Stakeholder valuation of soil ecosystem services from New Zealand's planted forests.

The goal of this study was to determine if there were differences among stakeholders in the values they attribute to soil ecosystem services from plantation forests in New Zealand. Groups of forest-associated stakeholders were identified (e.g.

Combined laparoscopic and thoracoscopic esophagectomy and gastric pull-up in a child.

Severe caustic burns to the esophagus may necessitate esophagectomy with replacement, if stictures form which are not amenable to dilation. Traditionally, the operation is performed via open transabdominal and/or thoracic approaches. Here we describe our minimally invasive approach, combining laparoscopy and thoracoscopy for esophagectomy, stomach tubularization and a cervical esophagogastrotomy.

Improving medical resident perceptions of health plan decision making.

Objective: To determine the effect on medical residents' perceptions resulting from attending a medical policy meeting.

Study Design: Pre- and postsurveys administered to residents attending BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee's (BCBST) Medical Policy Subcommittee meeting. This group is a subcommittee of the Medical Policy Review Committee (MPRC), which is responsible for the final approval of medical policies at BCBST.

Profile--Richard A. Mathies. Interview by Suzanne Berry.

Richard A. Mathies (Fig. 1) is a professor of chemistry at the University of California (UC) at Berkeley.