Study of chest injuries to 3-year-old child occupants seated in impact shield and 5-point harness CRSs

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the 5-point harness or the impact shield child restraint system (CRS) or both have the potential to cause chest injuries to children. This is determined by examining whether the loading to the chest reaches the internal organ injury threshold for children.

Method: The chest injury risk to a child occupant in a CRS was investigated using Q3 dummy tests, finite element (FE) simulations (Q3 dummy and human models), and animal tests. The investigation was done for 2 types of CRSs (i.e., the impact shield CRS and 5-point harness CRS) based on the UN R44 dynamic test specifications.

Results: The tests using a Q3 dummy indicated that although the chest deflection of the dummy in the impact shield CRS was large, it was less than the injury threshold (40 mm). Computational biomechanics simulations (using finite element FE analysis) showed that the Q3 dummy's chest is loaded by the shield and deforms substantially under this load. To clarify whether chest injuries due to chest compression can occur with an impact shield or with the 5-point harness CRS, 7 experiments were performed using Tibetan miniature pigs with weights ranging from 9.7 to 13 kg. Severe chest and abdominal injuries (lung contusion, coronary artery laceration, liver laceration) were found in the tests using the impact shield CRS. No chest injuries were present when using the 5-point harness CRS.

Conclusion: When using the impact shield CRS, the chest deformed substantially in dummy tests and FE simulations, and chest and abdominal injuries were observed in pig tests. It is possible that these chest injuries could also occur to child occupants sitting in the impact shield CRS.     

Conceptualizing Discourses on Ecological City and Its Planning

Ecological city （eco-city） and its planning approach are emerging concepts in urban study, urban planning, ecological economics, environmental policy and corporate environmental management. However, opinions remain divided over the connotation and denotation of the term ＂ecological city＂, what key issues eco-city planning can solve, and its specific contents. In this study, we present 10 basic propositions that define the eco-city and clarify its key parameters, thereby providing the basis for discussing the assumptions and principles underlying different approaches to sus- tainable urban development. We then summarize the concept and principles of an eco-city, and define the main requirements for eco- city planning. We conclude that an eco-city is a city in which the urban population, scale of land use and intensity of human activities are limited to the regional resource and environmental carrying capacity, which does not cause increasing or irreversible damage to the regional ecosystem＇s structure, functions and processes.     

Coupled human and natural systems

Humans have continuously interacted with natural systems, resulting in the formation and development of coupled human and natural systems (CHANS). Recent studies reveal the complexity of organizational, spatial, and temporal couplings of CHANS. These couplings have evolved from direct to more indirect interactions, from adjacent to more distant linkages, from local to global scales, and from simple to complex patterns and processes. Untangling complexities, such as reciprocal effects and emergent properties, can lead to novel scientific discoveries and is essential to developing effective policies for ecological and socioeconomic sustainability. Opportunities for truly integrating various disciplines are emerging to address fundamental questions about CHANS and meet society's unprecedented challenges.     

公路网规划环境影响跟踪评价初探

新颁布的《环境影响评价法》对环境影响的跟踪评价提出了明确规定,文章基于公路网规划环境影响事前评价的侧重点,提出公路网规划跟踪评价的内容主要包括两个方面:一是与相关规划的协调性分析;二是公路网规划实施过程中环境影响的实时监督,并进一步提出了跟踪评价方法。     

Plug-in electric vehicles in China and the USA: a technology and market comparison

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change - As the top two plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) markets in the world, China and the United States of  America (USA) have developed...     

