HIGHLIGHTS OF SPEECHES

This week promises a rich variety of thought-provoking sessions,covering emerging trends,global challenges and future opportunities.Inspiring speakers from across business,government,public,and private sectors spark passionate discussions and debates.I hope that like me,you are also excited at the prospect of encountering fresh ideas,opinions,and perspectives,and are ready to consider the role of standards in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Dynamics of ecosystems and anthropogenic drivers in the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem

In the developed world,governance of marine ecological environment is the important part of the national ecological and economic outcome.The Yellow Sea is one of large marine ecosystems in the seas of East Asia,which is an extension of one of the largest continental shelf areas,and forms a huge but shallow sediment body in its south area which is geographically unique in the world.As a region with the most fragile natural environment,unparalleled global ecological significance and the most urgent protection needs,the Yellow Sea ecological zone is becoming a common concern of countries around the Yellow Sea and beyond,such as tidal flats and the staging migratory birds(Murray et al.,2015).

Integrated Watershed Management and Sedimentation

Environmental development and protection measures such as feasibility studies, land-use planning and soil and water conservation are some of the issues that need to be considered in watersheds management. Apparently, integrated watershed management is emerging as an approach for the sustained development and management of natural resources. The integral enactment of different environmental frameworks, strategies and policies could positively impact watershed- based developmental approaches. Sediment which is brought through water erosion can hamper the proper functioning of waterways as well as the quality of water in dams. Knowhow on soil erosion and the sedimentation process is among the requisites that need to be considered for the control of sedimentation. Other elements like climate, edaphic factors, land management, topography, and land cover, etc. will also determine the sedimentation process. Integrated Watershed Management approach is a worthy approach to manage the ecological, social and economic watershed development challenges in countries like Ethiopia. Thus, this article is intended to assess watershed characteristics that will help to explore the possibilities of reducing sedimentation and its related effects.

Sustainable Land Management

In one way or another, one out of three people are being affected by land degradation. It is estimated that, about every year, 75 billion tonnes of soil material are being lost worldwide as a result of land degradation. Recent findings also showed that about 2 billion hectares of land were severely degraded, in some cases in an irreversible way, all these caused a severe damage to local ecologies as well as contributed a lot for climate change and its associated effects on the wellbeing of humanity. Apart from this, the major portion of most developing countries population are still dependent on the un-mechanized and primitive forms agriculture, livestock production, forestry and fishery, and their livelihood and options for economic development are directly linked to the quality of the land and its resources. The objective of this article is to reaffirm the role of Sustainable Land Management in the process of agricultural development, the main source of livelihood in the developing countries. The paper initially explored the basic concept and principles of sustainable management. Causes of land degradation, the prime challenge of sustainable land management and development are also dealt in detail.

The Impact of Breastfeeding Pattern on the Duration of Lactational Amenorrhoea in Chengdu, China

Objective To determine the relation between infant feeding practices (and other factors) and the duration of postpartum amenorrhoea in a sample of Chinese women Subjects &. Methods Infant feeding and the return of menses were measured longitudinally in 541 mothers and their infants in Pengxian County, Sichuan Province. The durations of breastfeeding and of lactational amenorrhoea were estimated through survival analysis. Cox's non-parametric hazards regression analysis was performed to determine the variables associated with the duration of lactational amenorrhoea. Results Mothers breastfed frequently per day, the mean frequency ranging from 6. 4 per day at 3 weeks postpartum to 5. 4 per day at 6 months. They breastfed for over 18. 3 months on average. The median duration of lactational amenorrhoea was 9. 5 months. The period from birth until the first breastfeed was a significant determinant of the duration of lactational amenorrhoea, P = 0. 038. Compared with women who ended full breastfeeding earlier, those who ceased full breastfeeding at 120 to 24C days returned to menses significantly sooner (risk ratio = 1. 34; 95% CI = 1. 06-1. 69). This finding is probably spurious since no relationship between full breastfeeding duration and the return of menses was found among women -who ended full breastfeeding after 240 days. Conclusion The most important determinant of the return of menses was the delay in the first breastfeed after birth, suggesting that the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding should be more precisely implemented.

