Older Adults at Increased Risk as Pedestrians in Victoria,Australia: An Examination of Crash Characteristics and Injury Outcomes

Objectives: Engaging in active transport modes (especially walking) is a healthy and environmentally friendly alternative to driving and may be particularly beneficial for older adults. However, older adults are a vulnerable group: they are at higher risk of injury compared with younger adults, mainly due to frailty and may be at increased risk of collision due to the effects of age on sensory, cognitive, and motor abilities. Moreover, our population is aging, and there is a trend for the current cohort of older adults to maintain mobility later in life compared with previous cohorts. Though these trends have serious implications for transport policy and safety, little is known about the contributing factors and injury outcomes of pedestrian collision. Further, previous research generally considers the older population as a homogeneous group and rarely considers the increased risks associated with continued ageing.

Method: Collision characteristics and injury outcomes for 2 subgroups of older pedestrians (65–74 years and 75+ years) were examined by extracting data from the state police–reported crash dataset and hospital admission/emergency department presentation data over the 10-year period between 2003 and 2012. Variables identified for analysis included pedestrian characteristics (age, gender, activity, etc.), crash location and type, injury characteristics and severity, and duration of hospital stay. A spatial analysis of crash locations was also undertaken to identify collision clusters and the contribution of environmental features on collision and injury risk.

Results: Adults over 65 years were involved in 21% of all pedestrian collisions. A high fatality rate was found among older adults, particularly for those aged 75 years and older: this group had 3.2 deaths per 100,000 population, compared to a rate of 1.3 for 65- to 74-year-olds and 0.7 for adults below 65 years of age. Older pedestrian injuries were most likely to occur while crossing the carriageway; they were also more likely to be injured in parking lots, at driveway intersections, and on sidewalks compared to younger cohorts. Spatial analyses revealed older pedestrian crash clusters on arterial roads in urban shopping precincts. Significantly higher rates of hospital admissions were found for pedestrians over the age of 75 years and for abdominal, head, and neck injuries; conversely, older adults were underrepresented in emergency department presentations (mainly lower and upper extremity injuries), suggesting an increased severity associated with older pedestrian injuries. Average length of hospital stay also increased with increasing age.

Conclusion: This analysis revealed age differences in collision risk and injury outcomes among older adults and that aggregate analysis of older pedestrians can distort the significance of risk factors associated with older pedestrian injuries. These findings have implications that extend to the development of engineering, behavioral, and enforcement countermeasures to address the problems faced by the oldest pedestrians and reduce collision risk and improve injury outcomes.     

The Aging of America's Reservoirs: In‐Reservoir and Downstream Physical Changes and Habitat Implications

Reservoirs are important for various purposes including flood control, water supply, power generation, and recreation. The aging of America's reservoirs and progressive loss of water storage capacity resulting from ongoing sedimentation, coupled with increasing societal needs, will cause the social, economic, environmental, and political importance of reservoirs to continually increase. The short‐ and medium‐term (<50 years) environmental consequences of reservoir construction and operation are well known and include an altered flow regime, lost connectivity (longitudinal, floodplain), an altered sediment regime, substrate compositional change, and downstream channel degradation. In general, reservoir‐related changes have had adverse consequences for the natural ecosystem. Longer term (>50 years) environmental changes as reservoirs enter “old” age are less understood. Additional research is needed to help guide the future management of aging reservoir systems and support the difficult decisions that will have to be made. Important research directions include assessment of climate change effects on aging and determination of ecosystem response to ongoing aging and various management actions that may be taken with the intent of minimizing or reversing the physical effects of aging.     

电子产品故障物理模型研究与应用进展

提出了故障物理模型的基本概念,对几种常见的电子产品故障物理模型,包括互连热疲劳模型、互连振动疲劳模型、电迁移模型和与时间相关的介质击穿模型等进行了分析,总结提出了基于失效发生因素和失效发生过程的损伤模型建模等两种故障物理模型的建模方法。结合工程应用情况,对两种故障物理模型的应用方法——可靠性仿真分析方法和可靠性加速试验方法进行了讨论。最后对故障物理模型的研究进行了展望。     

基于可靠性分配的整机加速因子计算方法研究

目的验证长寿命高可靠整机产品的可靠性。方法基于RPN数据的可靠性分配方法,得到子系统在各故障模式下的失效率,接着针对导致各故障模式发生的多种应力,研究温度循环、温度驻留、湿度、振动应力下的加速因子,推导出整机加速因子计算公式,并以某典型电子产品加速试验为例,验证该方法的有效性。结果整机加速因子为322.5,比传统方法计算得到的4.78×105更符合实际情况。结论基于可靠性分配的整机加速因子计算方法为整机可靠性验证提供了合理的理论依据。     

HF对Cu-SSZ-13/堇青石的原位合成及脱除NO_x的影响

以Cu-TEPA为模板剂原位水热合成一系列具有优良deNOx特性的Cu-SSZ-13/堇青石整体式催化剂.为进一步改善其氨的选择性催化还原氮氧化物的活性,在制备过程中添加HF对原位制备Cu-SSZ-13/堇青石整体式催化剂进行改性.利用XRD、SEM、XPS、BET、ICP-AES等对样品进行了表征.结果表明,当nHF/nAl在0.015—0.0375时,晶化72 h的Cu-SSZ-13/堇青石表现出了优异的脱硝性能和抗老化性能,其最大转化率为99.8%,NOx转化率保持在90%以上的最宽活性温度窗口为280—640℃,而无HF的新鲜样品的NOx转化率保持在90%以上的活性温度窗口为300—580℃;720℃老化50 h处理后,nHF/nAl=0.015—0.0375样品的NOx转化率保持在90%以上的最宽活性温度窗口为360—520℃,未添加HF的老化样品相应的活性温度窗口为400—500℃.无论新鲜还是老化,nHF/nAl=0.015—0.0375样品在低温段200—300℃和高温段500—700℃的NOx转化率基本都大于未添加HF的样品.结合表征结果,在催化剂原位水热合成过程中HF的加入既提高了样品的相对结晶度和负载量,又增大了样品的比表面积和比孔容,且提高了Cu-SSZ-13/堇青石骨架结构的稳定性,进而在一定程度上改善了Cu-SSZ-13/堇青石的高温脱硝活性和水热稳定性.     

