Adult opinions about the age at which children can be left home alone, bathe alone, or bike alone: Second Injury Control and Risk Survey (ICARIS-2)

ProblemThis study describes adult opinions about child supervision during various activities.MethodsData come from a survey of U.S. adults. Respondents were asked the minimum age a child could safely: stay home alone; bathe alone; or ride a bike alone. Respondents with children were asked if their child had ever been allowed to: play outside alone; play in a room at home for more than 10 minutes alone; bathe with another child; or bathe alone.ResultsThe mean age that adults believed a child could be home alone was 13.0 years (95% CI = 12.9-13.1), bathe alone was 7.5 years (95% CI = 7.4-7.6), or bike alone was 10.1 years (95% CI = 10.0-10.3). There were significant differences by income, education, and race.DiscussionAssessing adult's understanding of the appropriate age for independent action helps set a context for providing guidance on parental supervision. Guidelines for parents should acknowledge social norms and child development stages.Impact on IndustryKnowledge of social norms can help guide injury prevention messages for parents.     

Effect of simultaneous exposure to benzene and ethanol on urinary thioether excretion

The toxicity of benzene is not an issue of the past, especially in developing countries. Bone marrow toxicity is demonstrated among workers. In this study, the effect of simultaneous exposure to benzene and ethanol on benzene metabolism in mice was investigated by measuring the excretion of thioethers in urine. Urinary thioether excretion significantly decreased in the mice receiving both benzene and ethanol compared with the animals receiving benzene only. The assay of determining thioethers in urine samples in this study is a simple and low-cost method, thus suitable for routine use, especially in developing countries, not only for benzene, but also for other alkilating agents, which can be found during occupational exposure. Our results suggest that further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of decreased urinary excretion of thioether after simultaneous exposure to benzene and ethanol.     

Self-assessment of hearing status and risk of noise-induced hearing loss in workers in a rolling stock plant

Noise measurements and questionnaire inquiries were carried out for 124 workers of a rolling stock plant to develop a hearing conservation program. On the basis of that data, the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) was evaluated. Additionally, the workers' hearing ability was assessed with the (modified) Amsterdam inventory for auditory disability and handicap, (m)AIADH. The workers had been exposed to noise at A-weighted daily noise exposure levels of 74-110 dB for 1-40 years. Almost one third of the workers complained of hearing impairment and the (m)AIADH results showed some hearing difficulties in over half of them. The estimated risk of hearing loss over 25 dB in the frequency range of 3-6 kHz was 41-50% when the standard method of predicting NIHL specified in Standard No. ISO 1999:1990 was used. This risk increased to 50-67% when noise impulsiveness, coexposure to organic solvents, elevated blood pressure and smoking were included in calculations.     

南越大陆架基岩中油、气藏的热液成因

在南越大陆架结晶基底的断层附近发现了油饱和花岗岩，这些花岗岩具有特征的热液交代作用和淋滤晕矿物共生组合。自然银、重晶石、含锌、铜和铁的氯化物的存在表明，矿化流体为深部成因。这些热液蚀变花岗岩是一种可能的新型油、气储集层，这将会大为拓宽油、气勘探的领域。     

Environmental issue of exotic catfish culture in Uttar Pradesh

A survey was conducted in Uttar Pradesh to enlist the available exotic fish species in culture. The culture and feeding details of unofficially introduced Clarias gariepinus was collected from 419 ponds existing in rural areas of 23 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The data indicated that 32% ponds were culturing exotic fishes of which 79% cases are of monoculture of exotic African catfish. Feeding analysis of these exotic African catfish revealed that 7% cases subsist on natural pond feed while 29% cases are fed on slaughter house waste. In 32% cases of the exotic magur monoculture, chicken waste was given whereas 11% cases were recorded with fish waste feeding. The possible threats and environmental risks of such unauthorised and indiscreminate culture of exotic magur has been discussed in this paper.     

Soil arsenic contamination in the Cape Region,B.C.S., Mexico

We evaluated the content of arsenic in soils of an abandoned mining zone in the Cape Region, B.C.S. During June to August 1997, we were in the field sampling these soils. The concentration of arsenic was determined using the Chapman and Parket techniques. The results were statistically analyzed by ANOVA tests. Our results indicate that all the soils sampled in the region exceed the environmental limit (2 mg/K) established by Galvan and Corey (1987). According to the data found the more probable cause of this soil arsenic contamination is the rainy runoff.     

Effect of water quality on yield of sugar beet and sweet sorghum

To study the effects of quality of water on soil and plant, an experiment was conducted at Rudashat Drainage and Reclamation Experiment Station in 1999. Four irrigation water salinities (2, 5, 8 and 11 ds m(-1)) and two sugar crops (sugar beet and sweet sorghum) were used in this experiment. The results showed that under the same water quality, sweet sorghum used 2700 cubic meter per hectare less water than sugar beet. As the quality of irrigation water decreased, the soil salinity and exchangeable sodium percent increased which caused yield reduction for both plants. Sugar beet by accumulating Na and Cl in its leaves tolerated salinity but its usage as a forage crop caused some limitations, whereas sweet sorghum by not accumulating Na and Cl escape salinity and it can be used as a forage crop without any limitation.