13种花卉植物受硫氧化物混合气体污染的伤害症状及其抗性表现

通过熏气的方法,比较了在硫氧化物混合污染气体的作用下,木本花卉（月季Rosa chinensis,杜鹃Rhododendron simsii,一品红Euphorbia pulcherrima,茉莉花Jasminum sambac）,一、二年生花卉（一串红Salvia splendens,凤仙花Impatiens balsamina）,宿根花卉（君子兰Clivia miniata）,室内观叶植物（文竹Asparagus setacens,吊兰Chlorophytum comosum,沿阶草Ophiopogon bodinieri,朱蕉Cordyline fruticosa,吊竹梅Zebrina pendula,白斑万年青Dieffenbachia bowmannii）中13种花卉植物的叶片伤害症状及植物抗性表现,并对植物受害后的恢复情况进行了追踪观察。发现在同种污染气体的作用下,不同种类的植物表现出不同的伤害症状。植株不同叶龄的叶片对污染气体的敏感性存在一定的差异,幼龄叶不一定比中老龄叶敏感性强。当污染浓度不超过一定阈值时,花卉植物都有不同程度的恢复能力。利用“花卉植物叶片伤害评价系统”对试验植物叶片伤害症状进行了评价,依据评价结果,对试验植物进行了抗性分级。为保证对植物抗性等级划分的准确性,建议制定统一的熏气浓度标准和评价标准。     

Ozone effects on three Sambucus species

The onset and development of symptoms of three Sambucus species, S. ebulus, S. nigra and S. racemosa were studied in 2002 under three different experimental conditions, in charcoal filtered air (CF), and in two ozone enriched treatment: non filtered air plus 40 ppb ozone (NF+), and non filtered air plus 70 ppb ozone (NF++). The herb S. ebulus was more sensitive than the shrubs S. racemosa and S. nigra. Some plants of the three species showed visible injury below the AOT40 threshold of 10,000 ppb·h, established for protection of vegetation. Ozone produced a decrease in chlorophyll content in S. ebulus, and impaired both stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis in S. ebulus and S. nigra. A complementary study in 2004 with S. ebulus, confirmed a decrease in chlorophyll content after fumigation, associated to a decrease in N content of the leaves. Since S. ebulus is a widespread species in Europe and it is very sensitive to ozone, it could be a very appropriate plant for the biomonitoring studies across large areas in this continent.     

汽车尾气暴露对小鼠运动力竭时间的影响

汽车尾气是城市中大气污染物的主要来源,为探究汽车尾气对机体的损伤作用及其机制,通过建立汽车尾气暴露动物模型,利用轮式疲劳仪评估汽车尾气对小鼠运动力竭时间的影响。结果表明,汽车尾气连续暴露30 d后,暴露组小鼠的运动力竭时间较正常对照组明显缩短,支气管-肺泡灌洗液(BALF)中细胞因子白介素-1β(IL-1β),白介素-6(IL-6)和肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)水平较正常对照组明显升高,血清中谷胱甘肽(GSH)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性明显降低,丙二醛(MDA)含量显著升高。汽车尾气长时间暴露组(8 h·d-1)BALF中白细胞计数和中性粒细胞百分比较正常对照组明显升高。肺组织切片染色后可见汽车尾气长时间暴露组小鼠肺泡间质中有较多中性粒细胞及淋巴细胞浸润。上述研究结果表明,汽车尾气可能通过引起呼吸系统损伤和降低机体抗氧化应激能力减少小鼠的运动力竭时间。     

PM(10)-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: biological indicators, lung cancer risk of realistic receptors and 'source-exposure-effect relationship' under different source scenarios

Cancer has become a critical health issue in the world heritage city Kandy, Sri Lanka. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), one of persistent organic pollutants, in the atmosphere may be a major etiological factor in lung carcinogenicity. Over the very high concentrations of ambient air PAHs reported in Kandy, this paper is focused on setting priorities to control human exposure to PAHs in prevention of cancer.On re-appraisal of the classical indicator benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P) for atmospheric PAHs-related carcinogenicity, B[a]P failed to reflect the toxicity completely and may not be the sole indicator for risk assessment studies in complex multi-sourced urban environments. The excess lifetime lung cancer risks of atmospheric PAHs with ‘less than lifetime exposure’ were assessed based on both ‘B[a]P toxic equivalents’ and ‘B[a]P surrogate epidemiological’ approach of risk quantification, over emissions characterized urban, suburban, and rural areas of Kandy. In urban heavy traffic areas, PAH-related additional cancer burden has been 942 million⁻¹ over 30 y of exposure. Over the whole study area, ∑p-PAHs show strong correlation (r = 0.8) to the predicted risk levels. While the urban and suburban predicted cancer risk levels could not show significant correlation to their emission sources indicating the real complexity in mega urban environments, the rural lung cancer risk levels correlated perfectly with the source, firewood combustion.Policy decisions on environment and health could be based on established correlations among ‘emission sources-exposures-health effects’. The priority for “analysis of options and policy formulation to reduce inhalation PAHs exposure of population in Kandy” was considered “moderate to high”.     

