78 FR 59042 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-25

...: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander... Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Closed: October 21, 2013, 11:15 a.m... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle...

"Most brilliant in judgment": Alexander the Great and Aristotle.

PubMed

Lainas, Panagiotis; Panutsopulos, Dimitrios; Skandalakis, Panagiotis N; Zoras, Odysseas; Skandalakis, John E

2005-03-01

From historical sources, it is evident that Alexander the Great was indebted to one of his teachers, Aristotle of Stagira. It was the teaching of Aristotle that evoked all the nascent talents of young Alexander and turned him into a great man. Alexander was extremely interested in the secrets of medicine and considered it an art. The medical knowledge he acquired from Aristotle may have saved his life and the lives of his troops on many occasions. If Alexander did not possess medical knowledge and if his everyday life had not been so greatly influenced by medicine, he might never have been able to create his empire.

Young, Drunk, Dangerous and Driving: Underage Drinking and Driving Research Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Robert; Clontz, Kenneth

1994-01-01

Summarizes major, recent research findings concerning illegal alcohol use and intoxicated driving among American youth. Examines what research revealed about the nature of underage drinking and driving; what health, social, and legal ramifications are associated with drinking and driving; and what characteristics and behavioral patterns are found…

76 FR 6146 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-03

...: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander... 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Open: February 17... Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive...

Alexander the Great and West Nile virus encephalitis.

PubMed

Marr, John S; Calisher, Charles H

2003-12-01

Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. His death at age 32 followed a 2-week febrile illness. Speculated causes of death have included poisoning; assassination, and a number of infectious diseases. One incident, mentioned by Plutarch but not considered by previous investigators, may shed light on the cause of Alexander's death. The incident, which occurred as he entered Babylon, involved a flock of ravens exhibiting unusual behavior and subsequently dying at his feet. The inexplicable behavior of ravens is reminiscent of avian illness and death weeks before the first human cases of West Nile virus infection were identified in the United States. We posit that Alexander may have died of West Nile virus encephalitis.

Alexander Samokutyaev conducts BTKh-14/Bioemulsiya (Bioemulsion) Experiment

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-05

ISS027-E-022454 (5 May 2011) --- Russian cosmonaut Alexander Samokutyaev, Expedition 27 flight engineer, uses a glovebox to service the Russian Bioemulsion science payload in the Poisk Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM2) of the International Space Station. The Bioemulsion experiment is attempting to develop faster technologies for obtaining microorganism biomass and biologically active substance biomass for creating highly efficient environmentally pure bacteria, enzymes, and medicinal/pharmaceutical preparations.

Fifty years of driving safety research.

PubMed

Lee, John D

2008-06-01

This brief review covers the 50 years of driving-related research published in Human Factors, its contribution to driving safety, and emerging challenges. Many factors affect driving safety, making it difficult to assess the impact of specific factors such as driver age, cell phone distractions, or collision warnings. The author considers the research themes associated with the approximately 270 articles on driving published in Human Factors in the past 50 years. To a large extent, current and past research has explored similar themes and concepts. Many articles published in the first 25 years focused on issues such as driver impairment, individual differences, and perceptual limits. Articles published in the past 25 years address similar issues but also point toward vehicle technology that can exacerbate or mitigate the negative effect of these issues. Conceptual and computational models have played an important role in this research. Improved crash-worthiness has contributed to substantial improvements in driving safety over the past 50 years, but future improvements will depend on enhancing driver performance and perhaps, more important, improving driver behavior. Developing models to guide this research will become more challenging as new technology enters the vehicle and shifts the focus from driver performance to driver behavior. Over the past 50 years, Human Factors has accumulated a large base of driving-related research that remains relevant for many of today's design and policy concerns.

Alexander A Friedmann

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tropp, Eduard A.; Frenkel, Viktor Ya.; Chernin, Artur D.

1993-06-01

Our universe can be described mathematically by a simple model developed in 1922 at Petrograd (St. Petersburg) by Alexander Friedmann (1888-1925). Without the benefit of observational evidence, Friedmann predicted that the whole universe would expand and evolve with time. This astonishing prediction was confirmed seven years later by Edwin Hubble. Its originator, unfortunately didn't live to savor this triumph. This vivid biography of an outstanding scientist sets his life and work against a wide backdrop of the history of cosmological studies and its major players, such as Einstein and others. The book is a window on Friedmann's school and university years, military service, and teaching and research during a seminal period of Soviet history. The authors include unique archival material, such as Friedmann's letters from the Russian Front, as well as contemporary records and reminiscences of colleagues. There is a detailed treatment of his work in theoretical cosmology (1922-1924), set in the context of the organization of Soviet science at the time.

76 FR 5594 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-01

.... Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive... Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Contact Person: Gwen W. Collman, PhD...

76 FR 57065 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-15

... Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709... personnel issues. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111..., Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Closed...

77 FR 3480 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-24

..., Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Closed: February 15, 2012... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle... and issues. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111...

77 FR 18252 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-27

... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle... issues. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W..., Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Contact Person: Gwen W...

75 FR 19981 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-16

... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle... issues. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W..., Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Contact Person: Gwen W...

77 FR 74198 - National Institute Environmental Health Sciences Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-13

... Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC... issues. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W... Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Contact Person: Gwen W. Collman, Ph...

Interview with Alexander Cohen.

PubMed

Cohen, Alexander Ander

2017-05-01

Ander Cohen speaks to Adam Price-Evans, Commissioning Editor of Future Cardiology: Alexander (Ander) Cohen MBBS (Hons), MSc, MD, FRACP is a vascular physician and epidemiologist at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, King's College (London, UK). He graduated with honors in medicine and honors in surgery from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and became a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1990. He was awarded an MSc in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London in 1991 with a thesis on the metabolic syndrome in South-Asian populations. In 1998, he was awarded an MD with a thesis on the epidemiology of venous thromboembolism and thromboprophylaxis. In addition to his clinical work, he is involved in designing, managing and analyzing clinical trials from Phase I to IV. He is the Chairman and a member of many international steering committees for multicenter trials, epidemiological and pharmacoeconomic studies, and was previously the Director of Clinical Research and an Epidemiologist in Thrombosis Research at King's College Hospital.

Alexander's (356-323 BC) expeditionary Medical Corps 334-323 BC.

PubMed

Retsas, Spyros

2009-08-01

Alexander had a profound interest in medicine and healing. Original Greek texts survive mainly from the works of Plutarch and Arrian. This paper examines original sources naming the physicians who participated in Alexander's expedition in Asia, the battle injuries he sustained and his final illness in Babylon.

78 FR 18997 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-28

... Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC... personnel issues. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111... Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Closed: April 15, 2013, 3:15 p.m. to...

12. Detail view of southeast side window of AlexanderAlmon House ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

12. Detail view of southeast side window of Alexander-Almon House with rain barrel at lower left and roof rafter tails at top, facing northwest. - Alexander-Almon House, 130 Philip Almon Road, Roopville, Carroll County, GA

Guidelines for research on drugged driving

PubMed Central

Walsh, J. Michael; Verstraete, Alain G.; Huestis, Marilyn A.; Mørland, Jørg

2009-01-01

Aim A major problem in assessing the true public health impact of drug-use on driving and overall traffic safety is that the variables being measured across studies vary significantly. In studies reported in a growing global literature, basic parameters assessed, analytical techniques and drugs tested are simply not comparable due to lack of standardization in the field. These shortcomings severely limit the value of this research to add knowledge to the field. A set of standards to harmonize research findings is sorely needed. This project was initiated by several international organizations to develop guidelines for research on drugged driving. Methods A September 2006 meeting of international experts discussed the harmonization of protocols for future research on drugged driving. The principal objective of the meeting was to develop a consensus report setting guidelines, standards, core data variables and other controls that would form the basis for future international research. A modified Delphi method was utilized to develop draft guidelines. Subsequently, these draft guidelines were posted on the internet for global review, and comments received were integrated into the final document. Results The Guidelines Document is divided into three major sections, each focusing upon different aspects of drugged driving research (e.g. roadside surveys, prevalence studies, hospital studies, fatality and crash investigations, etc.) within the critical issue areas of ‘behavior’, ‘epidemiology’ and ‘toxicology’. The behavioral section contains 32 specific recommendations; (2) epidemiology 40 recommendations; and (3) toxicology 64 recommendations. Conclusions It is anticipated that these guidelines will improve significantly the overall quality of drugged driving research and facilitate future cross-study comparisons nationally and globally. PMID:18855814

33 CFR 162.250 - Port Alexander, Alaska; speed of vessels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Port Alexander, Alaska; speed of... Alexander, Alaska; speed of vessels. (a) Definition. The term “Port Alexander” includes the entire inlet from its head to its entrance from Chatham Strait. (b) Speed. The speed of all vessels of 5 tons or...

33 CFR 162.250 - Port Alexander, Alaska; speed of vessels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Port Alexander, Alaska; speed of... Alexander, Alaska; speed of vessels. (a) Definition. The term “Port Alexander” includes the entire inlet from its head to its entrance from Chatham Strait. (b) Speed. The speed of all vessels of 5 tons or...

The impact of the alexander technique on improving posture and surgical ergonomics during minimally invasive surgery: pilot study.

PubMed

Reddy, Pramod P; Reddy, Trisha P; Roig-Francoli, Jennifer; Cone, Lois; Sivan, Bezalel; DeFoor, W Robert; Gaitonde, Krishnanath; Noh, Paul H

2011-10-01

One of the main ergonomic challenges during surgical procedures is surgeon posture. There have been reports of a high number of work related injuries in laparoscopic surgeons. The Alexander technique is a process of psychophysical reeducation of the body to improve postural balance and coordination, permitting movement with minimal strain and maximum ease. We evaluated the efficacy of the Alexander technique in improving posture and surgical ergonomics during minimally invasive surgery. We performed a prospective cohort study in which subjects served as their own controls. Informed consent was obtained. Before Alexander technique instruction/intervention subjects underwent assessment of postural coordination and basic laparoscopic skills. All subjects were educated about the Alexander technique and underwent post-instruction/intervention assessment of posture and laparoscopic skills. Subjective and objective data obtained before and after instruction/intervention were tabulated and analyzed for statistical significance. All 7 subjects completed the study. Subjects showed improved ergonomics and improved ability to complete FLS™ as well as subjective improvement in overall posture. The Alexander technique training program resulted in a significant improvement in posture. Improved surgical ergonomics, endurance and posture decrease surgical fatigue and the incidence of repetitive stress injuries to laparoscopic surgeons. Further studies of the influence of the Alexander technique on surgical posture, minimally invasive surgery ergonomics and open surgical techniques are warranted to explore and validate the benefits for surgeons. Copyright © 2011 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Difficult Journey: Reflections on Driving and Driving Cessation From a Team of Clinical Researchers.

PubMed

Liddle, Jacki; Gustafsson, Louise; Mitchell, Geoffrey; Pachana, Nancy A

2017-02-01

Recognizing the clinical importance and safety and well-being implications for the population, a multidisciplinary team has been researching older drivers and driving cessation issues for more than 15 years. Using empirical approaches, the team has explored quality of life and participation outcomes related to driving and nondriving for older people and has developed interventions to improve outcomes after driving cessation. The team members represent occupational therapists, medical practitioners, and clinical and neuropsychologists. While building the evidence base for driving- and driving cessation-related clinical practice, the researchers have also had first-hand experiences of interruptions to their own or parents' driving; involvement of older family members in road crashes; and provision of support during family members' driving assessment and cessation. This has led to reflection on their understandings and re-evaluation and refocusing of their perspectives in driving cessation research. This work will share the narratives of the authors and note their developing perspectives and foci within research as well as their clinical practice. Personal reflections have indicated the far-reaching implications for older drivers and family members of involvement in road crashes: the potential for interruptions to driving as a time for support and future planning and the conflicting and difficult roles of family members within the driving cessation process. Overall the lived, personal experience of the authors has reinforced the complex nature of driving and changes to driving status for the driver and their support team and the need for further research and support. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

77 FR 48164 - National Institute Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-13

... Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC.... of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive... applications. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W...

The efficacy of medicine during the campaigns of Alexander the Great.

PubMed

Ruffin, J R

1992-09-01

This paper examines the various factors that may have determined the efficacy of physicians during the campaigns of Alexander the Great. Such general variables as the adequacy of preparation, the nature of the medical profession, and the extent of preventative measures are all discussed at the outset of the paper, followed by a more detailed examination of the specific wounds, illnesses, and treatments of Alexander as described in the accounts of the Alexander historians Plutarch, Curtius, and Arrian. Where no remedy is given by these writers (as is usually the case), this paper speculates on the efficacy of possible treatments as advocated in the contemporary Hippocratic corpus. Casualty statistics of the campaigns are compared to a similar review of Homer's Iliad. From these examinations, this paper concludes that wound treatment efficacy was significantly greater than that of illness treatment, and that Alexander lost many more men to disease than to the wounds of war.

Alexander Falconer Sr Seamen's missionary in New Zealand, son Alexander Falconer medical superintendent for mentally ill, grandson Murray Falconer neurosurgeon.

PubMed

Hawgood, Barbara J

2016-08-01

Alexander Falconer Sr (1843-1915) came from Scotland to New Zealand. A practical Christian, he set up places of relaxation for miners, sailors and soldiers; he became the Seamen's Missionary. Son, Dr Alexander Falconer (1874-1955) trained at Otago University Medical School. As medical superintendent for the mentally ill, he urged the early introduction of psychotherapy. His son, Murray Falconer (1910-1977) was the first Nuffield Dominions Clinical Fellow, training in neurosurgery in Oxford. He was the first director of the Guy's-Maudsley Neurosurgical Unit in London and was internationally known for the surgical management of temporal lobe epilepsy in adults and children. © The Author(s) 2016.

78 FR 30791 - Airworthiness Directives; Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau Sailplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-23

... Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau Sailplanes AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department... new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau Models AS... proposed AD, contact Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co Segelflugzeugbau, Stra[szlig]e 1 D-- 36163 Poppenhausen...

The Haunting Influence of Alexander Graham Bell

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Sue H.

1971-01-01

The article examines the significance that Alexander Graham Bell's attitude and actions had on the social and economic conditions experienced by deaf people during his lifetime and into the present. (CD)

Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain.

PubMed

Little, Paul; Lewith, George; Webley, Fran; Evans, Maggie; Beattie, Angela; Middleton, Karen; Barnett, Jane; Ballard, Kathleen; Oxford, Frances; Smith, Peter; Yardley, Lucy; Hollinghurst, Sandra; Sharp, Debbie

2008-08-19

To determine the effectiveness of lessons in the Alexander technique, massage therapy, and advice from a doctor to take exercise (exercise prescription) along with nurse delivered behavioural counselling for patients with chronic or recurrent back pain. Factorial randomised trial. 64 general practices in England. 579 patients with chronic or recurrent low back pain; 144 were randomised to normal care, 147 to massage, 144 to six Alexander technique lessons, and 144 to 24 Alexander technique lessons; half of each of these groups were randomised to exercise prescription. Normal care (control), six sessions of massage, six or 24 lessons on the Alexander technique, and prescription for exercise from a doctor with nurse delivered behavioural counselling. Roland Morris disability score (number of activities impaired by pain) and number of days in pain. Exercise and lessons in the Alexander technique, but not massage, remained effective at one year (compared with control Roland disability score 8.1: massage -0.58, 95% confidence interval -1.94 to 0.77, six lessons -1.40, -2.77 to -0.03, 24 lessons -3.4, -4.76 to -2.03, and exercise -1.29, -2.25 to -0.34). Exercise after six lessons achieved 72% of the effect of 24 lessons alone (Roland disability score -2.98 and -4.14, respectively). Number of days with back pain in the past four weeks was lower after lessons (compared with control median 21 days: 24 lessons -18, six lessons -10, massage -7) and quality of life improved significantly. No significant harms were reported. One to one lessons in the Alexander technique from registered teachers have long term benefits for patients with chronic back pain. Six lessons followed by exercise prescription were nearly as effective as 24 lessons. National Research Register N0028108728.

Alexander Disease: A Novel Mutation in GFAP Leading to Epilepsia Partialis Continua.

PubMed

Bonthius, Daniel J; Karacay, Bahri

2016-06-01

Alexander disease is a genetically induced leukodystrophy, due to dominant mutations in the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP ) gene, causing dysfunction of astrocytes. We have identified a novel GFAP mutation, associated with a novel phenotype for Alexander disease. A boy with global developmental delay and hypertonia was found to have a leukodystrophy. Genetic analysis revealed a heterozygous point mutation in exon 6 of the GFAP gene. The guanine-to-adenine change causes substitution of the normal glutamic acid codon (GAG) with a mutant lysine codon (AAG) at position 312 (E312 K mutation). At the age of 4 years, the child developed epilepsia partialis continua, consisting of unabating motor seizures involving the unilateral perioral muscles. Epilepsia partialis continua has not previously been reported in association with Alexander disease. Whether and how the E312 K mutation produces pathologic changes and clinical signs that are unique from other Alexander disease-inducing mutations in GFAP remain to be determined. © The Author(s) 2015.

A Review of Research on Driving Styles and Road Safety.

PubMed

Sagberg, Fridulv; Selpi; Piccinini, Giulio Francesco Bianchi; Engström, Johan

2015-11-01

The aim of this study was to outline a conceptual framework for understanding driving style and, on this basis, review the state-of-the-art research on driving styles in relation to road safety. Previous research has indicated a relationship between the driving styles adopted by drivers and their crash involvement. However, a comprehensive literature review of driving style research is lacking. A systematic literature search was conducted, including empirical, theoretical, and methodological research, on driving styles related to road safety. A conceptual framework was proposed whereby driving styles are viewed in terms of driving habits established as a result of individual dispositions as well as social norms and cultural values. Moreover, a general scheme for categorizing and operationalizing driving styles was suggested. On this basis, existing literature on driving styles and indicators was reviewed. Links between driving styles and road safety were identified and individual and sociocultural factors influencing driving style were reviewed. Existing studies have addressed a wide variety of driving styles, and there is an acute need for a unifying conceptual framework in order to synthesize these results and make useful generalizations. There is a considerable potential for increasing road safety by means of behavior modification. Naturalistic driving observations represent particularly promising approaches to future research on driving styles. Knowledge about driving styles can be applied in programs for modifying driver behavior and in the context of usage-based insurance. It may also be used as a means for driver identification and for the development of driver assistance systems. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

How our changing research arena can inspire innovative environmental research in developing countries (Alexander von Humboldt Medal Lecture)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouma, Johan

2017-04-01

Alexander von Humboldt was a true pioneer by engagingly articulating an ecosystem-wide vision on environmental issues and research, connecting and moving beyond disciplinary boundaries. Focusing here on soil science as an important discipline within the geosciences, the work of our group has acted in the spirit of this approach by focusing on interdisciplinary systems research in different developing countries in close interaction with stakeholders, based on soil processes in a dynamic landscape context. But recent developments of internet and social media are drastically changing relations between science and society all over the world. Scientists have to continuously struggle to keep their "societal license to research". Researchers in so-called developed countries would be well advised to communicate lessons learned to scientists in developing countries allowing them to leapfrog and avoid making time- consuming mistakes adhering to yesterday's practices. Specifically, attention should be paid to: (i) more continuing interaction with stakeholders when planning and executing research. This takes time that should be allocated in research projects. ; (ii) the quality of a limited number of key papers rather than on the total number of published and cited scientific papers, when judging researchers; (iii) defining new research on the basis of proven inadequacy of existing techniques and methods, realizing that "new" is not necessarily "better" and that available research methods and procedures can solve many current environmental problems; (iv) showing the value of the scientific approach that does not articulate: "yet another opinion" but is essential to face the major environmental challenges of the 21th century. (v) demonstrate the crucial importance of interdisciplinary ecosystem research and innovation when addressing the seventeen UN Sustainable Developments Goals (SDG's) that are attractive now as a focus for the scientific effort in land-related research. (vi

A Study of Combined Arms Warfare by Alexander the Great.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-06-05

source of Greek literature written about Alexander is from the famous biographer Plutarch . He wrote the Life of Alexander in the second century C.E...emperor Trajan, was appointed governor of Greece for a short time, and like Arrian, also served as Archon. It was in his later years that Plutarch began...and heavy troops were positioned by their territory behind the main battle line. According to Arrian and Plutarch , 41 Darius’ army at this time

Alexander the Great and West Nile Virus Encephalitis

PubMed Central

Marr, John S.

2003-01-01

Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. His death at age 32 followed a 2-week febrile illness. Speculated causes of death have included poisoning, assassination, and a number of infectious diseases. One incident, mentioned by Plutarch but not considered by previous investigators, may shed light on the cause of Alexander’s death. The incident, which occurred as he entered Babylon, involved a flock of ravens exhibiting unusual behavior and subsequently dying at his feet. The inexplicable behavior of ravens is reminiscent of avian illness and death weeks before the first human cases of West Nile virus infection were identified in the United States. We posit that Alexander may have died of West Nile encephalitis. PMID:14725285

Teachers of the Alexander Technique in the UK and the people who take their lessons: A national cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Eldred, J; Hopton, A; Donnison, E; Woodman, J; MacPherson, H

2015-06-01

Given the rising profile of the Alexander Technique in the UK, there is a need for a comprehensive description of its teachers and of those who currently take lessons. In a national survey of Alexander teachers, we set out to address this information gap. A cross-sectional survey of 871 UK members of three main Alexander Technique teachers' professional associations was conducted. A questionnaire requested information about their professional background, teaching practice and methods, and about the people who attend lessons and their reasons for seeking help. With an overall response rate of 61%, 534 teachers responded; 74% were female with median age of 58 years, 60% had a higher education qualification, and 95% were self-employed, many with additional non-Alexander paid employment. The majority (87%) offered lessons on their own premises or in a privately rented room, and 19% provided home visits; both individual and group lessons were provided. People who took lessons were predominantly female (66%) with a median age of 48 years, and 91% paid for their lessons privately. Nearly two-thirds (62%) began lessons for reasons related to musculoskeletal conditions, including back symptoms, posture, neck pain, and shoulder pain. Other reasons were general (18%, including well-being), performance-related (10%, including voice-, music-, and sport-related), psychological (5%) and neurological (3%). We estimate that Alexander teachers in the UK provide approximately 400,000 lessons per year. This study provides an overview of Alexander Technique teaching in the UK today and data that may be useful when planning future research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alexander Archipelago, Southeastern Alaska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

West of British Columbia, Canada, and south of the Yukon Territory, the southeastern coastline of Alaska trails off into the islands of the Alexander Archipelago. The area is rugged and contains many long, U-shaped, glaciated valleys, many of which terminate at tidewater. The Alexander Archipelago is home to Glacier Bay National Park. The large bay that has two forks on its northern end is Glacier Bay itself. The eastern fork is Muir inlet, into which runs the Muir glacier, named for the famous Scottish-born naturalist John Muir. Glacier Bay opens up into the Icy Strait. The large, solid white area to the west is Brady Icefield, which terminates at the southern end in Brady's Glacier. To locate more interesting features from Glacier Bay National Park, take a look at the park service map. As recently as two hundred years ago, a massive ice field extended into Icy Strait and filled the Glacier Bay. Since that time, the area has experienced rapid deglaciation, with many large glaciers retreating 40, 60, even 80 km. While temperatures have increased in the region, it is still unclear whether the rapid recession is part of the natural cycle of tidewater glaciers or is an indicator of longer-term climate change. For more on Glacier Bay and climate change, read an online paper by Dr. Dorothy Hall, a MODIS Associate Science Team Member. Credit: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

[Researchers training in the context of the collaborative projects: experiences of Instituto de Medicina Tropical "Alexander von Humbolt", Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia].

PubMed

Gotuzzo, Eduardo; González, Elsa; Verdonck, Kristien

2010-09-01

Research is a main element for human and social development. Under this point of view, it involves particular challenges and opportunities for the so-called "developing countries". An approach for those challenges and opportunities comes from the analysis of two interrelated activities; the training of new researchers and the research development with institutions or researchers which are external to the institution ("collaborative research"). Both activities are essential for the consolidation, widening and updating of the institutional capabilities for scientific production. We present here the experiences of the Instituto de Medicina Tropical "Alexander von Humboldt" of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, in relation to the training of new researchers, we discuss the four elements we consider key for this process; the promotion of stimulating environments for research, the proactive identification of fellows, the complementary advice and networks consolidation; and we analyze three successful models of international collaboration for the training of new researchers under different institutional approaches.

The Remarkable Journey of Lloyd Alexander

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tunnel, Michael O.; Jacobs, James S.

2007-01-01

This article features Lloyd Alexander, an author who has produced some of the most elegant and powerful prose in the history of modern children's literature. Lloyd began writing seriously in high school, and though he wrote and submitted many poems and short stories, his only success was being named a finalist in the "Writer's Digest" Short Story…

An economic evaluation of Alexander Technique lessons or acupuncture sessions for patients with chronic neck pain: A randomized trial (ATLAS).

PubMed

Essex, Holly; Parrott, Steve; Atkin, Karl; Ballard, Kathleen; Bland, Martin; Eldred, Janet; Hewitt, Catherine; Hopton, Ann; Keding, Ada; Lansdown, Harriet; Richmond, Stewart; Tilbrook, Helen; Torgerson, David; Watt, Ian; Wenham, Aniela; Woodman, Julia; MacPherson, Hugh

2017-01-01

To assess the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture and usual care, and Alexander Technique lessons and usual care, compared with usual GP care alone for chronic neck pain patients. An economic evaluation was undertaken alongside the ATLAS trial, taking both NHS and wider societal viewpoints. Participants were offered up to twelve acupuncture sessions or twenty Alexander lessons (equivalent overall contact time). Costs were in pounds sterling. Effectiveness was measured using the generic EQ-5D to calculate quality adjusted life years (QALYs), as well as using a specific neck pain measure-the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). In the base case analysis, incremental QALY gains were 0.032 and 0.025 in the acupuncture and Alexander groups, respectively, in comparison to usual GP care, indicating moderate health benefits for both interventions. Incremental costs were £451 for acupuncture and £667 for Alexander, mainly driven by intervention costs. Acupuncture was likely to be cost-effective (ICER = £18,767/QALY bootstrapped 95% CI £4,426 to £74,562) and was robust to most sensitivity analyses. Alexander lessons were not cost-effective at the lower NICE threshold of £20,000/QALY (£25,101/QALY bootstrapped 95% CI -£150,208 to £248,697) but may be at £30,000/QALY, however, there was considerable statistical uncertainty in all tested scenarios. In comparison with usual care, acupuncture is likely to be cost-effective for chronic neck pain, whereas, largely due to higher intervention costs, Alexander lessons are unlikely to be cost-effective. However, there were high levels of missing data and further research is needed to assess the long-term cost-effectiveness of these interventions.

The Alexander Archipelago wolf: a conservation assessment.

Treesearch

David K. Person; Matthew Kirchhoff; Victor van Ballenberghe; George C. Iverson; Edward Grossman

1996-01-01

We summarized the scientific information available for the Alexander Archipelago wolf (Canis lupus ligoni) in the Tongass National Forest of southeast Alaska. Information concerning the morphology, distribution, taxonomy, genetics, and ecology of wolves are presented. Three issues for the conservation of wolves in southeast Alaska are discussed:...

An economic evaluation of Alexander Technique lessons or acupuncture sessions for patients with chronic neck pain: A randomized trial (ATLAS)

PubMed Central

Essex, Holly; Parrott, Steve; Atkin, Karl; Ballard, Kathleen; Bland, Martin; Eldred, Janet; Hewitt, Catherine; Hopton, Ann; Keding, Ada; Lansdown, Harriet; Richmond, Stewart; Tilbrook, Helen; Torgerson, David; Watt, Ian; Wenham, Aniela; Woodman, Julia; MacPherson, Hugh

2017-01-01

Objectives To assess the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture and usual care, and Alexander Technique lessons and usual care, compared with usual GP care alone for chronic neck pain patients. Methods An economic evaluation was undertaken alongside the ATLAS trial, taking both NHS and wider societal viewpoints. Participants were offered up to twelve acupuncture sessions or twenty Alexander lessons (equivalent overall contact time). Costs were in pounds sterling. Effectiveness was measured using the generic EQ-5D to calculate quality adjusted life years (QALYs), as well as using a specific neck pain measure–the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). Results In the base case analysis, incremental QALY gains were 0.032 and 0.025 in the acupuncture and Alexander groups, respectively, in comparison to usual GP care, indicating moderate health benefits for both interventions. Incremental costs were £451 for acupuncture and £667 for Alexander, mainly driven by intervention costs. Acupuncture was likely to be cost-effective (ICER = £18,767/QALY bootstrapped 95% CI £4,426 to £74,562) and was robust to most sensitivity analyses. Alexander lessons were not cost-effective at the lower NICE threshold of £20,000/QALY (£25,101/QALY bootstrapped 95% CI -£150,208 to £248,697) but may be at £30,000/QALY, however, there was considerable statistical uncertainty in all tested scenarios. Conclusions In comparison with usual care, acupuncture is likely to be cost-effective for chronic neck pain, whereas, largely due to higher intervention costs, Alexander lessons are unlikely to be cost-effective. However, there were high levels of missing data and further research is needed to assess the long-term cost-effectiveness of these interventions. PMID:29211741

Holocene morphogenesis of Alexander the Great's isthmus at Tyre in Lebanon

PubMed Central

Marriner, Nick; Morhange, Christophe; Meulé, Samuel

2007-01-01

In 332 B.C., Alexander the Great constructed an ≈1,000-m-long causeway to seize the offshore island of Tyre. The logistics behind this engineering feat have long troubled archaeologists. Using the Holocene sedimentary record, we demonstrate that Alexander's engineers cleverly exploited a shallow proto-tombolo, or sublittoral sand spit, to breach the offshore city's defensive impregnability. We elucidate a three-phase geomorphological model for the spit's evolution. Settled since the Bronze Age, the area's geological record manifests a long history of natural and anthropogenic forcings. (i) Leeward of the island breakwater, the maximum flooding surface (e.g., drowning of the subaerial land surfaces by seawater) is dated ≈8000 B.P. Fine-grained sediments and brackish and marine-lagoonal faunas translate shallow, low-energy water bodies at this time. Shelter was afforded by Tyre's elongated sandstone reefs, which acted as a 6-km natural breakwater. (ii) By 6000 B.P., sea-level rise had reduced the dimensions of the island from 6 to 4 km. The leeward wave shadow generated by this island, allied with high sediment supply after 3000 B.P., culminated in a natural wave-dominated proto-tombolo within 1–2 m of mean sea level by the time of Alexander the Great (4th century B.C.). (iii) After 332 B.C., construction of Alexander's causeway entrained a complete anthropogenic metamorphosis of the Tyrian coastal system. PMID:17517668

Holocene morphogenesis of Alexander the Great's isthmus at Tyre in Lebanon.

PubMed

Marriner, Nick; Morhange, Christophe; Meulé, Samuel

2007-05-29

In 332 B.C., Alexander the Great constructed an approximately 1,000-m-long causeway to seize the offshore island of Tyre. The logistics behind this engineering feat have long troubled archaeologists. Using the Holocene sedimentary record, we demonstrate that Alexander's engineers cleverly exploited a shallow proto-tombolo, or sublittoral sand spit, to breach the offshore city's defensive impregnability. We elucidate a three-phase geomorphological model for the spit's evolution. Settled since the Bronze Age, the area's geological record manifests a long history of natural and anthropogenic forcings. (i) Leeward of the island breakwater, the maximum flooding surface (e.g., drowning of the subaerial land surfaces by seawater) is dated approximately 8000 B.P. Fine-grained sediments and brackish and marine-lagoonal faunas translate shallow, low-energy water bodies at this time. Shelter was afforded by Tyre's elongated sandstone reefs, which acted as a 6-km natural breakwater. (ii) By 6000 B.P., sea-level rise had reduced the dimensions of the island from 6 to 4 km. The leeward wave shadow generated by this island, allied with high sediment supply after 3000 B.P., culminated in a natural wave-dominated proto-tombolo within 1-2 m of mean sea level by the time of Alexander the Great (4th century B.C.). (iii) After 332 B.C., construction of Alexander's causeway entrained a complete anthropogenic metamorphosis of the Tyrian coastal system.

Kinesthetic Ventures Informed by the Work of F. M. Alexander, Stanislavski, Peirce, and Freud.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouchard, Ed; Wright, Ben; Protzel, Michael, Ed.

This book is about education harvested from self-observation. F. Matthias Alexander (1869-1955) studied the experience of self formation, working with motor habits. His method is used in performing arts training to enhance bodily and vocal expression. Like Alexander, Konstantine Stanislavski (1863-1938) and Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) studied human…

Alexander the Great's Tomb at Siwa: The Astronomical Orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papathanassiou, M.; Souvaltzis, Em.; Souvaltzi, L.; Moussas, X.

A preliminary report on the possible astronomical orientation of the Tomb of Alexander the Great, recently found and excavated by the greek archaeologist Liana Souvaltzi. The tomb is a greek building of doric style. Its enormous dimensions make it the largest amongst the found macedonian tombs (much bigger than the tomb of Philip II, Alexander's father). The tomb faces generally south---west and its orientation could be related either to the constellation of Centaurus or to the star Canopus. The walls of the two long sides of the building have strickingly different widhts. Moreover each wall has three doors (opposite in pairs) of slightly different sizes. We examine the possibility the openings of the doors and their assymetries to be designed and constructed according to some astronomical (solar or stellar) orientations.

Alexander George Karczmar (1917-2017).

PubMed

Soreq, Hermona; Silman, Israel

2017-12-01

The neurochemistry community at large and the Advisory Board of The International Symposia on Cholinergic Mechanisms mourn the loss of Alexander George Karczmar, the elected Honorary President of these international symposia, who passed away peacefully in his Chicago home at the age of 100 on August 17, 2017. For many of us Alex was the essence of cholinergic signaling, and personified its versatile power to send messages between the brain and the peripheral tissues and organs, and to connect between body and soul. © 2017 International Society for Neurochemistry.

3. Historic American Buildings Survey J. Alexander, Photographer, 1971 DETAIL, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. Historic American Buildings Survey J. Alexander, Photographer, 1971 DETAIL, ENTRANCE STOOP (LION FIGURE) - Joseph Beale House, 2301 Massachusetts Avenue, Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Alexander Graham Bell: Teacher of the Deaf.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruce, Robert V.

The lecture on Alexander Graham Bell by Dr. Robert V. Bruce, the author of a biography of Bell, focuses on Bell's association with the Clarke School for the Deaf in Massachusetts. Noted are Bell's employment by the school at 25 years of age and the preceding period during which Bell taught elocution at a boys' school in Scotland and used his…

Alexander Meiklejohn in Search of Freedom and Dignity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Tony W.

1982-01-01

Assesses the contributions of the philosopher/educator Alexander Meiklejohn. Discusses the influences of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, and the U.S. Constitution on Meiklejohn's educational theories, which stressed that human freedom and dignity can be enhanced by rigorous examination of U.S. Supreme Court decisions and the meaning of…

77 FR 9673 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-17

... Neurobiology. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W... Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709...: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander...

Alexander von Humboldt and the Origins of Landscape Archaeology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathewson, Kent

1986-01-01

Reviews the life, theories, and influence of Alexander von Humboldt, the early nineteenth century founder of modern geography. Maintains that Humboldt's novel approaches to the study of landscape antiquities have value for contemporary students in cultural and historical geography. (JDH)

The Century-Old Wisdom of Alexander Graham Bell.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornett, Orin

1990-01-01

This article reflects on Alexander Graham Bell's 1888 testimony before the Royal Commission of the United Kingdom on the Condition of the Deaf and Dumb, Etc. Excerpts are grouped by reference to (1) language education for the hearing impaired; (2) speechreading; (3) methods of teaching; (4) speech; and (5) sign language. (Author/PB)

Journalism and the Educational Views of Alexander Meiklejohn.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Mack R.

Alexander Meiklejohn, who died in 1964 at the age of 92, was a constitutional scholar whose major interest was education. Among Meiklejohn's beliefs were the following: the social good should take precedence over individual achievement; the liberal arts college is the institution best suited to carry out an affirmative reading of the First…

Riding on the Back of a Giant: Adding Malta to the "5 Cultures" Study by Robin Alexander

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peresso, Randolph

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on the methodology adopted for Malta+5, which builds on Robin Alexander's work by comparing the five pedagogical cultures he studied to the one in Malta. It reflects critically on the research process adopted in this study, and shows how, despite the very limited experience and resources, applying the methodology, frameworks and…

1. Historic American Buildings Survey J. Alexander, Photographer April 1969 ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. Historic American Buildings Survey J. Alexander, Photographer April 1969 3034 P STREET (right) AND ADJOINING ROWHOUSES, LOOKING EAST - Smith-Morton Row House, 3034 P Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Q & A: Alexander Varshavsky.

PubMed

Varshavsky, Alexander

2003-07-01

Alexander Varshavsky is Smits Professor of Cell Biology at the California Institute of Technology. He moved to Caltech in 1992, after 15 years at the MIT's Department of Biology. He was born and educated in Russia, and was 30 at the time of his emigration to the U.S. in 1977. In Russia, and for a while at MIT, he studied the structure and replication of chromosomes. Over the last 24 years, the work of his laboratory focused on the ubiquitin system and closely related fields. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and has received the Gairdner Award, the Lasker Award, the General Motors Sloan Prize, the Wolf Prize, the Horwitz Prize, and the Wilson Medal.

Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain: economic evaluation.

PubMed

Hollinghurst, Sandra; Sharp, Debbie; Ballard, Kathleen; Barnett, Jane; Beattie, Angela; Evans, Maggie; Lewith, George; Middleton, Karen; Oxford, Frances; Webley, Fran; Little, Paul

2008-12-11

An economic evaluation of therapeutic massage, exercise, and lessons in the Alexander technique for treating persistent back pain. Cost consequences study and cost effectiveness analysis at 12 month follow-up of a factorial randomised controlled trial. 579 patients with chronic or recurrent low back pain recruited from primary care. Normal care (control), massage, and six or 24 lessons in the Alexander technique. Half of each group were randomised to a prescription for exercise from a doctor plus behavioural counselling from a nurse. Costs to the NHS and to participants. Comparison of costs with Roland-Morris disability score (number of activities impaired by pain), days in pain, and quality adjusted life years (QALYs). Comparison of NHS costs with QALY gain, using incremental cost effectiveness ratios and cost effectiveness acceptability curves. Intervention costs ranged from pound30 for exercise prescription to pound596 for 24 lessons in Alexander technique plus exercise. Cost of health services ranged from pound50 for 24 lessons in Alexander technique to pound124 for exercise. Incremental cost effectiveness analysis of single therapies showed that exercise offered best value ( pound61 per point on disability score, pound9 per additional pain-free day, pound2847 per QALY gain). For two-stage therapy, six lessons in Alexander technique combined with exercise was the best value (additional pound64 per point on disability score, pound43 per additional pain-free day, pound5332 per QALY gain). An exercise prescription and six lessons in Alexander technique alone were both more than 85% likely to be cost effective at values above pound20 000 per QALY, but the Alexander technique performed better than exercise on the full range of outcomes. A combination of six lessons in Alexander technique lessons followed by exercise was the most effective and cost effective option.

What is the perceived impact of Alexander technique lessons on health status, costs and pain management in the real life setting of an English hospital? The results of a mixed methods evaluation of an Alexander technique service for those with chronic back pain.

PubMed

McClean, Stuart; Brilleman, Sam; Wye, Lesley

2015-07-28

Randomised controlled trial evidence indicates that Alexander Technique is clinically and cost effective for chronic back pain. The aim of this mixed methods evaluation was to explore the role and perceived impact of Alexander Technique lessons in the naturalistic setting of an acute hospital Pain Management Clinic in England. To capture changes in health status and resource use amongst service users, 43 service users were administered three widely used questionnaires (Brief Pain Inventory, MYMOP and Client Service Resource Inventory) at three time points: baseline, six weeks and three months after baseline. We also carried out 27 telephone interviews with service users and seven face-to-face interviews with pain clinic staff and Alexander Technique teachers. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analysed thematically. Those taking Alexander Technique lessons reported small improvements in health outcomes, and condition-related costs fell. However, due to the non-randomised, uncontrolled nature of the study design, changes cannot be attributed to the Alexander Technique lessons. Service users stated that their relationship to pain and pain management had changed, especially those who were more committed to practising the techniques regularly. These changes may explain the reported reduction in pain-related service use and the corresponding lower associated costs. Alexander Technique lessons may be used as another approach to pain management. The findings suggests that Alexander Technique lessons can help improve self-efficacy for those who are sufficiently motivated, which in turn may have an impact on service utilisation levels.

Infantile Alexander Disease: Spectrum of GFAP Mutations and Genotype-Phenotype Correlation

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Diana; Gauthier, Fernande; Bertini, Enrico; Bugiani, Marianna; Brenner, Michael; N'guyen, Sylvie; Goizet, Cyril; Gelot, Antoinette; Surtees, Robert; Pedespan, Jean-Michel; Hernandorena, Xavier; Troncoso, Monica; Uziel, Graziela; Messing, Albee; Ponsot, Gérard; Pham-Dinh, Danielle; Dautigny, André; Boespflug-Tanguy, Odile

2001-01-01

Heterozygous, de novo mutations in the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene have recently been reported in 12 patients affected by neuropathologically proved Alexander disease. We searched for GFAP mutations in a series of patients who had heterogeneous clinical symptoms but were candidates for Alexander disease on the basis of suggestive neuroimaging abnormalities. Missense, heterozygous, de novo GFAP mutations were found in exons 1 or 4 for 14 of the 15 patients analyzed, including patients without macrocephaly. Nine patients carried arginine mutations (four had R79H; four had R239C; and one had R239H) that have been described elsewhere, whereas the other five had one of four novel mutations, of which two affect arginine (2R88C and 1R88S) and two affect nonarginine residues (1L76F and 1N77Y). All mutations were located in the rod domain of GFAP, and there is a correlation between clinical severity and the affected amino acid. These results confirm that GFAP mutations are a reliable molecular marker for the diagnosis of infantile Alexander disease, and they also form a basis for the recommendation of GFAP analysis for prenatal diagnosis to detect potential cases of germinal mosaicism. PMID:11567214

78 FR 66107 - National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Residual Risk and Technology Review for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

.... Alexander Drive in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. If EPA holds a public hearing, the EPA will keep... Drive in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Persons interested in presenting oral testimony or... Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711; telephone number: (919) 541-7966; fax number: (919...

The deglacial history of NW Alexander Island, Antarctica, from surface exposure dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Joanne S.; Everest, Jeremy D.; Leat, Philip T.; Golledge, Nicholas R.; Rood, Dylan H.; Stuart, Finlay M.

2012-03-01

Recent changes along the margins of the Antarctic Peninsula, such as the collapse of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, have highlighted the effects of climatic warming on the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet (APIS). However, such changes must be viewed in a long-term (millennial-scale) context if we are to understand their significance for future stability of the Antarctic ice sheets. To address this, we present nine new cosmogenic 10Be exposure ages from sites on NW Alexander Island and Rothschild Island (adjacent to the Wilkins Ice Shelf) that provide constraints on the timing of thinning of the Alexander Island ice cap since the last glacial maximum. All but one of the 10Be ages are in the range 10.2-21.7 ka, showing a general trend of progressive ice-sheet thinning since at least 22 ka until 10 ka. The data also provide a minimum estimate (490 m) for ice-cap thickness on NW Alexander Island at the last glacial maximum. Cosmogenic 3He ages from a rare occurrence of mantle xenoliths on Rothschild Island yield variable ages up to 46 ka, probably reflecting exhumation by periglacial processes.

Patients' views of receiving lessons in the Alexander technique and an exercise prescription for managing back pain in the ATEAM trial.

PubMed

Yardley, Lucy; Dennison, Laura; Coker, Rebecca; Webley, Frances; Middleton, Karen; Barnett, Jane; Beattie, Angela; Evans, Maggie; Smith, Peter; Little, Paul

2010-04-01

Lessons in the Alexander Technique and exercise prescription proved effective for managing low back pain in primary care in a clinical trial. To understand trial participants' expectations and experiences of the Alexander Technique and exercise prescription. A questionnaire assessing attitudes to the intervention, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, was completed at baseline and 3-month follow-up by 183 people assigned to lessons in the Alexander Technique and 176 people assigned to exercise prescription. Semi-structured interviews to assess the beliefs contributing to attitudes to the intervention were carried out at baseline with14 people assigned to the lessons in the Alexander Technique and 16 to exercise prescription, and at follow-up with 15 members of the baseline sample. Questionnaire responses indicated that attitudes to both interventions were positive at baseline but became more positive at follow-up only in those assigned to lessons in the Alexander Technique. Thematic analysis of the interviews suggested that at follow-up many patients who had learned the Alexander Technique felt they could manage back pain better. Whereas many obstacles to exercising were reported, few barriers to learning the Alexander Technique were described, since it 'made sense', could be practiced while carrying out everyday activities or relaxing, and the teachers provided personal advice and support. Using the Alexander Technique was viewed as effective by most patients. Acceptability may have been superior to exercise because of a convincing rationale and social support and a better perceived fit with the patient's particular symptoms and lifestyle.

Benzodiazepines, opioids and driving: an overview of the experimental research.

PubMed

Leung, Stefanie Y

2011-05-01

Road crashes contribute significantly to the total burden of injury in Australia, with the risk of injury being associated with the presence of drugs and/or alcohol in the driver's blood. Increasingly, some of the most commonly detected drugs include prescription medicines, the most notable of these being benzodiazepines and opioids. However, there is a paucity of experimental research into the effects of prescribed psychoactive drugs on driving behaviours. This paper provides an overview of experimental studies investigating the effects of prescribed doses of benzodiazepines and opioids on driving ability, and points to future directions for research. There is growing epidemiological evidence linking the therapeutic use of benzodiazepines and opioids to an increased crash risk. However, the current experimental literature remains unclear. Limitations to study methodologies have resulted in inconsistent findings. Limited experimental evidence exists to inform policy and guidelines regarding fitness-to-drive for patients taking prescribed benzodiazepines and opioids. Further experimental research is required to elucidate the effects of these medications on driving, under varying conditions and in different medical contexts. This will ensure that doctors prescribing benzodiazepines and opioids are well informed, and can appropriately advise patients of the risks associated with driving whilst taking these medications. © 2011 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Constructing a publically available distracted driving database and research tool.

