The effects of persistent audible seat belt reminders and a speed-limiting interlock on the seat belt use of drivers who do not always use a seat belt

Introduction: Vehicle technologies that increase seat belt use can save thousands of lives each year. Kidd, Singer, Huey, and Kerfoot (2018) found that a gearshift interlock was more effective for increasing seat belt use than an intermittent audible reminder, but interlocks may not be more effective than persistent audible reminders lasting at least 90 seconds. Method: Forty-nine part-time belt users with a recent seat belt citation who self-reported not always using a seat belt drove two vehicles for 1 week each. Thirty-three drove a Chevrolet with an intermittent audible reminder followed by either a BMW with a persistent 90-second audible reminder (n = 17) or a Subaru with an incessant audible reminder (n = 16). The other 16 participants experienced the BMW persistent reminder followed by an interlock that limited speed to 15 mph during unbelted driving. These data were combined with data from 32 part-time belt users in Kidd et al. (2018) who experienced the intermittent reminder for 2 weeks or the intermittent reminder for 1 week and a gearshift interlock the next. Results: Relative to the intermittent reminder, seat belt use was significantly increased an estimated 30% by the BMW persistent reminder, 34% by the Subaru incessant reminder, and 33% by the speed-limiting interlock. Belt use was increased an estimated 16% by the gearshift interlock, but this change was not significant. More participants circumvented the speed-limiting interlock to drive unbelted than the audible reminders. Responses to a poststudy survey indicated that interlocks were less acceptable than reminders. Conclusions: Audible reminders lasting at least 90 seconds and a speed-limiting interlock were more effective for increasing seat belt use than an intermittent audible reminder, but reminders were found more acceptable. Practical applications: Strengthening existing U.S. safety standards to require audible reminders lasting at least 90 seconds for front-row occupants could save up to 1,489 lives annually.     

北京市空气质量时间变化特点分析

本文以北京市为例,对北京市2000—2004年的空气质量日报（包括首要污染物,污染指数,空气质量级别以及空气质量状况等）进行分析研究,得出其年变化和月变化的特征以及中重度污染日的分布特征,结果表明,从2000年到2004年中,北京市2001年和2002年的污染颇为严重,其平均的污染指数为113和112。北京市一年中,冬季污染较为严重,尤其是12和1月两个月份,这与北京市的能源结构是密切相关的。2001年是中重度污染日最多的年份,为23天;中重度污染日持续天数最多的是8天,是在2002年4月份;中重度污染多发生在3月份、4月份以及11月份,北京市的首要污染物是可吸入颗粒物。     

User involvement in the ergonomic development of a medical instrument: a longitudinal case study

In this study the focus is on the continuous ergonomic-focused development of a medical instrument that is capable of performing blood group serological tests. Primarily, a medical device must be clinically effective and safe. At the same time it must also meet the needs of its users. This calls for consideration of numerous ergonomic aspects. The development process of the product line in question was supported by a longitudinal series of carefully designed focus groups. Altogether, the 23 focus groups conducted included 245 participants from 72 laboratories. The aim of the empirical research was to collect users’ experiences, ideas and needs as inputs for the following phase of the product development process. During the mentioned focus group analyses, around 100 development proposals were conceived. Besides presenting more of the mentioned development proposals, the focus group analysis was shown as a proper methodology to involve end-users in the development and implementation of new technology or devices.     

User pay financing of stormwater management: A case-study in Ottawa-Carleton, Ontario

Stormwater management upgrade and maintenance costs in the province of Ontario are significant. As capital grant programs decline, municipalities are exploring alternative means for financing the abatement of stormwater quantity and quality problems. User pay financing represents one such option. The economic, institutional and legal issues related to implementing user pay financing of stormwater management in Ontario are addressed using the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton (RMOC) as a case-study. The paper reviews the experience with user pay stormwater management programs in Canada and the USA, and recent stormwater issues and financing needs in the RMOC. The presented spreadsheet rate model is based on stormwater quantity and quality considerations and best management practices (BMPs) for various land-use categories. The modelling results vary depending on the inclusion or exemption of certain land-use categories and whether BMPs are implemented. Preliminary results indicate the monthly stormwater user charges are comparable with those charged in USA programs. In Ontario, existing statutes provide the enabling legislation for stormwater user charges, and there are no legal or regulatory barriers to implementing them. However, program we start-up costs and public perception could be significant obstacles to instituting user charges.     

