Measuring limitations in activities of daily living: a population-based validation of a short questionnaire

Purpose. A newly developed questionnaire assessing limitations in activity of daily living (LADL–Q) that should improve assessment of LADL is tested in a large population-based validation study. Methods. This survey was paper-based. Overall, 16,634 individuals who were representative of the working population in the German-speaking part of Switzerland participated in the study. Item analysis was used the final version of the LADL–Q to four items per subscale that correspond to potential problems in three body regions (back and neck, upper extremities, lower extremities). Analysis included tests for reliability, internal consistency, dimensionality and convergent validity. Results. Test–retest reliability coefficients after 2 weeks ranged from 0.82 to 0.99 (Mdn?=?0.87), with no item having a coefficient below 0.60. The median item-total coefficients ranged between moderate and good. Correlation coefficients between LADL–Q subscales and three validated clinical instruments (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index, shoulder pain disability index, Oswestry) ranged from 0.63 to 0.81. In structural equation modeling the three subscales were significantly related with two important outcomes in occupational rehabilitation: self-reported general health and daily task performance. Conclusion. The new LADL–Q is a brief, reliable and valid tool for assessment of LADL in studies on musculoskeletal health.     

Expanding marine protected areas to include degraded coral reefs

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a commonly applied solution to coral reef degradation, yet coral reefs continue to decline worldwide. We argue that expanding the range of MPAs to include degraded reefs (DR‐MPA) could help reverse this trend. This approach requires new ecological criteria for MPA design, siting, and management. Rather than focusing solely on preserving healthy reefs, our approach focuses on the potential for biodiversity recovery and renewal of ecosystem services. The new criteria would help identify sites with the highest potential for recovery and the greatest resistance to future threats (e.g., increased temperature and acidification) and sites that contribute to MPA connectivity. The DR‐MPA approach is a compliment rather than a substitute for traditional MPA design approaches. We believe that the DR‐MPA approach can enhance the natural, or restoration‐assisted, recovery of DRs and their ecosystem services; increase total reef area available for protection; promote more resilient and better‐connected MPA networks; and improve conditions for human communities dependent on MPA ecosystem services.     

NOAA卫星云雾自动检测和修复方法

云雾在时间和空间上具有不稳定性。不同高度、厚度、面积和太阳高度角情况下，NOAA卫星可见光波段的海面反射率和红外波段亮度温度都不相同。据此，根据云雾光谱和红外特征，研究并找出了可见光波段海面最小反射率、云雾区最大反射率与云雾最佳判别阈值之间的关系，得出了不同月份东海海面最低温度和NOAA卫星红外波段亮温特征；通过采用光谱和结构分析相结合的方法，研究和研制了NOAA气象卫星云雾自动检测和修复模型，取得了较好的运行和检测、修复效果。     

Water-saving Technologies,Solar Green House and Ecological Rehabilitation in Minqin Oasis of Gansu Province,China

Abstract

Land degradation and desertification have become severe environmental problems in arid areas due to excessive use of water resources. It is urgent to reduce agricultural water use for ecological rehabilitation, which may result in a decrease in agricultural production and farmer’s welfare. This paper focused on the impacts of some main measures including extensions of water-saving irrigation, expanding solar green house and increasing off-farm employment, which are generally recognized to be important to alleviate water shortage and poverty. A bio-economic model is applied taking Minqin Oasis in Gansu Province as a case study site. Simulation results showed that the effect of expanding solar greenhouse was more positive than other ones so it drew more attention. On the view of the different effects between each irrigation zone, mixed policy patterns suitable for them are suggested. In Baqu, expanding solar greenhouse should be the most important, auxiliary with encouraging pipe irrigation. Inversely, with regard to Quanshan, the major attention should be paid to subsidy for pipe irrigation and it would be better to supply the off-farm employment opportunities to the households in Huqu, where the expanding of solar greenhouse should also be summoned. Finally, it should be noted that farmer’s income would only resume to 90% of the current level in the short run by putting more effort into local policies. Thus, the ecological compensation is needed to ensure farmer’s welfare.     

