Understanding the factors that contribute to population stability in long-distance migrant birds is increasingly important, particularly given global climate change, sea level rise, and loss or disturbance at essentia...Understanding the factors that contribute to population stability in long-distance migrant birds is increasingly important, particularly given global climate change, sea level rise, and loss or disturbance at essential habitats. While the populations of most shorebirds are declining worldwide, those that migrate through Delaware Bay, New Jersey and Delaware, are declining at the most rapid rate despite conservation efforts. In this paper, we 1) provide background information on population declines of red knots (Calidris canutus rufa) using Delaware Bay, threats to their foraging, and efforts to reduce threats, 2) summarize briefly our studies of the effects of human activities on knots and other shorebirds, 3) present data on management efforts to protect knots and other shorebirds from the activities of people, and 4) discuss the efficacy of such efforts (usually referred to as “decreasing the effect of human disturbances”). The Shorebird Project on Delaware Bay is over 25 years old and provides long-term data to help assess the status of shorebird numbers, particularly for red knot, as well as the density of horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) and their eggs. Red knots have continued to decline even more precipitously in the last few years, presenting cause for concern. Protective efforts have been successful in reducing human disruption on the N.J. Delaware Bay beaches, but the lack of uniformity in implementation across the New Jersey side, and across the whole Bay have hampered further improvements. Implementation of signs, fencing, and stewards on some beaches significantly enhanced the use of these beaches by red knots, determined by examining the use of beaches pre- and post-implementation. Implementation of fencing and stewards had the greatest effect. From 1986 to 2018, there was a significant shift in the percent of Delaware Bay red knots using the NJ side, where protection efforts had been implemented on many of the beaches. Merely restricting access (without fencing or other efforts) did not res展开更多
Many studies have demonstrated that some of the activities of people can disturb nesting and foraging birds, particularly along coasts and estuaries. Some managers respond to human disturbance of sensitive species by ...Many studies have demonstrated that some of the activities of people can disturb nesting and foraging birds, particularly along coasts and estuaries. Some managers respond to human disturbance of sensitive species by closing beaches, but most have stewards monitor and restrict access to beaches or portions of beaches. Yet little is known about the type of visitor or their perceptions of beach stewards. This paper explores the general acceptance of beach stewards and their role in conservation of red knots </span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Calidris</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">canutus</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">rufa</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">),</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> other shorebirds, and horseshoe crabs </span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Limulus</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">polyphemus</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) </span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">along the Delaware Bay (New Jersey) beaches by interviewing 279 visitors during the stopover period. While most people came to see the shorebird and horseshoe crab spectacle (60%), many came for the scenery, tranquility, and recreation. Just over half of the people interviewed said that the stewards were helpful (58%), although most of those that answered this question later said that they provided conservation value (86%), but only 40% said they relied on the stewards for information. On a Likert rating scale of 1 to 5 (the highest value), the mean rating for whether it was important for stewards to be present was 3.87 ± 0.09, and the rating for the presence of stewards who can provide information was 3.71 ± 0.11. In contrast, protection of shorebirds was rated a mean of 4.79 ± 0.04. There were significant visitor type differences in how important stewards were, but not in the importance of stewards who can provi展开更多
In view of the biblical kosher law of clean and unclean animals, the question of whether unclean animals could be reared or not in Ancient Israel becomes an ecological concern （Lev. 7：21; 11：26） for religious bodi...In view of the biblical kosher law of clean and unclean animals, the question of whether unclean animals could be reared or not in Ancient Israel becomes an ecological concern （Lev. 7：21; 11：26） for religious bodies today who still consider certain animals as unclean. A theological study of the law in the Pentateuch suggests that, in Ancient Israel, unclean animals were well catered for. Physical contact with live unclean animals did not render one unclean. Rather, uncleanness could be acquired through the touching of the carcass of clean or unclean animals （11：24-28, 38-39）. As part of their stewardship ordained by God （Gen. 1：26）, the people of Israel touched and reared/cared for unclean animals. Amongst other things, analysis of Gen. 1：26, in the Hebrew text, indicates that the primary purpose of human creation, as cosmic stewards over all creatures （including unclean animals）, is underlined. Hence, contemporary religious bodies, who still consider certain animals as unclean, should have an unfeigned care and positive attitude towards all unclean animals.展开更多