全国重要生态功能区生态安全评价

《全国生态功能区划》提出的50个国家重要生态功能区域,对于国家和区域生态安全保障具有重要指导意义。从生态胁迫和生态结构与功能2个方面选取指标构建生态安全评价体系,以2000、2005和2010年生态系统遥感数据为基础,分区对全国重要生态功能区生态安全进行评价,识别生态安全状况呈恶化趋势的区域,为全国重要生态功能区的生态安全保障工作提供理论基础和科学依据。结果显示,水源涵养区和生物多样性保护区的生态安全指数相对较高,土壤保持重要区的生态安全状况较差;重要生态功能区总体生态安全状况呈下降趋势,比较显著的变化包括洞庭湖洪水调蓄重要区和藏东南山地热带雨林生物多样性保护重要区的生态环境状况改善明显,黑河中下游防风固沙重要区的生态安全指数值最小且呈下降趋势。     

Investigating the relationship between air pollution, health and social deprivation in Leeds, UK

This study examines the relationship between air pollution, social deprivation and health in the city of Leeds, UK under a baseline and three distance-based road user charging (RUC) scenarios set at 2 pence, 10 pence and 20 pence/km. Through application of a series of linked models of traffic, emission and pollutant dispersion, air quality was modelled in response to RUC scenarios. The pollutant modelled were NO(2), PM(10), CO, benzene and 1,3-butadiene, though results of NO(2) are used in this study. The RUC scenarios were compared with the 'base' scenario, all set for the year 2005. The RUC initiatives result in the differences in ambient concentrations of NO(2). The study correlates NO(2) concentrations with derived indices of social deprivation and health. The study concludes that positive but weak relationship exists between air quality and social deprivation, and indicates that deprived population groups are disproportionately exposed to higher NO(2) levels. The relationship between air quality and health status of the population is weak. There is a strong relationship between social deprivation and health status of the population. The study concludes that RUC scenarios result in reducing disparity between affluent and deprived populations.     

基于重要抽样法的耐压球壳可靠性计算方法研究

目的 解决耐压球壳极小失效概率的可靠性计算问题。方法 在自适应Kriging的基础上,结合重要抽样法提出耐压球壳可靠性计算方法。该方法在较大失效概率下构建的Kriging模型基础上获得重要方向,在重要方向上计算得到较低失效概率下的设计点,以设计点为中心,构建小失效概率的Kriging模型,并通过此模型采用重要抽样法开展可靠性计算。结果 分别使用提出的重要抽样法和蒙特卡洛法计算了2个算例的失效概率,计算结果表明,该方法具有较高的精度和效率。使用该方法对某耐压球壳工作载荷下的失效概率进行了计算,计算得到该球壳失效概率为4.094×10^–96。结论 研究结果可为无失效方程下极低失效概率的可靠性计算问题提供参考。     

广东重要渔业水域牡蛎体中的麻痹性贝类毒素

2003年4月和5月对广东沿海15个重要渔业养殖水域牡蛎进行了麻痹性贝类毒素(PSP)的调查,结果表明：调查期间牡蛎体PSP毒性较低,检测结果均未检出。其结果远低于1991年水平,而与2002年一致;15个重要渔业水域牡蛎体PSP毒性低于我国无公害食品水产品中贝类有毒有害物质限量标准和联合国粮农组织规定的贝类上市安全限量。     

光照、水温和营养盐对浮游植物生长重要影响大小的顺序

根据光照、水温、营养盐对浮游植物生长影响的研究结果,综合分析光照、水温、营养盐影响浮游植物生长的变化和其集群结构的改变,探讨了上述因子影响浮游植物生长的生理特征和其集群结构的改变特点.本文阐明光照、水温和营养盐对浮游植物生长影响的机理和过程,确定了它们对浮游植物生长重要影响大小的顺序,由小到大的重要影响程度依次为:光照、水温和营养盐Si.这样,在人类的活动中,首先要考虑输入大海的营养盐Si,其次要关注海洋的水温变化,为海洋生态的持续发展做出积极的贡献.