Drowsy drivers: The effect of light and circadian rhythm on crash occurrence

Drowsiness has been recognized as a pervasive problem for drivers, with effects comparable to alcohol. Alcohol, however, has a clear legal limit for impairment; there are no comparable criteria to suggest sleepiness. Drowsiness has been associated with light and circadian rhythm. To investigate the joint effects of these factors on crash occurrence, along with other factors, single vehicle crashes reported in Ontario (1999–2004) were analyzed. Crashes occurring at four times of day, when light varies and circadian rhythm is low (2–5 a.m. and 2–4 p.m.) and with similar light conditions and higher circadian rhythm (9–11 p.m. and 10 a.m.–12 noon). Logistic regression was used to see how light and other factors are associated with single vehicle crashes occurring at times of low circadian rhythm, when drowsiness is more likely.Initial results indicated many circumstances associated with occurrence at these times: the age and sex of the driver and reported driver condition as well as weather. There is, however, an interaction between light and presumed alertness. In separate analyses for daytime and night time crashes most variables were significant for nighttime crashes but not for daytime events. The effects of alcohol and youth remained. A lack of light may exacerbate the effects of other factors at times of low alertness; this should be further investigated in controlled environments such as sleep laboratories and/or driving simulators.     

Dynamic Evaluation on Regional Tourism Competitiveness： Urban Agglomeration of Shandong Peninsula, Eastern China

The article establishes the appraisal index system for entire urban agglomeration and its interior cities individually, concretely including five aspects： driving forces for tourism development, the level of tourism development, tourism impacts, tourism economic connection and tourism contributions of different cities to the whole urban agglomeration. As tourism competitiveness has the characteristics of comprehensiveness, systematicness and dynamicness, the article attempts to apply the structural prediction means of system dynamics to evaluating tourism competitiveness, aiming to provide some research methods and analysis ideas for tourism competitiveness measurement and trends analysis in urban agglomeration. Taking Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration as the study area, the article simulates and analyzes the tourism competitiveness trend of the whole region and its interior cities from 2005 to 2020, and the result reflects that integrated development and regional combination of tourism are important means to upgrade tourism competitiveness in this region.     

Distribution of heavy metals in agricultural soils near a petrochemical complex in Guangzhou, China

The aim of the study was to investigate influence of an industrialized environment on the accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils. Seventy soil samples collected from surface layers (0-20 cm) and horizons of five selected pedons in the vicinity area of petrochemical complex in Guangzhou, China were analyzed for Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Hg and As concentrations, the horizontal and vertical variation of these metals were studied and geographic information system (GIS)-based mapping techniques were applied to generate spatial distribution maps. The mean concentrations of these heavy metals in the topsoils did not exceed the maximum allowable concentrations in agricultural soil of China with the exception of Hg. Significant differences between land-use types showed that Cu, Pb, Cd, Hg and As concentrations in topsoils were strongly influenced by agricultural practices and soil management. Within a radius of 1,300 m there were no marked decreasing trends for these element concentrations (except for Zn) with the increase of distance from the complex boundary, which reflected little influence of petroleum air emission on soil heavy metal accumulation. Concentrations of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Hg and As in the five pedons, particularly in cultivated vegetable field and orchard, decreased with soil depth, indicating these elements mainly originated from anthropogenic sources. GIS mapping was a useful tool for evaluating spatial variability of heavy metals in the affected soil. The spatial distribution maps allowed the identification of hot-spot areas with high metal concentration. Effective measures should be taken to avoid or minimize heavy metal further contamination of soils and to remediate the contaminated areas in order to prevent pollutants affecting human health through agricultural products.     

首钢烧结厂PM_(10)治理技术与经济分析

通过对首钢烧结厂的污染结点、污染物特性、污染物控制技术措施和技术规范进行分析,提出了烧结厂PM10控制方案,对烧结厂采用高效除尘设备的PM10削减量及改造费用进行了估算,确定了烧结厂PM10治理技术方案排序,为钢铁企业烧结厂治理颗粒污染物的同时选择最为经济实用的除尘器类型提供理论依据.     

爆炸性气体环境危险区域划分方法改善探讨

本文在对当前爆炸性气体环境的危险区域划分存在的主要问题及其原因分析的基础上,探讨了通过建立爆炸性气体环境危险区域计算机辅助划分平台,提高危险区域划分的可操作性,从而实现爆炸性气体环境危险区域划分方法的改善.探讨了通过运用数值计算方法,基于fluent对爆炸性气体扩散进行研究,对非对称分布场所的危险区域划分提供划分辅助.     

Optical and microphysical properties of severe haze and smoke aerosol measured by integrated remote sensing techniques in Gwangju,Korea

Aerosol optical and microphysical parameters from severe haze events observed in October 2005 at Gwangju, Korea (35.10°N, 126.53°E) were determined from the ground using a multi-wavelength Raman lidar, a sunphotometer, and a real-time carbon particle analyzer and from space using satellite retrievals. Two different aerosol types were identified based on the variability of optical characteristics for different air mass conditions. Retrievals of microphysical properties of the haze from the Raman lidar indicated distinct light-absorbing characteristics for different haze aerosols originating from eastern and northern China (haze) and eastern Siberia (forest-fire smoke). The haze transported from the west showed moderately higher absorbing characteristics (SSA = 0.90 ± 0.03, 532 nm) than from the northern direction (SSA = 0.96 ± 0.02). The organic/elemental carbon (OC/EC) ratio varied between 2.5 ± 0.4 and 4.1 ± 0.7.     