A model of the solution space for all the sensor mechanisms based on the Stewart platform is established, which is a novel and useful tool for investigation of the optimal sensor design. A kind of performance evaluati...A model of the solution space for all the sensor mechanisms based on the Stewart platform is established, which is a novel and useful tool for investigation of the optimal sensor design. A kind of performance evaluation atlases are plotted within the model of the solution space, which clearly show relationships between the condition number of Jacobjan matrix and parameters of all the sensor mechanisms. By using the performance atlases, an optimal design for the sensor mechanism can be achieved. Because the elastic joints are proposed for replacing the spherical joints, the Stewart platform based sensor can be designed as small as possible.展开更多
Summary： With dwindling number of new antibiotics and inappropriate use of antibiotics, the emergence and spread of antibiotics resistance occurs commonly in healthcare institutions worldwide. In China, antibiotics a...Summary： With dwindling number of new antibiotics and inappropriate use of antibiotics, the emergence and spread of antibiotics resistance occurs commonly in healthcare institutions worldwide. In China, antibiotics are commonly overprescribed and misused. This study is to assess the effect of the nationwide special campaign on antibiotic stewardship program （ASP） at specialized hospitals in China by investigating prescription information from 2011 to 2012. Data on the hospital consumption and prescription of systemic antibiotics were obtained from four specialized hospitals, including maternity, children＇s, stomatological and cancer hospitals. Systematic random sampling was used to select outpatient prescriptions and inpatient cases. A total of 105 specialized hospitals in 2011 and 121 specialized hospitals in 2012 were analysed. The defined daily doses （DDDs） per 100 inpatient days, the percentage of antibiotic use in outpatient prescriptions, and the percentage of antibiotic use in inpatient eases were used as measurements of antibiotic use. The overall antibiotic use density in the selected hospitals decreased between 2011 and 2012 from 39.37 to 26.54 DDD/100 inpatient days （P〈0.001）. The percentage of antibiotic use in outpatient prescriptions （range： 24.12%-18.71%, P=0.109） and inpatient cases （64.85%-60.10%, P=-0.006） also decreased within the two years. Significant changes were observed among regions and different hospitals within the two years. And antibiotic consumption was correlated with the type and size of specialized hospital in 2012, but not with the regions. This analysis of antibiotic consumption of specialized hospitals allows relevant comparisons for benchmarking and shows that national ASP has improved antibiotic rational use in China. The data will assist policymakers in formulating effective strategies to decrease antibiotic overuse and identify areas that require further work.展开更多
文摘Understanding the factors that contribute to population stability in long-distance migrant birds is increasingly important, particularly given global climate change, sea level rise, and loss or disturbance at essential habitats. While the populations of most shorebirds are declining worldwide, those that migrate through Delaware Bay, New Jersey and Delaware, are declining at the most rapid rate despite conservation efforts. In this paper, we 1) provide background information on population declines of red knots (Calidris canutus rufa) using Delaware Bay, threats to their foraging, and efforts to reduce threats, 2) summarize briefly our studies of the effects of human activities on knots and other shorebirds, 3) present data on management efforts to protect knots and other shorebirds from the activities of people, and 4) discuss the efficacy of such efforts (usually referred to as “decreasing the effect of human disturbances”). The Shorebird Project on Delaware Bay is over 25 years old and provides long-term data to help assess the status of shorebird numbers, particularly for red knot, as well as the density of horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) and their eggs. Red knots have continued to decline even more precipitously in the last few years, presenting cause for concern. Protective efforts have been successful in reducing human disruption on the N.J. Delaware Bay beaches, but the lack of uniformity in implementation across the New Jersey side, and across the whole Bay have hampered further improvements. Implementation of signs, fencing, and stewards on some beaches significantly enhanced the use of these beaches by red knots, determined by examining the use of beaches pre- and post-implementation. Implementation of fencing and stewards had the greatest effect. From 1986 to 2018, there was a significant shift in the percent of Delaware Bay red knots using the NJ side, where protection efforts had been implemented on many of the beaches. Merely restricting access (without fencing or other efforts) did not res
