The impact of retail beverage service training and social host laws on adolescents' DUI rates in San Diego County,California

Introduction: Driving under the influence (DUI) citations are still a serious concern among drivers aged 16–20 years and have been shown to be related to increased risk of fatal and nonfatal crashes. A battery of laws and policies has been enacted to address this concern. Though numerous studies have evaluated these policies, there is still a need for comprehensive policy evaluations that take into account a variety of contextual factors. Previous effort by this research team examined the impact of 20 minimum legal drinking age–21 laws in the state of California, as they impacted alcohol-related crash rates among drivers under 21 years of age while at the same time accounting for alcohol and gas taxes, unemployment rates, sex distribution among drivers, and sobriety checkpoints. The current research seeks to expand this evaluation to the county level (San Diego County). More specifically, we evaluate the impact of measures subject to county control such as retail beverage service (RBS) laws and social host (SH) laws, as well as media coverage, city employment, alcohol outlet density, number of sworn officers, alcohol consumption, and taxation policies, to determine the most effective point of intervention for communities seeking to reduce underage DUI citations.

Methods: Annual DUI citation data (2000 to 2013), RBS and SH policies, and city-wide demographic, economic, and environmental information were collected and applied to each of the 20 cities in San Diego County, California. A structural equation model was fit to estimate the relative contribution of the variables of interest to DUI citation rates.

Results: Alcohol consumption and alcohol outlet density both demonstrated a significant increase in DUI rates, whereas RBS laws, SH laws, alcohol tax rates, media clusters, gas tax rates, and unemployment rates demonstrated significant decreases in DUI rates.

Conclusions: At the county level, although RBS laws, SH laws, and media efforts were found to contribute to a significant reduction in DUI rates, the largest significant contributors to reducing DUI rates were alcohol and gas taxation rates. Policy makers interested in reducing DUI rates among teenagers should examine these variables within their specific communities and consider conducting community-specific research to determine the best way to do so. Future efforts should be made to develop models that represent specific communities who are interested in reducing DUI rates among drivers aged 16–20 years.     

高频电晕放电等离子体法处理甲醛的研究

采用高频电晕等离子体法进行去除甲醛气体的试验研究.主要考察了甲醛气体处理效果与电源频率和停留时间的关系,并进行了无填料、填加亚硝酸钠填料和钛酸钡填料对甲醛气体处理效果的对比试验.结果表明,高频电晕放电等离子体法可有效地实现对甲醛气体的去除.电源频率越高,停留时间越长,甲醛的去除效果越好;在相同条件下有填料填加对甲醛气体的去除效果优于无填料填加的去除效果;钛酸钡填料优于亚硝酸钠填料的去除效果;在电源频率为55 kHz、流量0.3 m3·h-1、进口浓度12 mg·m-3钛酸钡填料存在的条件下对甲醛的去除效率接近100%.     

曝气生物滤池污水处理工艺与设计

论述了曝气生物滤池污水处理原理、构造及其滤料作用机理,提供了一种利用粉煤灰和粘土生产生物滤料的配方和生产工艺流程,并对当前曝气生物滤池滤料研究进行了归纳,介绍了几种曝气生物滤池工艺基本类型及其组合流程。曝气生物滤池污水处理工艺设计与计算主要包括滤料体积、滤池总面积、滤池高度、布水布气系统、反冲洗系统以及污水与滤料的接触时间等。作为实例,对水量为2500m3d小区污水曝气生物滤池(DC、DN)进行了工艺设计。     

Official sources,news outlets,or search engines? Rumour validation on social media during Hurricanes Harvey and Irma

This study, based on data collected from a representative sample of adults in the United States, explores the social cognitive variables that motivated Americans to validate rumours on social media about Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, both of which struck in August/September 2017. The results indicate that risk perception and negative emotions are positively related to systematic processing of relevant risk information, and that systematic processing is significantly related to rumour validation through search engines such as Google. In contrast, trust in information about the hurricane is significantly related to validation through official sources, such as FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), and major news outlets such as The New York Times. Trust in information is also significantly related to systematic processing of risk information. The findings of this study suggest that ordinary citizens may be motivated to validate rumours on social media, which is an increasingly important issue in contemporary societies.     

