Ambient nitrogen oxides exposure and early childhood respiratory illnesses

Acute respiratory infections are common in children below 5 years and recent studies suggest a possible link with air pollution. In this study, we investigated the association between ambient nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and bronchitis or upper airway inflammation.This longitudinal study was conducted in Teplice and Prachatice districts, Czech Republic. Children were followed from birth to 4.5 years of age. Data were compiled from medical records at delivery and at follow up, and from self-administered questionnaires from the same two time points. Air pollution monitoring data were used to estimate exposure over five different averaging periods ranging from three to 45 days prior to an episode. To quantify the association between exposure and outcome, while accounting for repeated measure correlation we conducted logistic regression analysis using generalized estimating equations.During the first 2 years of life, the adjusted rate ratio for bronchitis associated with interquartile increase in the 30-day average NO_x was 1.31 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07, 1.61] and for two to 4.5 year olds, it was 1.23 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.49). The 14-day exposure also had stable association across both age groups: below 2 years it was 1.25 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.47) and for two to 4.5 years it was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.39). The association between bronchitis and NO_x increased with child's age in the under 2 years group, which is a relatively novel finding.The results demonstrate an association between NO_x and respiratory infections that are sufficiently severe to come to medical attention. The evidence, if causal, can be of public health concern because acute respiratory illnesses are common in preschool children.     

汽车左/右后轮罩冲压工艺及翻边、斜楔翻边模具设计

根据制件的特点 ,分析了其冲压成形的工艺难点 ,制定了合理的工艺 ,简化了模具设计和制造 ,并画出了制件的综合工序图 ,分析了各工序内容和工艺特点 ,说明了各工序模具设计的关键问题。同时以第 5道工序为例 ,重点分析了斜楔翻边、翻边模的结构、工作原理及设计要点     

废啤酒酵母吸附去除水溶液中活性红4

用废啤酒酵母作生物吸附剂吸附水溶液中活性红4(RR4),并对吸附性能进行了评价。通过电位滴定和FTIR分析表明废啤酒酵母上主要存在磺酸基、羧基及氨基等官能团。对溶液pH值、RR4浓度和吸附时间等因素对吸附的影响进行了研究,结果表明:废啤酒酵母对RR4的吸附速率快,320min即可达到吸附平衡;酸性条件利于吸附,碱性条件下则会发生解吸附,pH=11条件下解吸附率高于86%;等温吸附数据符合Langmuir模式,pH=2条件下废啤酒酵母对RR4的最大吸附量为103.36mg/g。     

微囊藻毒素RR的制备及鉴定

以野外收集的水华蓝藻为原料,建立了以75%甲醇溶液提取、快速色谱和半制备色谱分离为主要步骤的微囊藻毒素分离纯化方法,并用HPLC、分光光度计和电喷雾质谱对所得毒素的纯度和结构进行了鉴定.结果表明,所得毒素为MCRR,纯度大于95%,其紫外吸收光谱在239nm处有特征吸收,分子组成为环(Ala-Arg-MeAsp-Arg-Adda-Glu-Mdha),分子量为1037.     

保护性耕作下小麦田土壤呼吸及碳平衡研究

为了研究小麦农田生态系统土壤碳排放与作物碳蓄积特征,采用LI6400-09在重庆北碚西南大学教学试验农场对平作(T)、垄作(R)、平作+覆盖(TS)、垄作+覆盖(RS)这4种处理下的西南紫色土丘陵区小麦/玉米/大豆套作体系中小麦生长季节的土壤呼吸及植株生长动态进行了观测.利用根系生物量外推法(root biomass regression,RBR)和根排除法(root exclusion,RE)这2种方法比较分析根系呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献,并估算小麦农田碳收支状况.结果表明,土壤呼吸介于0.62~2.91μmol·(m2·s)-1,平均值为1.71μmol·(m2·s)-1.T、R、TS、RS各处理日均土壤呼吸速率分别为1.29、1.59、1.99、1.96μmol·(m2·s)-1,表现为T相似文献   

核黄素对偶氮染料生物降解的影响

采用高温〔(55±1) ℃〕升流式厌氧污泥床(UASB)-常温三相好氧流化床组合工艺处理含盐偶氮染料活性艳红X-3B(RR2)废水,考察核黄素(VB₂)对染料的降解及活性污泥微生物相的影响.结果表明:在水力停留时间(HRT)为18 h,进水ρ(RR2)为40～100mg/L,ρ(COD_Cr)为800～1 200 mg/L,ρ(NaCl)为30 000～35 000 mg/L,UASB反应器的有机负荷为2～3 kg/(m3·d),三相好氧流化床有机负荷为0.3～0.4 kg/(kg·d)的条件下,ρ(VB₂)为5 mg/L时可以明显改善工艺的运行效果,RR2和COD_Cr的去除率均在95%以上;UASB及三相好氧流化床中活性污泥微生物以杆菌为主,核黄素的投加使得系统中菌体体积变小、总量减少.      

