Unintentional non-traffic injury and fatal events: Threats to children in and around vehicles

Objective: There have been substantial reductions in motor vehicle crash–related child fatalities due to advances in legislation, public safety campaigns, and engineering. Less is known about non-traffic injuries and fatalities to children in and around motor vehicles. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of various non-traffic incidents, injuries, and fatalities to children using a unique surveillance system and database.

Methods: Instances of non-traffic injuries and fatalities in the United States to children 0–14 years were tracked from January 1990 to December 2014 using a compilation of sources including media reports, individual accounts from families of affected children, medical examiner reports, police reports, child death review teams, coroner reports, medical professionals, legal professionals, and other various modes of publication.

Results: Over the 25-year period, there were at least 11,759 events resulting in 3,396 deaths. The median age of the affected child was 3.7 years. The incident types included 3,115 children unattended in hot vehicles resulting in 729 deaths, 2,251 backovers resulting in 1,232 deaths, 1,439 frontovers resulting in 692 deaths, 777 vehicles knocked into motion resulting in 227 deaths, 415 underage drivers resulting in 203 deaths, 172 power window incidents resulting in 61 deaths, 134 falls resulting in 54 deaths, 79 fires resulting in 41 deaths, and 3,377 other incidents resulting in 157 deaths.

Conclusions: Non-traffic injuries and fatalities present an important threat to the safety and lives of very young children. Future efforts should consider complementary surveillance mechanisms to systematically and comprehensively capture all non-traffic incidents. Continued education, engineering modifications, advocacy, and legislation can help continue to prevent these incidents and must be incorporated in overall child vehicle safety initiatives.     

The Thermal Discharges From Nuclear Power Plants in Taiwan

The increasing use of sea water for industrial cooling presents a real threat to the ecological environment in the ocean. in Taiwan where many electric power plants along the coast take sea water for cooling, people are concerned seriously about nuclear power plants. There are three nuclear power plants in Taiwan. Each plant has two units for generating power. the first two are located along the northern coast of Taiwan. the third is located in Kenting National Park along the coast of southernmost Taiwan. the plants take sea water for cooling, and discharge their heated effluents to the ocean surface from the coast. the thermal effluents have variable effects on the ecological environment near the plants. Fishermen living near the power plants complain that the heated water affects the inshore fishery catch. in addition, the thermal water from the second plant is easily accumulated near the coastal zone to influence the nearby swimming area in the summer-time. the thermal water from the third plant bleaches or kills some corals in shallow water near the outlet, and this conflicts with the interests of Kenting National Park.     

信息化建设:开发区产业升级与可持续发展之路

面对当前我国经济开发区发展所面临的主要挑战，无论从自身经济增长规律出发．还是应对外部竞争压力，在新形势下，信息化是实现开发区产业升级与可持续发展的必由之路。如何针对开发区实际状况，系统、科学地进行信息化建设，包括大力发展信息产业并使其成为支柱产业，开创新经济增长点；以信息技术改造传统产业，促进产业升级与结构调整；以电子政务提高政府管理水平与服务效率、以电子商务提高企业的经营绩效与创新能力；以信息化推动城市化进程，提高人口素质与生活水平等。针对上述议题，特提出以“数字城市”建设、完善信息产业链为核心的开发区信息化发展战略。     

Paleosols of the Solonchanka IX site and climate of the Transural steppe zone in the fourth century AD

Studies on paleosols under an archaeological landmark of a rare type (a complex of kurgans with “whiskers”) dating from the Early Iron Age (the fourth century AD) have been performed in the steppe zone of the Transural Plateau. The size and shape of third-order soil polygons under stony ridges (“whiskers”) between the kurgans have been described in detail. The results have shown that the paleosol under the kurgans erected at the turn of the Late Sarmatian and Hun times (1600 years ago) is characterized by a higher humus content and deeper location of the carbonate horizon, compared to the recent soil. This indicates that an increase in atmospheric humidity took place in the fourth century AD.     

