The cluster that never was: germ warfare experiments and health authority reality in Dorset

In 1997 intense media coverage raised public concerns about germ warfare simulation experiments conducted by the Ministry of Defence during the 1960s, which included the release of bacteria over Dorset. Families in East Lulworth, Dorset, have linked this with allegedly high rates of miscarriages, still-births, congenital malformations, learning and other neurodevelopmental disabilities in their village. The response of the Dorset Health Authority (DHA) included the examination of background information from the Ministry of Defence, national data on congenital malformations in Dorset, health information collected by campaigners and a systematic health survey conducted by the DHA among former and current residents of East Lulworth. The investigation did not confirm the presence of a cluster. It is debatable whether the DHA should have proceeded with their survey when none of the other more immediately available results indicated the presence of a cluster.     

A Theory for Coloring Bivariate Statistical Maps

Consideration of some practical uses of statistical bivariate maps—for example, display of association between variables—leads to principles for making effective use of color to represent data values. Effective color schemes for bivariate maps are viewed as continuous transformations from color models to the unit square with appropriate restrictions involving hue, saturation, and brightness. Several schemes, including those used by the U.S. Census Bureau, are criticized on the basis of this theory.     

Graphical Methods for Data Presentation: Full Scale Breaks,Dot Charts,and Multibased Logging

Experimentation with graphical methods for data presentation is important for improving graphical communication in science. Several methods—full scale breaks, dot charts, and multibased logging—are discussed. Full scale breaks are suggested as replacements for partial scale breaks, since partial breaks can fail to provide a forceful visual indication of a change in the scale. Dot charts show data that have labels and are replacements for bar charts; the new charts can be used in a wider variety of circumstances and allow more effective visual decoding of the quantitative information. Logarithms are powerful tools for data presentation; base 2 or base e is often more effective than the commonly used base 10.     

腐败的主观测评方法——以腐败感知指数为例

腐败测评是反腐败研究的重要组成部分,中国的腐败测评体系亟待发展。腐败测评有主观测评法和客观测评法两种研究思路。从统计机理和统计应用情况看,腐败的主观测评方法处于腐败测评研究的主流地位。本文介绍了腐败主观测评方法的基本思路、研究进展,并以腐败感知指数为例对其理论与应用情况进行了说明。     

Methodological Approaches to Assessing Risk Perceptions Associated with Food-Related Hazards

The psychometric approach developed by Slovic and his co-workers has been effectively used to assess risk perceptions associated with different food-related hazards. However, further examination (using questionnaire data and partial correlation techniques) has indicated that technological hazards are highly differentiated from lifestyle hazards, in terms of both hazard control and knowledge about the hazard. Optimistic bias was also seen to vary between hazards. Further research has focused on a particular hazard, genetic engineering. Risk perceptions associated with genetic engineering are underpinned by ethical concern and questions relating to perceived need for the technology, as well as perceptions of risk or harm. However, increasing the specificity of hazard stimuli was found to alter the factor structure of underlying risk perceptions. The utility of preference mapping procedures in determining individual differences in trust in risk regulators is also discussed.     

Risk,Media, and Stigma at Rocky Flats

Public responses to nuclear technologies are often strongly negative. Events, such as accidents or evidence of unsafe conditions at nuclear facilities, receive extensive and dramatic coverage by the news media. These news stories affect public perceptions of nuclear risks and the geographic areas near nuclear facilities. One result of these perceptions, avoidance behavior, is a form of technological stigma that leads to losses in property values near nuclear facilities. The social amplification of risk is a conceptual framework that attempts to explain how stigma is created through media transmission of information about hazardous places and public perceptions and decisions. This paper examines stigma associated with the U.S. Department of Energy's Rocky Flats facility, a major production plant in the nation's nuclear weapons complex, located near Denver, Colorado. This study, based upon newspaper analyses and a survey of Denver area residents, finds that the social amplification theory provides a reasonable framework for understanding the events and public responses that took place in regard to Rocky Flats during a 6-year period, beginning with an FBI raid of the facility in 1989.     

川陕生态旅游资源优势及客源市场分析

生态旅游是当今世界最具潜力、发展最迅速的旅游产业之一。从介绍四川—陕西生态旅游资源的类型和特点入手,简要分析了开展生态旅游的客源市场,论证了四川—陕西生态旅游资源丰富、客源市场良好,可开展各种类型的生态旅游项目,发展生态旅游具有广阔的前景。旅游开发应坚持走可持续生态旅游发展的道路。     

美学的一种可能--论德国后现代哲学家韦尔施对美学的重构

后现代哲学家韦尔施解构传统美学并重构美学。他一方面联系传统美学,一方面面对现实的审美化景象,对美学的基点———"审美感知",用维特根斯坦的"家族相似"法重新阐释,扩大其内涵,认为其内在于人类的认识活动,是人类存在结构中的基本成分,从而将美学上升为一种元美学,第一哲学。这种美学的扩张有可能导致美学取消主义,但也为美学反思和更新自身开辟了视野。     

对武术运动中心理现象初探

对武术运动中的感觉、知觉、表象、思维、记忆及意志等六个方面的心理现象进行了探讨 ,以便能更好地把握武术运动员的心理特性 ,遵循科学的心理规律来指导武术教学及训练 .     

基于AHP的通信企业价值因素客户感知度研究

了解客户的价值关注因素是提升客户价值的基础。基于此,在介绍层次分析法原理的基础上,提出了基于AHP的价值感知分析模型。并结合实证研究阐明AHP法在定量评价用户价值感知度中的应用。