Visualization of fetal intra-abdominal organs in second-trimester severe oligohydramnios by intraperitoneal infusion

Fetal intraperitoneal infusion of saline was performed in two patients with severe oligohydramnios at 24 and 25 weeks' gestation in order to enhance visualization of intra-abdominal organs. Renal agenesis was easily diagnosed. The technique can be considered as an alternative to artificial instillation of amniotic fluid in the differential diagnosis of conditions associated with severe oligohydramnios.     

Refinery firefighters: assessing fitness for duty.

Firefighting is a hazardous and physically demanding activity. The demanding nature of the tasks involved in firefighting requires a high level of fitness both for the safety of the firefighting personnel as well as for the adequate performance of their tasks. Here, the characteristics (body weight, lung function, etc.) of a small group of refinery firefighters were investigated using exploratory factor analysis and discriminant analysis. The results indicated that there is a group of factors that characterize those individuals meeting minimum fitness requirements as described previously in the literature. The factors that were identified included those related to anthropometry (such as body composition and weight) and those related to physical capabilities (such as push-ups). Since these data are collected relatively easily in most occupational settings, they may offer an efficient surrogate method to determine fitness for duty among firefighters.     

在环境影响评价中提出可持续发展

本文在考虑评价项目与计划的可持续能力问题上,确定环境影响评价(EIA)过程的一些缺陷与能力,本文提出了在无需对立法、调整及程序进行主要检查的基础上修正EIA过程缺陷的建议.所建议的分析框架克服了美国现行的EIA指导与基本可持续原则之间的差距.在现行的EIA框架内,对可持续性的评价可以做得很清楚,影响评价的标准可以扩展到包括自然资本的非可持续损失的确定,和/或超越特定的地方、区域或甚至全球范围内的阈值或标准.     

How Grammatical Choice Shapes Media Representations of Climate (Un)certainty

Although mass media continue to play a key role in translating scientific uncertainty for public discourse, communicators of climate science are becoming increasingly aware of their own role in shaping scientific messages in the news. As an example of how future media research can provide relevant feedback to climate communicators, the present study examines the ways in which grammatical and word choices represent and construct uncertainty in news reporting about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Qualifying and hedging language and other “epistemic markers” are analyzed in four newspapers during 2001 and 2007: the New York Times and Wall Street Journal from the USA and El País and El Mundo from Spain. Though the US newspapers contained a higher density of epistemic markers and used more ambiguous grammatical constructs of uncertainty than the Spanish newspapers, all four media sources chose similar words when questioning the certainty around climate change. Moreover, the density of epistemic markers in each newspaper either remained the same or increased with time, despite ever-growing scientific agreement that human activities modify global climate. While the US newspapers increasingly adopted IPCC language to describe climate uncertainties, they also exhibited an emerging tendency to construct uncertainty by highlighting differences between IPCC reports or between scientific predictions and observations. The analysis thus helps identify articulations of uncertainty that will shape future media portrayals of climate science across varying cultural and national contexts.     

CAERvest® – a novel endothermic hypothermic device for core temperature cooling: safety and efficacy testing

Introduction. Cooling of the body is used to treat hyperthermic individuals with heatstroke or to depress core temperature below normal for neuroprotection. A novel, chemically activated, unpowered cooling device, CAERvest®, was investigated for safety and efficacy. Methods. Eight healthy male participants (body mass 79.9?±?1.9?kg and body fat percentage 16.1?±?3.8%) visited the laboratory (20 °C, 40% relative humidity) on four occasions. Following 30-min rest, physiological and perceptual measures were recorded. Participants were then fitted with the CAERvest® proof of concept (PoC) or prototype 1 (P1), 2 (P2) or 3 (P3) for 60 min. Temperature, cardiovascular and perceptual measures were recorded every 5 min. After cooling, the CAERvest® was removed and the torso checked for cold-related injuries. Results. Temperature measures significantly (p?Conclusion. This study demonstrates that the CAERvest® is an effective device for reducing body temperature in healthy normothermic individuals without presence of cold injury. Further research in healthy and clinical populations is warranted.     

Humanitarian information systems and emergencies in the Greater Horn of Africa: logical components and logical linkages

Natural and man-made emergencies are regular occurrences in the Greater Horn of Africa region. The underlying impoverishment of whole populations is increasing, making it more difficult to distinguish between humanitarian crises triggered by shocks and those resulting from chronic poverty. Shocks and hazards can no longer be seen as one-off events that trigger a one-time response. In countries that are both poor and exposed to frequent episodes of debilitating drought or chronic conflict, information needs tend to be different from the straightforward early warning/commodity accounting models of information systems that have proven reliable in past emergencies. This paper describes the interdependent components of a humanitarian information system appropriate for this kind of complex environment, noting the analytical links between the components and operational links to programme and policy. By examining a series of case studies from the Greater Horn region, the paper demonstrates that systems lacking one or more of these components will fail to provide adequate information--and thus incur humanitarian costs. While information always comes with a cost, the price of poor information--or none--is higher. And in situations of chronic vulnerability, in which development interventions are likely to be interspersed with both safety nets and emergency interventions on a recurrent basis, investment in improved information is a good investment from both a humanitarian and a financial viewpoint.     

Growth of two Antarctic lamellibranchs: Adamussium colbecki and Laternula elliptica

The growth of two Antarctic lamellibranchs, Adamussium colbecki (E.A. Smith) and Laternula elliptica (King and Broderip), has been investigated. A. colbecki is a pectinid that grows to a shell height of approximately 70 mm in 6 to 7 years; L. elliptica is a deep-burrowing form, ecologically similar to the genus Mya and grows to a shell length of approximately 90 mm in 12 to 13 years. The growth pattern of both species is accurately described by the Bertalanffy growth equation and both have smaller values of the Bertalanffy K coefficient than comparable temperate species (A. colbecki K=0.24, L. elliptica K=0.16).     

Programmes in chronically vulnerable areas: challenges and lessons learned

In the 'chronically vulnerable areas' (CVAs) of East Africa a smooth linear transition away from emergency programming towards rehabilitation and long-term development is difficult, if not impossible. This makes uncritical application of the 'relief-to-development' continuum to programming unhelpful at best, and perhaps counter-productive. This paper is the result of CARE's efforts to review its own programmes--and those of some of its sister agencies--in chronically vulnerable areas in the East Africa region, to derive important lessons learned and to identify areas where improvements are needed. The paper focuses on strategic considerations and decision-making in relation to entry, programme design and strategies for transition and exit.