PubMed

Atchley, Paul; Tran, Ashleigh V; Salehinejad, Mohammad Ali

2017-02-01

The goal of the current work was to create a publicly available visualization tool of distracted driving research, the purpose of which is to allow the public and other stakeholders to empirically inform questions of their choice that may bear on policy discussions. Fifty years of distracted driving research was used to design a comprehensive database of studies that evaluated the effects of distraction on driving performance. Distraction sources (e.g., texting, talking, visual distraction) and performance measures were defined, and the sample of studies were evaluated and categorized by their measures. The final product yielded 342 studies using various methodologies. Across all measures, 1297 found distractions degraded driving performance, 54 found distraction improved driving performance, and 257 found distraction had no effect on driving performance. An analysis of the most common phone distractions (texting and talking) showed that texting almost always results in degraded performance. Aggregate data reveal no difference in performance decrements for hand-held or hands-free phones even though single studies of those variables vary in their outcomes. This project illustrates how scientific research can be made publically available for use by a diverse audience of stakeholders. An important result of this project is that data aggregated along a simple set of characteristics such as whether or not performance is decreased, improved or not affected, can reveal trends in the data that are less clear from any individual study. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 13282 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-19

.... Company name and address: Arysta LifeScience, North Americal LLC, 15401 Weston Parkway, Suite 150, Cary... CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Active...: EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0262. Company name and address: Bayer CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2T.W. Alexander...

Dr Alexander Graham Bell--audiologist and speech therapist.

PubMed

Chakravorty, R C

1976-09-01

Alexander Graham Bell is best known for his role in the invention of the telephone. However, he had a lifelong involvement in speech therapy and audiology besides many other medical investigations. He was also awarded an honorary MD degree from Heidelberg University. In this, the 100th anniversary of his invention of the telephone, his life and some of his medical interests are briefly reviewed.

Evidence for the effectiveness of Alexander Technique lessons in medical and health-related conditions: a systematic review.

PubMed

Woodman, J P; Moore, N R

2012-01-01

Complementary medicine and alternative approaches to chronic and intractable health conditions are increasingly being used, and require critical evaluation. The aim of this review was to systematically evaluate available evidence for the effectiveness and safety of instruction in the Alexander Technique in health-related conditions. PUBMED, EMBASE, PSYCHINFO, ISI Web-of-Knowledge, AMED, CINHAL-plus, Cochrane library and Evidence-based Medicine Reviews were searched to July 2011. Inclusion criteria were prospective studies evaluating Alexander Technique instruction (individual lessons or group delivery) as an intervention for any medical indication/health-related condition. Studies were categorised and data extracted on study population, randomisation method, nature of intervention and control, practitioner characteristics, validity and reliability of outcome measures, completeness of follow-up and statistical analyses.   Of 271 publications identified, 18 were selected: three randomised, controlled trials (RCTs), two controlled non-randomised studies, eight non-controlled studies, four qualitative analyses and one health economic analysis. One well-designed, well-conducted RCT demonstrated that, compared with usual GP care, Alexander Technique lessons led to significant long-term reductions in back pain and incapacity caused by chronic back pain. The results were broadly supported by a smaller, earlier RCT in chronic back pain. The third RCT, a small, well-designed, well-conducted study in individuals with Parkinson's disease, showed a sustained increased ability to carry out everyday activities following Alexander lessons, compared with usual care. The 15 non-RCT studies are also reviewed. Strong evidence exists for the effectiveness of Alexander Technique lessons for chronic back pain and moderate evidence in Parkinson's-associated disability. Preliminary evidence suggests that Alexander Technique lessons may lead to improvements in balance skills in the

Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain.

PubMed

Little, Paul; Lewith, George; Webley, Fran; Evans, Maggie; Beattie, Angela; Middleton, Karen; Barnett, Jane; Ballard, Kathleen; Oxford, Frances; Smith, Peter; Yardley, Lucy; Hollinghurst, Sandra; Sharp, Debbie

2008-12-01

To determine the effectiveness of lessons in the Alexander technique, massage therapy, and advice from a doctor to take exercise (exercise prescription) along with nurse delivered behavioural counselling for patients with chronic or recurrent back pain. Factorial randomised trial. Setting 64 general practices in England. 579 patients with chronic or recurrent low back pain; 144 were randomised to normal care, 147 to massage, 144 to six Alexander technique lessons, and 144 to 24 Alexander technique lessons; half of each of these groups were randomised to exercise prescription. Normal care (control), six sessions of massage, six or 24 lessons on the Alexander technique, and prescription for exercise from a doctor with nurse delivered behavioural counselling. Roland Morris disability score (number of activities impaired by pain) and number of days in pain. Exercise and lessons in the Alexander technique, but not massage, remained effective at one year (compared with control Roland disability score 8.1: massage -0.58, 95% confidence interval -1.94 to 0.77, six lessons -1.40, -2.77 to -0.03, 24 lessons -3.4, -4.76 to -2.03, and exercise -1.29, -2.25 to -0.34). Exercise after six lessons achieved 72% of the effect of 24 lessons alone (Roland disability score -2.98 and -4.14, respectively). Number of days with back pain in the past four weeks were lower after lessons (compared with control median 21 days: 24 lessons -18, six lessons -10, massage -7) and quality of life improved significantly. No significant harms were reported. One to one lessons in the Alexander technique from registered teachers have long term benefits for patients with chronic back pain. Six lessons followed by exercise prescription were nearly as effective as 24 lessons.

Teaching Nuclear Radiation and the Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David R. Lapp

2008-01-01

The recent international story about the death of the former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko has more than just a few wondering about radiation poisoning and the sinister sounding polonium-210. I was preparing to begin a nuclear radiation unit the Monday after Thanksgiving 2006. As it turned out, Litvinenko died Thanksgiving Day after a short and…

Teachers' professional development needs and current practices at the Alexander Science Center School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gargus, Gerald Vincent

This investigation represents an in-depth understanding of teacher professional development at the Alexander Science Center School, a dependent charter museum school established through a partnership between the California Science Center and Los Angeles Unified School District. Three methods of data collection were used. A survey was distributed and collected from the school's teachers, resulting in a prioritized list of teacher professional development needs, as well as a summary of teachers' opinions about the school's existing professional development program. In addition, six key stakeholders in the school's professional development program were interviewed for the study. Finally, documents related to the school's professional development program were analyzed. Data collected from the interviews and documents were used to develop an understand various components of the Alexander Science Center School's professional development program. Teachers identified seven areas that had a high-priority for future professional development including developing skills far working with below-grade-level students, improving the analytical skills of student in mathematics, working with English Language Learners, improving students' overall reading ability levels, developing teachers' content-area knowledge for science, integrating science across the curriculum, and incorporating hands-on activity-based learning strategies to teach science. Professional development needs identified by Alexander Science Center School teachers were categorized based on their focus on content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, or curricular knowledge. Analysis of data collected through interviews and documents revealed that the Alexander Science Center School's professional development program consisted of six venues for providing professional development for teachers including weekly "banked time" sessions taking place within the standard school day, grade-level meetings, teacher support

New Models at Lasell: Q&A with President Michael Alexander

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harney, John O.

2018-01-01

The "New England Journal of Higher Education" ("NEJHE") Executive Editor John O. Harney had the chance to catch up with Lasell College President Michael Alexander about the small Newton, Massachusetts, college's plans to challenge the higher education business model. The interview is presented in this article.

Alexander Bain's CUE in the Post-Modern World: Unity Revisited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dryden, Phyllis

In 1866, Alexander Bain proposed that by evaluating unity, coherence, and emphasis (which he brought together under the acronym "CUE"), students could judge the effectiveness of their written paragraphs. One hundred twenty-five years later, the proposition is still central to composition instruction. A review of modern writing textbooks…

Drugs and driving : information needs and research requirements

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-04-01

The report presents the results of a comprehensive review and analysis of the relationship between drugs (other than alcohol alone) and highway safety. The report identifies research to define the problem of drugs and driving. Epidemiologic and exper...

Alexander Kapp--The First Known User of the Andragogy Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loeng, Svein

2017-01-01

The German gymnasium teacher Alexander Kapp (1800-1869) was to all appearances the first one to use the "andragogy concept" as a term for "adult learning." In 1833 he published the book "Platon's Erziehungslehre, als Pädagogik für die Einzelnen und als Staatspädagogik. Oder dessen praktische Philosophie." This book…

Origin of Silurian reefs in the Alexander Terrane of southeastern Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soja, C.M.

1991-04-01

Lower to Upper Silurian (upper Llandovery-Ludlow) limestones belonging to the Heceta Formation record several episodes of reef growth in the Alexander terrane of southeastern Alaska. As the oldest carbonates of wide-spread distribution in the region, the Heceta limestones represent the earliest development of a shallow-marine platform within the Alexander arc and the oldest foundation for reef evolution. These deposits provide important insights into the dynamic processes, styles, and bathymetry associated with reef growth in tectonically active oceanic islands. Massive stromatoporoids, corals, and red algae are preserved in fragmental rudstones and represent a fringing reef that formed at the seaward edgemore » of the incipient marine shelf. Accessory constituents in this reef include crinoids and the cyanobacterium Girvanella. Small biostromes were constructed by ramose corals and stromatoporoids on oncolitic substrates in backreef or lagoonal environments. These buildups were associated with low-diversity assemblages of brachiopods and with gastropods, amphiporids, calcareous algae and cyanobacteria. Microbial boundstones reflect the widespread encrustation of cyanobacteria and calcified microproblematica on shelly debris as stromatolitic mats that resulted in the development of a stromatactoid-bearing mud mound and a barrier reef complex. Epiphytaceans, other microbes, and aphrosalpingid sponges were the primary frame-builders of the barrier reefs. These buildups attained significant relief at the shelf margin and shed detritus as slumped blocks and debris flows into deep-water sites along the slope. The similarity of these stromatolitic-aphrosalpingid reefs to those from Siluro-Devonian strata of autochthonous southwestern Alaska suggests paleobiogeographic ties of the Alexander terrane to cratonal North America during the Silurian.« less

Participating in and delivering the ATEAM trial (Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage) interventions for chronic back pain: A qualitative study of professional perspectives.

PubMed

Beattie, Angela; Shaw, Alison; Yardley, Lucy; Little, Paul; Sharp, Debbie

2010-01-01

To outline professionals' experiences of participation, perceived benefits and acceptability of the interventions delivered in the ATEAM trial (Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage), for patients with chronic or recurrent back pain. Qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted with a purposeful sample of twenty professionals (general practitioners (GPs), nurses, Alexander technique teachers, and massage therapists). Data were recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically using the constant comparison method. Evidence of effectiveness GPs wanted an evidence base for the interventions, whilst nurses, Alexander technique teachers and massage therapists perceived patient reports of benefit as evidence. Professionals' perception of the acceptability of the intervention: professional perspectives differed, with GPs and nurses viewing the structured nature of exercise prescription and Alexander technique lessons as more beneficial and acceptable than massage in alleviating patients' back pain. Economic cost: the cost to patients pursuing Alexander technique lessons and massage was perceived to be a barrier outside the trial. Inter-professional communication: there was little communication between the professionals groups within the trial. Valuable insights have been gained into the perceived benefits and acceptability of exercise, Alexander technique lessons and massage as interventions for chronic back pain. Lessons in the Alexander technique with or without exercise, was perceived as more beneficial and acceptable than massage by professionals who participated and delivered the ATEAM trial interventions. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

View west of the James and Lucy Alexander gravestone and ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

View west of the James and Lucy Alexander gravestone and family plot among other demarcated family plots in the Female Union Band Cemetery. - Mount Zion Cemetery/ Female Union Band Cemetery, Bounded by 27th Street right-of-way N.W. (formerly Lyons Mill Road), Q Street N.W., & Mill Road N.W., Washington, District of Columbia, DC

How to report and interpret screening test properties: guidelines for driving researchers.

PubMed

Weaver, Bruce; Walter, Stephen D; Bédard, Michel

2014-01-01

One important goal of driving research is the development of a short but valid office-based screening test for fitness to drive of aging drivers. Several candidate tests have been proposed already, and no doubt others will be proposed in the future. It might seem obvious that authors advocating for the adoption of a particular screening test or procedure should report sensitivity, specificity, and other common screening test properties. Unfortunately, driving researchers have frequently failed to report any screening test properties. Others have reported screening test properties but have made basic mistakes such as calculating predictive values of positive and negative tests but reporting them incorrectly as sensitivity and specificity. These omissions and errors suggest that some driving researchers may be unaware of the importance of accurately reporting test properties when proposing a screening procedure and that others may need a refresher on how to calculate and interpret the most common screening test properties. Many good learning resources for screening and diagnostic tests are available, but most of them are intended for students and researchers in medicine, epidemiology, or public health. We hope that this tutorial in a prominent transportation journal will help lead to improved reporting and interpretation of screening test properties in articles that assess the usefulness of potential screening tools for fitness to drive.

Alexander Williamson and the modernisation of Japan.

PubMed

Davies, Alwyn G

2015-01-01

One hundred and fifty years ago, five students were smuggled out of feudal Japan and came to London to learn Western technology, governance, and economics. They were put into the care of Alexander Williamson, who was Professor of Chemistry at University College London, and when they went back they, and the students who followed them, became the founders of the modern Japanese state. This is the British side of that remarkable story. Williamson's career and chemistry are briefly reviewed, followed by an account of the students' presence in Britain, and then the commemoration of the sesquicentenary of these events.

"In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great" PBS Series. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Washington, DC.

This teacher's guide correlates with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television series "In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great" hosted by historian Michael Wood. The four episodes of the series are entitled: "Son of God"; "Lord of Asia"; "Across the Hindu Kush"; and "To the Ends of the…

Science, Education, and Antebellum Reform: The Case of Alexander Dallas Bache.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slotten, Hugh R.

1991-01-01

Suggest that science and formal education became the primary civilizing forces in the decades preceding the Civil War. Focuses on the work of scientist and educational reformer Alexander Dallas Bache. Concludes that Bache's efforts to promote unified public schools, scientific and technical education, and moral training inspired later Progressive…

Development and interval testing of a naturalistic driving methodology to evaluate driving behavior in clinical research.

PubMed

Babulal, Ganesh M; Addison, Aaron; Ghoshal, Nupur; Stout, Sarah H; Vernon, Elizabeth K; Sellan, Mark; Roe, Catherine M

2016-01-01

Background : The number of older adults in the United States will double by 2056. Additionally, the number of licensed drivers will increase along with extended driving-life expectancy. Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and death in older adults. Alzheimer's disease (AD) also negatively impacts driving ability and increases crash risk. Conventional methods to evaluate driving ability are limited in predicting decline among older adults. Innovations in GPS hardware and software can monitor driving behavior in the actual environments people drive in. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices are affordable, easy to install and capture large volumes of data in real-time. However, adapting these methodologies for research can be challenging. This study sought to adapt a COTS device and determine an interval that produced accurate data on the actual route driven for use in future studies involving older adults with and without AD.  Methods : Three subjects drove a single course in different vehicles at different intervals (30, 60 and 120 seconds), at different times of day, morning (9:00-11:59AM), afternoon (2:00-5:00PM) and night (7:00-10pm). The nine datasets were examined to determine the optimal collection interval. Results : Compared to the 120-second and 60-second intervals, the 30-second interval was optimal in capturing the actual route driven along with the lowest number of incorrect paths and affordability weighing considerations for data storage and curation. Discussion : Use of COTS devices offers minimal installation efforts, unobtrusive monitoring and discreet data extraction.  However, these devices require strict protocols and controlled testing for adoption into research paradigms.  After reliability and validity testing, these devices may provide valuable insight into daily driving behaviors and intraindividual change over time for populations of older adults with and without AD.  Data can be aggregated over time to look at changes

Identification of metapopulation dynamics among Northern Goshawks of the Alexander Archipelago, Alaska, and Coastal British Columbia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sonsthagen, Sarah A.; McClaren, Erica L.; Doyle, Frank I.; Titus, K.; Sage, George K.; Wilson, Robert E.; Gust, Judy R.; Talbot, Sandra L.

2012-01-01

Northern Goshawks occupying the Alexander Archipelago, Alaska, and coastal British Columbia nest primarily in old-growth and mature forest, which results in spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of individuals across the landscape. We used microsatellite and mitochondrial data to infer genetic structure, gene flow, and fluctuations in population demography through evolutionary time. Patterns in the genetic signatures were used to assess predictions associated with the three population models: panmixia, metapopulation, and isolated populations. Population genetic structure was observed along with asymmetry in gene flow estimates that changed directionality at different temporal scales, consistent with metapopulation model predictions. Therefore, Northern Goshawk assemblages located in the Alexander Archipelago and coastal British Columbia interact through a metapopulation framework, though they may not fit the classic model of a metapopulation. Long-term population sources (coastal mainland British Columbia) and sinks (Revillagigedo and Vancouver islands) were identified. However, there was no trend through evolutionary time in the directionality of dispersal among the remaining assemblages, suggestive of a rescue-effect dynamic. Admiralty, Douglas, and Chichagof island complex appears to be an evolutionarily recent source population in the Alexander Archipelago. In addition, Kupreanof island complex and Kispiox Forest District populations have high dispersal rates to populations in close geographic proximity and potentially serve as local source populations. Metapopulation dynamics occurring in the Alexander Archipelago and coastal British Columbia by Northern Goshawks highlight the importance of both occupied and unoccupied habitats to long-term population persistence of goshawks in this region.

The use of adaptation to reduce simulator sickness in driving assessment and research.

PubMed

Domeyer, Joshua E; Cassavaugh, Nicholas D; Backs, Richard W

2013-04-01

The technical advancement of driving simulators has decreased their cost and increased both their accuracy and fidelity. This makes them a useful tool for examining driving behavior in risky or unique situations. With the approaching increase of older licensed drivers due to aging of the baby boomers, driving simulators will be important for conducting driving research and evaluations for older adults. With these simulator technologies, some people may experience significant effects of a unique form of motion sickness, known as simulator sickness. These effects may be more pronounced in older adults. The present study examined the feasibility of an intervention to attenuate symptoms of simulator sickness in drivers participating in a study of a driving evaluation protocol. Prior to beginning the experiment, the experimental groups did not differ in subjective simulator sickness scores as indicated by Revised Simulator Sickness Questionnaire scores (all p>0.5). Participants who experienced a two-day delay between an initial acclimation to the driving simulator and the driving session experienced fewer simulator sickness symptoms as indicated by RSSQ total severity scores than participants who did not receive a two-day delay (F(1,88)=4.54, p=.036, partial η(2)=.049). These findings have implications for improving client well-being and potentially increasing acceptance of driving simulation for driving evaluations and for driving safety research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

46. Photocopy of photograph (Pentran file), (from Alexander Brown's Peninsula's ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

46. Photocopy of photograph (Pentran file), (from Alexander Brown's Peninsula's Last Street Cars, Daily Press, January 15, 1956) photographer unknown. The first streetcar (with dignitaries) to make the run from Newport News to a new housing development named Hilton Village in September 1918. - Newport News & Old Point Railway & Electric Company, Trolley Barn & Administration Building, 3400 Victoria Boulevard, Hampton, Hampton, VA

Distracted Driving and Associated Crash Risks : Research Project Capsule

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

Factors aff ecting the : cognitive tasks : associated with : driving are becoming : increasingly critical to : the overall roadway : safety performance. : Therefore, more research is needed in order to understand the complexity and : impact of distra...

Minimizing the effects of pile driving vibrations : research spotlight.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-11-01

Engineers must take care that the vibrations from pile driving : operations during bridge construction do not damage underground : utilities or cause settlement in the foundations of nearby structures. : In this project, researchers developed a simpl...

Clinical Experience in Late Antiquity: Alexander of Tralles and the Therapy of Epilepsy

PubMed Central

Bouras-vallianatos, Petros

2014-01-01

Alexander of Tralles, writing in the late sixth century, combined his wide-ranging practical knowledge with earlier medical theories. This article shows how clinical experience is used in Alexander’s works by concentrating on his therapeutic advice on epilepsy and, in particular, on pharmacology and the group of so-called natural remedies. I argue that clinical testing is used not only for the introduction of new medicines but also as an instrument for checking the therapeutic effect of popular healing practices. On another level, this article discusses Alexander’s role as the author of a medical compendium; it suggests that by marking the cases of clinical testing with a set of recurrent expressions, Alexander leads his audience to reflect on his medical authority and personal contribution. PMID:25045178

[Urology and National Socialism: the fate of Alexander von Lichtenberg 1880-1949].

PubMed

Moll, F H; Krischel, M; Rathert, P; Fangerau, H

2010-09-01

Alexander von Lichtenberg (1880-1949) was one of the famous members of the German Urological Society (DGU) in pre-war Germany. He introduced excretion urography and a special TURP Instrument. In 1928 he was president of the 8th meeting held in the German capital Berlin. His Handbook of Urology, released by Ferdinand Springer publishing house, was a trendsetter in establishing urology as a specialty in Germany and bringing together the whole wisdom of all aspects of urology. He was the founder of the famous Maximilian Nitze Award of the DGU. As a Jew he-like many others-was forced to leave Nazi Germany after 1933. Even in Hungary, his native country, he again had to resist anti-Semitic hostility. Later on he lived in Mexico. Alexander von Lichtenberg has to be remembered with special focus on the exodus of German Jewish scientists during the Nazi time.

77 FR 61771 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-11

... applications. Place: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111... Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709...

Handbook of Research on Driving STEM Learning with Educational Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramírez-Montoya, María-Soledad, Ed.

2017-01-01

Educational strategies have evolved over the years, due to research breakthroughs and the application of technology. By using the latest learning innovations, curriculum and instructional design can be enhanced and strengthened. The "Handbook of Research on Driving STEM Learning with Educational Technologies" is an authoritative…

Alexander Hegedus Lightning Talk: Integrating Measurements to Optimize Space Weather Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hegedus, A. M.

2017-12-01

Alexander Hegedus is a PhD Candidate at the University of Michigan, and won an Outstanding Student Paper Award at the AGU 2016 Fall Meeting for his poster "Simulating 3D Spacecraft Constellations for Low Frequency Radio Imaging." In this short talk, Alex outlines his current research of analyzing data from both real and simulated instruments to answer Heliophysical questions. He then sketches out future plans to simulate science pipelines in a real-time data assimilation model that uses a Bayesian framework to integrate information from different instruments to determine the efficacy of future Space Weather Alert systems. MHD simulations made with Michigan's own Space Weather Model Framework will provide input to simulated instruments, acting as an Observing System Simulation Experiment to verify that a certain set of measurements can accurately predict different classes of Space Weather events.

75 FR 27249 - Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-14

... other health care 325411 facilities, commercial 325412 research laboratories, 562213 commercial waste... hearing is held, it will be held at EPA's Campus located at 109 T.W. Alexander Drive in Research Triangle... (E143-03), [[Page 27250

Current Research Activities in Drive System Technology in Support of the NASA Rotorcraft Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handschuh, Robert F.; Zakrajsek, James J.

2006-01-01

Drive system technology is a key area for improving rotorcraft performance, noise/vibration reduction, and reducing operational and manufacturing costs. An overview of current research areas that support the NASA Rotorcraft Program will be provided. Work in drive system technology is mainly focused within three research areas: advanced components, thermal behavior/emergency lubrication system operation, and diagnostics/prognostics (also known as Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS)). Current research activities in each of these activities will be presented. Also, an overview of the conceptual drive system requirements and possible arrangements for the Heavy Lift Rotorcraft program will be reviewed.

Lithium Decreases Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein in a Mouse Model of Alexander Disease

PubMed Central

LaPash Daniels, Christine M.; Paffenroth, Elizabeth; Austin, Elizabeth V.; Glebov, Konstantin; Lewis, Diana; Walter, Jochen; Messing, Albee

2015-01-01

Alexander disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in the astrocyte intermediate filament glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). The disease is characterized by elevated levels of GFAP and the formation of protein aggregates, known as Rosenthal fibers, within astrocytes. Lithium has previously been shown to decrease protein aggregates by increasing the autophagy pathway for protein degradation. In addition, lithium has also been reported to decrease activation of the transcription factor STAT3, which is a regulator of GFAP transcription and astrogliogenesis. Here we tested whether lithium treatment would decrease levels of GFAP in a mouse model of Alexander disease. Mice with the Gfap-R236H point mutation were fed lithium food pellets for 4 to 8 weeks. Four weeks of treatment with LiCl at 0.5% in food pellets decreased GFAP protein and transcripts in several brain regions, although with mild side effects and some mortality. Extending the duration of treatment to 8 weeks resulted in higher mortality, and again with a decrease in GFAP in the surviving animals. Indicators of autophagy, such as LC3, were not increased, suggesting that lithium may decrease levels of GFAP through other pathways. Lithium reduced the levels of phosphorylated STAT3, suggesting this as one pathway mediating the effects on GFAP. In conclusion, lithium has the potential to decrease GFAP levels in Alexander disease, but with a narrow therapeutic window separating efficacy and toxicity. PMID:26378915

Research on Deafness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsey, Collette

1970-01-01

Paper presented at the Summer Meeting of the Alexander Graham Bell Association (Philadelphia, June 24-27, 1970) in which the author reviews the research supported by The Deafness Research Foundation. (RD)

Connect the Book. Always Inventing: A Photobiography of Alexander Graham Bell

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodie, Carolyn S.

2004-01-01

Cell phones, video phones, voice messaging?one wonders what Alexander Graham Bell would have thought about the many venues today for electronic communication with one another. Bell's March 10, 1876 invention is now 128 years old, but there is no doubt that Bell's "talking machine" changed the world. This article presents a brief review of the…

78 FR 53630 - Airworthiness Directives; Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau Sailplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

... rod for conformity following Alexander Schleicher Automatischer H[ouml]henruderanschlu[beta] (English... Manual (CAM) 18, Maintenance, Repair, And Alteration, Of Airframes, Powerplants, Propellers, And...--and-- Guidance--Library/rgccab.nsf/0/41df1277f2dc7e0e86257bcf005112bf/ $FILE/CAM--18--1959.pdf...

Alexander von Humboldt and the concept of animal electricity.

PubMed

Kettenmann, H

1997-06-01

More than two hundred years ago, Alexander von Humboldt helped to establish Galvani's view that muscle and nerve tissue are electrically excitable. His 1797 publication was a landmark for establishing the concept of animal electricity. Almost half a century later, von Humboldt became the mentor of the young du Bois-Reymond. With the help of von Humboldt's promotion, du Bois-Reymond demonstrated convincingly that animal tissue has the intrinsic capacity to generate electrical activity, and thus laid the ground for modern electrophysiology.

Drive Fan of the NACA's Icing Research Tunnel

NASA Image and Video Library

1956-10-21

A researcher examines the drive fan inside the Icing Research Tunnel at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Flight Propulsion Research Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. The facility was built in the mid-1940s to simulate the atmospheric conditions that caused ice to build up on aircraft. Carrier Corporation refrigeration equipment reduced the internal air temperature to -45⁰ F, and a spray bar system injected water droplets into the air stream. The 24-foot diameter drive fan, seen in this photograph, created air flow velocities up to 400 miles per hour. The 1950s were prime years for the Icing Research Tunnel. NACA engineers had spent the 1940s trying to resolve the complexities of the spray bar system. The final system put into operation in 1950 included six horizontal spray bars with 80 nozzles that produced a 4- by 4-foot cloud in the test section. The icing tunnel was used for extensive testing of civilian and military aircraft components in the 1950s. The NACA also launched a major investigation of the various methods of heating leading edge surfaces. The hot-air anti-icing technology used on today’s commercial transports was largely developed in the facility during this period. Lewis researchers also made significant breakthroughs with icing on radomes and jet engines. Although the Icing Research Tunnel yielded major breakthroughs in the 1950s, the Lewis icing research program began tapering off as interest in the space program grew. The icing tunnel’s use declined in 1956 and 1957. The launch of Sputnik in October 1957 signaled the end of the facility’s operation. The icing staff was transferred to other research projects and the icing tunnel was temporarily mothballed.

The impact of sleep disorders on driving safety-findings from the Second Strategic Highway Research Program naturalistic driving study.

PubMed

Liu, Shu-Yuan; Perez, Miguel A; Lau, Nathan

2018-04-01

This study investigated the association between driving safety and seven sleep disorders amongst 3541 participants of the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) naturalistic driving study. SHRP 2 collected naturalistic driving data from participants between 16 and 98 years old by instrumenting participants' vehicles. The analyses used logistic regression to determine the likelihood of crash or near-crash involvement, Poisson log-linear regression to assess crash or near-crash rate, and ordinal logistic regression to assess driver maneuver appropriateness and crash or near-crash severity. These analyses did not account for any medical treatments for the sleep disorders. Females with restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease (RLS/WED), drivers with insomnia or narcolepsy, are associated with significantly higher risk of crash or near-crash. Drivers with shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) are associated with significantly increased crash or near-crash rate. Females with RLS/WED or sleep apnea and drivers with SWSD are associated with less safe driver maneuver and drivers with periodic limb movement disorder are associated with more severe events. The four analyses provide no evidence of safety decrements associated with migraine. This study is the first examination on the association between seven sleep disorders and different measures of driving risk using large-scale naturalistic driving study data. The results corroborate much of the existing simulator and epidemiological research related to sleep-disorder patients and their driving safety, but add ecological validity to those findings. These results contribute to the empirical basis for medical professionals, policy makers, and employers in making decisions to aid individuals with sleep disorders in balancing safety and personal mobility.

75 FR 65365 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences;

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-22

... Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Contact Person: Linda K. Bass, PhD... grant applications. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium...

A Disciplinary Immigrant. Alexander Smith at the University of Chicago, 1894-1911

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotter, Donald

2008-01-01

The publication in 1906 of Alexander Smith's "Introduction to general inorganic chemistry" inaugurated a decisive change in chemical pedagogy in the US, the effects of which are still evident. The nature and extent of Smith's innovations are described through a comparison of his text to its source material and contemporaries. His…

Automated complex for research of electric drives control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avlasko, P. V.; Antonenko, D. A.

2018-05-01

In the article, the automated complex intended for research of various control modes of electric motors including the inductor motor of double-way feed is described. As a basis of the created complex, the National Instruments platform is chosen. The operating controller built in a platform is delivered with an operating system of real-time for creation of systems of measurement and management. The software developed in the environment of LabVIEW consists of several connected modules which are in different elements of a complex. Besides the software for automated management by experimental installation, the program complex is developed for modelling of processes in the electric drive. As a result there is an opportunity to compare simulated and received experimentally transitional characteristics of the electric drive in various operating modes.

Geohydrology and water-chemistry of the Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Metzger, Loren F.; Farrar, Christopher D.; Koczot, Kathryn M.; Reichard, Eric G.

2006-01-01

This study of the geohydrology and water chemistry of the Alexander Valley, California, was done to provide an improved scientific basis for addressing emerging water-management issues, including potential increases in water demand and changes in flows in the Russian River. The study tasks included (1) evaluation of existing geohydrological, geophysical, and geochemical data; (2) collection and analysis of new geohydrologic data, including subsurface lithologic data, ground-water levels, and streamflow records; and (3) collection and analysis of new water-chemistry data. The estimated total water use for the Alexander Valley for 1999 was approximately 15,800 acre-feet. About 13,500 acre-feet of this amount was for agricultural use, primarily vineyards, and about 2,300 acre-feet was for municipal/industrial use. Ground water is the main source of water supply for this area. The main sources of ground water in the Alexander Valley are the Quaternary alluvial deposits, the Glen Ellen Formation, and the Sonoma Volcanics. The alluvial units, where sufficiently thick and saturated, comprise the best aquifer in the study area. Average recharge to the Alexander Valley is estimated from a simple, basinwide water budget. On the basis of an estimated annual average of 298,000 acre-feet of precipitation, 160,000 acre-feet of runoff, and 113,000 to 133,000 acre-feet of evapotranspiration, about 5,000 to 25,000 acre-feet per year is available for ground-water recharge. Because this estimate is based on differences between large numbers, there is significant uncertainty in this recharge estimate. Long-term changes in ground-water levels are evident in parts of the study area, but because of the sparse network and lack of data on well construction and lithology, it is uncertain if any significant changes have occurred in the northern part of the study area since 1980. In the southern half of the study area, ground-water levels generally were lower at the end of the 2002 irrigation

Alexander Hamilton: Soldier-Statesmen of the Constitution. A Bicentennial Series No. 16.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Army Center of Military History, Washington, DC.

Alexander Hamilton was among the most intellectually gifted of the Founding Fathers and a brilliant political theorist, but he lacked practical political experience, and his major political contributions occurred only when his specific policies were adopted and carried forward by others with broader vision. This booklet on Hamilton is one in a…

[Use of driving simulators in psychological research].

PubMed

Andysz, Aleksandra; Waszkowska, Małgorzata; Merecz, Dorota; Drabek, Marcin

2010-01-01

The history of simulators dates back to the first decades of the twentieth century. At the beginning they were used to train pilots, and eventually they were used in the automotive industry for testing the strength of new vehicles and ergonomic solutions. With time research institutions and technical universities from outside the automotive industry have become more and more interested in simulators. Attractiveness of simulators for researchers is based on a number of important factors: they create the possibility of modeling, control and repeatability of different experimental situations, reducing at the same time the impact of confounding factors. Simulators have a great potential for data collection and processing. What's more, they are safe and ecologic. These values make them almost an ideal research tool. The article presents a review of psychological studies with use of vehicle driving simulators. It also points to advantages and disadvantages of these devices and outlines the future prospects for experimental research.

Alexander Ya. Orolv - Well-Known Scientist and Recognized Organizer of Astronmoical Research. Little Known Facts of His Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yatskiv, Ya. S.; Vavilova, I. B.; Korsun', A. A.

Alexander Ya. Orlov is a well-known astronomer and geophysicist as well as a worldrecognized organizer of scientific research in Russia, the USSR, and Ukraine. Orlov has formulated his main scientific ideas during the Odesa's period of life. He studied a tidal deformation of the Earth and its polar motion using the gravity and latitude observations. He has proposed new defenitions of a mean pole and a mean latitude, as wel as a new method for determing the Earth pole coordinates. To the end of 1940-ties, the Orlov's scientific ideas were implemented and stimulated a development of a research field, which is now called as Astrogeodynamics or Space Geodynamics. Among the representatives of the Orlov's scientific school are about 20 Doctors of Sciences and more than 40 Candidates of Sciences, including the members of Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and other countries. Among them are N.Stoyko-Radilenko (France), J.Witkowski (Poland), V.Zhardetsky (Yugoslavia-Austria-USA), D.Pyaskovsky, Z.Aksent'eva, E.Lavrentieva, N.Popov, E.Fedorov and A.Korol in Ukraine. The deserved followers of the Orlov's scientific ideas were also I.Androsov, I.Dyukov, K.Mansurova, B.Novopashennyj, N.V.Zimmerman in Russia and M.Bursa (Chesh Republic), who worked with him, as well as his sons, A.A.Orlov and B.A. Orlov. The Orlov's life and scientific activity were fully described in many articles. For that reason in this paper we will focus on the little-known facts of the Orlov's scientific-organizational activity, for example, the Orlov's appointments as a director of observatories in Odesa, Poltava, m.Pip-Ivan, Pulkovo, and Kyiv; interesesting facts related to his membership in the Academies of Sciences of the USSR and Ukrainian SSR; organization of a large-scale program on the latitude observations and gravimetric survey. We describe briefly his life and his astrogeodynamic scientific school.

Transportation and Aging: An Updated Research Agenda to Advance Safe Mobility among Older Adults Transitioning From Driving to Non-driving.

PubMed

Dickerson, Anne E; Molnar, Lisa J; Bédard, Michel; Eby, David W; Berg-Weger, Marla; Choi, Moon; Grigg, Jenai; Horowitz, Amy; Meuser, Thomas; Myers, Anita; O'Connor, Melissa; Silverstein, Nina M

2017-07-29

Engagement in civic, social, and community life plays an important role in health, well-being, and quality of life, and requires individuals to be mobile in their environment. In this article, we review what is currently known about 2 areas relevant to safe mobility for older drivers and identify future research in these areas. Using a framework for transportation and safe mobility, 2 key areas were selected for review: the process of transitioning to non-driving and the maintenance of mobility after driving has ceased. This article serves as a companion to another article that used the same approach to explore safe mobility issues for older adults who are still driving. We found that although there has been progress in supporting transitioning process to non-driving and improving mobility options for older adults following driving cessation, many knowledge gaps still exist. We identified several research topics that would benefit from continued scientific inquiry. In addition, several themes emerged from the review, including the need for: multidisciplinary, community-wide solutions; large-scale, longitudinal studies; improved education and training for older adults and the variety of stakeholders involved in older adult transportation; and the need for programs and interventions that are flexible and responsive to individual needs and situational differences. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Friendly Letters on the Correspondence of Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan, and Alexander Graham Bell.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blatt, Burton

1985-01-01

Excerpts from the letters between Alexander Graham Bell and Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller are given to illustrate the educational and personal growth of Helen Keller as well as the educational philosophy of Bell regarding the education of the deaf blind. (DB)

Alcohol-related driving in China: Countermeasure implications of research conducted in two cities.

PubMed

Jia, Keqin; Fleiter, Judy; King, Mark; Sheehan, Mary; Ma, Wenjun; Lei, Jing; Zhang, Jianzhen

2016-10-01

Drunk driving (blood alcohol concentration (BAC) 80mg/100ml) was upgraded to become a criminal offence under China's Criminal Law in May 2011. While this had a major road safety benefit, there was still a high level of alcohol related crashes and fatalities. This paper develops recommendations based on a programme of research undertaken in 2012 that examined the perceptions of general motor vehicle drivers, convicted drunk driving offenders and traffic police about drinking and driving and law enforcement in the cities of Guangzhou and Yinchuan. Alcohol misuse problems were also explored using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). This paper integrates the findings to examine existing problems in alcohol management, law enforcement, education and rehabilitation and provides recommendations for addressing alcohol-related driving in China. A multi-study cross-sectional research programme was conducted in two Chinese cities involving general drivers, drunk driving offenders and traffic police. In total, 16 traffic police officers were interviewed and 105 traffic police officers were surveyed. In addition, 207 drunk driving offenders in detention facilities and 802 general motor vehicle drivers were surveyed. Traffic police resources including human resources and facilities such as breathalysers were reported as insufficient in both cities. There were problems reported in the process of law enforcement, and shortcomings in police knowledge of factors involved in drink/drunk driving and in the practice of conducting breath alcohol testing (BAT). Knowledge about legal BAC levels and how to keep under the legal limit was very low among general motor vehicle drivers and drunk driving offenders. Proportions with alcohol misuse problems in the two driver groups were high, especially among offenders. Recommendations to manage alcohol-related driving are proposed for the three groups of traffic police, general motor vehicle drivers and drunk driving offenders

Environmentally friendly driving feedback systems research and development for heavy duty trucks.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-03-31

In this research project, the research team developed an environmentally-friendly driving feedback system for heavy-duty trucks, which was : adapted from a similar system previously developed for light-duty cars. The system consists of: 1) Eco-Routin...

Developing standard operating procedures for gene drive research in disease vector mosquitoes.

PubMed

Adelman, Zach N; Pledger, David; Myles, Kevin M

2017-12-01

Numerous arthropod species represent potential targets for gene-drive-based population suppression or replacement, including those that transmit diseases, damage crops, or act as deleterious invasive species. Containment measures for gene drive research in arthropods have been discussed in the literature, but the importance of developing safe and effective standard operating procedures (SOPs) for these types of experiments has not been adequately addressed. Concisely written SOPs link safe work practices, containment measures, institutional training, and research-specific protocols. Here we discuss information to be considered by principal investigators, biosafety officers, and institutional biosafety committees as they work together to develop SOPs for experiments involving gene drive in arthropods, and describe various courses of action that can be used to maintain the effectiveness of SOPs through evaluation and revision. The information provided herein will be especially useful to investigators and regulatory personnel who may lack extensive experience working with arthropods under containment conditions.

Exploring the psychological processes underlying touch: lessons from the Alexander Technique.

PubMed

Jones, T; Glover, L

2014-01-01

The experience of touch is significant; both in its positive implications and in how it attracts caution and controversy. Accordingly, physical contact within psychological therapy has been shown to improve well-being and the therapeutic relationship, yet the majority of therapists never or rarely use touch. This research aimed to explore psychological processes underlying touch through the Alexander Technique, a psycho-physical technique taught one to one using touch. Six individuals who had received the Alexander Technique were interviewed, and 111 completed surveys. Interview data suggested an incompatibility between touch and the spoken word, which was understood through the way touch lacks verbal discourses in our society. The largely simplistic and dichotomous verbal understanding we have (either only very positive or very negative) could help understand some of the societal-level caution surrounding touch. Touch was seen also as a nurturing experience by interviewees, which influenced inter-personal and intra-personal relational processes. Developmental models were used to frame the way touch strengthened the pupil-teacher relationship and the way pupils' intra-personal psychological change seemed linked to this relational experience. The surveys largely supported these findings, and discussion is made around the notable way pupils negatively interpreted the intention of the survey. Implications for the use of touch in psychological therapies are discussed, as are limitations and ideas for future research. Touch is a powerful experience, and physical contact within psychological therapy has been shown to improve well-being and the therapeutic relationship, yet the majority of therapists never or rarely use touch. The AT is an alternative therapeutic approach to psycho-physical well-being that offers an interesting model to study the impact of touch. Findings from those that have used the technique reaffirmed that touch can improve well-being and can be a

2012 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit Keynote Presentation (Frederick W. Smith, FedEx Corporation), with Introduction by Senator Lamar Alexander (TN)

ScienceCinema

Smith, Frederick W.

2018-02-01

The third annual ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit was held in Washington D.C. in February, 2012. The event brought together key players from across the energy ecosystem - researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate executives, and government officials - to share ideas for developing and deploying the next generation of energy technologies. Following introduction by Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President, and CEO of FedEx Corporation, gave the third keynote presentation of the day.

Alexander von Humboldt's perceptions of colonial Spanish America.

PubMed

Rebok, Sandra

2009-01-01

This study presents an in-depth analysis of Alexander von Humboldt's descriptions and critical comments on the colonial society of the different regions he visited during his well-known expedition through the Americas (1799-1804). The criticisms of colonialism that he expressed, reflecting his personal convictions, have already been the focal point of many studies, but Humboldt also was able to offer a more differentiated assessment through comparisons of regional and local traditions and developments. This essay focuses on his personal diaries, which offer many interesting comments on colonial societies. These considerations and impressions made during the expedition are of particular scholarly value since they were not subject to censorship of any kind.

75 FR 21003 - National Toxicology Program (NTP); Office of Liaison, Policy and Review Meeting of the NTP Board...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

... appropriate animal and non-animal experimental models for mechanistic-based research, including genetically... is June 7, 2010, and for pre- registration to attend the meeting, including registering to present... Building at the NIEHS, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Public comments on all...

40 CFR 59.515 - Incorporations by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Center, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC; the EPA Library, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; you may inspect the materials at the National Archives and Records...

40 CFR 59.515 - Incorporations by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Center, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC; the EPA Library, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; you may inspect the materials at the National Archives and Records...

40 CFR 59.515 - Incorporations by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Center, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC; the EPA Library, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; you may inspect the materials at the National Archives and Records...

40 CFR 59.515 - Incorporations by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Center, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC; the EPA Library, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; you may inspect the materials at the National Archives and Records...

40 CFR 59.515 - Incorporations by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Center, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC; the EPA Library, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; you may inspect the materials at the National Archives and Records...

The Election of 1800: Alexander Hamilton and the Death of the Federalist Party.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holbrook-DeFeo, Gary

1993-01-01

Describes the significance of the election of 1800 in the development of political parties in the United States. Contends that Alexander Hamilton's view of the United States Constitution was dangerous for the new nation and led to a permanent split in the Federalist Party. Includes a resource bibliography for teachers wishing to incorporate this…

Alexander of Macedon, the greatest warrior of all times: did he have seizures?

PubMed

Hughes, John R

2004-10-01

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) was likely "the most incomparable general the world has ever seen." His name is often listed among the famous individuals in history who have had seizures. Examination of his illnesses reveals that in 333 BC he entered Tarsus, hot and exhausted, and plunged himself into the River Cydnus, ice-cold from melting mountain snows. His cramps were so severe that he was rescued half-conscious and ashen white, and quickly developed acute pneumonia. Only one doctor dared give him a medication, known for producing powerful and immediate effects. Immediately after drinking this medicine "he lost his speech and falling into a swoon, he had scarcely any sense or pulse left" (Plutarch, ad 75). His reactions were the direct effect of the medication, and this and only this phrase represents the "evidence" for epilepsy. None of his other illnesses involved seizures. Clearly, Alexander the Great did not have epilepsy and his name should be removed from the list of famous individuals who have had seizures.

Myelin changes in Alexander disease.

