Does longevity impact the severity of traffic crashes? A comparative study of young-older and old-older drivers

Introduction: This article analyzes the effect of driver’s age in crash severity with a particular focus on those over the age of 65. The greater frequency and longevity of older drivers around the world suggests the need to introduce a possible segmentation within this group at risk, thus eliminating the generic interval of 65 and over as applied today in road safety data and in the automobile insurance sector. Method: We investigate differences in the severity of traffic crashes among two subgroups of older drivers –young-older (65–75) and old-older (75+), and findings are compared with the age interval of drivers under 65. Here, we draw on data for 2016 provided by Spanish Traffic Authority. Parametric and semi-parametric regression models are applied. Results: We identified the factors related to the crash, vehicle, and driver that have a significant impact on the probability of the crash being slight, serious, or fatal for the different age groups. Conclusions: We found that crash severity and the expected costs of crashes significantly increase when the driver is over the age of 75. Practical Applications: Our results have obvious implications for regulators responsible for road safety policies – most specifically as they consider there should be specific driver licensing requirements and driving training for elderly – and for the automobile insurance industry, which to date has not examined the impact that the longevity of drivers is likely to have on their balance sheets.     

Wood bison population recovery and forage availability in northwestern Canada

Forage availability was assessed to determine sustainable stocking rates for eight broadly defined vegetation types (Treed Uplands, Treed Lowlands, Mixed Tall Shrub/Sedge, Closed-canopied Willow, and Open-canopied Willow, Meadow, Wetland Grass, Wetland Sedge) for use by wood bison (Bison bison athabascae), a threatened subspecies, in the Canadian boreal forest of northern Alberta. Clip plots (n=108) were used to sample peak availability of herbs and current annual growth of Salix spp. in late summer. Graminoid wetlands dominated by Carex atherodes, Carex aquatilis, Carex utriculata, Scolochloa festucacea, or Calamagrostis stricta produced 1975-4575 kg ha(-1) of fair to good quality forage, whereas treed stands produced < 250 kg ha(-1) of forb-dominated forage (>85% content), which was below a published 25% foraging efficiency threshold of 263 kg ha(-1) for bison. Upland forests that dominate the region produced < or = 1 animal unit day (AUD) of forage per hectare in summer. Most forest understory plants were of poor forage value, suggesting the potential sustainable stocking rate of such areas was actually < or = 0.3 AUD ha(-1), with even lower rates during winter due to snow cover. Herbaceous wetlands contained approximately 78 AUD ha(-1) of forage, but were considered largely unavailable in summer because of flooding and soft organic soils that make access difficult. Conversion of prime foraging habitat to agricultural land, forest expansion due to fire control, and a warmer and wetter climatic regime after the mid-1900s likely contributed to a regional reduction in carrying capacity. It is hypothesized that substantial recovery of the wood bison population toward historical levels will be constrained in northern Alberta by the availability of summer forage, and the limited extent of graminoid wetlands that provide winter foraging habitat.     

建筑物基底反力的实时监测与分析

以某大楼的基底反力监测为例 ,阐述了建筑物基底反力实时监测的原理与方法。监测分析结果表明 ,对在建建筑物进行的基底反力实时监测直接反映了土体受力状态 ,可间接得出桩基的受力情况。     

基层环境监测站业务风险管理现状与对策

简述了基层环境监测业务风险管理现状及存在的问题,对业务风险管理的认识程度不高,业务风险管理的系统性不强,缺少环境监测业务风险管理指导性文件。提出,应树立正确的环境监测业务风险理念,建立环境监测业务风险管理组织机构,健全与监测工作紧密结合的业务风险管理体系,优先监控风险高的环境监测工作,大力培养风险管理人才。     

