Investigating factors influencing pedestrian injury severity at intersections

Objective: Vehicle crashes that involve pedestrians at intersections have been reported occasionally. Pedestrian injury severity in these crashes is significantly related to driver and pedestrian attributes, vehicle characteristics, and the geometry of intersections. Identifying factors associated with pedestrian injury severity (PIS) is critical for reducing crashes and improving safety. For developing the proposed probit models, drivers involved in crashes are classified into 3 groups: young drivers (16 ≤ age ≤ 24), middle-aged drivers (25 ≤ age ≤ 64), and older drivers (age ≥ 65). This study determines that PIS is significantly but differently affected by these grouped drivers with different sets of explanatory variables.

Methods: A total of 2,614 crash records (2011–2012) at intersections in Cook County, Illinois, were collected. An ordered probit modeling approach was employed to develop the proposed model and examine factors influencing PIS. The likelihood ratio test was used to assess model performance. Elasticity analysis was conducted to interpret the marginal effect of contributing factors on PIS associated with different driver groups by age.

Results: The results show that 4 independent variables, including pedestrian age, vehicle type, point of first contact, and weather condition, significantly affect PIS at intersections for all drivers. Two additional independent variables (i.e., number of vehicles and traffic type) affect PIS for young and middle-aged drivers, and 2 other variables (i.e., divided type and hit-and-run related) are significant to PIS for both young and older drivers.

Conclusions: The independent variables significant to PIS at intersections for young, middle-aged, and older driver groups were identified and the marginal effect of each variable to the likelihood of PIS were assessed.     

Model for predicting peak expiratory flow rate of Nigerian workers in a cement factory in Itori,Ogun State,Nigeria

The main aim of the study was to propose a model for predicting the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of Nigerian workers in a cement factory. Sixty randomly selected non-smoker and healthy workers (30 in production sections, 30 in the administrative section of the factory) participated in the study. Their physical characteristics and PEFR were measured. Multiple correlations using SPSS version 16.0 were performed on the data. The values of PEFR, using the obtained model, were compared with the measured values using a two-tailed t test. There were positive correlations among age, height and PEFR. A prediction equation for PEFR based on age, height, weight and years of exposure (experience) was obtained with R²?=?.843 (p?<?0.001). The developed model will be useful for the management in determining PEFR of workers in the cement industry for possible medical attention.     

Ecomorphological Characteristics of the Marsh Frog Rana ridibunda from the Galich'ya Gora Nature Reserve

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

Groundwaters at Risk: Wetland Loss Changes Sources,Lengthens Pathways,and Decelerates Rejuvenation of Groundwater Resources

Wetland loss alters the hydrology of wetlandscapes in poorly understood ways. To quantify the effects of wetland loss on subsurface hydrology, a physically based hydrologic model that simulates the timing and pathways of subsurface hydrologic connections was coupled with wetland inventories over a 50‐year period during which substantial wetland loss occurred. The model revealed, based on vertical variations in saturated hydraulic conductivities, wetland loss of different degrees led to a contraction of catchment contributing areas to local surface waters but an expansion of contributing areas to the regional surface water body. This shift in groundwater contributing areas reflected (1) a decrease in baseflow contribution to the local surface water bodies, and (2) an increase in the transit time and length of subsurface hydrologic connections with an associated increase in the magnitude and age of baseflow discharging to the regional surface water body. The model also showed regions with thick permeable aquifers were particularly sensitive to the loss of wetlands. Our ability to predict these changes in hydrology of the watershed provides important support for designing science‐based policies to promote sustainable water resource management.     

晚期垃圾渗滤液短程硝化生物动力学研究

通过对亚硝化反应器中的氨氮、亚硝酸盐氮变化趋势的试验研究,认为渗滤液中存在着可以转化成氨氮的有机氮,但有机氮的转化不是在瞬时完成的。利用劳伦斯-麦卡蒂模式求得模型参数为氨氮vmax=4.67 mg/(mg.d),Ks=464.4 mg/L,Y=0.1966 mg/mg,Kd=0.55384/d,通过模型得出了反应器内生物量浓度、出流水质与污泥龄的关系,以期为实际工程中垃圾渗滤液生物脱氮提供借鉴。     

伊犁盆地黄土分布、年代及粉尘来源分析

本文根据最新的研究资料,结合野外考察对处于西风区的伊犁黄土的分布、年代和粉尘来源进行了分析总结,并探讨了伊犁盆地黄土堆积的空间差异性。研究结果表明,伊犁黄土主要分布在山前丘陵和高阶地上,这些地貌部位堆积厚度最大,黄土沉积受地形和气候影响明显;已有的剖面年代学研究表明伊犁黄土主要形成于末次冰期,与新疆其它地区黄土开始大范围堆积的时间大体一致,但还可能有比中更新世更老的黄土存在;粒度分布和矿物表面形态特征表明伊犁黄土可能是近源物质与远源粉尘沉积作用叠加的结果,不同地区黄土在堆积过程所受到动力条件可能存在明显的差异;伊犁黄土中粘土组分可能主要来自中亚荒漠和伊犁河中、下游地区,西风带来的粉尘对伊犁盆地不同地区黄土的贡献率不同。     

Population structure and dynamics of Monotarsobius curtipes (Myriapoda, Chilopoda) at the northern periphery of the species range

Studies on the population structure and dynamics of the stone centipede Monotarsobius curtipes C. Koch in soils of the northern Kola Peninsula have shown that, with respect to abundance and biomass, this species is a dominant of the soil macrofauna and, in particular, of the trophic group of zoophages. Life in high northern latitudes does not disturb the sex and age structure of populations but limits the reproductive activity of these centipedes. Specific biological features of M. curtipes at the northern periphery of its range include the absence of repeated breeding, completion of several developmental (age) stages within a short growing season, and long ontogeny involving several winterings.