Disparity of a Seat Cushion and Its Influence on Postural Control

Properties of supporting surfaces of a seat have an influence on postural control. Centre of pressure (COP) displacement parameters reflect both the balance controlling process and movements of the centre of a mass of entire body. The subjects of the study were 9 healthy men. A seat cushion was examined with a 2-force platform setup. Force exertion at a seat pan and feet and COP displacement at a seat pan were measured to analyse postural control. Analysis of variance determined the differences in postural control depending on a cushion type among the subjects. Significant differences in COP displacement parameters were in COP trajectory length, medio-lateral COP displacement and COP velocity. The results of the study showed that foam cushion ensures better postural control.     

改善企业安全文化技术手段的应用研究

安全文化建设在我国企业界受到重视,但是缺乏安全文化建设明确、实用的方法.将安全文化定义为"影响企业安全业绩的核心要素",设计Likert量表、硬件设备和计算机管理系统对安全文化进行定量测量,根据测量结果设计有针对性的培训可以快速改善企业的安全文化.从实际的企业测量可知,通过三次测量、两次抽样培训,企业安全文化可以提高8%左右,说明测量和培训相结合的方法是企业安全文化改善的有效手段.     

Evaluating the impacts of global environmental assessments

There are currently no widely accepted procedures for comparing the performance of global environmental assessments (GEAs) and this may be a barrier to improving their methodology. To encourage greater self-reflection within the GEA community, it is proposed to introduce consistent evaluation approaches. Two elements from current evaluation practice are reviewed here that could be particularly useful for evaluating GEAs. The first are logic models which provide a transparent visual mapping of how activities in a GEA are intended to have impacts on policies. The second are performance metrics. It is proposed that GEAs adopt two kinds of metrics: (i) A common generic set for use in all GEAs to provide a basis for comparing the performance of GEAs, and (ii) a specific set of measureable metrics for each particular GEA derived from/linked to the generic set. Although many issues arise in applying these and other elements from evaluation theory and practice to GEAs, the potential benefits are greater comparability of GEA performance and new knowledge about how to improve them. This Short Communication is part of a Special Issue on solution-oriented GEAs.     

Quantification and valuation of ecosystem services in diverse production systems for informed decision-making

The empirical evidence of decline in ecosystem services (ES) over the last century has reinforced the call for ES quantification, monitoring and valuation. Usually, only provisioning ES are marketable and accounted for, whereas regulating, supporting and cultural ES are typically non-marketable and overlooked in connection with land-use or management decisions. The objective of this study was to quantify and value total ES (marketable and non-marketable) of diverse production systems and management intensities in Denmark to provide a basis for decisions based on economic values. The production systems were conventional wheat (Cwheat), a combined food and energy (CFE) production system and beech forest. Marketable (provisioning ES) and non-marketable ES (supporting, regulating and cultural) ES were quantified by dedicated on-site field measurements supplemented by literature data. The value of total ES was highest in CFE (US$ 3142 ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) followed by Cwheat (US$ 2767 ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and beech forest (US$ 2328 ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). As the production system shifted from Cwheat - CFE–beech, the marketable ES share decreased from 88% to 75% in CFE and 55% in beech whereas the non-marketable ES share increased to 12%, 25% and 45% of total ES in Cwheat, CFE and beech respectively, demonstrating production system and management effects on ES values. Total ES valuation, disintegrated into marketable and non-marketable share is a potential way forward to value ES and ‘tune’ our production systems for enhanced ES provision. Such monetary valuation can be used by policy makers and land managers as a tool to assess ES value and monitor the sustained flow of ES. The application of ES-based valuation for land management can enhance ES provision for maintaining the productive capacity of the land without depending on the external fossil-based fertilizer and chemical input.     

