Minimizing external indirect health costs due to aerosol population exposure: a case study from Northern Italy

Environmental Agencies require Decision Support Systems, in order to plan Air Quality Policies considering the cost of emission reduction measures and the human health effects (with related social costs). The use of Decision Support Systems is also useful to spread information to general public, explaining the effectiveness of proposed air quality plans. In this paper, a multi-objective approach to control PM10 concentration at a regional level is presented. The problem considers both the internal costs (due to the implementation of emission reduction measures) and the external costs (due to population exposure to high PM10 concentrations). To model PM10 concentrations, a single surrogate model is used for the entire domain, allowing the implementation of a very efficient optimization procedure. The surrogate model is derived through a set of 10 simulations, performed using a Chemistry Transport Model fed with different emission reduction scenarios. The methodology is applied to Northern Italy, a region affected by very high PM10 concentrations that exceed the limit values specified by the EU legislation.     

Identifying priority areas for ecosystem service management in South African grasslands

Grasslands provide many ecosystem services required to support human well-being and are home to a diverse fauna and flora. Degradation of grasslands due to agriculture and other forms of land use threaten biodiversity and ecosystem services. Various efforts are underway around the world to stem these declines. The Grassland Programme in South Africa is one such initiative and is aimed at safeguarding both biodiversity and ecosystem services. As part of this developing programme, we identified spatial priority areas for ecosystem services, tested the effect of different target levels of ecosystem services used to identify priority areas, and evaluated whether biodiversity priority areas can be aligned with those for ecosystem services. We mapped five ecosystem services (below ground carbon storage, surface water supply, water flow regulation, soil accumulation and soil retention) and identified priority areas for individual ecosystem services and for all five services at the scale of quaternary catchments. Planning for individual ecosystem services showed that, depending on the ecosystem service of interest, between 4% and 13% of the grassland biome was required to conserve at least 40% of the soil and water services. Thirty-four percent of the biome was needed to conserve 40% of the carbon service in the grassland. Priority areas identified for five ecosystem services under three target levels (20%, 40%, 60% of the total amount) showed that between 17% and 56% of the grassland biome was needed to conserve these ecosystem services. There was moderate to high overlap between priority areas selected for ecosystem services and already-identified terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity priority areas. This level of overlap coupled with low irreplaceability values obtained when planning for individual ecosystem services makes it possible to combine biodiversity and ecosystem services in one plan using systematic conservation planning.     

Identifying 120 years of decline in ecosystem structure and maturity of Great South Bay, New York using the Ecopath modelling approach

Mass balanced models yield valuable information regarding ecological function and delivery of ecosystem services, but often rely on data collected well before many species were reduced to fractions of their original abundance. Lagoonal systems, such as Great South Bay (GSB), NY, sit on the interface of terrestrial and marine ecosystems and are prone to anthropogenic stressors but proximity to land also makes the presence of data regarding historic populations and structure more likely. To quantify over a century of ecosystem change, Ecopath models were developed for GSB at each of four time periods where commercial and scientific data exist: 1880s, 1930s, 1980s and 2000s. The results indicated that the GSB has experienced a decline in ecosystem maturity, loss of top keystone predators, a decline in connectivity to the ocean though the reduction of migratory species and increasing dominance of low trophic level organisms. These changes undermine the delivery of ecosystem services, increase conflicts over limited resources and suggest that present day restoration targets fail to recognize appropriate baselines. We discuss the role of stochastic events, which result in state changes that could be defined as regime shifts, and ecosystem connectivity to the long-term stability of lagoonal systems.     

2492名新生SCL-90项测试结果数据分析与报告

为了解高职新生的心理健康状况,取得心理辅导及咨询的有效数据材料,运用SCL—90项量表,对湖南环境生物职业技术学院2010级新生进行心理健康普查.结果表明：心理健康问题的检出率为6.7%,大大低于全国平均水平,且9个因子项目均与全国常模存在显著差异,同时对男女性别、农村、城镇生源地群体进行比较,发现分别在强迫症状、抑郁、焦虑、恐怖及人际关系敏感、焦虑、恐怖及精神病性等多个因子上存在差异,并根据相关数据进行分析讨论.     

