Does the Swedish consumer's choice of food influence greenhouse gas emissions?

Consumer's choice of food can influence the environment. In Sweden, in common with many other countries, consumers need to be given information so they can make environmentally informed shopping choices. However, what is the most advantageous dietary choice to lower greenhouse emissions? This study investigates the greenhouse gas emissions associated with food production for food consumed in Sweden annually. Specifically, this study compares greenhouse gas emissions associated with a nutritionally and environmentally sustainable diet with the average consumption of food in Sweden 1999. The study concludes that the change in energy use and greenhouse gas emission associated with this change of diet is negligible. Lowering greenhouse gas emissions by changing food production processes results in more profound changes than teaching consumers to make environmentally correct choices. There is a basic need for a reduction or a replacement of the use of fossil fuels to produce and distribute our food in order to reach any significant reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases. Swedish agricultural policy does not provide ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Sweden therefore there is an immediate need to design policy instruments with the primary aim of reducing the greenhouse effect.     

Transverse limb reduction defects after chorion villus sampling: A retrospective Cohort study

A retrospective cohort study was performed in five Italian obstetrical centres from 1984 to 1991 in order to verify the association between chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and transverse limb reduction defects (TLRDs). TLRD rates by period of gestation at CVS were calculated, and the study's results were compared with data from the general population. Of the 3430 pregnancies for which CVS was performed, 2759 had a known outcome. The overall rate for TLRDs was 1 in 1143 CVS pregnancies, four times higher than that of the general population in Italy (1 in 4458). The rate of TLRDs was 2·9/1000 for CVS performed at 9 weeks' gestation and 1·0/1000 for CVS at 10 weeks' gestation. A scalp defect was detected in a pregnancy in which CVS was performed at 10 weeks. A high proportion of pregnancies lost to follow-up and the poor quality of the data may have affected the results. Nevertheless, our results suggest an association between CVS carried out at less than 10 weeks' gestation and TLRDs which is consistent with the findings of other studies. CVS should not be prepared at less than 10 weeks' gestation until additional evidence is obtained.     

First trimester diagnosis of β-thalassaemia in a twin pregnancy

This paper reports the results of first trimester prenatal diagnosis in a twin pregnancy at risk for homozygous β°−thalassaemia (β°−39 mutant). Trophoblast samples from both twins were obtained at 10 weeks gestation with a forceps guided by ultrasound. Trophoblast DNA analysis, carried out with the oligonucleotide technique, revealed that one fetus was homozygous and the other heterozygous for the β−39 mutant. This diagnosis was confirmed at 17 weeks gestation by amniocyte DNA analysis. DNA polymorphism analysis within the α-globin gene provided useful genetic markers for twin differentiation.     

南非大象管理与象牙贸易

本文对南非为什么要主张开放象牙贸易进行了分析，从历史上给出了南非大象的管理历程以及目前的实际情况。     

基于图像解译的瑞典山地石南退化早期检测

山地相对于低地,植被脆弱,尤其是在副极地地区,仅具有很低的生产力,恢复力较弱.山地植被对于机械损伤很脆弱,因此需要快而准确的方法监测山地植被,这对于规划资源的可持续利用有着重要意义.本研究的主要目的:①调查山区南部属于海洋性气候的圆丘形冰碛和用于夏季放牧的开阔区域,干燥矮小的石南灌木,是否很容易发生改变;②检验高分辨率IKONOS-2卫星影像是否可以用来对山区植被中的侵蚀斑块进行高精度的检测、定量化和制图;在什么情况下,这些数据可以替代彩色红外航片在变化早期检测中的应用.通过对比2000年的IKONOS-2高分辨率卫星影像打印图像和1975年彩色红外航片的目视解译结果,进行了植被变化的检测,并对解译结果进行了比较和实地验证.结果表明1975～2000年间,侵蚀发生在受风石南(Windheams)附近,这说明圆丘形冰碛地貌条件下,受风石南和矮小的干燥石南(Dry heaths)灌木很容易受到践踏和放牧的机械损伤,因此很容易发生改变.大部分的受风石南和其变化面积都较小(50～1000m2).结果显示对IKONOS-2卫星影像的目视解译,可以检测到侵蚀斑块和受风石南的面积和分布的细微变化,并且有较高的精度.这表明高分辨率卫星影像(4×4m像素分辨率)可以替代彩色红外航片来监测这些变化.