Variations in occupant response with seat belt slack and anchor location during moderate frontal impacts

Both seat belt slack and anchor location are known to affect occupant excursion during high-speed frontal collisions, but their effects have not been studied at moderate collision severities. The goal of this study was to quantify how seat belt slack and anchor location affect occupant kinematics and kinetics in moderate severity frontal collisions. A Hybrid III 50th percentile male dummy was seated on a programmable sled and exposed to frontal collisions with a speed change of 17.5 km/h. The seat belt was adjusted either snugly or with 10 cm slack (distributed 60/40 between the shoulder and lap portions) and the anchor location was varied by adjusting the seat position either fully forward or rearward (seat travel = 13 cm). Accelerations and displacements of the head, T1 and pelvis were measured in the sagittal plane. Upper neck loads and knee displacements were also measured. Five trials were performed for each of the four combinations of belt adjustment (snug, slack) and anchor location (seat forward, seat rearward). For each trial, kinematic and kinetic response peaks were determined and then compared across conditions using ANOVAs. Peak displacements, accelerations and loads varied significantly with both seat belt slack and anchor location. Seat belt slack affected more parameters and had a larger effect than anchor location on most peak response parameters. Head displacements increased a similar amount between the snug/slack belt conditions and the rearward/forward anchor locations. Overall, horizontal head displacements increased from 23.8 cm in the snug-belt, rearward-anchor configuration to 33.9 cm in the slack-belt, forward-anchor configuration. These results demonstrated that analyses of occupant displacements, accelerations and loads during moderate frontal impacts should consider potential sources of seat belt slack and account for differences in seat belt anchor locations.     

NEAR REAL-TIME MAPPING OF THE 1975 MISSISSIPPI RIVER FLOOD IN LOUISIANA USING LANDSAT IMAGERY1

ABSTRACT: The project described in this report was undertaken by the Louisiana State Planning Office to establish the extent of backwater flooding in Louisiana in April 1975. Band 7 Landsat imagery, enlarged to a scale of 1:250,000 was used to visually identify flooded areas. Inundated areas were delineated on overlays keyed to 1:250,000 U.S. Geological Survey topographic quadrangles. Tabular data identifying acres flooded, according to land use type, were derived by merging the flood map overlays with computerized 1972 land use data. Approximately 1.12 million acres of the state were inundated by flood waters. The total acreage and land use types affected by flooding were determined within 72 hours from the time the flood areas were imaged. Flooded maps were prepared for 26 parishes. Field observations were made by Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service county agents in order to determine the accuracy of parish flood maps and flood acreage figures by land use type. Results indicated that this was a fast, accurate, and relatively inexpensive method of compiling flood data for disaster planning and postflood analysis.     

The influence of chlordecone and oestrogen on the secretion of proteinaceous molecules of the mouse uterus

Ovariectomised mice were treated with sesame seed oil, oestradiol, or one of three different levels of the insecticide chlordecone (1, 1a, 3, 3a, 4, 5, 5a, 6-decachloro-octahydro-1, 3, 4-metheno-2H-cyclobuta[cd] pentalen-2-one). After 9 days of treatment, the uteri were injected with (35)S-methionine and radiolabelled proteins were flushed from uteri 4 h later. Reproductive tract weights and the total amount of radioactivity in uterine flushings were measured. Reproductive tract weights increased significantly only in animals treated with the highest dose of chlordecone tested and oestradiol-treated animals. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) precipitated radioactivity was increased by all doses of insecticide chlordecone tested but increases were significant only at one level. The greatest stimulation of (35)S-methionine incorporation occurred in ovariectomised animals treated with oestradiol. Radioactive proteins were analysed by fluorography of two-dimensional gels. The fluorograms showed that the proteinaceous uterine secretions, as influenced by chlordecone, were greatly reduced in number as compared with those secreted under the influence of oestradiol. Chlordecone appears to cause the secretion of proteinaceous material from the uteri of mice in a qualitatively different manner than does oestradiol.     

Robust, comparable population metrics through collaborative photo-monitoring of whale sharks Rhincodon typus.

The formulation of conservation policy for species that are rare and migratory requires broad cooperation to ensure that adequate levels of standardized data collection are achieved and that the results of local analyses are comparable. Estimates of apparent survival rate, relative change in abundance, and proportions of newly marked and returning individuals can inform local management decisions while highlighting corresponding changes at other linked research stations. We have applied computer-assisted photo-identification and mark-recapture population modeling to whale sharks Rhincodon typus at Ningaloo Marine Park (NMP), Western Australia, to create a baseline trend for comparison with other regional aggregations of the species. We estimate several ecological parameters of interest, including an average apparent survival rate of 0.55 yr(-1) for sharks newly marked (new) and 0.83 yr(-1) for sharks captured in multiple seasons (philopatric). The average proportion of philopatric sharks is found to be 0.65 of the total population, and we derive an average population growth rate of 1.12 yr(-1) for them. Our analysis uncovered significant heterogeneity in capture and survival probabilities in this study population; our chosen model structures and data analysis account for these influences and demonstrate a good overall fit to the time-series data. The results show good correspondence between capture probability and an available measure of recapture effort, suggesting that unmodeled systematic effects contribute insignificantly to the model fits. We find no evidence of a decline in the whale shark population at NMP, and our results provide metrics of value to their future management. Overall, our study suggests an effective approach to analyzing and modeling mark-recapture data for a rare species using computer-assisted photo-identification and opportunistic data collection from ecotourism to ensure the quality and volume of data required for population analysis.     

