Tailored emails prompt electric vehicle owners to engage with tariff switching information

The carbon intensity of the electricity used to charge an electric vehicle (EV) is dependent on when in the day charging occurs. However, persuading EV owners to adopt incentives to charge during off-peak hours is challenging. Here we show that governments could exploit the ‘window of opportunity’ created when people purchase their first EV to promote time-of-use tariffs. Email recipients (n = 7,038 EV owners) were more likely to click-through to an information webpage when the email emphasized specific reductions in home-charging costs versus general bill savings. However, the ‘window of opportunity’ for maximizing potential adoption is short; email open rates declined from over 70% immediately after purchase to 40% for recipients owning their EV for over three months. These results demonstrate the potential of prompts to change behaviours for which opt-out enrolment (where enrolment is automatic unless people explicitly opt out) would be unethical or less effective

ETHOXOFUME 1000 (EtO): methyl bromide alternative update

Ethylene oxide (C2H4O = EtO) is made from the oxidation of ethylene and over 15 million tonnes are produced annually. For over 80 years EtO has been used as a sterilant / fumigant. EtO is lethal to bacteria, viruses, moulds, insects and their eggs. Historically EtO was used in the fumigation of bulk grain. EtO is still widely used in “cold” sterilization of medical devices and instruments. With the precondition of destroying vented EtO at the completion of fumigation, EtO could be a niche methyl bromide (CH3Br = MeBr) alternative. EtO is toxic by inhalation with an LD50 of 330 mg.kg-1 EtO is classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Occupational Limits: TLV-TWA (1 ppm); OEL (UK)-LTEL (5 ppm). EtO is a colourless, highly flammable gas (Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) = 3 vol% in air) which liquefies at 10.9oC. To reduce flammability EtO is mixed 12 vol% EtO in carbon dioxide (CO2). Onsite mixing of EtO and Air is an option, however the EtO must be kept below 54 g.m-3 (3 vol%) – higher doses of EtO would require on-site mixing with CO2 or N2. Quarantine fumigations using ETHOXOFUME 1000 are carried out using vacuum chambers to treat non-food import and export commodities. On completion of the fumigation the EtO/Air mixture can be exhausted using a high pressure fan and destroyed in a “burner” where it is converted to CO2 and H2O. The Ct product for the control of various species of insects show that EtO on a weight basis (g.m-3) has better efficacy than MeBr. A conservative recommended dose rate of 48 g.m-3 results in a concentration of 1.2 vol% for MeBr and 2.7 vol% for EtO (this is less than the LEL of 3 vol%). Keywords: Ethylene oxide, Fumigant, Sterilant, Insecticide, Incineratio

Factors contributing to the time taken to consult with symptoms of lung cancer: a cross-sectional study

<b>Objectives</b>: To determine what factors are associated with the time people take to consult with symptoms of lung cancer, with a focus on those from rural and socially deprived areas. <b>Methods</b>: A cross-sectional quantitative interview survey was performed of 360 patients with newly diagnosed primary lung cancer in three Scottish hospitals (two in Glasgow, one in NE Scotland). Supplementary data were obtained from medical case notes. The main outcome measures were the number of days from (1) the date participant defined first symptom until date of presentation to a medical practitioner; and (2) the date of earliest symptom from a symptom checklist (derived from clinical guidelines) until date of presentation to a medical practitioner. <b>Results</b>: 179 participants (50%) had symptoms for more than 14 weeks before presenting to a medical practitioner (median 99 days; interquartile range 31–381). 270 participants (75%) had unrecognised symptoms of lung cancer. There were no significant differences in time taken to consult with symptoms of lung cancer between rural and/or deprived participants compared with urban and/or affluent participants. Factors independently associated with increased time before consulting about symptoms were living alone, a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and longer pack years of smoking. Haemoptysis, new onset of shortness of breath, cough and loss of appetite were significantly associated with earlier consulting, as were a history of chest infection and renal failure. <b>Conclusion</b>: For many people with lung cancer, regardless of location and socioeconomic status, the time between symptom onset and consultation was long enough to plausibly affect prognosis. Long-term smokers, those with COPD and/or those living alone are at particular risk of taking longer to consult with symptoms of lung cancer and practitioners should be alert to this

Medico-social problems in general practice

Abstract not provided

Exploring Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Urban Growth Scenarios for Metropolitan Boston (USA): The Relationship Between Urban Trees and Perceived Density

Achieving multiple goals rather than trading one goal off for another is the essence of sustainability. Visualizing alternative futures in a participatory planning process helps disentangle complex planning issues particularly when stakeholders may perceive key goals as imposing potential tradeoffs, such as increased housing for a growing population and availability of green space. This study explored the effects of using visualization and scenarios as planning tools in a workshop with stakeholders in the Boston Metro Area, Massachusetts (USA), in achieving multiple benefits of sustainable future growth of the region. We applied mixed methods sequential explanatory design and a survey instrument with a landscape preference survey designed to garner stakeholders\u27 preference and acceptability of perceived urban density versus urban greening in four future growth scenarios reflecting multiple goals in sustainability. The results of the landscape preference survey demonstrated that increasing tree canopy appears to ameliorate the low ratings of high-rise buildings for the region\u27s urban development. In addition, the scenario planning process, especially the use of small group discussions, represented an effective tool in facilitating stakeholders\u27 discussion about achieving the multiple benefits of the three goals of sustainability: Environment, Economy, Equity. This study provided theoretical and applied insights for planners in the use of visualization and scenario planning methodologies to engage stakeholders in the participatory planning process. It revealed the potential for a policy decision shift among stakeholders in the Boston region, namely that higher density urban development would likely be more acceptable to them when combined with a simultaneous increase in tree canopy cover. Through practices like these, stakeholders are more likely to consider policies and designs that embrace a variety of goals for their community’s future instead of simplistically placing one goal in opposition to another or trading them off against each other

Block to granular-like transition in dense bubble flows

We have experimentally investigated 2-dimensional dense bubble flows underneath inclined planes. Velocity profiles and velocity fluctuations have been measured. A broad second-order phase transition between two dynamical regimes is observed as a function of the tilt angle $\theta$. For low $\theta$ values, a block motion is observed. For high $\theta$ values, the velocity profile becomes curved and a shear velocity gradient appears in the flow.Comment: Europhys. Lett. (2003) in pres