Selection of overburden surface mining method in West Virginia by analytical hierarchy process

The broad objective of this research was to improve current surface mining practices and reduce negative environmental impact of overburden removal in West Virginia(WV).The specific objectives were to(i)compare conventional surface mining method(drilling,blasting,digging,and loading)to a surface miner(SM)method,and(ii)apply the analytical hierarchy process(AHP)to help select the optimal mining method based on production,cost and environmental criteria.The design and the procedures used in this research involve five interrelated modules:(i)rock properties of overburden in WV,(ii)drilling and blasting,(iii)digging and loading,(iv)SM method,and(v)comparative analysis and selection of the optimal mining method by AHP.Results of this research indicate that application of SM method would yield higher cost of overburden removal than conventional mining methods in rocks with a high unconfined compressive strength and abrasivity.A significant advantage of SM method,where applicable,is the elimination of the negative environmental impacts associated with blasting.

Mercury concentrations in blood and feathers of nestling Bald Eagles in coastal and inland Virginia

Background:Mercury(Hg) and methylmercury are widely considered significant issues for wildlife,and in particular,piscivorous birds due to their widespread availability and neurotoxic properties.Whereas a substantial number of studies of Hg contamination of Bald Eagles(Haliaeetus leucocephalus) have been conducted throughout the east coast of the United States,little has been done that directly addresses Hg contamination in Bald Eagles in Virginia,particularly the inland population.Methods:We collected blood and feather samples from nestling Bald Eagles in the coastal plain,piedmont,and western regions of Virginia in an effort to determine which areas of the state were more likely to contain populations showing evidence of Hg toxicity.We analyzed the samples for total Hg using a Milestone DMA-80.Results:Samples collected from individuals located in the coastal region exhibited low concentrations of Hg compared to those further inland located on freshwater rivers and reservoirs.Samples collected from the inland population exhibited levels in some areas that are approaching what may be considered to be sub-lethal to avian health(blood:mean 0.324 mg/kg,SE = 0.13,range = 0.06-0.97 mg/kg;feather:mean = 8.433 mg/kg,SE = 0.3,range = 3.811-21.14 mg/kg).Conclusions:Even after accounting for known point-sources of Hg,the inland eagle population in Virginia is susceptible to concentrations of Hg that are significantly higher than their coastal counterparts.Moreover,several locations besides those currently known to be impacted by point-sources are exhibiting concentrations that are approaching a sub-lethal level.

Forests of West Virginia,U.S.A. and Shaanxi,China:a study in forest exploitation and recovery

A review of the period of unregulated exploitation of forests in the state of West Virginia (U.S.) and in Shaanxi Province, PRC was presented. Economic and ecological recovery from exploitation has been different in the two regions due to basic differences in nature of the forest and in the degree and persistence of exploitive pressures. After a century since unregulated exploitation, West Virginia forests are well on the road to management for sustainability and conservation. Shaanxi's recovery from overuse and unregulated exploitation is less certain; forests are still in the early phases of ecological recovery there. Full recovery to a period of sustainability will take a century or longer. Suggestions are made for measures needed to enhance the forest recovery. Keywords Forests - Shaanxi - West Virginia - Central China - Forest exploitation - Recovery CLC number S754 Document code A Article ID 1007-662X(2004)01-0049-06 Foundation item: The project was sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry (2002–2004) and Shaanxi Provincial Foreign Expert Bureau (2003).Biography: Jack E. Coster (1935-), male, professor of West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia. U.S.A.Responsible editor: Song Funan