Optimization of Municipal Solid Waste Management of Bins Using GIS. A Case Study: Nuseirat City

Solid Waste Management, SWM, is an integral part of public health and environmental control. Improper SWM leads to both economic and environmental sufferings. Almost all factors related to solid waste management have both spatial and non-spatial components. Thus, traditional ways of storing and analyzing data keep data in an isolated form, which results in an inefficient management system. This research aims to optimize municipal solid waste management of bins using GIS. Nuseirat City is chosen as a case study to evaluate SWM of recycle bins to allow the collection process to get less cost and less time as well as to determine the best routes for the trucks to collect the bins. Using Location-Allocation technique, the study indicates that 50 bins from the existing 222 bins do not meet the required selection criteria and need to be re-distributed. It also shows that there are many areas which are not serviced and that the existing bins do not cover all areas in Nuseirat. Nuseirat municipality needs to supply 173 bins besides the existing bins in order to fully cover the city. Moreover, the best tracks to be followed by vehicles that will reduce the financial cost using Vehicle Routing Problem Analysis are determined using GIS network analysis. It is recommended the use of GIS in the administration, especially the management of solid waste and the consideration of it mainly in the general system of municipalities working in the Gaza Strip. Extensive attention should be focused on the collection of solid waste because it is important in the development of cities and it gives a wonderful cultural landscape.

新千年的能源

本文讨论了有关能源的思想观念的演变。20年前当几位作者开始携手合作研究能源时,人们一般是以发展的眼光、从供应方的角度来考虑能源问题,将注意力集中到消费趋势以及如何扩大供给以满足不断增长的需求上。这种方法在能源利用的环境影响、安全性和公平合理性方面的研究局限深深地困扰着他们。例如,大约有20亿人口经济条件有限,买不起现代能源,这严重限制了他们生活水平的提高。此外,能源还是造成环境问题的重要因素,其中包括室内空气污染、城市空气污染、酸化和全球气候变暖等。笔者认为,应当树立新的能源供给观念,使能源的供给方式有助于解决这些严重问题。笔者主张,能源必须成为推进可持续发展——经济上可行、以需要为导向、自力更生的以及无损于环境的发展——的工具,而且,应当将研究重点放在能源的终端用途上和能源供应的服务上。有助于实现可持续发展目标的能源技术方案也在本文进行了讨论。文中强调了制订和运用新型能源技术解决方案的必要性。笔者以巴西乙醇的利用为例,阐述了使发展中国家避免重复工业化国家所犯错误而在技术上实现跨越式发展的可能性。文中还重点介绍了在发展中国家引进先进技术过程中外国直接投资可能起到的作用,阐述了农村能源的近期和远期战略。最后,介绍了促进能源系统的发展,使之与可持续发展的步调一致并且支持可持续发展的相关政策。

在肺结核诊断中应用系列痰涂片的结果:系统综述

目前的国际结核病(TB)指南推荐在对肺结核可疑患者评价时应用3次痰涂片镜检以寻找结核菌。我们对符合3次痰标本结果标准的研究进行了系统的评价。通过对多个数据库和资源的检索,我们确定了共37个合格的研究。第3份标本中涂阳结果的增加(所有培阳病例作为分母的研究)和敏感性的增高(所有培阳病例作为分母的研究)是我们关注的主要结果。虽然各研究的方法和结果不同对数据综合构成了挑战,但亚组的分析提示对第3份标本的检查使结果和/或敏感性平均增加了2%～ 5%。把推荐的标本检查数量从3份减至2份(特别是在同一天收集的2份标本)对结核控制项目有利。有很多理由可潜在增加病例检出;许多实施性研究问题需要强调。如果按照国际间协调和标准化的方法,在痰标本镜检时应用现行技术检验哪种方法最有效,这样的研究会是最有用的,既可以增加本国的数据,又可进行研究之间的对比。

