Disaster mental health training programmes in New York City following September 11, 2001

The need for mental health resources to provide care to the community following large‐scale disasters is well documented. In the aftermath of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster on September 11, 2001, many local agencies and organizations responded by providing informal mental health services, including disaster mental health training for practitioners. The quality of these programmes has not been assessed, however. The National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's School of Public Health reviewed disaster mental health training programmes administered by community‐based organizations, professional associations, hospitals, and government agencies after September 11. Results indicate that the quality and the effectiveness of programmes are difficult to assess. A wide range of curricula and a widespread lack of recordkeeping and credentialing of trainers were noted. Most of the training programmes provided are no longer available. Recommendations for improving the quality of disaster mental health training programmes are provided.     

经济快速发展地区生态环境竞争力的评价方法——以安徽沿江地区为例

传统的区域竞争力评价主要是侧重于经济指标,对生态环境要素涉及较少,在经济快速发展地区,生态环境已成为保证区域发展的重要基础条件。以安徽沿江地区为例,提出了生态环境竞争力的概念。以县(市、区)为评价基本单元,从生态环境压力、生态环境现状、经济发展需求和主动协调能力4个方面,设计了区域生态竞争力的评价指标体系,将各单元的生态环境竞争力水平分为5个等级：水平较高的地区主要位于南部、西部山地和合肥市区,竞争力水平较低的地区主要分布在和县-无为平原传统农业区和马鞍山、铜陵重工业区。生态环境竞争力不仅与自然生态系统的本底质量有关,也与区域经济技术水平、生态环境建设的投入水平、管理水平有关。最后对各区生态环境存在问题和提升优化途径进行了讨论。     

重庆缙云山典型林分林地土壤抗蚀性分析

对三峡库区重庆缙云山4种典型林分(针阔叶混交林,常绿阔叶林,楠竹林和灌木林)林地土壤的抗蚀性指标进行主成分分析,并以农地土壤作对照,研究表明,可将衡量土壤抗蚀性的13个指标压缩为7个最佳指标。用抗蚀性指标主成分分析综合指数表明4种林分林地土壤抗蚀性为：灌木林(45.51)>混交林(41.94)>阔叶林(32.65)>楠竹林(23.35);重庆缙云山土壤从表层到底层抗蚀性能呈下降趋势（49.32,41.86,32.03,27.11）。通过模糊聚类分析可将重庆缙云山不同土地利用类型不同层次的19个土壤样本划分为抗蚀性强度不同的3类。     

民航旅客行李托运差异化安检设备联合响应研究*

为提高行李托运差异化安检系统安全性,基于安检设备的依赖关系,提出行李托运安检设备联合响应研究;根据旅客风险属性对其托运行李实施差异化安检,利用二维正态分布建立安检设备的响应分布函数,进行安检设备响应值的数据融合;将系统错误率作为评价指标对比设备联合响应与设备独立响应,分析设备之间的相关系数、报警阈值对系统安全性的影响,并借助ROC曲线得到最优设备报警阈值。研究结果表明:在行李托运差异化安检系统中,设备联合响应优于设备独立响应。研究结果可为民航旅客行李托运安检提供设备支持。     

磁性壳聚糖改善污泥脱水性能的研究

采用天然壳聚糖为原料,戊二醛为交联剂,Fe₃O₄为磁核制备磁性壳聚糖,以改善污泥脱水性能.考察了磁性壳聚糖投加量、污泥pH值、调理时间对磁性壳聚糖改善污泥脱水性能的影响,探讨了磁性壳聚糖的作用机理,并通过响应面法研究了磁性壳聚糖和CPAM复配处理污泥对污泥脱水性能的影响.结果表明,保持污泥pH值为6.8时,经20mg/L的磁性壳聚糖调理30min后,污泥比阻（SRF）和含水率（MC）分别由原污泥的13.8×10¹²m/kg和98.7%降低至4.8×10¹²m/kg和75.5%,说明磁性壳聚糖明显改善了污泥脱水性能.响应面实验所拟合的响应值为污泥SRF的二次模型P（Prob>F）<0.05、R²=0.98>0.90,响应值为污泥MC的二次模型P（Prob>F）<0.05、R²=0.95>0.90,表明模型显著,且实验设定变量之间的相关性较好.根据响应值的分布情况,确定污泥脱水的最佳条件为磁性壳聚糖18mg/L、CPAM26mg/L、调理时间27min,相应SRF和MC分别为3.3×10¹²m/kg和59.5%,污泥脱水效果较单独采用磁性壳聚糖或CPAM时得到了明显的提高.     