河南省冬小麦晚霜冻害风险区划

基于河南省冬小麦遥感种植面积数据、DEM数据和111个气象站1971-2010年逐日最低气温资料,采用基于GIS的逐日最低气温空间插值技术,根据冬小麦晚霜冻灾度指标及其等级划分标准,计算各空间单元轻霜冻、中霜冻和重霜冻日数,综合考虑霜冻害日数和冬小麦实际种植面积比例因素,构建冬小麦晚霜冻害风险评价指数,分析河南省冬小麦不同等级晚霜冻害日数及其风险的区域特征.结果表明:河南省冬小麦轻霜冻日数高值区主要分布在河南省北部、东部和西部丘陵山区,中霜冻和重霜冻高值区以分布在西部丘陵山区为主,霜冻日数最大值分别为67 d、48 d和120 d;轻霜冻风险较高的区域主要分布在河南省除郑州地区以外的驻马店和南阳盆地以北地区,中霜冻主要分布在东部和西部丘陵山区,重霜冻主要分布在河南省西部丘陵地区,风险指数最大值分别为28％、18％和17％.总体上看,河南省冬小麦晚霜冻害日数和风险空间分布特征明显;轻霜冻日数及其风险的覆盖面积最大,其次为中霜冻,重霜冻最小;河南省的东部、北部和西部丘陵山区为晚霜冻害的主要防御区域,各级霜冻之间以防御轻霜冻为主.     

Investigating factors influencing pedestrian injury severity at intersections

Objective: Vehicle crashes that involve pedestrians at intersections have been reported occasionally. Pedestrian injury severity in these crashes is significantly related to driver and pedestrian attributes, vehicle characteristics, and the geometry of intersections. Identifying factors associated with pedestrian injury severity (PIS) is critical for reducing crashes and improving safety. For developing the proposed probit models, drivers involved in crashes are classified into 3 groups: young drivers (16 ≤ age ≤ 24), middle-aged drivers (25 ≤ age ≤ 64), and older drivers (age ≥ 65). This study determines that PIS is significantly but differently affected by these grouped drivers with different sets of explanatory variables.

Methods: A total of 2,614 crash records (2011–2012) at intersections in Cook County, Illinois, were collected. An ordered probit modeling approach was employed to develop the proposed model and examine factors influencing PIS. The likelihood ratio test was used to assess model performance. Elasticity analysis was conducted to interpret the marginal effect of contributing factors on PIS associated with different driver groups by age.

Results: The results show that 4 independent variables, including pedestrian age, vehicle type, point of first contact, and weather condition, significantly affect PIS at intersections for all drivers. Two additional independent variables (i.e., number of vehicles and traffic type) affect PIS for young and middle-aged drivers, and 2 other variables (i.e., divided type and hit-and-run related) are significant to PIS for both young and older drivers.

Conclusions: The independent variables significant to PIS at intersections for young, middle-aged, and older driver groups were identified and the marginal effect of each variable to the likelihood of PIS were assessed.     

Role of age and injury mechanism on cervical spine injury tolerance from head contact loading

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the influence of age and injury mechanism on cervical spine tolerance to injury from head contact loading using survival analysis.

Methods: This study analyzed data from previously conducted experiments using post mortem human subjects (PMHS). Group A tests used the upright intact head–cervical column experimental model. The inferior end of the specimen was fixed, the head was balanced by a mechanical system, and natural lordosis was removed. Specimens were placed on a testing device via a load cell. The piston applied loading at the vertex region. Spinal injuries were identified using medical images. Group B tests used the inverted head–cervical column experimental model. In one study, head–T1 specimens were fixed distally, and C7–T1 joints were oriented anteriorly, preserving lordosis. Torso mass of 16 kg was added to the specimen. In another inverted head–cervical column study, occiput–T2 columns were obtained, an artificial head was attached, T1–T2 was fixed, C4–C5 disc was maintained horizontal in the lordosis posture, and C7–T1 was unconstrained. The specimens were attached to the drop test carriage carrying a torso mass of 15 kg. A load cell at the inferior end measured neck loads in both studies. Axial neck force and age were used as the primary response variable and covariate to derive injury probability curves using survival analysis.

Results: Group A tests showed that age is a significant (P < .05) and negative covariate; that is, increasing age resulted in decreasing force for the same risk. Injuries were mainly vertebral body fractures and concentrated at one level, mid-to-lower cervical spine, and were attributed to compression-related mechanisms. However, age was not a significant covariate for the combined data from group B tests. Both group B tests produced many soft tissue injuries, at all levels, from C1 to T1. The injury mechanism was attributed to mainly extension. Multiple and noncontiguous injuries occurred. Injury probability curves, ±95% confidence intervals, and normalized confidence interval sizes representing the quality of the mean curve are given for different data sets.

Conclusions: For compression-related injuries, specimen age should be used as a covariate or individual specimen data may be prescaled to derive risk curves. For distraction- or extension-related injuries, however, specimen age need not be used as a covariate in the statistical analysis. The findings from these tests and survival analysis indicate that the age factor modulates human cervical spine tolerance to impact injury.     

