Traffic behaviour among adolescents using mopeds and light motorcycles

INTRODUCTION: Motorcycling is recognized to be a relatively risky activity. Powered two wheelers (PTW) are classified as mopeds, light, and heavy motorcycles, the first two categories being denoted light PTWs. This paper reviews the scientific literature on accident risks and traffic behavior among users of light PTWs with the aim of clarifying the current state of knowledge. METHOD: Based on a risk analytical and an anthropological perspective on motorcycling, the paper discusses the significance of cultural and social factors as important aspects of safety. More targeted and effective safety measures, for example better training programs, are needed to prevent motorcycle accidents. This means developing a deeper understanding of the rider as an individual, and the individuals within different groups and settings. Why and how motorcyclists approach the road, its function as a social arena, the varieties of goals and values, and the motorcyclists' own perceptions of the behavior that ensures their "achievements" or "successes", are some of the issues. Today, this kind of knowledge is scarce and almost entirely absent from the scientific literature. RESULTS: We conclude that the massive quantities of data on numbers of accidents, the categorization of situations, the causal explanations related to speed, gender, age, lack of concentration so forth, can only be employed as support for safety measures as long as they are linked to social and cultural factors. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Risk informed decision making has become an integral part of authorities' and manufacturers' implementation of safety measures. This tendency is strengthened by the fact that the responsibility of product safety rests upon the manufacturers, cf. for example EU safety regulations. Therefore it is paramount that a thorough understanding of social and cultural factors related to the PTW driving is necessary for the industry to develop targeted and efficient safety measures.     

Observed LATCH use and misuse characteristics of child restraint systems in seven states

INTRODUCTION: Although the LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) holds the promise of simplifying the installation of a child restraint system (CRS) to the vehicle's seat, many drivers transporting young children have difficulties using this technology. This paper reports on an observation study of LATCH use and misuse. METHOD: Observations of approximately 1,000 children less than 5 years of age in CRSs, in the back seats of vehicles that were equipped with tether and lower anchors, in seven states. RESULTS: Tethers were used for 51% of the children when the forward-facing CRS had tether straps and the vehicle had tether anchors. Lower anchors were used for 58% of the children when the CRS had lower attachments and the vehicle had lower anchors. The most common tether and lower attachment misuses were loose tether straps (18% of cases) and loose lower attachment installation (30% of the cases), respectively. Vehicle safety belts were used in combination with lower attachments in 20% of all lower anchor installations. CONCLUSION: As more caregivers of young children drive vehicles equipped with LATCH, it will be important to promote the proper installation of CRSs using this technology. LATCH education messages must also emphasize that the lower anchors may not always be the safest choice for CRS attachment -- the safest attachment is the one that results in a tight fit and will be used correctly consistently.     

Parasitoid-induced mortality of Araneus omnicolor (Araneae, Araneidae) by Hymenoepimecis sp. (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) in southeastern Brazil

All species included in the Polysphincta genus-group develop as ectophagous parasitoids of active spiders, killing their hosts prior to pupation. However, little information regarding natural history and ovipositing behavior of most species are available. In this study we inspected 85 webs of Araneus omnicolor to evaluate the frequency of parasitism and host size preferences of the wasp Hymenoepimecis sp. We also described the web characteristics of normal and parasitized spiders and the wasp ovipositing behavior. About 41% of the adult females of A. omnicolor inspected were parasitized. The highest incidence of parasitism was observed among relatively small females while no egg or larva was found in large individuals. Araneus omnicolor builds a strong web composed of an orb and barrier threads, where the spider rests within a curled leaf. The parasitoid larva builds its cocoon within this refuge, and modified cocoon webs were not observed. The ovipositing behavior of Hymenoepimecis sp. was very similar to that of Hymenoepimecis argyraphaga parasitizing Leucauge argyra, including the position of the sting, the killing of a previously attached larva, and the expelling of the egg from the base of the ovipositor.     

祁连山高山草甸土壤CO2通量的时空变化及其影响分析

采用Li-6400便携式光合作用测量系统连接Li-6400-09土壤呼吸室,在2004年生长季节对祁连山高山草甸土壤CO₂通量沿海拔梯度进行了野外定位试验,统计分析了水热因子及根系生物量对高山草甸土壤CO₂通量特征的可能影响.结果表明,土壤CO₂通量存在明显的空间变化规律, 沿海拔梯度土壤CO₂通量随着海拔梯度的增加而逐渐减小,其变异系数逐渐增加;就日变化而言,土壤CO₂通量晚间维持在较低水平,02：00～06：00最低,在07：00～08：30开始升高,11：00～16：00达到峰值,16：00～18：30开始下降,整个过程呈单峰曲线.土壤CO₂通量的日平均值介于(0.56±0.32) ～ (2.53±0.76) μmol·(m²·s)^-1.从季节变化来看,土壤CO₂通量均以夏秋季较高,春冬季排放量较低,7～8月份达到最大值［4.736 μmol·(m²·s)^-1］,6月与9月份次之,5月与10月份基本一致,整个生长过程总的变化趋势呈单峰曲线形式.高山草甸土壤CO₂通量在植物生长季与10 cm土壤温度、土壤含水量、根系生物量都存在不同程度的正相关关系,表明高山草甸土壤CO₂通量的空间变异主要受温度、水分和植物根系的综合影响.     