The role of migration and founder effect for the evolution of cooperation in a multilevel selection context

The idea that natural selection can be meaningfully applied at the group level may be more important than previously thought. This perspective, a modern version of group selection, is called multilevel selection. Multilevel selection theory could incorporate previous explanations for the evolution of cooperation including kin selection. There is general agreement that natural selection favors noncooperators over cooperators in the case of an unstructured population. Therefore, the evolution of cooperation by multilevel selection often requires positive assortment between cooperators and noncooperators. The question is how this positive assortment can arise in the ecological meaning. We constructed an individual-based model of multilevel selection and introduced migration and evolution. The results showed that positive assortment was generated especially when a migration strategy was adopted in which individuals respond specifically to bad environmental conditions. It was also shown that the founder effect in the evolutionary process could further facilitate positive assortment by working with migration. We analyzed assortment by using relatedness defined in group-structured populations. The fact that cooperation was achieved by such migration and by the founder effect highlights the importance of sensitiveness to the ecological environment and of fluctuations in group size, respectively.     

Process Safety Management (PSM) for managing contractors in process plant

Accidents involving contractors continue to occur with regular frequency. By using the standard set within the PSM 29 CFR 1910.119(h) regulations, it has been identified that certain aspects of the way contractors do work are not up to the stipulated regulatory requirements especially regarding matters like not providing mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) to the workers, not discussing hazards related to handling procedures with the workforce and improper control of non-routine activities during changes in shifts. The PSM 29 CFR 1910.119(h) regulations promulgated in 1992 provides standards that covered processes to obtain and evaluate data regarding contractors' health and safety programs as well as the contractors' performance evaluation. Many of the accidents involving contractors are direct result of poor training of contractors and/or poor control of the contracted work. Even though most organizations have their own contractor management systems, there are issues in meeting the requirements of PSM. The PSM standard only state “what to do” not “how to do it”. This is known as self-regulatory policy which depends on the industries understanding to interpret the standard that also contribute to this problem. This paper presents a structured and easy technique to plan and implement a practical and comprehensive contractors' management system in process industries that will comply with OSHA CFR 1910.119. A model has been developed based on this technique and its application has been tested in a pilot plant for compliance to PSM regulation. The model is beneficial to the process industries as any deficiencies in the PSM contractors' management program will be highlighted by the model which will then easily correct the identified deficiency so as to minimize and prevent catastrophic accidents.     

Optimization of process parameters of extraction of lotaustralin from the roots of Rhodiola rosea L using supercritical CO2 plus modifier

Lotaustralin from the root of Rhodiola rosea L was extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide with methanol as modifier. Response surface methodology using Box–Behnken experimental design was utilized to explore parameters for supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. The effects of various values of temperatures (50–70 °C), pressures (200--400 bar), and percentages of methanol modifier (80%–100%) on the extraction yields of lotaustralin were evaluated. Extract identification was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The experimental data obtained were fitted to second-order polynomial equations and assessed using analysis of variance. The highest yields predicted from the experiments were 2.05 g kg^?1 lotaustralin at the optimal values, i.e. temperature 65 °C, pressure 316 bar, 88% methanol modifier at a flow rate of 0.4 mL min^?1, and dynamic extraction time 90 min.     

基于体积应变含瓦斯煤增透率模型及采动响应研究

为获得含瓦斯煤开采过程中渗透率的采动响应规律,从孔隙率的基本定义出发,通过引入增透率来反映单位体积改变下煤体渗透率的变化,建立了基于体积应变的含瓦斯煤增透率模型。基于增透率模型,结合工程实例采用Comsol Multiphysics模拟了含瓦斯煤开采过程中增透率的变化规律,并开展了增透率采动响应的试验研究。研究结果表明:增透率模型可对采动裂隙网络形成的煤层透气性进行定量评价研究,采动是影响含瓦斯煤增透率的关键因素,受采动影响,煤体体积应变、增透率的变化规律均基本一致,煤体膨胀变形、增透率随采煤工作面的推进逐渐增大,增透率的变化滞后于体积应变的变化,且越靠近工作面煤层增透效果和瓦斯抽采效果越好;沿煤层倾向,回风巷侧最大瓦斯抽采量大于运输巷侧,煤体增透率亦大于运输巷侧。依据增透率的采动响应规律调整瓦斯抽采孔与工作面的角度,可增加抽采量,降低工作面瓦斯浓度。     

Facilitating disaster preparedness through local radio broadcasting

The 2008 Disaster Mitigation Preparedness (DMP) study took place in Aceh province, Indonesia. It sought to help develop radio programmes and messages to increase resilience to disasters. The role of radio was evaluated during and after the 2004 Asian tsunami disaster. The study team interviewed 984 tsunami survivors from nine sub-districts of Banda Aceh, and local nongovernmental organisations convened eight focus groups around the area of Aceh Besar. Six key informant interviews were held with government disaster management agencies. The DMP survey is the first of its kind to interview a representative random sample of Banda Aceh residents. It reveals the importance of community and social networks, during disaster situations, when essential communications are down. A disaster warning information system based on a multi-media approach needs to be developed. The wider community should be involved in the planning, education and training of Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar residents to facilitate appropriate personal and community survival strategies.