PubMed

Gómez-Pinedo, U; Duran-Moreno, M; Sirerol-Piquer, S; Matias-Guiu, J

2017-03-22

Alexander disease (AxD) is a type of leukodystrophy. Its pathological basis, along with myelin loss, is the appearance of Rosenthal bodies, which are cytoplasmic inclusions in astrocytes. Mutations in the gene coding for GFAP have been identified as a genetic basis for AxD. However, the mechanism by which these variants produce the disease is not understood. The most widespread hypothesis is that AxD develops when a gain of function mutation causes an increase in GFAP. However, this mechanism does not explain myelin loss, given that experimental models in which GFAP expression is normal or mutated do not exhibit myelin disorders. This review analyses other possibilities that may explain this alteration, such as epigenetic or inflammatory alterations, presence of NG2 (+) - GFAP (+) cells, or post-translational modifications in GFAP that are unrelated to increased expression. The different hypotheses analysed here may explain the myelin alteration affecting these patients, and multiple mechanisms may coexist. These theories raise the possibility of designing therapies based on these mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

75 FR 45112 - Draft Toxicological Review of Hexachloroethane: In Support of Summary Information on the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-02

... Office of Research and Development. EPA is releasing this draft assessment solely for the purpose of pre.... Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709; telephone: 919-541... qualitative risk information on effects that may result from exposure to chemical substances found in the...

Annotated translation of "Die Wasserversorgung einiger Nordseebäder [The water supply of some North Sea spas]" by Alexander Herzberg (1901)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houben, Georg

2018-05-01

The publication "The water supply of some North Sea spas" by Alexander Herzberg in 1901 is a cornerstone of coastal groundwater research. It was fundamental to the development of the Ghijben-Herzberg principle, which describes the hydrostatic equilibrium between fresh and saline groundwater. Due to its age and the language barrier, the paper is often cited but probably rarely read. Therefore, the original paper has been translated from German into English, accompanied by an introduction and notes explaining the historical context.

77 FR 6562 - Notice of Receipt of Requests for Amendments To Delete Uses in Certain Pesticide Registrations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-08

... name and address 264 Bayer CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2. T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park... these products who desire continued use on crops or sites being deleted should contact the applicable... BXN Cotton. [[Page 6563

Alexander Thomas Augusta--physician, teacher and human rights activist.

PubMed

Butts, Heather M

2005-01-01

Commissioned surgeon of colored volunteers, April 4, 1863, with the rank of Major. Commissioned regimental surgeon on the 7th Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops, October 2, 1863. Brevet Lieutenant Colonel of Volunteers, March 13, 1865, for faithful and meritorious services--mustered out October 13, 1866. So reads the tombstone at Arlington National Cemetery of Alexander Thomas Augusta, the first black surgeon commissioned in the Union Army during the Civil War and the first black officer-rank soldier to be buried at Arlington Cemetery. He was also instrumental in founding the institutions that later became the hospital and medical college of Howard University and the National Medical Association.

77 FR 4808 - Conference on Air Quality Modeling

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-31

... update our available modeling tools with state-of-the-science techniques and for the public to offer new... C111, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT... Quality Assessment Division, Mail Code C439-01, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone: (919) 541...

The clinical spectrum of late-onset Alexander disease: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Balbi, Pietro; Salvini, Silvana; Fundarò, Cira; Frazzitta, Giuseppe; Maestri, Roberto; Mosah, Dibo; Uggetti, Carla; Sechi, GianPietro

2010-12-01

Following the discovery of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mutations as the causative factor of Alexander disease (AxD), new case reports have recently increased, prompting a more detailed comprehension of the clinical features of the three disease subtypes (infantile, juvenile and adult). While the clinical pattern of the infantile form has been substantially confirmed, the late-onset subtypes (i.e., juvenile and adult), once considered rare manifestations of AxD, have displayed a wider clinical spectrum. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical phenotype of the adult and juvenile forms by reviewing the previously reported cases. Data were collected from previously published reports on 112 subjects affected by neuropathologically or genetically proven adult and juvenile Alexander disease. Although the late-onset forms of AxD show a wide clinical variability, a common pattern emerges from comparing previously reported cases, characterized by pseudo-bulbar signs, ataxia, and spasticity, associated with atrophy of the medulla and upper cervical cord on neuroimaging. Late-onset AxD cases can no longer be considered as rare manifestations of the disease. The clinical pattern usually reflects the topographic localization of the lesions, with adult cases displaying a predominant infratentorial localization of the lesions. Juvenile cases show clinical and radiological features which are intermediate between adult and infantile forms.

The Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado: Research program and published research 1937-1985

Treesearch

Robert R. Alexander; Charles A. Troendle; Merrill R. Kaufmann; Wayne D. Shepperd; Glenn L. Crouch; Ross K. Watkins

1985-01-01

This report provides an overview of the research done on the Fraser Experimental Forest. It replaces GTR's no. 40 and 40A by Robert R. Alexander and Ross K. Watkins in 1977. Included are descriptions of physical features and resources, highlights of past and current research, and the publications derived from that research.

DriveWise: An Interdisciplinary Hospital-Based Driving Assessment Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Margaret G.; Kapust, Lissa R.; Hollis, Ann M.

2008-01-01

Health care professionals working with the elderly have opportunities through research and clinical practice to shape public policy affecting the older driver. This article describes DriveWise, an interdisciplinary hospital-based driving assessment program developed in response to clinical concerns about the driving safety of individuals with…

77 FR 26300 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-03

... Structural Biology. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle... Sessions. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W...

75 FR 4384 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-27

... Park, NC 27709. Product name: Indaziflam 500 SC Herbicide. Active ingredient: Herbicide with Indaziflam.... Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Product name: Indaziflam 200 SC Herbicide. Active ingredient: Herbicide with Indaziflam at 19.05%. Proposed use: Preemergent control of annual [[Page 4386...

Abstract: Using System Dynamics Analysis for Evaluating the Sustainability of “Complete Streets” Practices

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: Using System Dynamics Analysis for Evaluating the Sustainability of “Complete Streets” Practices Primary Author: Nicholas R. Flanders 109 T.W. Alexander Drive Mail Code: E343-02 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 919-541-3660 Flanders.nick@Epa.gov Topic categ...

78 FR 2882 - Findings of Failure To Submit a Complete State Implementation Plan for Section 110(a) Pertaining...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-15

..., 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General..., Chicago, IL 60604. EPA Region VI: Guy Donaldson, Chief, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Air Planning Section, EPA... Technology Transfer and Advancement Act J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental...

76 FR 5184 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-28

... Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; Outstanding New Environmental Scientist Award. Date: February 24... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle...

75 FR 65364 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-22

... Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; Conferences and Scientific Meetings Support. Date: November 16... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle...

Drive Fan for the Icing Research Tunnel

NASA Image and Video Library

1944-11-21

View of the drive fan for the Icing Research Tunnel at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. The tunnel was built in the early 1940s to study the formation of ice on aircraft surfaces and methods of preventing or eradicating that ice. Ice buildup adds extra weight, effects aerodynamics, and sometimes blocks airflow through engines. The original 4100-horsepower induction motor was coupled directly to the 24-foot-diameter fan. The 12 wooden fan blades were protected on their leading edge by a neoprene boot. The system could create air speeds up to 300 miles per hour through the tunnel’s 6- by 9-foot test section. The large tail faring extending from the center of the fan is used to guide the airflow down the tunnel in a uniform way. A new 5000-horsepower motor was installed in 1987, and the original fan blades were replaced in 1993.

Alexander William Bickerton: New Zealand’s First Astrophysicist?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmore, Gerard F.

Alexander Bickerton (1842-1929) is of interest to the student of New Zealand astronomical history in several ways. He was the first Professor at Canterbury University College, and had a significant effect on the early development of the University; he was a prominent and successful teacher, Ernest Rutherford being his most famous student; he was a social activist in Victorian Christchurch, eventually establishing a small commune; and he was the originator of the stellar collision theory of novae and other astronomical phenomena. This chapter, which is a slightly revised version of Gilmore (Southern Stars, 29, 87-108, 1982), provides a summary of Bickerton's life and theories, and a bibliography for further reading.

The Doors to Home and History: Post-Colonial Identities in Meena Alexander and Bharati Mukherjee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dave, Shilpa

1993-01-01

Examines postcolonial inquiry and studies of identity in Asians of Indian descent, focusing on the works of Meena Alexander and Bharati Mukherjee. Their commentaries on India and immigrant cultures are constantly influenced by a history dependent on Western tradition, although both authors resist the stereotypical definitions imposed by the West.…

Recognizing the Presidents: Was Alexander Hamilton President?

PubMed

Roediger, Henry L; DeSoto, K Andrew

2016-05-01

Studies over the past 40 years have shown that Americans can recall about half the U.S. presidents. Do people know the presidents even though they are unable to access them for recall? We investigated this question using the powerful cues of a recognition test. Specifically, we tested the ability of 326 online subjects to recognize U.S. presidents when presented with their full names among various types of lures. The hit rate for presidential recognition was .88, well above the proportion produced in free recall but far from perfect. Presidents Franklin Pierce and Chester Arthur were recognized less than 60% of the time. Interestingly, four nonpresidents were falsely recognized at relatively high rates, and Alexander Hamilton was more frequently identified as president than were several actual presidents. Even on a recognition test, knowledge of American presidents is imperfect and prone to error. The false alarm data support the theory that false fame can arise from contextual familiarity. © The Author(s) 2016.

76 FR 19378 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-07

... Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meetings Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel, Baseline Study For Arsenic Exposure. Date: April 27, 2011. Time... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle...

[Driving modes of the interview in phenomenological research: experience report].

PubMed

de Paula, Cristiane Cardoso; Padoin, Stela Maris de Mello; Terra, Marlene Gomes; Souza, Ivis Emília de Oliveira; Cabral, Ivone Evangelista

2014-01-01

This paper aimed to report the experience of driving modes of an interview on data production in phenomenological research. The proposed study is an experience report of a phenomenological investigation in which the researchers present their experience with children, considering the interview as an existential encounter. It describes ways of conducting the interview in its ontic and ontological dimensions. The ontic dimension refers to the facts related to the interview, presented in the researcher, in the researched subject and in the environment; both in its planning and its development. The ontological dimension is based on empathy and intersubjectivity. The interview enables the access to meaningful structures to comprehend the being, as a way of building investigative/assistance possibilities that enable to reveal the being of the human.

Speciation despite globally overlapping distributions in Penicillium chrysogenum: the population genetics of Alexander Fleming’s lucky fungus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Eighty years ago, Alexander Fleming described the antibiotic effects of a fungus that had contaminated his bacterial culture, kick starting the antimicrobial revolution. The fungus was later ascribed to a globally distributed asexual species, Penicillium chrysogenum. Recently, the species has been...

The Alexander N. Charters Library of Resources for Educators of Adults at Syracuse University Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keenan, Terrance

This document describes the contents of the Alexander N. Charters Library of Resources for Educators of Adults at Syracuse University Library. The document begins with a brief history of the development of the library's collections, which occupy 900 feet of shelf space and contain more than 50 groups of personal papers and records of organizations…

Non-Euclidean Space, Movement and Astronomy in Modern Art: Alexander Calder's Mobiles and Ben Nicholson's Reliefs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malloy, Vanja

2013-09-01

John Keats once wrote that `there is no such thing as time and space' rather, believing that time and space are mental constructs that are subject to a variety of forms and as diverse as the human mind. In the 1920s through the 1930s, modern physics in many ways supported this idea through the various philosophical writings on the Theory of General Relativity to the masses by scientists such as Arthur Eddington and Albert Einstein. These new concepts of modern physics fundamentally changed our understanding of time and space and had substantial philosophical implications, which were absorbed by modern artists resulting in the 1936 Dimensionist Manifesto. Seeking to internalize the developments of modern science within modern art, this manifesto was widely endorsed by the most prominent figures of the avant-garde such as Marcel Duchamp, Jean Arp, Naum Gabo, Joan Miró, László Moholy-Nagy, Wassily Kandinsky and Alexander Calder. Of particular interest to this manifesto was the new concept of the fourth-dimension, which in many ways revolutionized the arts. Importantly, its interpretation varied widely in the artistic community, ranging from a purely physical four-dimensional space, to a kinetic concept of space in which space and time are linked, to a metaphysical interest in a space that exists beyond the material realm. The impact of modern science and astronomy on avant-garde art is currently a bourgeoning area of research with considerable implications to our rethinking of substantial artistic figures of this era. Through a case study of Alexander Calder's Mobiles and Ben Nicholson's Reliefs, this paper explores how these artworks were informed by an interest in modern science.

DriveWise: an interdisciplinary hospital-based driving assessment program.

PubMed

O'Connor, Margaret G; Kapust, Lissa R; Hollis, Ann M

2008-01-01

Health care professionals working with the elderly have opportunities through research and clinical practice to shape public policy affecting the older driver. This article describes DriveWise, an interdisciplinary hospital-based driving assessment program developed in response to clinical concerns about the driving safety of individuals with medical conditions. DriveWise clinicians use evidence-based, functional assessments to determine driving competence. In addition, the program was designed to meet the emotional needs of individuals whose driving safety has been called into question. To date, approximately 380 participants have been assessed through DriveWise. The following report details the DriveWise mission, DriveWise team members, and road test results. We continue to refine the assessment process to promote safety and support the dignity and independence of all participants. The DriveWise interdisciplinary approach to practice is a concrete example of how gerontological education across professions can have direct benefits to the older adult.

Unique Power Electronics and Drives Experimental Bench (PEDEB) to Facilitate Learning and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anand, S.; Farswan, R. S.; Fernandes, B. G.

2012-01-01

Experimentation is important for learning and research in the field of power electronics and drives. However, a great deal of equipment is required to study the various topologies, controllers, and functionalities. Thus, the cost of establishing good laboratories and research centers is high. To address this problem, the authors have developed a…

78 FR 42968 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-18

... Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; NIEHS Microbiome Review Meeting. Date: August 6, 2013. Time: 8:00... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle...

Expanding Perspectives on HRD Research. Symposium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2002

This document contains three papers from a symposium on expanding perspectives in human resource development (HRD) research. "The Concept of Culture in International and Comparative HRD Research: Methodological Problems and Possible Solutions" (Alexander Ardichvili, K. Peter Kuchinke) discusses the following topics: (1) alternative…

Palaeoglaciology of the Alexander Island ice cap, western Antarctic Peninsula, reconstructed from marine geophysical and core data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Alastair G. C.; Smith, James A.

2012-03-01

The glacial history of the continental shelf northwest of Alexander Island is not well known, due mainly to a lack of targeted marine data on Antarctica's palaeo-ice sheets in their inter-ice-stream areas. Recently it has been argued that the region was ice-free at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and thus a potential site for glacial refugia. In this paper, multibeam swath bathymetry, sub-bottom profiles and sediment cores are used to map the Alexander Island sector of the Antarctic Peninsula margin, in order to reconstruct the shelf's palaeoglaciology. Sea-floor bedforms provide evidence that an independent ice cap persisted on Alexander Island through the LGM and deglaciation. We show that this ice cap drained via two major, previously-undescribed tidewater outlets (Rothschild and Charcot Glaciers) sourced from an ice dome centred over the west of the island and near-shore areas. The glaciers grounded along deep, fjord-like cross-shelf troughs to within at least ˜10-20 km of the shelf edge, and probably reached the shelf break. Only one small outer-shelf zone appears to have remained free of ice throughout an otherwise extensive LGM. During retreat, grounding-line geomorphology indicates periodic stabilisation of Charcot Glacier on the mid-shelf after 13,500 cal yrs BP, while Rothschild Glacier retreated across its mid-shelf by 14,450 cal yrs BP. The timing of these events is in phase with retreat in nearby Marguerite Trough, and we take this as evidence of a common history and forcing with the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet. The fine details of ice flow documented by our new reconstruction highlight the importance of capturing complex ice flow patterns in models (e.g. in inter-stream areas), for understanding how region-specific parts of Antarctica may change in the future. Moreover, the reconstruction shows that glacial refugia, if present, cannot have been extensive on the Alexander Island shelf at the LGM as indicated by previous biological studies; instead

75 FR 32767 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-09

... difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic... docket ID number and other identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page... address: Bayer CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709...

The Metropolitan Studies Institute at USC Upstate: Translational Research that Drives Community Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady, Kathleen

2012-01-01

The Metropolitan Studies Institute (MSI) at the University of South Carolina Upstate (USC Upstate) demonstrates a robust and unique record of community impact through community indicators research and other translational research. The MSI's work drives programmatic priorities and funding decisions, generates revenue, and increases the community's…

Ocular disease and driving.

PubMed

Wood, Joanne M; Black, Alex A

2016-09-01

As the driving population ages, the number of drivers with visual impairment resulting from ocular disease will increase given the age-related prevalence of ocular disease. The increase in visual impairment in the driving population has a number of implications for driving outcomes. This review summarises current research regarding the impact of common ocular diseases on driving ability and safety, with particular focus on cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, hemianopia and diabetic retinopathy. The evidence considered includes self-reported driving outcomes, driving performance (on-road and simulator-based) and various motor vehicle crash indices. Collectively, this review demonstrates that driving ability and safety are negatively affected by ocular disease; however, further research is needed in this area. Older drivers with ocular disease need to be aware of the negative consequences of their ocular condition and in the case where treatment options are available, encouraged to seek these earlier for optimum driving safety and quality of life benefits. © 2016 Optometry Australia.

Driving and Neurodegenerative Diseases

PubMed Central

Uc, Ergun Y.; Rizzo, Matthew

2011-01-01

The proportion of elderly in the general population is rising, resulting in greater numbers of drivers with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). These neurodegenerative disorders impair cognition, visual perception, and motor function, leading to reduced driver fitness and greater crash risk. Yet medical diagnosis or age alone is not reliable enough to predict driver safety or crashes, or revoke the driving privileges of these drivers. Driving research utilizes tools such as questionnaires about driving habits and history, driving simulators, standardized road tests utilizing instrumented vehicles, and state driving records. Research challenges include outlining the evolution of driving safety, understanding the mechanisms of driving impairment, and developing a reliable and efficient standardized test battery for prediction of driver safety in neurodegenerative disorders. This information will enable healthcare providers to advise their patients with neurodegenerative disorders with more certainty, affect policy, and help to develop rehabilitative measures for driving. PMID:18713573

Alexander F. Chamberlain: a life's work.

PubMed

Berkman, Julia M

2005-01-01

This article examines the life and work of Alexander Francis Chamberlain. Though he has received little attention since the early 1900s, the importance of this scholar should not be underestimated. Chamberlain made notable contributions to the body of knowledge in anthropology-a discipline that, at the time, was a combination of anthropological and psychological inquiry. His early work began with investigations into the cultures and languages of two Indian tribes indigenous to Canada and the northern United States and, within a few decades, positioned Chamberlain as the leading scholar in this domain. Beyond his ethnographic insights, Chamberlain queried the development of the child and wrote on the subject of childhood in world folklore. He concerned himself with a scope of worthwhile subjects ranging from linguistics to women's suffrage. No topic was out of range as all forms of human study addressed the need for seeing each group as a contributing force to humanity at large. Chamberlain emphasized that no single racial, ethnic, or religious group should be singled out as inherently superior to another, a belief far ahead of his time. This article is an attempt at drawing a picture of a man whose scholarly achievements and strength of character are captured in the depth and breadth of his writing.

Exploring naturalistic driving data for distracted driving measures : [research project capsule].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

Distracted driving is a dangerous epidemic that continues to cause deaths and injuries in : automobile crashes throughout the United States. According to the National Highway Tra c : Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3328 people were killed and an es...

Silurian Gastropoda from the Alexander terrane, southeast Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rohr, D.M.; Blodgett, R.B.

2008-01-01

Gastropods are described from Ludlow-age strata of the Heceta Limestone on Prince of Wales Island, southeast Alaska. They are part of a diverse megabenthic fauna of the Alexander terrane, an accreted terrane of Siberian or Uralian affinities. Heceta Limestone gastropods with Uralian affinities include Kirkospira glacialis, which closely resembles "Pleurotomaria" lindstromi Oehlert of Chernyshev, 1893, Retispira cf. R. volgulica (Chernyshev, 1893), and Medfracaulus turriformis (Chernyshev, 1893). Medfracaulus and similar morphotypes such as Coelocaulus karlae are unknown from rocks that are unquestionably part of the North American continent (Laurentia) during Late Silurian time. Beraunia is previously known only from the Silurian of Bohemia. Pachystrophia has previously been reported only from western North American terranes (Eastern Klamath, York, and Farewell terranes) and Europe. Bathmopterus Kirk, 1928, is resurrected and is only known from the Silurian of southeast Alaska. Newly described taxa include Hecetastoma gehrelsi n. gen. and n. sp. and Baichtalia tongassensis n. gen. and n. sp. ??2008 The Geological Society of America.

Expedition 8 Crew Interviews: Alexander Y. Kaleri - FE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Russian cosmonaut Alexander Y. Kaleri, Flight Engineer on Expedition 8 to the International Space Station (ISS), answers interview questions on this video, either himself or with the help of an interpreter. The questions cover: 1) The goal of the expedition; 2) The place in history of Mir; 3) The reaction to the loss of Columbia in Houston; 4) Why the rewards of spaceflight are worth the risks; 5) Why he decided to become a cosmonaut; 6) His memory of Yuri Gagarin's first flight; 7) What happens on a Soyuz capsule during launch and flight; 8) Are Soyuz maneuvers automatic or manual; 8) How the ISS science mission will be advanced during his stay; 9) The responsibilities of a Flight Engineer onboard the ISS; 10) Extravehicular activity (EVA) plans at that time; 11) The Shuttle Return to Flight and his preference for a Shuttle or Soyuz landing; 12) Why the last Soyuz landing was too rough; 13) The most valueable contribution of the ISS program.

78 FR 69083 - Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; 8-Hour...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-18

... received will be included in the public docket without change including any personal information provided... Code C539- 01, Environmental Protection Agency, T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711... promulgated in two Phases: Phase 1 published on April 30, 2004, (69 FR 23951) and Phase 2 published on...

77 FR 12727 - Trifloxystrobin; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-02

..., 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. The petition requested that 40 CFR 180.555..., dermal and inhalation exposures. It is a strong dermal sensitizer. In repeated dose tests in rats, the... following pre-natal exposure to rats and rabbits and post-natal exposures to rats. Trifloxystrobin was...

77 FR 77077 - Pesticide Product Registration; Receipt of Applications for New Uses

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-31

... affected entities may include: Crop production (NAICS code 111). Animal production (NAICS code 112). Food... File Symbol: 264-1049 and 72155- RNO. Docket ID Number: EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0946. Applicant: Bayer CropScience, 2 T. W. Alexander Drive, P. O. Box 12014, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Active Ingredient...

Vision and Driving

PubMed Central

Owsley, Cynthia; McGwin, Gerald

2010-01-01

Driving is the primary means of personal travel in many countries and is relies heavily on vision for its successful execution. Research over the past few decades has addressed the role of vision in driver safety (motor vehicle collision involvement) and in driver performance (both on-road and using interactive simulators in the laboratory). Here we critically review what is currently known about the role of various aspects of visual function in driving. We also discuss translational research issues on vision screening for licensure and re-licensure and rehabilitation of visually impaired persons who want to drive. PMID:20580907

Cognitive impairment and driving safety.

PubMed

Eby, David W; Molnar, Lisa J

2012-11-01

As the populations of many countries continue to age, cognitive impairment will likely become more common. Individuals with cognitive impairment pose special challenges for families, health professionals, driving safety professionals, and the larger community, particularly if these older adults depend on driving as their primary means of community mobility. It is vital that we continue to extend our knowledge about the driving behavior of individuals' with cognitive impairment, as well as try to develop effective means of screening and assessing these individuals for fitness to drive and help facilitate their transition to non-driving when appropriate. This special issue is intended to provide researchers and practitioners an opportunity to present the most recent research findings on driving-related issues among older adults with cognitive impairment. The issue contains 11 original contributions from seven countries. The topics covered by these papers are: crash risks; screening, assessment, and fitness to drive; driving performance using a driving simulator; and driving behaviors and driving-related decisions of people with cognitive impairments. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Driving anger in Ukraine: Appraisals, not trait driving anger, predict anger intensity while driving.

PubMed

Stephens, A N; Hill, T; Sullman, M J M

2016-03-01

Trait driving anger is often, but not always, found to predict both the intensity of anger while driving and subsequent crash-related behaviours. However, a number of studies have not found support for a direct relationship between one's tendency to become angry and anger reported while driving, suggesting that other factors may mediate this relationship. The present self-report study investigated whether, in anger provoking driving situations, the appraisals made by drivers influence the relationship between trait and state anger. A sample of 339 drivers from Ukraine completed the 33-item version of the Driver Anger Scale (DAS; Deffenbacher et al., 1994) and eight questions about their most recent experience of driving anger. A structural equation model found that the intensity of anger experienced was predicted by the negative evaluations of the situation, which was in turn predicted by trait driving anger. However, trait driving anger itself did not predict anger intensity; supporting the hypothesis that evaluations of the driving situation mediate the relationship between trait and state anger. Further, the unique structure of the DAS required to fit the data from the Ukrainian sample, may indicate that the anger inducing situations in Ukraine are different to those of a more developed country. Future research is needed to investigate driving anger in Ukraine in a broader sample and also to confirm the role of the appraisal process in the development of driving anger in both developed and undeveloped countries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research notes : the older driver and driving cessation in Oregon.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-11-01

The purpose of the study was to determine: (1) the factors influencing why people stop driving (driving cessation); (2) the physical and emotional barriers delaying driving cessation; (3) the opportunities available for alternative transportation aft...

Driving with Bioptic Telescopes: Organizing a Research Agenda

PubMed Central

Owsley, Cynthia

2012-01-01

Being a licensed driver in the U. S. and many other countries facilitates health and well-being. Based on the vision standards in most states, individuals with worse than 20/40 visual acuity who desire licensure are denied through the usual licensure application process. However, over 40 states have bioptic telescope licensing programs where applicants can gain licensure contingent on meeting specific requirements. In spite of the existence of the bioptic telescope and these licensing programs since the 1970s, there has been little rigorous scientific study of this topic. Here I offer an organizing perspective for a research agenda on driving with bioptic telescopes, with the long term practical goal being to provide an evidence basis for licensure policies and training programs. PMID:22863791

76 FR 44324 - Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board; Notice of Charter Renewal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-25

... imposed on the Agency by law. Inquiries may be directed to Lara P. Autry, Senior Advisor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Science Advisor, 109 T W Alexander Drive (E243-05), Research... Science Advisor. [FR Doc. 2011-18709 Filed 7-22-11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ...

76 FR 80940 - Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board Meeting Dates and Agenda

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-27

... Officer, US EPA, Mail Code E243-05, 109 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, or email... information. For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities or to request accommodation of a disability, please contact Lara P. Autry on the number above, preferably at least 10 days...

The Alexander Technique and musicians: a systematic review of controlled trials.

PubMed

Klein, Sabine D; Bayard, Claudine; Wolf, Ursula

2014-10-24

Musculoskeletal disorders, stress and performance anxiety are common in musicians. Therefore, some use the Alexander Technique (AT), a psycho-physical method that helps to release unnecessary muscle tension and re-educates non-beneficial movement patterns through intentional inhibition of unwanted habitual behaviours. According to a recent review AT sessions may be effective for chronic back pain. This review aimed to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of AT sessions on musicians' performance, anxiety, respiratory function and posture. The following electronic databases were searched up to February 2014 for relevant publications: PUBMED, Google Scholar, CINAHL, EMBASE, AMED, PsycINFO and RILM. The search criteria were "Alexander Technique" AND "music*". References were searched, and experts and societies of AT or musicians' medicine contacted for further publications. 237 citations were assessed. 12 studies were included for further analysis, 5 of which were randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 5 controlled but not randomised (CTs), and 2 mixed methods studies. Main outcome measures in RCTs and CTs were music performance, respiratory function, performance anxiety, body use and posture. Music performance was judged by external experts and found to be improved by AT in 1 of 3 RCTs; in 1 RCT comparing neurofeedback (NF) to AT, only NF caused improvements. Respiratory function was investigated in 2 RCTs, but not improved by AT training. Performance anxiety was mostly assessed by questionnaires and decreased by AT in 2 of 2 RCTs and in 2 of 2 CTs. A variety of outcome measures has been used to investigate the effectiveness of AT sessions in musicians. Evidence from RCTs and CTs suggests that AT sessions may improve performance anxiety in musicians. Effects on music performance, respiratory function and posture yet remain inconclusive. Future trials with well-established study designs are warranted to further and more reliably explore the potential of AT in the

Carryover effects of highly automated convoy driving on subsequent manual driving performance.

PubMed

Skottke, Eva-Maria; Debus, Günter; Wang, Lei; Huestegge, Lynn

2014-11-01

In the present study, we tested to what extent highly automated convoy driving involving small spacing ("platooning") may affect time headway (THW) and standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP) during subsequent manual driving. Although many previous studies have reported beneficial effects of automated driving, some research has also highlighted potential drawbacks, such as increased speed and reduced THW during the activation of semiautomated driving systems. Here, we rather focused on the question of whether switching from automated to manual driving may produce unwanted carryover effects on safety-relevant driving performance. We utilized a pre-post simulator design to measure THW and SDLP after highly automated driving and compared the data with those for a control group (manual driving throughout). Our data revealed that THW was reduced and SDLP increased after leaving the automation mode. A closer inspection of the data suggested that specifically the effect on THW is likely due to sensory and/or cognitive adaptation processes. Behavioral adaptation effects need to be taken into account in future implementations of automated convoy systems. Potential application areas of this research comprise automated freight traffic (truck convoys) and the design of driver assistance systems in general. Potential countermeasures against following at short distance as behavioral adaptation should be considered.

75 FR 33190 - Trifloxystrobin; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-11

....gpoaccess.gov/ecfr . To access the harmonized test guidelines referenced in this document electronically, please go http://www.epa.gov/ocspp and select ``Test Methods and Guidelines.'' C. How Can I File an... (PP 8F7487) by Bayer CropScience, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, P.O. Box 12014, Research Triangle Park, NC...

76 FR 54127 - Tebuconazole; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-31

..., shorts; and wheat, germ. Bayer CropScience requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and... apply to certain entities. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a... 0F7792 by Bayer CropScience, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, P.O. Box 12014, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709...

75 FR 11884 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-12

.... Company Name and Address: Arysta LifeScience North America, 15401 Weston Parkway, Suite 150, Cary, NC... Number: EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0279. Company Name and Address: Bayer CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2 T.W...: Bayer CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Active...

DriveSafe and DriveAware Assessment Tools Are a Measure of Driving-Related Function and Predicts Self-Reported Restriction for Older Drivers.

PubMed

Allan, Claire; Coxon, Kristy; Bundy, Anita; Peattie, Laura; Keay, Lisa

2016-06-01

Safety concerns together with aging of the driving population has prompted research into clinic-based driving assessments. This study investigates the relationship between the DriveSafe and DriveAware assessments and restriction of driving. Community-dwelling adults aged more than 75 (n = 380) were recruited in New South Wales, Australia. Questionnaires were administered to assess driving habits and functional assessments to assess driving-related function. Self-reported restriction was prevalent in this cross-sectional sample (62%) and was related to DriveSafe scores and personal circumstances but not DriveAware scores. DriveSafe scores were correlated with better performance on the Trail-Making Test (TMT; β = -2.94, p < .0001) and better contrast sensitivity (β = 48.70, p < .0001). Awareness was associated with better performance on the TMT (β = 0.08, p < .0001). Our data suggest that DriveSafe and DriveAware are sensitive to deficits in vision and cognition, and drivers with worse DriveSafe scores self-report restricting their driving. © The Author(s) 2015.

IN MEMORIAM: In Memoriam: Alexander A Golovin and Alexei M Oparin In Memoriam: Alexander A Golovin and Alexei M Oparin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2008-10-01

In Memoriam of Alexander A Golovin (1962-2008) Alexander (Sasha) Golovin passed away on 10 September 2008. Sasha's scientific heritage includes seminal works in different fields of physics, from Marangoni convection to self-assembly of quantum dots, and from combustion fronts to anomalous diffusion in flows and on a crystal surface. A graduate of the Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology, he had very broad scientific interests and a unique ability to identify and solve new, intellectually challenging and technologically important problems. One of the basic fields of Sasha's research was the fluid dynamics in systems with interfaces. His favorite subject was the motion of droplets, bubbles and particles in the presence of heat and mass transfer. Sasha's early works contained the discovery of the spontaneous motion of droplets due to the Marangoni effect and the investigation of the interaction between solid particles, bubbles and droplets caused by the Marangoni effect, which is a crucial factor that determines the effect of heat/mass transfer on the rate of coalescence. In both cases, Sasha's work was the first in a long sequence of papers written by different authors. Later, Sasha returned to that field when studying such fascinating subjects as levitation of droplets above the surface of an evaporating liquid and encapsulation of particles and bubbles by an advancing solidification front. The subject of interfacial hydrodynamics overlaps with another basic field of Sasha's research, the theory of pattern formation. The contribution of Sasha's work to the modern understanding of the variety of pattern formation phenomena is significant. It includes the analysis of the interaction between long-wave and short-wave instability modes in Marangoni convection, investigation of the large-scale Marangoni convection that led to the prediction of different patterns including quasipatterns, and the description of various non-potential effects in Marangoni convection

A qualitative exploration of driving stress and driving discourtesy.

PubMed

Scott-Parker, B; Jones, C M; Rune, K; Tucker, J

2018-05-31

Driving courtesy, and conversely driving discourtesy, recently has been of great interest in the public domain. In addition, there has been increasing recognition of the negative impact of stress upon the individual's health and wellbeing, with a plethora of interventions aimed at minimising stress more generally. The research literature regarding driving dis/courtesy, in comparison, is scant, with a handful of studies examining the dis/courteous driving behaviour of road users, and the relationship between driving discourtesy and driving stress. To examine courteous and discourteous driving experiences, and to explore the impact of stress associated with such driving experiences. Thirty-eight drivers (20 females) from the Sunshine Coast region volunteered to participate in one of four 1-1.5 h focus groups. Content analysis used the verbatim utterances captured via an Mp3 device. Three themes pertaining to stressful and discourteous interactions were identified. Theme one pertained to the driving context: road infrastructure (eg, roundabouts, roadwork), vehicles (eg, features), location (eg, country vs city, unfamiliar areas), and temporal aspects (eg, holidays). Theme two pertained to other road users: their behaviour (eg, tailgating, merging), and unknown factors (eg, illicit and licit drug use). Theme three pertained to the self as road user: their own behaviours (eg, deliberate intimidation), and their emotions (eg, angry reaction to other drivers, being in control). Driving dis/courtesy and driving stress is a complex phenomenon, suggesting complex intervention efforts are required. Driving discourtesy was reported as being highly stressful, therefore intervention efforts which encourage driving courtesy and which foster emotional capacity to cope with stressful circumstances appear warranted. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Research on the Relationship between Reaction Ability and Mental State for Online Assessment of Driving Fatigue.

PubMed

Guo, Mengzhu; Li, Shiwu; Wang, Linhong; Chai, Meng; Chen, Facheng; Wei, Yunong

2016-11-24

Background: Driving fatigue affects the reaction ability of a driver. The aim of this research is to analyze the relationship between driving fatigue, physiological signals and driver's reaction time. Methods: Twenty subjects were tested during driving. Data pertaining to reaction time and physiological signals including electroencephalograph (EEG) were collected from twenty simulation experiments. Grey correlation analysis was used to select the input variable of the classification model. A support vector machine was used to divide the mental state into three levels. The penalty factor for the model was optimized using a genetic algorithm. Results: The results show that α/β has the greatest correlation to reaction time. The classification results show an accuracy of 86%, a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 85.53%. The average increase of reaction time is 16.72% from alert state to fatigued state. Females have a faster decrease in reaction ability than males as driving fatigue accumulates. Elderly drivers have longer reaction times than the young. Conclusions: A grey correlation analysis can be used to improve the classification accuracy of the support vector machine (SVM) model. This paper provides basic research that online detection of fatigue can be performed using only a simple device, which is more comfortable for users.

Research on the Relationship between Reaction Ability and Mental State for Online Assessment of Driving Fatigue

PubMed Central

Guo, Mengzhu; Li, Shiwu; Wang, Linhong; Chai, Meng; Chen, Facheng; Wei, Yunong

2016-01-01

Background: Driving fatigue affects the reaction ability of a driver. The aim of this research is to analyze the relationship between driving fatigue, physiological signals and driver’s reaction time. Methods: Twenty subjects were tested during driving. Data pertaining to reaction time and physiological signals including electroencephalograph (EEG) were collected from twenty simulation experiments. Grey correlation analysis was used to select the input variable of the classification model. A support vector machine was used to divide the mental state into three levels. The penalty factor for the model was optimized using a genetic algorithm. Results: The results show that α/β has the greatest correlation to reaction time. The classification results show an accuracy of 86%, a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 85.53%. The average increase of reaction time is 16.72% from alert state to fatigued state. Females have a faster decrease in reaction ability than males as driving fatigue accumulates. Elderly drivers have longer reaction times than the young. Conclusions: A grey correlation analysis can be used to improve the classification accuracy of the support vector machine (SVM) model. This paper provides basic research that online detection of fatigue can be performed using only a simple device, which is more comfortable for users. PMID:27886139

USAF/SCEEE Summer Faculty Research Program (1982). Research Reports. Volume 2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

Engineering (802) 658-3330 Assigned: RADC/Griffiss Dr. Milton J. Alexander Degree: D.B.A., Management , 1968 Professor Specialty: Management ...Information Auburn University Systems, Operational Management Department Research Auburn, AL 36830 Assigned: LMC (205) 826-4730 Dr. Gary L. Allen Degree: Ph.D...Ph.D., Industrial Professor Engineering, 1951 Oklahoma State University Specialty: Project Management , Industrial Engineering & Management Dept

Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman, Sioux Physician-Author, 1858-1939. With Teacher's Guide. Native Americans of the Twentieth Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minneapolis Public Schools, MN.

A biography for elementary school students of a 19th century American Indian physician and author, Charles Alexander Eastman (Sioux), includes photographs of Dr. Eastman and his wife. A teacher's guide following the bibliography contains information on the Sioux Uprising of 1862 and the Wounded Knee Massacre, learning objectives and directions for…

Exploring Naturalistic Driving Data for Distracted Driving Measures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-10-01

The SHRP 2 NDS project was the largest naturalistic driving study ever conducted. The data obtained from the study was released to the research community in 2014 through the project's InSight webpage. The objectives of this research were to (a) explo...

76 FR 3134 - Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board (ELAB) Meeting Dates and Agenda

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-19

... 1 p.m. ET to discuss the ideas and views presented at the previous ELAB meetings, as well as new..., Designated Federal Officer, U.S. EPA (E243-05), 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709..., 2011. Kevin Teichman, Acting EPA Science Advisor. [FR Doc. 2011-995 Filed 1-13-11; 4:15 pm] BILLING...

78 FR 299 - Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board Meeting Dates and Agenda

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-03

.... EPA, 109 T. W. Alexander Drive, Mail Code E243-05, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 or emailed to..., 2013 at 1:00 p.m. ET to discuss the ideas and views presented at the previous ELAB meetings, as well as new business. Items to be discussed by ELAB over these coming meetings include: (1) Issues in...

What is the alternative to the Alexander-Orbach relation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, Igor M.

2016-03-01

The Alexander-Orbach (AO) relation d w = 2d f /d s connecting the fractal dimension of a random walk’s (RW) trajectory d w or the exponent of anomalous diffusion α = 2/d w on a fractal structure with the fractal and spectral dimension of the structure itself plays a key role in discussion of dynamical properties of complex systems including living cells and single biomolecules. This relation however does not hold universally and breaks down for some structures like diffusion limited aggregates and Eden trees. We show that the alternative to the AO relation is the explicit dependence of the coefficient of the anomalous diffusion on the system’s size, i.e. the absence of its thermodynamical limit. The prerequisite for its breakdown is the dependence of the local structure of possible steps of the RW on the system’s size. The discussion is illustrated by the examples of diffusion on a Koch curve (AO-conform) and on a Cantor dust (violating AO relation).

Teaching Nuclear Radiation and the Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapp, David R.

2008-03-01

The recent international story about the death of the former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko has more than just a few wondering about radiation poisoning and the sinister sounding polonium-210. I was preparing to begin a nuclear radiation unit the Monday after Thanksgiving 2006. As it turned out, Litvinenko died Thanksgiving Day after a short and terrible three-week illness. Having the story continue to unfold throughout the next two weeks of the new unit provided a daily opportunity for students to see the relevance of what we were doing in class. My students were able to have meaningful and informed conversations with their peers and parents over an important international event. They even began to feel a bit like authorities themselves when listening to experts respond to media questions about polonium-210 and nuclear radiation in general. This paper discusses some of the ways that the story of Litvinenko was used while presenting the topic of nuclear radiation.

Alexander fractional differential window filter for ECG denoising.

PubMed

Verma, Atul Kumar; Saini, Indu; Saini, Barjinder Singh

2018-06-01

The electrocardiogram (ECG) non-invasively monitors the electrical activities of the heart. During the process of recording and transmission, ECG signals are often corrupted by various types of noises. Minimizations of these noises facilitate accurate detection of various anomalies. In the present paper, Alexander fractional differential window (AFDW) filter is proposed for ECG signal denoising. The designed filter is based on the concept of generalized Alexander polynomial and the R-L differential equation of fractional calculus. This concept is utilized to formulate a window that acts as a forward filter. Thereafter, the backward filter is constructed by reversing the coefficients of the forward filter. The proposed AFDW filter is then obtained by averaging of the forward and backward filter coefficients. The performance of the designed AFDW filter is validated by adding the various type of noise to the original ECG signal obtained from MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. The two non-diagnostic measure, i.e., SNR, MSE, and one diagnostic measure, i.e., wavelet energy based diagnostic distortion (WEDD) have been employed for the quantitative evaluation of the designed filter. Extensive experimentations on all the 48-records of MIT-BIH arrhythmia database resulted in average SNR of 22.014 ± 3.806365, 14.703 ± 3.790275, 13.3183 ± 3.748230; average MSE of 0.001458 ± 0.00028, 0.0078 ± 0.000319, 0.01061 ± 0.000472; and average WEDD value of 0.020169 ± 0.01306, 0.1207 ± 0.061272, 0.1432 ± 0.073588, for ECG signal contaminated by the power line, random, and the white Gaussian noise respectively. A new metric named as morphological power preservation measure (MPPM) is also proposed that account for the power preservance (as indicated by PSD plots) and the QRS morphology. The proposed AFDW filter retained much of the original (clean) signal power without any significant morphological distortion as validated by MPPM measure that were 0

Research of subdivision driving technology for brushless DC motors in optical fiber positioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kan, Yi; Gu, Yonggang; Zhu, Ye; Zhai, Chao

2016-07-01

In fiber spectroscopic telescopes, optical fiber positioning units are used to position thousands of fibers on the focal plane quickly and precisely. Stepper motors are used in existing units, however, it has some inherent deficiencies, such as serious heating and low efficiency. In this work, the universally adopted subdivision driving technology for stepper motors is transplanted to brushless DC motors. It keeps the advantages of stepper motors such as high positioning accuracy and resolution, while overcomes the disadvantages mentioned above. Thus, this research mainly focuses on develop a novel subdivision driving technology for brushless DC motor. By the proving of experiments of online debug and subdivision speed and position, the proposed brushless DC motor subdivision technology can achieve the expected functions.

Research on safety evaluation model for in-vehicle secondary task driving.

PubMed

Jin, Lisheng; Xian, Huacai; Niu, Qingning; Bie, Jing

2015-08-01

This paper presents a new method for evaluating in-vehicle secondary task driving safety. There are five in-vehicle distracter tasks: tuning the radio to a local station, touching the touch-screen telephone menu to a certain song, talking with laboratory assistant, answering a telephone via Bluetooth headset, and finding the navigation system from Ipad4 computer. Forty young drivers completed the driving experiment on a driving simulator. Measures of fixations, saccades, and blinks are collected and analyzed. Based on the measures of driver eye movements which have significant difference between the baseline and secondary task driving conditions, the evaluation index system is built. The Analytic Network Process (ANP) theory is applied for determining the importance weight of the evaluation index in a fuzzy environment. On the basis of the importance weight of the evaluation index, Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) method is utilized to evaluate the secondary task driving safety. Results show that driving with secondary tasks greatly distracts the driver's attention from road and the evaluation model built in this study could estimate driving safety effectively under different driving conditions. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Test drives in the Daimler-Benz driving simulator with drivers under diazepam

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1990-05-01

The research project investigated the influence of diazepam on the driving performance measured in the Daimler-Benz Driving Simulator. Test subjects were male students; 20 received a medium, and 20 received a high dosage of diazepam. A third group of...

Mythorealistic Concept of "Beautiful Lady" in the Structure of the Author's Identity (Based on the Diaries of Alexander Blok)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minets, Diana

2016-01-01

The present paper deals with the diaries of Alexander Blok dated 1901-1921 reflecting the process of the writer's self-identification. During 20 years under the influence of various social and cultural situations Blok's "Self-Conception" is undergoing significant changes. The vector of these changes shows the complicated evolution of the…

On the Social Psychology of Higher Education: A Bibliography of Alexander W. Astin. Public Administration Series Bibliography, P-688.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quay, Richard H.

A bibliography of articles by Alexander W. Astin on the social psychology of higher education is presented. Entries are presented by year, starting with 1980 and dating back to 1956. Topics that are covered include: equal access to higher education, student persistence and attrition, higher education policy, selective admissions and open…

ECO-DRIVING MODELING ENVIRONMENT

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-11-01

This research project aims to examine the eco-driving modeling capabilities of different traffic modeling tools available and to develop a driver-simulator-based eco-driving modeling tool to evaluate driver behavior and to reliably estimate or measur...

Using Twitter™ to drive research impact: A discussion of strategies, opportunities and challenges.