安全发展,规划先导——编制地方安全生产“十一五”发展规划实证研究

以郑州市安全生产"十一五"发展规划的编制为例,以实证研究的方法,就地方政府编制安全生产"十一五"发展规划的总体思路、基本编制原则、主要任务、安全发展目标和指标体系的科学性、可行性、合理性,支撑工程的规划与建设、保障措施的制定等进行研究,着重论述在编制地方安全生产"十一五"发展规划时应着力把握的综合协调,有序衔接,突出重点,与时俱进及表达形式等问题,指出具体编制工作中的着力点是确定发展方向和目标,做实做深本地安全生产现状的调研和安全生产形势预测分析,加强对重大问题的研究。给出了编制地方安全生产"十一五"发展规划具体方法和步骤与程序。     

人体对空气颗粒物中硼吸收率的初步分析

为了研究人体对空气颗粒物中硼的吸收情况,为环境卫生标准的制定提供依据,采集硼作业工人班后尿液样品、上班8h的空气颗粒物样品以及24h饮食样品,分析了所有样品的硼质量浓度.结果表明:硼作业的原料工段工人班后尿硼肌酐校正质量比与经空气颗粒物潜在日硼摄人量之间没有显著的相关关系,而成品工段工人的班后尿硼肌酐校正质量比与经空气颗粒物潜在日硼摄人量之间存在着显著的正相关关系;对吸收率的分析表明,人体对空气颗粒物中以硼镁矿形态存在的硼吸收率仅为8.12%,而对以硼酸或者硼砂形态存在的硼吸收率约为74.2%,说明空气颗粒物中以硼镁矿形态存在的硼不容易进入人体血液,被人体吸收,而硼酸或者硼砂尘较易被人体吸收.     

农村环境安全评价体系研究

农村环境安全是近年来国内研究的一个新领域,研究成果对我国新农村建设具有重要的指导意义.本文在小尺度水平上,建立了农村环境安全评价体系.采用由大到小、由点到面、逐层分解的方法,把整个评价体系分3个层次,21个具体指标,强调人口素质与人均耕地2个基本要素,突出有机固体废物资源化水平和经济发展水平对农村环境安全的影响.建立的农村环境安全评价体系具有层次简单、数据容易获得、运算方便、评价结果合理等特点.     

基于BP神经网络的煤层自燃预测

在全面分析影响煤层自燃因素的基础上,建立了煤层自燃预测的人工神经网络模型.应用该模型对某煤田的多个煤层样本进行了训练和预测,网络经过10次训练后,误差达到设定的最小值,6次预测测试中最大误差仅为0.027 8,最小的为0.000 1.研究表明,该模型精度较高,可用于预测煤层自燃的实际应用.     

好氧微生物在硝基苯污染河水原位修复中的应用

在好氧条件下,从长期受硝基苯污染的化工厂排污口底泥和河道底质中分离得到3株对硝基苯有明显降解作用的优势微生物.为了比较这些优势菌的降解效果,作了硝基苯初始质量浓度分别为50 mg/L、25 mg/L、12.5 mg/L、6.25 mg/L、3.13 mg/L等不同梯度下的模拟修复实验,并且检验了单一菌与混合菌的降解能力.实验结果表明:当硝基苯初始质量浓度为50 mg/L时,优势菌作用不明显,硝基苯的去除主要依靠自然挥发作用;当硝基苯初始质量浓度为3.13 mg/L时,混合菌对硝基苯的降解能力较强,72 h的去除率达到99%,而此时空白对照(CK)的去除率仅为60%.分析实验结果得到,混合菌可能存在协同作用;由于产物中未检出NO2-,所以硝基苯降解途径中可能存在部分还原历程.     

石油化工行业可接受风险水平研究

石油化工行业存在着巨大的潜在风险,为了明确该行业的风险可接受水平,制定一个合理可行的可接受风险准则极为必要.本文在对国内外风险可接受水平研究的基础上,系统分析了国内外有关标准,对生命风险水平、经济风险水平和环境风险水平确定的基本思想进行了详尽阐述,分别给出了3种风险的可接受水平公式,提出了确定石化行业可接受风险水平的方法,需同时满足可接受生命风险、经济风险和环境风险.