常温条件下2种厌氧折流板反应器处理淀粉废水的启动实验

为了研究厌氧折流板反应器在常温下的启动情况,在22.5～30.2℃条件下,对不加填料的5隔室厌氧折流板反应器和加填料的4隔室复合式厌氧折流板反应器同步进行了启动实验。实验用水为高浓度淀粉废水,两反应器采用相同的启动策略,即梯度增加进水COD浓度与降低水力停留时间相结合的方式。两反应器有效容积均为47.8 L,启动初始负荷为0.6 kg COD/(m3.d),逐渐增加到10 kg COD/(m3.d)。实验表明,经过6个阶段87 d的运行,反应器启动完成,并成功培养出颗粒污泥,两反应器对COD的去除率都能达到85%以上。在启动过程中两反应器对COD的去除效率相近。     

浅谈如何加强县级环境监测站的能力建设和发展

落实全国环境监测工作会议精神,抓好县级环境监测站建设,推动农村环境监测工作开展。如何加强县级环境监测站能力建设,应从以下几个方面抓起:加快环境监测转型,提高县级监测站地位;加强环境监测队伍的能力建设,加大对其经济投入;加强专业技术水平、提升监测业务能力;加强环境监测质量管理体系建设,不断优化环境监测工作。     

遥感技术在基层环境监测单位的常见应用

卫星遥感成为环境监测的新手段,基层环保部门由于受技术装备、知识储备、资金的限制,只能开展部分工作。文章介绍了常见的数据源,基层单位可开展的常见工作及取得的工作经验。期望为广大环保基层单位在现有条件下开展遥感环境监测工作提供参考。     

Effects of labelled meaning on the affective quality of housing scenes

A series of studies examined the effects of labelled meaning on affective response to housing scenes. Students at Ohio State University assessed their feelings towards imagined housing (public or private) and cities (Memphis, Houston and San Francisco). Expected differences in the affective quality were found. Responses to color photographs of specific housing scenes labelled as either private condominiums or public housing were obtained. Differences in scene-affect as a function of labelled meaning were found. Responses to housing scenes labelled as located in either Memphis, Houston or San Francisco revealed no differences in scene-affect as a function of label meaning. This latter finding was confirmed in a non-repeated measure examination. Differences in the fittingness, potency or relevance of the information provided may account for the pattern of findings.     

静电除尘在烧结机头烟尘治理中的应用

通过对安钢烧结机一、二期工程中烧结机头电除尘器结构性能和运行效果对比，结合安钢实际运行情况，分析了一期工程中电除尘器的运行存在的问题，重点对电除尘器的结构特点进行阐述，以提供一种适用于烧结机头烟尘治理的电除尘技术。     

太行山脉不同量级降雨侵蚀力时空变化特征

基于太行山脉及其周边地区76个气象监测站点1954-2016年逐日降雨数据,建立了基于不同量级侵蚀性年降雨量模拟年降雨侵蚀力的简易模型,并采用气候倾向率、小波周期分析、重心模型、Co-Kriging插值、Mann-kendall非参数趋势检验以及突变分析等方法,分析了不同量级降雨侵蚀力时空变化特征及其影响因素。结果表明：（1）太行山脉地区年降雨侵蚀力简易模型为y=0.182x₁^1.095+5.463x₂^0.982+9.401x₃^1.017+15.258x₄-26.753,且多年降雨侵蚀力呈小幅上升趋势,10年间上升了2.4 MJ·mm·hm^-2·h^-1·a^-1,同时存在约20年的主周期和6年的小周期变化,并在1996年发生显著突变;中雨和大雨侵蚀力63年间均呈上升趋势,而暴雨和特大降雨侵蚀力呈下降趋势;春秋两季主要受中雨和大雨侵蚀力的影响,而夏季则主要受特大降雨侵蚀力的影响。（2）太行山脉地区各量级降雨侵蚀力最大值主要分布于太行山脉东南部以及五台山地区,最小值主要分布于地区的东北部;运用重心模型发现各量级降雨侵蚀力重心在春夏季节整体向东部以及东北部地区进行迁移,而秋冬季节则向南部以及西南地区迁移,形成一个循环,且与冬夏季风的控制时间相符。（3）太行山脉地区不同量级降雨侵蚀力与侵蚀性降雨量均呈显著正相关（P<0.01）,大雨和特大降雨侵蚀力分别与纬度、海拔呈显著负相关（P<0.05）,这主要与副热带高压移动、地形、海拔以及自然地理环境等因素有关。