Endosulfan residues and farmers’replacement behaviors of endosulfan in the north-west inland cotton region

We assessed the situation of endosulfan residues in cotton fields after the endosulfan ban came into effect and the current knowledge,attitude,and practice(KAP)of cotton farmers on the phase-out of endosulfan and the application of alternative technologies.Topsoil samples(n=91)of cotton fields were collected from the major cotton-producing areas in China,namely the north-west inland cotton region,and the endosulfan residues were analyzed.A KAP survey was carried out for cotton farmers,and 291 questionnaires were distributed.The influences of gender,age,education background,cotton planting years,publicity and training,income sources,and other factors on cotton farmers’KAP were analyzed.The results showed that endosulfan sulfate was the main endosulfan residue in the soil,followed byβ-endosulfan andα-endosulfan,the average residual contents were 0.569,0.139,and 0.060μg/kg,respectively.The results of the KAP study showed that cotton farmers scored low on knowledge about the phase-out of endosulfan and the application of alternative technologies but high on attitude and practice.The number of family members,years of cotton planting,age,and the cottonplanting area had different degrees of influence on KAP scores.The training could significantly improve the KAP scores of cotton farmers;training should be more targeted and designed reasonably for key groups,such as men and the population under 30,followed by training them to use pesticides safely.For large-scale cotton growers,training should focus on green prevention and control technologies.

Drought Adaptation and Coping Strategies Among the Turkana Pastoralists of Northern Kenya

This study highlights drought characteristics and the many responses to drought stresses employed by Turkana pastoralists of northwestern Kenya. Multiple data sources, including socioeconomic interviews with 302 households, focus group discussions, and informal interviews with pastoralists were used to capture various aspects of drought and drought adaptation and coping practices.Standardized precipitation index derived from long-term rainfall data obtained from the Kenya Meteorological Service was used to quantify different degrees of drought intensity between 1950 and 2012. Results revealed that extreme drought events were increasingly frequent, and have impacted negatively on pastoral livelihoods. In order to adapt to or cope with climatic anomalies, households are using a variety of strategies. In addition to the traditional short-term coping mechanisms, the long-term adaptation strategies used include diversification of livelihood sources; livestock mobility to track forage and water resources;diversification of herd composition to benefit from the varied drought and disease tolerance, as well as fecundity of diverse livestock species; and sending children to school for formal education as a long term investment expected to pay back through income from employment. Policies anddevelopment interventions that reduce risks, diminish livelihood constraints, and expand opportunities for increased household resilience to drought are critical complements to the existing pastoral strategies.

Factors Influencing Post-disaster Reconstruction Project Management for Housing Provision in the Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territories

In the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Gaza Strip has suffered regular cycles of reconstruction due to systematic destruction during Israeli military operations, as in 2006, 2008–2009, 2012, and 2014. In this context of ongoing conflict this article aims to identify, rank, and discuss the most important factors influencing post-disaster reconstruction project management(PDRPM) for housing in the Gaza Strip. A set of key factors that influence PDRPM were assembled as a result of a global literature review. A questionnaire survey was conducted, and the obtained data were analyzed using a relative importance index for each PDRPM factor. Findings are presented in six groups: housing approaches, organizational behavior, project funding, supply chain and logistics, communication and coordination, and PDRPM context. Findings indicate that the most significant factors that influence PDRPM for housing provision in the Gaza Strip are related to issues associated with financial resources. It is critical that sufficient funding should be available in order to allow organizations to undertake housing projects in an effective and efficient way. Joint efforts are required from international donors and local organizations in order to effectively manage financial resources with the ultimate goal of improving PDRPM for housing provision.

A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL

Beate Trankmann, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China, tells Beijing Review about the cooperation between the UNDP and China and what the results mean for the world. This is an edited excerpt of the interview:Beijing Review:What is going to be the focus of development in the post-novel coronavirus pandemic period?