PubMed

Schnitzler, Katy; Davies, Nigel; Ross, Fiona; Harris, Ruth

2016-07-01

Researchers have always recognised the importance of disseminating the findings of their work, however, recently the need to proactively plan and drive the impact of those findings on the wider society has become a necessity. Firstly, this is because funders require evidence of return from investment and secondly and crucially because national research assessments are becoming powerful determinants of future funding. In research studies associated with nursing, impact needs to be demonstrated by showing the effect on a range of stakeholders including service users, patients, carers, the nursing workforce and commissioners. Engaging these groups is a well-known challenge influenced by lack of access to academic journals, lack of time to read long complex research papers and lack of opportunities to interact directly with the researchers. This needs to be addressed urgently to enable nursing research to increase the impact that it has on health delivery and the work of clinical practitioners. Social media is potentially a novel way of enabling research teams to both communicate about research as studies progress and to disseminate findings and research funders are increasingly using it to publicise information about research programmes and studies they fund. A search of the healthcare literature reveals that advice and guidance on the use of social media for research studies is not well understood or exploited by the research community. This paper, therefore, explores how using social networking platforms, notably Twitter™ offers potential new ways for communicating research findings, accessing diverse and traditionally hard-to-reach audiences, knowledge exchange at an exponential rate, and enabling new means of capturing and demonstrating research impact. The paper discusses approaches to initiate the setup of social networking platforms in research projects and considers the practical challenges of using Twitter™ in nursing and healthcare research. The

Silurian trace fossils in carbonate turbidites from the Alexander Arc of southeastern Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soja, C.M.

Early to Late Silurian (Wenlock-Ludlow) body and trace fossils from the Heceta Formation are preserved in the oldest widespread carbonates in the Alexander terrane of southeastern Alaska. They represent the earliest shelly benthos to inhabit a diversity of marine environments and are important indicators of the early stages in benthic community development within this ancient island arc. The trace fossils are significant because they add to a small but growing body of knowledge about ichnofaunas in deep-water Paleozoic carbonates. Proximal to medial carbonate turbidites yield a low-diversity suite of trace fossils that comprises five distinct types of biogenic structures. Beddingmore » planes reveal simple epichnial burrows (Planolites), cross-cutting burrows (Fucusopsis), and tiny cylindrical burrows. These and other casts, including chondrites( )-like burrow clusters, represent the feeding activities (fodinichnia) of preturbidite animals. Hypichnial burrows and rare endichnial traces reflect the activities of postturbidite animals. Broken and offset traces indicate that infaunal biota commenced burrowing before slumping and subsequent soft-sediment deformation. The abundance and density of trace fossils increases offshore in the medial turbidites associated with a decrease in the size and amount of coarse particles and with an increase in mud and preserved organic material. Although diversity levels are similar in the proximal and medial turbidite facies, they are much lower than in Paleozoic siliciclastic turbidites. This may reflect unfavorable environmental conditions for infaunal biota or paleobiogeographic isolation of the Alexander terrane during the Silurian. A greater use of trace fossils in terrane analysis will help to resolve this issue and should provide new data for reconstructing the paleogeography of circum-Pacific terranes.« less

Adolescent Drinking and Driving: Etiology Interpretation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Augustyn, Mary Catharine; Simons-Morton, Bruce G.

1995-01-01

A literature review of research on adolescent drinking and driving reveals which subgroups are most likely to drink and drive, where and why drinking and driving occur, peer- and family-related issues, and adolescent expectancies and perceived efficacies associated with drinking and drinking/driving behavior. The use of etiologic data in…

75 FR 32463 - Notice of Receipt of Several Pesticide Petitions Filed for Residues of Pesticide Chemicals in or...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-08

... CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, proposes to...-5967, e-mail address: [email protected] . 5. PP 0F7706. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0311). Bayer CropScience... commodities poultry, fat at 0.1 ppm; poultry, meat byproducts at 0.1 ppm; poultry, meat at 0.1 ppm; and eggs...

Driving and Age-Related Macular Degeneration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owsley, Cynthia; McGwin, Gerald, Jr.

2008-01-01

This article reviews the research literature on driving and age-related macular degeneration, which is motivated by the link between driving and the quality of life of older adults and their increased collision rate. It addresses the risk of crashes, driving performance, driving difficulty, self-regulation, and interventions to enhance, safety,…

Creating a driving profile for older adults using GPS devices and naturalistic driving methodology

PubMed Central

Babulal, Ganesh M.; Traub, Cindy M.; Webb, Mollie; Stout, Sarah H.; Addison, Aaron; Carr, David B.; Ott, Brian R.; Morris, John C.; Roe, Catherine M.

2016-01-01

Background/Objectives: Road tests and driving simulators are most commonly used in research studies and clinical evaluations of older drivers. Our objective was to describe the process and associated challenges in adapting an existing, commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS), in-vehicle device for naturalistic, longitudinal research to better understand daily driving behavior in older drivers. Design: The Azuga G2 Tracking Device TM was installed in each participant’s vehicle, and we collected data over 5 months (speed, latitude/longitude) every 30-seconds when the vehicle was driven.  Setting: The Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Washington University School of Medicine. Participants: Five individuals enrolled in a larger, longitudinal study assessing preclinical Alzheimer disease and driving performance.  Participants were aged 65+ years and had normal cognition. Measurements:  Spatial components included Primary Location(s), Driving Areas, Mean Centers and Unique Destinations.  Temporal components included number of trips taken during different times of the day.  Behavioral components included number of hard braking, speeding and sudden acceleration events. Methods:  Individual 30-second observations, each comprising one breadcrumb, and trip-level data were collected and analyzed in R and ArcGIS.  Results: Primary locations were confirmed to be 100% accurate when compared to known addresses.  Based on the locations of the breadcrumbs, we were able to successfully identify frequently visited locations and general travel patterns.  Based on the reported time from the breadcrumbs, we could assess number of trips driven in daylight vs. night.  Data on additional events while driving allowed us to compute the number of adverse driving alerts over the course of the 5-month period. Conclusions: Compared to cameras and highly instrumented vehicle in other naturalistic studies, the compact COTS device was quickly installed and transmitted high volumes

Creating a driving profile for older adults using GPS devices and naturalistic driving methodology.

PubMed

Babulal, Ganesh M; Traub, Cindy M; Webb, Mollie; Stout, Sarah H; Addison, Aaron; Carr, David B; Ott, Brian R; Morris, John C; Roe, Catherine M

2016-01-01

Background/Objectives : Road tests and driving simulators are most commonly used in research studies and clinical evaluations of older drivers. Our objective was to describe the process and associated challenges in adapting an existing, commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS), in-vehicle device for naturalistic, longitudinal research to better understand daily driving behavior in older drivers. Design : The Azuga G2 Tracking Device TM was installed in each participant's vehicle, and we collected data over 5 months (speed, latitude/longitude) every 30-seconds when the vehicle was driven.  Setting : The Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Washington University School of Medicine. Participants : Five individuals enrolled in a larger, longitudinal study assessing preclinical Alzheimer disease and driving performance.  Participants were aged 65+ years and had normal cognition. Measurements :  Spatial components included Primary Location(s), Driving Areas, Mean Centers and Unique Destinations.  Temporal components included number of trips taken during different times of the day.  Behavioral components included number of hard braking, speeding and sudden acceleration events. Methods :  Individual 30-second observations, each comprising one breadcrumb, and trip-level data were collected and analyzed in R and ArcGIS.  Results : Primary locations were confirmed to be 100% accurate when compared to known addresses.  Based on the locations of the breadcrumbs, we were able to successfully identify frequently visited locations and general travel patterns.  Based on the reported time from the breadcrumbs, we could assess number of trips driven in daylight vs. night.  Data on additional events while driving allowed us to compute the number of adverse driving alerts over the course of the 5-month period. Conclusions : Compared to cameras and highly instrumented vehicle in other naturalistic studies, the compact COTS device was quickly installed and transmitted high

Bokan Mountain peralkaline granitic complex, Alexander terrane (southeastern Alaska): evidence for Early Jurassic rifting prior to accretion with North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dostal, Jaroslav; Karl, Susan M.; Keppie, J. Duncan; Kontak, Daniel J.; Shellnutt, J. Gregory

2013-01-01

The circular Bokan Mountain complex (BMC) on southern Prince of Wales Island, southernmost Alaska, is a Jurassic peralkaline granitic intrusion about 3 km in diameter that crosscuts igneous and metasedimentary rocks of the Alexander terrane. The BMC hosts significant rare metal (rare earth elements, Y, U, Th, Zr, and Nb) mineralization related to the last stage of BMC emplacement. U–Pb (zircon) and 40Ar/39Ar (amphibole and whole-rock) geochronology indicates the following sequence of intrusive activity: (i) a Paleozoic basement composed mainly of 469 ± 4 Ma granitic rocks; (ii) intrusion of the BMC at 177 ± 1 Ma followed by rapid cooling through ca. 550 °C at 176 ± 1 Ma that was synchronous with mineralization associated with vertical, WNW-trending pegmatites, felsic dikes, and aegirine–fluorite veins and late-stage, sinistral shear deformation; and (iii) intrusion of crosscutting lamprophyre dikes at >150 Ma and again at ca. 105 Ma. The peralkaline nature of the BMC and the WNW trend of associated dikes suggest intrusion during NE–SW rifting that was followed by NE–SW shortening during the waning stages of BMC emplacement. The 177 Ma BMC was synchronous with other magmatic centres in the Alexander terrane, such as (1) the Dora Bay peralkaline stock and (2) the bimodal Moffatt volcanic suite located ∼30 km north and ∼100 km SE of the BMC, respectively. This regional magmatism is interpreted to represent a regional extensional event that precedes deposition of the Late Jurassic – Cretaceous Gravina sequence that oversteps the Wrangellia and Alexander exotic accreted terranes and the Taku and Yukon–Tanana pericratonic terranes of the Canadian–Alaskan Cordillera.

Bokan Mountain peralkaline granitic complex, Alexander terrane (southeastern Alaska): evidence for Early Jurassic rifting prior to accretion with North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dostal, Jaroslav; Karl, Susan M.; Keppie, J. Duncan; Kontak, Daniel J.; Shellnutt, J. Gregory

2013-01-01

The circular Bokan Mountain complex (BMC) on southern Prince of Wales Island, southernmost Alaska, is a Jurassic peralkaline granitic intrusion about 3 km in diameter that crosscuts igneous and metasedimentary rocks of the Alexander terrane. The BMC hosts significant rare metal (rare earth elements, Y, U, Th, Zr, and Nb) mineralization related to the last stage of BMC emplacement. U–Pb (zircon) and 40Ar/39Ar (amphibole and whole-rock) geochronology indicates the following sequence of intrusive activity: (i) a Paleozoic basement composed mainly of 469 ± 4 Ma granitic rocks; (ii) intrusion of the BMC at 177 ± 1 Ma followed by rapid cooling through ca. 550 °C at 176 ± 1 Ma that was synchronous with mineralization associated with vertical, WNW-trending pegmatites, felsic dikes, and aegirine–fluorite veins and late-stage, sinistral shear deformation; and (iii) intrusion of crosscutting lamprophyre dikes at >150 Ma and again at ca. 105 Ma. The peralkaline nature of the BMC and the WNW trend of associated dikes suggest intrusion during NE–SW rifting that was followed by NE–SW shortening during the waning stages of BMC emplacement. The 177 Ma BMC was synchronous with other magmatic centres in the Alexander terrane, such as (1) the Dora Bay peralkaline stock and (2) the bimodal Moffatt volcanic suite located ~30 km north and ~100 km SE of the BMC, respectively. This regional magmatism is interpreted to represent a regional extensional event that precedes deposition of the Late Jurassic – Cretaceous Gravina sequence that oversteps the Wrangellia and Alexander exotic accreted terranes and the Taku and Yukon–Tanana pericratonic terranes of the Canadian–Alaskan Cordillera.

Possible refugia in the Alexander Archipelago of southeastern Alaska during the late Wisconsin glaciation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carrara, P.E.; Ager, T.A.; Baichtal, J.F.

2007-01-01

The interpretation of the extent of late Wisconsin glaciation in southeastern Alaska has varied between geologists and biologists. Maps and reports of the region prepared by geologists commonly indicated that late Wisconsin ice extended as a large uniform front west to the edge of the continental shelf. However, the distribution of plants and animals in the region has led many biologists to suggest that there may have been ice-free areas that served as refugia during the late Wisconsin. Based on analyses of aerial photographs, topographic maps, and bathymetric charts, in conjunction with a review of previous literature and reconnaissance fieldwork throughout the region, this study presents data supporting a limited ice extent in the Alexander Archipelago during the late Wisconsin and identifies possible ice-free areas that may have served as refugia. These areas include (1) the Fairweather Ground, (2) the Herbert Graves Island area, (3) the western coast of southern Baranof Island and adjacent continental shelf, (4) Coronation Island and the adjacent continental shelf, (5) the Warren Island area, (6) the continental shelf from west of Heceta Island to Forrester Island in the south, (7) parts of the west coast of southern Dall Island, and (8) lowland areas in southern Prince of Wales Island. The identification of these possible refugia has bearing on the recolonization of the Alexander Archipelago, as they could have served as centers of biotic dispersal upon regional deglaciation and as stepping stones for early humans with a maritime tradition entering the western hemisphere from Asia. ?? 2007 NRC Canada.

Driving Responses of Older and Younger Drivers in a Driving Simulator

PubMed Central

Fildes, Brian; Charlton, Judith; Muir, Carlyn; Koppel, Sjaanie

2007-01-01

This paper reports the findings of a study of younger and older driver behaviour to hazardous traffic manoeuvres in a driving simulator. Hazardous situations on a highway and residential drive were studied and drivers’ vision and vehicle performance responses were collected. While all drivers were able to avoid crashes, the finding that older drivers were consistently slower to fixate hazardous stimuli in the driving environment and were slower to respond presents a potentially serious road safety concern. Further research is warranted, especially under conditions of increasing traffic complexity. PMID:18184513

iDriving (Intelligent Driving)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malikopoulos, Andreas

2012-09-17

iDriving identifies the driving style factors that have a major impact on fuel economy. An optimization framework is used with the aim of optimizing a driving style with respect to these driving factors. A set of polynomial metamodels is constructed to reflect the responses produced in fuel economy by changing the driving factors. The optimization framework is used to develop a real-time feedback system, including visual instructions, to enable drivers to alter their driving styles in responses to actual driving conditions to improve fuel efficiency.

Growing Community: The Impact of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program on the Social and Learning Environment in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Block, Karen; Gibbs, Lisa; Staiger, Petra K.; Gold, Lisa; Johnson, Britt; Macfarlane, Susie; Long, Caroline; Townsend, Mardie

2012-01-01

This article presents results from a mixed-method evaluation of a structured cooking and gardening program in Australian primary schools, focusing on program impacts on the social and learning environment of the school. In particular, we address the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program objective of providing a pleasurable experience that has…

Driving Performance Under Alcohol in Simulated Representative Driving Tasks

PubMed Central

Kenntner-Mabiala, Ramona; Kaussner, Yvonne; Jagiellowicz-Kaufmann, Monika; Hoffmann, Sonja; Krüger, Hans-Peter

2015-01-01

Abstract Comparing drug-induced driving impairments with the effects of benchmark blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) is an approved approach to determine the clinical relevance of findings for traffic safety. The present study aimed to collect alcohol calibration data to validate findings of clinical trials that were derived from a representative test course in a dynamic driving simulator. The driving performance of 24 healthy volunteers under placebo and with 0.05% and 0.08% BACs was measured in a double-blind, randomized, crossover design. Trained investigators assessed the subjects’ driving performance and registered their driving errors. Various driving parameters that were recorded during the simulation were also analyzed. Generally, the participants performed worse on the test course (P < 0.05 for the investigators’ assessment) under the influence of alcohol. Consistent with the relevant literature, lane-keeping performance parameters were sensitive to the investigated BACs. There were significant differences between the alcohol and placebo conditions in most of the parameters analyzed. However, the total number of errors was the only parameter discriminating significantly between all three BAC conditions. In conclusion, data show that the present experimental setup is suitable for future psychopharmacological research. Thereby, for each drug to be investigated, we recommend to assess a profile of various parameters that address different levels of driving. On the basis of this performance profile, the total number of driving errors is recommended as the primary endpoint. However, this overall endpoint should be completed by a specifically sensitive parameter that is chosen depending on the effect known to be induced by the tested drug. PMID:25689289

The metallogeny of Late Triassic rifting of the Alexander terrane in southeastern Alaska and northwestern British Columbia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, C.D.; Premo, W.R.; Meier, A.L.; Taggart, J.E.

2008-01-01

A belt of unusual volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) occurrences is located along the eastern margin of the Alexander terrane throughout southeastern Alaska and northwestern British Columbia and exhibits a range of characteristics consistent with a variety of syngenetic to epigenetic deposit types. Deposits within this belt include Greens Creek and Windy Craggy, the economically most significant VMS deposit in Alaska and the largest in North America, respectively. The occurrences are hosted by a discontinuously exposed, 800-km-long belt of rocks that consist of a 200- to 800-m-thick sequence of conglomerate, limestone, marine elastic sedimentary rocks, and tuff intercalated with and overlain by a distinctive unit of mafic pyroclastic rocks and pillowed flows. Faunal data bracket the age of the host rocks between Anisian (Middle Triassic) and late Norian (late Late Triassic). This metallogenic belt is herein referred to as the Alexander Triassic metallogenic belt. The VMS occurrences show systematic differences in degree of structural control, chemistry, and stratigraphic setting along the Alexander Triassic metallogenic belt that suggest important spatial or temporal changes in the tectonic environment of formation. At the southern end of the belt, felsic volcanic rocks overlain by shallow-water limestones characterize the lower part of the sequence. In the southern and middle portion of the belt, a distinctive pebble conglomerate marks the base of the section and is indicative of high-energy deposition in a near slope or basin margin setting. At the northern end of the belt the conglomerates, limestones, and felsic volcanic rocks are absent and the belt is composed of deep-water sedimentary and mafic volcanic rocks. This northward change in depositional environment and lithofacies is accompanied by a northward transition from epithermal-like structurally controlled, discontinuous, vein- and pod-shaped, Pb-Zn-Ag-Ba-(Cu) occurrences with relatively simple mineralogy

Text messaging during simulated driving.

PubMed

Drews, Frank A; Yazdani, Hina; Godfrey, Celeste N; Cooper, Joel M; Strayer, David L

2009-10-01

This research aims to identify the impact of text messaging on simulated driving performance. In the past decade, a number of on-road, epidemiological, and simulator-based studies reported the negative impact of talking on a cell phone on driving behavior. However, the impact of text messaging on simulated driving performance is still not fully understood. Forty participants engaged in both a single task (driving) and a dual task (driving and text messaging) in a high-fidelity driving simulator. Analysis of driving performance revealed that participants in the dual-task condition responded more slowly to the onset of braking lights and showed impairments in forward and lateral control compared with a driving-only condition. Moreover, text-messaging drivers were involved in more crashes than drivers not engaged in text messaging. Text messaging while driving has a negative impact on simulated driving performance. This negative impact appears to exceed the impact of conversing on a cell phone while driving. The results increase our understanding of driver distraction and have potential implications for public safety and device development.

[The life history of Alexander Numan (1780-1852) during his time in Groningen].

PubMed

Mathijsen, A H

2001-01-01

Until the time Numan took on his professorship at the newly established Veterinary School in Utrecht in 1822, he had lived in the Province of Groningen. In order to understand why the minister of Public Education appointed a village doctor from the north of the country as professor for the practice of veteriary medicine, and after some years as director of the school, it was felt essential to investigate his earlier life period. The main sources used are two obituaries, resp. written by his son who was a professor of Law at Groningen University, and by his friend prof. Willem Vrolik who was the secretary of the Academy of Science, supplemented by family histories and some archival research. After a short description of his descent, youth adn education follows the main part devoted to his writings, his medical practice and membership of the Provincial Medical Commission and the Commission for Agriculture. In an appendix some genealogical data are presented on the family of his wife and their children. Alexander lost his father, who was a minister of the Reformed Church, when he was ten years old. He received his education in the circle of family members. A brother of his father, also a minister, teached him Greek and Latin. After this uncle had left the province, he lived in the home of another minister who teached him the modern languages. As this man was involved in politics of the Baravian Republic, young Alexander was exposed to many discussions on the polity of the State. After his mother had remarried with a medical doctor, this man, and also his brother who had a medical practice in another part of the province, complemented the education with an introduction in the sciences. Experiences in their dispensaries, where some knowledge of botany and chemistry could be obtained, and discussions when accompanying them on their visits to patients, were decisive in the choice of his profession. Only at the age of twenty he entered the Medical Faculty of Groningen

Model Predictive Control Based Motion Drive Algorithm for a Driving Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehmatullah, Faizan

In this research, we develop a model predictive control based motion drive algorithm for the driving simulator at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Motion drive algorithms exploit the limitations of the human vestibular system to formulate a perception of motion within the constrained workspace of a simulator. In the absence of visual cues, the human perception system is unable to distinguish between acceleration and the force of gravity. The motion drive algorithm determines control inputs to displace the simulator platform, and by using the resulting inertial forces and angular rates, creates the perception of motion. By using model predictive control, we can optimize the use of simulator workspace for every maneuver while simulating the vehicle perception. With the ability to handle nonlinear constraints, the model predictive control allows us to incorporate workspace limitations.

Next Generation Environmentally-Friendly Driving Feedback Systems Research and Development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barth, Matthew; Boriboonsomsin, Kanok

2014-12-31

The objective of this project is to design, develop, and demonstrate a next-generation, federal safety- and emission-complaint driving feedback system that can be deployed across the existing vehicle fleet and improve fleet average fuel efficiency by at least 2%. The project objective was achieved with the driving feedback system that encourages fuel-efficient vehicle travel and operation through: 1) Eco-Routing Navigation module that suggests the most fuel-efficient route from one stop to the next, 2) Eco-Driving Feedback module that provides sensible information, recommendation, and warning regarding fuel-efficient vehicle operation, and 3) Eco-Score and Eco-Rank module that provides a means for drivingmore » performance tracking, self-evaluation, and peer comparison. The system also collects and stores vehicle travel and operation data, which are used by Algorithm Updating module to customize the other modules for specific vehicles and adapts them to specific drivers over time. The driving feedback system was designed and developed as an aftermarket technology that can be retrofitted to vehicles in the existing fleet. It consists of a mobile application for smart devices running Android operating system, a vehicle on-board diagnostics connector, and a data server. While the system receives and utilizes real-time vehicle and engine data from the vehicle’s controller area network bus through the vehicle’s on-board diagnostic connector, it does not modify or interfere with the vehicle’s controller area network bus, and thus, is in compliance with federal safety and emission regulations. The driving feedback system was demonstrated and then installed on 45 vehicles from three different fleets for field operational test. These include 15 private vehicles of the general public, 15 pickup trucks of the California Department of Transportation that are assigned to individual employees for business use, and 15 shuttle buses of the Riverside Transit Agency that are

Comparing treatment effects of oral THC on simulated and on-the-road driving performance: testing the validity of driving simulator drug research.

PubMed

Veldstra, J L; Bosker, W M; de Waard, D; Ramaekers, J G; Brookhuis, K A

2015-08-01

The driving simulator provides a safe and controlled environment for testing driving behaviour efficiently. The question is whether it is sensitive to detect drug-induced effects. The primary aim of the current study was to investigate the sensitivity of the driving simulator for detecting drug effects. As a case in point, we investigated the dose-related effects of oral ∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), i.e. dronabinol, on simulator and on-the-road driving performance in equally demanding driving tasks. Twenty-four experienced driver participants were treated with dronabinol (Marinol®; 10 and 20 mg) and placebo. Dose-related effects of the drug on the ability to keep a vehicle in lane (weaving) and to follow the speed changes of a lead car (car following) were compared within subjects for on-the-road versus in-simulator driving. Additionally, the outcomes of equivalence testing to alcohol-induced effects were investigated. Treatment effects found on weaving when driving in the simulator were comparable to treatment effects found when driving on the road. The effect after 10 mg dronabinol was however less strong in the simulator than on the road and inter-individual variance seemed higher in the simulator. There was, however, a differential treatment effect of dronabinol on reactions to speed changes of a lead car (car following) when driving on the road versus when driving in the simulator. The driving simulator was proven to be sensitive for demonstrating dronabinol-induced effects particularly at higher doses. Treatment effects of dronabinol on weaving were comparable with driving on the road but inter-individual variability seemed higher in the simulator than on the road which may have potential effects on the clinical inferences made from simulator driving. Car following on the road and in the simulator were, however, not comparable.

Obituary: Alexander (Andy) Franz Lubenow, 1956-2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buie, Marc William

2006-12-01

challenge upon which Andy thrived. After he had mastered sailing, he embarked on a new hobby: flying. He studied for and quickly earned a private pilot's license, purchasing his own Piper Cherokee in the process. One goal —a cross-country trip— was accomplished in June 2003, when he flew solo from Baltimore to Los Angeles and back. "You ought to try it," he told me. "As Lindbergh put it, flying is the perfect mix of science, engineering, and art. Only the pilots know why the birds sing....although I'm sure the geese I heard flying over[head] in formation the other night were swearing, and given the weather, I didn't blame them a bit!" When discussing his illness just days before his death, Andy was very calm about the whole thing and joked that "none of us is getting out of this life alive." It was during this conversation that he first heard the news that an asteroid was to be named in his honor. I read him the citation and asked for his comments: Lubenow 65885 Alexander Franz Lubenow Discovered 1997 Dec. 27 by M. W. Buie at the Anderson Mesa Station of the Lowell Observatory. Alexander (Andy) F. Lubenow (1956-), Program Coordinator at the Space Telescope Science Institute. Andy has provided exceptional support to the Hubble Space Telescope as an innovator and expert observation planner, especially for solar system targets, over the lifetime of HST. He had nothing to add. He responded that the citation pretty much said it all, and to say more would be to say less. Andy was a pleasure to know and work with. He was a friend, confidant, and sometimes even a guiding inspiration. When our paths diverged, I took some consolation in knowing that I would see him each year at the DPS meeting showing off the latest that the HST had done for solar system research. His visits have now come to an end but his legacy will live on. And somewhere, out in the dark of space, is a chunk of rock bearing his name.

Obituary: Donald Alexander Macrae, 1916-2006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seaquist, E. R.

2007-12-01

With the passing of Donald Alexander MacRae on 6 December 2006 at age 90, the astronomy community lost a visionary scientist and a great educator in the field. Don MacRae was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 19 February 1916, to Donald Alexander and Laura Geddes (Barnstead) MacRae. His father was originally a classics scholar and preceptor of Greek and Latin at Princeton, but at the time of Don's birth in 1916 he was Dean of the Dalhousie Law School in Halifax. The family moved to Toronto, Ontario, in 1924 when his father joined the faculty of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto as a Professor of Law. After the family moved to Toronto, where he received most of his early education, he obtained his undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Physics in 1937 from the University of Toronto (U of T). He obtained the degree of A.M. in 1940 and of Ph.D. in 1943 from Harvard University under the mentorship of Bart Bok in the field of galactic structure. During his early career he worked briefly at the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, and Carbide and Chemical Corporation at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. For Don the latter work was a brief and somewhat uneasy association with the Manhattan Project. In 1946, he obtained a position at Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University), where he worked until 1953. In 1953, he accepted a position at the U of T, replacing Ralph Williamson, who had earlier introduced Don to the emerging field of radio astronomy while they both were at Cornell. Don's primary research field was stellar spectroscopy, but his interests were much broader than this, and he possessed an abiding ability to interest students and faculty in new and emerging ideas. In the early 1960s he developed a strong interest in the nature and origin of the lunar surface, and discussed these extensively with colleagues. Many of his ideas on this subject were later confirmed by the lunar exploration program. Don's continuing interest in radio astronomy

Numerical analysis and experimental research of the rubber boot of the joint drive vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziobro, Jan

2016-04-01

The article presents many numerical studies and experimental research of the drive rubber boot of the joint drive vehicle. Performance requirements have been discussed and the required coefficients of the mathematical model for numerical simulation have been determined. The behavior of living in MSC.MARC environment was examined. In the analysis the following have been used: hyperplastic two-parameter model of the Mooney-Rivlin material, large displacements procedure, safe contact condition, friction on the sides of the boots. 3D numerical model of the joint bootwas analyzed under influence of the forces: tensile, compressive, centrifugal and angular. Numerous results of studies have been presented. An appropriate test stand was built and comparison of the results of the numerical analysis and the results of experimental studies was made. Numerous requests and recommendations for utilitarian character have been presented.

Obituary: Walter Alexander Feibelman, 1930-2004

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oergerle, William

2005-12-01

Walter Alexander Feibelman, 79, an astronomer who discovered the E-ring of Saturn, died of a heart attack 19 November 2004 at his home at Riderwood Village in Silver Spring, Maryland. Walter was born 30 October 1925 in Berlin, Germany to Bernard and Dora Feibelman. He came to the United States with his parents in 1941. They were some of the last German Jews to flee Nazi Germany. Years later, he reported his experiences in an account contributed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. As a youth, he worked at a cleaning shop and as a soda jerk before taking a course in tool and die making. He worked at the Abbey Photo Corp. in New York and in a model-making firm, where he constructed models of aircraft for use in identification courses by the Army Air Forces. After high school, he attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology and received his BS degree in 1956. Until 1969, he was a research scientist at the University of Pittsburgh. While working as an assistant research professor in physics and astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh in 1967, he examined a photo of Saturn taken a year earlier at the university's Allegheny Observatory. The E-ring -- unlike the bright main rings, A, B, C, D and F -- is faint and not easily spotted. He paired his observation with calculations and announced his discovery, which remained unconfirmed until the Pioneer 11 flyby in 1979. Walter joined the Optical Astronomy Division of Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt in 1969, and worked there until 2002, when he became an emeritus astronomer at NASA. He became associated with the International Ultraviolet Explorer project, and worked on developing detectors for the orbiting observatory's spectrograph. The project turned out to be one of NASA's most successful observatories, operating from 1978 to 1996. In his scientific career, he published more than 200 refereed articles, mainly on hot stars and planetary nebulae. He also wrote papers in the fields of photography, spectroscopy

Drinking-and-Driving-Related Cognitions Mediate the Relationship Between Alcohol Demand and Alcohol-Impaired Driving.

PubMed

Amlung, Michael; Morris, David H; Hatz, Laura E; Teeters, Jenni B; Murphy, James G; McCarthy, Denis M

2016-07-01

Elevated behavioral economic demand for alcohol has been shown to be associated with drinking and driving in college students. The present study sought to clarify the underlying mechanisms of this relationship by examining whether drinking-and-driving-related cognitions (e.g., attitudes, perceptions, and normative beliefs) mediate the association between alcohol demand and drinking and driving. A total of 134 young adult social drinkers completed an alcohol purchase task and measures of perceived dangerousness of drinking and driving, normative beliefs about drinking and driving, and perceived driving limit (i.e., perceived number of drinks one could consume and still drive safely). The frequency of drinking and driving in the past year was assessed via self-report. Individuals who reported drinking and driving exhibited greater alcohol demand (intensity, Omax, and elasticity) compared with those who did not engage in drinking and driving. Increased demand was also correlated with more favorable drinking-and-driving cognitions. Indirect effects tests revealed that perceived driving limit partially mediated the relationship between alcohol demand and drinking-and-driving behavior, even after accounting for drinking level, sex, and delay discounting. These findings provide further support for the utility of behavioral economic theory in understanding drinking-and-driving behavior. In particular, they provide evidence for one mechanism-drinking-and-driving-related cognitions-by which alcohol demand influences drinking and driving. Additional research using longitudinal and experimental designs is required to confirm this model and to identify other potential mediators.

Bryan Coast, English Coast, Alexander Island, Fallieres Coast, and Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This image of Antarctica shows the Bryan Coast (lower left), the English Coast (lower central), Alexander Island (middle right), the Fallieres Coast (top right), and the Bellingshausen Sea. The entire continent has been dedicated to peaceful scientific investigation since 1961, with the signing of the Antarctic Treaty.The waters surrounding Antarctica are intensely cold. Salt water freezes at -2C, allowing sea ice to form. The middle left portion of the image shows quite a lot of sea ice in the Bellingshausen Sea. During the Antarctic winter, when data for this image was acquired, Antarctica doubles in size to about 28.5 million square km (or about 11 million square miles), and temperatures in the -60C range are common.This true-color image was compiled from MODIS data gathered March 29, 2002. Credit: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

The chemical work of Alexander and Jane Marcet.

PubMed

Rosenfeld, L

2001-04-01

Alexander Marcet was an authority on urinary calculi and their analysis when few medical practitioners appreciated the usefulness of chemistry in the explanation and treatment of disease. In An Essay on The Chemical History and Medical Treatment of Calculous Disorders, he described the discovery of an xanthine stone. He drew line illustrations of simple chemical apparatus useful for bedside analysis. His microtechnique used drops of solution and pinhead pieces of calculi; reagents were acids and alkalies and the blowpipe in conjunction with a small alcohol lamp. He reported the earliest description of a disorder later named "alcaptonuria". Marcet's work and that of a few others, on the chemical composition of urine and calculi, laid the foundations of our present knowledge. Between 1807 and 1820, his lectures to the medical students at Guy's Hospital were illustrated by experiments. Jane Haldimand Marcet wrote the very popular CONVERSATIONS: on Chemistry (16 editions in Great Britain). Her book dominated elementary chemical instruction during the first half of the 19th century. She followed Lavoisier's scheme of classification and explained chemical reactions in terms of affinity, aggregation, gravitation, and repulsion. Her advocacy that experimentation accompany lecture was new. The availability of serious scientific education in the new women's academies set the stage for increasing women's involvement in science. She also published a series of CONVERSATIONS: The topics were Political Economy, Natural Philosophy, and Vegetable Physiology.

Impact of the Alexander technique on well-being: a randomised controlled trial involving older adults with visual impairment.

PubMed

Gleeson, Michael; Sherrington, Catherine; Lo, Serigne; Auld, Robin; Keay, Lisa

2017-11-01

Older adults with visual loss have high rates of depression, restricted participation and reduced quality of life. We sought to measure the impact of lessons in the Alexander technique on vision-related emotional and social well-being, as secondary outcomes to a study on improving physical functioning in this population. This is a single-blind randomised controlled trial. One hundred and twenty community-dwelling adults aged 50 to 90 years with visual impairments were randomised to either 12 Alexander lessons over 12 weeks and usual care or usual care. The Perceived Visual Ability Scale, the Keele Assessment of Participation, the emotional subscale of the Impact of Vision Impairment Profile, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale and the five-item Geriatric Depression Scale were administered at baseline and three and 12 months. Participants were receiving services from Guide Dogs NSW/ACT. None of the validated questionnaires found statistically significant improvements after adjustment for baseline at three or 12 months, although the emotional subscale of the Impact of Vision Impairment approached significance in favour of the intervention group (4.54 points, 95 per cent CI: -0.14 to 9.21, p = 0.06). Depressive symptoms were prevalent and associated with greater impact of visual impairment on emotional well-being (odds ratio: 1.12, 95 per cent CI: 1.07 to 1.17, p < 0.0001). Faster gait, an indicator of general mobility, was associated with less depressive symptoms (odds ratio: 1.27, 95 per cent CI: 1.06 to 1.54, p = 0.01). On average, there was no significant impact of weekly lessons in the Alexander technique on social and emotional well-being, although the emotional impact of visual impairment showed a trend toward less distress in the intervention group. Our data found that emotional distress associated with visual impairment influences depressive symptoms but contrary to expectations, the level of social support received was not significant

ALCOHOL AND DISTRACTION INTERACT TO IMPAIR DRIVING PERFORMANCE

PubMed Central

Harrison, Emily L. R.; Fillmore, Mark T.

2011-01-01

Background Recognition of the risks associated with alcohol intoxication and driver distraction has led to a wealth of simulated driving research aimed at studying the adverse effects of each of these factors. Research on driving has moved beyond the individual, separate examination of these factors to the examination of potential interactions between alcohol intoxication and driver distraction. In many driving situations, distractions are commonplace and might have little or no disruptive influence on primary driving functions. Yet, such distractions might become disruptive to a driver who is intoxicated. Methods The present study examined the interactive impairing effects of alcohol intoxication and driver distraction on simulated driving performance in 40 young adult drivers using a divided attention task as a distracter activity. The interactive influence of alcohol and distraction was tested by having drivers perform the driving task under four different conditions: 0.65 g/kg alcohol; 0.65 g/kg alcohol + divided attention; placebo; and placebo + divided attention. Results As hypothesized, divided attention had no impairing effect on driving performance in sober drivers. However, under alcohol, divided attention exacerbated the impairing effects of alcohol on driving precision. Conclusions Alcohol and distraction continue to be appropriate targets for research into ways to reduce the rates of driving-related fatalities and injuries. Greater consideration of how alcohol and distraction interact to impair aspects of driving performance can further efforts to create prevention and intervention measures to protect drivers, particularly young adults. PMID:21277119

Alcohol and distraction interact to impair driving performance.

PubMed

Harrison, Emily L R; Fillmore, Mark T

2011-08-01

Recognition of the risks associated with alcohol intoxication and driver distraction has led to a wealth of simulated driving research aimed at studying the adverse effects of each of these factors. Research on driving has moved beyond the individual, separate examination of these factors to the examination of potential interactions between alcohol intoxication and driver distraction. In many driving situations, distractions are commonplace and might have little or no disruptive influence on primary driving functions. Yet, such distractions might become disruptive to a driver who is intoxicated. The present study examined the interactive impairing effects of alcohol intoxication and driver distraction on simulated driving performance in 40 young adult drivers using a divided attention task as a distracter activity. The interactive influence of alcohol and distraction was tested by having drivers perform the driving task under four different conditions: 0.65 g/kg alcohol; 0.65 g/kg alcohol+divided attention; placebo; and placebo+divided attention. As hypothesized, divided attention had no impairing effect on driving performance in sober drivers. However, under alcohol, divided attention exacerbated the impairing effects of alcohol on driving precision. Alcohol and distraction continue to be appropriate targets for research into ways to reduce the rates of driving-related fatalities and injuries. Greater consideration of how alcohol and distraction interact to impair aspects of driving performance can further efforts to create prevention and intervention measures to protect drivers, particularly young adults. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement in automatic postural coordination following alexander technique lessons in a person with low back pain.

PubMed

Cacciatore, Timothy W; Horak, Fay B; Henry, Sharon M

2005-06-01

The relationship between abnormal postural coordination and back pain is unclear. The Alexander Technique (AT) aims to improve postural coordination by using conscious processes to alter automatic postural coordination and ongoing muscular activity, and it has been reported to reduce low back pain. This case report describes the use of the AT with a client with low back pain and the observed changes in automatic postural responses and back pain. The client was a 49-year-old woman with a 25-year history of left-sided, idiopathic, lumbrosacral back pain. Automatic postural coordination was measured using a force plate during horizontal platform translations and one-legged standing. The client was tested monthly for 4 months before AT lessons and for 3 months after lessons. Before lessons, she consistently had laterally asymmetric automatic postural responses to translations. After AT lessons, the magnitude and asymmetry of her responses and balance improved and her low back pain decreased. Further research is warranted to study whether AT lessons improve low back pain-associated abnormalities in automatic postural coordination and whether improving automatic postural coordination helps to reduce low back pain.

Virtually driving: are the driving environments "real enough" for exposure therapy with accident victims? An explorative study.

PubMed

Walshe, David; Lewis, Elizabeth; O'Sullivan, Kathleen; Kim, Sun I

2005-12-01

There is a small but growing body of research supporting the effectiveness of computer-generated environments in exposure therapy for driving phobia. However, research also suggests that difficulties can readily arise whereby patients do not immerse in simulated driving scenes. The simulated driving environments are not "real enough" to undertake exposure therapy. This sets a limitation to the use of virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy as a treatment modality for driving phobia. The aim of this study was to investigate if a clinically acceptable immersion/presence rate of >80% could be achieved for driving phobia subjects in computer generated environments by modifying external factors in the driving environment. Eleven patients referred from the Accident and Emergency Department of a general hospital or from their General Practitioner following a motor vehicle accident, who met DSM-IV criteria for Specific Phobia-driving were exposed to a computer-generated driving environment using computer driving games (London Racer/Midtown Madness). In an attempt to make the driving environments "real enough," external factors were modified by (a) projection of images onto a large screen, (b) viewing the scene through a windscreen, (c) using car seats for both driver and passenger, and (d) increasing vibration sense through use of more powerful subwoofers. Patients undertook a trial session involving driving through computer environments with graded risk of an accident. "Immersion/presence" was operationally defined as a subjective rating by the subject that the environment "feels real," together with an increase in subjective units of distress (SUD) ratings of >3 and/or an increase of heart rate of >15 beats per minute (BPM). Ten of 11 (91%) of the driving phobic subjects met the criteria for immersion/presence in the driving environment enabling progression to VR exposure therapy. These provisional findings suggest that the paradigm adopted in this study might be an

Forgiveness and Consideration of Future Consequences in Aggressive Driving

PubMed Central

Moore, Michael; Dahlen, Eric R.

2008-01-01

Most research on aggressive driving has focused on identifying aspects of driver personality which will exacerbate it (e.g., sensation seeking, impulsiveness, driving anger, etc.). The present study was designed to examine two theoretically relevant but previously unexplored personality factors predicted to reduce the risk of aggressive driving: trait forgiveness and consideration of future consequences. The utility of these variables in predicting aggressive driving and driving anger expression was evaluated among 316 college student volunteers. Hierarchical multiple regressions permitted an analysis of the incremental validity of these constructs beyond respondent gender, age, miles driven per week, and driving anger. Both forgiveness and consideration of future consequences contributed to the prediction of aggressive driving and driving anger expression, independent of driving anger. Research on aggressive driving may be enhanced by greater attention to adaptive, potentially risk-reducing traits. Moreover, forgiveness and consideration of future consequences may have implications for accident prevention. PMID:18760093

Research notes : calibrating pile driving for ODOT practice.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-03-01

ODOT has used a commercial program, GRLWEAP, very successfully in the field over the last fifteen years to estimate the load bearing capacity of piles during driving and to finalize pile depth. Starting in 2007, states were required to use a new desi...

Hypoglycemia and safe driving.

PubMed

Ahmed, Almoutaz A

2010-01-01

The lack of awareness of the effects of hypoglycemia on safe driving is a real issue for diabetic patients and a challenge for health care providers. Taking the form of questions and answers, this review addresses the issue of road traffic accidents and drivers with type 1 diabetes mellitus. While there is little evidence showing higher accident rates among diabetic drivers, there is research indicating that hypoglycemia compromises driving performance, resulting in slower response times and reduced cognitive function. Unawareness of an early fall in plasma glucose is another important issue that affects some diabetic drivers. The driver with type 1 diabetes is obliged to check their blood glucose before driving. The physician's duty is to familiarize the patient with the risk of hypoglycemia. If hypoglycemic unawareness is present, the physician should advise the patient to stop driving until the condition is reversed. The doctor should consider informing authorities if he concludes there is a risk and the driver cannot be persuaded to stop driving.

Improving Learning Outcomes, Persistence, and Graduation Rates of Academically Underprepared Students: a Case Study of Alexander Community College and Its Developmental Education Effort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marchione, Susan M.

2012-01-01

This case study describes how Alexander Community College (ACC), a two-year State University of New York (SUNY) institution is addressing challenges associated with its developmental education effort--primarily high costs for repeated developmental (assumed by the institution and students) and low persistence and graduation rates for developmental…

Research on fatigue driving pre-warning system based on multi-information fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xuyang; Ye, Wenwu

2018-05-01

With the development of science and technology, transportation network has grown faster. But at the same time, the quantity of traffic accidents due to fatigue driving grows faster as well. In the meantime, fatigue driving has been one of the main causes of traffic accidents. Therefore, it is indispensable for us to study the detection of fatigue driving to help to driving safety. There are numerous approaches in discrimination method. Each type of method has its reasonable theoretical basis, but the disadvantages of traditional fatigue driving detection methods have been more and more obvious since we study the traditional physiology and psychological features of fatigue drivers. So we set up a new system based on multi-information fusion and pattern recognition theory. In the paper, the fatigue driving pre-warning system discriminates fatigue by analyzing the characteristic parameters, the parameters derived from the steering wheel angle, the driver's power of gripping and the heart rate. And the data analysis system is established based on fuzzy C-means clustering theory. Finally, KNN classifier is used to establish the relation between feature indexes and fatigue degree. It is verified that the system has the better accuracy, agility and robustness according to our confirmatory experiment.

Thoughts of One's Own: Innovative Leadership in Institutional Research. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the North East Association for Institutional Research (23rd, Princeton, New Jersey, November 16-19, 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North East Association for Institutional Research.

This proceedings document is comprised of the 18 papers, panel presentations, and work shares presented at a 1996 conference on institutional research. The papers are: (1) "Using Cohort Analysis To Evaluate the Impact of a Support Program for Minority Students" (Hershel Alexander); (2) "The Institutional Researcher as Program Evaluator:…

Bipedal vs. unipedal: a comparison between one-foot and two-foot driving in a driving simulator.

PubMed

Wang, Dong-Yuan Debbie; Richard, F Dan; Cino, Cullen R; Blount, Trevin; Schmuller, Joseph

2017-04-01

Is it better to drive with one foot or with two feet? Although two-foot driving has fostered interminable debate in the media, no scientific and systematic research has assessed this issue and federal and local state governments have provided no answers. The current study compared traditional unipedal (one-foot driving, using the right foot to control the accelerator and the brake pedal) with bipedal (two-foot driving, using the right foot to control the accelerator and the left foot to control the brake pedal) responses to a visual stimulus in a driving simulator study. Each of 30 undergraduate participants drove in a simulated driving scenario. They responded to a STOP sign displayed on the centre of the screen by bringing their vehicle to a complete stop. Brake RT was shorter under the bipedal condition, while throttle RT showed advantage under the unipedal condition. Stopping time and distance showed a bipedal advantage, however. We discuss further limitations of the current study and implications in a driving task. Before drawing any conclusions from the simulator study, further on-road driving tests are necessary to confirm these obtained bipedal advantages. Practitioner Summary: Traditional unipedal (using the right foot to control the accelerator and the brake pedal) with bipedal (using the right foot to control the accelerator and the left foot to control the brake pedal) responses to a visual stimulus in a driving simulator were compared. Our results showed a bipedal advantage. Promotion: Although two-foot driving has fostered interminable debate in the media, no scientific and systematic research has assessed this issue and federal and local state governments have provided no answers. Traditional (one-foot driving, using the right foot to control the accelerator and the brake pedal) with bipedal (using the right foot to control the accelerator and the left foot to control the brake pedal) responses to a visual stimulus in a simulated driving study were

A drive through Web 2.0: an exploration of driving safety promotion on Facebook™.

