Prenatal diagnosis for psychological reasons: Comparison with other indications,advanced maternal age and known genetic risk

In Sweden, about 20 per cent of women undergoing prenatal diagnosis (PND) have the test for‘psychological reasons’, which means that they strongly fear giving birth to a disabled child, but have not reached the age limit. Women undergoing amniocentesis or chorionic villus biopsy for these reasons (n = 38) were studied by questionnaires with regard to distress during test procedures. They were compared to women examined because of a known or strongly suspected high risk of giving birth to a congenitally disabled child (n = 27) and to women examined because of an age more than 37 years (n = 144). The most distressed were women who had a high genetic risk. The women who had the test because of their age reported less distress. Women examined for psychological reasons, were moderately distressed, but reported the highest frequency of influence by the distress on their daily living. Women in all groups, however, felt a similar support by the normal test result and reported the whole procedure as rather easy. Different psychological determinants of anxiety of giving birth to a disabled child are discussed. The‘psychological indication’ for PND means that the women' s private interpretation of her risk, and not only the statistical limit, motivates PND.     

绿色饲料添加剂的研究与应用

本文对几种新型的绿色饲料添加剂的作用、在畜禽生产中的实际应用及存在的问题进行了综述。     

孤岛工作面支承压力影响下顶板破坏机理研究

为了探讨孤岛工作面支承压力影响下顶板破坏机理,通过采用理论分析,建立薄板力学模型,对孤岛工作面顶板弯矩分布规律进行分析,并结合实验室数值模拟手段对工作面顶板支承压力集中系数及顶板围岩塑性区演变规律进行研究。研究结果表明:在支承压力作用下,随着推进距离的增大,顶板支承压力集中系数呈现增大的趋势;工作面顶板煤壁中部弯矩显著大于煤壁两侧弯矩,该结果合理解释了工作面方向上支架工作阻力不相等的规律;顶板断裂的塑性区演变特征存在时空效应及力学特征,顶板四周所形成的横向“O”型破断与横向“X”型破断,共同构成了顶板破断的横“O-X”破断形式。     

Designing and managing successful endangered species recovery programs

Endangered species recovery is characterized by complexity and uncertainty in both its biological and organizational aspects. To improve performance in the organizational dimension, some models of organizations are briefly introduced with an emphasis on the organization as a system for processing information, i.e., for successfully dealing with the high uncertainty in the task environment. A strong task orientation,which rewards achievement of the primary goal, is suggested as ideal for this task, as is generative rationality, which encourages workers to observe, critique, and generate new ideas. The parallel organization—a flexible, participatory, problem-solving structure set up alongside traditional bureaucracies—is offered as a useful structure for meeting the demands of uncertainties encountered during recovery. Task forces and projects teams can be set up as parallel organizations. Improved managerial functions include coordinating roles to facilitate the flow and use of information; decision making to avoid groupthink—the defects, symptoms, and countermeasures are described; and productive, active management of the inevitable conflict. The inability of organizations to solve dilemmas, to examine their own structures and management, and to change themselves for more effective, efficient, and equitable performance is seen as the major obstacle to improved recovery programs. Some recommendations for effecting change in bureaucracies are made along with a call for case studies detailing the organizational dimensions of endangered species recovery programs.     

Framework for environmental impact analysis—with special reference to India

This article reviews the present status of environmental impact analysis (EIA) with special reference to India. In India, legislation already exists that makes EIA mandatory for every new project proposal. Critically analyzing the shortcomings of the present EIA practices, this article proposes a new framework to conduct an EIA, emphasizing that it should be part of the environmental management of the area or region. Among other things, we suggest the following important points: (1) that a comprehensive database of the region be developed for use for conducting an EIA; (2) that emission standards for the proposed industry be set and the existing standards for old industries be reviewed; (3) that a directory of experts be developed; and (4) that the Department of Environment should take responsibility for conducting EIA studies by forming a study team and an evaluation team for every EIA study with members drawn from the directory of experts.     

