Is the effect of quantified road safety targets sustainable?

Recent studies have shown that the setting of road safety targets is associated with a substantial reduction in road fatalities in the short-term. Although such targets may not themselves be responsible for the reduction in fatalities, they serve as a useful measure of the intention and commitment of road authorities to formulate timely road safety measures that lead to the achievement of the target. A quantified target is regarded as one of the key components of a road safety strategy. However, few studies have examined the degree of commitment and attention of road authorities to such targets in the long-term. In this study, we revisit the effectiveness of the quantified road safety targets set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, but with a different method, time scale, and group of comparison countries. We not only evaluate the associations between quantified targets and road fatality levels, but also measure the changes in the time-series trends in road fatalities over the long-term. The results indicate that all seven treatment countries analyzed experienced desirable changes in the time-series trend in road fatalities during the period under study, which implies an increase in road safety improvement over time.     

Designing individualisation of eco information: a conceptual framework and design toolkit

Eco-labelling is the practice of eco information provision that most directly addresses consumer behaviour. Nowadays, consumers are facing difficulties in perceiving and understanding existing eco labels. In previous work, we proposed the conceptual framework of eco information individualisation which tailors eco labels according to the specific needs of individual users using contextual technologies. This paper extends the conceptual framework by introducing a more structured way of considering the personal data and product data requirements, and reports the development of a design toolkit that aims to support designers in the designing of individualised eco information. A design workshop was carried out to introduce the concept to designers, and evaluate the usability and usefulness of the toolkit. Positive responses were received. The design outputs generated from the workshop were considered largely feasible and have the potential to be developed into digital prototypes. These indicate that it is possible for designers to learn to design eco information individualisation in a short time. This paper is a step towards a greater understanding of designing individualised eco information.     

Effect of humic substances on the anaerobic digestion of secondary sludge in wastewater treatment plants: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Anaerobic digestion is a promising technology for energy recovery from secondary sludge, yet the presence of humic substances in wastewater limits anaerobic...     

Spectacular Batesian mimicry in ants

The mechanism by which palatable species take advantage of their similarity in appearance to those that are unpalatable, in order to avoid predation, is called Batesian mimicry. Several arthropods are thought to be Batesian mimics of social insects; however, social insects that are Batesian mimics among themselves are rare. In Malaysia we found a possible Batesian mimic in an arboreal ant species, Camponotus sp., which was exclusively observed on foraging trails of the myrmicine ant Crematogaster inflata. The bright yellow and black colouring pattern, as well as the walking behaviour, were very similar in both species. We observed general interactions between the two species, and tested their palatability and the significance of the remarkably similar visual colour patterns for predator avoidance. Prey offered to C. inflata was also eaten by Camponotus workers in spite of their being attacked by C. inflata, indicating that Camponotus sp. is a commensal of C. inflata. An experiment with chicks as potential predators suggests that Camponotus sp. is palatable whereas C. inflata is unpalatable. After tasting C. inflata, the chicks no longer attacked Camponotus sp., indicating that Camponotus sp. is a Batesian mimic of Crematogaster inflata.     

An adsorption diffusion model for removal of para-chlorophenol by activated carbon derived from bituminous coal

Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to study the adsorptive removal and diffusion mechanism of para-chlorophenol (p-CP) onto Calgon Filtrasorb 400 (F400) activated carbon. The external mass transfer resistance is negligible in the adsorption process carried out under different conditions in batch operation. Intraparticle diffusion model plots were used to correlate the batch p-CP adsorption data; three distinct linear sections were obtained for every batch operation. The textural properties of F400 activated carbon showed that it has a large portion of supermicropores, which is comparable to the size of the p-CP molecules. Due to the stronger interactions between p-CP molecules and F400 micropores, p-CP molecules predominantly diffused and occupied active sites in micropore region by hopping mechanism, and eventually followed by a slow filling of mesopores and micropores. This hypothesis is proven by the excellent agreement of the intraparticle diffusion model plots and the textural properties of F400 activated carbon.     

