Seat belt use among car drivers in Iranian safe communities: An observational study

Objective: The number of road traffic injuries and fatalities in Iran is high. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rate of drivers' seat belt use and a number of related factors in Kashmar, Bardaskan, and Khalilabad (Iranian Safe Communities).Methods: In 2014, driver observations were made at 48 road sites on intercity roads, main streets, side streets, and rural roads in these 3 cities.Results: A total of 10,255 vehicles were observed, with the overall rate of seat belt use being 51.8%. The rates in Kashmar, Bardaskan, and Khalilabad were 51.4, 56.3, and 47.7%, respectively. In Kashmar, the odds of seat belt use were higher among drivers who were female, older, and taxi drivers. Higher use was also found during the afternoon, and lower use was observed on rural roads. In Khalilabad the odds of seat belt use were higher among females, older drivers, taxis, and private car drivers. Seat belt use was also higher on weekends and during the morning but was significantly lower on rural roads. Similarly, in Bardaskan the odds of using a seat belt were higher among females, older drivers, taxis, and private car drivers. Seat belt use was also higher during the afternoon but was significantly lower on rural roads, in comparison to main streets and intercity roads.Conclusions: The rate of seat belt use in these 3 cities was found to be low, despite these cities being designated as International Safe Communities. Therefore, seat belt promotion programs, tougher regulations, stronger enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and more research are needed to promote seat belt use in these Iranian cities.     

Experimental investigation of the effect of occupant characteristics on contemporary seat belt payout behavior in frontal impacts

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of the occupant characteristics on seat belt force vs. payout behavior based on experiment data from different configurations in frontal impacts.

Methods: The data set reviewed consists of 58 frontal sled tests using several anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) and postmortem human subjects (PMHS), restrained by different belt systems (standard belt, SB; force-limiting belt, FLB) at 2 impact severities (48 and 29 km/h). The seat belt behavior was characterized in terms of the shoulder belt force vs. belt payout behavior. A univariate linear regression was used to assess the factor significance of the occupant body mass or stature on the peak tension force and gross belt payout.

Results: With the SB, the seat belt behavior obtained by the ATDs exhibited similar force slopes regardless of the occupant size and impact severities, whereas those obtained by the PMHS were varied. Under the 48 km/h impact, the peak tension force and gross belt payout obtained by ATDs was highly correlated to the occupant stature (P =.03, P =.02) and body mass (P =.05, P =.04), though no statistical difference with the stature or body mass were noticed for the PMHS (peak force: P =.09, P =.42; gross payout: P =.40, P =.48). With the FLB under the 48 km/h impact, highly linear relationships were noticed between the occupant body mass and the peak tension force (R² = 0.9782) and between the gross payout and stature (R² = 0.9232) regardless of the occupant types.

Conclusions: The analysis indicated that the PMHS characteristics showed a significant influence on the belt response, whereas the belt response obtained with the ATDs was more reproducible. The potential cause included the occupant anthropometry, body mass distribution, and relative motion among body segments specific to the population variance. This study provided a primary data source to understand the biomechanical interaction of the occupant with the restraint system. Further research is necessary to consider these effects in the computational studies and optimized design of the restraint system in a more realistic manner.     

两起钢丝绳芯输送带断裂事故的分析及对策

通过两起钢绳芯胶带断裂事故的分析,提出了具体和有效的对策措施。     

The platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase gene derived from Trichoderma harzianum induces maize resistance to Curvularia lunata through the jasmonic acid signaling pathway

Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) derived from Trichoderma harzianum was upregulated by the interaction of T. harzianum with maize roots or the foliar pathogen Curvularia lunata. PAF-AH was associated with chitinase and cellulase expressions, but especially with chitinase, because its activity in the KO40 transformant (PAF-AH disruption transformant) was lower, compared with the wild-type strain T28. The result demonstrated that the colonization of maize roots by T. harzianum induced systemic protection of leaves inoculated with C. lunata. Such protection was associated with the expression of inducible jasmonic acid pathway-related genes. Moreover, the data from liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry confirmed that the concentration of jasmonic acid in maize leaves was associated with the expression level of defense-related genes, suggesting that PAF-AH induced resistance to the foliar pathogen. Our findings showed that PAF-AH had an important function in inducing systemic resistance to maize leaf spot pathogen.     