It’s All in the Numbers: Acreage Tallies and Environmental Program Evaluation

Increasingly, performance measurement is being used to hold federal agencies accountable, represent environmental progress, and evaluate the effectiveness of environmental programs. The need to track measurable outputs has created a tendency to present programmatic progress solely by quantifiable data, despite the inherent complexity of natural resource management. Wetlands and fire management programs are two specific environmental arenas that have come to overemphasize the tracking of acreage numbers to validate existing policy direction. In both of these arenas, we find the definition and categorization of "countable" acres to be inconsistent and unreliable. We explore this systemic flaw for both wetlands and fire programs and describe its implications for environmental policy and natural resource management more broadly. We conclude with recommendations for improved performance measurement in these arenas.     

Current status and trends of the environmental performance in European ports

This paper investigates the current status and trends over time in the environmental performance of European ports. The research is based on the provision of data from 79 European ports on issues related to their environmental management, environmental priorities and current environmental monitoring practices. This study updates previous environmental reviews, so that the trends over time are drawn. For instance, 90% of respondent ports stated that they have an environmental policy and 94% of ports have designated environmental personnel. The percentage of ports that have an Environmental Management System has increased by +33% in the last 9 years. Air quality, port waste and energy consumption emerged as the three major environmental priorities of the European port sector in 2013. The research also reveals the diversity amongst European ports in terms of size and physical surroundings. Some examples are presented on specific initiatives carried out by sector organisations about the Top-10 port priority issues. The future expectations of European ports on data collection and reporting are described.     

A taxonomy of performance influencing factors for human reliability analysis of emergency tasks

This paper introduces the process for, and the result of, the selection of performance influencing factors (PIFs) for the use in human reliability analysis (HRA) of emergency tasks in nuclear power plants. The approach taken in this study largely consists of three steps. First, a full-set PIF system is constructed from the collection and review of existing PIF taxonomies. Secondly, PIF candidates are selected from the full-set PIF system, considering the major characteristics of emergency situations and the basic criteria of PIF for use in HRA. Finally, a set of PIFs is established by structuring representative PIFs and their detailed subitems from the candidates. As a result, a set of PIFs comprised of the 11 representative PIFs and 39 subitems was developed.     

淮南矿区井下煤炭自燃火灾因素分析及防治措施

１９９０年以来,淮南矿区１１个矿井共发生自燃火灾４９起,自燃发火率平均为每百万吨习煤量０．５３次。通过对该矿区井下煤炭自燃因素和地质条件及开采中出现的自燃发火原因作了具体分析,从中找出发火规律;并对井下煤层自燃发火采取均压通风和直接灭火做了新的尝试,提出了对井下煤炭自燃防治措施。     

利用磁信息研究潮滩重金属污染的探讨

本文以长江口潮滩沉积物的系统磁性测量为基础,对照化学分析和粒度分析等数据,初步探讨了潮滩沉积物的磁性特征与重金属元素含量的相关联系及其机理,建立了重金属元素含量与磁参数的定量关系模型,并揭示了长江口潮滩重金属污染的空间特征及其与沉积环境的联系。本项工作成功地探索了利用磁信息研究潮滩重金属污染的技术路线和应用前景,指出了在一定区域内,利用适量样品的磁性测量与重金属元素分析数据,建立其定量回归模型的可行性。从而可以在区域污染调查中,通过广泛的磁数据测量,由经验公式定量地估算不同滩地部分的重金属元素含量,以全面了解潮滩重金属污染的空间分布,分析其规律和机理。由于磁测方法具有快速、简便、经济、易行等特点,它为大范围的潮滩重金属污染研究提供了一项实用有效的辅助手段。     

Concentrations and trends of benzene in ambient air over New York State during 1990–2003

Since 1990s, a systematic program to measure air toxics has been active in New York State with monitors located both in urban and rural areas. In this study we examined the spatial and temporal characteristics of benzene, a known human carcinogen that is emitted by many source categories. The analysis indicates that ambient concentration levels of benzene have decreased by as much as 60% over this period not only in the ozone non-attainment area of New York City that had the reformulated gas (RFG) requirements, but also over the rest of the state as well. Although the rate of decrease appears to have flattened out in recent years, the annual average concentration levels are found to be above the health risk threshold even at the remote location, Whiteface Mountain, suggesting the need for further reductions in benzene emissions.