PubMed

Apatu, Emma J I; Alperin, Melissa; Miner, Kathleen R; Wiljer, David

2013-01-01

This study explored Facebook™ to capture the prevalence of driving safety promotion user groups, obtain user demographic information, to understand if Facebook™ user groups influence reported driving behaviors, and to gather a sense of perceived effectiveness of Facebook™ for driving safety promotion targeted to young adults. In total, 96 driving safety Facebook™ groups (DSFGs) were identified with a total of 33,368 members, 168 administrators, 156 officers, 1,598 wall posts representing 12 countries. A total of 85 individuals participated in the survey. Demographic findings of this study suggest that driving safety promotion can be targeted to young and older adults. Respondents' ages ranged from 18 to 66 years. A total of 62% of respondents aged ≤ 24 years and 57.8% of respondents aged ≥ 25 years reported changing their driving-related behaviors as a result of reading information on the DSFGs to which they belonged. A higher proportion of respondents ≥ 25 years were significantly more likely to report Facebook™ and YouTube™ as an effective technology for driving safety promotion. This preliminary study indicates that DSFGs may be effective tools for driving safety promotion among young adults. More research is needed to understand the cognition of Facebook™ users as it relates to adopting safe driving behavior. The findings from this study present descriptive data to guide public health practitioners for future health promotion activities on Facebook™.

Prevention and Early Intervention: Individual Differences as Risk Factors for the Mental Health of Children. A Festschrift for Stella Chess and Alexander Thomas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, William B., Ed.; McDevitt, Sean C., Ed.

This collection of essays, in honor of child psychiatry pioneers Stella Chess and Alexander Thomas, focuses on their idea that important life outcomes are the product of ongoing interactions between a child's behavioral style and the complimentarity or lack of fit of the parenting environment. Following an introduction, the remaining chapters are:…

Extended driving impairs nocturnal driving performances.

PubMed

Sagaspe, Patricia; Taillard, Jacques; Akerstedt, Torbjorn; Bayon, Virginie; Espié, Stéphane; Chaumet, Guillaume; Bioulac, Bernard; Philip, Pierre

2008-01-01

Though fatigue and sleepiness at the wheel are well-known risk factors for traffic accidents, many drivers combine extended driving and sleep deprivation. Fatigue-related accidents occur mainly at night but there is no experimental data available to determine if the duration of prior driving affects driving performance at night. Participants drove in 3 nocturnal driving sessions (3-5 am, 1-5 am and 9 pm-5 am) on open highway. Fourteen young healthy men (mean age [+/-SD] = 23.4 [+/-1.7] years) participated Inappropriate line crossings (ILC) in the last hour of driving of each session, sleep variables, self-perceived fatigue and sleepiness were measured. Compared to the short (3-5 am) driving session, the incidence rate ratio of inappropriate line crossings increased by 2.6 (95% CI, 1.1 to 6.0; P<.05) for the intermediate (1-5 am) driving session and by 4.0 (CI, 1.7 to 9.4; P<.001) for the long (9 pm-5 am) driving session. Compared to the reference session (9-10 pm), the incidence rate ratio of inappropriate line crossings were 6.0 (95% CI, 2.3 to 15.5; P<.001), 15.4 (CI, 4.6 to 51.5; P<.001) and 24.3 (CI, 7.4 to 79.5; P<.001), respectively, for the three different durations of driving. Self-rated fatigue and sleepiness scores were both positively correlated to driving impairment in the intermediate and long duration sessions (P<.05) and increased significantly during the nocturnal driving sessions compared to the reference session (P<.01). At night, extended driving impairs driving performances and therefore should be limited.

Hypoglycemia and safe driving

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Almoutaz A.

2010-01-01

The lack of awareness of the effects of hypoglycemia on safe driving is a real issue for diabetic patients and a challenge for health care providers. Taking the form of questions and answers, this review addresses the issue of road traffic accidents and drivers with type 1 diabetes mellitus. While there is little evidence showing higher accident rates among diabetic drivers, there is research indicating that hypoglycemia compromises driving performance, resulting in slower response times and reduced cognitive function. Unawareness of an early fall in plasma glucose is another important issue that affects some diabetic drivers. The driver with type 1 diabetes is obliged to check their blood glucose before driving. The physician’s duty is to familiarize the patient with the risk of hypoglycemia. If hypoglycemic unawareness is present, the physician should advise the patient to stop driving until the condition is reversed. The doctor should consider informing authorities if he concludes there is a risk and the driver cannot be persuaded to stop driving. PMID:21060159

Modeling Driving Performance Using In-Vehicle Speech Data From a Naturalistic Driving Study.

PubMed

Kuo, Jonny; Charlton, Judith L; Koppel, Sjaan; Rudin-Brown, Christina M; Cross, Suzanne

2016-09-01

We aimed to (a) describe the development and application of an automated approach for processing in-vehicle speech data from a naturalistic driving study (NDS), (b) examine the influence of child passenger presence on driving performance, and (c) model this relationship using in-vehicle speech data. Parent drivers frequently engage in child-related secondary behaviors, but the impact on driving performance is unknown. Applying automated speech-processing techniques to NDS audio data would facilitate the analysis of in-vehicle driver-child interactions and their influence on driving performance. Speech activity detection and speaker diarization algorithms were applied to audio data from a Melbourne-based NDS involving 42 families. Multilevel models were developed to evaluate the effect of speech activity and the presence of child passengers on driving performance. Speech activity was significantly associated with velocity and steering angle variability. Child passenger presence alone was not associated with changes in driving performance. However, speech activity in the presence of two child passengers was associated with the most variability in driving performance. The effects of in-vehicle speech on driving performance in the presence of child passengers appear to be heterogeneous, and multiple factors may need to be considered in evaluating their impact. This goal can potentially be achieved within large-scale NDS through the automated processing of observational data, including speech. Speech-processing algorithms enable new perspectives on driving performance to be gained from existing NDS data, and variables that were once labor-intensive to process can be readily utilized in future research. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Heating and current drive on NSTX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, J. R.; Batchelor, D.; Carter, M.; Hosea, J.; Ignat, D.; LeBlanc, B.; Majeski, R.; Ono, M.; Phillips, C. K.; Rogers, J. H.; Schilling, G.

1997-04-01

Low aspect ratio tokamaks pose interesting new challenges for heating and current drive. The NSTX (National Spherical Tokamak Experiment) device to be built at Princeton is a low aspect ratio toroidal device that has the achievement of high toroidal beta (˜45%) and non-inductive operation as two of its main research goals. To achieve these goals significant auxiliary heating and current drive systems are required. Present plans include ECH (Electron cyclotron heating) for pre-ionization and start-up assist, HHFW (high harmonic fast wave) for heating and current drive and eventually NBI (neutral beam injection) for heating, current drive and plasma rotation.

Finding revelation in anthropology: Alexander Winchell, William Robertson Smith and the heretical imperative.

PubMed

Livingstone, David N

2015-09-01

Anthropological inquiry has often been considered an agent of intellectual secularization. Not least is this so in the sphere of religion, where anthropological accounts have often been taken to represent the triumph of naturalism. This metanarrative, however, fails to recognize that naturalistic explanations could sometimes be espoused for religious purposes and in defence of confessional creeds. This essay examines two late nineteenth-century figures--Alexander Winchell in the United States and William Robertson Smith in Britain--who found in anthropological analysis resources to bolster rather than undermine faith. In both cases these individuals found themselves on the receiving end of ecclesiastical censure and were dismissed from their positions at church-governed institutions. But their motivation was to vindicate divine revelation, in Winchell's case from the physical anthropology of human origins and in Smith's from the cultural anthropology of Semitic ritual.

Drinking and Driving: Alcohol Association with Traffic Accidents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stacey, Barrie G.

1985-01-01

Presents an analysis of drink-driving research methods and findings with reference to traffic accidents. Challenges some conclusions about drinking and driving in Australia and New Zealand. Evaluates the growing acceptance of Scandinavian-type laws. Rejects the demand to "criminalize" drink-driving offenses. Presents the reduction of…

Analysis of driving histories of ADHD subjects

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-06-01

The goals of this research were to assess the relationship between early childhood diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and later driving performance. Driving records were obtained for ADHD and comparison subjects who were par...

Adolescence, Attention Allocation, and Driving Safety

PubMed Central

Romer, Daniel; Lee, Yi-Ching; McDonald, Catherine C.; Winston, Flaura K.

2014-01-01

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading source of morbidity and mortality in adolescents in the United States and the developed world. Inadequate allocation of attention to the driving task and to driving hazards are important sources of adolescent crashes. We review major explanations for these attention failures with particular focus on the roles that brain immaturity and lack of driving experience play in causing attention problems. The review suggests that the potential for overcoming inexperience and immaturity with training to improve attention to both the driving task and hazards is substantial. Nevertheless, there are large individual differences in both attentional abilities and risky driving tendencies that pose challenges to novice driver policies. Research that can provide evidence-based direction for such policies is urgently needed. PMID:24759442

Possession attachment predicts cell phone use while driving.

PubMed

Weller, Joshua A; Shackleford, Crystal; Dieckmann, Nathan; Slovic, Paul

2013-04-01

Distracted driving has become an important public health concern. However, little is known about the predictors of this health-risking behavior. One overlooked risk factor for distracted driving is the perceived attachment that one feels toward his or her phone. Prior research has suggested that individuals develop bonds toward objects, and qualitative research suggests that the bond between young drivers and their phones can be strong. It follows that individuals who perceive a strong attachment to their phone would be more likely to use it, even when driving. In a nationally representative sample of young drivers (17-28 years), participants (n = 1,006) completed a survey about driving behaviors and phone use. Risk perception surrounding cell phone use while driving and perceived attachment to one's phone were assessed by administering factor-analytically derived scales that were created as part of a larger project. Attachment toward one's phone predicted the proportion of trips in which a participant reported using their cell phone while driving, beyond that accounted for by risk perception and overall phone use. Further, attachment predicted self-reported distracted driving behaviors, such as the use of social media while driving. Attachment to one's phone may be an important but overlooked risk factor for the engagement of potentially health-risking driving behaviors. Understanding that phone attachment may adversely affect driving behaviors has the potential to inform prevention and intervention efforts designed to reduce distracted driving behaviors, especially in young drivers. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Structural equation model analysis for the evaluation of overall driving performance: A driving simulator study focusing on driver distraction.

PubMed

Papantoniou, Panagiotis

2018-04-03

The present research relies on 2 main objectives. The first is to investigate whether latent model analysis through a structural equation model can be implemented on driving simulator data in order to define an unobserved driving performance variable. Subsequently, the second objective is to investigate and quantify the effect of several risk factors including distraction sources, driver characteristics, and road and traffic environment on the overall driving performance and not in independent driving performance measures. For the scope of the present research, 95 participants from all age groups were asked to drive under different types of distraction (conversation with passenger, cell phone use) in urban and rural road environments with low and high traffic volume in a driving simulator experiment. Then, in the framework of the statistical analysis, a correlation table is presented investigating any of a broad class of statistical relationships between driving simulator measures and a structural equation model is developed in which overall driving performance is estimated as a latent variable based on several individual driving simulator measures. Results confirm the suitability of the structural equation model and indicate that the selection of the specific performance measures that define overall performance should be guided by a rule of representativeness between the selected variables. Moreover, results indicate that conversation with the passenger was not found to have a statistically significant effect, indicating that drivers do not change their performance while conversing with a passenger compared to undistracted driving. On the other hand, results support the hypothesis that cell phone use has a negative effect on driving performance. Furthermore, regarding driver characteristics, age, gender, and experience all have a significant effect on driving performance, indicating that driver-related characteristics play the most crucial role in overall driving

The use of meta-analysis or research synthesis to combine driving simulation or naturalistic study results on driver distraction.

PubMed

Caird, Jeff K; Johnston, Katherine A; Willness, Chelsea R; Asbridge, Mark

2014-06-01

Three important and inter-related topics are addressed in this paper. First, the importance of meta-analysis and research synthesis methods to combine studies on traffic safety, in general, and on driver distraction, in particular, is briefly reviewed. Second, naturalistic, epidemiologic, and driving simulation studies on driver distraction are used to illustrate convergent and divergent results that have accumulated thus far in this domain of research. In particular, mobile phone conversation, passenger presence, and text messaging naturalistic studies use meta-analyses and research syntheses to illustrate important patterns of results that are in need of more in-depth study. Third, a number of driver distraction study limitations such as poorly defined dependent variables, lack of methodological detail, and omission of statistical information prevent the integration of many studies into meta-analyses. In addition, the overall quality of road safety studies suffers from these same limitations and suggestions for improvement are made to guide researchers and reviewers. Practical Applications. The use of research synthesis and meta-analysis provide comprehensive estimates of the impact of distractions on driving performance, which can be used to guide public policy and future research. Copyright © 2014 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of On-Road Driving by Persons with Central Vision Loss: Learning to Drive with a Bioptic Telescope

PubMed Central

Wood, Joanne M.; Elgin, Jennifer; McGwin, Gerald; Owsley, Cynthia

2016-01-01

There is limited research on the driving performance and safety of bioptic drivers and even less regarding the driving skills that are most challenging for those learning to drive with bioptic telescopes. This research consisted of case studies of five trainee bioptic drivers whose driving skills were compared with those of a group of licensed bioptic drivers (n=23) while they drove along city, suburban, and controlled-access highways in an instrumented dual-brake vehicle. A certified driver rehabilitation specialist was positioned in the front passenger seat to monitor safety and two backseat evaluators independently rated driving using a standardized scoring system. Other aspects of performance were assessed through vehicle instrumentation and video recordings. Results demonstrate that while sign recognition, lane keeping, steering steadiness, gap judgments and speed choices were significantly worse in trainees, some driving behaviors and skills, including pedestrian detection and traffic light recognition were not significantly different to those of the licensed drivers. These data provide useful insights into the skill challenges encountered by a small sample of trainee bioptic drivers which, while not generalizable because of the small sample size, provide valuable insights beyond that of previous studies and can be used as a basis to guide training strategies. PMID:26480232

Characteristics of on-road driving by persons with central vision loss: Learning to drive with a bioptic telescope.

PubMed

Wood, Joanne M; Elgin, Jennifer; McGwin, Gerald; Owsley, Cynthia

2016-01-01

There is limited research on the driving performance and safety of bioptic drivers and even less regarding the driving skills that are most challenging for those learning to drive with bioptic telescopes. This research consisted of case studies of five trainee bioptic drivers whose driving skills were compared with those of a group of licensed bioptic drivers (n = 23) while they drove along city, suburban, and controlled-access highways in an instrumented dual-brake vehicle. A certified driver rehabilitation specialist was positioned in the front passenger seat to monitor safety and two backseat evaluators independently rated driving using a standardized scoring system. Other aspects of performance were assessed through vehicle instrumentation and video recordings. Results demonstrate that while sign recognition, lane keeping, steering steadiness, gap judgments, and speed choices were significantly worse in trainees, some driving behaviors and skills, including pedestrian detection and traffic light recognition were not significantly different from those of the licensed drivers. These data provide useful insights into the skill challenges encountered by a small sample of trainee bioptic drivers which, while not generalizable because of the small sample size, provide valuable insights beyond that of previous studies and can be used as a basis to guide training strategies.

Zanvil Alexander Cohn 1926-1993

PubMed Central

1994-01-01

Zanvil Alexander Cohn, an editor of this Journal since 1973, died suddenly on June 28, 1993. Cohn is best known as the father of the current era of macrophage biology. Many of his scientific accomplishments are recounted here, beginning with seminal studies on the granules of phagocytes that were performed with his close colleague and former editor of this Journal, James Hirsch. Cohn and Hirsch identified the granules as lysosomes that discharged their contents of digestive enzymes into vacuoles containing phagocytosed microbes. These findings were part of the formative era of cell biology and initiated the modern study of endocytosis and cell-mediated resistance to infection. Cohn further explored the endocytic apparatus in pioneering studies of the mouse peritoneal macrophage in culture. He described vesicular inputs from the cell surface and Golgi apparatus and documented the thoroughness of substrate digestion within lysosomal vacuoles that would only permit the egress of monosaccharides and amino acids. These discoveries created a vigorous environment for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior and visiting faculty. Some of the major findings that emerged from Cohn's collaborations included the radioiodination of the plasma membrane for studies of composition and turnover; membrane recycling during endocytosis; the origin of the mononuclear phagocyte system in situ; the discovery of the dendritic cell system of antigen-presenting cells; the macrophage as a secretory cell, including the release of proteases and large amounts of prostaglandins and leukotrienes; several defined parameters of macrophage activation, especially the ability of T cell-derived lymphokines to enhance killing of tumor cells and intracellular protozoa; the granule discharge mechanism whereby cytotoxic lymphocytes release the pore-forming protein perforin; the signaling of macrophages via myristoylated substrates of protein kinase C; and a tissue culture model in which

Driving simulator scenarios and measures to faithfully evaluate risky driving behavior: A comparative study of different driver age groups

PubMed Central

Chaumillon, Romain; Nguyen-Tri, David; Watanabe, Donald; Hirsch, Pierro; Bellavance, Francois; Giraudet, Guillaume; Bernardin, Delphine; Faubert, Jocelyn

2017-01-01

To investigate the links between mental workload, age and risky driving, a cross-sectional study was conducted on a driving simulator using several established and some novel measures of driving ability and scenarios of varying complexity. A sample of 115 drivers was divided into three age and experience groups: young inexperienced (18–21 years old), adult experienced (25–55 years old) and older adult (70–86 years old). Participants were tested on three different scenarios varying in mental workload from low to high. Additionally, to gain a better understanding of individuals’ ability to capture and integrate relevant information in a highly complex visual environment, the participants’ perceptual-cognitive capacity was evaluated using 3-dimensional multiple object tracking (3D-MOT). Results indicate moderate scenario complexity as the best suited to highlight well-documented differences in driving ability between age groups and to elicit naturalistic driving behavior. Furthermore, several of the novel driving measures were shown to provide useful, non-redundant information about driving behavior, complementing more established measures. Finally, 3D-MOT was demonstrated to be an effective predictor of elevated crash risk as well as decreased naturally-adopted mean driving speed, particularly among older adults. In sum, the present experiment demonstrates that in cases of either extreme high or low task demands, drivers can become overloaded or under aroused and thus task measures may lose sensitivity. Moreover, insights from the present study should inform methodological considerations for future driving simulator research. Importantly, future research should continue to investigate the predictive utility of perceptual-cognitive tests in the domain of driving risk assessment. PMID:29016693

Driving comfort, enjoyment and acceptance of automated driving - effects of drivers' age and driving style familiarity.

PubMed

Hartwich, Franziska; Beggiato, Matthias; Krems, Josef F

2018-02-23

Automated driving has the potential to improve the safety and efficiency of future traffic and to extend elderly peoples' driving life, provided it is perceived as comfortable and joyful and is accepted by drivers. Driving comfort could be enhanced by familiar automated driving styles based on drivers' manual driving styles. In a two-stage driving simulator study, effects of driving automation and driving style familiarity on driving comfort, enjoyment and system acceptance were examined. Twenty younger and 20 older drivers performed a manual and four automated drives of different driving style familiarity. Acceptance, comfort and enjoyment were assessed after driving with standardised questionnaires, discomfort during driving via handset control. Automation increased both age groups' comfort, but decreased younger drivers' enjoyment. Younger drivers showed higher comfort, enjoyment and acceptance with familiar automated driving styles, whereas older drivers preferred unfamiliar, automated driving styles tending to be faster than their age-affected manual driving styles. Practitioner Summary: Automated driving needs to be comfortable and enjoyable to be accepted by drivers, which could be enhanced by driving style individualisation. This approach was evaluated in a two-stage driving simulator study for different age groups. Younger drivers preferred familiar driving styles, whereas older drivers preferred driving styles unaffected by age.

Ice-dammed lateral lake and epishelf lake insights into Holocene dynamics of Marguerite Trough Ice Stream and George VI Ice Shelf, Alexander Island, Antarctic Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Bethan J.; Hambrey, Michael J.; Glasser, Neil F.; Holt, Tom; Rodés, Angél; Smellie, John L.; Carrivick, Jonathan L.; Blockley, Simon P. E.

2017-12-01

We present new data regarding the past dynamics of Marguerite Trough Ice Stream, George VI Ice Shelf and valley glaciers from Ablation Point Massif on Alexander Island, Antarctic Peninsula. This ice-free oasis preserves a geological record of ice stream lateral moraines, ice-dammed lakes, ice-shelf moraines and valley glacier moraines, which we dated using cosmogenic nuclide ages. We provide one of the first detailed sediment-landform assemblage descriptions of epishelf lake shorelines. Marguerite Trough Ice Stream imprinted lateral moraines against eastern Alexander Island at 120 m at Ablation Point Massif. During deglaciation, lateral lakes formed in the Ablation and Moutonnée valleys, dammed against the ice stream in George VI Sound. Exposure ages from boulders on these shorelines yielded ages of 13.9 to 9.7 ka. Following recession of the ice stream, George VI Ice Shelf formed in George VI Sound. An epishelf lake formed at 15-20 m asl in Ablation and Moutonnée valleys, dated from 9.4 to 4.6 ka, suggesting that the lake was stable and persistent for some 5000 years. Lake-level lowering occurred after this, with the lake level at 12 m at 3.1 ± 0.4 ka and at 5 m asl today. A readvance of the valley glaciers on Alexander Island at 4.4 ± 0.7 ka is recorded by valley glacier moraines overlying epishelf lake sediments. We speculate that the glacier readvance, which occurred during a period of warmth, may have been caused by a dynamic response of the glaciers to a lowering in surface elevation of George VI Ice Shelf.

Get the Message: A Teen Distracted Driving Program.

PubMed

Adeola, Ruth; Omorogbe, Ashleigh; Johnson, Abree

Elimination of distracted driving is becoming a public health priority. Each day, an average of 8 people are killed due to a distracted driver in the United Sates. Although all drivers are at risk, research has indicated that teenage drivers are overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes due to distracted driving. Teenage drivers are hindered by limited driving experience, and the illusion of invincibility is a common phase in social and cognitive adolescent development. "Get the Message: A Teenage Distracted Driving Program" was established at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center to identify, define, and measure the factors that contribute to distracted driving in teens. A convenience sample of 1,238 teenagers in this study represented all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, and 21 other countries. At the beginning of each program, a presurvey is administered to assess baseline behavior, attitude, and knowledge regarding distracted driving. After completing the program, teens complete a postsurvey to measure proposed changes in driving behaviors, attitude, and knowledge. The program employs the use of a slide presentation, hospital tour, video, and survivor's testimony to influence teen driving behaviors and increase knowledge. Research has indicated that an increase in the Health Belief Model constructs may enhance engagement in health-promoting behaviors, such as safe driving practices in teens. Based on the postsurvey results, the reduction in projected phone use while driving in this teen population indicates the effectiveness of this hospital-based teen distracted driving program.

Can We Study Autonomous Driving Comfort in Moving-Base Driving Simulators? A Validation Study.

PubMed

Bellem, Hanna; Klüver, Malte; Schrauf, Michael; Schöner, Hans-Peter; Hecht, Heiko; Krems, Josef F

2017-05-01

To lay the basis of studying autonomous driving comfort using driving simulators, we assessed the behavioral validity of two moving-base simulator configurations by contrasting them with a test-track setting. With increasing level of automation, driving comfort becomes increasingly important. Simulators provide a safe environment to study perceived comfort in autonomous driving. To date, however, no studies were conducted in relation to comfort in autonomous driving to determine the extent to which results from simulator studies can be transferred to on-road driving conditions. Participants ( N = 72) experienced six differently parameterized lane-change and deceleration maneuvers and subsequently rated the comfort of each scenario. One group of participants experienced the maneuvers on a test-track setting, whereas two other groups experienced them in one of two moving-base simulator configurations. We could demonstrate relative and absolute validity for one of the two simulator configurations. Subsequent analyses revealed that the validity of the simulator highly depends on the parameterization of the motion system. Moving-base simulation can be a useful research tool to study driving comfort in autonomous vehicles. However, our results point at a preference for subunity scaling factors for both lateral and longitudinal motion cues, which might be explained by an underestimation of speed in virtual environments. In line with previous studies, we recommend lateral- and longitudinal-motion scaling factors of approximately 50% to 60% in order to obtain valid results for both active and passive driving tasks.

Supporting safe driving with arthritis: developing a driving toolkit for clinical practice and consumer use.

PubMed

Vrkljan, Brenda H; Cranney, Ann; Worswick, Julia; O'Donnell, Siobhan; Li, Linda C; Gélinas, Isabelle; Byszewski, Anna; Man-Son-Hing, Malcolm; Marshall, Shawn

2010-01-01

We conducted a series of focus groups to explore the information needs of clinicians and consumers related to arthritis and driving. An open coding analysis identified common themes across both consumer and clinician-based focus groups that underscored the importance of addressing driving-related concerns and the challenges associated with assessing safety. The results revealed that although driving is critical for maintaining independence and community mobility, drivers with arthritis experience several problems that can affect safe operation of a motor vehicle. Findings from this study are part of a broader research initiative that will inform the development of the Arthritis and Driving toolkit. This toolkit outlines strategies to support safe mobility for people with arthritis and will be an important resource in the coming years given the aging population.

75 FR 36775 - Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes Mellitus

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-28

... exemption from the prohibition against persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating... control of his diabetes using insulin; and is able to drive a CMV safely. Mr. Alexander meets the... stable control of his diabetes using insulin; and is able to drive a CMV safely. Mr. Baron meets the...

Glaucoma and Driving: On-Road Driving Characteristics

PubMed Central

Wood, Joanne M.; Black, Alex A.; Mallon, Kerry; Thomas, Ravi; Owsley, Cynthia

2016-01-01

Purpose To comprehensively investigate the types of driving errors and locations that are most problematic for older drivers with glaucoma compared to those without glaucoma using a standardized on-road assessment. Methods Participants included 75 drivers with glaucoma (mean = 73.2±6.0 years) with mild to moderate field loss (better-eye MD = -1.21 dB; worse-eye MD = -7.75 dB) and 70 age-matched controls without glaucoma (mean = 72.6 ± 5.0 years). On-road driving performance was assessed in a dual-brake vehicle by an occupational therapist using a standardized scoring system which assessed the types of driving errors and the locations where they were made and the number of critical errors that required an instructor intervention. Driving safety was rated on a 10-point scale. Self-reported driving ability and difficulties were recorded using the Driving Habits Questionnaire. Results Drivers with glaucoma were rated as significantly less safe, made more driving errors, and had almost double the rate of critical errors than those without glaucoma. Driving errors involved lane positioning and planning/approach, and were significantly more likely to occur at traffic lights and yield/give-way intersections. There were few between group differences in self-reported driving ability. Conclusions Older drivers with glaucoma with even mild to moderate field loss exhibit impairments in driving ability, particularly during complex driving situations that involve tactical problems with lane-position, planning ahead and observation. These results, together with the fact that these drivers self-report their driving to be relatively good, reinforce the need for evidence-based on-road assessments for evaluating driving fitness. PMID:27472221

Glaucoma and Driving: On-Road Driving Characteristics.

PubMed

Wood, Joanne M; Black, Alex A; Mallon, Kerry; Thomas, Ravi; Owsley, Cynthia

2016-01-01

To comprehensively investigate the types of driving errors and locations that are most problematic for older drivers with glaucoma compared to those without glaucoma using a standardized on-road assessment. Participants included 75 drivers with glaucoma (mean = 73.2±6.0 years) with mild to moderate field loss (better-eye MD = -1.21 dB; worse-eye MD = -7.75 dB) and 70 age-matched controls without glaucoma (mean = 72.6 ± 5.0 years). On-road driving performance was assessed in a dual-brake vehicle by an occupational therapist using a standardized scoring system which assessed the types of driving errors and the locations where they were made and the number of critical errors that required an instructor intervention. Driving safety was rated on a 10-point scale. Self-reported driving ability and difficulties were recorded using the Driving Habits Questionnaire. Drivers with glaucoma were rated as significantly less safe, made more driving errors, and had almost double the rate of critical errors than those without glaucoma. Driving errors involved lane positioning and planning/approach, and were significantly more likely to occur at traffic lights and yield/give-way intersections. There were few between group differences in self-reported driving ability. Older drivers with glaucoma with even mild to moderate field loss exhibit impairments in driving ability, particularly during complex driving situations that involve tactical problems with lane-position, planning ahead and observation. These results, together with the fact that these drivers self-report their driving to be relatively good, reinforce the need for evidence-based on-road assessments for evaluating driving fitness.

Understanding adolescent development: implications for driving safety.

PubMed

Keating, Daniel P

2007-01-01

The implementation of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs has significantly improved the crash and fatality rates of novice teen drivers, but these rates remain unacceptably high. A review of adolescent development research was undertaken to identify potential areas of improvement. Research support for GDL was found to be strong, particularly regarding early acquisition of expertise in driving safety (beyond driving skill), and to limitations that reduce opportunities for distraction. GDL regimes are highly variable, and no US jurisdictions have implemented optimal regimes. Expanding and improving GDL to enhance acquisition of expertise and self-regulation are indicated for implementation and for applied research. Driver training that effectively incorporates safety goals along with driving skill is another target. The insurance industry will benefit from further GDL enhancements. Benefits may accrue to improved driver training, improved simulation devices during training, and automated safety feedback instrumentation.

Driving Intervention for Returning Combat Veterans.

PubMed

Classen, Sherrilene; Winter, Sandra; Monahan, Miriam; Yarney, Abraham; Link Lutz, Amanda; Platek, Kyle; Levy, Charles

2017-04-01

Increased crash incidence following deployment and veterans' reports of driving difficulty spurred traffic safety research for this population. We conducted an interim analysis on the efficacy of a simulator-based occupational therapy driving intervention (OT-DI) compared with traffic safety education (TSE) in a randomized controlled trial. During baseline and post-testing, OT-Driver Rehabilitation Specialists and one OT-Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist measured driving performance errors on a DriveSafety CDS-250 high-fidelity simulator. The intervention group ( n = 13) received three OT-DI sessions addressing driving errors and visual-search retraining. The control group ( n = 13) received three TSE sessions addressing personal factors and defensive driving. Based on Wilcoxon rank-sum analysis, the OT-DI group's errors were significantly reduced when comparing baseline with Post-Test 1 ( p < .0001) and comparing the OT-DI group with the TSE group at Post-Test 1 ( p = .01). These findings provide support for the efficacy of the OT-DI and set the stage for a future effectiveness study.

Risky driving and lifestyles in adolescence.

PubMed

Bina, Manuela; Graziano, Federica; Bonino, Silvia

2006-05-01

Several studies have shown that risky driving is especially prevalent among young drivers and recent research has pointed out that driving in adolescence should be investigated in the more general context of adolescent development. The first aim of this contribution was to analyze involvement in risky driving in a normative sample of 645 Italian adolescents, boys and girls, aged 14-17, through a self-report questionnaire. A second aim was to evaluate the association between risky driving and lifestyle, defined as involvement in other health risk behaviors and leisure activities. The main results showed that many adolescents drove cars and motorcycles without the required driving license and the most frequent offences were speeding and failure to maintain a safe braking distance. Gender and age differences were also investigated. Results concerning the association between risky driving and lifestyle showed that risky driving was not an isolated behavior. Boys who displayed risky driving practices were more likely to adopt a lifestyle characterized by high involvement in antisocial behaviors, tobacco smoking, comfort eating and time spent in non-organized activities with friends. Girls involved in risky driving were more likely to be involved in other risk-taking behaviors, antisocial behaviors and drug use.

Optimization of Driving Styles for Fuel Economy Improvement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malikopoulos, Andreas; Aguilar, Juan P.

2012-01-01

Modern vehicles have sophisticated electronic control units, particularly to control engine operation with respect to a balance between fuel economy, emissions, and power. These control units are designed for specific driving conditions and testing. However, each individual driving style is different and rarely meets those driving conditions. In the research reported here we investigate those driving style factors that have a major impact on fuel economy. An optimization framework is proposed with the aim of optimizing driving styles with respect to these driving factors. A set of polynomial metamodels are constructed to reflect the responses produced by changes of themore » driving factors. Then we compare the optimized driving styles to the original ones and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the optimization formulation.« less

The Question of Sign-Language and the Utility of Signs in the Instruction of the Deaf: Two Papers by Alexander Graham Bell (1898)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marschark, M.

2005-01-01

Alexander Graham Bell is often portrayed as either hero or villain of deaf individuals and the Deaf community. His writings, however, indicate that he was neither, and was not as clearly definite in his beliefs about language as is often supposed. The following two articles, reprinted from The Educator (1898), Vol. V, pp. 3?4 and pp. 38?44,…

Training driving ability in a traumatic brain-injured individual using a driving simulator: a case report.

PubMed

Imhoff, Sarah; Lavallière, Martin; Germain-Robitaille, Mathieu; Teasdale, Normand; Fait, Philippe

2017-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes functional deficits that may significantly interfere with numerous activities of daily living such as driving. We report the case of a 20-year-old woman having lost her driver's license after sustaining a moderate TBI. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an in-simulator training program with automated feedback on driving performance in a TBI individual. The participant underwent an initial and a final in-simulator driving assessment and 11 in-simulator training sessions with driving-specific automated feedbacks. Driving performance (simulation duration, speed regulation and lateral positioning) was measured in the driving simulator. Speeding duration decreased during training sessions from 1.50 ± 0.80 min (4.16 ± 2.22%) to 0.45 ± 0.15 min (0.44 ± 0.42%) but returned to initial duration after removal of feedbacks for the final assessment. Proper lateral positioning improved with training and was maintained at the final assessment. Time spent in an incorrect lateral position decreased from 18.85 min (53.61%) in the initial assessment to 1.51 min (4.64%) on the final assessment. Driving simulators represent an interesting therapeutic avenue. Considerable research efforts are needed to confirm the effectiveness of this method for driving rehabilitation of individuals who have sustained a TBI.

Experimental research on safety impacts of the inside shoulder based on driving simulation.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaohua; Ding, Han; Wu, Yiping; Ma, Jianming; Zhong, Liande

2015-03-01

Statistical data shows that single-vehicle crashes account for half of all traffic crashes on expressways in China, and previous research has indicated that main contributing factors were related to whether and how the inside shoulder was paved. The inside shoulder provides space for drivers to make evasive maneuvers and accommodate driver errors. However, lower-cost construction solutions in China have resulted in the design of numerous urban expressway segments that lack inside shoulders. This paper has two objectives. The first is to reveal the safety impacts of inside shoulders on urban expressways by driving simulator experiment. The second objective is to propose optimal range and recommended value of inside shoulder width for designing inside shoulders of urban expressways. The empirical data, including subjects' eye movement data, heart rate (HR) and the lateral position of vehicles, were collected in a driving simulator. The data were analyzed to evaluate the safety impacts of the inside shoulder. The results have revealed that the inside shoulder has an impact on drivers' visual perception, behaviors, and psychology; in particular, it has a significant effect on vehicle operations. In addition, this paper recommends the desired and optimal inside shoulder widths for eight-lane, two-way divided expressways. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mild Cognitive Impairment and driving: Does in-vehicle distraction affect driving performance?

PubMed

Beratis, Ion N; Pavlou, Dimosthenis; Papadimitriou, Eleonora; Andronas, Nikolaos; Kontaxopoulou, Dionysia; Fragkiadaki, Stella; Yannis, George; Papageorgiou, Sokratis G

2017-06-01

In-vehicle distraction is considered to be an important cause of road accidents. Drivers with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), because of their attenuated cognitive resources, may be vulnerable to the effects of distraction; however, previous relevant research is lacking. The main objective of the current study was to explore the effect of in-vehicle distraction on the driving performance of MCI patients, by assessing their reaction time at unexpected incidents and accident probability. Thirteen patients with MCI (age: 64.5±7.2) and 12 cognitively intact individuals (age: 60.0±7.7), all active drivers were introduced in the study. The driving simulator experiment included three distraction conditions: (a) undistracted driving, (b) conversing with passenger and (c) conversing through a hand-held mobile phone. The mixed ANOVA models revealed a greater effect of distraction on MCI patients. Specifically, the use of mobile phone induced a more pronounced impact on reaction time and accident probability in the group of patients, as compared to healthy controls. On the other hand, in the driving condition "conversing with passenger" the interaction effects regarding reaction time and accident probability were not significant. Notably, the aforementioned findings concerning the MCI patients in the case of the mobile phone were observed despite the effort of the drivers to apply a compensatory strategy by reducing significantly their speed in this driving condition. Overall, the current findings indicate, for the first time, that a common driving practice, such as the use of mobile phone, may have a detrimental impact on the driving performance of individuals with MCI. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Effects of marijuana and amphetamine (and its derivatives on driving performance based on the driving simulator studies].

PubMed

Drabek, Marcin; Andysz, Aleksandra

2011-01-01

This article presents the results of the driving simulator studies of the effects of marijuana and amphetamines on driving performance. The majority of these studies have been focused on identifying the impact of the tested substances on cognitive and psychomotor functions. Most of the findings on marijuana reveal its modest effect on driving ability that increases with the increasing frequency of its use and when used in conjuction with other drugs and alcohol. Similarly, small doses of amphetamines can cause a positive stimulating effect, improving certain cognitive functions, such as vigilance, but it decreases when they are overused and combined with alcohol. The results of the research on drivers' behavior under the influence of amphetamines also indicate deficits in their cognitive functions and tendency to recklessness on the road. The authors also discuss strong and weak points of simulation studies of the effects of psychoactive substances on the driving ability. An attempt was also made to clarify certain ambiguities, which occur in this field of research. A central role of the ethical and methodological limitations of simulation studies were discussed as well.

Adolescence, attention allocation, and driving safety.

PubMed

Romer, Daniel; Lee, Yi-Ching; McDonald, Catherine C; Winston, Flaura K

2014-05-01

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading source of morbidity and mortality in adolescents in the United States and the developed world. Inadequate allocation of attention to the driving task and to driving hazards are important sources of adolescent crashes. We review major explanations for these attention failures with particular focus on the roles that brain immaturity and lack of driving experience play in causing attention problems. The review suggests that the potential for overcoming inexperience and immaturity with training to improve attention to both the driving task and hazards is substantial. Nevertheless, there are large individual differences in both attentional abilities and risky driving tendencies that pose challenges to novice driver policies. Research that can provide evidence-based direction for such policies is urgently needed. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of trait anger, driving anger, and driving experience on dangerous driving behavior: A moderated mediation analysis.

PubMed

Ge, Yan; Zhang, Qian; Zhao, Wenguo; Zhang, Kan; Qu, Weina

2017-11-01

To explore the effect of anger behind the wheel on driving behavior and accident involvement has been the subject of many studies. However, few studies have explored the interaction between anger and driving experience on dangerous driving behavior. This study is a moderated mediation analysis of the effect of trait anger, driving anger, and driving experience on driving behavior. A sample of 303 drivers was tested using the Trait Anger Scale (TAS), the Driving Anger Scale (DAS), and the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI). The results showed that trait anger and driving anger were positively correlated with dangerous driving behavior. Driving anger partially mediated the effect of trait anger on dangerous driving behavior. Driving experience moderated the relationship between trait anger and driving anger. It also moderated the effect of driving anger on dangerous driving behavior. These results suggest that drivers with more driving experience may be safer as they are not easily irritated during driving. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of Unsafe Driving Across Medical Conditions.

PubMed

Moon, Sanghee; Ranchet, Maud; Tant, Mark; Akinwuntan, Abiodun E; Devos, Hannes

2017-09-01

To compare risks of unsafe driving in patients with medical conditions. This large population-based study included all patients who were referred for a fitness-to-drive evaluation at an official driving evaluation center in 2013 and 2014. Risks of unsafe driving included physician's fitness-to-drive recommendation, comprehensive fitness-to-drive decision, motor vehicle crash history, and traffic violation history. A total of 6584 patients were included in the study. Risks of unsafe driving were significantly different across medical conditions (P<.001 for all outcome measures). Patients with neurological conditions comprised the majority of the database (4837; 74%), but were not at the highest risk for unsafe driving. Patients with psychiatric conditions or substance abuse did worse on most driving safety outcomes, despite their low representation in the total sample (359 [6%] and 46 [1%], respectively). The risk of unsafe driving varied greatly across medical conditions. Sensitization campaigns, education, and medical guidelines for physicians and driver licensing authorities are warranted to identify patients at risk, especially for those with psychiatric conditions and substance abuse problems. Copyright © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Batu Pahat Driving Cycle for Light Duty Gasoline Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainul Abidin, Zainul Ameerul Ikhsan B.; Faisal Hushim, Mohd; Ahmad, Osman Bin

2017-08-01

Driving cycle is a series of data points that represents the vehicle speed versus time. Transient driving cycles involve many changes such as frequent speed changes during typical on-road driving condition [2]. Model driving cycles involve protracted periods at constant speeds. The Batu Pahat Driving Cycle (BPDC) developed to represent the driving pattern of people in a district of Batu Pahat. Based on this driving cycle, it will be a reference to other researchers to study about the gases emission release and fuel consumption by the vehicle on the dynamometer or automotive simulation based on this driving cycle. Existing driving cycles used such as the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), the Federal Test Procedure (FTP-72/75, and Japan 10-15 Mode Cycle is not appropriate for Batu Pahat district because of different road conditions, driving habits and environmental of developed driving cycle countries are not same [2][14]. Batu Pahat drive cycle was developed for low-capacity gasoline engine under 150 cc and operating on urban roads, rural roads and road around Universiti Tun Hussein Onn. The importance of these driving cycle as the reference for other research to measure and do automotive simulation regarding fuel consumption and gas emission release from the motorcycle for these three type of driving cycle area. Another use for driving cycles is in vehicle simulations [3]. More specifically, they are used in propulsion system simulations to predict the performance of internal combustion engines, transmissions, electric drive systems, batteries, fuel cell systems, and similar components [18]. Data collection methods used in this study is the use of Global Positioning System (GPS). The results obtained are not similar to each other due to differences in congestion on data taken. From the driving cycle graph obtained, such as the average velocity, maximum velocity, the duration and Positive Acceleration Kinetic Energy (PKE) can be determined. In addition, the best

Neuromusicology or Musiconeurology? “Omni-art” in Alexander Scriabin as a Fount of Ideas

PubMed Central

Triarhou, Lazaros C.

2016-01-01

Science can uncover neural mechanisms by looking at the work of artists. The ingenuity of a titan of classical music, the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin (1872–1915), in combining all the sensory modalities into a polyphony of aesthetical experience, and his creation of a chord based on fourths rather than the conventional thirds are proposed as putative points of departure for insight, in future studies, into the neural processes that underlie the perception of beauty, individually or universally. Scriabin’s “Omni-art” was a new synthesis of music, philosophy and religion, and a new aesthetic language, a unification of music, vision, olfaction, drama, poetry, dance, image, and conceptualization, all governed by logic, in the quest for the integrative action of the human mind toward a “higher reality” of which music is only a component. PMID:27014167

An Exploratory Investigation: Are Driving Simulators Appropriate to Teach Pre-Driving Skills to Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Johnell O.; Mossey, Mary E.; Tyler, Peg; Collins, James C.

2014-01-01

Research examining driver training for young adults with intellectual disabilities has been limited since the 1970s. The current pilot and exploratory study investigated teaching pre-driving skills (i.e. lane keeping and speed maintenance) to young adults with intellectual disabilities using an interactive driving simulator to provide dynamic and…

Discuss: If Essays Are Dead, Then Where Does That Leave Everything Else? A Response to: Shirley Alexander's "Buying Essays: How to Make Sure Assessment Is Authentic"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McQueen, Kelvin

2015-01-01

Professor Shirley Alexander is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Teaching, Learning & Equity) at the University of Technology, Sydney. On 12 November 2014, an article of hers appeared in "The Conversation": "Buying essays: how to make sure assessment is authentic." That article traverses, in an abbreviated way,…

Driving anger in Malaysia.

PubMed

Sullman, Mark J M; Stephens, Amanda N; Yong, Michelle

2014-10-01

The present study examined the types of situations that cause Malaysian drivers to become angry. The 33-item version of the driver anger scale (Deffenbacher et al., 1994) was used to investigate driver anger amongst a sample of 339 drivers. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the fit of the original six-factor model (discourtesy, traffic obstructions, hostile gestures, slow driving, illegal driving and police presence), after removing one item and allowing three error pairs to covary, was satisfactory. Female drivers reported more anger, than males, caused by traffic obstruction and hostile gestures. Age was also negatively related to five (discourtesy, traffic obstructions, hostile gestures, slow driving and police presence) of the six factors and also to the total DAS score. Furthermore, although they were not directly related to crash involvement, several of the six forms of driving anger were significantly related to the crash-related conditions of: near misses, loss of concentration, having lost control of a vehicle and being ticketed. Overall the pattern of findings made in the present research were broadly similar to those from Western countries, indicating that the DAS is a valid measure of driving anger even among non-European based cultures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methodology for functional MRI of simulated driving.

