Development and pilot testing of an assessment battery for older drivers

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the study reported here was to develop and pilot test a comprehensive battery of assessment instruments for older drivers that would be inexpensive and easy to administer so that it could be used in longitudinal studies. METHOD: The resulting battery was developed by selecting a set of validated assessment instruments and combining them into a package, with a total acquisition cost of less than $900. As part of this battery, three questionnaires were developed utilizing items from established questionnaires with minor modifications. The battery was pilot tested with a convenience sample of 38 drivers aged 65 years or older. RESULTS: Results showed that the entire battery required less than one hour to complete. Data from the assessment outcomes fell within normative ranges. Feedback from subjects indicated that the battery was acceptable, free of problems, presented tasks in a good order, and was not too long. CONCLUSIONS: Based on study findings, the assessment battery appeared to be low-cost, transportable, easy to administer, easy for subjects to complete, provides a comprehensive assessment of a person's physical health, mental health, and driving behaviors, and would serve as a valuable data collection tool for a longitudinal study of older drivers. Such a longitudinal study is needed in order to answer some of the most important questions about older driver safety and mobility.     

典型场地铬(Ⅵ)迁移路径分析及耐铬植物初步筛选

通过对典型铬渣堆存场地铬(Ⅵ)迁移路径分析,说明对含铬(Ⅵ)废物/土壤的处置/修复,阻止铬(Ⅵ)进一步扩散迁移已成为保护地下水资源的当务之急.在实验中初步筛选出高羊茅、芦苇、马特、蓖麻4种耐铬植物,其生长发育受铬(Ⅵ)影响较小,且与微生物协同作用还可有效还原土壤中铬(Ⅵ),为控制铬(Ⅵ)污染场地土壤、地下水污染与大气扬...     

平原感潮河网地区不同土地利用下营养盐迁移特征

分别在南通平原河网地区选择典型非圩区开展野外原位试验,用野外观测和室内分析相结合的方法,研究平原非圩区典型试验小区不同土地利用下营养盐在自然降雨—径流驱动下迁移的时空分布特征.结果表明,导致营养盐迁移时空分布存在显著差异的主要原因为不同的土地利用类型、施肥条件及植被覆盖度等,不同土地利用下的径流量差异是导致营养盐迁移通...     

Dispersal and persistence of genetically modified oilseed rape around Japanese harbors

Background, aim, and scope

The possibility of gene transfer from genetically modified oilseed rape (OSR) to its cultivated or wild relatives is of concern since its commercial cultivation, because of its potential weediness and impact on the environment. Introgression of modified genes can affect conservation of agricultural crops, because there are many cultivars and wild Brassicaceae that may cross with genetically modified OSR (Brassica napus) in Japan. Japan imports more than 2 million tons of OSR a year from Canada and other countries. Since volunteers of GM OSR were found around harbors in 2004, a lot of feral GM OSR was discovered in Japan. To consider the way how to keep domestic Brassicaceae from GM contamination, we surveyed and analyzed the dispersal and persistence of GM OSR around Japanese harbors. We present the cause and abundance of GM OSR in Japan by this paper.

Materials and methods

Survey of the feral OSR was performed several times a year at different seasons when domestic OSR either grows or does not around port areas. Detection of herbicide tolerance in feral B. napus was done by test papers that cross react with the modified gene product. Two kinds of herbicide tolerance (glyphosate and glufosinate) were tested.

Results

The feral B. napus were discovered around all 13 harbors that import rapeseeds from foreign countries. Genetically modified, herbicide-tolerant OSR were frequently found in the surveyed populations. Two kinds of herbicide-tolerant OSR (glyphosate- and glufosinate-tolerant) were discovered in a natural condition 40 km from port to an oil factory where 60,000 tons of OSR seed are processed a year. The cause of voluntary growth of OSR is seed spillage during transportation by trucks from harbors to oil factories and other processing facilities. Some of the feral OSR growing along the roadsides of transport paths exhibited perennial growth spilling their seeds around the places. Alteration of the generation of feral GM OSR was discovered for the first time in Japan as a result of this study. We studied the yearly change of feral OSR abundances focusing on Yokkaichi port over the 4 years since 2004. The rate of GM OSR increases year to year, and reaches nearly 90% in 2008.

Discussion

The possibility and consequences of gene transfer from the genetically modified OSR to domestic species (B. rapa and B. juncea) were discussed in relation to impact on domestic agriculture and on environments. Evolutional meaning of the gene transfer was also discussed with respect to the gene construct of GM OSR. This study shows the importance of another pathway of modified gene transfer to non-GM relative species by seed transportation in addition to pollen transfer from commercial cultivation of genetically modified OSR.

