Effects of Dram Shop,Responsible Beverage Service Training,and State Alcohol Control Laws on Underage Drinking Driver Fatal Crash Ratios

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to determine whether three minimum legal drinking age 21 (MLDA-21) laws—dram shop liability, responsible beverage service (RBS) training, and state control of alcohol sales—have had an impact on underage drinking and driving fatal crashes using annual state-level data, and compared states with strong laws to those with weak laws to examine their effect on beer consumption and fatal crash ratios.

Methods: Using the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, we calculated the ratio of drinking to nondrinking drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes as our key outcome measure. We used structural equation modeling to evaluate the three MLDA-21 laws. We controlled for covariates known to impact fatal crashes including: 17 additional MLDA-21 laws; administrative license revocation; blood alcohol concentration limits of.08 and.10 for driving; seat belt laws; sobriety checkpoint frequency; unemployment rates; and vehicle miles traveled. Outcome variables, in addition to the fatal crash ratios of drinking to nondrinking drivers under age 21 included state per capita beer consumption.

Results: Dram shop liability laws were associated with a 2.4% total effect decrease (direct effects: β =.019, p =.018). Similarly, RBS training laws were associated with a 3.6% total effect decrease (direct effect: β =.048, p =.001) in the ratio of drinking to nondrinking drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes. There was a significant relationship between dram shop liability law strength and per capita beer consumption, F (4, 1528) = 24.32, p <.001, partial η² =.016, showing states with strong dram shop liability laws (Mean (M) = 1.276) averaging significantly lower per capita beer consumption than states with weak laws (M = 1.340).

Conclusions: Dram shop liability laws and RBS laws were both associated with significantly reduced per capita beer consumption and fatal crash ratios. In practical terms, this means that dram shop liability laws are currently associated with saving an estimated 64 lives in the 45 jurisdictions that currently have the law. If the remaining 6 states adopted the dram shop law, an additional 9 lives could potentially be saved annually. Similarly, RBS training laws are associated with saving an estimated 83 lives in the 37 jurisdictions that currently have the laws. If the remaining 14 states adopted these RBS training laws, we estimate that an additional 28 lives could potentially be saved.     

Using Soil and Water Conservation Contests for Extension: Experiences from the Bolivian Mountain Valleys

Soil and water conservation (SWC) contests among farmer groups were organized in five rural villages in the Bolivian mountain valleys. The contests were aimed at quickly achieving widespread sustainable results. This article analyzes the effectiveness of these contests as an extension tool. Mixed results were obtained. In three villages, participation rates in the SWC activities introduced in the contests were still high even 2 years after project withdrawal. These were all villages where a solid foundation for sustainable development had been laid before the contests were held. Two years later, most families were still involved in maintenance of the SWC practices introduced in the contests, and many farmers had started to experiment with different soil management practices. However, replications of these SWC practices were not widespread, Conservation Leaders did not continue with their training activities, and the quality of maintenance of the practices was often not satisfactory. In order to become a more effective extension tool and achieve widespread impact, SWC contests must receive continued support by a catalyst agency. Moreover, other SWC contests should also be organized in which practices are not predefined. Given that SWC contests are a low-budget extension tool, local municipalities could become more actively involved.     

Connecting Community Action and Science to Combat Desertification: Evaluation of a Process

Combating desertification requires the involvement of many people ranging from communities who experience the effects on a daily basis and scientists attempting to understand the biophysical and socio-economic causes and consequences of desertification, to developers and policy makers on all levels. In many instances, however, the understanding, approaches and actions of these different groups contradict rather than support one another. Over the period 2000 to 2002, a conference process undertaken in southern Africa brought together communities, scientists, and development workers to test the concept that they could connect and work together to combat desertification, given an appropriate framework. The conference was a success, and communities, scientists and developers did exchange experience, knowledge and information. Many lessons were learned, although some pitfalls were experienced. Time, funding, enhanced communication, and good will are the primary ingredients for ensuring that different sectors complement one another in their efforts to combat desertification.     

