Overestimation of self-reported driving exposure: Results from the SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study

Objectives: The accuracy of self-reported driving exposure has questioned the validity of using self-reported mileage to inform research questions. Studies examining the accuracy of self-reported driving exposure compared to objective measures find low validity, with drivers overestimating and underestimating driving distance. The aims of the current study were to (1) examine the discrepancy between self-reported annual mileage and driving exposure the following year and (2) investigate whether these differences depended on age and annual mileage.

Methods: Two estimates of drivers’ self-reported annual mileage collected during vehicle installation (obtained via prestudy questionnaires) and approximated annual mileage driven (based upon Global Positioning System data) were acquired from 3,323 participants who participated in the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2) Naturalistic Driving Study.

Results: A Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that there was a significant difference between self-reported and annual driving exposure during participation in SHRP 2, with the majority of self-reported responses overestimating annual mileage the following year, irrespective of whether an ordinal or ratio variable was examined. Over 15% of participants provided self-reported responses with over 100% deviation, which were exclusive to participants underestimating annual mileage. Further, deviations in reporting differed between participants who had low, medium, and high exposure, as well as between participants in different age groups.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that although self-reported annual mileage is heavily relied on for research, such estimates of driving distance may be an overestimate of current or future mileage and can influence the validity of prior research that has utilized estimates of driving exposure.     

Toward harmonizing prospective effectiveness assessment for road safety: Comparing tools in standard test case simulations

Abstract

Objective: With the overall goal to harmonize prospective effectiveness assessment of active safety systems, the specific objective of this study is to identify and evaluate sources of variation in virtual precrash simulations and to suggest topics for harmonization resulting in increased comparability and thus trustworthiness of virtual simulation-based prospective effectiveness assessment.

Methods: A round-robin assessment of the effectiveness of advanced driver assistance systems was performed using an array of state-of-the-art virtual simulation tools on a set of standard test cases. The results were analyzed to examine reasons for deviations in order to identify and assess aspects that need to be harmonized and standardized. Deviations between results calculated by independent engineering teams using their own tools should be minimized if the research question is precisely formulated regarding input data, models, and postprocessing steps.

Results: Two groups of sources of variations were identified; one group (mostly related to the implementation of the system under test) can be eliminated by using a more accurately formulated research question, whereas the other group highlights further harmonization needs because it addresses specific differences in simulation tool setups. Time-to-collision calculations, vehicle dynamics, especially braking behavior, and hit-point position specification were found to be the main sources of variation.

Conclusions: The study identified variations that can arise from the use of different simulation setups in assessment of the effectiveness of active safety systems. The research presented is a first of its kind and provides significant input to the overall goal of harmonization by identifying specific items for standardization. Future activities aim at further specification of methods for prospective assessments of the effectiveness of active safety, which will enhance comparability and trustworthiness in this kind of studies and thus contribute to increased traffic safety.     

节水灌溉措施下湘东北丘陵林-稻汇水区复合系统铅的迁移

铅通过食物链的迁移和积累对人类健康的毒害作用日益为社会所重视,而水稻是人类铅摄入的主要途径之一,因此,对稻田土壤铅的迁入途径及其过程特征的研究十分必要.为了探明湖南地区远离城镇、工矿区的丘陵稻区铅的输入、迁移、滞留机制,选择位于湘东北地域的汩罗市桃林林场的林地-山塘-稻田汇水区系统作为研究对象,在水稻大田生长期间,原位研究其大气沉降、岗地径流、山塘水、稻田水、水稻生长等过程的铅通量.结果表明：①输入系统的铅源是大气沉降,其中,在水稻生育前期通过东南季风输入的区域外源铅占90%;②山塘是大气沉降铅的主要集纳地貌单元,存留了大气沉降输入岗地和山塘总铅的66%;③林-稻汇水区系统岗地铅净留存28.8~57.7 g·hm^-2,山塘铅净留存604.3~961.9 g·hm^-2,稻田铅净留存89.6~90.9 g·hm^-2;而对照系统岗地铅净输出173.3 g·hm^-2,山塘净留存3427.6 g·hm^-2,稻田净留存87.1 g·hm^-2;④岗地和山塘对铅的截留量能够互补;⑤从岗地通过径流-山塘水过程迁移到稻田的大分子有机物能够增强稻田对铅的截留.综上所述,丘陵林-稻汇水区系统中铅的循环与大气沉降有关,系统内岗地森林类型、郁闭度、降水产流及泥沙、有机物的输出都会影响铅在系统中的迁移和分配.     