沙尘天气PM10对多种心血管疾病日门诊人数的影响

为研究沙尘天气大气可吸入颗粒物(PM10)与心血管系统疾病每日门诊人数的联系,采用半参数广义相加泊松回归模型(GAM),在排除了混杂因素如季节趋势、日历效应、气象因素和时间长期趋势等作用的前提下,分析2004年3月1日~5月31日沙尘暴频发区——甘肃省武威市大气PM10与多种心血管疾病每日门诊相对危险度(RR)的关系.结果表明,PM10与男、女总心血管系统疾病门诊RR均在滞后第2d(lag2)的联系有统计学意义.PM10分别在lag3和lag4对男、女性风湿性心脏病门诊RR的影响有统计学意义; PM10(lag2)与男性高血压门诊RR的联系有统计学意义.PM10在lag2对男性缺血性心血管疾病门诊RR的影响有统计学意义;PM10对男、女性心律失常以及充血性心力衰竭门诊RR的影响均无统计学意义.在调整了SO2和/或NO2后,PM10对男、女性心血管系统疾病门诊RR的作用有所下降,但在统计学上仍有意义.然而在分别调整了其他污染物后,SO2和NO2变得无统计学意义.沙尘天气PM10浓度分类模型分析表明,从正常清洁天、轻度污染天到扬沙天气、沙尘暴天气,随着PM10浓度水平的增大,心血管系统疾病(缺血性心血管疾病、充血性心力衰竭、心律失常、高血压、风湿性心脏病)门诊RR也随之增高,呈现一定的剂量效应关系.沙尘天气可吸入颗粒物可引起暴露居民多种心血管系统疾病(缺血性心血管疾病、充血性心力衰竭、心律失常、高血压、风湿性心脏病)门诊人数增多,且均呈现滞后效应. PM10浓度与心血管系统疾病门诊RR表现为一定的剂量效应关系.PM10浓度与沙尘天气强度有密切关系, 随着PM10浓度与沙尘天气强度的增大,暴露居民心血管系统多种疾病日门诊RR也增大,具体为:正常清洁天＜轻度污染天＜扬沙天＜沙尘暴天.     

Probationary and non-probationary drivers' nighttime crashes in Western Australia, 1996-2000

INTRODUCTION: This study was designed to explore the temporal aspects of crashes for probationary and non-probationary drivers. METHODS: Data from the West Australian Road Injury Database from 1996-2000 were used to calculate age-sex-specific crash rates per 100,000 person-days and to plot proportions of fatal and hospital crashes by time for probationary and non-probationary drivers. The population attributable risk was used to estimate the potential number of lives saved by nighttime driving restriction in the probationary period. RESULTS: Probationary drivers were seven times more likely to crash than non-probationary drivers. While the highest number of crashes was in the daytime, probationary drivers had a higher proportion of fatal or hospitalization crashes at night than non-probationary drivers. CONCLUSION: Restrictions on driving at night could form part of graduated driver training. Even if some probationary drivers disobeyed the restriction, a substantial reduction in car occupant fatalities and hospitalizations could result.     

Winter storm-related injuries in Oklahoma, January 2007

Introduction

A January 2007 ice storm occurred in Oklahoma, causing power outages and hazardous travel conditions. The objective of this investigation was to describe the nature of winter storm-related injuries among Oklahoma residents, to determine populations at risk, and to inform prevention-planning personnel.

Methods

Winter storm-related injuries were a temporarily reportable condition; all acute-care hospitals and the state medical examiner logged storm-related injuries and deaths during January 12 − 30, 2007. Medical records were retrospectively abstracted.Risk of injury was described by demographic group, injury type, and mechanism.

Results

Among 6,047 persons experiencing winter storm-related injuries, 74% were injured in falls, 13% in motor-vehicle collisions (MVCs), 8% while sledding, 1% by unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, 1% in cleanup activities, and 3% by other mechanisms. Median age of injured persons was 39 years. Persons aged ≥ 40 years were 1.4 times more likely to experience falls as the cause of injury than those aged < 40 years, and falls were twice as likely as other mechanisms to cause fractures among persons aged ≥ 40 years. Injured persons aged < 40 years were 2.2 times more likely to experience MVC-related injuries, and 19 times more likely to experience sledding-related injuries than persons aged ≥ 40 years.

Conclusions

Younger persons were more likely injured in MVCs and sledding incidents, whereas older persons were more likely to experience falls and fractures.

Impact on industry

Prevention messages for winter storm-related injuries should target winter-driving safety tips to younger adults and precautions regarding falls to older adults.     

Effects of the California graduated driver licensing program

PROBLEM: On July 1, 1998, in an effort to ameliorate the problem of high teenage driver crash rates, California implemented a graduated driver licensing system (GDLS). METHOD: Data on injury crashes of 16- and 17-year-old drivers from a pre-GDLS year were compared with data from two post-GDLS years. Per-capita crash rate ratios were adjusted for changes in crash rates of 25- to 34-year-old drivers, who were unaffected by the GDLS. Prevented numbers and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. RESULTS: Fatal or severe injury crash rates were significantly lower during each of the two post-GDLS years (adjusted rate ratios (RR)=0.72 and 0.83, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively). Significant rate reductions were observed for all crash types, particularly for struck object (RR=0.71 and 0.80, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively) and non-collision (RR=0.63 and 0.72, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively). Minor injury crash rates were also lower during post-GDLS years (RR=0.87 and 0.90, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively). Percent reductions were notably larger during the hours of the late night driving restriction (midnight-5 a.m.) (RR=0.79 and 0.87, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively). SUMMARY: The implementation of the California GDLS was followed by large reductions in the rate of injury-producing motor-vehicle crashes. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: This evaluation supports previous evidence that GDLS is an effective countermeasure to adolescent motor-vehicle crashes and their associated injuries. States with a traditional licensing system may prevent adolescent driver crashes by adopting a GDLS. Future studies should examine factors that influence teenager compliance with GDLS provisions and identify approaches to improving compliance.