浅析提高船舶岗位人员安全技能及对策

通过分析提高船员素质及对策,提高船舶培训质量,强化航运企业关爱船员、心系船员,激励船员爱岗敬业、做好本职工作,共促航运企业、船舶和谐环境,确保船舶安全生产和经济效益发展.     

The Effect of Military Training Activity on Eastern Lupine and the Karner Blue Butterfly at Fort McCoy,Wisconsin, USA

The US Department of Defense (DOD) manages over 10.1 million ha of land, much of which is used for training military personnel. However, vast sections receive little or no use, and military lands have become refuges for many species. At Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, USA, populations of the endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) are found in oak and pine barren communities where wild lupine (Lupinus perennis), a perennial forb required by Karner blue butterfly larvae, still occurs. Oak and pine barren communities are disturbance-dependent, and the barrens ecosystems in the Midwest have declined in extent by 98% because of fire suppression, succession, and habitat fragmentation. We studied the effects of disturbance by military manuever training on the density of lupine and Karner blue butterfly at Fort McCoy. We also wanted to determine whether military training activity could enhance Karner blue butterfly habitat. At locations where tracked vehicles had driven through lupine patches, the abundance of lupine and nectar-producing plants was greater in the median strip between vehicle ruts than in vehicle ruts or 5 m outside the vehicle ruts. The proportion of lupine stems with Karner blue butterfly larvae feeding sign (the ratio of stems fed upon to stems examined) was greater in areas where military vehicles had traveled than where they had not. The proportion of lupine stems with feeding sign and lupine stem density was also positively related to the occurrence of prior bivouacs and fires caused by military munitions. Shrub and forest canopy abundance were lower in areas traveled by tracked vehicles. At the scale of the lupine patch, lupine abundance and the proportion of lupine stems with feeding sign were positively correlated with military training activities, suggesting that maintenance of lupine habitat can be achieved in concert with military training.     

基于遗传神经网络模型的大气环境质量评价方法

设计了用遗传算法训练神经网络权重的新方法，实验结果显示了遗传算法快速学习网络权重和全局搜索的能力，有效地解决了BP算法的局部收敛问题。误差反向传播的遗传——神经网络(GA—BP)模型用于大气环境质量综合评价，具有简便、准确、客观和适应性强等优点。     

21世纪安全类专业专科培养目标与模式

安全类专业高等教育是培养安全人才的主要途径，对安全类专业人才的需求进行了简要的分析，以安全类专生高等教育体系的现状分析为基础指出。应重视该类专业的专科层次教育，并从当前的具体情况出发，探讨安全类专业专科层次的教育模式。     

主要发达国家职业安全培训与社会保障体系的构成对构建我国职业安全培训体系的启迪

美、日及西欧一些发达国家 ,把安全培训教育提到了十分重要的地位。经过半个世纪不断完善 ,先后都建立了一整套具有各自特点的安全培训体系。对构建我国职业安全培训体系会有很多借鉴和启示。     

21世纪安全专业应用型人才的培养思路与模式

高等院校对人才的培养模式取决于社会对该类人才的需求和高校在其中应起的作用等因素。笔者在对市场作广泛调查的基础上重点论述 :2 1世纪安全工程专业培养的学生应当是应用型的 ,而应用型人才的培养既要考虑到其应用需求 ,更要考虑到学科的发展和教育人才的去向。以此为目的 ,笔者提出了 2 1世纪安全专业应用型人才的培养思路与模式 ,其中 ,多层次、全方位的办学方向、实践型的办学手段、开放型的办学形式分别是该模式的前提、基础与关键。还分析了通过上述途径实现“模式”的具体做法和努力方向     

连续流培养好氧颗粒污泥研究进展

好氧颗粒污泥(AGS)因其沉降性能好,生物量高,抗冲击能力强等优点而受到青睐.相比于传统的序批式反应器(SBR),连续流AGS技术具有易于操作控制以及匹配实际污水厂的大水量,连续流的优势,因而更具有研究价值和应用潜力.通过文献分析和整理,归纳了连续流AGS技术面临的挑战,总结了连续流培养AGS的研究现状和经验教训,并对...