Effects of nutrients on Microcystis growth more easily forming bloom

Different nutrient media experimentally were N, P and Fe-limited conditions and a serial of diluted BGll media. The cell change of morphology and life history, cell number, cell color and cell area of Microcystis were analyzed quantitatively. First, the effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and iron depletion were distinctively different. Phosphorus and iron depletion caused more special division cells,slowly growth increasing, the easier change of bigger cell area. Second, the nitrogen and iron depletion could make the color of alga from green to brown. Finally, according to the resource competition and Monod equation, Microcystis kinetics of phosphorus and iron were also examined. Ks and μmax of phosphorus absorption were 0.0352 μmol/L, 0.493 d^-1 respectively; iron absorption: 0.00323 μmol/L, 0.483d^-1. In a word, some evidences of the Microcystis bloom dominance in certain nutrient conditions were indicated in the experiments. The dominances were determined as the reviving under the adverse circumstances through the special division, the various nitrogen resources,and the lower kinetics of phosphorus and iron than that of most of other algae. The conclusions provided the scientific basis for preventing and managing Microcystis bloom in freshwater.     

Simulation and source identification of X-ray contrast media in the water cycle of Berlin

This article describes the development of a model to simulate the fate of iodinated X-ray contrast media (XRC) in the water cycle of the German capital, Berlin. It also handles data uncertainties concerning the different amounts and sources of input for XRC via source densities in single districts for the XRC usage by inhabitants, hospitals, and radiologists. As well, different degradation rates for the behavior of the adsorbable organic iodine (AOI) were investigated in single water compartments. The introduced model consists of mass balances and includes, in addition to naturally branched bodies of water, the water distribution network between waterways and wastewater treatment plants, which are coupled to natural surface waters at numerous points. Scenarios were calculated according to the data uncertainties that were statistically evaluated to identify the scenario with the highest agreement among the provided measurement data. The simulation of X-ray contrast media in the water cycle of Berlin showed that medical institutions have to be considered as point sources for congested urban areas due to their high levels of X-ray contrast media emission. The calculations identified hospitals, represented by their capacity (number of hospital beds), as the most relevant point sources, while the inhabitants served as important diffusive sources. Deployed for almost inert substances like contrast media, the model can be used for qualitative statements and, therefore, as a decision-support tool.     

中国典型抗生素在环境介质中的污染特征与生态风险评价

通过收集国内各地区水体、沉积物和土壤中抗生素的最新污染数据,试图从全国尺度范围进行分析,以反映我国环境中抗生素的污染状况,并利用风险商值（RQs）评估抗生素的生态风险.结果表明,我国各地水体、沉积物和土壤均受到不同程度的抗生素污染,南方地区水体污染较为严重,而西部地区则较轻.生态风险评价结果表明,我国水体中红霉素、罗红霉素、四环素、金霉素、磺胺甲唑和诺氟沙星是高风险污染物,占比为20.9%,主要分布在山东、湖北、浙江、四川、广东、海南、江苏和江西等地;江河沉积物中,诺氟沙星是高风险污染物,占比为11.1%,主要分布在黄河、海河、辽河和珠江等地;养殖场沉积物中,四环素、土霉素、金霉素和诺氟沙星是高风险污染物,占比高达72.5%;土壤中,四环素和金霉素是高风险污染物,占比为28.6%,主要分布在辽宁、四川、天津和山东等地,以上高风险区域应引起相关部门的重视.研究结果可为我国抗生素的污染防治提供科学依据和数据支撑.     

New tools for emergency managers: an assessment of obstacles to use and implementation

This paper focuses on the role of the formal response community's use of social media and crowdsourcing for emergency managers (EMs) in disaster planning, response and recovery in the United States. In‐depth qualitative interviews with EMs on the Eastern seaboard at the local, state and federal level demonstrate that emergency management tools are in a state of transition—from formal, internally regulated tools for crisis response to an incorporation of new social media and crowdsourcing tools. The first set of findings provides insight into why many EMs are not using social media, and describes their concerns that result in fear, uncertainty and doubt. Second, this research demonstrates how internal functioning and staffing issues within these agencies present challenges. This research seeks to examine the dynamics of this transition and offer lessons for how to improve its outcomes—critical to millions of people across the United States.