Conclusions and recommendations

We identified unintended dispersal and persistence of GM OSR around Japanese harbors that import OSR from Canada and other countries. Both glyphosate- and glufosinate-tolerant feral B. napus were discovered. The cause of volunteer OSR is spillage of the seeds during transportation by truck to oil factory. The feral GM OSR sometimes showed perennial growth in Japanese phonological conditions which are not observed for domestic Brassicaceae. In addition, we confirmed an alteration of generations by feral GM OSR in Japan. The possibility of cross pollination and GM gene introgression to domestic varieties can occur in these environments. To improve the situation, each responsible organization, company, administration, or government should establish measures how to stop the dispersal and persistence of GM OSR in nature. Also, the GM plant developers are responsible for revising this situation.     

西气东输工程靖边至宁陕界沙地生态环境保护对策

靖边至宁陕界的西气东输工程段属于毛乌素沙地南缘与陕北黄土高原北缘的过渡地带,项目区生态环境状况不稳定。一旦沙地植被遭到破坏,风吹蚀与沙搬运的荒漠化过程就会迅速发生,从而形成流沙使生态系统退化或破坏。在详细介绍了沙地特征和生态环境特点的基础上,提出了相应的荒漠化防治和治理措施,以将项目区的生态尽可能恢复成原状或将其不良影响降到最低。     

Risk analysis for road and rail transport of hazardous materials: a GIS approach

An approach to transportation risk analysis for road and rail transport of dangerous goods is proposed, which is based on the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to manage territorial information, coupled with a product data bank in a risk evaluation tool. Such an approach enables to accurately take into account the local data affecting risk analysis, such as population, accident rate, and weather conditions along all the route, by means of a system which can be easily updated. The resulting risk evaluation tool assists in the step of route identification and allows to rapidly perform an accurate transportation risk analysis, for a single transportation event as well as for multiple substances, trips and itineraries.     

移动式旋风颗粒层除尘器的设计研究

本文阐述了一种新型二级垂直移动式颗粒层除尘器，它的关键技术采用独创的床外清灰及气流输送、滤料循环系统．该除尘器１９９１年已获国家实用新型专利，它的适用范围广，除尘效率高，无二次污染。适用于粉尘、烟气等污染源的治理，使排放浓度达标．     

Distribution and transportation of mercury from glacier to lake in the Qiangyong Glacier Basin, southern Tibetan Plateau, China

The Tibetan Plateau is home to the largest aggregate of glaciers outside the Polar Regions and is a source of fresh water to 1.4 billion people. Yet little is known about the transportation and cycling of Hg in high-elevation glacier basins on Tibetan Plateau. In this study, surface snow,glacier melting stream water and lake water samples were collected from the Qiangyong Glacier Basin. The spatiotemporal distribution and transportation of Hg from glacier to lake were investigated. Significant diurnal variations of dissolved Hg(DHg) concentrations were observed in the river water, with low concentrations in the morning(8:00 am–14:00 pm) and high concentrations in the afternoon(16:00 pm–20:00 pm). The DHg concentrations were exponentially correlated with runoff, which indicated that runoff was the dominant factor affecting DHg concentrations in the river water. Moreover, significant decreases of Hg were observed during transportation from glacier to lake. DHg adsorption onto particulates followed by the sedimentation of particulate-bound Hg(PHg) could be possible as an important Hg removal mechanism during the transportation process. Significant decreases in Hg concentrations were observed downstream of Xiao Qiangyong Lake, which indicated that the high-elevation lake system could significantly affect the distribution and transportation of Hg in the Qiangyong Glacier Basin.     

Evaluation of the explosibility of malt grain dust based on static electrification during pneumatic transportation

The possibility of dust explosions by static electricity in a malt grain silo was investigated. Two kinds of experimental equipment were applied. One was to supply electrostatic charge in order to investigate the charge build up characteristics. The other was to transport the malt grain pneumatically in order to investigate the frictional charge accumulation in the transportation system.

The particle charge of the pulverized malt grain was in the order of 10⁻¹⁴ C. The particle charge of the malt grain was in the order of 10⁻⁹ C and the pipe charge in the transport system was also in the order of 10⁻⁹ C. The charge accumulated on both the pulverized particle and the grain particle were small in view of the incendiary potentiality. However, attention must be paid when the particles are dumped into isolated space. There might be a charge accumulation that will lead to the ignition of the dust cloud.