京津冀西北典型区域地下水位时空演变及驱动因素

京津冀西北地区是北京、天津重要的水源涵养区和生态屏障,也是“京津冀协同发展”战略重要的支撑区域。为揭示京津冀西北地区地下水位时空演变规律及其驱动因素,以张家口地区为研究区域,选取1981—2015年56个地下水位观测井连续观测数据、水文地质相关资料、气象数据、地下水资源开采数据和社会经济数据,对研究区内坝上高原、柴宣盆地、涿怀盆地和蔚阳盆地四个地貌单元地下水位时空演变规律和驱动因素进行分析。结果表明：张家口地区四个地貌单元及下辖各区县地下水位呈整体下降趋势,且下降速率逐步加快。35年间坝上高原水位降幅3.59 m<蔚阳盆地水位降幅3.6 m<涿怀盆地水位降幅7.17 m<柴宣盆地水位降幅20.41 m。张家口地区四个地貌单元地下水位动态变化与降雨量、蒸发量、气温等自然因素相关性较差,但与第一产业产值、常用耕地面积、有效灌溉面积、粮食总产量、蔬菜总产量、猪牛羊肉总产量、第二产业产值、第三产业产值和年末总人口等社会经济因素存在显著的相关性。在主成分分析中四个地貌单元前两个主成分的累计方差贡献率均>80%,其中第一个主成分主要为蔬菜总产量、猪牛羊肉总产量、年末总人口和第一、第二、第三产业产值等社会经济因素,不同地貌单元均可解释66%以上,表明社会经济因素是造成张家口地区地下水位持续下降的主要驱动因素。研究成果可为该地区未来社会经济的可持续发展和区域水资源的合理利用、调配以及京津冀西北地区水源涵养和生态功能保持提供理论依据。     

A pilot project to detect and forecast harmful algal blooms in the northern Gulf of Mexico

More timely access to data and information on the initiation, evolution and effects of harmful algal blooms can reduce adverse impacts on valued natural resources and human health. To achieve this in the northern Gulf of Mexico, a pilot project was initiated to develop a user-driven, end-to-end (measurements to applications) observing system. A key strategy of the project is to coordinate existing state, federal and academic programs at an unprecedented level of collaboration and partnership. Resource managers charged with protection of public health and aquatic resources require immediate notice of algal events and a forecast of when, where and what adverse effects will likely occur. Further, managers require integrated analyses and interpretations, rather than raw data, to make effective decisions. Consequently, a functional observing system must collect and transform diverse measurements into usable forecasts. Data needed to support development of forecasts will include such properties as sea surface temperature, winds, currents and waves; precipitation and freshwater flows with related discharges of sediment and nutrients; salinity, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll concentrations (in vivo fluorescence); and remotely-sensed spatial images of sea surface chlorophyll concentrations. These data will be provided via a mixture of discrete and autonomous in situ sensing with near real-time data telemetry, and remote sensing from space (SeaWiFS), aircraft (hyperspectral imagery) or land (high-frequency radar). With calibration across these platforms, the project will ultimately provide a 4-dimensional visualization of harmful algae events in a time frame suitable to resource managers.     

基于AHP-MF模型的用户群节水指标体系研究

从分析影响用户群节水的因素及其构成关系入手,根据专家长期节水工作的经验,利用层次分析法对用户群节水指标进行优选,并提出全面的定量化和定性化的层次结构评价模式和总体评价方法.首先构建用户群节水的层次分析结构模型及判断矩阵,应用Matlab6.5计算出各判断矩阵的最大特征值及其特征向量,并检验判断矩阵的一致性,继而确定出各指标的权重;其次,应用Fuzzy统计的方法对陕西2006年度高校用户群的节水情况进行评价,并为节水工作提供建设性意见.     

UV-B辐射对小麦叶抗氧化系统的影响

研究了温室种植的小麦在０（ＣＫ）、８．８２ｋＪ／ｍ＾２（Ｔ１）和１２．６ｋＪ／ｍ＾２（Ｔ２）三种剂量的紫外线Ｂ（ＵＶ－Ｂ）辐射下抗氧化系统的变化及其原因。ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射诱导了Ｈ２Ｏ２的合成，还原型抗坏血酸和还原型谷胱甘肽含量的增加、过氧化氢酶、愈创木酚过氧化物酶、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶和谷胱甘肽还原酶活性升高，而类胡萝卜素稍有所降低、超氧歧化酶（ＳＯＤ）活几乎不受ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射影响，分析表明，ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射     

无顺市水污染物总量分配探讨

根据抚顺市地表水系和水域功能区划的分布情况，采用了定额达标分配、治理费用最小，及按现有排污总量进行达标分配的方法对水污染物进行总量分配，从而对减少污染物排放，控制水体污染提供了技术支持。     

Climate Change and Energy Technologies

The long time scale of the climate change problem and the inherent nature of the carbon cycle bring important implications for present technology development efforts. Even if major technology improvements are achieved for non-carbon-emitting technologies such as energy-intensity improvements, wind, solar, biomass, and nuclear over the course of the 21^st century, most examinations of potential future greenhouse emissions conclude that additional technology development will be required to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations. The evelopment of an expanded suite of technologies including carbon capture and disposal, hydrogen systems and biotechnology hold the potential to dramatically reduce the cost of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations. This paper examines these technologies in the context of a global integrated assessment model of energy, agriculture, land-use, economics, and carbon cycle processes.