who ascribed estimated a cost of the parasite, the majority estimated this cost to be between US$ 5 and 20 per animal per year.