Reliability and validity of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory in Chinese drivers

Objective: The Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) has been widely used in assessing the associations between driving styles and traffic violations and accidents in different cultural contexts. Due to the lack of a valid instrument to assess driving style, studies concerning driving style and its influence factors are limited in China. Thus, this study aimed to adapt and validate a Chinese version of the MDSI.

Methods: Seven hundred and sixty drivers aged from 19 to 60 years old were asked to complete the MDSI and a personality scale (trait anger, sensation seeking, altruism, and normlessness). Exploratory factory analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to obtain the factorial structure of the MDSI. The external validity of the MDSI was then evaluated by examining the associations between driving styles and personality traits, demographic variables, and traffic violations and crashes.

Results: EFA revealed a 6-factor structure of the MDSI (i.e., risky, anxious, angry, distress reduction, careful, and dissociative driving styles). CFA confirmed that the model fit of the MDSI was acceptable. The MDSI factors were moderately or weakly correlated with trait anger, sensation seeking, altruism, and normlessness. Significant gender and age differences in driving styles were found. Moreover, drivers who had traffic violations or crashes in the past year scored higher on risky and angry driving styles and lower on careful driving style than those who had not have traffic violations or crashes.

Conclusions: The Chinese version of the MDSI proved to be a reliable, valid, and highly useful instrument. It could be used to assess Chinese drivers who are at risk due to their maladaptive driving styles.     

Stable isotope on the evaluation of water quality in the presence of WWTPs in rivers

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - We investigated the distribution of nitrogen compounds in Han River as well as two tributaries of Tancheon and Jungrangcheon. Particularly, we...     

Preparation of biochar catalyst with saccharide and lignocellulose residues of corncob degradation for corncob hydrolysis into furfural

This paper presented a novel process for production of furfural by hydrothermal degradation of corncob over biochar catalyst, in which it was prepared with the recycling degradation solution and lignocellulosic solid residues. The biochar catalyst was papered by lignocellulose residues and concentrated saccharide solution, and then impregnated in 0.5 mol/L sulphuric acid at room temperature for 24 h assisted by the ultrasonic vibration. In the system of recycling, 8.8 % lignocellulose residues and 100 % concentrated saccharide solution from corncob hydrolysis have been recycled. Hydrolysis of corncob was carried out at 180 °C for duration of 170 min over the biochar catalyst. The experimental results have shown that the furfural yield of up to 37.75 % and overall corncob conversion rate of 62.00 % could be achieved under optimum operating conditions for the catalysts preparation and the corncob hydrolysis. It is believed that the acid density of 4.27 mmol/g of biochar catalyst makes the SO₃H groups cleave β-1,4 glycosidic linkages effectively and hydrolyze the cellulose and hemicellulose to water-soluble sugars, as well as to facilitate dehydration of xylose to give the product of furfural.     

Biodegradation of methyl red by Bacillus sp. strain UN2: decolorization capacity,metabolites characterization,and enzyme analysis

Azo dyes are recalcitrant and refractory pollutants that constitute a significant menace to the environment. The present study is focused on exploring the capability of Bacillus sp. strain UN2 for application in methyl red (MR) degradation. Effects of physicochemical parameters (pH of medium, temperature, initial concentration of dye, and composition of the medium) were studied in detail. The suitable pH and temperature range for MR degradation by strain UN2 were respectively 7.0–9.0 and 30–40 °C, and the optimal pH value and temperature were respectively 8.0 and 35 °C. Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺ (1 mM) were found to significantly accelerate the MR removal rate, while the enhancement by either Fe³⁺ or Fe²⁺ was slight. Under the optimal degradation conditions, strain UN2 exhibited greater than 98 % degradation of the toxic azo dye MR (100 ppm) within 30 min. Analysis of samples from decolorized culture flasks confirmed biodegradation of MR into two prime metabolites: N,N′dimethyl-p-phenyle-nediamine and 2-aminobenzoic acid. A study of the enzymes responsible for the biodegradation of MR, in the control and cells obtained during (10 min) and after (30 min) degradation, showed a significant increase in the activities of azoreductase, laccase, and NADH-DCIP reductase. Furthermore, a phytotoxicity analysis demonstrated that the germination inhibition was almost eliminated for both the plants Triticum aestivum and Sorghum bicolor by MR metabolites at 100 mg/L concentration, yet the germination inhibition of parent dye was significant. Consequently, the high efficiency of MR degradation enables this strain to be a potential candidate for bioremediation of wastewater containing MR.     