PubMed

Kan, Karen; Schweizer, Tom A; Tam, Fred; Graham, Simon J

2013-01-01

The developed world faces major socioeconomic and medical challenges associated with motor vehicle accidents caused by risky driving. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of individuals using virtual reality driving simulators may provide an important research tool to assess driving safety, based on brain activity and behavior. A fMRI-compatible driving simulator was developed and evaluated in the context of straight driving, turning, and stopping in 16 young healthy adults. Robust maps of brain activity were obtained, including activation of the primary motor cortex, cerebellum, visual cortex, and parietal lobe, with limited head motion (<1.5 mm deviation from mean head position in the superior∕inferior direction in all subjects) and only minor correlations between head motion, steering, or braking behavior. These results are consistent with previous literature and suggest that with care, fMRI of simulated driving is a feasible undertaking.

Progress in Direct-Drive Inertial Confinement Fusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCrory, R.L.; Meyerhofer, D.D.; Betti, R.

Significant progress in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research has been made since the completion of the 60-beam, 30-kJ UV OMEGA Laser System [T. R. Boehly, Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] in 1995. A theory of ignition requirements, applicable to any ICF concept, has been developed. Detailed understanding of laser-plasma coupling, electron thermal transport, and hot-electron preheating has lead to the measurement of neutron-averaged areal densities of ~200 mg/cm^2 in cryogenic target implosions. These correspond to an estimated peak fuel density in excess of 100 g/cm^3 and are in good agreement with hydrodynamic simulations. The implosions were performed using anmore » 18-kJ drive pulse designed to put the converging fuel on an adiabat of two. The polar-drive concept will allow direct-drive-ignition research on the National Ignition Facility while it is configured for indirect drive. Advanced ICF ignition concepts—fast ignition [Tabak et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1626 (1994)] and shock ignition [R. Betti et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 155001 (2007)]—have the potential to significantly reduce ignition driver energies and/or provide higher target gain.« less

Progress in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCrory, R. L.; Meyerhofer, D. D.; Betti, R.

Significant progress in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research has been made since the completion of the 60-beam, 30-kJ{sub UV} OMEGA Laser System [Boehly, Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] in 1995. A theory of ignition requirements, applicable to any ICF concept, has been developed. Detailed understanding of laser-plasma coupling, electron thermal transport, and hot-electron preheating has lead to the measurement of neutron-averaged areal densities of {approx}200 mg/cm{sup 2} in cryogenic target implosions. These correspond to an estimated peak fuel density in excess of 100 g/cm{sup 3} and are in good agreement with hydrodynamic simulations. The implosions were performed using anmore » 18-kJ drive pulse designed to put the converging fuel on an adiabat of two. The polar-drive concept will allow direct-drive-ignition research on the National Ignition Facility while it is configured for indirect drive. Advanced ICF ignition concepts - fast ignition [Tabak et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1626 (1994)] and shock ignition [Betti et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 155001 (2007)] - have the potential to significantly reduce ignition driver energies and/or provide higher target gain.« less

Distracted driving and associated crash risks : tech summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-01

The main goal of this research was to utilize a driving simulator to measure the risks associated with three distractions that are routinely faced by the driving population: handheld phone conversation, texting, and front-seat passenger conversation....

Electric-Drive Vehicle Thermal Performance Benchmarking | Transportation

Science.gov Websites

studies are as follows: Characterize the thermal resistance and conductivity of various layers in the Research | NREL Electric-Drive Vehicle Thermal Performance Benchmarking Electric-Drive Vehicle Thermal Performance Benchmarking A photo of the internal components of an automotive inverter. NREL

Self-rated Driving and Driving Safety in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Ross, Lesley A.; Dodson, Joan; Edwards, Jerri D.; Ackerman, Michelle L.; Ball, Karlene

2012-01-01

Many U.S. states rely on older adults to self-regulate their driving and determine when driving is no longer a safe option. However, the relationship of older adults’ self-rated driving in terms of actual driving competency outcomes is unclear. The current study investigates self-rated driving in terms of (1) systematic differences between older adults with high (good/excellent) versus low (poor/fair/average) self-ratings, and (2) the predictive nature of self-rated driving to adverse driving outcomes in older drivers (n=350; mean age 73.9, SD=5.25, range 65–91). Adverse driving outcomes included self-reported incidences of (1) being pulled over by the police, (2) receiving a citation, (3) receiving a recommendation to cease or limit driving, (4) crashes, and (5) state-reported crashes. Results found that older drivers with low self-ratings reported more medical conditions, less driving frequency, and had been given more suggestions to stop/limit their driving; there were no other significant differences between low and high self-raters. Logistic regression revealed older drivers were more likely to have a state-reported crash and receive a suggestion to stop or limit driving. Men were more likely to report all adverse driving outcomes except for receiving a suggestion to stop or limit driving. Regarding self-rated driving, older adults with high ratings were 66% less likely (OR=0.34, 95% CI=0.14–0.85) to have received suggestions to limit or stop driving after accounting for demographics, health and driving frequency. Self-ratings were not predictive of other driving outcomes (being pulled over by the police, receiving a citation, self-reported crashes, or state-reported crashes, ps>.05). Most older drivers (85.14%) rated themselves as either good or excellent drivers regardless of their actual previous citation or crash rates. Self-rated driving is likely not related to actual driving proficiency as indicated by previous crash involvement in older adults

Training driving ability in a traumatic brain-injured individual using a driving simulator: a case report

PubMed Central

Imhoff, Sarah; Lavallière, Martin; Germain-Robitaille, Mathieu; Teasdale, Normand; Fait, Philippe

2017-01-01

Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes functional deficits that may significantly interfere with numerous activities of daily living such as driving. We report the case of a 20-year-old woman having lost her driver’s license after sustaining a moderate TBI. Objective We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an in-simulator training program with automated feedback on driving performance in a TBI individual. Methods The participant underwent an initial and a final in-simulator driving assessment and 11 in-simulator training sessions with driving-specific automated feedbacks. Driving performance (simulation duration, speed regulation and lateral positioning) was measured in the driving simulator. Results Speeding duration decreased during training sessions from 1.50 ± 0.80 min (4.16 ± 2.22%) to 0.45 ± 0.15 min (0.44 ± 0.42%) but returned to initial duration after removal of feedbacks for the final assessment. Proper lateral positioning improved with training and was maintained at the final assessment. Time spent in an incorrect lateral position decreased from 18.85 min (53.61%) in the initial assessment to 1.51 min (4.64%) on the final assessment. Conclusion Driving simulators represent an interesting therapeutic avenue. Considerable research efforts are needed to confirm the effectiveness of this method for driving rehabilitation of individuals who have sustained a TBI. PMID:28243152

The HEXACO Model of Personality and Risky Driving Behavior.

PubMed

Burtăverde, Vlad; Chraif, Mihaela; Aniţei, Mihai; Dumitru, Daniela

2017-04-01

This research tested the association between the HEXACO personality model and risky driving behavior as well as the predictive power of the HEXACO model in explaining risky driving behavior compared with the Big Five model. In Sample 1, 227 undergraduate students completed measures of the HEXACO personality model, the Big Five model, and driving aggression. In Sample 2, 244 community respondents completed measures of the HEXACO personality model, the Big Five model, and driving styles. Results showed that the Honesty-Humility factor is an important addition to personality models that aim to explain risky driving behavior as being related to all forms of driving aggression as well as to maladaptive and adaptive driving styles and having incremental validity in predicting verbally aggressive expression, risky driving, high-velocity driving, and careful driving. Moreover, compared with the Big Five model, the HEXACO model had better predictive power of aggressive driving.

Self-rated driving and driving safety in older adults.

PubMed

Ross, Lesley A; Dodson, Joan E; Edwards, Jerri D; Ackerman, Michelle L; Ball, Karlene

2012-09-01

Many U.S. states rely on older adults to self-regulate their driving and determine when driving is no longer a safe option. However, the relationship of older adults' self-rated driving in terms of actual driving competency outcomes is unclear. The current study investigates self-rated driving in terms of (1) systematic differences between older adults with high (good/excellent) versus low (poor/fair/average) self-ratings, and (2) the predictive nature of self-rated driving to adverse driving outcomes in older adults (n=350; mean age 73.9, SD=5.25, range 65-91). Adverse driving outcomes included self-reported incidences of (1) being pulled over by the police, (2) receiving a citation, (3) receiving a recommendation to cease or limit driving, (4) crashes, and (5) state-reported crashes. Results found that older drivers with low self-ratings reported more medical conditions, less driving frequency, and had been given more suggestions to stop/limit their driving; there were no other significant differences between low and high self-raters. Logistic regression revealed older drivers were more likely to have a state-reported crash and receive a suggestion to stop or limit driving. Men were more likely to report all adverse driving outcomes except for receiving a suggestion to stop or limit driving. Regarding self-rated driving, older adults with high ratings were 66% less likely (OR=0.34, 95% CI=0.14-0.85) to have received suggestions to limit or stop driving after accounting for demographics, health and driving frequency. Self-ratings were not predictive of other driving outcomes (being pulled over by the police, receiving a citation, self-reported crashes, or state-reported crashes, ps>0.05). Most older drivers (85.14%) rated themselves as either good or excellent drivers regardless of their actual previous citation or crash rates. Self-rated driving is likely not related to actual driving proficiency as indicated by previous crash involvement in older adults

Effects of license revocation on drunk-driving offenders.

PubMed

Ross, H L; Gonzales, P

1988-10-01

Revoking or suspending the licenses of persons convicted of driving while intoxicated has often been claimed to be uniquely effective in reducing subsequent dangerous driving, as indexed by crashes and violations. This finding holds despite the impression that many suspended and revoked drivers continue to drive illegally. The research described here inquires into the operation of license actions. It uses intensive personal interviews with offenders to obtain information concerning the nature and amount of illegal driving and the effects of license deprivation on employment and other aspects of the offenders' lives.

Cell-phone use diminishes self-awareness of impaired driving.

PubMed

Sanbonmatsu, David M; Strayer, David L; Biondi, Francesco; Behrends, Arwen A; Moore, Shannon M

2016-04-01

Multitasking diminishes the self-awareness of performance that is often essential for self-regulation and self-knowledge. Participants drove in a simulator while either talking or not talking on a hands-free cell phone. Following previous research, participants who talked on a cell phone made more serious driving errors than control participants who did not use a phone while driving. Control participants' assessments of the safeness of their driving and general ability to drive safely while distracted were negatively correlated with the actual number of errors made when they were driving. By contrast, cell-phone participants' assessments of the safeness of their driving and confidence in their driving abilities were uncorrelated with their actual errors. Thus, talking on a cell phone not only diminished the safeness of participants' driving, it diminished their awareness of the safeness of their driving.

Effects of advertising billboards during simulated driving.

PubMed

Edquist, Jessica; Horberry, Tim; Hosking, Simon; Johnston, Ian

2011-05-01

There is currently a great deal of interest in the problem of driver distraction. Most research focuses on distractions from inside the vehicle, but drivers can also be distracted by objects outside the vehicle. Major roads are increasingly becoming sites for advertising billboards, and there is little research on the potential effects of this advertising on driving performance. The driving simulator experiment presented here examines the effects of billboards on drivers, including older and inexperienced drivers who may be more vulnerable to distractions. The presence of billboards changed drivers' patterns of visual attention, increased the amount of time needed for drivers to respond to road signs, and increased the number of errors in this driving task. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

The drive-wise project: driving simulator training increases real driving performance in healthy older drivers

PubMed Central

Casutt, Gianclaudio; Theill, Nathan; Martin, Mike; Keller, Martin; Jäncke, Lutz

2014-01-01

Background: Age-related cognitive decline is often associated with unsafe driving behavior. We hypothesized that 10 active training sessions in a driving simulator increase cognitive and on-road driving performance. In addition, driving simulator training should outperform cognitive training. Methods: Ninety-one healthy active drivers (62–87 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a driving simulator training group, (2) an attention training group (vigilance and selective attention), or (3) a control group. The main outcome variables were on-road driving and cognitive performance. Seventy-seven participants (85%) completed the training and were included in the analyses. Training gains were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis with planned orthogonal comparisons. Results: The driving simulator-training group showed an improvement in on-road driving performance compared to the attention-training group. In addition, both training groups increased cognitive performance compared to the control group. Conclusion: Driving simulator training offers the potential to enhance driving skills in older drivers. Compared to the attention training, the simulator training seems to be a more powerful program for increasing older drivers' safety on the road. PMID:24860497

Driving and Low Vision: An Evidence-Based Review of Rehabilitation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strong, J. Graham; Jutai, Jeffrey W.; Russell-Minda, Elizabeth; Evans, Mal

2008-01-01

This systematic review of the effectiveness of driver rehabilitation interventions found that driver training programs enhance driving skills and awareness, but further research is needed to determine their effectiveness in improving driving performance of drivers with low vision. More research is also needed to determine the effectiveness of low…

Dynamics and control of instrumented harmonic drives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kazerooni, H.; Ellis, S. R. (Principal Investigator)

1995-01-01

Since torque in harmonic drives is transmitted by a pure couple, harmonic drives do not generate radial forces and therefore can be instrumented with torque sensors without interference from radial forces. The installation of torque sensors on the stationary component of harmonic drives (the Flexipline cup in this research work) produce backdrivability needed for robotic and telerobotic compliant maneuvers. Backdrivability of a harmonic drive, when used as torque increaser, means that the output shaft can be rotated via finite amount of torque. A high ratio harmonic drive is non-backdrivable because its output shaft cannot be turned by applying a torque on it. This article first develops the dynamic behavior of a harmonic drive, in particular the non-backdrivability, in terms of a sensitivity transfer function. The instrumentation of the harmonic drive with torque sensor is then described. This leads to a description of the control architecture which allows modulation of the sensitivity transfer function within the limits established by the closed-loop stability. A set of experiments on an active hand controller, powered by a DC motor coupled to an instrumented harmonic drive, is given to exhibit this method's limitations.

Investigating driving behaviour of older drivers with mild cognitive impairment using a portable driving simulator.

PubMed

Devlin, Anna; McGillivray, Jane; Charlton, Judith; Lowndes, Georgia; Etienne, Virginie

2012-11-01

While there is a large body of research indicating that individuals with moderate to severe dementia are unfit to drive, relatively little is known about the driving performance of older drivers with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of the current study was to examine the driving performance of older drivers with MCI on approach to intersections, and to investigate how their healthy counterparts perform on the same driving tasks using a portable driving simulator. Fourteen drivers with MCI and 14 age-matched healthy older drivers (aged 65-87 years) completed a 10-min simulator drive in an urban environment. The simulator drive consisted of stop-sign controlled and signal-controlled intersections. Drivers were required to stop at the stop-sign controlled intersections and to decide whether or not to proceed through a critical light change at the signal-controlled intersections. The specific performance measures included; approach speed, number of brake applications on approach to the intersection (either excessive or minimal), failure to comply with stop signs, and slower braking response times on approach to a critical light change. MCI patients in our sample performed more poorly than controls across a number of variables. However, because the trends failed to reach statistical significance it will be important to replicate the study using a larger sample to qualify whether the results can be generalised to the broader population. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining relationships between anxiety and dangerous driving.

PubMed

Dula, Chris S; Adams, Cristi L; Miesner, Michael T; Leonard, Robin L

2010-11-01

Driving anxiety that has developed following crashes has been studied relatively frequently, but anxiety per se and its effects on driving has not as yet garnered much attention in the literature. The current study included 1121 participants and found higher levels of general anxiety were related to a wide variety of dangerous driving behaviors. While there were clear and expected sex differences on many dangerous driving variables, there were still more such differences with regard to anxiety levels and independent of sex, higher levels of anxiety were associated with greater levels of dangerous driving. Of particular import, it was found that the high anxiety group had caused significantly more crashes and engaged in more DUI episodes than the low and/or medium anxiety groups. Taken as a whole, the results suggest there is a tremendous need for more research in the area of anxiety and dangerous driving and that interventions for highly anxious drivers may well be warranted. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting self-regulatory driving practices among older adults.

PubMed

Molnar, Lisa J; Charlton, Judith L; Eby, David W; Langford, Jim; Koppel, Sjaan; Kolenic, Giselle E; Marshall, Shawn

2014-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to better understand how self-regulatory driving practices at multiple levels of driver decision making are influenced by various factors. Specifically, the study investigated patterns of tactical and strategic self-regulation among a sample of 246 Australian older drivers. Of special interest was the relative influence of several variables on the adoption of self-regulation, including self-perceptions of health, functioning, and abilities for safe driving and driving confidence and comfort. The research was carried out at the Monash University Accident Research Centre, as part of its Ozcandrive study, a partnership with the Canadian Driving Research Initiative for Vehicular Safety in the Elderly (Candrive), and in conjunction with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). Candrive/Ozcandrive represents the first study to follow a large group of older drivers over several years and collect comprehensive self-reported and objectively derived data on health, functioning, and driving. This study used a subset of data from the Candrive/Ozcandrive study. Upon enrolling in the study, participants underwent a comprehensive clinical assessment during which data on visual, cognitive, and psychomotor functioning were collected. Approximately 4 months after study enrollment, participants completed the Advanced Driving Decisions and Patterns of Travel (ADDAPT) questionnaire, a computer-based self-regulation instrument developed and pilot-tested at UMTRI. Self-regulation among older adults was found to be a multidimensional concept. Rates of self-regulation were tied closely to specific driving situations, as well as level of decision making. In addition, self-regulatory practices at the strategic and tactical levels of decision making were influenced by different sets of factors. Continuing efforts to better understand the self-regulatory practices of older drivers at multiple levels of driver performance and

Cyclicity in Silurian island-arc carbonates, Alexander terrane, Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kittredge, L.E.; Soja, C.M.

1993-03-01

Silurian carbonates from Alaska (Alexander terrane) record the evolution of a submarine platform during waning volcanism in an island arc. A detailed stratigraphic analysis of a 47 meter-thick sequence revealed the existence of cyclically repeated limestones: coral-stromatoporoid wackestones alternate with oncoid packstones and bioturbated, silty lime mudstones. The coral-stromatoporoid deposits are characterized by a low-diversity assemblage of dendroid corals, massive stromatoporoids, Atrypoidea brachiopods, and rare occurrences of biostromes associated with Solenopora, high-spired gastropods, and crinoids. Oncoids typically are 2-6 mm in diameter and form massive, meter-thick units. Coated grains are symmetrically developed, have a shell or algal nucleus, and aremore » also a minor component of coral-stromatoporoid beds. These lithologic units form seven, shallowing-upwards cycles (parasequences) that range in thickness from 3-9 meters. Coral-stomatoporoid wackestones form the base of each cycle and grade upwards into oncoid packstones with silty, lime mudstones at the top. This succession of lithofacies within each cycle reflects an increase in energy levels from relatively deeper water environments to relatively shallower ones. The lack of abrasion in the corals and stromatoporoids suggests predominantly quiet-water conditions in shallow subtidal areas affected by periodic turbulence. Comparison with correlative sections in Alaska and lack of correspondence with global sea level curves suggest that the primary cause of cyclicity was tectonic perturbations with secondary eustatic effects. Cyclic deposition in peri/subtidal sites was terminated by rapid drowning of the carbonate platform during late Silurian orogenesis.« less

Drug research methodology. Volume 5, Experimentation in drugs and highway safety : the study of drug effects on skills related to driving

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-06-01

This report presents the findings of a workshop on experimental research in the area of drugs and highway safety. Complementing studies of drug use in different driving populations, experimentation here refers to studies performed under controlled co...

Driving simulation for evaluation and rehabilitation of driving after stroke.

PubMed

Akinwuntan, Abiodun Emmanuel; Wachtel, Jerry; Rosen, Peter Newman

2012-08-01

Driving is an important activity of daily living. Loss of driving privileges can lead to depression, decreased access to medical care, and increased healthcare costs. The ability to drive is often affected after stroke. In approximately 30% of stroke survivors, it is clear from the onset that driving will no longer be possible. Approximately 33% of survivors will be able to return to driving with little or no retraining, and 35% will require driving-related rehabilitation before they can resume safe driving again. The ability to drive is not routinely evaluated after stroke, and there is no established rehabilitation program for poststroke driving. When driving evaluation does occur, it is not always clear which tests are the most salient for accurately assessing poststroke driving ability. Investigators have examined the efficacy of various methodologies to predict driving performance after stroke and have found mixed results, with each method having unique weaknesses, including poor predictive ability, poor face validity, poor sensitivity or specificity, and limited reliability. Here we review common models of driving to gain insight into why single-construct visual or cognitive off-road measures are inadequate for evaluating driving, a complex and dynamic activity that involves timely interaction of multiple motor, visual, cognitive, and perceptual skills. We also examine the potential for driving simulators to overcome the problems currently faced in the evaluation and rehabilitation of driving after stroke. Finally, we offer suggestions for the future direction of simulator-based poststroke driving evaluation and training. Copyright © 2012 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship of impaired-driving enforcement intensity to drinking and driving on the roads.

PubMed

Fell, James C; Waehrer, Geetha; Voas, Robert B; Auld-Owens, Amy; Carr, Katherine; Pell, Karen

2015-01-01

It is principally the area of enforcement that offers the greatest opportunity for reducing alcohol-impaired driving in the near future. How much of a reduction in drinking and driving would be achieved by how much improvement in enforcement intensity? We developed logistic regression models to explore how enforcement intensity (6 different measures) related to the prevalence of weekend nighttime drivers in the 2007 National Roadside Survey who had been drinking (blood alcohol concentration [BAC] ≥ 0.00 g/dl), who had BACs ≥ 0.05 g/dl, and who were driving with an illegal BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dl. Drivers on the roads in our sample of 30 communities who were exposed to fewer than 228 traffic stops per 10,000 population aged 18 and older had 2.4 times the odds of being BAC positive, 3.6 times the odds of driving with a BAC ≥ 0.05, and 3.8 times the odds of driving with a BAC ≥ 0.08 compared to those drivers on the roads in communities with more than 1,275 traffic stops per 10,000 population. Drivers on the roads in communities with fewer than 3.7 driving under the influence (DUI) arrests per 10,000 population had 2.7 times the odds of BAC-positive drivers on the roads compared to communities with the highest intensity of DUI arrest activity (>38 DUI arrests per 10,000 population). The number of traffic stops and DUI arrests per capita were significantly associated with the odds of drinking and driving on the roads in these communities. This might reflect traffic enforcement visibility. The findings in this study may help law enforcement agencies around the country adjust their traffic enforcement intensity to reduce impaired driving in their community. Copyright © 2014 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Changes in self-reported driving intentions and attitudes while learning to drive in Great Britain.

PubMed

Helman, S; Kinnear, N A D; McKenna, F P; Allsop, R E; Horswill, M S

2013-10-01

Novice drivers are overrepresented in traffic collisions, especially in their first year of solo driving. It is widely accepted that some driving behaviours (such as speeding and thrill-seeking) increase risk in this group. Increasingly research is suggesting that attitudes and behavioural intentions held in the pre-driver and learning stage are important in determining later driver behaviour in solo driving. In this study we examine changes in several self-reported attitudes and behavioural intentions across the learning stage in a sample of learner drivers in Great Britain. A sample of 204 learner drivers completed a self-report questionnaire near the beginning of their learning, and then again shortly after they passed their practical driving test. Results showed that self-reported intentions regarding speed choice, perceptions regarding skill level, and intentions regarding thrill-seeking (through driving) became less safe over this time period, while self-reported intentions regarding following distance and overtaking tendency became safer. The results are discussed with reference to models of driver behaviour that focus on task difficulty; it is suggested that the manner in which behind-the-wheel experience relates to the risk measures of interest may be the key determining factor in how these change over the course of learning to drive. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brief Report: Driving and Young Adults with ASD--Parents' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Neill Broderick; Reeve, Ronald E.; Cox, Stephany M.; Cox, Daniel J.

2012-01-01

A paucity of research exists regarding driving skills and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The current study sought to gain a better understanding of driving and ASD by surveying parents/caregivers of adolescents/young adults with ASD who were currently attempting, or had previously attempted, to learn to drive. Respondents…

Drive: Theory and Construct Validation

PubMed Central

Petrides, K. V.

2016-01-01

This article explicates the theory of drive and describes the development and validation of two measures. A representative set of drive facets was derived from an extensive corpus of human attributes (Study 1). Operationalised using an International Personality Item Pool version (the Drive:IPIP), a three-factor model was extracted from the facets in two samples and confirmed on a third sample (Study 2). The multi-item IPIP measure showed congruence with a short form, based on single-item ratings of the facets, and both demonstrated cross-informant reliability. Evidence also supported the measures’ convergent, discriminant, concurrent, and incremental validity (Study 3). Based on very promising findings, the authors hope to initiate a stream of research in what is argued to be a rather neglected niche of individual differences and non-cognitive assessment. PMID:27409773

Alexander Graham Bell's Patent for the Telephone and Thomas Edison's Patent for the Electric Lamp. The Constitution Community: The Development of the Industrial United States (1870-1900).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schur, Joan Brodsky

In 1876 Americans held a Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) to celebrate the nation's birth 100 years earlier. Machinery Hall drew the most admiration and wonder. Alexander Graham Bell exhibited the first telephone, and Thomas Alva Edison presented the automatic telegraph, one of more than 1,000 inventions he would patent in his…

Storms drive altitudinal migration in a tropical bird

PubMed Central

Boyle, W. Alice; Norris, D. Ryan; Guglielmo, Christopher G.

2010-01-01

Although migration is a widespread and taxonomically diverse behaviour, the ecological factors shaping migratory behaviour are poorly understood. Like other montane taxa, many birds migrate along elevational gradients in the tropics. Forty years ago, Alexander Skutch postulated that severe storms could drive birds to migrate downhill. Here, we articulate a novel mechanism that could link storms to mortality risks via reductions in foraging time and provide, to our knowledge, the first tests of this hypothesis in the White-ruffed Manakin (Corapipo altera), a small partially migratory frugivore breeding on the Atlantic slope of Costa Rica. As predicted, variation in rainfall was associated with plasma corticosterone levels, fat stores, plasma metabolites and haematocrit. By collecting data at high and low elevation sites simultaneously, we also found that high-elevation residents were more adversely affected by storms than low elevation migrants. These results, together with striking temporal capture patterns of altitudinal migrants relative to storms, provide, to our knowledge, the first evidence that weather-related risks incurred by species requiring high food intake rates can explain altitudinal migrations of tropical animals. These findings resolve conflicting evidence for and against food limitation being important in the evolution of this behaviour, and highlight how endogenous and exogenous processes influence life-history trade-offs made by individuals in the wild. Because seasonal storms are a defining characteristic of most tropical ecosystems and rainfall patterns will probably change in ensuing decades, these results have important implications for understanding the ecology, evolution and conservation of tropical animals. PMID:20375047

Storms drive altitudinal migration in a tropical bird.

PubMed

Boyle, W Alice; Norris, D Ryan; Guglielmo, Christopher G

2010-08-22

Although migration is a widespread and taxonomically diverse behaviour, the ecological factors shaping migratory behaviour are poorly understood. Like other montane taxa, many birds migrate along elevational gradients in the tropics. Forty years ago, Alexander Skutch postulated that severe storms could drive birds to migrate downhill. Here, we articulate a novel mechanism that could link storms to mortality risks via reductions in foraging time and provide, to our knowledge, the first tests of this hypothesis in the White-ruffed Manakin (Corapipo altera), a small partially migratory frugivore breeding on the Atlantic slope of Costa Rica. As predicted, variation in rainfall was associated with plasma corticosterone levels, fat stores, plasma metabolites and haematocrit. By collecting data at high and low elevation sites simultaneously, we also found that high-elevation residents were more adversely affected by storms than low elevation migrants. These results, together with striking temporal capture patterns of altitudinal migrants relative to storms, provide, to our knowledge, the first evidence that weather-related risks incurred by species requiring high food intake rates can explain altitudinal migrations of tropical animals. These findings resolve conflicting evidence for and against food limitation being important in the evolution of this behaviour, and highlight how endogenous and exogenous processes influence life-history trade-offs made by individuals in the wild. Because seasonal storms are a defining characteristic of most tropical ecosystems and rainfall patterns will probably change in ensuing decades, these results have important implications for understanding the ecology, evolution and conservation of tropical animals.

CAEP position statement on cellphone use while driving.

PubMed

Huang, Dayan; Kapur, Atul K; Ling, Patrick; Purssell, Roy; Henneberry, Ryan J; Champagne, Chantelle R; Lee, Victoria K; Francescutti, Louis H

2010-07-01

Distracted driving caused by cellphone use is a significant source of needless injuries. These injuries place unnecessary financial burden, emotional stress and health care resource misuse on society. This paper states the Canadian Association of Emergency Physician's (CAEP's) position on cellphone use while driving. In recent years, numerous studies were conducted on the danger of cellphone use while driving. Research has shown that cellphone use while driving negatively impacts cognitive functions, visual fields, reaction time and overall driving performances. Some studies found that cellphone use is as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. Moreover, vehicle crash rates were shown to be significantly higher when drivers used cellphones. Countermeasures have been implemented in recent years. Over 50 countries worldwide have laws limiting the use of cellphones while driving. Six Canadian provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, currently have legislation prohibiting cellphone use. Other provinces are considering implementing similar bans. As emergency physicians, we must advocate for injury prevention. Cell phone related road traumas are avoidable. CAEP supports all measures to ban cellphone use while driving.

Growing community: the impact of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program on the social and learning environment in primary schools.

PubMed

Block, Karen; Gibbs, Lisa; Staiger, Petra K; Gold, Lisa; Johnson, Britt; Macfarlane, Susie; Long, Caroline; Townsend, Mardie

2012-08-01

This article presents results from a mixed-method evaluation of a structured cooking and gardening program in Australian primary schools, focusing on program impacts on the social and learning environment of the school. In particular, we address the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program objective of providing a pleasurable experience that has a positive impact on student engagement, social connections, and confidence within and beyond the school gates. Primary evidence for the research question came from qualitative data collected from students, parents, teachers, volunteers, school principals, and specialist staff through interviews, focus groups, and participant observations. This was supported by analyses of quantitative data on child quality of life, cooperative behaviors, teacher perceptions of the school environment, and school-level educational outcome and absenteeism data. Results showed that some of the program attributes valued most highly by study participants included increased student engagement and confidence, opportunities for experiential and integrated learning, teamwork, building social skills, and connections and links between schools and their communities. In this analysis, quantitative findings failed to support findings from the primary analysis. Limitations as well as benefits of a mixed-methods approach to evaluation of complex community interventions are discussed.

Impaired Driving

MedlinePlus

... texting Having a medical condition which affects your driving For your safety and the safety of others, do not drive while impaired. Have someone else drive you or take public transportation when you cannot drive. If you need to take a call or send a text ...

Concurrent criterion validity of the safe driving behavior measure: a predictor of on-road driving outcomes.

PubMed

Classen, Sherrilene; Wang, Yanning; Winter, Sandra M; Velozo, Craig A; Lanford, Desiree N; Bédard, Michel

2013-01-01

We determined the concurrent criterion validity of the Safe Driving Behavior Measure (SDBM) for on-road outcomes (passing or failing the on-road test as determined by a certified driving rehabilitation specialist) among older drivers and their family members-caregivers. On the basis of ratings from 168 older drivers and 168 family members-caregivers, we calculated receiver operating characteristic curves. The drivers' area under the curve (AUC) was .620 (95% confidence interval [CI] = .514-.725, p = .043). The family members-caregivers' AUC was .726 (95% CI = .622-.829, p ≤ .01). Older drivers' ratings showed statistically significant yet poor concurrent criterion validity, but family members-caregivers' ratings showed good concurrent criterion validity for the criterion on-road driving test. Continuing research with a more representative sample is being pursued to confirm the SDBM's concurrent criterion validity. This screening tool may be useful for generalist practitioners to use in making decisions regarding driving. Copyright © 2013 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Concurrent Criterion Validity of the Safe Driving Behavior Measure: A Predictor of On-Road Driving Outcomes

PubMed Central

Wang, Yanning; Winter, Sandra M.; Velozo, Craig A.; Lanford, Desiree N.; Bédard, Michel

2013-01-01

We determined the concurrent criterion validity of the Safe Driving Behavior Measure (SDBM) for on-road outcomes (passing or failing the on-road test as determined by a certified driving rehabilitation specialist) among older drivers and their family members–caregivers. On the basis of ratings from 168 older drivers and 168 family members–caregivers, we calculated receiver operating characteristic curves. The drivers’ area under the curve (AUC) was .620 (95% confidence interval [CI] = .514–.725, p = .043). The family members–caregivers’ AUC was .726 (95% CI = .622–.829, p ≤ .01). Older drivers’ ratings showed statistically significant yet poor concurrent criterion validity, but family members–caregivers’ ratings showed good concurrent criterion validity for the criterion on-road driving test. Continuing research with a more representative sample is being pursued to confirm the SDBM’s concurrent criterion validity. This screening tool may be useful for generalist practitioners to use in making decisions regarding driving. PMID:23245789

Dynamic Simulation Research on Chain Drive Mechanism of Corn Seeder Based on ADAMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y. B.; Jia, H. P.

2017-12-01

In order to reduce the damage to the chain and improve the seeding quality of the seeding machine, the corn seeder has the characteristics of the seeding quality and some technical indexes in the work of the corn seeding machine. The dynamic analysis of the chain drive mechanism is carried out by using the dynamic virtual prototype. In this paper, the speed of the corn planter is 5km/h, and the speed of the simulated knuckle is 0.1~0.9s. The velocity is 0.12m/s, which is equal to the chain speed when the seeder is running normally. Of the dynamic simulation of the movement and the actual situation is basically consistent with the apparent speed of the drive wheel has changed the acceleration and additional dynamic load, the chain drive has a very serious damage, and the maximum load value of 47.28N, in order to reduce the damage to the chain, As far as possible so that the sowing machine in the work to maintain a reasonable uniform speed, to avoid a greater acceleration, the corn sowing machine drive the design of a certain reference.

Focusing on appraisals: how and why anger and fear influence driving risk perception.

PubMed

Lu, Jingyi; Xie, Xiaofei; Zhang, Ruogu

2013-06-01

The present research explores how and why anger and fear influence driving risk perception. Based on appraisal tendency framework, researchers hypothesized that anger and fear would influence driving risk perception in opposite directions due to their differences in appraisals. Study 1 showed that anger reduced risk perception, whereas fear increased it. In Studies 2, 3, and 4, the researchers adopted the paradigm of reappraisal to investigate the causes of the opposite effects found in Study 1. Consistent with our hypothesis, appraisals accounted for these effects: After reappraisals along the dimensions of certainty (Study 2), control (Study 3), and responsibility (Study 4), the different effects between anger and fear on driving risk perception diminished or disappeared. In addition, fearful or angry experience mediated the effects of reappraisals on driving risk perception. The findings highlight the necessity to differentiate anger and fear in road safety management. Additionally, the current research also provides feasible methods (e.g., certainty, control, or responsibility reappraisal) to intervene in driving risk perception, which is important for driving safety. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acute tolerance to alcohol impairment of behavioral and cognitive mechanisms related to driving: drinking and driving on the descending limb.

PubMed

Weafer, Jessica; Fillmore, Mark T

2012-04-01

Alcohol effects on behavioral and cognitive mechanisms influence impaired driving performance and decisions to drive after drinking (Barry 1973; Moskowitz and Robinson 1987). To date, research has focused on the ascending limb of the blood alcohol curve, and there is little understanding of how acute tolerance to impairment of these mechanisms might influence driving behavior on the descending limb. To provide an integrated examination of the degree to which alcohol impairment of motor coordination and inhibitory control contributes to driving impairment and decisions to drive on the ascending and descending limbs of the blood alcohol curve. Social-drinking adults (N = 20) performed a testing battery that measured simulated driving performance and willingness to drive, as well as mechanisms related to driving: motor coordination (grooved pegboard), inhibitory control (cued go/no-go task), and subjective intoxication. Performance was tested in response to placebo and a moderate dose of alcohol (0.65 g/kg) twice at comparable blood alcohol concentrations: once on the ascending limb and again on the descending limb. Impaired motor coordination and subjective intoxication showed acute tolerance, whereas driving performance and inhibitory control showed no recovery from impairment. Greater motor impairment was associated with poorer driving performance under alcohol, and poorer inhibitory control was associated with more willingness to drive. Findings suggest that acute tolerance to impairment of motor coordination is insufficient to promote recovery of driving performance and that the persistence of alcohol-induced disinhibition might contribute to risky decisions to drive on the descending limb.

Acute tolerance to alcohol impairment of behavioral and cognitive mechanisms related to driving: drinking and driving on the descending limb

PubMed Central

Weafer, Jessica

2015-01-01

Rationale Alcohol effects on behavioral and cognitive mechanisms influence impaired driving performance and decisions to drive after drinking (Barry 1973; Moskowitz and Robinson 1987). To date, research has focused on the ascending limb of the blood alcohol curve, and there is little understanding of how acute tolerance to impairment of these mechanisms might influence driving behavior on the descending limb. Objectives To provide an integrated examination of the degree to which alcohol impairment of motor coordination and inhibitory control contributes to driving impairment and decisions to drive on the ascending and descending limbs of the blood alcohol curve. Methods Social-drinking adults (N=20) performed a testing battery that measured simulated driving performance and willingness to drive, as well as mechanisms related to driving: motor coordination (grooved pegboard), inhibitory control (cued go/no-go task), and subjective intoxication. Performance was tested in response to placebo and a moderate dose of alcohol (0.65 g/kg) twice at comparable blood alcohol concentrations: once on the ascending limb and again on the descending limb. Results Impaired motor coordination and subjective intoxication showed acute tolerance, whereas driving performance and inhibitory control showed no recovery from impairment. Greater motor impairment was associated with poorer driving performance under alcohol, and poorer inhibitory control was associated with more willingness to drive. Conclusions Findings suggest that acute tolerance to impairment of motor coordination is insufficient to promote recovery of driving performance and that the persistence of alcohol-induced disinhibition might contribute to risky decisions to drive on the descending limb. PMID:21960182

Do recommended driving limits affect teen-reported traffic violations and crashes during the first 12 months of independent driving?

PubMed

Simons-Morton, Bruce; Hartos, Jessica L; Leaf, William A; Preusser, David F

2006-09-01

Motor vehicle crashes are highly elevated among newly licensed teenage drivers. Limits on high-risk driving conditions by driver licensing policies and parents can protect novice teens from negative driving outcomes, while they experience and driving proficiency. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of strict parent-imposed driving limits on driving outcomes during the first year of licensure. A sample of 3,743 Connecticut teens was recruited and randomized to the Checkpoints Program or comparison condition. Assessments conducted at baseline, licensure, 3-, 6-, and 12-months postlicensure included parent-imposed driving limits, traffic violations, and crashes. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the effects of strict parent limits on traffic violations and crashes during the first year of licensure. Thirty percent of teens reported at least one traffic violation and 40% reported at least one crash. More strict parent-imposed limits at licensure, 3-, 6-, and 12-months postlicensure, were associated with fewer violations and crashes in multivariate analyses. Notably, adherence to recommended night curfew was consistently associated with fewer violations and crashes. The findings indicate that strict parent-imposed limits may protect novice teen drivers from negative driving outcomes.

Holokinetic drive: centromere drive in chromosomes without centromeres.

PubMed

Bureš, Petr; Zedek, František

2014-08-01

Similar to how the model of centromere drive explains the size and complexity of centromeres in monocentrics (organisms with localized centromeres), our model of holokinetic drive is consistent with the divergent evolution of chromosomal size and number in holocentrics (organisms with nonlocalized centromeres) exhibiting holokinetic meiosis (holokinetics). Holokinetic drive is proposed to facilitate chromosomal fission and/or repetitive DNA removal (or any segmental deletion) when smaller homologous chromosomes are preferentially inherited or chromosomal fusion and/or repetitive DNA proliferation (or any segmental duplication) when larger homologs are preferred. The hypothesis of holokinetic drive is supported primarily by the negative correlation between chromosome number and genome size that is documented in holokinetic lineages. The supporting value of two older cross-experiments on holokinetic structural heterozygotes (the rush Luzula elegans and butterflies of the genus Antheraea) that indicate the presence of size-preferential homolog transmission via female meiosis for holokinetic drive is discussed, along with the further potential consequences of holokinetic drive in comparison with centromere drive. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Project Alexander the Great: a study on the world proliferation of bioengineering/biomedical engineering education.

PubMed

Abu-Faraj, Ziad O

2008-01-01

Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering is considered amongst the most reputable fields within the global arena, and will likely be the primer for any future breakthroughs in Medicine and Biology. Bioengineering/biomedical engineering education has evolved since late 1950s and is undergoing advancement in leading academic institutions worldwide. This paper delineates an original study on the world proliferation of bioengineering/biomedical engineering education and bears the name 'Project Alexander the Great'. The initial step of the project was to survey all 10448 universities, recognized by the International Association of Universities, spread among the 193 member states of the United Nations within the six continents. The project aims at identifying, disseminating, and networking, through the world-wide-web, those institutions of higher learning that provide bioengineering/biomedical engineering education. The significance of this project is multifold: i) the inception of a web-based 'world-map' in bioengineering/biomedical engineering education for the potential international student desiring to pursue a career in this field; ii) the global networking of bioengineering/biomedical engineering academic/research programs; iii) the promotion of first-class bioengineering/biomedical engineering education and the catalysis of global proliferation of this field; iv) the erection of bridges among educational institutions, industry, and professional societies or organizations involved in Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering; and v) the catalysis in the establishment of framework agreements for cooperation among the identified institutions offering curricula in this field. This paper presents the results obtained from Africa and North America. The whole project is due to be completed by 2009.

Calibration of region-specific gates pile driving formula for LRFD : final report 561.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-05-01

This research project proposes new DOTD pile driving formulas for pile capacity verification using pile driving blow : counts obtained at either end-of-initial driving (EOID) or at the beginning-of-restrike (BOR). The pile driving : formulas were dev...

Driving research in infant and children's nutrition: a perspective on industry.

PubMed

Rai, Deshanie; Larson, Brian

2009-05-01

As part of the workshop entitled "Early Risk Determinants and Later Health Outcomes: Implications for Research Prioritization and the Food Supply" (8-9 July 2008, Washington, DC), which was cosponsored by the International Life Sciences Institute of North America and the International Life Sciences Institute Research Foundation, representatives of the food industry discussed the practical application of nutrition science. Nutrition plays a key role in guiding health outcomes throughout the life cycle. In particular, the prenatal, postnatal, and early childhood periods are extremely sensitive to the presence of appropriate nutrition. A growing body of evidence shows that early nutrition may program the unborn and the infant's key physiologic systems, including the endocrine, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems, to influence later life outcomes. While scientists in academia continue to explore the multifactorial nature of early risk determinants and later life outcomes at a mechanistic and basic science level, it is important to understand the potential of the infant and child food industries to address questions such as what factors have been noted to drive research in these sectors of the food industry. How can scientists in these industries work alongside the scientists in academia and in government to set priorities, make decisions around these health issues, and translate academic insights into innovative nutritional solutions for the benefit of public health? Given the commitment of the infant and child food industries to deliver scientifically supported early life nutrition, it is easy to understand why this industry would work in partnership with both the scientists in academia and the government to identify a means of addressing the fundamental questions of this workshop.

The wounding of Alexander the Great in Cyropolis (329 BC): the first reported case of the syndrome of transient cortical blindness?

PubMed

Lascaratos, J

1997-01-01

I believe that the transient blindness which presented Alexander the Great after his being wounded on his head and/or his neck by a stone from a catapult during the siege of Cyropolis (329 BC) was in all probability a case of transient cortical blindness that was recognized as a special entity in the 1960s. I reached this conclusion after the comparative study of the Emperor's clinical picture provided by ancient texts, especially those of Plutarch and Quintus Curtius Rufus, with that of a modern medical bibliography.

Driving Anger and Driving Behavior in Adults with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Tracy L.; Deffenbacher, Jerry L.; Rosen, Lee A.; Barkley, Russell A.; Rodricks, Trisha

2006-01-01

Objective: This study assesses whether anger in the context of driving is associated with the negative driving outcomes experienced by individuals with ADHD. Method: ADHD adults (n = 56) complete measures of driving anger, driving anger expression, angry thoughts behind the wheel, and aggressive, risky, and crash-related behavior. Results are…

Drowsy driving and automobile crashes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-04-01

Drowsy driving is a serious problem that leads to : thousands of automobile crashes each year. This : report, sponsored by the National Center on : Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR) of the National : Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the : National ...

Magnetostrictive direct drive motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naik, Dipak; Dehoff, P. H.

1990-01-01

Developing magnetostrictive direct drive research motors to power robot joints is discussed. These type motors are expected to produce extraordinary torque density, to be able to perform microradian incremental steps and to be self-braking and safe with the power off. Several types of motor designs have been attempted using magnetostrictive materials. One of the candidate approaches (the magnetostrictive roller drive) is described. The method in which the design will function is described as is the reason why this approach is inherently superior to the other approaches. Following this, the design will be modelled and its expected performance predicted. This particular candidate design is currently undergoing detailed engineering with prototype construction and testing scheduled for mid 1991.

Special Considerations in Distracted Driving with Teens

PubMed Central

Durbin, Dennis R; McGehee, Daniel V; Fisher, Donald; McCartt, Anne

2014-01-01

Novice teen drivers have long been known to have an increased risk of crashing, as well as increased tendencies toward unsafe and risky driving behaviors. Teens are unique as drivers for several reasons, many of which have implications specifically in the area of distracted driving. This paper reviews several of these features, including the widespread prevalence of mobile device use by teens, their lack of driving experience, the influence of peer passengers as a source of distraction, the role of parents in influencing teens’ attitudes and behaviors relevant to distracted driving and the impact of laws designed to prevent mobile device use by teen drivers. Recommendations for future research include understanding how engagement in a variety of secondary tasks by teen drivers affects their driving performance or crash risk; understanding the respective roles of parents, peers and technology in influencing teen driver behavior; and evaluating the impact of public policy on mitigating teen crash risk related to driver distraction. PMID:24776228

TeenDrivingPlan effectiveness: the effect of quantity and diversity of supervised practice on teens' driving performance.