Isotope tracing of submarine groundwater discharge offshore Ubatuba, Brazil: results of the IAEA–UNESCO SGD project

Results of groundwater and seawater analyses for radioactive (³H, ²²²Rn, ²²³Ra, ²²⁴Ra, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra) and stable (D and ¹⁸O) isotopes are presented together with in situ spatial mapping and time series ²²²Rn measurements in seawater, direct seepage measurements using manual and automated seepage meters, pore water investigations using different tracers and piezometric techniques, and geoelectric surveys probing the coast. This study represents first time that such a new complex arsenal of radioactive and non-radioactive tracer techniques and geophysical methods have been used for simultaneous submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) investigations. Large fluctuations of SGD fluxes were observed at sites situated only a few meters apart (from 0 cm d⁻¹ to 360 cm d⁻¹; the unit represents cm³/cm²/day), as well as during a few hours (from 0 cm d⁻¹ to 110 cm d⁻¹), strongly depending on the tidal fluctuations. The average SGD flux estimated from continuous ²²²Rn measurements is 17 ± 10 cm d⁻¹. Integrated coastal SGD flux estimated for the Ubatuba coast using radium isotopes is about 7 × 10³ m³ d⁻¹ per km of the coast. The isotopic composition (δD and δ¹⁸O) of submarine waters was characterised by significant variability and heavy isotope enrichment, indicating that the contribution of groundwater in submarine waters varied from a small percentage to 20%. However, this contribution with increasing offshore distance became negligible. Automated seepage meters and time series measurements of ²²²Rn activity concentration showed a negative correlation between the SGD rates and tidal stage. This is likely caused by sea level changes as tidal effects induce variations of hydraulic gradients. The geoelectric probing and piezometric measurements contributed to better understanding of the spatial distribution of different water masses present along the coast. The radium isotope data showed scattered distributions with offshore distance, which imply that seawater in a complex coast with many small bays and islands was influenced by local currents and groundwater/seawater mixing. This has also been confirmed by a relatively short residence time of 1–2 weeks for water within 25 km offshore, as obtained by short-lived radium isotopes. The irregular distribution of SGD seen at Ubatuba is a characteristic of fractured rock aquifers, fed by coastal groundwater and recirculated seawater with small admixtures of groundwater, which is of potential environmental concern and has implications on the management of freshwater resources in the region.     

Modeling Parent and Metabolite Fate and Transport in Subsurface Drained Fields With Directly Connected Macropores1

Abstract: Few studies exist that evaluate or apply pesticide transport models based on measured parent and metabolite concentrations in fields with subsurface drainage. Furthermore, recent research suggests pesticide transport through exceedingly efficient direct connections, which occur when macropores are hydrologically connected to subsurface drains, but this connectivity has been simulated at only one field site in Allen County, Indiana. This research evaluates the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) in simulating the transport of a parent compound and its metabolite at two subsurface drained field sites. Previous research used one of the field sites to test the original modification of the RZWQM to simulate directly connected macropores for bromide and the parent compound, but not for the metabolite. This research will evaluate RZWQM for parent/metabolite transformation and transport at this first field site, along with evaluating the model at an additional field site to evaluate whether the parameters for direct connectivity are transferable and whether model performance is consistent for the two field sites with unique soil, hydrologic, and environmental conditions. Isoxaflutole, the active ingredient in BALANCE^® herbicide, was applied to both fields. Isoxaflutole rapidly degrades into a metabolite (RPA 202248). This research used calibrated RZWQM models for each field based on observed subsurface drain flow and/or edge of field conservative tracer concentrations in subsurface flow. The calibrated models for both field sites required a portion (approximately 2% but this fraction may require calibration) of the available water and chemical in macropore flow to be routed directly into the subsurface drains to simulate peak concentrations in edge of field subsurface drain flow shortly after chemical applications. Confirming the results from the first field site, the existing modification for directly connected macropores continually failed to predict pesticide concentrations on the recession limbs of drainage hydrographs, suggesting that the current strategy only partially accounts for direct connectivity. Thirty‐year distributions of annual mass (drainage) loss of parent and metabolite in terms of percent of isoxaflutole applied suggested annual simulated percent losses of parent and metabolite (3.04 and 1.31%) no greater in drainage than losses in runoff on nondrained fields as reported in the literature.     

