Age group differences in collision risk

Introduction

The purpose of the current study was to examine differences in factors associated with self-reported collision involvement of three age groups of drivers based on a large representative sample of Ontario adults. Method: This study was based on data from the CAMH Monitor, an ongoing cross-sectional telephone survey of Ontario adults 18 years and older from 2002 to 2005. Three age groups were examined: 18-34 (n = 1,294), 35-54 (n = 2,428), and 55+ (n = 1,576). For each age group sample, a logistic regression analysis was conducted of self-reported collision involvement in the last 12 months by risk factor measures of driving exposure (kilometers driven in a typical week, driving is stressful, and driving on busy roads), consuming five or more drinks of alcohol on one occasion (past 12 months), cannabis use (lifetime, and past 12 months), and driving after drinking among drinkers (past 12 months), controlling for demographics (gender, region, income, and marital status). Results: The study identified differences in factors associated with self-reported collision involvement of the three age groups of adult drivers. The logistic regression model for the youngest group revealed that drivers who reported that driving was stressful at least some of the time, drank five or more drinks on an occasion, and drove after drinking had an increased risk of collision involvement. For the middle age group, those who reported using cannabis in the last 12 months had significantly increased odds of reporting collision involvement. None of the risk factor measures showed significant associations with collision risk for older drivers (aged 55+). Impact: The results suggest potential areas for intervention and new directions for future research.     

The effects of minimum legal drinking age 21 laws on alcohol-related driving in the United States

Objective

To examine trends in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related crashes among people younger than 21 in the United States and to review evidence on the effects of minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws.

Methods

Trends in alcohol-related crashes and alcohol consumption among young people were examined, and studies on the effects of lowering and raising the drinking age were reviewed.

Results

MLDA laws underwent many changes during the 20th century in the United States. Since July 1988, the MLDA has been 21 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Surveys tracking alcohol consumption among high school students and young adults found that drinking declined since the late 1970 s, and most of the decline occurred by the early 1990 s. These were the years when states were establishing, or reinstating, a MLDA-21. Among fatally injured drivers ages 16-20, the percentage with positive BACs declined from 61% in 1982 to 31% in 1995, a bigger decline than for older age groups; declines occurred among the ages directly affected by raising MLDAs (ages 18-20) and among young teenagers not directly affected (ages 16-17). Almost all studies designed specifically to gauge the effects of drinking age changes show MLDAs of 21 reduce drinking, problematic drinking, drinking and driving, and alcohol-related crashes among young people. Yet many underage people still drink, many drink and drive, and alcohol remains an important risk factor in serious crashes of young drivers, especially as they progress through the teenage years. Stepped-up enforcement of MLDA and drinking and driving laws can reduce underage drinking. Recent efforts to lower MLDAs to 18 and issue licenses to drink upon completion of alcohol education have gained local and national media attention. There is no evidence that alcohol education can even partially replace the effect of MLDA-21.

Conclusions

The cause and effect relationship between MLDAs of 21 and reductions in highway crashes is clear. Initiatives to lower the drinking age to 18 ignore the demonstrated public health benefits of MLDAs of 21.

Impact on Industry

Lowering the drinking age to 18 will increase highway crash deaths among young people.     

镉胁迫对苎麻(Boehmeria nivea)根系及叶片抗氧化系统的影响

镉(Cd)是非必需和毒性最强的重金属元素之一,不合理的开发利用可导致土壤受到Cd的严重污染,严重危及土壤环境或水环境。以苎麻为材料,采用模拟镉(Cd)污染盆栽培养法,选择21 d和49 d等2个不同胁迫期,测定不同浓度Cd2+胁迫下苎麻根系与叶片中渗透调节物质含量、超氧化物岐化酶(SOD)活性、过氧化物酶(POD)活性、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量及根系活力的变化。结果表明,高浓度胁迫49 d后,苎麻根系中的渗透调节物质含量明显高于叶片含量,且极显著高于对照,并在240 mg·L~(-1)Cd处理下出现最高值;胁迫49 d时,根系与叶片的渗透调节物质含量与Cd2+浓度极显著正相关。在2个不同胁迫周期,苎麻根系的SOD与POD活性均明显高于叶片;在胁迫21 d时,根系的CAT活性低于叶片,而胁迫49 d后,则明显高于叶片;胁迫21 d时,苎麻根系与叶片的抗氧化酶活性均较胁迫49 d要高;胁迫49 d时,根系POD活性与Cd2+浓度呈极显著正相关,表明根系POD酶在抗氧化酶中占主导地位。不同胁迫时长下苎麻根系或叶片的MDA含量变化趋势不明显,但根系或叶片受胁迫21 d后的MDA含量随Cd2+浓度增加的波动相对受胁迫49 d后的更明显,表明植物早期生理功能出现暂时性的修复。2个不同胁迫周期内,不同浓度镉胁迫下苎麻的根系活力均比对照组下降。研究显示,苎麻根系与叶片对镉胁迫的应答机制不同,且在不同胁迫时间下的响应机理差异较大,根系表现出更强的耐受能力。     