What is in a name? Language,framing and environmental justice activism in California's Central Valley

According to the environmental justice (EJ) literature, one important factor in the movement's success is the development of a frame linking inequality to the disproportionate presence of environmental toxins in low-income communities of colour. This article highlights the resonance of this frame among grassroots activists and professional advocates in California's Central Valley. However, through interviews and focus groups with activists and advocates in six Central Valley communities, we found that only the latter identified their work as EJ. Grassroots activists instead identified their work as about health, community development and environmentalism. Moreover, some were unfamiliar with EJ as a concept while others denied its applicability to their work. Theoretically, our findings suggest that frame resonance needs to be delinked conceptually from movement identification; it is possible for a movement's analysis of social problems and solutions to resonate among those who do not identify with the movement itself. Pragmatically speaking, this can prevent some grassroots activists who are directly affected by environmental racism from accessing the resources and networks that the EJ movement has painstakingly built, and suggests that movement leaders may need to increase their outreach to community groups.     

Effects of dissolved oxygen, pH, and anions on the 2,3-dichlorophenol degradation by photocatalytic reaction with anodic TiO(2) nanotube films

In this study, the highly-ordered TiO(2) nanotube (TNT) arrays on titanium sheets were prepared by an anodic oxidation method. Under UV illumination, the TNT films demonstrated the higher photocatalytic activity in terms of 2,3-dichlorophenol (2,3-DCP) degradation in aqueous solution than the conventional TiO(2) thin films prepared by a sol-gel method. The effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH on the photocatalytic degradation of 2,3-DCP were investigated. The results showed that the role of DO in the 2,3-DCP degradation with the TNT film was significant. It was found that 2,3-DCP in alkaline solution was degraded and dechlorinated faster than that in acidic solution whereas dissolved organic carbon removal presented an opposite order in dependence of pH. In the meantime, some main intermediate products from 2,3-DCP degradation were identified by a (1)H NMR technique to explore a possible degradation pathway. A major intermediate, 2-chlororesorcinol, was identified from the 2,3-DCP decomposition as a new species compared to the findings in previous reports. Photocatalytic deactivation was also evaluated in the presence of individual anions (NO(3)(-), Cl(-), SO(4)(2-), and H(2)PO(4)(-)). The inhibition degree of photocatalytic degradation of 2,3-DCP caused by these anions can be ranked from high to low as SO(4)(2-)>Cl(-)>H(2)PO(4)(-)>NO(3)(-). The observed inhibition effect can be attributed to the competitive adsorption and the formation of less reactive radicals during the photocatalytic reaction.     

Does an educational video for aneuploidy screening improve informed choice among pregnant women? A randomised controlled trial

Background

Poor knowledge and the lack of deliberation have been cited as reasons for women making uninformed choices about aneuploidy screening. Adequate pre-test counselling is of particular importance where non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) is being increasingly offered as a primary screening test.

Design

Women attending the antenatal clinic with a singleton pregnancy below 14 weeks were randomised to receive routine counselling or the intervention—a 16-min educational video on aneuploidy screening before their consult. The primary outcome, rate of informed choice, was assessed using an adapted multidimensional measure of informed choice questionnaire, where informed choice was defined as good knowledge and value-consistent behaviour. Secondary outcomes included informed choice with deliberation, decisional conflict and anxiety.

Results

Two hundred and eighty-six women were recruited. 69.8% of women in the intervention group made an informed choice compared with 53.6% in the control group (Risk Ratio [RR] 1.30, p = 0.014). A significantly higher number of women in the intervention group had good knowledge compared to controls (81% vs. 60.9%; RR 1.33, p = 0.001). Decisional conflict did not differ between groups, but women in the intervention group had higher anxiety scores (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The study intervention was effective in helping women make informed choice. Qualitative studies to determine the reason for increased anxiety are needed.

Trial registration

Trial registry: ClinicalTrials.gov ; Identifier: NCT05492981.