An Analysis of Farming in the Rural Economic Development of West Virginia

Farming is still an important sector in rural economic development of West Virginia where 44% of the population lives in rural areas and 24% of the land is used for farming. While income earnings, education and employment rates are low in rural areas, poverty rates and unemployment are high compared to the urban areas. Thus, in the context of rural development farming is a potential major economic sector where 42% of the people＇s primary occupation is reported as farming. The objective of this study is to identify and estimate the potential impacts of farm employment in rural economic growth of West Virginia. Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S Census Bureau for the period of 1993 to 2008 are used for the empirical analysis. A model derived from the three simultaneous equations of Duncan is used for analysis. Three-Stage Least Squares （3SLS） method using the statistical package of STATA is used for estimation. The results concerning simultaneous relationships with population density growth, per capita income growth, and farm employment growth reveal significant importance of farming in rural economic development of West Virginia. Furthermore, the results indicate the positive impacts of population density, number of people with farming as principal occupation, and crop production on rural farming sector.

Mechanisms for Cross-Scaling, Flexibility and Social Learning in Building Resilience to Sea Level Rise: Case Study of Hampton Roads, Virginia

This case study examines how the Hampton Roads Sea Level Rise Preparedness and Resilience Intergovernmental Planning Pilot Project, a whole-of-government and whole-of-community approach to planning for and adapting to sea level rise, addressed coastal resilience in a southeastern Virginia watershed that spans multiple jurisdictions. Meeting the challenge of sea level rise requires that actors across multiple sectors—citizens, community organizations, industry and government—understand the risks and work together to make critical decisions regarding adaptation strategies and actions. The case study area includes Little Creek Amphibious Base, which is bordered by the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Adaptation responses to sea level rise by the military base and the local governments will impact each other and the residents of the area, but no cooperative agreements are in place for a joint or collaborative response. This case study examines public and private infrastructure at risk, the infrastructure interdependencies, and mechanisms for providing collaborative solutions. Engagement of area residents and other stakeholders is also integral to the process of adaptation, which includes educating about sea level rise risk and provides a mechanism for social learning that enables stakeholders to participate in critical adaptation decisions. The case study demonstrates a method to improve resiliency in the case study area and inform a regional, multi-sectoral response to sea level rise adaptation strategies.

Effects of historic wildfire and prescribed fire on site occupancy of bats in Shenandoah National Park,Virginia,USA

Given the likelihood of regional extirpation of several once-common bat species in eastern North America from white-nose syndrome,it is critical that the impacts of forest management activities,such as prescribed fire,are known in order to minimize potentially additive negative effects on bat populations.Historic wildfires may offer a suitable surrogate to assess long-term burn impacts on bats for planning,implementing and assessing burn programs.To examine the effects of historic fire on bats,we sampled bat activities at 24 transect locations in burned and unburned forest stands in the central Appalachian Mountains of Shenandoah National Park(SNP),Virginia,USA.There was limited evidence of positive fire effects over time on hoary bats(Lasiurus cinereus Beauvois)and big brown bats(Eptesicus fuscus Beauvois)occupancy.Overall,there were few or mostly equivocal relationships of bat occupancy relative to burn conditions or time since fire in SNP across species using a false-positive occupancy approach.Our results suggest that fire does not strongly affect bat site occupancy short-or long-term in the central Appalachians.

ANALYSES OF RECENT GEOMORPHIC EVOLUTION OF GARGATHY INLET, EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA, U. S. A.

Uargathy Inlet is a small natural tidal inlet in the northern region ol the Virginia Darner island chain. It is 100 m wide with a throat cross-sectional area of 384m2 and an average tidal prism of 6.47 x 106 m3. The inside drainage system is 7.8 km long and 2.2km wide. The main channels comprise 5.8% of the area, shallow lagoons 19.8%, and Spartina marshes 74.4% in 1970. Over the period 1851 - 1989 the inlet narrowed and migrated northward while maintaining a weakening downdrift offset. The nearby barrier island coastline’s rapid retreat (average rate 4.78m /a, 138 years retreat 660 m) was accompanied by back barrier channel and lagoon filling and a decrease in intertidal water volume which was probably the main reason for the entrance narrowing. The northward migration of the inlet was related to the dredging of the Inside Passage (before 1949) and the breaching of southern Metompkin Island (since 1957) connected with the inlet system. This altered the interior tidal circulation and likely shifted