PubMed

Mirman, Jessica H; Albert, W Dustin; Curry, Allison E; Winston, Flaura K; Fisher Thiel, Megan C; Durbin, Dennis R

2014-11-01

The large contribution of inexperience to the high crash rate of newly licensed teens suggests that they enter licensure with insufficient skills. In a prior analysis, we found moderate support for a direct effect of a web-based intervention, the TeenDrivingPlan (TDP), on teens' driving performance. The purpose of the present study was to identify the mechanisms by which TDP may be effective and to extend our understanding of how teens learn to drive. A randomized controlled trial conducted with teen permit holders and parent supervisors (N = 151 dyads) was used to determine if the effect of TDP on driver performance operated through five hypothesized mediators: (1) parent-perceived social support; (2) teen-perceived social support; (3) parent engagement; (4) practice quantity; and (5) practice diversity. Certified driving evaluators, blinded to teens' treatment allocation, assessed teens' driving performance 24 weeks after enrollment. Mediator variables were assessed on self-report surveys administered periodically over the study period. Exposure to TDP increased teen-perceived social support, parent engagement, and practice diversity. Both greater practice quantity and diversity were associated with better driving performance, but only practice diversity mediated the relationship between TDP and driver performance. Practice diversity is feasible to change and increases teens' likelihood of completing a rigorous on-road driving assessment just before licensure. Future research should continue to identify mechanisms that diversify practice driving, explore complementary ways to help families optimize the time they spend on practice driving, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of TDP. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Drive to Influence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Diego

2017-01-01

At the heart of the educational vocation is a drive to influence, to meaningfully affect the learning and development of others. For adult educators working in higher education, daily activities--from teaching classes to supervising student research to attending faculty meetings to sitting on advisory boards--are full of opportunities to…

The relationship between attentional bias toward safety and driving behavior.

PubMed

Zheng, Tingting; Qu, Weina; Zhang, Kan; Ge, Yan

2016-11-01

As implicit cognitive processes garner more and more importance, studies in the fields of healthy psychology and organizational safety research have focused on attentional bias, a kind of selective allocation of attentional resources in the early stage of cognitive processing. However, few studies have explored the role of attentional bias on driving behavior. This study assessed drivers' attentional bias towards safety-related words (ABS) using the dot-probe paradigm and self-reported daily driving behaviors. The results revealed significant negative correlations between attentional bias scores and several indicators of dangerous driving. Drivers with fewer dangerous driving behaviors showed greater ABS. We also built a significant linear regression model between ABS and the total DDDI score, as well as ABS and the number of accidents. Finally, we discussed the possible mechanism underlying these associations and several limitations of our study. This study opens up a new topic for the exploration of implicit processes in driving safety research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safe Driving Climate among Friends (SDCaF): A new scale.

PubMed

Guggenheim, Noga; Taubman-Ben-Ari, Orit

2018-01-01

Reckless driving among young people, especially young men, is a major cause of injury and fatalities the world over. Like other aspects of this age group, young drivers' driving behaviors and norms are influenced by the accepted social discourse of their peers. Yet despite extensive existing knowledge on young drivers, very few studies have dealt specifically with their characteristic friendship relations. This lacuna in the literature may reflect the absence of specific research tools for examining driving with friends. To fill this gap, we conducted a series of studies with 706 young drivers (aged 17-24) of both sexes aimed at developing and validating a multidimensional scale designed to examine the effect of the social relations of adolescents and young adults on their driving. Entitled Safe Driving Climate among Friends (SDCaF), the final scale consists of 19 items, which tap four dimensions of driving with friends: friends' pressure; social costs of driving with friends; communication with friends about driving; and shared commitment to safe driving. The validity of the scale was established by examining associations between its four dimensions and various variables of personality, friendship, and driving. The findings indicate good reliability and validity, with the three variables of resistance to peer influence, self-disclosure, and personal responsibility for safe driving yielding positive associations with the SDCaF dimensions communication and shared commitment to safe driving, and negative associations with the dimensions friends' pressure and social costs. General tendency to respond to social pressure was positively associated with the dimensions of friends' pressure and social costs, and negatively associated with shared commitment to safe driving. Gender differences were also found, with men scoring higher than women on friends' pressure, and lower than women on shared commitment to safe driving. The SDCaF can serve as a research tool, as well as a

Car driving in schizophrenia: can visual memory and organization make a difference?

PubMed

Lipskaya-Velikovsky, Lena; Kotler, Moshe; Weiss, Penina; Kaspi, Maya; Gamzo, Shimrit; Ratzon, Navah

2013-09-01

Driving is a meaningful occupation which is ascribed to functional independence in schizophrenia. Although it is estimated that individuals with schizophrenia have two times more traffic accidents, little research has been done in this field. Present research explores differences in mental status, visual working memory and visual organization between drivers and non-drivers with schizophrenia in comparison to healthy drivers. There were three groups in the study: 20 drivers with schizophrenia, 20 non-driving individuals with schizophrenia and 20 drivers without schizophrenia (DWS). Visual perception was measured with Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test and a general cognitive status with Mini-Mental State Examination. The general cognitive status predicted actual driving situation in people with schizophrenia. No statistically significant differences were found between driving and non-driving persons with schizophrenia on any of the visual parameters tested, although these abilities were significantly lower than those of DWS. The research demonstrates that impairment of visual abilities does not prevent people with schizophrenia from driving and emphasizes the importance of general cognitive status for complex and multidimensional everyday tasks. The findings support the need for further investigation in the field of car driving for this population - a move that will considerably contribute to the participation and well-being. Implication for Rehabilitation Unique approach for driving evaluation in schizophrenia should be designed since direct applications of knowledge and practice acquired from other populations are not reliable. This research demonstrates that visual perception deficits in schizophrenia do not prevent clients from driving, and general cognitive status appeared to be a valid determinant for actual driving. We recommended usage of a general test of cognition such as Mini-Mental State Examination, or conjunction number of cognitive factors such as

Cognitive problems, self-rated changes in driving skills, driving-related discomfort and self-regulation of driving in old drivers.

PubMed

Meng, Annette; Siren, Anu

2012-11-01

Ageing in general is associated with functional decline that may have an adverse effect on driving. Nevertheless, older drivers have been found to show good judgement and to self-regulate their driving, which may enable them to continue driving safely despite functional decline. The process of the self-monitoring of driving ability and the awareness of functional decline, and its association with the self-regulation of driving is, however, not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to examine the perceived changes in driving skills, the discomfort experienced in driving, and the self-regulation of driving as measured by the avoidance of certain driving situations by older drivers with different levels of self-rated cognitive problems. Eight hundred and forty Danish drivers aged 75-95 completed a structured telephone interview. The results showed that the recognition of cognitive problems was associated with an experience of improvement in higher level driving skills but also of a decline in lower level driving skills. Moreover, cognitive problems recognised by drivers were associated with discomfort in, and avoidance of, driving situations. Finally, a linear relationship between discomfort in driving and avoidance was found and this tended to be stronger for drivers recognising cognitive problems. The results indicate that older drivers who recognise problems with cognitive functions display good self-assessment of changes in their driving skills. In addition, the results suggest that driving-related discomfort is an important factor affecting the self-regulation of driving. Finally, the findings indicate that driving-related discomfort functions as an indirect self-monitoring of driving ability and may contribute to the safe driving performance of Danish older drivers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age and inconsistency in driving performance.

PubMed

Bunce, David; Young, Mark S; Blane, Alison; Khugputh, Priya

2012-11-01

Research in cognitive neuropsychology suggests that investigation of the within-person variability, or inconsistency, of cognitive performance may provide valuable insights into ageing mental processes. It is rare though, for this interest in intraindividual variability to extend to everyday activities. As this may provide important information about driving behaviour, we therefore assessed age differences in driving inconsistency in younger (n=24, M age=21.29 years) and older (n=21, M age=71.24 years) persons who drove in residential, urban and motorway conditions in a fully immersive driving simulator. In measures of headway (maintaining a safe distance to a preceding vehicle) and lateral lane position, older drivers exhibited significantly greater performance inconsistency, and this was particularly marked in the faster motorway condition. Older drivers also recorded greater perceived mental demands associated with driving, and greater within-person variability across a range of cognitive measures. The findings suggest that age-related deficits in attentional and executive control may affect the consistency of driving performance in older persons. Discussion considers interventions to introduce in-vehicle systems to help maintain attention in older drivers, and to intervene when safety-critical boundaries are exceeded. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FY2014 Electric Drive Technologies Annual Progress Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The Electric Drive Technologies research and development (R&D) subprogram within the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies under development. Research is focused on developing power electronics (PE), electric motor, and traction drive system (TDS) technologies that will reduce system cost and improve their efficiency in transforming battery energy to useful work. The R&D is also aimed at better understanding and improving how various components of tomorrow’s automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency.

FY2016 Electric Drive Technologies Annual Progress Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

The Electric Drive Technologies research and development (R&D) subprogram within the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies under development. Research is focused on developing power electronics (PE), electric motor, and traction drive system (TDS) technologies that will reduce system cost and improve their efficiency in transforming battery energy to useful work. The R&D is also aimed at better understanding and improving how various components of tomorrow’s automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency.

FY2015 Electric Drive Technologies Annual Progress Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

The Electric Drive Technologies research and development (R&D) subprogram within the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies under development. Research is focused on developing power electronics (PE), electric motor, and traction drive system (TDS) technologies that will reduce system cost and improve their efficiency in transforming battery energy to useful work. The R&D is also aimed at better understanding and improving how various components of tomorrow’s automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency.

Space Drive Physics: Introduction and Next Steps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millis, M. G.

Research toward the visionary goal of propellantless ``space drives'' is introduced, covering key physics issues and a listing of roughly 2-dozen approaches. The targeted advantage of a space drive is to circumvent the propellant constraints of rockets and the maneuvering limits of light sails by using the interactions between the spacecraft and its surrounding space for propulsion. At present, the scientific foundations from which to engineer a space drive have not been discovered and, objectively, might be impossible. Although no propulsion breakthroughs appear imminent, the subject has matured to where the relevant questions have been broached and are beginning to be answered. The critical make-break issues include; conservation of momentum, uncertain sources of reaction mass, and the net-external thrusting requirement. Note: space drives are not necessarily faster- than-light devices. Speed limits are a separate, unanswered issue. Relevant unsolved physics includes; the sources and mechanisms of inertial frames, coupling of gravitation and electromagnetism, and the nature of the quantum vacuum. The propulsion approaches span mostly stages 1 through 3 of the scientific method (defining the problem, collecting data, and articulating hypotheses), while some have matured to stage 4 (testing hypotheses). Nonviable approaches include `stiction drives,' `gyroscopic antigravity,' and `lifters.' No attempt is made to gauge the prospects of the remaining approaches. Instead, a list of next-step research questions is derived from the examination of these goals, unknowns, and concepts.

Naturalistic driving data for the analysis of car-following models.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-02-01

The first research effort investigates the general application of naturalistic driving data to the modeling of car-following behavior. The driver-specific data available from naturalistic driving studies provides a unique perspective from which to te...

A single cell penetration system by ultrasonic driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhaoying; Xiao, Mingfei; Yang, Xing; Wu, Ting

2008-12-01

The researches of single cell's control and operation are the hotspots in whole world. Among the various technologies, the transmission of ectogenic genetic materials between cell membrane is very significant. Imitating the Chinese traditional acupuncture therapy, a new ultrasonic resonance driving method, is imported to drive a cell's penetration probe. A set of the single cell penetration system was established to perform this function. This system includes four subsystems: driving part, micromanipulation part, observation and measurement part, and actuation part. Some fish egg experiments indicate that this system is workable and effective.

Gender roles, sex and the expression of driving anger.

PubMed

Sullman, M J M; Paxion, J; Stephens, A N

2017-09-01

The present study investigated the validity of the 25-item Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX) as well as the role of sex and gender-roles in relation to the expression of driving anger in a sample of 378 French drivers (males=38%, M=32.9years old). Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the four-factor structure of the 25-item DAX (Adaptive/Constructive Expression; Use of the Vehicle to Express Anger; Verbal Aggressive Expression and Personal Physical Aggressive Expression) and two of the three aggressive factors were found to have significant positive relationships with driving anger, while adaptive/constructive expression was negatively related to driving anger. Use of the vehicle to express anger was not significantly related to crash involvement, but was significantly related to all other crash-related conditions (traffic tickets, loss of concentration, loss of control of the vehicle, near crash). The presence of feminine traits, but not sex, was predictive of adaptive/constructive behaviours, while masculine traits predicted more frequent verbal aggressive expression, use of the vehicle to express anger, personal physical aggressive expression and total aggressive expression. This finding may account for the inconsistent relationship found between driving anger and sex in previous research. This research also found that the 25-item DAX is a valid tool to measure the expression of driving anger and that the endorsement of masculine traits are related to more aggressive forms of driving anger expression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensory augmentation for increased awareness of driving environment : final research report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

The goal of this project was to develop a lateral localization framework for autonomous driving in urban areas. Vehicle location is significant information for the controller, planner and behaviors systems. Lateral location is extremely important for...

Impulsive Driving: Definition and Measurement Using the I-Driving Scale (IDS).

PubMed

Pérez-Moreno, Elisa; Hernández-Lloreda, María José; Gallego-Largo, Trinidad Ruiz; Castellanos, Miguel Ángel

2015-11-27

Impulsivity has been widely studied in the context of traffic. The trait is believed to be the root of some accidents, along with other variables like aggression and anger. The present research objective is to develop a new scale - the I-Driving Scale (IDS) - to evaluate and measure the construct of impulsivity in specific driving situations. To that end, two studies were conducted, with 162 and 107 participants, respectively. In both studies, participants were recruited via their social networks, and answered anonymously. In addition to the IDS, they completed the Use the Vehicle to Express Anger subscale of the Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX), the Driving Anger Scale (DAS), and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS11), and also provided demographic information. The final scale had 11 items falling into two factors: impatience, and aggressiveness/abruptness. The results show a high consistency (αT = .81, αI = .70, and αA = .85 in the first study; αT = .83, αI = .80, and αA = .88 in the second study). Statistical results of Exploratory Factor Analysis in the first sample indicated goodness of fit to a two-factor model (RMSR = .057, GFI = .98). The second study confirmed that factorial structure (χ2/df = 80.50/43 = 1.87, RMSEA = .088, CFI = .94, TLI = .92). Correlations with other measures indicated the Impatience subscale is associated with different expressions of anger behind the wheel, and directly correlated with the loss of driver's license points. Furthermore, the Aggressiveness or Abruptness subscale was associated with more mechanical aspects, and correlated inversely with age.

High-Risk Driving Behaviors among Adolescent Binge-Drinkers

PubMed Central

Marcotte, Thomas D.; Bekman, Nicole M.; Meyer, Rachel A.; Brown, Sandra A.

2013-01-01

Background Binge drinking is common among adolescents. Alcohol use, and binge-drinking in particular, has been associated with neurocognitive deficits as well as risk-taking behaviors, which may contribute to negative driving outcomes among adolescents even while sober. Objectives To examine differences in self-reported driving behaviors between adolescent binge-drinkers and a matched sample of controls, including (a) compliance with graduated licensing laws, (b) high risk driving behaviors, and (c) driving outcomes (crashes, traffic tickets). Methods The present study examined driving behaviors and outcomes in adolescent recent binge drinkers (n=21) and demographically and driving history matched controls (n=17), ages 16-18. Results Binge drinkers more frequently violated graduated licensing laws (e.g., driving late at night), and engaged in more “high risk” driving behaviors, such as speeding and using a cell-phone while driving. Binge drinkers had more traffic tickets, crashes and “near crashes” than the control group. In a multivariate analysis, binge drinker status and speeding were the most robust predictors of a crash. Conclusion Binge drinking teens consistently engage in more dangerous driving behaviors and experience more frequent crashes and traffic tickets. They are also less compliant with preventative restrictions placed on youth while they are learning critical safe driving skills. Scientific Significance These findings highlight a need to examine the contribution of underlying traits (such as sensation seeking) and binge-related cognitive changes to these high-risk driving behaviors, which may assist researchers in establishing alternative prevention and policy efforts targeting this population. PMID:22324748

Promising Electric Aircraft Drive Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudley, Michael R.

2010-01-01

An overview of electric aircraft propulsion technology performance thresholds for key power system components is presented. A weight comparison of electric drive systems with equivalent total delivered energy is made to help identify component performance requirements, and promising research and development opportunities.

Temporal profile of prolonged, night-time driving performance: breaks from driving temporarily reduce time-on-task fatigue but not sleepiness.

PubMed

Phipps-Nelson, Jo; Redman, Jennifer R; Rajaratnam, Shantha M W

2011-09-01

Breaks are often used by drivers to counteract sleepiness and time-on-task fatigue during prolonged driving. We examined the temporal profile of changes in driving performance, electroencephalogram (EEG) activity and subjective measures of sleepiness and fatigue during prolonged nocturnal driving in a car simulator. In addition, the study examined the impact of regular breaks from driving on performance, sleepiness and fatigue. Healthy volunteers (n=12, 23-45 years) maintained a regular sleep-wake pattern for 14 days and were then in a laboratory from 21:00 to 08:30 hours. The driving simulator scene was designed to simulate monotonous night-time rural driving. Participants drove 4 × 2-h test sessions, with a break from driving of 1 h between each session. During the break participants performed tests assessing sleepiness and fatigue, and psychomotor performance (~30 mins), and then were permitted to sit quietly. They were monitored for wakefulness, and not permitted to nap or ingest caffeine. EEG was recorded during the driving task, and subjective assessments of sleepiness and fatigue were obtained at the start and completion of each session. We found that driving performance deteriorated (2.5-fold), EEG delta, theta and alpha activity increased, and subjective sleepiness and fatigue ratings increased across the testing period. Driving performance and fatigue ratings improved following the scheduled breaks from driving, while the breaks did not affect EEG activity and subjective sleepiness. Time-on-task effects increased through the testing period, indicating that these effects are exacerbated by increasing sleepiness. Breaks from driving without sleep temporarily ameliorate time-on-task fatigue, but provide little benefit to the sleepy driver. © 2010 European Sleep Research Society.

Some VTOL head-up display drive-law problems and solutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrick, Vernon K.

1993-01-01

A piloted simulation test was conducted on the Ames Research Center's vertical motion simulator (VMS) in support of the Phase 2A flight test of NASA's V/STOL systems research aircraft (VSRA). During the simulation several problems were found with the head-up display (HUD) symbol drive laws and the flightpath synthesis. These problems and the solutions devised to solve them are described. Most of the resulting HUD drive-law changes were implemented during the simulation and their effectiveness was verified. Subsequently both the HUD symbol drive-law and flightpath-synthesis changes were implemented in the VSRA and tested successfully in the Phase 2A flight tests.

Parental perceptions of teen driving: Restrictions, worry and influence.

PubMed

Jewett, Amy; Shults, Ruth A; Bhat, Geeta

2016-12-01

Parents play a critical role in preventing crashes among teens. Research of parental perceptions and concerns regarding teen driving safety is limited. We examined results from the 2013 Summer ConsumerStyles survey that queried parents about restrictions placed on their teen drivers, their perceived level of "worry" about their teen driver's safety, and influence of parental restrictions regarding their teen's driving. We produced frequency distributions for the number of restrictions imposed, parental "worry," and influence of rules regarding their teen's driving, reported by teen's driving license status (learning to drive or obtained a driver's license). Response categories were dichotomized because of small cell sizes, and we ran separate log-linear regression models to explore whether imposing all four restrictions on teen drivers was associated with either worry intensity ("a lot" versus "somewhat, not very much or not at all") or perceived influence of parental rules ("a lot" versus "somewhat, not very much or not at all"). Among the 456 parent respondents, 80% reported having restrictions for their teen driver regarding use of safety belts, drinking and driving, cell phones, and text messaging while driving. However, among the 188 parents of licensed teens, only 9% reported having a written parent-teen driving agreement, either currently or in the past. Worrying "a lot" was reported less frequently by parents of newly licensed teens (36%) compared with parents of learning teens (61%). Parents report having rules and restrictions for their teen drivers, but only a small percentage formalize the rules and restrictions in a written parent-teen driving agreement. Parents worry less about their teen driver's safety during the newly licensed phase, when crash risk is high as compared to the learning phase. Further research is needed into how to effectively support parents in supervising and monitoring their teen driver. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Cannery Formation--Devonian to Early Permian arc-marginal deposits within the Alexander Terrane, Southeastern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Karl, Susan M.; Layer, Paul W.; Harris, Anita G.; Haeussler, Peter J.; Murchey, Benita L.

2011-01-01

cherts on both Admiralty and Kupreanof Islands contain radiolarians as young as Permian, the age of the Cannery Formation is herein extended to Late Devonian through early Permian, to include the early Permian rocks exposed in its type locality. The Cannery Formation is folded and faulted, and its stratigraphic thickness is unknown but inferred to be several hundred meters. The Cannery Formation represents an extended period of marine deposition in moderately deep water, with slow rates of deposition and limited clastic input during Devonian through Pennsylvanian time and increasing argillaceous, volcaniclastic, and bioclastic input during the Permian. The Cannery Formation comprises upper Paleozoic rocks in the Alexander terrane of southeastern Alaska. In the pre-Permian upper Paleozoic, the tectonic setting of the Alexander terrane consisted of two or more evolved oceanic arcs. The lower Permian section is represented by a distinctive suite of rocks in the Alexander terrane, which includes sedimentary and volcanic rocks containing early Permian fossils, metamorphosed rocks with early Permian cooling ages, and intrusive rocks with early Permian cooling ages, that form discrete northwest-trending belts. After restoration of 180 km of dextral displacement of the Chilkat-Chichagof block on the Chatham Strait Fault, these belts consist, from northeast to southwest, of (1) bedded chert, siliceous argillite, volcaniclastic turbidites, pillow basalt, and limestone of the Cannery Formation and the Porcupine Slate of Gilbert and others (1987); (2) greenschist-facies Paleozoic metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks that have Permian cooling ages; (3) silty limestone and calcareous argillite interbedded with pillow basalt and volcaniclastic rocks of the Halleck Formation and the William Henry Bay area; and (4) intermediate-composition and syenitic plutons. These belts correspond to components of an accretionary complex, contemporary metamorphic rocks, forearc-basin deposits,

Quantification of dynamic posterior translation in modified bilateral Alexander views and correlation with clinical and radiological parameters in patients with acute acromioclavicular joint instability.

PubMed

Minkus, Marvin; Hann, Carmen; Scheibel, Markus; Kraus, Natascha

2017-06-01

Classification of AC-joint instability is based on radiologic evaluation of anteroposterior (a.p.) stress views of both shoulders, neglecting the horizontal component of instability. Recent studies have proposed an association of dynamic posterior translation (DPT) and inferior clinical results. The purpose of this study was to quantify DPT in modified Alexander views and correlate it with other radiological and clinical data. Thirty-two patients (4 f, 28 m, mean age 34.1) with acute AC-joint dislocation (16 = RW III, 16 = RW V) underwent radiological examination including bilateral a.p. stress views with measurement of the coracoclavicular distance (CCD) and bilateral modified Alexander views with different approaches to quantify DPT (overlapping area OA AC , overlapping length OL AC ). In addition, the Constant Score, Subjective Shoulder Value, Taft Score (TF), and the Acromioclavicular Joint Instability Score (ACJI) were obtained. In Rockwood (RW) type III injuries, a mean CCD of 15.8 (9.8-22.8) mm, OA AC of 50.9 (0-216.6) mm 2 , and OL AC of 6.5 (-4.7-17.9) mm were found. RW V patients showed a CCD of 23.1 (13.7-32.0) mm; OA AC 7.0 (0-92.3) mm 2 ; and OL AC -4.8 (-19.6-9.8) mm. Particularly in RW III the CCD, OA AC and OL AC revealed significant correlation with the ACJI (r = -0.64/r = 0.72/r = 0.68, p < 0.05) and TF (r = -0.56/r = 0.68/r = 0.51, p < 0.05). The proposed quantification tools for DPT were found to have a moderate-to-strong correlation with the score results, especially with AC-joint specific scores. RW type V injuries had a moderate correlation with clinical parameters (OA AC with ACJI: r = 0.44, p > 0.05 and OL AC with TF: r = -0.45, p > 0.05). Measuring the OL AC is a convenient way for quantifying DPT in modified Alexander views. It showed significant correlation with clinical scores, indicating the relevance of DPT in patients with AC-joint injury.

The life and death of Alexander Bogdanov, physician.

PubMed

Huestis, D W

1996-08-01

It was early in April in 1928 when the word went out in Moscow that Alexander Bogdanov had died. He was a controversial figure, an old Bolshevik who had left that party long before the 1917 revolution and never returned. All the same, he had had Lenin's respect as a scientist (as long as he stayed out of politics). More recently, he also had the support of the new party strong man, Stalin. Bogdanov opposed the growing despotism of the "dictatorship of the proletariat", under which slogan Communist autocracy was being developed. But he was respected as a tireless propagandist for the socialist cause, an enthusiastic teacher of the proletariat, and a writer of arcane science and philosophy. Bogdanov was held in such respect that Communist bigwigs spoke glowingly at the funeral, praising his intellect, courage, and dedication to science and humanity. They did not fail to point out that he had split with his one-time friend, Lenin, and had succumbed to ideological "errors". Indeed, he had powerful enemies in the early Soviet state. Bogdanov was a physician, economist, philosopher, natural scientist, writer of utopian science fiction, poet, teacher, politician (unsuccesful), lifelong revolutionary, forerunner of what we now call cybernetics and organizational science, and founder of the world's first institution devoted entirely to the field of blood transfusion. You could call him a Renaissance man. Although he clearly fitted the category of the late-nineteenth-century Russian intellectual revolutionary, Bogdanov differed from most of them in being no dilettante. More than just a theorist, he was an active scientist and physician. As a teacher, he firmly believed that education and indoctrination could alter people's ways of thinking and behaving, and that humanity could be perfected under socialism. Like many revolutionaries, Bogdanov tried to keep ahead of the Tsar's police by using a variety of pseudonyms, among them Riadavoy, Werner, Maximov, and Bogdanov. After

Parent involvement in novice teen driving: a review of the literature

PubMed Central

Simons‐Morton, B; Ouimet, M C

2006-01-01

Motor vehicle crashes remain elevated among novice teen drivers for at least several years after licensure. Licensing policies and driver education are the two primary countermeasures employed to decrease young driver crash risks. Graduated driver licensing policies have proved to be effective in reducing crash rates where evaluated. Driver education is an essential part of teaching teens the rules of the road and operating a vehicle, but requires few hours of professional driver training, relying mainly on parents to provide most of the supervised practice driving teens obtain before independent driving licensure. The few studies that have been conducted to increase parent supervised practice driving have not shown positive results. Moreover, it is unclear that increases in practice would improve independent driving safety. Recent research has shown that parent management of the early independent driving experience of novice teens improves safety outcomes, and other research has shown that it is possible to increase parent management practices. This paper provides a review of the literature on parent involvement in supervised practice and independent driving, and efforts to increase parental management. PMID:16788109

Parent involvement in novice teen driving: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Simons-Morton, B; Ouimet, M C

2006-06-01

Motor vehicle crashes remain elevated among novice teen drivers for at least several years after licensure. Licensing policies and driver education are the two primary countermeasures employed to decrease young driver crash risks. Graduated driver licensing policies have proved to be effective in reducing crash rates where evaluated. Driver education is an essential part of teaching teens the rules of the road and operating a vehicle, but requires few hours of professional driver training, relying mainly on parents to provide most of the supervised practice driving teens obtain before independent driving licensure. The few studies that have been conducted to increase parent supervised practice driving have not shown positive results. Moreover, it is unclear that increases in practice would improve independent driving safety. Recent research has shown that parent management of the early independent driving experience of novice teens improves safety outcomes, and other research has shown that it is possible to increase parent management practices. This paper provides a review of the literature on parent involvement in supervised practice and independent driving, and efforts to increase parental management.

Drill drive mechanism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dressel, M.O.

1979-10-30

A drill drive mechanism is especially adapted to provide both rotational drive and axial feed for a drill of substantial diameter such as may be used for drilling holes for roof bolts in mine shafts. The drill shaft is made with a helical pattern of scroll-like projections on its surface for removal of cuttings. The drill drive mechanism includes a plurality of sprockets carrying two chains of drive links which are arranged to interlock around the drill shaft with each drive link having depressions which mate with the scroll-like projections. As the chain links move upwardly or downwardly the surfacesmore » of the depressions in the links mate with the scroll projections to move the shaft axially. Tangs on the drive links mate with notch surfaces between scroll projections to provide a means for rotating the shaft. Projections on the drive links mate together at the center to hold the drive links tightly around the drill shaft. The entire chain drive mechanism is rotated around the drill shaft axis by means of a hydraulic motor and gear drive to cause rotation of the drill shaft. This gear drive also connects with a differential gearset which is interconnected with a second gear. A second motor is connected to the spider shaft of the different gearset to produce differential movement (speeds) at the output gears of the differential gearset. This differential in speed is utilized to drive said second gear at a speed different from the speed of said gear drive, this speed differential being utilized to drive said sprockets for axial movement of said drill shaft. 11 claims.« less

Drill drive mechanism

DOEpatents

Dressel, Michael O.

1979-01-01

A drill drive mechanism is especially adapted to provide both rotational drive and axial feed for a drill of substantial diameter such as may be used for drilling holes for roof bolts in mine shafts. The drill shaft is made with a helical pattern of scroll-like projections on its surface for removal of cuttings. The drill drive mechanism includes a plurality of sprockets carrying two chains of drive links which are arranged to interlock around the drill shaft with each drive link having depressions which mate with the scroll-like projections. As the chain links move upwardly or downwardly the surfaces of the depressions in the links mate with the scroll projections to move the shaft axially. Tangs on the drive links mate with notch surfaces between scroll projections to provide a means for rotating the shaft. Projections on the drive links mate together at the center to hold the drive links tightly around the drill shaft. The entire chain drive mechanism is rotated around the drill shaft axis by means of a hydraulic motor and gear drive to cause rotation of the drill shaft. This gear drive also connects with a differential gearset which is interconnected with a second gear. A second motor is connected to the spider shaft of the differential gearset to produce differential movement (speeds) at the output gears of the differential gearset. This differential in speed is utilized to drive said second gear at a speed different from the speed of said gear drive, this speed differential being utilized to drive said sprockets for axial movement of said drill shaft.

Dimensions of driving anger and their relationships with aberrant driving.

PubMed

Zhang, Tingru; Chan, Alan H S; Zhang, Wei

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between driving anger and aberrant driving behaviours. An internet-based questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of Chinese drivers, with driving anger measured by a 14-item short Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the aberrant driving behaviours measured by a 23-item Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). The results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that the three-factor model (hostile gesture, arrival-blocking and safety-blocking) of the DAS fitted the driving anger data well. The Exploratory Factor Analysis on DBQ data differentiated four types of aberrant driving, viz. emotional violation, error, deliberate violation and maintaining progress violation. For the anger-aberration relation, it was found that only "arrival-blocking" anger was a significant positive predictor for all four types of aberrant driving behaviours. The "safety-blocking" anger revealed a negative impact on deliberate violations, a finding different from previously established positive anger-aberration relation. These results suggest that drivers with different patterns of driving anger would show different behavioural tendencies and as a result intervention strategies may be differentially effective for drivers of different profiles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Basic and Applied Research on Education and Social Inequality: Proceedings of the New York Education Policy Seminar (6th, Albany, New York, November 1988).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Karl L.; And Others

A seminar paper concerning the relationship between applied and basic research in the study of educational and social inequality, and two commentaries are presented. The paper--"In Defense of Ivory-Towerism: Confessions of an Unreconstructed Basic Researcher," by Karl L. Alexander, the seminar's main speaker, presents the point of view of a…

Design of a Novel Electro-hydraulic Drive Downhole Tractor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Delei; Shang, Jianzhong; Yang, Junhong; Wang, Zhuo; Wu, Wei

2018-02-01

In order to improve the traction ability and the work efficiency of downhole tractor in oil field, a novel electro-hydraulic drive downhole tractor was designed. The tractor’s supporting mechanism and moving mechanism were analyzed based on the tractor mechanical structure. Through the introduction of hydraulic system, the hydraulic drive mechanism and the implementation process were researched. Based on software, analysis of tractor hydraulic drive characteristic and movement performance were simulated, which provide theoretical basis for the development of tractor prototype.

Driving Discovery | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

Progress against cancer depends on many types of research—including basic, translational, and clinical—across different research areas, from the biology of cancer cells to studies of large populations. Regardless of the research type or area, supporting the best science and the best scientists is of paramount importance to NCI. Learn more about driving progress against cancer.

Expressing Anger Is More Dangerous than Feeling Angry when Driving

PubMed Central

Qu, Weina; Dai, Mengnuo; Zhao, Wenguo; Zhang, Kan

2016-01-01

Anger is an emotion that drivers often feel and express while driving, and it is believed by researchers to be an important cause of dangerous driving behavior. In this study, the relationships between driving trait anger, driving anger expression, and dangerous driving behaviors were analyzed. The Driving Anger Scale (DAS) was used to measure driving trait anger, whereas the Driving Anger Expression (DAX) Inventory was used to measure expressions of driving anger. A sample of 38 drivers completed the DAS, DAX, and a driving simulation session on a simulator where their driving behaviors were recorded. Correlation analysis showed that the higher scores on the DAS were associated with longer durations of speeding in the simulator. The more participants expressed their anger in verbal and physical ways, the more likely they were to crash the virtual vehicle during the simulation. Regression analyses illustrated the same pattern. The findings suggest that, although trait anger is related to speeding, the passive expression of anger is the real factor underling traffic accidents. This study extends findings about the predictive effects of self-report scales of driving behaviors to behaviors recorded on a simulator. Thus, if in traffic safety propaganda, guiding drivers to use positive ways to cope with driving anger is recommended by our findings. PMID:27258144

Expressing Anger Is More Dangerous than Feeling Angry when Driving.

PubMed

Qu, Weina; Dai, Mengnuo; Zhao, Wenguo; Zhang, Kan; Ge, Yan

2016-01-01

Anger is an emotion that drivers often feel and express while driving, and it is believed by researchers to be an important cause of dangerous driving behavior. In this study, the relationships between driving trait anger, driving anger expression, and dangerous driving behaviors were analyzed. The Driving Anger Scale (DAS) was used to measure driving trait anger, whereas the Driving Anger Expression (DAX) Inventory was used to measure expressions of driving anger. A sample of 38 drivers completed the DAS, DAX, and a driving simulation session on a simulator where their driving behaviors were recorded. Correlation analysis showed that the higher scores on the DAS were associated with longer durations of speeding in the simulator. The more participants expressed their anger in verbal and physical ways, the more likely they were to crash the virtual vehicle during the simulation. Regression analyses illustrated the same pattern. The findings suggest that, although trait anger is related to speeding, the passive expression of anger is the real factor underling traffic accidents. This study extends findings about the predictive effects of self-report scales of driving behaviors to behaviors recorded on a simulator. Thus, if in traffic safety propaganda, guiding drivers to use positive ways to cope with driving anger is recommended by our findings.

Vision and night driving abilities of elderly drivers.

PubMed

Gruber, Nicole; Mosimann, Urs P; Müri, René M; Nef, Tobias

2013-01-01

In this article, we review the impact of vision on older people's night driving abilities. Driving is the preferred and primary mode of transport for older people. It is a complex activity where intact vision is seminal for road safety. Night driving requires mesopic rather than scotopic vision, because there is always some light available when driving at night. Scotopic refers to night vision, photopic refers to vision under well-lit conditions, and mesopic vision is a combination of photopic and scotopic vision in low but not quite dark lighting situations. With increasing age, mesopic vision decreases and glare sensitivity increases, even in the absence of ocular diseases. Because of the increasing number of elderly drivers, more drivers are affected by night vision difficulties. Vision tests, which accurately predict night driving ability, are therefore of great interest. We reviewed existing literature on age-related influences on vision and vision tests that correlate or predict night driving ability. We identified several studies that investigated the relationship between vision tests and night driving. These studies found correlations between impaired mesopic vision or increased glare sensitivity and impaired night driving, but no correlation was found among other tests; for example, useful field of view or visual field. The correlation between photopic visual acuity, the most commonly used test when assessing elderly drivers, and night driving ability has not yet been fully clarified. Photopic visual acuity alone is not a good predictor of night driving ability. Mesopic visual acuity and glare sensitivity seem relevant for night driving. Due to the small number of studies evaluating predictors for night driving ability, further research is needed.

Predicting the Impacts of Intravehicular Displays on Driving Performance with Human Performance Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, Diane Kuhl; Wojciechowski, Josephine; Samms, Charneta

2012-01-01

A challenge facing the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), as well as international safety experts, is the need to educate car drivers about the dangers associated with performing distraction tasks while driving. Researchers working for the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have developed a technique for predicting the increase in mental workload that results when distraction tasks are combined with driving. They implement this technique using human performance modeling. They have predicted workload associated with driving combined with cell phone use. In addition, they have predicted the workload associated with driving military vehicles combined with threat detection. Their technique can be used by safety personnel internationally to demonstrate the dangers of combining distracter tasks with driving and to mitigate the safety risks.

Self-regulation of driving and its relationship to driving ability among older adults.

PubMed

Baldock, M R J; Mathias, J L; McLean, A J; Berndt, A

2006-09-01

Although it is known that older drivers limit their driving, it is not known whether this self-regulation is related to actual driving ability. A sample of 104 older drivers, aged between 60 and 92, completed a questionnaire about driving habits and attitudes. Ninety of these drivers also completed a structured on-road driving test. A measure of self-regulation was derived from drivers' self-reported avoidance of difficult driving situations. The on-road driving test involved a standard assessment used to determine fitness to drive. Driving test scores for the study were based on the number of errors committed in the driving tests, with weightings given according to the seriousness of the errors. The most commonly avoided difficult driving situations, according to responses on the questionnaire, were parallel parking and driving at night in the rain, while the least avoided situation was driving alone. Poorer performance on the driving test was not related to overall avoidance of difficult driving situations. Stronger relationships were found between driving ability and avoidance of specific difficult driving situations. These specific driving situations were the ones in which the drivers had low confidence and that the drivers were most able to avoid if they wished to.

Personal Computer Based Controller For Switched Reluctance Motor Drives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mang, X.; Krishnan, R.; Adkar, S.; Chandramouli, G.

1987-10-01

Th9, switched reluctance motor (SRM) has recently gained considerable attention in the variable speed drive market. Two important factors that have contributed to this are, the simplicity of construction and the possibility of developing low cost con-trollers with minimum number of switching devices in the drive circuits. This is mainly due to the state-of-art of the present digital circuits technology and the low cost of switching devices. The control of this motor drive is under research. Optimized performance of the SRM motor drive is very dependent on the integration of the controller, converter and the motor. This research on system integration involves considerable changes in the control algorithms and their implementation. A Personal computer (PC) based controller is very appropriate for this purpose. Accordingly, the present paper is concerned with the design of a PC based controller for a SRM. The PC allows for real-time microprocessor control with the possibility of on-line system parameter modifications. Software reconfiguration of this controller is easier than a hardware based controller. User friendliness is a natural consequence of such a system. Considering the low cost of PCs, this controller will offer an excellent cost-effective means of studying the control strategies for the SRM drive intop greater detail than in the past.

Older driver fitness-to-drive evaluation using naturalistic driving data.

PubMed

Guo, Feng; Fang, Youjia; Antin, Jonathan F

2015-09-01

As our driving population continues to age, it is becoming increasingly important to find a small set of easily administered fitness metrics that can meaningfully and reliably identify at-risk seniors requiring more in-depth evaluation of their driving skills and weaknesses. Sixty driver assessment metrics related to fitness-to-drive were examined for 20 seniors who were followed for a year using the naturalistic driving paradigm. Principal component analysis and negative binomial regression modeling approaches were used to develop parsimonious models relating the most highly predictive of the driver assessment metrics to the safety-related outcomes observed in the naturalistic driving data. This study provides important confirmation using naturalistic driving methods of the relationship between contrast sensitivity and crash-related events. The results of this study provide crucial information on the continuing journey to identify metrics and protocols that could be applied to determine seniors' fitness to drive. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

75 FR 44273 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-28

... Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; Supplemental Center Grants For Community Outreach. Date: August.... of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive...

Driving and Multitasking: The Good, the Bad, and the Dangerous.

PubMed

Nijboer, Menno; Borst, Jelmer P; van Rijn, Hedderik; Taatgen, Niels A

2016-01-01

Previous research has shown that multitasking can have a positive or a negative influence on driving performance. The aim of this study was to determine how the interaction between driving circumstances and cognitive requirements of secondary tasks affect a driver's ability to control a car. We created a driving simulator paradigm where participants had to perform one of two scenarios: one with no traffic in the driver's lane, and one with substantial traffic in both lanes, some of which had to be overtaken. Four different secondary task conditions were combined with these driving scenarios. In both driving scenarios, using a tablet resulted in the worst, most dangerous, performance, while passively listening to the radio or answering questions for a radio quiz led to the best driving performance. Interestingly, driving as a single task did not produce better performance than driving in combination with one of the radio tasks, and even tended to be slightly worse. These results suggest that drivers switch to internally focused secondary tasks when nothing else is available during monotonous or repetitive driving environments. This mind wandering potentially has a stronger interference effect with driving than non-visual secondary tasks.

Driving and Multitasking: The Good, the Bad, and the Dangerous

PubMed Central

Nijboer, Menno; Borst, Jelmer P.; van Rijn, Hedderik; Taatgen, Niels A.

2016-01-01

Previous research has shown that multitasking can have a positive or a negative influence on driving performance. The aim of this study was to determine how the interaction between driving circumstances and cognitive requirements of secondary tasks affect a driver's ability to control a car. We created a driving simulator paradigm where participants had to perform one of two scenarios: one with no traffic in the driver's lane, and one with substantial traffic in both lanes, some of which had to be overtaken. Four different secondary task conditions were combined with these driving scenarios. In both driving scenarios, using a tablet resulted in the worst, most dangerous, performance, while passively listening to the radio or answering questions for a radio quiz led to the best driving performance. Interestingly, driving as a single task did not produce better performance than driving in combination with one of the radio tasks, and even tended to be slightly worse. These results suggest that drivers switch to internally focused secondary tasks when nothing else is available during monotonous or repetitive driving environments. This mind wandering potentially has a stronger interference effect with driving than non-visual secondary tasks. PMID:27877147

Simulation of Automated Vehicles' Drive Cycles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-02-28

This research has two objectives: 1) To develop algorithms for plausible and legally-justifiable freeway car-following and arterial-street gap acceptance driving behavior for AVs 2) To implement these algorithms on a representative road network, in o...

Self-Regulation of Driving Behavior in People with Parkinson Disease.

PubMed

Stolwyk, Renerus J; Scally, Karen A; Charlton, Judith L; Bradshaw, John L; Iansek, Robert; Georgiou-Karistianis, Nellie

2015-06-01

To determine the extent and nature of driving self-regulation in drivers with Parkinson disease (PD) and factors associated with self-regulatory practices. Although people with PD have consistently been shown to have driving impairments, few studies have examined self-regulatory driving practices and their relationship to driving performance. We used a self-report driving questionnaire to examine driving self-regulation in 37 drivers with PD and 37 healthy age-matched controls. We also analyzed factors associated with self-regulatory practices, primarily demographic, disease-related, psychological, and simulated driving performance variables. The drivers with PD reported significantly higher rates of self-perceived decline in their driving ability (P=0.008) and driving significantly shorter distances per week (P=0.004) than controls. Unfamiliar situations (P=0.009), in-car distractions (P<0.001), low visibility conditions (P=0.004), and long journeys (P=0.003) were particularly challenging for the drivers with PD, and their pattern of driving avoidance mirrored these difficulties. The use of self-regulatory strategies among drivers with PD was associated with female sex (rho=0.42, P=0.009) and perceived decline in driving ability (rho=-0.55, P<0.001), but not with age or objective measures of disease severity, cognition, or simulated driving performance. Drivers with PD reported driving less overall and restricting their driving to avoid particularly difficult circumstances. Further research is warranted on effective use of self-regulation strategies to improve driving performance in people with PD.

James Sowerby: meteorites and his meteoritic sword made for the Emperor of Russia, Alexander I, in 1814

PubMed Central

Henderson, Paul

2013-01-01

James Sowerby included meteorites in his publications of British and exotic natural history and so raised interest in their nature and origins at a time of much debate and involving the President of the Royal Society, Sir Joseph Banks. The celebrations over the defeat of France in 1814 prompted Sowerby to make a sword from the Cape of Good Hope iron meteorite to present to the Russian Emperor, Alexander I, at the time of his state visit to London in June 1814 and in recognition of his achievements in bringing peace to Europe. The story of its attempted presentation, its final reception and the following response, including publications, all helped to increase interest in meteorites and their properties. The rediscovery of the sword after a lengthy disappearance probably brings an unusual saga to a fitting close.

Effects of practice on interference from an auditory task while driving : a simulation study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-12-01

Experimental research on the effects of cellular phone conversations on driving indicates that the phone task interferes with many driving-related functions, especially with older drivers. Limitations of past research have been that (1) the dual task...

Pile Driving

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

Machine-oriented structural engineering firm TERA, Inc. is engaged in a project to evaluate the reliability of offshore pile driving prediction methods to eventually predict the best pile driving technique for each new offshore oil platform. Phase I Pile driving records of 48 offshore platforms including such information as blow counts, soil composition and pertinent construction details were digitized. In Phase II, pile driving records were statistically compared with current methods of prediction. Result was development of modular software, the CRIPS80 Software Design Analyzer System, that companies can use to evaluate other prediction procedures or other data bases.