冻融交替处理下湿地土壤可溶性铁的动态变化研究

通过原位土柱模拟实验,对比研究了冻融交替下(-10℃冻结1d后5℃融化7d作为1个冻融周期,共5个周期,并以5℃恒温培养为对照)三江平原典型环形湿地土壤可溶性铁的动态变化.结果表明,冻融交替处理导致了环形湿地3种典型湿地土壤(毛苔草群落的腐殖质沼泽土、乌拉苔草群落的草甸沼泽土和小叶章群落的草甸白浆土)溶液中的pH和Eh在经过第1个冻融周期后大都先升高,而在后4个周期后再逐渐降低;在整个实验过程中冻融组的pH有84.4%低于对照,而Eh则有82.2%的高于对照;各土壤溶液中的可溶性铁都以Fe3+为主,而Fe3+的还原受到冻融交替处理的抑制,无论Fe2+、Fe3+或总铁(TFe)的含量大都低于对照,其中TFe从(1.25±0.16)mg·L-1减少到(0.62±0.08)mg·L-1;不同土类之间,腐殖质沼泽土的pH、Eh和可溶性铁含量变化趋势与草甸白浆土的变化趋势差异显著,处于过渡带的草甸沼泽土则在pH的变化趋势上更接近于草甸白浆土,而在Eh和可溶性铁含量的变化趋势上更接近于腐殖质沼泽土;各土类不同土层之间,冻融交替对湿地上层土壤的影响要小于深层土壤.     

中国松嫩草原羊草植硅体对全球变暖和氮沉降模拟的响应研究

在松嫩草原应用红外线增温和人工施氮的方法对羊草群落模拟全球变暖和氮沉降,提取羊草中的植硅体,分析探讨植硅体的形态及数量变化规律.羊草中的植硅体可以划分为4个大类和12个亚类,以及较小的植硅体碎片,其中帽型植硅体含量高达70%.尖顶帽型和平顶帽型植硅体与刺帽型植硅体可能有不同的发育机制,并且尖型植硅体对施氮更为敏感;与对照相比,增温处理对羊草植硅体的发育有促进作用(长宽增加0.1～2.6μm),而施氮处理则有一定的抑制作用(长宽减小0.1～1.4μm),增温和施氮交叉作用,则施氮对羊草植硅体发育表现出的抑制作用明显减弱;施氮处理中出现其他处理中未见到的空心棒型(占棒型总量的46%),而且除棒型、帽型、尖型以外的植硅体含量增加到10%,从而推测,对于以羊草为优势植物的松嫩草原,施氮的影响可能要强于增温,如果两者同时作用,增温能在一定程度上缓解施氮的影响.实验中的羊草植硅体对模拟全球变化很敏感,说明植硅体对环境因子的改变很敏感,其作为古环境的代用指标应是可靠的.     

Children's and Adults’ Comfort Experience of Extra Seat Belts When Riding in the Rear Seat of a Passenger Car

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore passengers’ comfort experience of extra seat belts during on-road driving in the rear seat of a passenger car and to investigate how the use of extra belts affects children's and adults’ attitudes to the product.

Methods: Two different seat belt systems were tested, criss-cross (CC) and backpack (BP), consisting of the standard 3-point belt together with an additional 2-point belt. In total, 32 participants (15 children aged 6–10, 6 youths aged 11–15, and 11 adults aged 20–79, who differed considerably in size, shape, and proportions) traveled for one hour with each system, including city traffic and highway driving. Four video cameras monitored the test subject during the drive. Subjective data regarding emotions and perceived discomfort were collected in questionnaires every 20 min. A semistructured interview was held afterwards.

