Preferences,Knowledge, and Citizen Probability Assessments of the Terrorism Risk of Nuclear Power

How does the American public assess risk when it comes to national security issues? This paper addresses this question by analyzing variation in citizen probability assessments of the terrorism risk of nuclear power plants. Drawing on the literature on how motivated reasoning, selective information processing, and domain‐specific knowledge influence public opinion, we argue that heterogeneous issue preferences and knowledge of nuclear energy and homeland security have important explanatory power. Using original data from a unique 2009 national survey in the United States, we show that Americans are divided in their probability assessments of the terrorism risk of nuclear power plants. Consistent with our theoretical expectations, individuals who support using nuclear power to meet rising energy demands, who are generally less concerned with terrorism, or who are more knowledgeable about terrorism and nuclear security tend to provide lower assessments of the likelihood that nuclear power plants increase terrorist attacks, and vice versa. The findings have implications for the literature on public opinion, risk assessment, energy policy and planning, and homeland security.     

Environment and Energy: The Baltic Sea Gas Pipeline

Germany and Russia have agreed to build the Nord Stream gas pipeline. The 1,200 kilometers-long structure will run from Vyborg, Russia to Greifswald, Germany traversing the Baltic Sea. The Baltic countries, Finland, Poland and Sweden, have expressed concerns about the project. At issue is the environmental impact of the project as well as the energy, political, and socioeconomic implications.     

The Russian Dimension of Baltic Maritime Governance

This paper seeks to reconstruct the development of Baltic maritime governance by filling in the gap in the systematic study of Russian maritime policy. In a review of historical, administrative, economic, and political facets of Russian maritime policy, the paper identifies the logic of “greatpowerness” underpinned by the category of “national interest” as its main driver. In this overall logic, cooperation with the EU in maritime affairs is a part of larger Russia’s EU politics. Thus, Baltic maritime governance depends on the ability of the EU and Russia to maintain constructive relations beyond the scope of the maritime domain.     

我国合同能源管理法律关系探究

我国从国外引进的合同能源管理是一种推广节省能源新技术的模式,在实际运行中需要协调与整合技术、资金、设施建设与项目管理等多方面的关系,因而,我国对合同能源管理、能源管理合同属性的认识比较模糊,并存在多种看法。为此,必须厘清合同能源管理所涉及的法律关系,充分解析能源管理合同的法律属性,分析把握合同能源管理运营中资产等所有权归属问题,在我国现有法律体系框架范围内,正确、有效地调整合同能源管理关系,积极促进节能新技术在全社会的推广、普及。     

Infrared Spectra of U.S. Automobile Original Finishes (1998–2000). IX. Identification of Bismuth Oxychloride and Silver/White Mica Pearlescent Pigments Using Extended Range FT‐IR Spectroscopy,XRF Spectrometry,and SEM/EDS Analysis

Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) was the first viable synthetic pearl pigment developed 50 years ago. It was only used for a limited time period in automotive paint (model years 1998–2000), serving to produce luster for a single Chrysler black metallic color. Identification of this pigment in an unknown automotive paint can thus facilitate determination of the vehicle of origin. Bismuth oxychloride imparts effects similar to those produced by silver/white mica pearlescent pigments, and such a pigment was used together with bismuth oxychloride in at least one original equipment manufacturer (OEM) basecoat. Silver/white micas are now used primarily in white pearl tricoat systems. This article describes the identification of bismuth oxychloride and silver/white mica pearlescent pigments in automotive finishes using FT‐IR spectroscopy, X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry, and SEM/EDS analysis. Data for some cadmium pigments, which were used in automotive paint several decades ago, are also presented as they produce infrared absorptions similar to that of bismuth oxychloride.     

多式联运经营人货物损害赔偿责任限制规则的构建--兼评我国《合同法》与《海商法》的相应规定

网状赔偿责任限制模式、统一赔偿责任限制模式和综合性赔偿责任限制模式是构建多式联运经营人货物损害赔偿责任限制规则的三种模式。而综合性赔偿责任限制模式业已被当今多式联运国际规则和国内立法所采用。我国多式联运立法尽管也采纳该模式 ,但具体规则设计上仍有待完善 :一方面 ,应赋予多式联运经营人对任何形态的货物损害享有适当的赔偿责任限制的权利 ;另一方面 ,损害赔偿责任限制立法规则的设计应考虑规则的可预见性     

铁铬合金菜刀遗留金属颗粒的成分评价方法

目的检测铁铬合金菜刀遗留的金属颗粒成分,并建立可行的评价指标及方法。方法使用滤纸擦蹭菜刀制作金属遗留微小颗粒样本,应用扫描电镜-X射线能谱仪(scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer,SEM-EDX)的GSR颗粒分析功能检测遗留金属颗粒成分,计算遗留金属颗粒中铁、铬相对含量比。结果铁铬合金菜刀遗留金属颗粒内所含铁、铬相对含量比,在大部分菜刀间差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论使用GSR颗粒分析功能量化检测铁铬合金菜刀遗留金属颗粒内铁、铬相对含量比,为此类致伤工具的认定建立可行的评价方法。     

Enhancing Precision and Clarity in the Study of Policy Narratives: An Analysis of Climate and Air Issues in Delhi,India

The study of policy narratives is challenged by inconsistencies and a need for more precise definitions and measurements. The goals of this article are to build precision and clarity in the study of policy narratives by developing a network‐based approach—the ego‐alter dyad—for coding characters and their interactions around a policy issue and then to illustrate this approach in the analysis of air and climate issues in Delhi, India. The empirical results show that (1) the same actors are often heroes and villains, (2) heroes and villains are associated with different actions but with similar victims or beneficiaries, (3) narrators differ in their propensity to tell hero‐heavy or villain‐heavy policy narratives, and (4) the proportion of hero‐heavy or villain‐heavy policy narratives changes over time and differs across subtopics. The article concludes with a research agenda for further theoretical and methodological advancement in studying policy narratives.     

Trade and Industrial Policy as Levers for Sustainable Energy Technology Adoption? Experiences from Urban Latin America

Debates abound regarding the link between trade and industrial policy and the adoption of sustainable energy technologies in developing countries. Some purport that open trade regimes support technology diffusion, while others indicate that more interventionist regimes are more conducive. This paper uses empirical evidence from Mexico City and São Paulo to argue that sustainable energy technology uptake can be more prevalent in settings with partially open trade policy regimes. These regimes have afforded countries more opportunities to develop local capabilities, which, in turn, has had knock‐on effects on sustainable energy technology uptake. Specifically, having more local technology sources (equipment, expertise) brought quicker access to these technologies, created more perceptions of technology “ownership,” fostered more effective mobilization, and helped create well‐established standards, which in turn contributed positively to sustainable energy technology uptake, while taxes and tariffs were less influential.     

Elemental Characterization and Discrimination of Nontoxic Ammunition Using Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X‐Ray Analysis and Principal Components Analysis

Concerns over the toxic by‐products produced by traditional ammunition have led to an increase in popularity of nontoxic ammunition. In this work, the chemical composition of six brands of nontoxic ammunition was investigated and compared to that of a road flare, which served as an environmental source with similar composition. Five rounds of each brand were fired while a further five were disassembled and the primer alone was fired. Particles collected from all samples, including the road flare, were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X‐ray analysis. Common elements among the different ammunition brands included aluminum, potassium, silicon, calcium, and strontium. Spectra were then subjected to principal components analysis in which association of the primer to the intact ammunition sample was generally possible, with distinction among brands and from the road flare sample. Further, PCA loadings plots indicated the elements responsible for the association and discrimination observed.