Factors controlling measurements of radon mass exhalation rate

Radon mass exhalation rate of soil samples was measured using an exhalation chamber of 10 dm(3) volume and a Lucas cell. The results show that mass of sample, grain size and water content influence the radon mass exhalation rate. For soil of (226)Ra activity concentration about 2500 Bq kg(-1) and samples within the range from 0.20 kg to 0.50 kg, the radon mass exhalation rate values are higher than those for samples of other masses. The observed radon exhalation rate is an inverse function of the average grain size. At the water content about 6% by weight, the radon mass exhalation rate reaches maximum, then it decreases with both increasing and decreasing of the water content in the sample.     

润滑油基础油在储运过程中可能产生的危害和对策

分析了润滑油基础油在储运过程中,油品质量可能产生的不良变化和对周围环境造成的危害.针对这些危害提出了解决的对策.     

The many benefits of employee well‐being in organizational research

We undertake three objectives in this Incubator. We begin with a discussion of how well‐being has been considered in organizational research. Second, we provide an overview of the relationship between employee well‐being and such workplace outcomes as job performance, employee retention, and cardiovascular health. Third, we introduce exciting research directions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

抗生素与三唑类杀菌剂混合物对羊角月牙藻的长期毒性相互作用研究

地表水中抗生素与农药的混合暴露及其潜在生态与健康风险受到广泛关注。然而,目前关于抗生素与农药混合毒性研究大多仅考虑急性毒性,缺乏其长期毒性相互作用的研究。以较为广泛使用的2种抗生素土霉素(OXY)、环丙沙星(CIP)和1种三唑类杀菌剂农药戊唑醇(TCZ)及其二元混合物为研究对象,以生态系统中初级生产者绿藻(羊角月牙藻)为受试生物,研究目标混合物在暴露时间为96、120、144和168 h的长期毒性相互作用。结果表明,单一物质及其混合物随暴露时间延长而毒性增大;同一暴露时间点的单一污染物毒性大小顺序为OXYTCZCIP;混合物毒性相互作用与浓度、混合物组分和暴露时间三者密切相关;混合体系的拮抗作用均出现在高浓度区域,而中、低浓度区域呈协同作用或加和作用; OXY-CIP与CIPTCZ混合体系的协同作用随着暴露时间延长而协同作用逐渐增大。研究结果对水环境中抗生素与农药复合污染生态风险评估具有重要的现实意义。     

Discordance between age- and size-based criteria of child passenger restraint appropriateness

Objectives: In this study, we sought to accomplish the following objectives: to (1) calculate the percentage of children considered appropriately restrained across 8 criteria of increasing restrictiveness; (2) examine agreement between age- and size-based appropriateness criteria; (3) assess for changes in the percentage of children considered appropriately restrained by the 8 criteria between 2011 (shortly after updates to U.S. guidelines) and 2015.

Methods: Data from 2 cross-sectional surveys of 928 parents of children younger than 12 years old (n = 591 in 2011, n = 337 in 2015) were analyzed in 2017. Child age, weight, and height were measured at an emergency department visit and used to determine whether the parent-reported child passenger restraint was considered appropriate according to 8 criteria. Age-based criteria were derived from Michigan law and U.S. guidelines. Weight, height, and size-based criteria were derived from typical restraints available in the United States in 2007 and 2011. The percentage appropriate restraint use was calculated for each criterion. The kappa statistic was used to measure agreement between criteria. Change in appropriateness from 2011 to 2015 was assessed with chi-square statistics.

Results: Percentage appropriate restraint use varied from a low of 19% for higher weight limits in 2011 to a high of 91% for Michigan law in 2015. Agreement between criteria was slight to moderate. The lowest kappa was for Michigan law and higher weight limits in 2011 (κ = 0.06) and highest for U.S. guidelines and lower weight limits in 2011 (κ = 0.60). Percentage appropriate restraint use was higher in 2015 than 2011 for the following criteria: U.S. guidelines (74 vs. 58%, P < .001), lower weight (57 vs. 47%, P = .005), higher weight (25 vs. 19%, P = .03), greater height (39 vs. 26%, P < .001), and greater size (42 vs. 30%, P = .001).

Conclusions: The percentage of children considered to be using an appropriate restraint varied substantially across criteria. Aligning the definition of appropriate restraint use with current U.S. guidelines would increase consistency in reporting results from studies of child passenger safety in the United States. Potential explanations for the increased percentage of children considered appropriately restrained between 2011 and 2015 include adoption of the updated U.S. guidelines and the use of child passenger restraints with higher weight and height limits.     

