Assessing Effectiveness of a Nonhuman Animal Welfare Education Program for Primary School Children

Nonhuman animal welfare education aims to promote positive relationships between children and animals and thus improve animal welfare, yet few scientific evaluations of these programs exist. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an education program developed by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) that included 4 interventions focusing on pets (companion animals), wild animals, farm animals, and general animal rescues. Knowledge, attachment to pets, and attitudes and beliefs about animal minds were assessed at pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest using a questionnaire administered to 1,217 Scottish children aged 7 to 13 years old. Results showed a significant positive impact of the program on knowledge about animals and the Scottish SPCA for all interventions. The pet and farming interventions significantly impacted children’s beliefs about animal minds. There were trends toward improvements in a range of other measures. This study highlights the importance of teaching animal welfare education to children for early prevention of animal cruelty, discusses the need to base this education on theory and research to find effective change, and demonstrates how evidence-based practice can inform future education programs.     

为纪念第21届国际生物化学与分子生物学会联盟会员代表大会在中国举行而出版《IUBMB Life》专刊事宜的通知

第21届国际生物化学与分子生物学会联盟会员大会将于2009年8月2—7日在中国上海举行。为此,《IUBMB Life》将出专刊纪念（应该是2009年8月刊）,以反映中国在生物化学与分子生物学领域的进展和成就。     

Abstracts of the Annual Symposium of the Czech Society of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. Brno, Czech Republic, 1-2 December 2000

Abstract List

Abstracts of the Annual Symposium of the Czech Society of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry     

European audit of current practice in diagnosis and treatment of childhood growth hormone deficiency

BACKGROUND: The present survey among members of the ESPE on current practice in diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD) is of great clinical relevance and importance in the light of the recently published guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of GHD by the Growth Hormone Research Society. We have found much conformity but also numerous discrepancies between the recommendations of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the current practice in Europe. RESULTS: We found that 80% of the pediatric endocrinologists included insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in their initial evaluation of a short child suspected of having GHD, whereas only 22% used GH provocative testing alone in the initial evaluation of a short child. Sixty-eight percent confirmed the diagnosis of GHD using two separate provocative tests. In the present survey cutoff values for GH provocative testing clustered around two values; 10 ng/ml and 20 mU/l. Interestingly, these two values, differing by a factor of 2, were also the most prevalent cutoff values among those who reported their assay to be calibrated against the WHO International Reference Preparation 80/505 where the conversion factor between milligrams and milliunits is 2.6. This suggests that the selection of cutoff values is based on tradition rather than on specific GH assay characteristics. In addition, only 63% of the respondents actually knew what GH assay they were using, and only 57% knew how their GH assay was calibrated. Dosing of GH at the start of treatment was reported according to body surface by 39%, whereas 59% were dosing according to body weight. GH dose adjustment was primarily based on growth response and height during auxological assessment every 3-4 months (height velocity, change in height velocity or change in height standard deviation scores) as indicated by almost 70% of the respondents. However, dose adjustment according to body surface (38%) and body weight (44%) was also quite common. Sixty-five percent measures IGF-I regularly (at least once a year) during GH therapy in children, and to our surprise 17% reported that they adjust the GH dose according to the IGF-I levels. SUMMARY: In summary, we have found large heterogeneity in the current practice of diagnosis and treatment of childhood GHD among European pediatric endocrinologists. Especially standardizations of GH assays and cutoff values are urgently required to ensure a uniform and correct diagnosis and therapy of GHD in the future.     

三十年来中国植物生态学和地植物学的回顾和展望

本文就以下几方面对我国植物生态学和地植物学作了回顾与展望。一、回顾：1．亚热带和热带森林区的植被研究。2．温带森林区的植被研究。3．温带草原区的植被研究。4．温带荒漠区的植被研究。5．青藏高寒高原区的植被研究。6．中国植被及其地理、分区和植被图研究。7．环境植物学的研究等。二,展望1．植被基本理论的研究2．植被图志的编制和植被制图学研究 3．栽培植物群落和经济植物生态学特性研究4．实验群落学和植物生理生态学研究5．陆地生态系统的结构和功能的研究6．环境保护的植物生态学研究7．植物和植物群落指示性研究