Results: All participant groups accepted the new products and especially the increased feeling of safety (P <.01); 56% preferred CC and 44% preferred BP but the difference was not significant. In total, 81% wanted to have extra seat belts in their family car. CC was appreciated for its symmetry, comfort, and the perceived feeling of safety. Some participants found CC unpleasant because the belts tended to slip close to the neck, described as a strangling feeling. BP was simpler to use and did not cause annoyance to the neck in the way CC did. Instead, it felt asymmetric and to some extent less safe than CC. Body size and shape affected seat belt fit to a great extent, which in turn affected the experience of comfort, both initially and over time. Perceived safety benefit and experienced comfort were the most determinant factors for the attitude toward the extra seat belts. The extra seat belts were perceived as being better than the participants had expected before the test, and they became more used to them over time.

Conclusion: This exploratory study provided valuable knowledge from a user perspective for further development of new seat belt systems in cars. In addition to an increased feeling of safety, seat belt fit and comfort are supplementary influencing factors when it comes to gaining acceptance of new seat belt systems.     

玉米对铅胁迫的响应及体内铅化学形态研究

通过砂培试验,研究了铅(Pb)胁迫下不同品种玉米根、茎叶中Pb的化学形态变化,进一步探讨玉米耐Pb机制.结果表明,本试验中对Pb胁迫耐性最强的玉米品种为郑单958和隆平206,耐性最差的为联创5号.不同浓度Pb胁迫下玉米根、茎叶中Pb主要以无毒的醋酸提取态和盐酸提取态为主,比例高达60%~87%,这一比例根部略高于茎叶;而活性较强的乙醇提取态和水提取态Pb含量两者合计所占比例为6%~20%.100 mg·L-1Pb胁迫下隆平206茎叶中Pb的乙醇和水提取态合计值最低(0.52 mg·kg-1),其次是郑单958(0.93 mg·kg-1),最高的为联创5号(2.78 mg·kg-1);800 mg·L-1Pb胁迫下,郑单958茎叶中Pb的乙醇提取态和水提取态合计值最低,为2.41 mg·kg-1,因此郑单958耐Pb,可能与体内有毒形态Pb向无毒形态Pb的转换有关.     

三江平原典型湿地类型土壤微生物特征与土壤养分的研究

为探讨不同湿地类型土壤微生物数量和酶活性的分布特征及其与土壤养分的关系,本研究选择了三江平原洪河湿地保护区4种典型湿地类型(小叶章+沼柳湿地、小叶章湿地、毛苔草湿地和芦苇湿地)的土壤为研究对象.结果表明4种湿地类型在0~30 cm土层内:1土壤有机碳、全氮和全磷均随土层深度的增加而减少,速效钾、速效磷和速效氮则未表现出有规律的变化,且不同湿地类型土壤养分含量差异显著.2土壤微生物数量为细菌放线菌真菌,3种微生物菌落数量均随土层深度的增加而减少.土壤微生物总数量以小叶章湿地最多,毛苔草湿地最少.3土壤蔗糖酶和纤维素酶活性均随土层深度的增加而减少,而土壤过氧化氢酶活性未表现出有规律的变化.小叶章+沼柳湿地和小叶章湿地中3种酶活性显著性高于毛苔草湿地和芦苇湿地(P0.05).4相关性分析表明,土壤细菌、真菌和纤维素酶与土壤养分各指标均呈极显著或显著正相关,放线菌和蔗糖酶与速效钾、过氧化氢酶与速效钾、速效磷无显著相关性关系.因此,土壤微生物和酶活性是反映土壤养分状况的重要指标.     

Numerical modeling of water spray suppression of conveyor belt fires in a large-scale tunnel

Conveyor belt fires in an underground mine pose a serious life threat to miners. Water sprinkler systems are usually used to extinguish underground conveyor belt fires, but because of the complex interaction between conveyor belt fires and mine ventilation airflow, more effective engineering designs are needed for the installation of water sprinkler systems. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate the interaction between the ventilation airflow, the belt flame spread, and the water spray system in a mine entry. The CFD model was calibrated using test results from a large-scale conveyor belt fire suppression experiment. Simulations were conducted using the calibrated CFD model to investigate the effects of sprinkler location, water flow rate, and sprinkler activation temperature on the suppression of conveyor belt fires. The sprinkler location and the activation temperature were found to have a major effect on the suppression of the belt fire, while the water flow rate had a minor effect.