PCDD/Fs-induced oxidative damage and antioxidant system responses in tobacco cell suspension cultures

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) are ubiquitous contaminants and can be considerably accumulated by natural plants. In order to elucidate the biochemical and physiological responses of plant to PCDD/Fs, tobacco Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cells were selected as model plant and treated with time- and concentration-dependent PCDD/Fs. The toxic effect and oxidative stress caused by PCDD/Fs were evident, which could be indicted by the reduction in fresh mass, the increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the damage of tobacco cell ultrastructure. PCDD/Fs tolerance was correlated with changes in antioxidant system and hormones of tobacco cells. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) exhibited peak enzyme activities at the PCDD/Fs concentration of 1000 ng WHO₉₈-TEQ g⁻¹ fresh weight. Glutathione reductase (GR) enzyme activity increased monotonically at high level PCDD/Fs, but the activity of catalase (CAT) was only slightly affected at all treatment. Meanwhile, the exposure to PCDD/Fs resulted in the changes of hormones content. With the increase of exposure concentration of PCDD/Fs, the levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) increased, whereas the concentration of jasmonates (JAs) decreased. The above results suggest that tobacco cells had the ability to cope with the oxidative stress induced by low concentration of PCDD/Fs through increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes and alternating plant hormones levels. However, oxidative stress and toxicity would burst out when plant cells were exposed to the high levels of PCDD/Fs.     

污泥热干化和燃烧特性试验研究

分别在桨叶式干化机和热重仪上进行污泥干化和燃烧试验,研究了污泥干化特性和污染物排放特性,并对污泥的燃烧特性进行分析。结果表明,污泥干化过程分为黏稠区、粘滞区和颗粒区3个阶段。干化过程排放的污染气体有氨气、氯化氢、氟化氢、氰化氢、甲烷和挥发性有机酸等,其中氨气为主要污染气体。经冷凝吸收和活性炭吸附处理后,各种污染气体浓度均显著降低,其中氨气去除率最高,达97.04%。污泥干化冷凝液的BOD5和COD质量浓度分别为4 040、8 510mg/L,氨氮的质量浓度为1 025mg/L,pH为9.84,属于高浓度有机废水。污泥的燃烧过程可以分为3个失重阶段:水分析出阶段(50～150℃),挥发分燃烧阶段(150～450℃),固定碳燃烧阶段(450～650℃)。分别用Kissinger法和Ozawa法计算挥发分燃烧阶段和固定碳燃烧阶段的活化能和动力学方程,挥发分燃烧阶段的活化能低于固定碳燃烧阶段,表明挥发分燃烧阶段污泥更易燃烧。污泥的燃烧过程在650℃时基本完成,因此实际工程应用中,设计干化污泥的焚烧温度在750℃比较合理。     

Derivation of predicted no effect concentrations (PNEC) for 2,4,6-trichlorophenol based on Chinese resident species

2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) is a common chemical intermediate and a by-product of water chlorination and combustion processes, and is a priority pollutant of the aquatic environment in many countries. Although information on the toxicity of 2,4,6-TCP is available, there is a lack of information on the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of 2,4,6-TCP, mainly due to the shortage of chronic and site-specific toxicity data. In the present study, acute and sub-chronic toxicity of 2,4,6-TCP on six different resident Chinese aquatic species were determined. PNEC values were calculated and compared by use of two approaches: assessment factor (AF) and species sensitivity distribution (SSD). Values for acute toxicity ranged from 1.1 mg L⁻¹ (Plagiognathops microlepis) to 42 mg L⁻¹ (Corbicula fluminea) and the sub-chronic no observed effect concentrations (NOECs) ranged from 0.05 mg L⁻¹ (Mylopharyngodon piceus) to 2.0 mg L⁻¹ (C. fluminea). PNECs obtained by the assessment factor approach with acute (AF = 1000, 0.001 mg L⁻¹) or chronic (AF = 10, 0.005 mg L⁻¹) toxicity data were one order of magnitude less than those from SSD methods (0.057 mg L⁻¹). PNEC values calculated using SSD methods with a 50% certainty for 2,4,6-TCP was less than those obtained by use of the USEPA recommend final chronic value (FCV) method (0.097 mg L⁻¹) and the one obtained by use of the USEPA recommend acute-to-chronic (ACR) methods (0.073 mg L⁻¹). PNECs derived using AF methods were more protective and conservative than that derived using SSD methods.     

Dissolution kinetics of sub-millimeter Composition B detonation residues: role of particle size and particle wetting

The dissolution of the 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) from microscale particles (<250 μm) of the explosive formulation Composition B was examined and compared to dissolution from macroscopic particles (>0.5 mm). The dissolution of explosives from detonation soot was also examined. The measured mass transfer coefficients for the microscale particles were one to two orders of magnitude greater than the macroscopic particles. When normalized to particle surface area, mass transfer coefficients of microscale and macroscale particles were similar, indicating that the bulk dissolution processes were similar throughout the examined size range. However, an inverse relationship was observed between the particle diameter and the RDX:TNT mass transfer rate coefficient ratio for dry-attritted particles, which suggests that RDX may be more readily dissolved (relative to TNT) in microscale particles compared to macroscale particles. Aqueous weathering of larger Composition B residues generated particles that possessed mass transfer coefficients that were on the order of 5- to 20-fold higher than dry-attritted particles of all sizes, even when normalized to particle surface area. These aqueous weathered particles also possessed a fourfold lower absolute zeta-potential than dry-attritted particles, which is indicative that they were less hydrophobic (and hence, more wettable) than dry-attritted particles. The increased wettability of these particles provides a plausible explanation for the observed enhanced dissolution. The wetting history and the processes by which particles are produced (e.g., dry physical attrition vs. aqueous weathering) of Composition B residues should be considered when calculating mass transfer rates for fate and transport modeling.