Using data linkage to assess the impact of motorized recreational vehicle-related injuries in Ohio

Problem

Motorized recreational vehicle (MRV)-related injuries can result in severe medical and financial consequences. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology, and clinical and financial impact of MRV-related injuries in Ohio.

Method

Probabilistically linked statewide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and hospital (inpatient and emergency department) data for 2003 and 2004 were examined. Record pairs with a MRV-related E-code (E821-E823, E825) were included in this study.

Results

There were 2,893 patients with MRV-related injuries, who had linked EMS and hospital records, resulting in more than $15 million in hospital charges and 1,921 inpatient days of hospitalization. The male-to-female ratio was nearly 4:1, and 19% were younger than 16. Almost 82% of cases were not wearing a helmet; there was a trend of decreasing helmet use with increasing age. Mean (SE) inpatient hospital charges and length of stay (LOS) were $22,218 ($1,290) and 3.8 (0.2) days, respectively. The mean (SE) Injury Severity Score (ISS) for inpatients was 9.2 (0.4). Individuals injured on a street/highway were 3.20 times more likely to sustain an ISS ≥ 16 (95% CI: 1.03, 9.88; p = 0.044) and 3.05 times more likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) (95% CI: 1.17, 7.94; p = 0.024) than those who were injured at a place designated for sport or recreation. Children aged 12 to 15 and young adults aged 16 to 25 were 2.47 and 2.14 times more likely, respectively, to sustain a TBI than adults aged 36 or older (aged 12 to 15: 95% CI: 1.13, 5.38; p = 0.024; aged 16 to 25: 95% CI: 1.26, 3.64; p = 0.005). Higher ISS was associated with both higher total charges (p < 0.001) and longer LOS (p < 0.001).

Discussion

This study demonstrates that MRV-related injuries are an important public health problem in Ohio, with a substantial clinical and financial impact.

Impact on Industry

Enactment and enforcement of statewide MRV safety legislation and training of MRV users offer valuable opportunities to prevent these costly injuries.     

电子垃圾重金属污染及防治对策研究

随着信息产业的飞速发展,电子产品更新换代加速,电子垃圾飞速增长,电子垃圾中的重金属对环境造成了越来越严重的污染.本文回顾了广东贵屿与浙江台州两大电子垃圾回收拆解区重金属污染的现状,分析了电子产品原材料、加工工艺和电子垃圾不当回收导致重金属污染的原因,提出了依靠政策法规引导、借鉴国外先进经验、进行电子垃圾回收处理产业化发展的相应防治对策,以期能改善电子垃圾导致的重金属污染.     

海南省废弃物处理温室气体排放估算研究

废弃物处理所释放的甲烷、二氧化碳和氧化亚氮是温室气体排放估算的组成部分之一.通过对海南省废弃物处理固体废弃物填埋、焚烧、生活污水以及工业废水过程中温室气体排放的估算,得出废弃物处理温室气体排放清单.2010年海南省城市废弃物处理温室气体排放以CO2当量计算总量为65.79万吨,同时进行了不确定性分析,不确定性约为30％,并提出拟采取的降低不确定性措施,为今后不断完善废弃物处理温室气体排放清单编制提供依据.     

我国工业固体废物处理利用行业2013年发展综述

综述了我国工业固体废物处理利用行业2013年的发展环境形势和发展概况;介绍了2013年国内工业固体、危险废物及生活垃圾的产生量和处理情况;阐述并分析了目前国内固体废物处理技术和设施的现状;就行业发展存在的主要问题提出了建议.     

Biofilm responses to marine fish farm wastes

The changes in the biofilm community due to organic matter enrichment, eutrophication and metal contamination derived from fish farming were studied. The biofilm biomass, polysaccharide content, trophic niche and element accumulation were quantified along an environmental gradient of fish farm wastes in two seasons. Biofilm structure and trophic diversity was influenced by seasonality as well as by the fish farm waste load. Fish farming enhanced the accumulation of organic carbon, nutrients, selenium and metals by the biofilm community. The accumulation pattern of these elements was similar regardless of the structure and trophic niche of the community. This suggests that the biofilm communities can be considered a reliable tool for assessing dissolved aquaculture wastes. Due to the ubiquity of biofilms and its wide range of consumers, its role as a sink of dissolved wastes may have important implications for the transfer of aquaculture wastes to higher trophic levels in coastal systems.     

