Trichloroethylene in the Environment: Public Health Concerns

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) prepares toxi-cological profiles for hazardous substances found at waste sites and elsewhere in the environment. In 1997 the agency updated its toxicological profile for trichloroethylene and included new and expanded information on the health effects associated with exposures to trichloroethylene. Several endpoints of concern are described in the profile. However, in this paper only results from studies reporting developmental and carcinogenic effects from trichloroethylene exposures in human and experimental animal studies are summarized and evaluated. Based on its assessment of the available studies and limitations in the reported findings, ATSDR has determined there is limited but suggestive evidence that developmental effects may be a concern for some persons exposed to TCE in drinking water. Moreover, developmental effects may be the most sensitive of all non-cancer health effects associated with trichloroethylene exposures. Significant questions remain about the likely mode(s) of action for TCE-induced carcinogenesis in humans and the basis for differences in pharmacokinetics handling of TCE across animal strains and sex. However, on the basis of animal data and the suggestive, yet inconclusive, human data available, ATSDR has determined that cancer should be an effect of concern for people exposed to TCE in the environment. ATSDR agrees that the available literature supports the premise that TCE is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” as defined by the U.S. National Toxicology Program.     

Interaction and circulation of symbolic goods in Quebrada de La Cueva, Jujuy, Argentina: The fossil Weyla alata (von Buch)

An Early Jurassic fossil bivalve specimen belonging to the pectinid genus Weyla was found within the low human occupation levels in a structure of Pukara de La Cueva, Humahuaca department, Jujuy province, Argentina. This is clearly a geologically allochthonous record, and its source should be located more than 400 km away, probably from a locality in the Main Cordillera of northern Chile or southern Perú. This evidence is part of a research project which analyzes the human interactions among the Quebrada de La Cueva sites and neighbouring productive regions, as well as the inferred interchange networks between this and other regions, both nearby and distant. In this context, the likely symbolic meaning of this record is also evaluated.     

Alternating selection for dispersal and multicellularity favors regulated life cycles

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Self‐stigma and the “why try” effect: impact on life goals and evidence‐based practices

Many individuals with mental illnesses are troubled by self-stigma and the subsequent processes that accompany this stigma: low self-esteem and self-efficacy. “Why try” is the overarching phenomenon of interest here, encompassing self-stigma, mediating processes, and their effect on goal-related behavior. In this paper, the literature that explains “why try” is reviewed, with special focus on social psychological models. Self-stigma comprises three steps: awareness of the stereotype, agreement with it, and applying it to one’s self. As a result of these processes, people suffer reduced self-esteem and self-efficacy. People are dissuaded from pursuing the kind of opportunities that are fundamental to achieving life goals because of diminished self-esteem and self-efficacy. People may also avoid accessing and using evidence-based practices that help achieve these goals. The effects of self-stigma and the “why try” effect can be diminished by services that promote consumer empowerment.     

我国公立医院结构布局优化的路径及思考?????? ——基于17个试点城市的经验

随着公立医院改革试点指导意见的出台，探索公立医院结构和布局优化成为公立医院管理体制改革的主要任务。文章总结了17个新医改试点城市优化医疗机构布局改革方案的异同，进行分析与探讨并得出相关启示，旨在为我国更好地推进公立医院改革提供借鉴。     

An Evaluation of the Short‐Term Progress of Restoration Combining Ecological Assessment and Public Perception

Ecological restoration centers on the reestablishment of ecological processes and the integrity of degraded ecosystems, but its success also depends on public acceptance and support. In this study, we evaluated the short‐term ecological effects of different restoration treatments in Iceland. Furthermore, we tested the public perception of aesthetic and recreational values of these revegetated areas. Predefined soil and vegetation indicators were measured, and a survey, based on a questionnaire and photographs of the different areas, was used for gauging public perception. Our results indicate that different restoration treatments triggered different succession trajectories. The vegetation composition of areas seeded with grasses seemed to be on a trajectory toward relatively undisturbed reference ecosystems, whereas areas seeded with nonnative lupine seemed to be developing a novel ecosystem. Results of the survey demonstrated that people valued the appearance of revegetated areas higher than that of the eroded control areas, with the exception of areas seeded with lupine. The visual perception of each restoration treatment corresponded well with the ecological factors and revealed both a social and an ecological rationale against the use of lupine in land restoration. The results indicate that the design of restoration projects should be based on both an analysis of sociocultural priorities and an understanding of possible trajectories of ecosystem development associated with the available restoration methods to avoid results that are neither socially acceptable nor ecologically feasible.     

公立医院固定资产非效率投资度量实证分析 ——以B地区公立医院为例

基于前期构建的度量理论模型，在参考国外文献基础上结合我国公立医院的实际情况，对理论模型中的变量进行了选择和定义，然后采用多元回归分析构建了B地区公立医院最优投资支出预测函数，并对B地区公立医院的是否出现非效率投资行为进行了判断和度量。     

Transportation techniques for massive scleractinian corals

Transportation techniques for scleractinian corals have been described mainly for fragments and small colonies. As part of a recent study on captive sexual reproduction of the Caribbean species Montastrea annularis and Diploria strigosa, we transported relatively large (max. diameter of 21 cm), heavy (max. weight of 9,200 g) colonies of both species from Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, to Rotterdam, The Netherlands. A new transportation technology was applied whereby the corals were transplanted to specially designed PVC crosses to provide stabilization during transport. In two transports (November 2001 and February 2002), 100 colonies were transported submerged, in a shipping time of >35 hr. The survival rate measured 2 weeks after transport was 100%. Four and 8 months after transport, respectively, two colonies of D. strigosa died without any obvious cause. In November 2002 we observed an outbreak of Dark Spots disease (DSD) affecting two‐thirds of the colonies of M. annularis. Although the colonies did not show any symptoms when they were collected, the disease most probably was transferred when the coral were transported from the field to the laboratory. The presented method is appropriate for transporting large, heavy corals–especially for scientific purposes. In general, species‐specific properties, colony size, and transportation time determine which transportation method should be applied. In the future, there may be a shift toward transports of fragments, coral larvae, and primary polyps to reduce collections in the field. Zoo Biol 23:165–176, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

深圳市社区公共卫生服务包运行的支持成本研究

目的 了解深圳市社区公共卫生服务包运行中除人力成本之外最基本的运行成本。方法 通过普查和抽样问卷调查2种方法，收集并计算管理、培训等几大类成本数据。结果 按每万服务人口计，服务包运行的基本支持与保障成本，如管理、培训、租金、折旧和水电维修成本分别为6.25万元、0.15万元、6.19万元、2.73万元和3.96万元。结论 每万服务人口的各类支持成本信息，使得各级财政在基本支持与保障成本的投入标准和方向的确定上具有参考价值。