生物活性炭工艺深度处理丹江口水库水的中试

活性炭过滤是饮用水深度处理的重要工艺,其中滤速、炭层高度、温度和炭龄是影响活性炭滤池运行效果的关键因素. 以丹江口水库水为处理对象,以混凝-沉淀-砂滤出水作为炭滤池进水,以高锰酸盐指数和UV₂₅₄去除率为评价指标,考察2011年4月—2013年5月取自北京某水厂的新炭、1年炭、3年炭和5年炭(2011年5月时炭龄)对水中有机物的去除效果. 结果表明,随着滤速的增大,有机物去除率降低;活性炭炭柱滤速为8 m/h时,高锰酸盐指数和UV₂₅₄去除率分别为41.9%和41.2%,能够获得较好的处理效果. UV₂₅₄去除率随总炭层高度的增大而增大. 随着炭层高度的增加,单位高度活性炭滤料对UV₂₅₄的去除率降低.夏季高温期,1年炭对高锰酸盐指数和UV₂₅₄的去除率分别为44.2%~57.4%和38.5%~53.1%,高于其在冬季低温期的去除率(38.9%~51.1%和31.7%~45.5%). 活性炭在使用初期,主要依靠吸附作用去除有机物;随着使用年限的增长,活性炭的生物载体作用日益明显,生物作用占主导地位,炭龄对有机物去除效果的影响变小,不同炭龄活性炭的处理效果差异不大,可适当延长活性炭的使用年限,降低处理成本.      

含固率和接种比对叶菜类蔬菜垃圾厌氧消化的影响

通过叶菜类蔬菜垃圾中温批式厌氧消化实验,比较了含固率(3%、5%、7%)和接种比(1.5、2.5、3.5)对产甲烷效果的联合影响.结果表明,在研究实验参数范围内,含固率越低、接种比越高,越有利于缩短产甲烷反应迟滞期,平均日产甲烷速率越快.经过52d的培养,在含固率为3%、接种比为3.5的工况中,平均日产甲烷速率最快,达到9.5mL/(gVS?d),日最大产甲烷速率最快,达到49.8mL/(gVS?d),最早进入快速产甲烷期.当接种比为3.5时,随着含固率的升高,产甲烷速率下降,迟滞期延长,但单位底物累计产甲烷量增大,含固率7%时单位底物累计净产甲烷量为481mL/gVS.而当接种比为1.5时,含固率为5%和7%的工况均无法启动甲烷化反应,含固率为3%的工况的产气迟滞期达15d.挥发性有机酸的累积抑制甲烷化反应的启动,迟滞期随着液相中有机酸浓度的增加而延长,当有机酸浓度低于1260mg/L,甲烷化反应没有明显的迟滞期.     

不同林龄马尾松（Pinus massoniana）人工林碳氮磷分配格局及化学计量特征

为了解长江上游低山丘陵区马尾松（Pinus massoniana）人工林生态系统的C、N、P分配格局及化学计量特征,本文采用时空互代的方法,在宜宾高县来复林区选取三种不同林龄（5年生幼龄林、14年生中龄林、39年生成熟林）,但立地条件相近、样地情况基本一致的马尾松（Pinus massoniana）人工林作为研究对象,对马尾松针叶、凋落物及土壤中的C、N、P含量及 w（C）？w（N）？w（P）化学计量特征进行测定和分析。结果表明,（1）C、N、P 含量均表现为针叶〉凋落物〉土壤,且在三个库之间差异显著;（2）林龄对针叶、凋落物、土壤的 C、N、P 及 w（C）？w（N）、w（C）？w（P）计量比均有显著影响。（3）土壤 C、N、P含量在成熟林中最高;针叶和凋落物的C含量在成熟林中最低,N、P含量则在中龄林中最高。（4）随林龄增加马尾松对N、P的利用效率降低,针叶、凋落物及土壤的w（C）？w（N）与 w（C）？w（P）均表现为下降。（5）马尾松针叶w（N）？w（P）比值在14.37~15.53之间,说明该地区马尾松人工林受N和P的共同限制,但林龄对N、P养分限制的影响不显著。为提高该区马尾松人工林的生产力,建议在人工林的抚育管理中要适当增加N肥和P肥,同时也可在马尾松人工林引入豆科固氮植物以提高地力。该研究将马尾松针叶、凋落物及土壤结合起来探究随林龄增长C、N、P养分元素的分配格局及化学计量特征的变化,有助于全面、系统地揭示马尾松人工林生态系统的养分循环,对指导马尾松人工林生产,调节和改善林木生长环境,提高系统的养分利用效率及林地生产力具有重要意义。     