医疗废物制备木酢液及其成分分析

为了解以医疗废物为原料的木酢液制备特性和木酢液的成分,采用磁化热解装置进行调制试验,收集了热解冷凝液,并采用GC-MS对冷凝液的成分进行了分析。检测出有机酸、酚、醛、酮、酯等38种有机成分,并采用面积归一化法对主要成分进行定量分析。结果表明,医疗废物磁化热解冷凝液中的成分种类与木酢液十分接近,特别是乙酸(18.48%)与苯酚(5.15%)的含量较高,证明了依靠磁化空气热解医疗废物制备木酢液的可行性。而两者之间存在的成分差异对其功用的影响则有待进一步探究。     

利益主体视角下的西部新农合制度运行困境分析

实现新农合制度设计的初衷目标、提升制度的惠农政策效果,是亟待解决的重大现实问题.为探寻制度实施效果与设计预期目标的偏差,科学厘清出影响西部新农合惠农政策效果的主要因素,本文基于西部10省区17县(区)的780份农户调研数据及相关统计数据,从医(医疗服务机构)、患(参合农民)、保(医疗保障机构)、管(政府)四方利益主体的视角,对西部新农合制度运行中的困境进行剖析.研究结果表明,既有的新农合制度运行框架模式,会陷入医疗服务机构行为扭曲与服务供给可及性差并存、医疗保障机构经办能力不足与保障效果欠佳并存、政府市场化导向与公共服务职能缺失并存、农民参合意愿强烈与被动参合并存的运行困境.三方强势主导形成的主体间利益失衡,必然影响到新农合的持续运行发展.因此,在新农合制度由试点普及向规范持续运行转轨的关键时期,必须以激励约束机制为突破,构建利益相关主体的协同联动改革机制,有效调动运行主体的积极性,实现新农合制度的持续运行.     

热解焚烧技术处置医疗废物的影响因素与工况控制研究

针对热解焚烧技术处置医疗废物的特点,分析处置工艺运行参数对稳定工况的影响规律,确定医疗废物在热解焚烧技术炉内稳定焚烧的工艺参数,指出送风量与气化炉、燃烧炉的温度关系是焚烧系统控制的关键。通过对某型焚烧炉的测试,得到了送风量与气化炉和燃烧炉的温度关系曲线。测试结果表明,实时动态调控气化炉和燃烧炉的送风量,能够实现医疗废物的稳定焚烧。     

Matrix effect on the performance of headspace solid phase microextraction method for the analysis of target volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in environmental samples

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) is a fast, cheap and solvent free methodology widely used for environmental analysis. A SPME methodology has been optimized for the analysis of VOCs in a range of matrices covering different soils of varying textures, organic matrices from manures and composts from different origins, and biochars. The performance of the technique was compared for the different matrices spiked with a multicomponent VOC mixture, selected to cover different VOC groups of environmental relevance (ketone, terpene, alcohol, aliphatic hydrocarbons and alkylbenzenes). VOC recovery was dependent on the nature itself of the VOC and the matrix characteristics. The SPME analysis of non-polar compounds, such as alkylbenzenes, terpenes and aliphatic hydrocarbons, was markedly affected by the type of matrix as a consequence of the competition for the adsorption sites in the SPME fiber. These non-polar compounds were strongly retained in the biochar surfaces limiting the use of SPME for this type of matrices. However, this adsorption capacity was not evident when biochar had undergone a weathering/aging process through composting. Polar compounds (alcohol and ketone) showed a similar behavior in all matrices, as a consequence of the hydrophilic characteristics, affected by water content in the matrix. SPME showed a good performance for soils and organic matrices especially for non-polar compounds, achieving a limit of detection (LD) and limit of quantification (LQ) of 0.02 and 0.03 ng g⁻¹ for non-polar compounds and poor extraction for more hydrophilic and polar compounds (LD and LQ higher 310 and 490 ng g⁻¹). The characteristics of the matrix, especially pH and organic matter, had a marked impact on SPME, due to the competition of the analytes for active sites in the fiber, but VOC biodegradation should not be discarded in matrices with active microbial biomass.