介质阻挡放电等离子体老化微塑料及对Zn (II)吸附的影响

为了在实验中缩短微塑料的老化时间,更真实地模拟自然老化条件,采用介质阻挡放电（DBD）等离子体老化聚乙烯微塑料（PE-MP）和聚丙烯微塑料（PP-MP）,同时研究了老化前后PE-MP和PP-MP对Zn （II）的吸附过程和机理.随着放电时间延长和输入电压升高,微塑料表面出现微小裂纹或孔洞,形成含氧官能团.老化后PE-MP和PP-MP对Zn （II）的吸附容量分别提高了22.7%和14.8%.老化前后微塑料对Zn （II）的吸附均符合准二级动力学模型.颗粒内扩散模型表明,Zn （II）在微塑料上的吸附过程可分为快速吸附,慢速吸附和吸附平衡3个阶段.同时,老化前后微塑料对Zn （II）的吸附均符合Langmuir吸附等温线模型.热力学结果表明,微塑料对Zn （II）的吸附是自发的吸热过程.Ca²⁺、腐殖酸和低pH值不利于微塑料对Zn （II）的吸附.     

民用煤排放PM2.5中碳组分与水溶性离子特征

研究4种典型民用煤燃烧排放PM_2.5中的碳组分以及水溶性离子含量特点,并通过PAM-OFR(潜在气溶胶质量-氧化流动反应器)模拟了大气老化过程(2d)对煤球与烟煤燃烧PM_2.5中碳组分与水溶性离子含量的变化影响。结果表明,烟煤燃放PM_2.5中碳组分含量最高,达到57.96%,其EC含量是其他煤种的4.3~9.6倍。民用煤燃烧产生PM_2.5中水溶性离子以Na⁺与SO₄^2-为主,其在总水溶性离子中占比合计约47%~76%。经历了大气老化试验后,煤球与烟煤燃烧排放PM_2.5中NH₄⁺和NO₃^-离子含量大幅增加,与之相比,TC占PM_2.5比例分别下降了12.03%与19.99%。     

火工品温湿度加速老化模型和算法研究

目的 研究对火工品适用的温湿度加速模型,以及加速系数计算程序,获取准确的温湿度加速系数外推公式.方法 通过分析国内外使用的各种双因素加速模型的适用性,确定火工品适用的温湿度加速模型,采用免费自由的开源统计分析软件——R软件,对通过加速试验获取的某点火头2种温湿度加速条件下的试验数据,进行单组数据拟合和多组数据拟合两种温湿度加速老化算法的开发,并且对2种算法、3种寿命分布下寿命外推的准确性进行对比分析.结果 确定了Peck模型适合用于火工品的温湿度加速模型,获取了某电点火头对应的温湿度加速系数和湿度项反应速率常数.结论 基于多组数据拟合的温湿度加速老化算法,比基于单组数据拟合的温湿度加速老化算法对试验数据的兼容性好.3种寿命分布中,Weibull分布的加速系数计算结果最保守.     

热电池失效分析及等效加速贮存试验技术

目的建立基于实测环境载荷的热电池等效加速贮存试验技术,掌握其在环境载荷作用下的性能退化规律。方法在分析热电池组成和所受环境载荷情况的基础上,分析热电池的主要失效模式,设计基于实测环境数据的等效加速贮存试验,开展热电池等效加速贮存试验,分析热电池性能和热图像的变化情况,利用粒子滤波算法对电池剩余电容量进行预测。结果随加速循环次数(时间)的增加,热电池的电容量下降。热图像表明,热电池经过等效加速贮存试验后,其放电过程表面温度要高于初始放电表面温度。粒子滤波算法能够有效模拟电容量的退化过程,电池剩余电容量预测结果与试验结果误差在10%以内。结论等效加速贮存试验得到了热电池的性能退化规律,从而为热电池的贮存试验提供一种解决方案。     

一种基于综合环境剖面的导弹弹上设备加速贮存试验方法

目的 基于导弹武器在历经地面使用载荷后,还要满足飞行载荷的特点,讨论用于评估导弹弹上设备贮存期的加速贮存试验流程与方法。方法 开展加速因子试验,获得加速因子计算公式,根据实际使用环境载荷,制定综合环境试验剖面,按照贮存期目标值开展加速贮存试验,等效地面使用环境载荷,开展飞行环境载荷考核试验,试验成功后,给出贮存期评估结论。结果 该方法在多型导弹贮存延寿工程的弹上设备贮存期评估中得到应用,应用表明,可以评估导弹弹上设备的贮存期,具有工程应用价值。结论 获得加速因子计算公式后,将导弹弹上设备的地面使用环境载荷累计影响与能够经受飞行载荷环境分步进行试验,能够体现导弹弹上设备历经的环境载荷,可以用于弹上设备的贮存期评估。