三叶爬山虎叶片解剖结构和光合生理特性对3种生境的响应

藤本植物生活环境的时空变化较为剧烈,为适应异质性生境常表现出较大的可塑性,其形态解剖结构及光合生理特征被认为能很好地体现对异质生境的适应。为了明确藤本植物叶片结构和光合作用对不同生境光强的响应策略,以木质藤本三叶爬山虎（Parthenocissus himalayana）为对象,采用光合仪测定和解剖显微观察的方法研究了哀牢山亚热带湿性常绿阔叶林的林外（全光照）、林缘（遮荫）和林内（荫生）3种自然生境中三叶爬山虎的叶片解剖结构和光合生理特征的变化,以期阐述三叶爬山虎对不同光环境的生态适应能力及策略,为森林生态系统的管理和物种多样性的保护及群落优化配置提供理论依据。结果表明：从林内到林外随着生境光强增加,叶片厚度（157.77～299.17μm）、上表皮厚度（21.30～28.40μm）、栅栏组织厚度（30.83～124.65μm）、栅栏组织细胞面积（430.95～652.97μm2）显著增大（P〈0.01）,栅栏组织细胞长度（29.23～49.54μm）和周长（86.58～155.17μm）、下表皮厚度（16.14～19.01μm）、气孔长度（24.13～27.10μm）和气孔密度（86.20～129.41个·mm-2）呈显著上升趋势（P〈0.05）。栅栏组织细胞宽度（19.67～22.81μm）在3种生境中无显著差异。叶片解剖结构性状的平均可塑性值为0.37,其中最大值是栅栏组织细胞长度（0.67）,最小值是气孔长度（0.11）。光饱和点（201.27～1299.17μmol·m-2·s-1）、光补偿点（3.86～29.88μmol·m-2·s-1）、饱和光强最大光合速率（2.20～12.03μmol·m-2·s-1）、暗呼吸速率（0.17～2.19μmol·m-2·s-1）、CO2补偿点（83.01～237.26μmol·m-2·s-1）、饱和CO2最大净光合速率（2.07～25.49μmol·m-2·s-1）、光呼吸速率（0.36～7.57μmol·m-2·s-1）、初始羧化效率（0.006～0.035μmol·μmol-1）随着生境光强的增高呈上升趋势,而表观量子效率（0.067～0.031μmol·?     

园林绿化树种香樟叶片的含硫量动态分析

植物对一定浓度范围内的大气污染物,具有一定程度的抵抗及吸收净化作用。为了解南京市主要园林绿化树种香樟（Cinnamomum camphora）叶片吸收净化SO2的能力,选择在5个不同污染靶区,以3个不同胸径级的香樟叶片为研究对象,采用硫酸钡比浊法测定了不同季节香樟叶片的含硫量。结果表明：香樟叶片对SO2具有一定的吸收净化能力,其叶片含硫量平均为0.2160%,且其含量随分布区、生长季节及个体胸径不同差异显著;并与异域大气中SO2污染指数成一定的正相关;与个体胸径大小成显著负相关;季节间呈现出＂先降后升再降＂的动态趋势,于春秋季较高,而夏冬季较低。     

潜叶虫潜道图像分析

为通过潜叶虫潜食叶片所留下的潜道分析其分类、行为和生态,应用Getdata图形数字化软件和R语言,提取线形潜道的数字化图像,并获得各种图像形状参数,如平均转角、转角集中度、分维D、直线度ST、蜿蜒度SN等.结果发现:大多数潜道的平均转角较小(不超过±25.0°),转角集中度较高(>0.600),说明潜食方向大多保持为前进方向;多数潜道的ST在0.010到0.300之间,数值极小,而SN一般都超过0.600,表明多数潜叶昆虫潜道的蜿蜒程度非常大;米楮上两种潜叶蛾的潜道形状参数如D和ST存在显著差异.     

Estimating the spatio-temporal risk of disease epidemics using a bioclimatic niche model

There are presently few tools available for estimating epidemic risks from forest pathogens, and hence informing pro-active disease management. In this study we demonstrated that a bioclimatic niche model can be used to examine questions of epidemic risk in temperate eucalypt plantations. The bioclimatic niche model, CLIMEX, was used to identify regional variation in climate suitability for Mycosphaerella leaf disease (MLD), a major cause of foliage damage in temperate eucalypt plantations around the world. Using historical observations of MLD damage, we were able to convert the relative score of climatic suitability generated by CLIMEX into a severity ranking ranging from low to high, providing for the first time a direct link between risk and impact, and allowing us to explore disease severity in a way meaningful to forest managers. We determined that the ‘Compare Years’ function in CLIMEX could be used for site-specific risk assessment to identify severity, frequency and seasonality of MLD epidemics. We explored appropriate scales of risk assessment for forest managers. Applying the CLIMEX model of MLD using a 0.25° or coarser grid size to areas of sharp topographic relief frequently misrepresented the risk posed by MLD, because considerable variation occurred between individual forest sites encompassed within a single grid cell. This highlighted the need for site-specific risk assessment to address many questions pertinent to managing risk in plantations.