Defending the scientific integrity of conservation‐policy processes

Government agencies faced with politically controversial decisions often discount or ignore scientific information, whether from agency staff or nongovernmental scientists. Recent developments in scientific integrity (the ability to perform, use, communicate, and publish science free from censorship or political interference) in Canada, Australia, and the United States demonstrate a similar trajectory. A perceived increase in scientific‐integrity abuses provokes concerted pressure by the scientific community, leading to efforts to improve scientific‐integrity protections under a new administration. However, protections are often inconsistently applied and are at risk of reversal under administrations publicly hostile to evidence‐based policy. We compared recent challenges to scientific integrity to determine what aspects of scientific input into conservation policy are most at risk of political distortion and what can be done to strengthen safeguards against such abuses. To ensure the integrity of outbound communications from government scientists to the public, we suggest governments strengthen scientific integrity policies, include scientists’ right to speak freely in collective‐bargaining agreements, guarantee public access to scientific information, and strengthen agency culture supporting scientific integrity. To ensure the transparency and integrity with which information from nongovernmental scientists (e.g., submitted comments or formal policy reviews) informs the policy process, we suggest governments broaden the scope of independent reviews, ensure greater diversity of expert input and transparency regarding conflicts of interest, require a substantive response to input from agencies, and engage proactively with scientific societies. For their part, scientists and scientific societies have a responsibility to engage with the public to affirm that science is a crucial resource for developing evidence‐based policy and regulations in the public interest.     

The Colorado,USA, Joint Review Process: an initial evaluation of its success as a permit reform by key participants

Colorado, USA, developed the Joint Review Process (CJRP) in 1978 to coordinate the application and review of permits required for major development projects. Since then, the state has used the process on over 20 projects. This study examined whether the CJRP has achieved its primary goals—enhanced coordination of agencies, enhanced public participation, and strengthened communication between agencies and project sponsors— and several related secondary goals. The success of the process was measured through a survey of 54 key people who had been directly involved with the process. Those surveyed included federal and state agency staff, local agency managers, corporate officers, private consultants, and environmental leaders. All groups, with one exception, agreed that the process achieved its primary goals and that it should be retained. Environmental leaders were neutral about whether the process enhanced public participation and about retaining the process. The report concludes with a review of recommended improvements to and applications of the CJRP.     

REVIEW ON GLOBAL NATURAL DISASTERS IN 2000

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Channelization and levee construction in Illinois: Review and implications for management

The environmental impact of loss of natural stream and riparian habitat is of concern throughout the United States and Europe. Environmental impacts related to such activities as channelization of and levee construction along streams and rivers are particularly apparent in the Midwestern United States. The objective of the research presented here was to delineate the extent, relative degree of impact, and implications for management of channelization and levee construction along watercourses located in the state of Illinois. According to records maintained through the Illinois Streams Information System data base (Illinois Department of Conservation), nearly 25% of surface water resources in the state have been modified directly by channelization and/or levee construction. Reviews of agency records, elaboration of case histories, interviews with agency personnel, and inspections of impacted sites indicated that these alterations have occurred without the benefit of effective mitigation. Although permit records may provide suggestions for mitigation to be incorporated in the design of a particular project, permits issued generally do not require even minimal instream habitat and bank stabilization efforts in conjunction with channel alteration. Information derived from policy and case study analyses suggests that institutional constraints, rather than lack of particular understanding about mitigation, provide major barriers to protecting the state's surface water resources in terms of regulatory review, policy interpretation and implementation, and project evaluation. Recommendations for environmental management efforts regarding these and similar channel alterations are elaborated from these findings.     

Effectiveness of primary enforcement safety belt laws and enhanced enforcement of safety belt laws: a summary of the Guide to Community Preventive Services systematic reviews

BACKGROUND: The use of safety belts is the single most effective means of reducing fatal and nonfatal injuries in motor-vehicle crashes. This paper summarizes the systematic reviews of two interventions to increase safety belt use: primary enforcement safety belt laws and enhanced enforcement of safety belt laws. The reviews were previously published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. METHODS: We conducted the systematic reviews using the methodology developed for the Guide to Community Preventive Services. RESULTS: These reviews provide strong evidence that primary laws are more effective than secondary laws in increasing safety belt use and decreasing fatalities and that enhanced enforcement is effective in increasing safety belt use. Increases in belt use are generally highest in states with low baseline rates of belt use. DISCUSSION: Primary safety belt laws and enhanced enforcement programs tend to result in greater increases in usage rates for target groups with lower baseline rates. Concerns regarding public opposition to these interventions may impede their implementation in some jurisdictions. However, surveys indicate that a substantial majority of the public supports implementation of both primary laws and enhanced enforcement programs. CONCLUSION: Based on the strong evidence for effectiveness of primary safety belt laws and enhanced enforcement programs, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommended that all states enact primary safety belt laws and that communities implement enhanced enforcement programs.     