薇甘菊入侵对深圳湾红树林生态系统碳储量的影响

外来植物入侵对生态系统碳过程的影响已经成为入侵生态学研究的热点问题。采用比较研究的方法分析了薇甘菊（MikaniamicranthaH．B．K．）入侵对深圳湾红树林生态系统碳储量的影响,分别设置红树林（Kandelia candel）群落、红树林．薇甘菊群落、薇甘菊群落以及光滩等样地,采集植被、凋落物和土壤剖面样品,分析生态系统各组分的碳储量变化。结果表明,薇甘菊入侵对红树林生态系统碳储量有着显著的影响,碳储量从未被入侵下215．73tC／hm^2减少到轻、高度入侵下的197．56tC／hm2和166．70tC／hm2,分别减少8．42％和22．72％。其中植被和土壤碳储量显著减少,凋落物碳储量显著增加。薇甘菊入侵一方面导致红树林枯萎,减少植被生物量,增加凋落物量,另一方面促进了土壤微生物活动,使土壤有机碳分解释放,降低土壤碳储量。薇甘菊入侵后红树林碳储量的降低将大大削弱生态系统的碳汇功能。     

生态地球化学调查评价形态分析实验室间比对试验结果分析

通过对生态地球化学调查评价形态分析实验室间比对试验结果的统计分析和技术分析,进一步验证和统一生态地球化学评价样品形态分析方法,提高实验室间形态分析数据的可比性,了解参加实验室形态分析的技术能力,为制定生态地球化学评价样品形态分析相关规范提供基础数据依据。     

Evaluating repeated patient handling injuries following the implementation of a multi-factor ergonomic intervention program among health care workers

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate repeated patient handling injuries following a multi-factor ergonomic intervention program among health care workers.

Methods

This was a quasi-experimental study which had an intervention group and a non-randomized control group. Data were collected from six hospitals in Saskatchewan, Canada from September 1, 2001 to December 1, 2006.

Results

A total of 1,480 individuals who had a previous injury were eligible for the study. Medium and small size hospitals in the intervention group had significantly fewer repeated injuries than in the control group. Multivariate analysis showed that the intervention group had 38.1% lower odds of having repeated injury compared to the control group, after adjusting for hospital size.

Conclusions

The work-related repeated injury after a multi-factor intervention program was reduced. The synergistic relationships between components of multi-factor intervention and applicability of injury prevention programs to different settings need to be further explored.

Impact on Industry

Implementing a multi-factor program with the right equipment and training can lower the risk of injury among health care workers.     

Development of an indirect-cost calculation model suitable for workplace use

Introduction: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) stakeholders rarely factor the cost of workplace accidents into prevention spending decisions. The lack of consideration of this key information is related to the fact that the scientific literature has failed to provide OHS stakeholders with a cost-calculation tool that is both sufficiently accurate and does not require a data-collection stage ill-suited to the time constraints of workplace decision-makers. Method: This study reviews the recent literature to identify key elements that should foster the use of indirect-cost calculation methods by decision makers. Results: A “local” approach currently appears to be the best method for calculating indirect costs of workplace incidents or accidents in comparison to “bottom-up” or “top-down” approach. This paper discusses four criteria that this type of approach must satisfy to be compatible with the time constraints and accuracy demands of OHS stakeholders in organizations. In addition, four bases for the development of a new indirect cost estimation model are presented and discussed. Impact on industry: this study provides bases and criteria to help the development of indirect-cost calculation models better suited to workplace use than those currently available.     

2016—2021年四川省地表水体中铀的放射性水平及健康风险评价

为调查四川省地表水体中放射性物质铀（U）的含量,评价居民摄入地表水体中U导致的健康风险,在四川省主要地表水系中共设置23个监测断面,于2016—2021年检测了U的放射性水平,并根据健康风险评价模型对居民的健康风险进行评估。结果表明：四川省地表水体中U的质量浓度为0.16～3.6 μg/L,参照《生活饮用水卫生标准》（GB 5749—2022）,均合格;不同年份、不同地表水体中U的放射性水平间的差异均无统计学意义（P＞0.05）;不同水期U的放射性水平间的差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。各年龄组通过饮水、水体浸没途径摄入U所致总年均待积有效剂量均＜0.1mSv;对各年龄段居民的总致癌风险为4.18×10^-9 ～2.24×10^-8 ,均低于世界卫生组织（WHO）和国际放射防护委员会（ICRP）发布的最严格控制限值。全省主要地表水体中U对各年龄组都是安全的。