COMPARISON OF GREEN HOME ENERGY PERFORMANCE BETWEEN SIMULATION AND OBSERVATION: A CASE OF VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

The United States has a long-term goal to reduce 50%of energy usage in buildings based on 2010 consumption levels.Home energy efficiency is often measured by laboratory experiments and computational simulation.Thus,there is little to no quantifiable evidence showing the extent of energy efficiency homes can achieve within the larger context of green building standards.The objective of this research is to identify actual home energy performance as an effect of green building technolo-gies by comparing energy use from real-world observations and energy modeling.Results indicate a significant reduction of energy consumption at 43.7%per unit or 43.4%per square foot(i.e.,0.093 m^(2))and substantial financial savings at$628.4 per unit or$0.80 per square foot(i.e.,$8.6 per m^(2))annually.Savings account for 2%of median annual household income or 46%of energy cost expenditures for an American home.Results also identify the construction type as a significant factor,yet building technology is not the only factor influencing a home’s energy efficiency.The findings contribute to the body of knowledge in three aspects:(1)simulated energy usage is higher than actual energy usage;(2)energy modeling via simulation tools is particularly accurate for new construction;and(3)energy modeling,especially for existing buildings,is not accurate due to largely varying occupant behaviors.

Grain Consumption and Production in Virginia: A Trend and Spatial Examination

This article couples an examination of grain production with Virginia’s livestock and poultry sector to analyze the overall magnitude and distribution of grain consumption in Virginia. Specifically, this paper describes the sources and trends over time of grain production and consumption;identifies grain surplus (and deficit) areas across Virginia’s counties;describes and applies a methodology to quantify livestock and poultry consumption requirements at the state- and county-levels;provides an updated assessment of Virginia’s ability to meet its feed grain needs;and discusses implications on the overall distribution system. Important results of the analysis reveal that grain consumption in Virginia is due mainly to demand in the poultry sector (primarily broilers and chickens). Furthermore, grain consumption in this state has generally declined over the last twenty years, due to decreasing livestock population numbers. Coupled with a slight upward trend in grain production, Virginia appears to be increasingly capable of meeting its grain needs. There is, however, an important east-west divide in the state, with western counties requiring more grain than they produce. Since grain does not appear to move from the relatively “production-rich” eastern counties, transportation infrastructure is important to bring in grain from outside the state.

DEMAND-SIDE ENERGY MANAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

INTRODUCTION The following text offers a view of the Energy Management Program at the University of Virginia(UVa),located in Charlottesville,Virginia.UVa has a very successful history of conserving energy and improving efficiency in central energy systems such as chilled water loops and steam production and distribution.More recently,the UVa Energy Management Program has intensified efforts on demand-side energy conservation opportunities.Demand-side conservation opportunities exist at most college campuses;improvements in efficiency in buildings(demand side)can significantly reduce energy consumption and cost.The keys to an effective demand-side energy management program are shown in the graphic.This basic,continuous improvement cycle of PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT was coined by Deming,and is the basis of energy management at UVa.Past and ongoing successful efforts at UVa have paid huge dividends.They include elimination of many aging stand-alone chillers and boilers by connecting buildings to central plants.Avoided energy use and cost has saved at least$10,000,000 annually.Demand-side improvements include lighting upgrades made in all buildings by replacing older T-12 fluorescent fixtures with T-8 tubes with electronic ballasts.Occupancy sensors were also added to thousands of lighting circuits.A major supply-side improvement was investing in four large electric substations to combine hundreds of electricity accounts into four,thus reducing cost and improving reliability.UVa has hundreds of buildings with approximately 14 million square feet of enclosed building space.Building uses and types include a large teaching hospital,research buildings,animal care areas,laboratory,classroom,athletic,and student housing ranging in age from more than 200 years to new construction.Energy and utility use vary just as greatly as their ages and uses.Regardless of how efficient a building is designed to be,it operates only as efficiently as it is allowed to be by building occupants and managers.

