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.     

Conditions controlling the onset of breeding migration of the Japanese mountain stream frog, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rana sakuraii</Emphasis>

I studied the conditions controlling the timing of breeding migration of the Japanese mountain stream frog Rana sakuraii, an explosive breeder, over 9 years (1992, 1993 and 1999–2005). I analysed two factors: the daily cumulative temperature (DCT) during hibernation and the triggering temperature on the day of migration onset. Frogs hibernated in shallow running water in streams in December. A total of 53,155 breeding migrating adults were captured by traps. Every year, breeding migration was induced by a rise in daily maximum water temperature to about 5°C. However, its date was limited to 1 February at the earliest, and the onset needed a DCT (from 20 January, using 3°C as the threshold for daily effective temperature) of at least about 15°C. Earlier (e.g. in mid- or late January), even if the maximum temperature rose to 5–8°C, migration did not begin. Moreover, even in early February, if the maximum temperature rose to 5°C, if it had been too cold in January and the DCT was low, migration would not begin until mid- or late February. Thus, the earliest date of readiness for migration varied from 1 February to mid-February, depending on the winter DCT. Logistic regression analyses showed that both factors, the DCT and the daily temperature, were significant. I propose that in temperate-zone amphibian explosive breeders, both the passing of an essential number of days and an essential DCT during hibernation are prerequisites for the onset of breeding migration before the daily temperature rises to the threshold.     

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.     

Secondary analysis of time of day on simulated driving performance

PROBLEM: Age and gender are frequently controlled for in studies of driving performance, but the effects of time of day or circadian cycles on performance are often not considered. Previous research on time of day effects of simulated driving is contradictory and provides little guidance for understanding the impact of these variables on results. METHODS: Using driving simulator data from 79 subjects ages 18 to 65, this paper focuses on the impact of age, gender, and time of day on the simulated driving performance of subjects who self-selected the time of participation. RESULTS: Time of day effects were consistently evident for drivers' speed overall and across different simulated environments. Drivers in the late afternoon period consistently drove significantly slower than drivers in other time periods. Age and gender affected speed such that women and those participants 50 and older tended to drive more slowly. Time of day also had an effect on reaction time and on speed variability measures. Gender did not have significant effects on reaction time or variability measures, but age effects were present. SUMMARY: Taken together, the results suggest that time of day effects should be considered as part of simulated driving performance, and that interactions between time of day and other variables, notably age, should be controlled for as part of future research. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Implications of these findings on current efforts for older driver testing are discussed.     

第二松花江中下游沉积物汞的时空变化规律

将1973、1976、1983、1991年和本次的研究结果进行对比分析,得出了第二松花江中下游表层沉积物汞含量的时间变化规律.1976年以前汞含量处于增加趋势;1976～1982年汞含量有所下降;1982年汞污染源被切断,汞含量骤降;随后,汞污染浓度处于缓慢净化时期.将本次采集的沉积物样品分为3个粒度等级,最后以63 μm粒级的沉积物汞含量为代表分析了汞的水平变化规律,总体趋势是,排污口处汞含量最高;哨口至朝阳桥断面汞含量增加;朝阳桥至五家站断面,汞含量骤降,在五家站断面汞含量达到最小值;五家站至泔水缸断面汞含量又略有增加.并给出了本次研究中各断面沉积物汞的垂直变化规律.     

阻止杭州湾海底输油管线穿孔、溢油的设想

对海底管线穿孔后如何阻止溢油、减少海上.油污染,提出了采用负压保护的可行性方案.     

浅析电子废弃物回收利用及危害解决办法

随着高科技的发展和人们需求的增长,电子产品不断推陈出新,电子废弃物成为世界上数量增长最快的垃圾."电子垃圾",主要包括各种使用后废弃的电脑、通信设备、电视机、电冰箱、洗衣机等电子电器产品.电子废弃物不规范回收处理易造成污染.电子废弃物中含有很多可回收再利用的有色金属、黑色金属、玻璃等物质.严格意义上讲,这些电子废弃物,不应称其为电子垃圾,而应称作电子旧货.伴随着电子工业的高速发展,电子废弃物污染不可避免地摆在了我们面前.电子废弃物具有危害性和可利用性.     

北京山区小流域治理措施综述

山区小流域综合治理,是中国治理水土流失的主要形式.近10年来,随着可持续发展概念的引入,山区小流域治理与经济开发、资源保护相结合的战略思想逐渐被人们认识和接受,实现流域的可持续发展,已成为当今小流域治理活动的准则.综述主要对北京山区小流域治理措施进行了总结,并指出小流域治理需要综合运用多种措施;小流域治理必须充分考虑流域特征,因地制宜,分类治理.     

大辽河近入海河段水体溶解氧分布特征及低氧成因的初步分析

根据2009年春、夏季大辽河近人海河段的大面站和连续站观测,分析了水体溶解氧(dissolved oxygen,DO)的时空分布规律,并对近人海河段上游低氧区的成因进行了初步探讨.结果表明,水体溶解氧含量在空间分布上呈人海口高、河段上游低,表层高、底层低的趋势;时间分布上呈白天高、夜间低,春季高、夏季低的趋势.夏季溶解...     

海河沉积物对菲的吸附解吸行为研究

采用北运河坝河断面、海河干流邓善沽断面及葛沽镇断面表层沉积物及南开花园土为吸附剂,以菲为吸附质进行一系列吸附动力学和吸附-解吸平衡实验研究。结果表明,菲在各颗粒物上的吸附动力学过程,在0-4h内基本可达吸附平衡,刚开始吸附速率很快,然后迅速降低,并逐渐稳定;菲在各颗粒物上的等温平衡吸附可用线性等温线方程及Freundlich方程较好的拟合;不同来源颗粒物对菲的吸附能力随颗粒物中有机质含量增加而增强;葛沽镇颗粒物经高温灼烧处理后,其吸附能力明显降低;各天然颗粒物及不同温度灼烧处理的颗粒物对菲的解吸行为存在不同程度的滞后,灼烧颗粒物的滞后性远远大于原颗粒物,颗粒物中的有机质组分及性质对菲的解吸滞后有重要影响