不同轮作模式下作物根际土壤养分及真菌群落组成特征

为研究宁夏中部干旱带不同轮作模式下土壤养分及真菌群落组成的特征,以谷子轮作大豆（MRG）、轮作籽粒苋（MRA）、轮作藜麦（MRQ）及谷子连作（CK）为对象,测定了土壤养分含量,并利用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序平台测定了土壤真菌的ITS变异区序列.结果表明,不同轮作模式对土壤养分的影响存在差异.3种轮作模式下土壤pH和电导率均有所下降,土壤全氮、全钾、全磷和有机质含量均上升,OTUs数和α多样性指数均高于连作.真菌群落组成研究结果显示,子囊菌门（Ascomycota）为4种模式下的优势菌群.聚类分析显示MRA和MRG的真菌属组成最为相似,其次是MRQ,CK与3种轮作模式相差较大.相关性分析显示,土壤养分与几种优势真菌属呈显著相关性（P<0.05或P<0.01）,土壤全氮、全钾、硝态氮和有机质含量是影响土壤真菌群落最主要的因子.主成分分析（PCA）表明,MRG轮作模式优于MRA和MRQ模式.综上所述,轮作提高了真菌群落多样性指数,改变了土壤真菌群落结构,改善了土壤肥力状况,其中以谷子与大豆轮作效果最佳,建议将谷豆轮作作为中部干旱带杂粮产业中主要的轮作模式之一进行推广.     

不同空间划分方式下袁河流域景观结构对水质的影响

近年来景观结构的水文效应受到关注,研究不同空间划分方式下景观结构对河流营养盐、重金属变化的影响机制对于流域生态保护具有重要意义.本文于2018年7月和2019年1月在袁河干流及支流38个采样点采集水样,测定水体营养盐类污染指标（DO、NO₃^--N、NH₄⁺-N、TP和DOC浓度）和重金属类污染指标（Cr、Mn、Fe、Cu、Zn、As、Cd和Pb浓度）.基于前向变量选择、冗余分析等方法,筛选景观结构指标,量化其在不同尺度下对水体营养盐、重金属变化的影响.结果表明：①农田、斑块密度（PD）、斑块聚集指数（COHESION）及散布与并列指数（IJI）是影响水体营养盐变化的主要指标.林地、建设用地（Res）、平均最近邻体距离（ENN_MN）和最大斑块指数（LPI）的组合是影响重金属变化的主要指标.②在河岸缓冲带与圆形缓冲区划分方式下,景观结构均在100 m尺度对营养盐变化解释能力最强,平均解释率分别为31.5%、24.3%,均在1000 m尺度对重金属变化解释能力最强,平均解释率分别为32.0%、42.6%.③100 m河岸缓冲带和子流域尺度分别是景观结构影响水体营养盐、重金属变化的最佳空间尺度,平均解释率分别为31.5%、42.8%.以上结果表明,针对水体不同的污染类型,采用对应的划分方式及缓冲尺度有助于提高定量分析精度,为流域水环境保护、景观优化与管理提供科学依据.     

2006—2018年中国省级以上开发区的空间分布特征变化

以新的国土空间规划语境为背景,基于核密度估计、标准差椭圆法和分类统计对我国2006—2018年省级以上开发区的密度分布特征变化、发展重心轴向的变化和主体功能区视角下的分布变化做了分析。研究表明：该阶段我国省级以上开发区空间分布的东西差距得到一定缓解,仍存在东部连片集聚、西部据点集中的模式差异。开发区分布的总体重心已经向西北方向移动,发展轴向则由原来的南北轴向转向了东南—西北轴向。从主体功能区视角来看,开发区空间分布格局呈现出外围扩散与局部缩减的动态调整。开发区规模的增长主要集中在重点开发区域,缩减主要发生在生态功能区域。这些新变化将为我国国土空间土地利用优化和国土空间管控实践提供重要参考。     

浙江典型海湾潮间带沉积物污染及生态风险评价

基于浙江4个典型海湾潮间带表层沉积物重金属元素Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr、Cd、Hg、As和多氯联苯（PCB）的调查结果,探究其污染特征、潜在生态风险和来源.结果表明,海湾潮间带表层沉积物Cd、Hg、As、PCB含量均符合国家海洋沉积物质量Ⅰ类标准;42%、9%、3%、12%站位的Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr符合国家海洋沉积物质量II类标准,1%站位的Cu和Zn符合国家海洋沉积物质量III类标准.区域污染程度（PLI_zone）依次为乐清湾 > 三门湾 > 象山港 > 杭州湾,乐清湾潮间带沉积环境为中等污染,杭州湾、象山港和三门湾潮间带沉积环境无污染.区域生态风险（RI）依次为乐清湾 > 杭州湾 > 三门湾 > 象山港,乐清湾和杭州湾潮间带沉积物为中潜在生态风险,三门湾和象山港潮间带沉积物为低潜在生态风险.Cd是首要的潜在生态风险因子,Cd对杭州湾、象山港、三门湾、乐清湾潜在生态风险指数（RI）的贡献分别为63%、54%、58%和55%.生活污水、工农业和交通污染是浙江典型海湾潮间带重金属和PCB的主要来源.