Bridging information domains to improve ecological understanding of biological invasions in a marine ecosystem

We devised a practical method for integrating information on 2 marine invasive species using 3 different approaches: standardized ecological monitoring, online-reporting databases, and surveys of anglers and crabbers. Focusing on 2 recently introduced species with different characteristics, the Asian shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) and Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), in the Hudson-Raritan watershed of New York and New Jersey, we used sensitivity analyses to explore the relative contribution of each information source to knowledge of species abundance and distribution. All 3 information sources contributed something unique to understanding abundance and distribution of the introduced crabs. Online and survey data on Asian shore crabs significantly affected predictions of abundance, whereas monitoring data did not. When survey data were omitted, abundance estimates were unchanged over time, but when they were included, the model predicted an increased abundance in 2012. All 3 data sets for the Asian shore crab significantly affected estimates of species coverage; surveys had the biggest influence, increasing range size by 4097.25 km². For the catadromous Chinese mitten crab, ecological monitoring data collected in freshwater shortly after the original sighting significantly shaped model estimates for abundance and documented the establishment phase of the mitten crab in an area outside the spatial scope of the surveyed resource users. However, the survey data significantly enlarged mitten crab range-size estimates by 6498.01 km². By demonstrating that data integration produced an image of the invasion process that would not have emerged had we used any 1 method individually, model results provide evidence for the advantages of an interdisciplinary approach.     

Using a novel data linkage approach to investigate potential reductions in motor vehicle crash severity – An evaluation of strategic highway safety plan emphasis areas

Introduction: With the significant number of motor-vehicle fatalities occurring on the nation’s roadways in recent years, there exists a need to integrate a more complete range of data sources, available at a regional or statewide level, to effectively evaluate existing safety concerns and quantify their impacts. Crash data alone does not provide ample crash-associated citation, injury, and roadway characteristics; therefore, a more cohesive dataset is required to accurately and completely analyze the true impacts of motor-vehicle crashes. Previously developed strategies linked crash data with citation and roadway inventory data to enhance the identification and optimization of highway safety strategies. Method: The main objective of this research focused on developing a new deterministic linkage between crash and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) data, by utilizing the Massachusetts Crash Data System (CDS) and the Massachusetts Ambulance Trip Record Information System (MATRIS). Results: After several iterations of match criterion, the validated linkage successfully matched 58.3% of MATRIS records (containing an Injury Cause of Motor Vehicle Crash) to a CDS person record (55011 linked pairs, between 2014 and 2016). The data linkage provided significant insight into injury trends in several highway safety emphasis areas such as roadway departure, speeding-related, and distraction-affected crashes. The findings from this research are twofold: (1) an established process for linking previously separate data sets, and (2) a mechanism for analysis that provides decision-makers and safety professionals with a better measure of crash outcomes.     

Kinetic mechanism and effects of molecular structure on thermal hazards of azo compounds

In this paper, the kinetic mechanism of AIBN, AMBN, and ABVN was proposed, and the effect of molecular structure on their thermal hazards based on the kinetic mechanism was investigated. Calculated by non-isothermal DSC datum, the kinetic mechanism of AIBN, AMBN, and ABVN is revealed by the linear relationship between the integrated form of mechanical function and reaction time. The results indicate that the thermal decomposition process is controlled by the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation. Based on the determination of kinetic mechanism function, the reaction rate constants at various heating rates are directly calculated, and the intercept of the best fitting straight line of reaction rate constants with heating rate is approximately equal to the reaction rate constant under isothermal conditions. Besides, theoretical values obtained by multiplying kinetic mechanism function by reaction rate are well consistent with the experimental values, suggesting that the kinetic mechanism obtained is credible. Bond Dissociation Energies (BDE) calculated by quantum chemical equations are employed to evaluate the thermodynamics stability of AIBN, AMBN, and ABVN. Depending on similar molecular structures, the influence of differentiated group structure on the thermodynamic stability represented by BDE and heat release and the kinetic stability characterized by reaction rate constant were revealed. Finally, the results demonstrate that the thermal hazard increases as the volume of substituent group and molecular weight.     

Development of inherent safety and health index for formulated product design

The numerous formulated products which are introduced to the market consist of chemical ingredients that may cause various safety and health hazards to the consumers. Therefore, it is extremely important to practice a systematic methodology to formulate products with acceptable safety and health performances. This work presents an index-based methodology to assess the safety and health hazards of the ingredients during the early formulation stage of product design. Hence, new inherent safety and health sub-indexes are introduced to improve the current safety and health hazards that are needed in formulated product design. The inherent safety and health sub-indexes are assigned with scores based on the degree of potential hazards. A higher score indicates a higher safety risk or severe health effect, and vice versa. The proposed methodology will greatly assist the users to identify the adverse safety and health effects caused by the ingredients. Hence, it is pivotal to eliminate or reduce the safety and health impacts from product usage. A case study on common ingredients used in the formulation of paint is presented on this study to describe the proposed method.     

