Attitudes towards sex selection for non-medical reasons: a review

Early non-invasive fetal sexing is widely available over the Internet, leading to concerns about its possible use for sex selection. The aim of this review is to summarise the results of surveys describing lay attitudes towards sex selection for non-medical reasons to help address or inform such concerns. A search of electronic databases and key journals was supplemented by an Internet search and citation-tracking. Twenty-one quantitative studies were identified. Most were conducted in the US, with five recent studies in the UK and Germany. Most studies found that, overall, people were not in favour of sex selection. However, this varied from 94 to 18%. People may hold more negative attitudes when the method of sex selection is specified, particularly if this involves termination of pregnancy (TOP). Attitudes towards the general availability of sex selection are less negative than those towards personal use. Attitudes were consistently negative in German surveys. Little is known of such attitudes outside the US, the UK and Germany, and how such attitudes may change as new sex selection technologies become available. Studies of use of early non-invasive fetal sexing for sex selection for non-medical reasons are needed to assess the extent to which concerns about usage are justified and to assist in debates on how these might be most appropriately addressed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Training refugees as primary health care workers: Past imperfect, future conditional

Many problems have been encountered in the planning and implementation of health care in refugee camps, and more specifically in the training of refugees as primary health care workers. A review of the published literature and a "survey" of the opinions and experiences of refugee, national and international health personnel regarding training has therefore been undertaken to provide an overview of what has been done and to make recommendations for future work.
The review highlights the need to reallocate resources away from high visibility emergency aid to development activities, such as training, that will create an infrastructure for primary health care and promote self-reliance.     

The Monitoring and Risk Assessment of Zn Deposition Around a Metal Smelter in Latvia

Heavy metal concentrations in Hylocomium splendens collected around a metal smelter in Latvia showed very high concentrations of Zn (>200 g/g), and elevated concentrations of Pb (38.3 g/g) and Cu (18.3 g/g). In an attempt to better evaluate the potential toxicity of the high Zn concentrations, a serial elution method was used to determine the concentrations of zinc in intercellular, extracellular exchangeable cell wall, intracellular, and particle fractions. The intercellular Zn concentrations represent the water soluble component of the total concentrations, and were low with no clear trends. Zn concentrations in the extra- and intracellular and particle fractions decreased exponentially from the pollutant source. Intracellular Zn concentrations in moss close to the emission source are within the range considered to be potentially toxic, from other single element exposure studies. The proportion of Zn in the relatively insoluble particle fraction, which is least associated with environmental risk, was greater closer to the pollution source, reaching > 30% in the oldest Hylocomium splendens segments.     

环境污染纠纷调处与环境行政处罚之区别浅析——兼与章锦华同志商榷

指出了环境污染纠纷调处与环境行政处罚的性质，程序，结果等均不相同，在理论上不能将两者混一谈，实践中应区别对待。     

水体中酚类化合物分光光度分析方法的研究

对国内外水体中酚类化合物现有的分光光度分析方法进行了文献综述 ,内容包括可见光分光光度法、紫外光分光光度法、荧光分光光度法和流动注射分光光度法。在总结归纳的基础上 ,提出了水体中酚类化合物分光光度分析方法的发展方向。     

Fractionation of Cu, Pb and Zn in certified reference soils SRM 2710 and SRM 2711 using the optimized BCR sequential extraction procedure

Sequential extraction of metals from solid media is a common analytical tool used in environmental and exploration geochemistry. A number of procedures exist, but without harmonization and standardization, meaningful comparisons are tenuous without baseline data. A newly developed, standardized sequential extraction procedure (optimized BCR) was applied to two contaminated certified reference soils from Montana, US (SRM 2710 and SRM 2711) for Cu, Pb and Zn. Four operationally defined fractions were isolated, acid extractable, reducible, oxidizable, and residual (by aqua regia). Fraction-specific concentrations, percentages and recoveries for Cu, Pb and Zn were used to explore differences between the optimized BCR procedure and three other sequential extraction schemes with published data for SRM 2710 and 2711 (i.e. Tessier scheme, Geological Survey of Canada scheme and the original BCR scheme). Results indicate significant differences between the four schemes, even for schemes that are closely associated (i.e. the original and optimized BCR schemes). Order-of-magnitude fraction-specific concentration differences were observed, especially for Pb in the reducible fraction. Differences between schemes are worrisome because trends varied between metals, between fractions and between reference soils. These data reinforce the need for increased adoption of standardized sequential extraction procedures and further examination of different solid media.     

