Passenger distractions among adolescent drivers

PROBLEM: Adolescents who drive with peers are known to have a higher risk of crashes. While passengers may distract drivers, little is known about the circumstances of these distractions among teen drivers. METHOD: This study used survey data on driving among 2,144 California high school seniors to examine distractions caused by passengers. RESULTS: Overall, 38.4% of youths who drove reported having been distracted by a passenger. Distractions were more commonly reported among girls and students attending moderate- to high-income schools. Talking or yelling was the most commonly reported type of distraction. About 7.5% of distractions reported were deliberate, such as hitting or tickling the driver or attempting to use the vehicle's controls. Driving after alcohol use and having had a crash as a driver were both significant predictors of reporting passenger-related distraction. CONCLUSION: Adolescents often experience distractions related to passengers, and in some cases these distractions are intentional. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: These results provide information about teenage drivers who are distracted by passenger behaviors. In some cases, passengers attempted to use vehicle controls; however, it seems unlikely that this behavior is common enough to warrant redesign of controls to make them less accessible to passengers.     

SnAgCu焊料中Sn元素在模拟土壤溶液中的浸出行为

研究了Sn-3.5Ag-0.75Cu无铅焊料及其与Cu基板的钎焊接头在模拟土壤的NaCl,NaCl-Na2SO4和NaCl-Na2SO4-Na2CO3溶液中Sn元素的浸出行为.结果表明:焊料在NaCl-Na2SO4-Na2CO3溶液中Sn的浸出相对严重;而接头在NaCl溶液中Sn的浸出量最多.在Sn浸出量多的焊料和接头表面形成厚而疏松的腐蚀产物,XRD分析表明其产物主要由SnO,SnO2和Sn4(OH)6Cl2组成.动电位极化测试分析表明接头中Cu基板与焊料合金之间的电偶腐蚀是焊料合金与接头在同种溶液中Sn元素浸出差异的主要原因.     

缺氧条件下土壤砷的形态转化与环境行为研究

采集张士污灌区0～100 cm深的土壤并在实验室里负载低浓度的砷,采用不加硫和加硫对比研究了厌氧条件下土著微生物对土壤中砷的形态转化、环境行为影响及其机制.结果表明,在不外加硫酸盐条件下厌氧培养8 d后,微生物还原作用造成砷的大量还原和释放,释放的砷70%以上是以As(Ⅲ)形式存在,尤其20～40 cm深度土壤砷的释放量明显高于其它层土壤,As(Ⅲ)和As(T)分别达到892.8μg.L-1和1 240.6μg.L-1.与非生物对照相比每层土中盐酸可提取的砷总量都大大降低,且盐酸提取的As(T)几乎全部转化为As(Ⅲ).伴随砷的释放,铁发生还原和释放,溶解态的亚铁基本都在40 mg.L-1以上,不同土层固相中亚铁离子的量都在9.0～13.4 g.kg-1范围内,固相盐酸可提取态总铁中亚铁离子所占的比例基本都在50%以上,说明微生物还原作用造成固相中铁氧化物发生还原性溶解和矿物结构转化.当体系中添加10 mmol.L-1的硫酸盐时,每层土的生物培养体系中铁的释放几乎完全被抑制,砷和铁浓度也减少了50%.与不加硫生物培养体系相比,固相中盐酸可提取的砷量减少了50%,一部分砷被转化为稳定的硫化物As2S3而固定.可见在硫酸盐不足条件下微生物还原作用可造成砷被还原、活化和释放,而补充土壤中硫酸盐的量可促使微生物还原/活化的砷转化成更加稳定的形态,稳定的硫化物矿物As2S3是土壤微生物固定砷的重要途径.     

Fenton氧化对污泥脱水性能和溶解性物质作用效果的研究

研究了Fenton氧化技术在改善污泥脱水性能方面的效果,以污泥比阻和毛细吸水时间来表征污泥的脱水性能,探讨了体系的pH和反应时间对污泥脱水性能的影响以及Fenton氧化对污泥溶解性物质(SCOD+多聚糖+蛋白质)含量的影响研究表明,Fenton氧化能够明显改善污泥的脱水性能。在体系的pH=3时,反应1h后,Fenton氧化处理后污泥的CST从处理前的130.9s减少到19.7s,降幅85%;污泥SRF从处理前的3.58×108 s2/g降低到1.05×107 s2/g,降幅97%。同体系处理污泥SCOD、上清液中多聚糖和蛋白质的含量分别增加了3.7倍、2.6倍和1.5倍。     

CF8611/AC531复合材料的实验室加速老化行为研究

目的获得CFRP的老化行为规律,研究紫外辐照、温度和湿度等环境因素的影响,方法以湿热效应和光氧老化的等量、等效损伤为原则,确定实验室加速老化环境谱编制方法。以CF8611/AC531复合材料为对象,依据确定的加速老化试验方案,开展加速老化试验,观察其微观形貌,并测量开路电位和动电位极化曲线。结果老化前,CFRP表面完整无裂纹,碳纤维/树脂界面结合良好;老化后,树脂基体出现裂纹和孔洞,同时界面遭到破坏。极化曲线随着老化时间的增长会向右下方移动,自腐蚀电位微降,幅度为0.0326 V,自腐蚀电流密度增长了近1621倍。结论加速老化导致表面碳纤维裸露面积不断增大,时间越长,破坏作用越明显,实际使用中应防止其与金属直接接触。     