空气污染视角下北京市产业结构调整的政策模拟研究

空气污染问题是制约经济社会健康发展的重要因素,产业结构调整是缓解该问题的重要途径,探究产业结构调整对于空气污染问题的改善效应具有重要的意义。本文以环境保护和经济增长为双重目标,以投入产出理论为基础,构建了一个一般的具有政策权重的产业结构双目标优化模型。模型目标中的权重体现了政策对两个目标的倾向性需求。给定了某种政策权重,就能根据优化模型计算出最优的产业结构。进一步,我们以SO 2的排放量作为环保指标,以GDP作为经济指标,利用上述模型,依据实际数据,在不同政策权重下,对北京市2017年的产业结构进行了模拟测算,从而给出了与之对应的北京市最优化的产业结构调整方案。特别地,选择了其中三种政策倾向力度,即经济增长偏向性政策、中性政策、环境保护偏向性政策方案,分别给出了最优产业结构方案的数量结果和两个目标的值。我们注意到,2017年的实际值与2016年的实际值相比,2017年的污染物SO 2的排放量大幅减少,且GDP也有所增加,这表明了政府部门的政策相对有效。但是,我们计算出的三种最优化的产业结构对应的两个目标值均优于2017年实际值。事实上,对于经济偏向性政策,最优化的产业结构使得GDP的数量上升更多,而SO 2的排放量也减少了不少;即使是采用环保偏向性政策,不仅使污染物SO 2的排放量更少,而且使GDP的数量仍然高于2017年的实际值。这说明本文提出的通过优化产业结构实现环境保护是一个可行的、合理的途径。     

凹型建筑外立面火灾烟气蔓延特性研究

为了研究凹型建筑外立面火灾烟气蔓延特性，对高层建筑凹槽内火灾烟气“三场”数值模拟。研究表明:结构因子α（进深与槽宽之比）的变化导致凹型建筑结构内呈现不同的火灾烟气蔓延规律；当α为0~0.4时，建筑凹槽内的火灾烟气无烟囱效应；当α为0.6~1.2时，建筑凹槽内的火灾烟气呈现一定的烟囱效应，其火灾烟气温度场、CO浓度场、扩散速度场变化显著；当α>1.2的，建筑凹槽内的火灾烟气烟囱效应显著。     

历史灾害资料在当前减灾工作中大有作为：—以1862年珠江三角洲的风暴潮为例

本文从历史资料中分析出1862年7月27日珠江三角洲的特大风暴潮,潮位可能高达7.6～8.5m,远远超出应用15a观测资料外推的1000a一遇潮位2.86～5.11m,证明历史灾害资料在当前减灾工作中可发挥重大作用。     

从环境-社会系统的角度看"建设和谐社会"

环境-社会系统的三元结构是指人、社会和自然三元。可持续发展取决于对这三元运动机制的协调。从环境-社会系统的视角看。可持续发展是指通过三种生产的和谐运行与环境—社会系统的稳定演进．获得“经济-社会-环境”整体的高效益。人类社会发展的两大基本矛盾是资源生产的矛盾和资源配置的矛盾．因此。建设和谐社会的关键在于：在争取“人-社会-自然”和谐演进的前提下。处理好人与社会、人与自然、自然与社会以及自然的、社会的方方面面的“关系”。     

Specific features of the allozyme structure of dandelion populations under conditions of radionuclide and chemical contamination

A study of allozyme spectra has been performed in dandelion cenopopulations growing for a long time under conditions of chemical pollution (the zone of the Nizhnii Tagil Metallurgical Plant, NTMP) or radioactive contamination (the zone of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace, EURT). Cenopopulations from the NTMP and EURT zones and from the background area differ significantly in the qualitative and quantitative composition of allozyme phenes. An analysis of clonal diversity has shown that all cenopopulations are phenogenetically unique. The genesis of each cenopopulation proceeded in a specific way: they had different sets of progenitor plants, whose descendants varied genetically in the course of their reproduction and more or less successful colonization of habitats, undergoing selection under the impact of natural environmental factors and technogenic stress. An increased variability of enzyme systems, compared to the sample from the background area, and, as a consequence, reduced clonal diversity may be regarded as a trait common to populations exposed to chemical or radiation stress.     

Spatiotemporal population structure of the bank vole in a gradient of technogenic environmental pollution

Between 1998 and 2005, specific features of spatiotemporal distribution of small mammals in transformed habitats were studied using the example of the bank vole living in a gradient of chemical environmental pollution (the Middle Urals). Technogenic degradation of spruce-fir forests proved to entail significant changes in the spatial structure and abundance of vole populations. Differences in colonization of disturbed and intact territories by bank voles at different stages of population dynamics were revealed.