Virginia Tech Comprehensive Power-based Fuel Consumption Model(VT-CPFM):Model Validation and Calibration Considerations

A power-based vehicle fuel consumption model,entitled the Virginia Tech Comprehensive Power-based Fuel Consumption Model(VT-CPFM)that was developed in an earlier publication is validated against in-field fuel consumption measurements.The study demonstrates that the VT-CPFMs calibrated using the EPA city and highway fuel economy ratings generally provide reliable fuel consumption estimates with a coefficient of determination in the range of 0.96.More importantly,both estimates and measurements produce very similar behavioral changes depending on engine load conditions.The VT-CPFMs are demonstrated to be easily calibrated using publically available data without the need to gather in-field instantaneous data.

关税措施对农业能源使用和碳排放的影响——以中美贸易摩擦为例

关税措施会对农业能源使用及其碳排放带来怎样的影响,有待科学而系统的评估。构建农产品贸易、能源使用及其碳排放系统模型,并以2018年中美贸易摩擦事件为例,设置不同关税情景,模拟分析关税措施对我国农作物生产、能源使用及其碳排放多方面的影响。结果显示,加征美国大豆进口关税将会减少我国大豆进口总量,促使国内大豆种植面积和产量增加,小麦种植面积将被挤占,玉米种植面积略微增加。关税措施对国内农产品种植能源使用和碳排放总量没有显著影响,但是对不同农产品的影响具有异质性。加征关税使得大豆种植能源使用及碳排放明显增加,小麦种植能源使用及碳排放相应增加,而玉米种植能源使用及碳排放轻微下降。因而,要关注关税变化对农业生产、能源使用及其碳排放带来的系统性影响,协调农产品贸易与碳排放管理政策,基于作物用能特征和贸易条件分类制定适应性节能减排策略,缓解关税措施带来的系统性影响。

失能老人照护与支持需求质性研究的系统评价

背景老龄化背景下,失能老人照护需求不容忽视。全面了解失能老人照护与支持需求可为政府决策部门合理制定照护方案提供参考依据。目的系统评价失能老人照护与支持需求相关的质性研究。方法于2022-12-03—2023-02-26系统检索Web of Science、PubMed、Embase、Cochrane Library、中国知网、万方数据知识服务平台、中国生物医学文献服务系统从建库至2023-02-26相关的质性研究。采用澳大利亚JBI循证卫生保健中心质性研究质量评价标准进行文献质量评价,通过汇集性整合方法对原始质性研究结果进行归纳整合。结果本研究共纳入33篇质性研究,提炼出7个主题,共18个类别:日常生活相关需求(基础性日常生活活动、家务活动、照护特征),功能独立性需求(身体功能独立、自主决策独立),卫生保健相关需求(卫生保健服务内容、卫生保健服务体验、卫生保健服务需求表达),环境支持需求(客观环境支持、政策支持),正性情绪支持需求(情感慰藉、精神关怀),社会支持需求(社区支持性服务、活动参与、人际链接、信息链接),卫生技术相关需求(照护辅助设备、技术服务)。结论失能老人照护与支持需求复杂且多样。政府需要整合“家庭-社区-机构”资源以应对失能老人“身-心-社-医-环境”需求,从群体角度关注失能老人照护资源的分配公平,给予失能老人更多的社会福利。

一种采用柔性缓冲垫块的双面散热SiC MOSFET双向开关模块研究

随着功率模块朝着高温、高功率、高密度方向发展,这对模块的封装结构提出了新的要求。较传统的引线键合结构,双面散热结构由于具有高散热能力和低寄生电感等特点受到广泛关注。但是双面散热结构材料间热膨胀系数的差异使之承受较大的热-机械应力,降低了功率模块的可靠性。因此,为设计具有低热-机械应力双面散热双向开关,本研究首先使用仿真分析了芯片布局对模块散热性能以及寄生电感的影响,在此基础上提出了一种具有低杨氏模量的柔性缓冲垫块,综合仿真及试验初步证明其降低热-机械应力、提高模块可靠性的可行性。