一株抗Cd~（2＋）菌株的筛选及其吸附性能

Cd2＋为一种毒性金属元素,为了实际解决污水中低浓度重金属污染,实现污水达标排放,通过12C6＋重离子束辐照诱变技术筛选到一株耐受Cd2＋的菌株C2,研究其对Cd2＋的抗性和低浓度Cd2＋的吸附性能表明,Cd2＋浓度≤100 mg/L时,C2菌株可以生长繁殖,但随Cd2＋浓度升高受到抑制;SEM分析表明,受到Cd2＋胁迫时,C2产生大量胞外产物与Cd2＋形成络合物;吸附过程中菌粉表面空隙得到填充,形成凸起;红外光谱分析表明,吸附过程中的主要作用基团为醇羟基O—H键、氨基和酰胺基团;C2菌粉和固定化菌球都对Cd2＋有较好的吸附能力,菌粉吸附效果比固定化菌球稍好;菌粉和固定化吸附剂的最佳吸附初始pH值为5~6.0,最佳投加量分别为1.0 g/L和10 g/L（实际含菌量为1.0 g/L）;Cd2＋浓度在2~20mg/L时,在最佳吸附条件下,菌粉和固定化吸附剂对Cd2＋的吸附率均在90%左右;2种吸附剂吸附过程与Langmuir等温模型和拟二级动力学模型拟合最佳;热力学研究表明吸附反应均能自发进行。以上研究结果表明,C2菌粉和固定化吸附剂均可用于污水中低浓度Cd2＋的去除。     

游泳池中隐孢子虫卵囊替代物的去除

隐孢子虫是常见的球状寄生虫。接触含有隐孢子虫卵囊的水体可致隐孢子虫病,主要的临床表现为腹泻,严重者可致死。游泳池是主要的传播场所。采用容积为5 500 L的游泳池,进行隐孢子虫卵囊替代物的修复模拟实验,研究在游泳池条件下絮凝沙滤技术对直径为4.5μm隐孢子虫卵囊替代物的去除效果。实验结果表明,氯化铝剂量为0.1 mg/L,沙滤料高度为30 cm,内循环流速为11.5 L/min,对隐孢子虫卵囊替代物去除率在90%以上。该技术对浊度具有较好的处理效果,当进水浊度降低且接近于出水浊度时,系统进入稳定运行阶段,对虫卵囊替代物去除率可以达到96%。     

Quality assessment of groundwater from the south-eastern Arabian Peninsula

Assessment of groundwater quality plays a significant role in the utilization of the scarce water resources globally and especially in arid regions. The increasing abstraction together with man-made contamination and seawater intrusion have strongly affected groundwater quality in the Arabia Peninsula, exemplified by the investigation given here from the United Arab Emirates, where the groundwater is seldom reviewed and assessed. In the aim of assessing current groundwater quality, we here present a comparison of chemical data linked to aquifers types. The results reveal that most of the investigated groundwater is not suitable for drinking, household, and agricultural purposes following the WHO permissible limits. Aquifer composition and climate have vital control on the water quality, with the carbonate aquifers contain the least potable water compared to the ophiolites and Quaternary clastics. Seawater intrusion along coastal regions has deteriorated the water quality and the phenomenon may become more intensive with future warming climate and rising sea level.     

Probing the distribution and contamination levels of 10 trace metal/metalloids in soils near a Pb/Zn smelter in Middle China

The horizontal and vertical distribution patterns and contamination status of ten trace metal/metalloids (Ag, Bi, Co, Cr, Ge, In, Ni, Sb, Sn, Tl) in soils around one of the largest Chinese Pb–Zn smelter in Zhuzhou City, Central China, were revealed. Different soil samples were collected from 11 areas, including ten agricultural areas and one city park area, with a total of 83 surface soil samples and six soil cores obtained. Trace metal/metalloids were determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry after digestion by an acid mixture of HF and HNO₃. The results showed that Ag, Bi, In, Sb, Sn, and Tl contents decreased both with the distance to the Pb–Zn smelter as well as the soil depth, hinting that these elements were mainly originated from the Pb–Zn smelting operations and were introduced into soils through atmospheric deposition. Soil Ge was influenced by the smelter at a less extent, while the distributions of Co, Cr, and Ni were roughly even among most sampling sites and soil depths, suggesting that they were primarily derived from natural sources. The contamination status, as revealed by the geo-accumulation index (I _geo), indicated that In and Ag were the most enriched elements, followed by Sb, Bi, and Sn. In general, Cr, Tl, Co, Ni, and Ge were of an uncontaminated status.