石羊河流域的生态环境问题、引发原因与治理对策

石羊河是甘肃省三大内陆河之一,在河西乃至全省经济社会发展中起着十分重要的作用.目前该流域出现森林面积减少,雪线上升,水土流失加重,地下水位下降,水体污染,水质恶化,荒漠化蔓延等一系列生态环境问题,已经严重影响和制约到流域及其周边地区的经济建设和社会安定团结.为实现流域生态大系统及其子系统稳定、健康、持续发展,应坚持"南保水源,中建绿洲,北治风沙"的基本原则.对流域大系统,要切实加强流域水资源统一管理,完善政策体系,加强环境保护的执法、宣传,提高流域民众的生态意识,加强生态建设工程的科技支撑.对流域南部祁连山区,要加强林区管理,理顺体制,加强山区植被保护和建设,提高水源涵养能力,减少水土流失,合理调整水库,减少汛期蓄水.对中部绿洲,要发展二三产业,加快小城镇建设,调整农业产业结构,加强农田防护林体系建设,加大节水力度,实施外流域调水工程.对北部荒漠区,要恢复、重建退化固沙植被,退耕还草还荒,严禁新的土地开垦,适度发展沙产业.     

三江平原湿地的生态保护与修复

三江平原是中国最大的平原沼泽分布区,从二十世纪七十年代中后期国家开始对三江平原进行多次大规模的开垦,这些开垦基本上是天然湿地,从而导致了土地退化和生态环境恶化,使湿地的面积不但减少,其功能不断退化,引起一系列生态环境问题。因此,积极采取措施保护现有的湿地,开展受损湿地的生态恢复,战缓和消除导致温地退化因素的影响,实现三江平原湿地资源的可持续利用、人与自然和谐相处,是湿地生态保护和修复的目标。     

营养杯育苗造林在杨家杖子尾矿库生态恢复中的应用

文中介绍了杨家杖子尾矿库坝体治理及一期库坝体植被恢复和沉积滩种植实验工作情况。在植被恢复工作中，采用“营养杯育苗造林”的方法，取得了显著的成效，值得类似条件下的有色金属矿山尾矿库植被恢复工作的借鉴和引用。     

县域土地利用影子规划初探——以山东省定陶县为例

科学的利用规划土地资源,取得合理、高效的综合效益,进而保障乡镇社会经济的可持续发展是中国探讨的主要问题。土地利用总体规划正式修编前,浅析了为解决定陶县当前土地利用规划指标不够而实行的“影子规模”规划的具体内容。     

黄土丘陵小流域沟坡水热条件及其生态修复初探

在黄土丘陵沟壑区,沟坡是小流域尺度上水土流失最为活跃的部分,对其水热条件的了解是进行综合治理的基础。论文以黄土丘陵区甘肃定西安家沟小流域为例,观测了沟坡不同地形部位和植被类型土壤水分季节动态和剖面变化特征,同时观测了光照、大气湿度、温度和风速等小气候条件,并探讨了沟坡生态修复方式。结论与建议如下。①历次取样中,0～100cm平均土壤水分均以沟道灌木林地最高,沟坡中的阳坡和阴坡的草地和灌木林地次之,梁峁坡农地最低,且6种类型样地间有显著差异(P<0.01);对于相同的植被类型来说,阳坡的林草植被土壤水分均要小于阴坡,但没有显著差异(P>0.05);而在同一坡向,草地的土壤水分要显著高于灌木林地(P<0.01);和梁峁坡农地的土壤水分季节变化特征相比,沟坡植被土壤水分的季节变化不明显。②对于梁峁坡农地和阴坡的灌木林地来说,土壤水分在剖面内随着深度变化平缓,而其它4种类型样地土壤水分在剖面内随着深度呈增加的趋势。对于这6种类型样地,土壤水分剖面差异格局与0～100cm平均含水量相似;且随着深度的增加,6种类型样地间土壤水分的差异性增大。③对于梁峁坡和沟坡来说,4～5月份风速均是观测期内最大的,但沟坡风速要小于梁峁坡坡面;在观测期内,高湿期出现在5月,且沟坡大气相对湿度高于梁峁坡;和     

石油长输管道工程对生态环境的影响

分析石油长输管道工程对生态环境要素,即天然植被、人工林地、牧场、农田、绿洲、土壤和野生动物的影响,并提出工程对７种生态类型损失量的计算模型。在环境保护对策方面,提出生态恢复能力的３种指标值,用以表示施工后地表生态环境恢复的程度,并以此提出降低工程损失和加快生态环境恢复的措施。