SBR法处理中药材有机废水工艺研究

应用ＳＢＲ法对中药材有机废水进行了研究。考察了ＣＯＤＣＲ、ＢＯＤ５、ＳＳ、ＮＨ３－Ｈ的处理效果，以及ＰＨ、水温、污泥负荷等条件对去除率的影响。运行结果表明，ＰＨＯ ６．０－９．０、ｔ为１５－３０℃、污沁荷０．３ｋｇＢＯＤ５／ｋｇＭＬＳＳ．ｄ，运行程序：进水０．５ｈ（限制曝气）、曝气１０ｈ、脱氮１．５ｈ，沉降０．５ｈ，排水０．５ｈ、闲置１１ｈ，周期时间２４ｈ时ＣＯＤＣＲ去除率８８％、ＢＯＤ５９４％、     

GJB 150A淋雨试验强化试验程序数值模拟和试验装置设计研究

目的 研究GJB 150.8A—2009《军用装备实验室环境试验方法第8部分:淋雨试验》中强化试验程序的工程实现方法.方法 在标准解读的基础上,以强化试验程序用喷嘴为对象,建立数值模型,分析喷嘴在强化试验程序过程中的流场分布,并基于分析结果给出强化试验程序试验装置设计的思路和方法.结果 在喷嘴内,压力变化剧烈,极短距离内由276 kPa迅速降至101 kPa.水流经过喷嘴经历了激烈的加速过程,从距离喷嘴出口0.01～0.4 m,水流速度从251 m/s迅速降至17.8 m/s,到远场趋于稳定.结论 分析结果对指导强化试验程序的试验装置的设计和试验实施具有重要参考意义.     

陆架浅海沉积物-海水界面溶质通量的计算方法及其应用

陆架浅海沉积物—海水界面上的溶解态生源物质通量的准确估算是海洋生态系统动力学研究中的关键性问题之一。由于底栖生物活动以及海流、海浪及潮波与海底地形地物相互作用的影响 ,使得该通量的准确估算十分困难。本文综合分析讨论了近年来提出的各种计算该类通量的物理模型及参数的确定方法 ,并结合在中国黄、东海等陆架浅海水层—底栖生态动力学耦合模型研究的需要 ,比较深入地讨论了应用过程中应该考虑的几个问题     

Factors associated with multiple-pass procedures during chorionic villus sampling: A video analysis

Multiple placental passes during chorionic villus sampling (CVS) increase the risk of fetal loss; however, specific factors that predispose to repeat aspiration have not been delineated. To identify anatomic and technical variables associated with multiple-pass procedures, a detailed review of 205 videotaped CVS procedures (single pass = 163; multiple pass = 42) was performed, blinded to pregnancy outcome. The route of sampling did not influence the need for multiple aspiration attempts (transabdominal—30/ 135; transcervical—12/70), nor was placental location alone discriminatory. However, the combination of a posterior placenta and uterine retroversion was observed more frequently in the multiple-pass cohort (8/42 vs. 9/163; p<0.05). In transabdominal cases, suboptimal needle placement (e.g., perpendicular to the placental long axis) was more common in the initial aspiration of a multiple-pass procedure (21/30 vs. 38/105;p<0.01), while limited penetration of the catheter tip (e.g., just inside the placental edge) characterized a majority of multiple-pass cases in the transcervical subset (7/12 vs. 3/58; p<0.0001). A case-control cohort was constructed to evaluate the impact of these technical variables on sampling efficacy, independent of the influence of uterine position and placental site. In that analysis, suboptimal location and/or orientation of the sampling device remained characteristic of multiple-pass cases. We conclude that further reduction in the frequency of multiple-pass procedures might be achieved by consistent placement of the device tip in the central placental mass. Unlike amniocentesis, where any point of amnion entry will suffice, this technical nuance should be emphasized with CVS to maximize the single-pass success rate.