25 years of higher‐order confirmatory factor analysis in the organizational sciences: A critical review and development of reporting recommendations

We discuss how confirmatory factor analysis results should be used to examine potential higher‐order constructs and advocate that researchers present five types of evidence, which are as follows: (1) the ability of the higher‐order model to reproduce the observed covariation among manifest variables; (2) the ability of the higher‐order model to reproduce the observed covariation among manifest variables better than more parsimonious alternative models—and no less well than less parsimonious alternative models; (3) the ability of the higher‐order model to reproduce the observed covariation among lower‐order factors; (4) the ability of the higher‐order factor to explain variation in lower‐order factors; and (5) the ability of the higher‐order factor to explain variation in manifest variables. We illustrate how this type of evidence could be presented with a worked example and contrast our recommendations with the manner in which higher‐order confirmatory factor analysis has been used in the organizational sciences over the past 25 years to support claims regarding higher‐order constructs such as core self‐evaluations and transformational leadership. Our review shows that a substantial proportion of the 44 examined articles failed to present enough evidence to allow readers to understand the size and importance of higher‐order factors. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

飞机撞击下核电厂安全壳载荷曲线相关问题研究

针对大型商用飞机对核电厂反应堆安全壳恶意撞击的安全评估需求,综述了国外确定飞机撞击安全壳载荷曲线的基础理论、试验测试技术和数值模拟方法.首先,从理论上对飞机撞击安全壳的载荷特性和Riera撞击模型进行分析,给出了Riera模型的基本假设、模型各项物理意义及模型的求解方法,明确了靶体碰撞表面的冲击载荷(力)由静载项和动载项组成;其次,分析总结了确定Riera模型中压损载荷参数的试验方法和真实飞机撞击载荷测量的试验技术和实施方法,指出大型商用飞机对核电厂反应堆安全壳恶意撞击属"软冲击"范畴,撞击载荷可用Riera模型计算得到;再者,在数值模拟方面,总结了采用有限元技术进行飞机撞击载荷计算和安全评估的数值模拟方法及其发展趋势;最后,在分析国内开展飞机撞击载荷研究面临问题的基础上,指出从理论上建立飞机撞击载荷-时间曲线计算模型及方法,并通过试验和数值模拟验证是国内确定大型商用飞机撞击安全壳结构载荷曲线比较可行的技术路线.     

大气颗粒物PM_(2.5)监测技术研究进展及展望

大气颗粒物已经成为中国的首要大气污染物,其中PM2.5污染越来越受到政府和相关部门关注,本文综述了国内外对大气颗粒物PM2.5的几种监测方法的研究进展,重点比较了各种监测方法的优缺点,并通过实例对比说明了β-射线法的可靠性及用膜片反演方法提高精确度的可行性,同时就加强国内PM2.5监测技术研究提出相关建议及展望。     

长江经济带研究文献分析

长江经济带是我国国土空间开发最重要的东西轴线,近年来推动长江经济带发展逐步上升为新一轮的国家战略。而自长江经济带初步构想于20世纪80年代提出以来,我国学者对长江经济带进行了诸多方面的研究。通过相关研究的文献分析,了解分析文献来源规律,梳理总结文献研究内容,有利于相关学术研究的推进。在查阅了大量相关文献的基础上,首先对文献来源进行分析,接着对长江经济带的概念与范围进行了辨析,再从发展战略、产业发展、交通建设、区域经济差异、区域空间结构、区域协调与合作、地区与长江经济带关系与生态环境等8个方面的对文献内容进行归纳总结与探讨,最后从加强交流合作、宏观微观结合、经典理论应用、关注交通研究、流域联动机制及视野动态开阔等方面对新时期长江经济带研究进行展望。     

中国冰雪资源高质量开发：理论审视、实践转向与挑战应对

推动冰雪资源高质量开发,是实现联合国可持续发展目标的新路径与新模式,是践行“两山理论”的重要环节,也是落实全民健身国家战略、助力体育强国建设的重要手段。在实际建设的理论指导层面,社会学所倡导的幸福感理论明确了冰雪资源高质量开发的终极目标,资源经济学的资源价值理论为冰雪资源的价值认识及价格核算提供了科学工具,地理学的人地关系理论是探究空间分异规律及人地系统耦合路径的理论基石。基于我国冰雪资源开发实践的系列转变及现实挑战,提出我国冰雪资源高质量开发的实现路径,即坚持观念创新的发展方式、多重协调的发展要求、积极开放的发展理念以及主客共赢的发展目标。