尖峰岭自然保护区土壤微生物群落特征

土壤微生物群落特征对于明确不同环境中微生物群落的作用具有重要意义,但对微生物群落的定量研究一直是该领域的研究难点.目前,以群落水平碳源利用类型为基础的Biolog方法为土壤微生物群落特征定量研究提供了一种简便的方法,并迅速得到了广泛的应用,但Biolog试验过程中获得的数据量十分庞大,因此如何合理的处理、选择最能代表土壤微生物特征的数据进行比较分析是Biolog方法成功运用的关键.文章依据目前最常用的两种Biolog数据处理方法,提出了一种改进的数据处理方法,并以海南岛尖峰岭自然保护区四种受不同程度人类干扰形成的植被类型的土壤微生物群落为研究对象,着重探讨了改进方法与已有方法对土壤微生物群落特征研究结果的差异.研究结果表明:不同植被类型土壤微生物利用单一碳源能力的大小顺序为:山地雨林原始林>天然次生林>人工混交林>皆伐迹地.尖峰岭地区植被破坏后,自然恢复形成的天然次生林土壤微生物群落与原始林最接近.与受干扰较多的人工林相比,自然恢复更能有效改善土壤的微生物结构和功能.比较不同数据处理方法的分析结果证明,改进的数据处理方法可以有效克服已有方法的不足,提高对研究对象土壤微生物群落差异的解释能力.     

珠江三角洲城市群大气微生物与环境相关性

运用生态学的方法,结合实地调查与数理统计分析,对珠江三角洲城市群的大气微生物与环境的相关性问题进行探讨,拟为珠江三角洲城市环境污染的综合防治和卫生防疫工作提供依据,研究结果表明.(1)珠江三角洲城市群中广州和东莞的大气微生物含量较高,其中细菌比真菌含量高;室内较室外,无绿化地较有绿化地的大气微生物含量高,在全年中,春、夏季节的大气微生物含量相对较高.(2)大气风速、湿度、气温、可吸入颗粒、总悬浮颗粒、人口流动,绿化状况等环境因子与大气微生物真菌、细菌的平均含量有较明显的相关关系,大气微生物含量与气象因子多数呈正或负的线性关系.相关分析的计算结果为:真菌、细菌平均含量在春、夏、秋、冬四个季度中与大气温度、湿度、风速大多数地区相关程度比较高,其值R在0.583～0.988之间,真菌、细菌与可吸人颗粒数和总悬浮颗粒数,R值分别为为0.525,0.388和0.081,-0.044.一元线性回归分析和多元线性回归分析计算结果为:大气微生物含量与气象因子有明显的正或负的线性关系.真菌、细菌的平均含量与温度、湿度、风速一元线性回归模型的置信水平较高,其p值大多在0.019～0.483之间,T值在0.001～0.246之间;多元线性回归模型的置信水平也较高,其P值大多数在0.083～0.220之间,T值在0.026～0.132之间;排序值显示:温度、风速变化是大气微生物含量高低影响重要性最大的环境因子.(3)统计数据比较分析表明:大气微生物含量与人口密集状况、人口流动大小和绿化状况好坏也有较明显的相关性,火车站,汽车客运站售票厅,人口流量大,绿化无,大气微生物(真菌细菌)平均含量高;而人口流量相对较少,但车流量大,有一定的绿化带的道路大气微生物平均含量较低;环境条件、绿化较好的公园绿地大气微生物含量低,车流、人流多,绿化少的地段、商业中心大气微生物含量较高.     

Differentiated emission control strategy based on comprehensive evaluation of multi-media pollution: Case of mercury emission control

In order to comprehensively evaluate the environmental impact of multi-media mercury pollution under differentiated emission control strategies in China, a literature review and case studies were carried out. Increased human exposure to methylmercury was assessed through the dietary intake of residents in areas surrounding a typical coal-fired power plant and a zinc(Zn) smelter, located either on acid soil with paddy growth in southern China, or on alkaline soil with wheat growth in northern Chi...     

便携式气相色谱/质谱联用快速测定固定污染源废气中的挥发性卤代烃研究

建立了便携式GC-MS快速测定固定污染源废气中挥发性卤代烃方法,26种卤代烃内标定量工作曲线的相关系数r≥0.985,线性关系良好;精密度好,相对标准偏差2.33%～18.1%;准确度高,加标回收率为101%～134%;方法检出限为0.002 ppm～0.016 ppm.在实际现场监测固定污染源中挥发性卤代烃时,使用便携式GC-MS的速查(Survey)功能初步判断样品浓度,确定稀释倍数,并验证了气袋和玻璃注射器采样对挥发性卤代烃测定结果无显著性差异.