发展园艺类治疗方法理论的重要概念

【目的】为厘清园艺疗法的概念界定,深入思考其理论发展的重要问题。【方法/过程】回顾并总结园艺疗法在自然环境与人类健康相关学科领域的发展过程中需要解决的关键问题。基于50多年来在全球范围内开展的与园艺疗法相关的教育、实践、研究、教学、合作、写作和咨询活动,结合当前大量的文献综述,鼓励读者通力合作,共同解决对园艺疗法领域的发展至关重要的问题。【结果/结论】为读者提供了多样的方法来理解和解决园艺疗法作为理论、模型和应用发展一部分的关键问题。

基于CNN-Bi LSTM的铁氧体磁芯损耗精确模型和小样本迁移学习预测方法

传统的经验公式和损耗分离公式难以准确计算宽频宽磁密、宽温度范围以及复杂波形激励下铁氧体磁芯的损耗。考虑到磁芯损耗与磁通密度波形的局部和长期特征均相关,基于普林斯顿大学研究者构建的MagNet数据集,采用CNN-BiLSTM建立大样本磁芯损耗预训练模型,损耗预测的平均误差均小于3%,95%误差均小于10%;以3C90和N87铁氧体为例,构建小样本数据集并采用迁移学习方法训练模型,选取最优迁移学习策略,提出最优源域模型选取方法,对比迁移学习和直接训练所需的训练步数,分析小样本数量和初始学习率对迁移学习效果的影响。以样本数量达到1000为例,与直接训练相比,采用迁移学习方法后模型所需训练步数由500降为50,3C90和N87铁氧体损耗预测的平均误差分别由4.49%和6.6%降为2.66%和2.35%,95%误差分别由11.97%和17.12%降为7.22%和6.21%,模型的收敛速度和预测精度都大大提高。在实际工程中,仅需利用少量样本对源域模型参数进行微调,即可实现模型快速求解和损耗精确预测。

护士非技术技能行为的描述性质性研究

目的梳理麻醉护士非技术技能(non-technical skill,NTS)行为,明确我国麻醉护士NTS构成,为开展麻醉护士NTS评估和培训提供依据。方法采用目的抽样法对22名麻醉护士、7名麻醉医生进行半结构访谈;运用定向内容分析法,提取和梳理NTS行为,并归至亚主题和主题。结果共形成107个NTS行为,归类至7个主题(情境意识、决策制订、沟通、任务为导向的领导力、关系为导向的领导力、压力管理和疲劳应对)和22个亚主题。结论我国麻醉护士在工作中展现出多方面NTS;麻醉护士的NTS行为与其工作职责密切相关;有必要开发本土麻醉护士NTS评估工具和培训课程,以促进麻醉护士NTS水平提升,保障患者安全。