文摘Many studies have demonstrated that some of the activities of people can disturb nesting and foraging birds, particularly along coasts and estuaries. Some managers respond to human disturbance of sensitive species by closing beaches, but most have stewards monitor and restrict access to beaches or portions of beaches. Yet little is known about the type of visitor or their perceptions of beach stewards. This paper explores the general acceptance of beach stewards and their role in conservation of red knots </span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Calidris</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">canutus</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">rufa</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">),</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> other shorebirds, and horseshoe crabs </span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Limulus</span></i> <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">polyphemus</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) </span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">along the Delaware Bay (New Jersey) beaches by interviewing 279 visitors during the stopover period. While most people came to see the shorebird and horseshoe crab spectacle (60%), many came for the scenery, tranquility, and recreation. Just over half of the people interviewed said that the stewards were helpful (58%), although most of those that answered this question later said that they provided conservation value (86%), but only 40% said they relied on the stewards for information. On a Likert rating scale of 1 to 5 (the highest value), the mean rating for whether it was important for stewards to be present was 3.87 ± 0.09, and the rating for the presence of stewards who can provide information was 3.71 ± 0.11. In contrast, protection of shorebirds was rated a mean of 4.79 ± 0.04. There were significant visitor type differences in how important stewards were, but not in the importance of stewards who can provi
文摘In view of the biblical kosher law of clean and unclean animals, the question of whether unclean animals could be reared or not in Ancient Israel becomes an ecological concern （Lev. 7：21; 11：26） for religious bodies today who still consider certain animals as unclean. A theological study of the law in the Pentateuch suggests that, in Ancient Israel, unclean animals were well catered for. Physical contact with live unclean animals did not render one unclean. Rather, uncleanness could be acquired through the touching of the carcass of clean or unclean animals （11：24-28, 38-39）. As part of their stewardship ordained by God （Gen. 1：26）, the people of Israel touched and reared/cared for unclean animals. Amongst other things, analysis of Gen. 1：26, in the Hebrew text, indicates that the primary purpose of human creation, as cosmic stewards over all creatures （including unclean animals）, is underlined. Hence, contemporary religious bodies, who still consider certain animals as unclean, should have an unfeigned care and positive attitude towards all unclean animals.
文摘A model of the solution space for all the sensor mechanisms based on the Stewart platform is established, which is a novel and useful tool for investigation of the optimal sensor design. A kind of performance evaluation atlases are plotted within the model of the solution space, which clearly show relationships between the condition number of Jacobjan matrix and parameters of all the sensor mechanisms. By using the performance atlases, an optimal design for the sensor mechanism can be achieved. Because the elastic joints are proposed for replacing the spherical joints, the Stewart platform based sensor can be designed as small as possible.
基金supported by grants from the General Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.71073062)Major Project in Philosophy and Social Science of Ministry of Education in China(No.10JZD0027)
文摘Summary： With dwindling number of new antibiotics and inappropriate use of antibiotics, the emergence and spread of antibiotics resistance occurs commonly in healthcare institutions worldwide. In China, antibiotics are commonly overprescribed and misused. This study is to assess the effect of the nationwide special campaign on antibiotic stewardship program （ASP） at specialized hospitals in China by investigating prescription information from 2011 to 2012. Data on the hospital consumption and prescription of systemic antibiotics were obtained from four specialized hospitals, including maternity, children＇s, stomatological and cancer hospitals. Systematic random sampling was used to select outpatient prescriptions and inpatient cases. A total of 105 specialized hospitals in 2011 and 121 specialized hospitals in 2012 were analysed. The defined daily doses （DDDs） per 100 inpatient days, the percentage of antibiotic use in outpatient prescriptions, and the percentage of antibiotic use in inpatient eases were used as measurements of antibiotic use. The overall antibiotic use density in the selected hospitals decreased between 2011 and 2012 from 39.37 to 26.54 DDD/100 inpatient days （P〈0.001）. The percentage of antibiotic use in outpatient prescriptions （range： 24.12%-18.71%, P=0.109） and inpatient cases （64.85%-60.10%, P=-0.006） also decreased within the two years. Significant changes were observed among regions and different hospitals within the two years. And antibiotic consumption was correlated with the type and size of specialized hospital in 2012, but not with the regions. This analysis of antibiotic consumption of specialized hospitals allows relevant comparisons for benchmarking and shows that national ASP has improved antibiotic rational use in China. The data will assist policymakers in formulating effective strategies to decrease antibiotic overuse and identify areas that require further work.