Characterizing the child passenger safety workforce in Michigan: A statewide survey in 2015

Objective: In this study, we assessed the number of child passenger safety technicians (CPSTs) in Michigan over 4 years and characterized the CPST workforce in 2015 to identify factors associated with high productivity and longevity in the field.

Methods: We determined the number of CPSTs and those newly certified using lists from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) from 2012 to 2015. We conducted a statewide survey of Michigan CPSTs in October 2015. Analyses were conducted in 2016. The survey assessed demographic characteristics, reasons to enter the field and maintain certification, and motivations to conduct seat checks. We used CPST-reported time devoted to seat checks and average number of seats checked per month to create a composite “activity level” variable. We examined activity levels across several characteristics.

Results: The number of CPSTs ranged from 941 to 980 over the study period, with approximately 200 new certifications annually. In 2015, surveys were started by 496 of 962 eligible CPSTs and 427 submitted complete responses. CPST-instructors had a higher response rate than CPSTs in general (89 vs. 49%, P < .0001). The majority of respondents were women (71%) and self-identified as white (88%). More than one third were 35–44 years old. Just 7% were comfortable checking seats using a language other than English. “Personal reasons” were most often cited motivation for becoming a CPST and maintaining certification. Natural fit/job enhancement were more common reasons to maintain certification than become a CPST. Time and distance had the greatest influence on seat check participation. Perceived need, appointments vs. drop-in, and employer factors were very influential for 10–15% of CPSTs. Few CPSTs considered free food and payments/giveaways very influential. About 40% of respondents were considered high-activity (>24 seats checked/year), one third medium-activity (5 to 24 seats checked/year), and one quarter low-activity (<5 seats checked/year). High-activity CPSTs most commonly reported both being paid and volunteering their time to check seats, worked with a Safe Kids coalition, worked in law enforcement or social services, and had recertified at least once. Motivation to participate in seat checks did not vary with activity level.

Conclusions: Understanding the demographic characteristics and motivations of CPSTs can help Michigan OHSP recruit and retain a workforce dedicated to increasing the safety of child passengers. Agencies hosting seat checks can use these results to align the strategies they employ to incentivize CPSTs to serve in their communities with the factors that have the greatest influence on CPST participation.     

Distribution of quinolone and macrolide resistance genes and their co-occurrence with heavy metal resistance genes in vegetable soils with long-term application of manure

The spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has become an increasingly serious global public health issue. This study investigated the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of ARB and ARGs in greenhouse vegetable soils with long-term application of manure. Five typical ARGs, four heavy metal resistance genes (MRGs), and two mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The amount of ARB in manure-improved soil greatly exceeded that in control soil, and the bacterial resistance rate decreased significantly with increases in antibiotic concentrations. In addition, the resistance rate of ARB to enrofloxacin (ENR) was lower than that of tylosin (TYL). Real-time qPCR results showed that long-term application of manure enhanced the relative abundance of ARGs in vegetable soils, and the content and proportion of quinolone resistance genes were higher than those of macrolide resistance genes. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that qepA and qnrS significantly correlated with total and available amounts of Cu and Zn, highlighting that certain heavy metals can influence persistence of ARGs. Integrase gene intI1 correlated significantly with the relative abundance of qepA, qnrS, and ermF, suggesting that intI1 played an important role in the horizontal transfer of ARGs. Furthermore, there was a weakly but not significantly positive correlation between specific detected MRGs and ARGs and MGEs. The results of this study enhance understanding the potential for increasing ARGs in manure-applied soil, assessing ecological risk and reducing the spread of ARGs.

Graphic abstract

     

有机化合物水解的研究方法

有机化合物在水中的化学降解是其在环境中消失的重要途径之一，本文介绍有机化合物在水中的化学降解的研究方法，并给出研究实例。     

广西涠洲岛沉凝灰岩土壤粘粒矿物的研究

用X射线衍射分析和电子显微镜分析,对涠洲岛沉凝灰岩母质发育土壤的两个典型剖面八个土样的粘粒矿物进行分析研究。结果表明,离火山口距离不同的两个剖面土壤粘粒矿物组成不同,1号剖面以2:1型粘粒矿物为主,2号剖面则以1:1型粘粒矿物为主;结合其它分析结果,讨论了两个剖面土壤粘粒矿物组成不同的原因、对土壤有关特性的影响及其与土壤形成和分类的关系。