基于GC-MS-O技术的景观设计用马尾松木材气味化合物分析

【目的】鉴定马尾松木材气味化合物及气味特征并分析其来源和释放机制,为马尾松气味数据库的构建及其作为景观木材在景观设计中的科学利用提供指导。【方法】以不同含水率的马尾松心、边材为研究对象,利用气相色谱-质谱-嗅闻(GC-MS-O)技术分析马尾松木材气味化合物释放特性。【结果】马尾松木材常温状态下释放的气味化合物共25种,主要有α-蒎烯(浓松木香)、莰烯(薄荷香,刺激)、柠檬烯(柠檬香,清香)、长叶烯(清凉)和(+)-环苜蓿烯(清香)等。马尾松木材气味化合物主要组分为萜类、醇类、烃类和醛类等,萜类占气味化合物总量的90.99%~96.58%(质量浓度)。马尾松木材气味化合物以薄荷樟脑、清香花香和木香为主,伴有果香和甜香,偶有较弱的杏仁和皮革混合香气味。随着含水率降低,马尾松木材气味化合物总质量浓度和气味强度呈先升后降趋势。边材气味化合物的种类、质量浓度和气味强度大于心材,含水率30%时,边材气味化合物的质量浓度和气味强度分别是心材的6.76和1.77倍。马尾松边材中含萜类、醇类、烃类和醛类等气味化合物,心材中仅萜类和烃类气味化合物稳定存在,偶有少量醇类化合物。单体气味化合物质量浓度与木材含水率相关,但相关性在心、边材中有所不同。单体气味化合物质量浓度与单体气味强度总体呈正相关,但相关系数因化合物种类、木材位置和木材含水率不同差异较大。【结论】薄荷樟脑、清香花香和木香是马尾松木材的主要气味,果香和甜香起气味修饰作用,整体上马尾松木材气味可带给人们舒缓、放松、愉快等心理感受。马尾松木材用作景观材料,对使用者的心理和身体健康均有积极作用,适宜用于大部分城市公园、儿童公园以及疗愈景观中。

手机依赖高风险人群筛查量表的编制及性能测试

目的:编制中文简短手机依赖问卷(SPDQ),为手机依赖的群体筛查和公共卫生人群监测提供工具。方法:采用同组研究设计获得221名大学生4次测量数据。内部一致性信度(Cronbach′α)和重测信度(ICC)系数分析问卷信度,探索性和验证性因子分析确定问卷效度,ROC分析确定判断手机依赖的临界值。结果:SPDQ由7个条目构成,具有较高的内部一致性、重测信度与良好的结构效度和效标效度。问卷包含两因子模型,包括认知/心理依赖和行为依赖。验证性因子分析设定所有题目为依赖表现,4次测量χ^(2)值分别为15.23,11.54,13.60和14.11,P均大于0.05。以简短智能手机依赖指数量表(SPAI-SF)为金标准,确定4/5为SPDQ筛查分界值。结论:本研究编制的SPDQ符合心理测量学标准,可作为手机依赖潜在风险人群的筛查工具。

Exploring the influences of education,intelligence and income on mental disorders

Background Previous studies have shown that educational attainment(EA),intelligence and income are key factors associated with mental disorders.However,the direct effects of each factor on major mental disorders are unclear.Aims We aimed to evaluate the overall and independent causal effects of the three psychosocial factors on common mental disorders.Methods Using genome-wide association study summary datasets,we performed Mendelian randomisation(MR)and multivariable MR(MVMR)analyses to assess potential associations between the 3 factors(EA,N=766345;household income,N=392422;intelligence,N=146808)and 13 common mental disorders,with sample sizes ranging from 9907 to 807553.Inverse-variance weighting was employed as the main method in the MR analysis.Results Our MR analysis showed that(1)higher EA was a protective factor for eight mental disorders but contributed to anorexia nervosa,obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD),bipolar disorder(BD)and autism spectrum disorder(ASD);(2)higher intelligence was a protective factor for five mental disorders but a risk factor for OCD and ASD;(3)higher household income protected against 10 mental disorders but confers risk for anorexia nervosa.Our MVMR analysis showed that(1)higher EA was a direct protective factor for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)and insomnia but a direct risk factor for schizophrenia,BD and ASD;(2)higher intelligence was a direct protective factor for schizophrenia but a direct risk factor for major depressive disorder(MDD)and ASD;(3)higher income was a direct protective factor for seven mental disorders,including schizophrenia,BD,MDD,ASD,post-traumatic stress disorder,ADHD and anxiety disorder.Conclusions Our study reveals that education,intelligence and income intertwine with each other.For each factor,its independent effects on mental disorders present a more complex picture than its overall effects.