Urban land use predicts West Nile virus exposure in songbirds

Urbanization is a widespread phenomenon that is likely to influence the prevalence and impact of wildlife pathogens, with implications for wildlife management and public health policies toward zoonotic pathogens. In this study, wild songbird populations were sampled at 14 sites along an urban rural gradient in the greater metropolitan Atlanta (Georgia, USA) area and tested for antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV). The level of urbanization among sites was quantitatively assessed using a principal component analysis of key land use characteristics. In total, 499 individual birds were tested during the spring and summer over three years (2004-2006). Antibody prevalence of WNV increased from rural to urban sites, and this trend was stronger among adult birds relative to juveniles. Furthermore, antibody prevalence among Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) was significantly higher than in other songbird species along the urban gradient. Findings reported here indicate that ecological factors associated with urbanization can influence infection patterns of this vector-borne viral disease, with likely mechanisms including changes in host species diversity and the tolerance or recovery of infected animals.     

Population biology of White-crowned Sparrows: Residence time and local movements of juveniles

Summary A field study of the ranging behavior of post-fledging White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli) was carried out in undisturbed natural habitat in the Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin Co., California, USA. Forty-three first-brood juveniles, with tail feathers still growing, were banded at an estimated average age of 27 days and re-trapped an average of an additional 24 days for a total minimum time in residence in the immediate natal area of 51 days (Table 1).The distance from the site of first capture to subsequent recapture sites was about 60 m until age 35 days; then the distance increased to about 250 m by age 50 days (Fig. 2). These data indicate that the average juvenile White-crowned Sparrow completes at least the first 50 days of life in its natal area. Experimental work on song ontogeny has previously demonstrated that the sensitive period for song learning ends at about 50 days. Hence, young in our study population probably learn their natal dialect prior to any major dispersal movements. The correspondence between residence time and song learning would have the consequence of perpetuating song dialects as geographically structured populations.     

Featured Collection Introduction: Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters

Connectivity is a fundamental but highly dynamic property of watersheds. Variability in the types and degrees of aquatic ecosystem connectivity presents challenges for researchers and managers seeking to accurately quantify its effects on critical hydrologic, biogeochemical, and biological processes. However, protecting natural gradients of connectivity is key to protecting the range of ecosystem services that aquatic ecosystems provide. In this featured collection, we review the available evidence on connections and functions by which streams and wetlands affect the integrity of downstream waters such as large rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries. The reviews in this collection focus on the types of waters whose protections under the U.S. Clean Water Act have been called into question by U.S. Supreme Court cases. We synthesize 40+ years of research on longitudinal, lateral, and vertical fluxes of energy, material, and biota between aquatic ecosystems included within the Act's frame of reference. Many questions about the roles of streams and wetlands in sustaining downstream water integrity can be answered from currently available literature, and emerging research is rapidly closing data gaps with exciting new insights into aquatic connectivity and function at local, watershed, and regional scales. Synthesis of foundational and emerging research is needed to support science‐based efforts to provide safe, reliable sources of fresh water for present and future generations.     

Assessment of Endocrine‐Disrupting Chemicals Attenuation in a Coastal Plain Stream Prior to Wastewater Treatment Plant Closure

The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a combined pre/post‐closure assessment at a long‐term wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) site at Fort Gordon near Augusta, Georgia. Here, we assess select endocrine‐active chemicals and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure prior to closure of the WWTP. Substantial downstream transport and limited instream attenuation of endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EDCs) was observed in Spirit Creek over a 2.2‐km stream segment downstream of the WWTP outfall. A modest decline (less than 20% in all cases) in surface water detections was observed with increasing distance downstream of the WWTP and attributed to partitioning to the sediment. Estrogens detected in surface water in this study included estrone (E1), 17β‐estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3). The 5 ng/l and higher mean estrogen concentrations observed in downstream locations indicated that the potential for endocrine disruption was substantial. Concentrations of alkylphenol ethoxylate (APE) metabolite EDCs also remained statistically elevated above levels observed at the upstream control site. Wastewater‐derived pharmaceutical and APE metabolites were detected in the outflow of Spirit Lake, indicating the potential for EDC transport to aquatic ecosystems downstream of Fort Gordon. The results indicate substantial EDC occurrence, downstream transport, and persistence under continuous supply conditions and provide a baseline for a rare evaluation of ecosystem response to WWTP closure.     

Communal nesting, kinship, and maternal success in a social primate

Communal nesting, where several mothers regularly pool and cooperatively rear offspring, is unusual in mammals. This type of crèching behavior is especially rare among primates, with the notable exceptions of humans, some nocturnal strepsirrhines, and—as we show in this study—black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata). Here, we combine data on nesting behavior, genetic relatedness, and infant survivorship to describe variation in ruffed lemur infant care and to examine the potential benefits of ruffed lemur communal breeding. Reproductive events were rare, and females produced litters (synchronously) only once in 6 years of observation. We show that not all mothers participate in communal crèches, but those that did had greater maternal success; communal breeders spent more time feeding and their offspring were more likely to survive. Although cooperating mothers were often related, females also cooperated with non-kin, and those who shared infant care responsibilities had greater maternal success than mothers who did not participate. If there is indeed a causal link between maternal cooperation and reproductive success, this unusual behavior, like that of human communal rearing, may have evolved via some combination of kin selection and mutualism.     

促进自然资源的可持续利用

饮料盒工业做出承诺改进其资源利用和环境性能.他们已经确定了工业链的某个或多个环节的其体的部门优先考虑事宜:森林资源的可持续管理、保护生物多样性、在整个过程中减少能源利用以支持削减二氧化碳排放、减少工厂和运输方面的大气排放、减少水的利用和排放、减少化学品和有害物质、回收和再利用废旧森林资源.该产业采取生命周期手段来解决从森林到回收再利用的业务管理问题.该产业的代表协会饮料盒与环境联盟(ACE)参与了联合国环境署的生命周期举措.ACE认为这一举措对于生命周期全球思想的发展和传播是必不可少的.