Long-range transport potential of semivolatile organic chemicals in coupled air-water systems

Ongoing deliberations on the regulation of semivolatile organic chemicals require the assessment of chemical transport in atmospheric and marine systems. The characteristic travel distance was proposed as a measure for the transport potential in air and water. However, the existing definition treats the transport processes separately. It is shown that combined transport in coupled air-ocean systems can accelerate the overall transport into remote regions. Concentration ratios in air and water change with distance from sources depending on the initial concentration ratio and on the difference between the transport velocities. A measure is suggested facilitating the chemical screening with respect to transport potentials in such air-ocean systems. A case study for alpha and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane shows that the suggested measure qualitatively reveals the transport potentials of these chemicals and exemplifies possible concentration patterns.     

Quantifying chlorinated ethene degradation during reductive dechlorination at Kelly AFB using stable carbon isotopes

Stable isotope analysis of chlorinated ethene contaminants was carried out during a bioaugmentation pilot test at Kelly Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio Texas. In this pilot test, cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE) was the primary volatile organic compound. A mixed microbial enrichment culture, KB-1, shown in laboratory experiments to reduce chlorinated ethenes to non-toxic ethene, was added to the pilot test area. Following bioaugmentation with KB-1, perchloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE) and cDCE concentrations declined, while vinyl chloride (VC) concentrations increased and subsequently decreased as ethene became the dominant transformation product. Shifts in carbon isotopic values up to 2.7 per thousand, 6.4 per thousand, 10.9 per thousand and 10.6 per thousand were observed for PCE, TCE, cDCE and VC, respectively, after bioaugmentation, consistent with the effects of biodegradation. While a rising trend of VC concentrations and the first appearance of ethene were indicative of biodegradation by 72 days post-bioaugmentation, the most compelling evidence of biodegradation was the substantial carbon isotope enrichment (2.0 per thousand to 5.0 per thousand) in ?13C(cDCE). Fractionation factors obtained in previous laboratory studies were used with isotope field measurements to estimate first-order cDCE degradation rate constants of 0.12 h(-1) and 0.17 h(-1) at 115 days post-bioaugmentation. These isotope-derived rate constants were clearly lower than, but within a factor of 2-4 of the previously published rate constant calculated in a parallel study at Kelly AFB using chlorinated ethene concentrations. Stable carbon isotopes can provide not only a sensitive means for early identification of the effects of biodegradation, but an additional means to quantify the rates of biodegradation in the field.     

The effect of positive work reflection during leisure time on affective well‐being: Results from three diary studies

Previous research showed that psychological detachment from work during leisure time is beneficial and that reflecting on negative aspects of work is detrimental for employees' well‐being. However, little is known about the role of positive reflection about work during leisure time. In the present research, we examined the effects of positive work reflection on affective well‐being. Additionally, we tested the effectiveness of an intervention to increase positive work reflection and to improve well‐being with a randomized controlled field experiment. Findings from three diary studies showed that positive work reflection was related to an increase in affective well‐being with regard to both positive and negative moods. The results further indicated that the benefits of positive work reflection were incremental to that of psychological detachment and the absence of negative work reflection. Contrary to our expectation, no evidence was found for the effectiveness of the intervention. Theoretical implications of main findings as well as supplementary findings are further discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

灾害地图与灾害研究

灾害地图，作为一种专题地图，是地图方法在灾害研究中运用的基础。本文就灾害地图的组成、分类、编制、应用等问题作了探讨。     

环保产业发展影响因素的理论分析与实证研究

基于环境社会系统视角对影响环保产业发展的各种因素进行了理论分析,建立了定量分析模型,并对我国1995─2005年环保产业发展情况进行了实证分析.结果表明,影响我国环保产业发展程度从大到小的因素依次为经济发展水平、环境科技水平、环境状况、公众环境意识、环境保护法律法规.经济发展水平是影响我国环保产业发展水平的最主要因素,说明我国的环保产业尚处于起步阶段;环境科技水平是第二重要影响因素,反映出近年来我国在环保技术研发方面的投入较好地推动了环保产业的发展.因此,提升经济发展水平和加强环保技术研发是当前推动我国环保产业发展的有效举措.