温度对镁合金牺牲阳极材料电化学行为的影响研究

目的研究温度对常用镁合金阳极材料MIC、AZ31、AZ63电化学行为的影响。方法根据GB/T 17848—1999,采用四天加速试验法,在25～70℃的人造海水介质中进行阳极电化学性能评价,并观察腐蚀后阳极的宏观腐蚀形貌。采用极化曲线测试技术,研究温度对加速试验前后阳极的极化行为影响。结果随着温度的升高,三种镁阳极的局部腐蚀明显加剧,溶解状态逐渐变得不均匀。随着温度的上升,三种镁阳极的实际电容量和电流效率呈小幅增加趋势,温度的影响不显著。极化曲线显示,镁阳极表现出活化溶解特征,温度升高明显促进了镁阳极的阴极过程,自腐蚀速率逐渐增加。结论在腐蚀初期,温度升高明显促进了镁合金阳极的腐蚀过程,但对镁阳极的电化学性能影响不显著,这可能与后期腐蚀产物生成以及表面状态的变化有关。     

The prediction of safe lifting behavior: an application of the theory of planned behavior

PROBLEM: Injuries resulting from lifting are costly, and create significant pain and discomfort. While engineering controls are the most effective means of reducing risks, most organizations continue to rely on manual lifting techniques. The problem, however, is that the use of safe-lifting techniques is inconsistent and managers have a difficult time motivating use of these techniques. Consequently, it is important to understand the factors driving safe-lifting behaviors. METHODS: This study used a survey to apply the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen., I., 1991. The theory of planned behavior. Organization Behavior and Human Processes, 50, 179-211) to safe-lifting among 136 materials management employees at a heavy manufacturing organization. Structural equation modeling and factor analysis were employed to analyze relationships among constructs. RESULTS: Results revealed that perceived behavioral control and intention were the strongest predictors of safe-lifting behavior. Subjective norms, to a lesser degree, were also important influences on intention. Attitudes did not surface as effective direct predictors of safe-lifting behavior, but did affect behavior and intent via mediating factors (subjective norms and perceived behavioral control). Finally, the theory of planned behavior was supported as an effective model explaining safe-lifting behavior, and had potential application for many other safety-related behaviors. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Results from this study emphasize the importance of perceived behavioral control as a factor associated with safety-related behavior.     

Predicting bicycle helmet wearing intentions and behavior among adolescents

INTRODUCTION: Cycling accidents in Australia, especially those resulting in head injuries, are a substantive cause of death and disability; but despite legislation and evidence that helmets reduce the risk of head injury, few adolescents wear them. METHOD: This study employed a revised version of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; [Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179-211]) to investigate the determinants of helmet use among a sample of adolescents. Participants in the initial data collection were 294 high school students in Year 8 and Year 11, with 266 completing a follow-up questionnaire measuring behavior over the previous two weeks. RESULTS: Social norms, perceptions of control, and past behavior significantly predicted intentions to use helmets and perceptions of control and past behavior predicted actual helmet use. CONCLUSIONS: Strengthening the routine of helmet use and building young people's confidence that they can overcome any perceived barriers to helmet use will improve adherence to helmet wearing behavior.     

Should 'Cyrus the Centipede' take a hike? Effects of exposure to a pedestrian safety program on children's safety knowledge and self-reported behaviors

INTRODUCTION: We report the first evaluation of the popular "Cyrus the Centipede" child pedestrian safety program. METHOD: A pre-test/post-test control versus experimental condition design was used to assess Cyrus' impact on third graders' pedestrian safety knowledge, and self-reported pedestrian behaviors. RESULTS: Although some beneficial effects were observed, the program was not reliably effective. In particular, the impact of exposure to Cyrus was strongly influenced by the individual teacher who delivered it, likely due to the highly unstructured nature of the curriculum. SUMMARY: We suggest that: (a) the effectiveness and reliability of such programs be demonstrated before they are widely adopted; and (b) programs that focus on training children in actual or simulated traffic environments may be more effective than those that primarily focus on teaching safety facts and rules.     

Bridge building within the province of proactivity

The research questions posed in this study highlight the importance of valuing proactivity in both prompting an individual to engage in proactive behavior and encouraging the expression of that behavior. We integrate a variety of constructs from the proactivity literature to gain a deeper understanding of proactive behavior as it relates to proactive motivation and supervisory performance evaluations. First, we draw upon self‐determination theory, expectancy–value theory, and the recent integration of the proactive motivation literature to hypothesize that proactive behavior is predicted by the interaction of “can do” and “reason to” proactive motivational states. Second, on the basis of performance theory, we hypothesize that the relationship between proactive behavior and performance depends upon the extent to which the supervisor values proactivity. Specifically, we argue that supervisors with proactive personalities are more likely to value and reward subordinate proactive behavior than passive supervisors. Results provide support for both of our hypotheses. Interestingly, results show that proactive behavior did not result in negative consequences but rather that there was a cost (i.e., lower performance rating) for not taking charge for employees with proactive supervisors. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.