Modeling crash injury severity by road feature to improve safety

Objective: The objective of this research is 2-fold: to (a) model and identify critical road features (or locations) based on crash injury severity and compare it with crash frequency and (b) model and identify drivers who are more likely to contribute to crashes by road feature.

Method: Crash data from 2011 to 2013 were obtained from the Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) for the state of North Carolina. Twenty-three different road features were considered, analyzed, and compared with each other as well as no road feature. A multinomial logit (MNL) model was developed and odds ratios were estimated to investigate the effect of road features on crash injury severity.

Results: Among the many road features, underpass, end or beginning of a divided highway, and on-ramp terminal on crossroad are the top 3 critical road features. Intersection crashes are frequent but are not highly likely to result in severe injuries compared to critical road features. Roundabouts are least likely to result in both severe and moderate injuries. Female drivers are more likely to be involved in crashes at intersections (4-way and T) compared to male drivers. Adult drivers are more likely to be involved in crashes at underpasses. Older drivers are 1.6 times more likely to be involved in a crash at the end or beginning of a divided highway.

Conclusions: The findings from this research help to identify critical road features that need to be given priority. As an example, additional advanced warning signs and providing enlarged or highly retroreflective signs that grab the attention of older drivers may help in making locations such as end or beginning of a divided highway much safer. Educating drivers about the necessary skill sets required at critical road features in addition to engineering solutions may further help them adopt safe driving behaviors on the road.     

Risk of motor vehicle crash for older adults after receiving a traffic charge: A case–crossover study

Objective: After the age of 65, the number of motor vehicle crashes per mile driven increases. Traffic-related charges issued by law enforcement can help identify drivers who are at a higher risk of having a crash. This study examines the relationship between motor vehicle crashes and traffic-related charges among older adult drivers.

Methods: Iowa Department of Transportation crash data from 2011–2012 were linked with Iowa Court Information System data for moving violations that occurred during 2009–2012 for drivers over the age of 50. A time-stratified case–crossover design was used matching on time periods 1 year apart. Case exposure was defined as having a traffic-related charge 30 days before the crash. Control exposure was the same 30-day time period 1 year before the crash for each individual. Conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the self-matched pairs. Additional time periods of 31–60, 61–90, 91–120, 121–150, 151–180, and 181–210 days before the crash were also assessed.

Results: There were 38,171 adults at least 50 years of age with an Iowa driver's license who were involved in a crash in Iowa between 2011 and 2012. In addition, 13,129 adults over the age of 50 received a charge during 2009–2012. Relative to the control time period, experiencing a traffic-related charge in the 30-day time period before the crash increased the risk of a crash by 21% (odds ration [OR] = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.42) for all drivers included in the study. This crash risk was similar for adults aged 50–64 (OR = 1.20, 95% CI, 1.00–1.45) and adults 65 and older (OR = 1.24, 95% CI, 0.90–1.72). In the 30 days after receiving a traffic-related charge, the risk of a crash was also increased for crashes occurring in adverse weather (OR = 1.79, 95% CI, 1.12–2.84) or during night, dawn, or twilight (OR = 1.89, 95% CI, 1.31–2.72).

Conclusions: A traffic-related charge for an adult over the age of 50 indicates an increased risk of experiencing a crash in the 30 days following the charge. The risk for crashes occurring in adverse conditions or outside of daylight hours was also increased in the 30 days after receiving a traffic-related charge. The risk of experiencing a crash decreases as time passes after receiving a charge. Measures to restrict or increase driving safety during these conditions could help reduce the crash risk for older adults who receive a traffic-related charge.     

The effect of correct cross-chest clip use on injury outcomes in young children during motor vehicle crashes

Objective: Traffic crashes have high mortality and morbidity for young children. Though many specialized child restraint systems improve injury outcomes, no large-scale studies have investigated the cross-chest clip's role during a crash, despite concerns in some jurisdictions about the potential for neck contact injuries from the clips. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cross-chest clip use and injury outcomes in children between 0 and 4 years of age.

Methods: Child passengers between 0 and 4 years of age were selected from the NASS-CDS data sets (2003–2014). Multiple regression analysis was used to model injury outcomes while controlling for age, crash severity, crash direction, and restraint type. The primary outcomes were overall Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS) 2+ injury, and the presence of any neck injury.

Results: Across all children aged 0–4 years, correct chest clip use was associated with decreased Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ injury (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21–0.91) and was not associated with neck injury. However, outcomes varied by age. In children <12 months old, chest clip use was associated with decreased AIS 2+ injury (OR = 0.09, 95% CI, 0.02–0.44). Neck injury (n = 7, all AIS 1) for this age group only occurred with correct cross-chest clip use. For 1- to 4-year-old children, cross-chest clip use had no association with AIS 2+ injury, and correct use significantly decreased the odds of neck injury (OR = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.27–0.87) compared to an incorrectly used or absent cross-chest clip. No serious injuries were directly caused by the chest clips.

Conclusions: Correct cross-chest clip use appeared to reduce injury in crashes, and there was no evidence of serious clip-induced injury in children in 5-point harness restraints.