Trends in bicycle-related injuries,hospital admissions,and deaths in the USA 1997–2013

Objective: Cycling is associated with numerous health benefits but also the risk of traumatic injury. Recent data demonstrate an increase in overall cycling injuries as well as hospital admissions from 1997 to 2013 in the United States. We seek to better understand the causes of the increase in cycling injuries and hospital admissions.

Methods: Data regarding cycling-related injuries and hospital admissions were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Participation data were derived from the National Sporting Goods Association Sports Participation Survey, and fatality data were collected from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Population estimates were obtained using a complex survey design. Linear regression was used to evaluate univariate relationships between cycling injuries, hospital admissions, deaths, and participation. To evaluate factors associated with hospital admission, we developed a multivariable logistic regression model that included year, age, gender, body part injured, and injury type (i.e., contusion, fracture, or laceration).

Results: The number of individuals who cycle did not change significantly over time, but there was a substantial increase in cycling-related injuries, leading to an increase in per participant injuries from 701/100,000 in 1997 to 1,164/100,000 in 2013. When the injuries were evaluated by age group, younger cyclists have an increased risk for injury, whereas the rise in injuries among older cyclists stemmed from an increase in ridership rather than a unique susceptibility to injury. Trends in hospital admissions and fatalities appeared to be driven by increases in the older age groups. In the multivariable model evaluating factors related to hospital admission, the odds of hospital admission increased for each decade after age 25, as well as male gender and body part injured.

Conclusion: On a per participant basis, the rate of cycling-related injuries and hospital admissions increased between 1997 and 2013. This trend likely reflects a combination of shifting demographics among cyclists with an increase in older cyclists who are at increased risk of severe injury.     

阿尔卑斯山与想象

19世纪晚期,登山家与散文家Leslie Stephen爵士形容阿尔卑斯山是欧洲人的"运动场".他的描述在那个时代来说是有先见之明的,现在阿尔卑斯是欧洲大陆最受欢迎的休闲场所之一.然而,Stephen的先见之明只能放在历史的背景下才能显现出来,因为一百年前他这样的评论可能遭到嘲笑.直到18世纪晚期,阿尔卑斯还让旅行者恐惧,让科学家感到神秘,还是当时人口最稠密的大陆中心一块未被探知的蛮荒之地.但仅仅过了相当短的时间,阿尔卑斯山就被绘进地图,被人们开发利用.从本质上说,它之所以成为了"运动场",与人们想象力方面的转变是分不开的.始于16世纪,并在1800～1914年剧烈膨胀的想象力改变了阿尔卑斯山在人们心目中的面貌,在大众意识中,阿尔卑斯山从一种恐惧与迷信的地域王国成为一个美丽、消遣娱乐、值得遐想的王国.受科学、音乐、文学与美学领域新观念的驱动,我们不仅对阿尔卑斯山,而且对世界各地山地区的认识都有了改变.     

利用海藻业和酿造业产生的废料生产贵重的蚝蘑Pleurotus sajor-caju:初步研究

在由海藻业和酿造业产生的常见废料上进行了种植蚝蘑Pleurotus sajor-caju的初步实验.使用的是由这些废料和杂草各种组成的混合物.     

Conceptual frameworks and key questions for assessing the contribution of marine protected areas to shark and ray conservation

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are key tools in addressing the global decline of sharks and rays, and marine parks and shark sanctuaries of various configurations have been established to conserve shark populations. However, assessments of their efficacy are compromised by inconsistent terminology, lack of standardized approaches to assess how MPAs contribute to shark and ray conservation, and ambiguity about how to integrate movement data in assessment processes. We devised a conceptual framework to standardize key terms (e.g., protection, contribution, potential impact, risk, threat) and used the concept of portfolio risk to identify key attributes of sharks and rays (assets), the threats they face (portfolio risk), and the specific role of MPAs in risk mitigation (insurance). Movement data can be integrated into the process by informing risk exposure and mitigation through MPAs. The framework is operationalized by posing 8 key questions that prompt practitioners to consider the assessment scope, MPA type and purpose, range of existing and potential threats, species biology and ecology, and management and operational contexts. Ultimately, MPA contributions to shark and ray conservation differ according to a complex set of human and natural factors and interactions that should be carefully considered in MPA design, implementation, and evaluation.     

Lake Water Levels and Associated Hydrologic Characteristics in the Conterminous U.S.

Establishing baseline hydrologic characteristics for lakes in the United States (U.S.) is critical to evaluate changes to lake hydrology. We used the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Lakes Assessment 2007 and 2012 surveys to assess hydrologic characteristics of a population of ~45,000 lakes in the conterminous U.S. based on probability samples of ~1,000 lakes/yr distributed across nine ecoregions. Lake hydrologic study variables include water‐level drawdown (i.e., vertical decline and horizontal littoral exposure) and two water stable isotope‐derived parameters: evaporation‐to‐inflow (E:I) and water residence time. We present (1) national and regional distributions of the study variables for both natural and man‐made lakes and (2) differences in these characteristics between 2007 and 2012. In 2007, 59% of the population of U.S. lakes had Greater than normal or Excessive drawdown relative to water levels in ecoregional reference lakes with minimal human disturbances; whereas in 2012, only 20% of lakes were significantly drawn down beyond normal ranges. Water isotope‐derived variables did not differ significantly between survey years in contrast to drawdown. Median E:I was 20% indicating that flow‐through processes dominated lake water regimes. For 75% of U.S. lakes, water residence time was less than one year and was longer in natural vs. man‐made lakes. Our study provides baseline ranges to assess local and regional lake hydrologic status and inform management decisions in changing environmental conditions.