Evaluation of blue light exposure to beta brainwaves on simulated night driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purawijaya, Dandri Aly; Fitri, Lulu Lusianti; Suprijanto

2015-09-01

Numbers of night driving accident in Indonesia since 2010 are exponentially rising each year with total of loss more than 50 billion rupiah. One of the causes that contribute to night driving accident is drowsiness. Drowsiness is affected by circadian rhythm resulted from the difference of blue light quality and quantity between night and day. Blue light may effect on human physiology through non-visual pathway by suppressing melatonin hormone suppression that influence drowsiness. Meanwhile, the production of hormones and other activities in brain generate bioelectrical activity such as brainwaves and can be recorded using Electroencephalograph (EEG). Therefore, this research objective is to evaluate the effect of blue light exposure to beta brainwave emergence during night driving simulation to a driver. This research was conducted to 4 male subjects who are able to drive and have a legitimate car driving license. The driving simulator was done using SCANIA Truck Driving Simulator on freeform driving mode in dark environment. Subjects drove for total 32 minutes. The data collections were taken in 2 days with 16 minutes for each day. The 16 minutes were divided again into 8 minutes adaptation in dark and 8 minutes for driving either in blue light exposure or in total darkness. While driving the simulation, subjects' brainwaves were recorded using EEG EMOTIV 14 Channels, exposed by LED monochromatic blue light with 160 Lux from source and angle 45o and sat 1 m in front of the screen. Channels used on this research were for visual (O1; O2), cognition (F3; F4; P7; P8), and motor (FC5; FC6). EEG brainwave result was filtered with EEGLab to obtain beta waves at 13 - 30 Hz frequencies. Results showed that beta waves response to blue light varied for each subject. Blue light exposure either increased or decreased beta waves in 2 minutes pattern and maintaining beta waves on cognition and motor area in 3 out of 4 subjects. Meanwhile, blue light exposure did not maintain

Distracted driving and associated crash risks.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-01

Distracted driving is a dangerous epidemic that has resulted in deaths and injuries in crashes throughout the U.S. Research is : needed to understand whether common cognitive tasks such as texting, handheld cell phone conversation, and front-seat : p...

Driving Safety and Fitness to Drive in Sleep Disorders.

PubMed

Tippin, Jon; Dyken, Mark Eric

2017-08-01

Driving an automobile while sleepy increases the risk of crash-related injury and death. Neurologists see patients with sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and a wide variety of neurologic disorders. When addressing fitness to drive, the physician must weigh patient and societal health risks and regional legal mandates. The Driver Fitness Medical Guidelines published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) provide assistance to clinicians. Drivers with obstructive sleep apnea may continue to drive if they have no excessive daytime sleepiness and their apnea-hypopnea index is less than 20 per hour. Those with excessive daytime sleepiness or an apnea-hypopnea index of 20 per hour or more may not drive until their condition is effectively treated. Drivers with sleep disorders amenable to pharmaceutical treatment (eg, narcolepsy) may resume driving as long as the therapy has eliminated excessive daytime sleepiness. Following these guidelines, documenting compliance to recommended therapy, and using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to assess subjective sleepiness can be helpful in determining patients' fitness to drive.

Parental perceptions of teen driving: Restrictions, worry and influence☆

PubMed Central

Jewett, Amy; Shults, Ruth A.; Bhat, Geeta

2016-01-01

Introduction Parents play a critical role in preventing crashes among teens. Research of parental perceptions and concerns regarding teen driving safety is limited. We examined results from the 2013 Summer ConsumerStyles survey that queried parents about restrictions placed on their teen drivers, their perceived level of “worry” about their teen driver’s safety, and influence of parental restrictions regarding their teen’s driving. Methods We produced frequency distributions for the number of restrictions imposed, parental “worry,” and influence of rules regarding their teen’s driving, reported by teen’s driving license status (learning to drive or obtained a driver’s license). Response categories were dichotomized because of small cell sizes, and we ran separate log-linear regression models to explore whether imposing all four restrictions on teen drivers was associated with either worry intensity (“a lot” versus “somewhat, not very much or not at all”) or perceived influence of parental rules (“a lot” versus “somewhat, not very much or not at all”). Results Among the 456 parent respondents, 80% reported having restrictions for their teen driver regarding use of safety belts, drinking and driving, cell phones, and text messaging while driving. However, among the 188 parents of licensed teens, only 9% reported having a written parent-teen driving agreement, either currently or in the past. Worrying “a lot” was reported less frequently by parents of newly licensed teens (36%) compared with parents of learning teens (61%). Conclusions and Practical Applications Parents report having rules and restrictions for their teen drivers, but only a small percentage formalize the rules and restrictions in a written parent-teen driving agreement. Parents worry less about their teen driver’s safety during the newly licensed phase, when crash risk is high as compared to the learning phase. Further research is needed into how to effectively

Texting while driving: the development and validation of the distracted driving survey and risk score among young adults.

PubMed

Bergmark, Regan W; Gliklich, Emily; Guo, Rong; Gliklich, Richard E

Texting while driving and other cell-phone reading and writing activities are high-risk activities associated with motor vehicle collisions and mortality. This paper describes the development and preliminary evaluation of the Distracted Driving Survey (DDS) and score. Survey questions were developed by a research team using semi-structured interviews, pilot-tested, and evaluated in young drivers for validity and reliability. Questions focused on texting while driving and use of email, social media, and maps on cellular phones with specific questions about the driving speeds at which these activities are performed. In 228 drivers 18-24 years old, the DDS showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93) and correlations with reported 12-month crash rates. The score is reported on a 0-44 scale with 44 being highest risk behaviors. For every 1 unit increase of the DDS score, the odds of reporting a car crash increases 7 %. The survey can be completed in two minutes, or less than five minutes if demographic and background information is included. Text messaging was common; 59.2 and 71.5 % of respondents said they wrote and read text messages, respectively, while driving in the last 30 days. The DDS is an 11-item scale that measures cell phone-related distracted driving risk and includes reading/viewing and writing subscores. The scale demonstrated strong validity and reliability in drivers age 24 and younger. The DDS may be useful for measuring rates of cell-phone related distracted driving and for evaluating public health interventions focused on reducing such behaviors.

Texting while driving: the development and validation of the distracted driving survey and risk score among young adults.

PubMed

Bergmark, Regan W; Gliklich, Emily; Guo, Rong; Gliklich, Richard E

2016-12-01

Texting while driving and other cell-phone reading and writing activities are high-risk activities associated with motor vehicle collisions and mortality. This paper describes the development and preliminary evaluation of the Distracted Driving Survey (DDS) and score. Survey questions were developed by a research team using semi-structured interviews, pilot-tested, and evaluated in young drivers for validity and reliability. Questions focused on texting while driving and use of email, social media, and maps on cellular phones with specific questions about the driving speeds at which these activities are performed. In 228 drivers 18-24 years old, the DDS showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93) and correlations with reported 12-month crash rates. The score is reported on a 0-44 scale with 44 being highest risk behaviors. For every 1 unit increase of the DDS score, the odds of reporting a car crash increases 7 %. The survey can be completed in two minutes, or less than five minutes if demographic and background information is included. Text messaging was common; 59.2 and 71.5 % of respondents said they wrote and read text messages, respectively, while driving in the last 30 days. The DDS is an 11-item scale that measures cell phone-related distracted driving risk and includes reading/viewing and writing subscores. The scale demonstrated strong validity and reliability in drivers age 24 and younger. The DDS may be useful for measuring rates of cell-phone related distracted driving and for evaluating public health interventions focused on reducing such behaviors.

Factors associated with driving in teens with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Huang, Patty; Kao, Trudy; Curry, Allison E; Durbin, Dennis R

2012-01-01

To compare the characteristics of driving and nondriving teens and explore the driving outcomes for teens with higher functioning autism spectrum disorders. Parents of teens aged 15 to 18 years with a parent-reported diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder enrolled in Interactive Autism Network, an online research registry, were eligible for this cross-sectional study. An online survey was used for data collection. A total of 297 parents completed the survey. Sixty-three percent of teens currently drive or plan to drive. Twenty-nine percent of the teens who are age-eligible to drive currently drive. Compared with age-eligible but nondriving teens, a greater proportion of driving teens were in full-time regular education (p < .005), planned to attend college (p < .001), and held a paid job (p = .008). A greater proportion of parents of driving teens had taught ≥1 teen to drive previously (p < .001). There were no differences in gender, autism subtype, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis, parental age or education, or access to public transportation. Driving predictors included individualized education plans with driving goals, indicators of functional status (classroom placement, college aspiration, and job experience), and parent experience with teaching teens to drive. Twelve percent of teens received driving citations, and 12% of teens had been involved in a motor vehicle crash. Although a significant proportion of teens with higher functioning autism spectrum disorders were driving or learning to drive, the fact that most driving teens' individualized education plans did not include driving goals suggests an area of opportunity for improvement in transition planning. Driving teens were more frequently in regular education settings with college aspirations, which could help schools identify potential drivers.

Strategies to reduce driving under the influence of alcohol.

PubMed

DeJong, W; Hingson, R

1998-01-01

The purpose of this review is to update research on the prevention of alcohol-related traffic deaths since the 1988 Surgeon General's Workshop on Drunk Driving. Four primary areas of research are reviewed here: (a) general deterrence policies, (b) alcohol control policies, (c) mass communications campaigns, including advertising restrictions, and (d) community traffic safety programs. Modern efforts to combat drunk driving in the United States began with specific deterrence strategies to punish convicted drunk drivers, and then evolved to include general deterrence strategies that were targeted to the population as a whole. Efforts next expanded to include the alcohol side of the problem, with measures installed to decrease underage drinking and excessive alcohol consumption. In the next several years, greater efforts are needed on all these fronts. Also needed, however, are programs that integrate drunk driving prevention with other traffic safety initiatives.

Increased dynamic regulation of postural tone through Alexander Technique training

PubMed Central

Cacciatore, TW; Gurfinkel, VS; Horak, FB; Cordo, PJ; Ames, KE

2010-01-01

Gurfinkel and colleagues (2006) recently found that healthy adults dynamically modulate postural muscle tone in the body axis during anti-gravity postural maintenance and that this modulation is inversely correlated with axial stiffness. Our objective in the present study was to investigate whether dynamic modulation of axial postural tone can change through training. We examined whether teachers of the Alexander Technique (AT), who undergo “long-term” (3-year) training, have greater modulation of axial postural tone than matched control subjects. In addition, we performed a longitudinal study on the effect of “short-term” (10-week) AT training on the axial postural tone of individuals with low back pain (LBP), since short term AT training has previously been shown to reduce LBP. Axial postural tone was quantified by measuring the resistance of the neck, trunk and hips to small (±10°), slow (1°/s) torsional rotation during stance. Modulation of tone was determined by the torsional resistance to rotation (peak-to-peak, phase-advance, and variability of torque) and axial muscle activity (EMG). Peak-to-peak torque was lower (~50%), while phase-advance and cycle-to-cycle variability were enhanced for AT teachers compared to matched control subjects at all levels of the axis. In addition, LBP subjects decreased trunk and hip stiffness following short-term AT training compared to a control intervention. While changes in static levels of postural tone may have contributed to the reduced stiffness observed with the AT, our results suggest that dynamic modulation of postural tone can be enhanced through long-term training in the AT, which may constitute an important direction for therapeutic intervention. PMID:21185100

Alexander von Humboldt: galvanism, animal electricity, and self-experimentation part 2: the electric eel, animal electricity, and later years.

PubMed

Finger, Stanley; Piccolino, Marco; Stahnisch, Frank W

2013-01-01

After extensive experimentation during the 1790s, Alexander von Humboldt remained skeptical about "animal electricity" (and metallic electricity), writing instead about an ill-defined galvanic force. With his worldview and wishing to learn more, he studied electric eels in South America just as the new century began, again using his body as a scientific instrument in many of his experiments. As had been the case in the past and for many of the same reasons, some of his findings with the electric eel (and soon after, Italian torpedoes) seemed to argue against biological electricity. But he no longer used galvanic terminology when describing his electric fish experiments. The fact that he now wrote about animal electricity rather than a different "galvanic" force owed much to Alessandro Volta, who had come forth with his "pile" (battery) for multipling the physical and perceptable effects of otherwise weak electricity in 1800, while Humboldt was deep in South America. Humboldt probably read about and saw voltaic batteries in the United States in 1804, but the time he spent with Volta in 1805 was probably more significant in his conversion from a galvanic to an electrical framework for understanding nerve and muscle physiology. Although he did not continue his animal electricity research program after this time, Humboldt retained his worldview of a unified nature and continued to believe in intrinsic animal electricity. He also served as a patron to some of the most important figures in the new field of electrophysiology (e.g., Hermann Helmholtz and Emil du Bois-Reymond), helping to take the research that he had participated in to the next level.

Exploring travelers' behavior in response to dynamic message signs (DMS) using a driving simulator.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

This research studies the effectiveness of a dynamic message sign (DMS) using a driving : simulator. Over 100 subjects from different socio-economic and age groups were recruited to : drive the simulator under different traffic and driving conditions...

Thrill and adventure seeking in risky driving at work: The moderating role of safety climate.

PubMed

Wishart, Darren; Somoray, Klaire; Evenhuis, Amanda

2017-12-01

Introduction Within many industrialized countries, the leading cause of worker fatalities and serious injuries can be attributed to road trauma. In non-occupational research, high levels of sensation seeking personality, and specifically thrill and adventure seeking, have been associated with risky driving behaviors. In work driving literature, high organizational safety climate has been associated with reduced risky driving in work drivers. However, the extent that factors such as safety climate and thrill seeking interact in regard to work driving safety remains unclear, and the current research examined this interaction. Methods A total of 1,011 work drivers from four organizations participated in the research. Surveys were distributed online and hardcopies were sent via mail. The survey included measures of thrill and adventure seeking, safety climate and work-related driving behaviors, as well as questions relating to participant demographics and information about their work driving. Results The results demonstrated that safety climate significantly moderated the effect of thrill and adventure seeking trait on driving errors, driving violations, and driving while fatigued. Conclusion These results suggest that the development of a strong safety climate has the potential to improve work driving safety outcomes by reducing the impact of particular personality traits such as thrill seeking within an organizational context. Practical application To improve work driving safety, organizations and management need to develop strategies to encourage and foster positive work driving safety climate, particularly within work settings that may attract thrill and adventure seeking employees. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Older people with mild cognitive impairment -- their views about assessing driving safety.

PubMed

Johnson, David A; Frank, Oliver; Pond, Dimity; Stocks, Nigel

2013-05-01

Driving is important for older people to maintain agency, independence and social connectedness. Little research has been conducted into the views of older people with mild cognitive impairment about who decides if they are safe to drive. This qualitative study investigates the views of older people with mild cognitive impairment about decision making on driving cessation. Participants value their agency; they wanted to decide when they should stop driving themselves. However, they were also prepared to accept their general practitioner's advice when they became unfit to drive. In the interim, they self regulated the timing and distance of their driving to reduce accident risk.

Research on Power Loss of Continuously Variable Transmission Based on Driving Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Bing; Zhou, Yunshan; Cao, Chenglong; Li, Quan; Zhang, Feitie

2018-01-01

In order to further enhance the fuel economy of vehicles with continuously variable transmission (CVT), a CVT power loss model under dynamic condition is established based on the power loss model of each transmission component and the vehicle dynamic model. With driving cycles 10-15, NEDC and US06 as input, the distribution of CVT power loss and the influence of the main losses to vehicle fuel economy are analysed. The results show that the variation loss, oil pump loss and torque converter loss are the main losses of CVT power loss under driving cycles, and the metal belt and oil pump have relatively larger fuel saving potential. At low speed reducing the pump loss is more effective to fuel saving, while at high speed reducing the variation loss is more effective.

7 CFR 1792.103 - Seismic design and construction standards for new buildings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Structures. Copies are available from the American Society of Civil Engineers, Publications Marketing Department, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191-4400. E-mail: marketing@asce.org. Telephone: (800) 548-2723. Fax: (703) 295-6211. (3) 2003 International Code Council (ICC) International Building Code...

Creation of the Naturalistic Engagement in Secondary Tasks (NEST) distracted driving dataset.

PubMed

Owens, Justin M; Angell, Linda; Hankey, Jonathan M; Foley, James; Ebe, Kazutoshi

2015-09-01

Distracted driving has become a topic of critical importance to driving safety research over the past several decades. Naturalistic driving data offer a unique opportunity to study how drivers engage with secondary tasks in real-world driving; however, the complexities involved with identifying and coding relevant epochs of naturalistic data have limited its accessibility to the general research community. This project was developed to help address this problem by creating an accessible dataset of driver behavior and situational factors observed during distraction-related safety-critical events and baseline driving epochs, using the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2) naturalistic dataset. The new NEST (Naturalistic Engagement in Secondary Tasks) dataset was created using crashes and near-crashes from the SHRP2 dataset that were identified as including secondary task engagement as a potential contributing factor. Data coding included frame-by-frame video analysis of secondary task and hands-on-wheel activity, as well as summary event information. In addition, information about each secondary task engagement within the trip prior to the crash/near-crash was coded at a higher level. Data were also coded for four baseline epochs and trips per safety-critical event. 1,180 events and baseline epochs were coded, and a dataset was constructed. The project team is currently working to determine the most useful way to allow broad public access to the dataset. We anticipate that the NEST dataset will be extraordinarily useful in allowing qualified researchers access to timely, real-world data concerning how drivers interact with secondary tasks during safety-critical events and baseline driving. The coded dataset developed for this project will allow future researchers to have access to detailed data on driver secondary task engagement in the real world. It will be useful for standalone research, as well as for integration with additional SHRP2 data to enable the

A qualitative study of college students' perceptions of risky driving and social influences.

PubMed

Watters, Samantha E; Beck, Kenneth H

2016-01-01

Young adults and teens are documented as the riskiest drivers on the road, and newer issues such as texting and driving are a growing concern. This study sought to determine the risk perceptions of young adults regarding various driving behaviors, their past experiences, how their social circles are structured, and how this might affect their driving. This study conducted qualitative research with 25 college undergraduate students to determine their peer and social influences regarding distracted driving. Data were analyzed and related to the health belief model and past research on social influence. Though most participants felt that their behaviors were set after learning to drive, they were, in fact, quite susceptible to the influence of those in their social circles (e.g., fear of judgment and accountability) and, more broadly, to social norms. Texting and driving was the largest and most topical distracted driving issue and was also identified as very difficult to stop due to perceived barriers and the idea that intervening is rude. Participants identified low perceived susceptibility and severity (perceived threat) for a number of risky driving behaviors, including texting and driving. Training is needed to encourage people to intervene and speak up regarding behaviors other than drinking and driving, and cues to action and campaigns should target intervention to increase self-efficacy, as well as norms, susceptibility, and common rationalizations for risky behavior.

Autonomous driving in urban environments: approaches, lessons and challenges.

PubMed

Campbell, Mark; Egerstedt, Magnus; How, Jonathan P; Murray, Richard M

2010-10-13

The development of autonomous vehicles for urban driving has seen rapid progress in the past 30 years. This paper provides a summary of the current state of the art in autonomous driving in urban environments, based primarily on the experiences of the authors in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge (DUC). The paper briefly summarizes the approaches that different teams used in the DUC, with the goal of describing some of the challenges that the teams faced in driving in urban environments. The paper also highlights the long-term research challenges that must be overcome in order to enable autonomous driving and points to opportunities for new technologies to be applied in improving vehicle safety, exploiting intelligent road infrastructure and enabling robotic vehicles operating in human environments.

Intervening as a passenger in drinking/driving situations.

PubMed

Smith, Mary Jane; Kennison, Monica; Gamble, Susan; Loudin, Barbara

2004-08-01

This study sought to query adolescents about drinking/driving situations and interventions used in these circumstances. A human science qualitative method was used to analyze descriptions of situations and interventions to gain the perspective of the life world of the young person. Findings include the drinking/driving situations of entangled, endangered, and stranded. Passenger interventions included persuading, interfering, planning ahead, and threatening. Practice, education, and research implications for those who work with adolescents are offered.

Association between Executive Function and Problematic Adolescent Driving

PubMed Central

Pope, Caitlin N.; Ross, Lesley A.; Stavrinos, Despina

2016-01-01

Objective Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are one of the leading causes of injury and death for adolescents. Driving is a complex activity that is highly reliant on executive function to safely navigate through the environment. Little research has examined the efficacy of using self-reported executive function measures for assessing adolescent driving risk. This study examined the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire and performance based-executive function tasks as potential predictors of problematic driving outcomes in adolescents. Methods Forty-six adolescent drivers completed the (1) BRIEF, (2) Trail Making Test (TMT), (3) Backwards Digit Span, and (4) self-report on three problematic driving outcomes: the number of times of having been pulled over by a police officer, the number of tickets issued, and the number of MVCs. Results Greater self-reported difficulty with planning and organization was associated with greater odds of having a MVC, while inhibition difficulties were associated with greater odds of receiving a ticket. Greater self-reported difficulty across multiple BRIEF subscales was associated with greater odds of being pulled over. Conclusion Overall findings indicated that the BRIEF, an ecological measure of executive function, showed significant association with self-reported problematic driving outcomes in adolescents. No relationship was found between performance-based executive function measures and self-reported driving outcomes. The BRIEF could offer unique and quick insight into problematic driving behavior and potentially be an indicator of driving risk in adolescent drivers during clinical evaluations. PMID:27661394

Association Between Executive Function and Problematic Adolescent Driving.

PubMed

Pope, Caitlin N; Ross, Lesley A; Stavrinos, Despina

Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are one of the leading causes of injury and death for adolescents. Driving is a complex activity that is highly reliant on executive function (EF) to safely navigate through the environment. Little research has examined the efficacy of using self-reported EF measures for assessing adolescent driving risk. This study examined the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire and performance-based EF tasks as potential predictors of problematic driving outcomes in adolescents. Forty-six adolescent drivers completed the (1) BRIEF, (2) Trail Making Test, (3) Backwards Digit Span, and (4) self-report on 3 problematic driving outcomes: the number of times of having been pulled over by a police officer, the number of tickets issued, and the number of MVCs. Greater self-reported difficulty with planning and organization was associated with greater odds of having a MVC, whereas inhibition difficulties were associated with greater odds of receiving a ticket. Greater self-reported difficulty across multiple BRIEF subscales was associated with greater odds of being pulled over. Overall findings indicated that the BRIEF, an ecological measure of EF, showed significant association with self-reported problematic driving outcomes in adolescents. No relationship was found between performance-based EF measures and self-reported driving outcomes. The BRIEF could offer unique and quick insight into problematic driving behavior and potentially be an indicator of driving risk in adolescent drivers during clinical evaluations.

The incremental validity of the dark triad in predicting driving aggression.

PubMed

Burtăverde, Vlad; Chraif, Mihaela; Aniţei, Mihai; Mihăilă, Teodor

2016-11-01

This research tested the association between the Dark Triad and driving aggression as well as the incremental validity of the Dark Triad in predicting aggressive driving and the mediation role of the Dark Triad in the relationship between Big Five personality factors and aggressive driving. 274 undergraduate students in Study 1 and 95 amateur drivers in Study 2 completed measures of the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, Narcissism and Psychopathy), the Big Five personality factors and the aggressive driving expression. Results showed that all the Dark Triad traits were related to aggressive driving behavior in both Study 1 and Study 2 and that the Dark Triad predicted driving aggression after the effect of the Big five personality factors was controlled, with Psychopathy being the strongest predictor of driving aggression in both Study 1 and Study 2. Machiavellianism and Psychopathy mediated the relationship between Emotional Stability, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness on one hand and aggressive driving on the other hand. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public acceptability of highway safety countermeasures. Volume 2, Safe driving conformance research

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-06-01

This volume is part of a larger study providing information about public attitudes towards proposed highway safety countermeasures in three program areas: alcohol and drugs, unsafe driving behaviors, and pedestrian safety. Topic areas discussed in th...

Risky driving behavior and road traffic crashes among young Asian Australian drivers: findings from the DRIVE study.

PubMed

Boufous, Soufiane; Ivers, Rebecca; Senserrick, Teresa; Norton, Robyn; Stevenson, Mark; Chen, Huei-Yang; Lam, Lawrence T

2010-06-01

To examine differences in risky driving behavior and likelihood of traffic crash according to the country of birth of recently licensed young drivers. The groups examined include those born in Australia, those born in Asia, and those born in other countries. The DRIVE study is a prospective cohort study of drivers aged 17-24 years holding their first-year provisional driver license in New South Wales, Australia. Information obtained from 20,822 participants who completed a baseline questionnaire was linked to police-reported traffic crashes. Self-reported risky driving behaviors and police-reported traffic crashes in young drivers. Young drivers who were born in Asian countries were less likely to report engaging in risky driving behaviors than their Australian-born counterparts. The proportion of participants reporting a high level of risky driving was 31.5 percent (95% confidence intervale [CI], 30.8-32.1) among Australian-born drivers compared to 25.6 percent (95% CI, 23.1-28.2) among Asian-born drivers and 30.4 percent (95% CI, 28.4-32.5) among those born in other regions. Asian-born participants had half the risk of a crash as a driver than their Australian-born counterparts (relative risk [RR] 0.55; 95% CI, 0.41-0.75) after adjusting for a number of demographic factors and driving and risk-taking behaviors. The comparative risk was even lower among those aged 17 years (RR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.29-0.75). Risk estimates for people born in other regions did not differ to those for Australian-born respondents. The study highlights the lower level of risky driving and significantly reduced crash risk for Australian drivers born in Asian countries relative to those born locally. Further research is needed to examine factors underlying this reduced risk and the impact of the length of residence in the host country.

The influence of music on mental effort and driving performance.

PubMed

Ünal, Ayça Berfu; Steg, Linda; Epstude, Kai

2012-09-01

The current research examined the influence of loud music on driving performance, and whether mental effort mediated this effect. Participants (N=69) drove in a driving simulator either with or without listening to music. In order to test whether music would have similar effects on driving performance in different situations, we manipulated the simulated traffic environment such that the driving context consisted of both complex and monotonous driving situations. In addition, we systematically kept track of drivers' mental load by making the participants verbally report their mental effort at certain moments while driving. We found that listening to music increased mental effort while driving, irrespective of the driving situation being complex or monotonous, providing support to the general assumption that music can be a distracting auditory stimulus while driving. However, drivers who listened to music performed as well as the drivers who did not listen to music, indicating that music did not impair their driving performance. Importantly, the increases in mental effort while listening to music pointed out that drivers try to regulate their mental effort as a cognitive compensatory strategy to deal with task demands. Interestingly, we observed significant improvements in driving performance in two of the driving situations. It seems like mental effort might mediate the effect of music on driving performance in situations requiring sustained attention. Other process variables, such as arousal and boredom, should also be incorporated to study designs in order to reveal more on the nature of how music affects driving. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does correcting astigmatism with toric lenses improve driving performance?

PubMed

Cox, Daniel J; Banton, Thomas; Record, Steven; Grabman, Jesse H; Hawkins, Ronald J

2015-04-01

Driving is a vision-based activity of daily living that impacts safety. Because visual disruption can compromise driving safety, contact lens wearers with astigmatism may pose a driving safety risk if they experience residual blur from spherical lenses that do not correct their astigmatism or if they experience blur from toric lenses that rotate excessively. Given that toric lens stabilization systems are continually improving, this preliminary study tested the hypothesis that astigmats wearing toric contact lenses, compared with spherical lenses, would exhibit better overall driving performance and driving-specific visual abilities. A within-subject, single-blind, crossover, randomized design was used to evaluate driving performance in 11 young adults with astigmatism (-0.75 to -1.75 diopters cylinder). Each participant drove a highly immersive, virtual reality driving simulator (210 degrees field of view) with (1) no correction, (2) spherical contact lens correction (ACUVUE MOIST), and (3) toric contact lens correction (ACUVUE MOIST for Astigmatism). Tactical driving skills such as steering, speed management, and braking, as well as operational driving abilities such as visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and foot and arm reaction time, were quantified. There was a main effect for type of correction on driving performance (p = 0.05). Correction with toric lenses resulted in significantly safer tactical driving performance than no correction (p < 0.05), whereas correction with spherical lenses did not differ in driving safety from no correction (p = 0.118). Operational tests differentiated corrected from uncorrected performance for both spherical (p = 0.008) and toric (p = 0.011) lenses, but they were not sensitive enough to differentiate toric from spherical lens conditions. Given previous research showing that deficits in these tactical skills are predictive of future real-world collisions, these preliminary data suggest that correcting low to moderate

Do aggressive driving and negative emotional driving mediate the link between impulsiveness and risky driving among young Italian drivers?

PubMed

Smorti, Martina; Guarnieri, Silvia

2016-01-01

The present study examined the contribution of impulsiveness and aggressive and negative emotional driving to the prediction of traffic violations and accidents taking into account potential mediation effects. Three hundred and four young drivers completed self-report measures assessing impulsiveness, aggressive and negative emotional driving, driving violations, and accidents. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the direct and indirect effects of impulsiveness on violations and accidents among young drivers through aggressive and negative emotional driving. Impulsiveness only indirectly influenced drivers' violations on the road via both the behavioral and emotional states of the driver. On the contrary, impulsiveness was neither directly nor indirectly associated with traffic accidents. Therefore, impulsiveness modulates young drivers' behavioral and emotional states while driving, which in turn influences risky driving.

Acceptance of drinking and driving and alcohol-involved driving crashes in California.

PubMed

MacLeod, Kara E; Karriker-Jaffe, Katherine J; Ragland, David R; Satariano, William A; Kelley-Baker, Tara; Lacey, John H

2015-08-01

Alcohol-impaired driving accounts for substantial proportion of traffic-related fatalities in the U.S. Risk perceptions for drinking and driving have been associated with various measures of drinking and driving behavior. In an effort to understand how to intervene and to better understand how risk perceptions may be shaped, this study explored whether an objective environmental-level measure (proportion of alcohol-involved driving crashes in one's residential city) were related to individual-level perceptions and behavior. Using data from a 2012 cross-sectional roadside survey of 1147 weekend nighttime drivers in California, individual-level self-reported acceptance of drinking and driving and past-year drinking and driving were merged with traffic crash data using respondent ZIP codes. Population average logistic regression modeling was conducted for the odds of acceptance of drinking and driving and self-reported, past-year drinking and driving. A non-linear relationship between city-level alcohol-involved traffic crashes and individual-level acceptance of drinking and driving was found. Acceptance of drinking and driving did not mediate the relationship between the proportion of alcohol-involved traffic crashes and self-reported drinking and driving behavior. However, it was directly related to behavior among those most likely to drink outside the home. The present study surveys a particularly relevant population and is one of few drinking and driving studies to evaluate the relationship between an objective environmental-level crash risk measure and individual-level risk perceptions. In communities with both low and high proportions of alcohol-involved traffic crashes there was low acceptance of drinking and driving. This may mean that in communities with low proportions of crashes, citizens have less permissive norms around drinking and driving, whereas in communities with a high proportion of crashes, the incidence of these crashes may serve as an

Acceptance of drinking and driving and alcohol-involved driving crashes in California

PubMed Central

Karriker-Jaffe, Katherine J.; Ragland, David R.; Satariano, William A.; Kelley-Baker, Tara; Lacey, John H.

2016-01-01

Background Alcohol-impaired driving accounts for substantial proportion of traffic-related fatalities in the U.S. Risk perceptions for drinking and driving have been associated with various measures of drinking and driving behavior. In an effort to understand how to intervene and to better understand how risk perceptions may be shaped, this study explored whether an objective environmental-level measure (proportion of alcohol-involved driving crashes in one's residential city) were related to individual-level perceptions and behavior. Methods Using data from a 2012 cross-sectional roadside survey of 1,147 weekend nighttime drivers in California, individual-level self-reported acceptance of drinking and driving and past-year drinking and driving were merged with traffic crash data using respondent ZIP codes. Population average logistic regression modeling was conducted for the odds of acceptance of drinking and driving and self-reported, past-year drinking and driving. Results A non-linear relationship between city-level alcohol-involved traffic crashes and individual-level acceptance of drinking and driving was found. Acceptance of drinking and driving did not mediate the relationship between the proportion of alcohol-involved traffic crashes and self-reported drinking and driving behavior. However, it was directly related to behavior among those most likely to drink outside the home. Discussion The present study surveys a particularly relevant population and is one of few drinking and driving studies to evaluate the relationship between an objective environmental-level crash risk measure and individual-level risk perceptions. In communities with both low and high proportions of alcohol-involved traffic crashes there was low acceptance of drinking and driving. This may mean that in communities with low proportions of crashes, citizens have less permissive norms around drinking and driving, whereas in communities with a high proportion of crashes, the incidence of

Automated Driving System Architecture to Ensure Safe Delegation of Driving Authority

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

YUN, Sunkil; NISHIMURA, Hidekazu

2016-09-01

In this paper, the architecture of an automated driving system (ADS) is proposed to ensure safe delegation of driving authority between the ADS and a driver. Limitations of the ADS functions may activate delegation of driving authority to a driver. However, it leads to severe consequences in emergency situations where a driver may be drowsy or distracted. To address these issues, first, the concept model for the ADS in the situation for delegation of driving authority is described taking the driver's behaviour and state into account. Second, the behaviour / state of a driver and functional flow / state of ADS and the interactions between them are modelled to understand the context where the ADS requests to delegate the driving authority to a driver. Finally, the proposed architecture of the ADS is verified under the simulations based on the emergency braking scenarios. In the verification process using simulation, we have derived the necessary condition for safe delegation of driving authority is that the ADS should assist s driver even after delegating driving authority to a driver who has not enough capability to regain control of the driving task.

Driving reduction and cessation : transitioning to not driving.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

This project examined the process of driving reduction and cessation from the perspective of older adults (current and former drivers) and adult children. The objectives were to identify common markers of the process of driving cessation and to gain ...

Validating a driving simulator using surrogate safety measures.

PubMed

Yan, Xuedong; Abdel-Aty, Mohamed; Radwan, Essam; Wang, Xuesong; Chilakapati, Praveen

2008-01-01

Traffic crash statistics and previous research have shown an increased risk of traffic crashes at signalized intersections. How to diagnose safety problems and develop effective countermeasures to reduce crash rate at intersections is a key task for traffic engineers and researchers. This study aims at investigating whether the driving simulator can be used as a valid tool to assess traffic safety at signalized intersections. In support of the research objective, this simulator validity study was conducted from two perspectives, a traffic parameter (speed) and a safety parameter (crash history). A signalized intersection with as many important features (including roadway geometries, traffic control devices, intersection surroundings, and buildings) was replicated into a high-fidelity driving simulator. A driving simulator experiment with eight scenarios at the intersection were conducted to determine if the subjects' speed behavior and traffic risk patterns in the driving simulator were similar to what were found at the real intersection. The experiment results showed that speed data observed from the field and in the simulator experiment both follow normal distributions and have equal means for each intersection approach, which validated the driving simulator in absolute terms. Furthermore, this study used an innovative approach of using surrogate safety measures from the simulator to contrast with the crash analysis for the field data. The simulator experiment results indicated that compared to the right-turn lane with the low rear-end crash history record (2 crashes), subjects showed a series of more risky behaviors at the right-turn lane with the high rear-end crash history record (16 crashes), including higher deceleration rate (1.80+/-1.20 m/s(2) versus 0.80+/-0.65 m/s(2)), higher non-stop right-turn rate on red (81.67% versus 57.63%), higher right-turn speed as stop line (18.38+/-8.90 km/h versus 14.68+/-6.04 km/h), shorter following distance (30

State of Knowledge of Alcohol-Impaired Driving: Research on Repeat DWI Offenders

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-02-01

Reviews the scientific literature since 1990 about drivers who have been convicted more than once of driving while impaired : by alcohol (DWI). Covers the role of such drivers in alcohol-related crashes, their characteristics, and the nature and : ef...

Assessment of the effectiveness of wrong way driving countermeasures and mitigation methods.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-01

This report describes the methodology and results of tasks performed to evaluate the effectiveness of : wrong way driving countermeasures and mitigation methods. Researchers reviewed the state of the practice : regarding wrong way driving in the Unit...

[Driving and dementia : An issue for general practice?!

PubMed

Leve, Verena; Ilse, Katharina; Ufert, Marie; Wilm, Stefan; Pentzek, Michael

2017-05-01

With most forms of dementia, the risk of road traffic accidents increases with disease progression. Addressing the issue of fitness to drive at an early stage can help to reduce driving-related risks and simultaneously preserve mobility. General practitioners (GPs) are central contact persons for dementia patients and their relatives in medical and psychosocial matters, and also play a key role in addressing the issue of driving safety. Identification of relevant aspects of managing fitness to drive in dementia, as well as of support requirements for German general practice. Seven focus groups with dementia patients, family caregivers and GPs were conducted in order to define the different requirements for counselling in the general practice setting. The transcribed discussions were analysed by a multiprofessional research team using content analysis. For people with dementia, declining mobility and driving cessation is related to a loss of autonomy. Addressing fitness to drive in dementia is thus a subject of conflict and uncertainty for both family caregivers and GPs. The difficulties include the assessment of fitness to drive in the general practice setting, concerns about compromising the patient-physician relationship by raising the issue of driving fitness, as well as uncertainties about the GP's own role. GPs consider the involvement of caregivers to be important to successfully address the topic of driving safety and organise alternative transport. Support is required in the form of criteria defining the time point at which fitness to drive should be assessed, information on compensation possibilities and mobility alternatives. Resource-oriented and patient-centred development of management strategies for limited mobility is needed in general practice. Finding the correct balance between documentation, adequately informing the patient and establishing patient-centred strategies represents a challenge.

Cannabis effects on driving skills.

PubMed

Hartman, Rebecca L; Huestis, Marilyn A

2013-03-01

Cannabis is the most prevalent illicit drug identified in impaired drivers. The effects of cannabis on driving continue to be debated, making prosecution and legislation difficult. Historically, delays in sample collection, evaluating the inactive Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) metabolite 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC, and polydrug use have complicated epidemiologic evaluations of driver impairment after cannabis use. We review and evaluate the current literature on cannabis' effects on driving, highlighting the epidemiologic and experimental data. Epidemiologic data show that the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle accident (MVA) increases approximately 2-fold after cannabis smoking. The adjusted risk of driver culpability also increases substantially, particularly with increased blood THC concentrations. Studies that have used urine as the biological matrix have not shown an association between cannabis and crash risk. Experimental data show that drivers attempt to compensate by driving more slowly after smoking cannabis, but control deteriorates with increasing task complexity. Cannabis smoking increases lane weaving and impaired cognitive function. Critical-tracking tests, reaction times, divided-attention tasks, and lane-position variability all show cannabis-induced impairment. Despite purported tolerance in frequent smokers, complex tasks still show impairment. Combining cannabis with alcohol enhances impairment, especially lane weaving. Differences in study designs frequently account for inconsistencies in results between studies. Participant-selection bias and confounding factors attenuate ostensible cannabis effects, but the association with MVA often retains significance. Evidence suggests recent smoking and/or blood THC concentrations 2-5 ng/mL are associated with substantial driving impairment, particularly in occasional smokers. Future cannabis-and-driving research should emphasize challenging tasks, such as divided attention, and include occasional and

Cannabis Effects on Driving Skills

PubMed Central

Hartman, Rebecca L.; Huestis, Marilyn A.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND Cannabis is the most prevalent illicit drug identified in impaired drivers. The effects of cannabis on driving continue to be debated, making prosecution and legislation difficult. Historically, delays in sample collection, evaluating the inactive Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) metabolite 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC, and polydrug use have complicated epidemiologic evaluations of driver impairment after cannabis use. CONTENT We review and evaluate the current literature on cannabis’ effects on driving, highlighting the epidemiologic and experimental data. Epidemiologic data show that the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle accident (MVA) increases approximately 2-fold after cannabis smoking. The adjusted risk of driver culpability also increases substantially, particularly with increased blood THC concentrations. Studies that have used urine as the biological matrix have not shown an association between cannabis and crash risk. Experimental data show that drivers attempt to compensate by driving more slowly after smoking cannabis, but control deteriorates with increasing task complexity. Cannabis smoking increases lane weaving and impaired cognitive function. Critical-tracking tests, reaction times, divided-attention tasks, and lane-position variability all show cannabis-induced impairment. Despite purported tolerance in frequent smokers, complex tasks still show impairment. Combining cannabis with alcohol enhances impairment, especially lane weaving. SUMMARY Differences in study designs frequently account for inconsistencies in results between studies. Participant-selection bias and confounding factors attenuate ostensible cannabis effects, but the association with MVA often retains significance. Evidence suggests recent smoking and/or blood THC concentrations 2–5 ng/mL are associated with substantial driving impairment, particularly in occasional smokers. Future cannabis-and-driving research should emphasize challenging tasks, such as divided attention

The Neotropical tanyderid Araucoderus gloriosus (Alexander) (Diptera, Tanyderidae), with description of the egg, larva and pupa, redescription of adults, and notes on natural history.

PubMed

Madriz, R Isaí; Courtney, Gregory W

2016-08-30

Larvae, pupae and adults of Araucoderus gloriosus (Alexander) were collected during fieldwork in Chilean Patagonia, December 2013 and January 2014. Eggs were obtained from females that oviposited in captivity. Association of all life stages is based on co-occurrence and rearing of individual larvae to adults. A diagnosis for the genus and species is provided. Descriptions of the egg, larva and pupa and redescriptions of the male and female are completed. Eggs of A. gloriosus are the first described for Tanyderidae. Natural history characteristics for this species, including microhabitat, copulatory behavior and oviposition, are discussed.

A roadmap for interpreting the literature on vision and driving.

PubMed

Owsley, Cynthia; Wood, Joanne M; McGwin, Gerald

2015-01-01

Over the past several decades there has been a sharp increase in the number of studies focused on the relationship between vision and driving. The intensified attention to this topic has most likely been stimulated by the lack of an evidence basis for determining vision standards for driving licensure and a poor understanding about how vision impairment impacts driver safety and performance. Clinicians depend on the literature on vision and driving to advise visually impaired patients appropriately about driving fitness. Policy makers also depend on the scientific literature in order to develop guidelines that are evidence-based and are thus fair to persons who are visually impaired. Thus it is important for clinicians and policy makers alike to understand how various study designs and measurement methods should be interpreted so that the conclusions and recommendations they make are not overly broad, too narrowly constrained, or even misguided. We offer a methodological framework to guide interpretations of studies on vision and driving that can also serve as a heuristic for researchers in the area. Here, we discuss research designs and general measurement methods for the study of vision as they relate to driver safety, driver performance, and driver-centered (self-reported) outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 82132 - ITS Joint Program Office; Human Factors for IntelliDrive SM

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-29

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ITS Joint Program Office; Human Factors for IntelliDrive \\SM\\ (HFID... meeting to discuss the Human Factors for IntelliDrive (HFID) program on January 6, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 5... environment. One of the supporting research programs is Human Factors for IntelliDrive (HFID), a program aimed...

Exposure to Movie Reckless Driving in Early Adolescence Predicts Reckless, but Not Inattentive Driving.

PubMed

Kostermans, Evelien; Stoolmiller, Mike; de Leeuw, Rebecca N H; Engels, Rutger C M E; Sargent, James D

2014-01-01

We examine the association between exposure to depictions of reckless driving in movies and unsafe driving, modeling inattentive and reckless driving as separate outcomes. Data were obtained by telephone from 1,630 US adolescents aged 10 to 14 years at baseline who were drivers at a survey 6 years later. Exposure to movie reckless driving was measured based on movies seen from a randomly selected list of 50 movie titles that had been content coded for reckless driving among characters. Associations were tested with inattentive and reckless driving behaviors in the subsequent survey-controlling for baseline age, sex, socioeconomic status, parental education, school performance, extracurricular activities, daily television and video/computer game exposure, number of movies watched per week, self-regulation and sensation seeking. Exposure to movie reckless driving was common, with approximately 10% of movie characters having driven recklessly. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a significant distinction between items tapping reckless and inattentive driving at the 6th wave. Age and exposure to movie reckless driving at baseline were directly associated with wave-6 reckless (but not inattentive) driving. Additionally, growth in sensation seeking mediated a prospective relation between the total number of movies watched per week at baseline and reckless driving, independent of exposure to movie reckless driving. Males and high sensation seekers reported lower seatbelt usage and more reckless driving, whereas lower self-regulation predicted inattentive driving. In this study, exposure to movie reckless driving during early adolescence predicted adolescents' reckless driving, suggesting a direct modeling effect. Other aspects of movies were also associated with reckless driving, with that association mediated through growth in sensation seeking. Predictors of reckless driving were different from predictors of inattentive driving, with lower self-regulation associated

Exposure to Movie Reckless Driving in Early Adolescence Predicts Reckless, but Not Inattentive Driving

PubMed Central

Kostermans, Evelien; Stoolmiller, Mike; de Leeuw, Rebecca N. H.; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.; Sargent, James D.

2014-01-01

Objective We examine the association between exposure to depictions of reckless driving in movies and unsafe driving, modeling inattentive and reckless driving as separate outcomes. Methods Data were obtained by telephone from 1,630 US adolescents aged 10 to 14 years at baseline who were drivers at a survey 6 years later. Exposure to movie reckless driving was measured based on movies seen from a randomly selected list of 50 movie titles that had been content coded for reckless driving among characters. Associations were tested with inattentive and reckless driving behaviors in the subsequent survey–controlling for baseline age, sex, socioeconomic status, parental education, school performance, extracurricular activities, daily television and video/computer game exposure, number of movies watched per week, self-regulation and sensation seeking. Results Exposure to movie reckless driving was common, with approximately 10% of movie characters having driven recklessly. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a significant distinction between items tapping reckless and inattentive driving at the 6th wave. Age and exposure to movie reckless driving at baseline were directly associated with wave-6 reckless (but not inattentive) driving. Additionally, growth in sensation seeking mediated a prospective relation between the total number of movies watched per week at baseline and reckless driving, independent of exposure to movie reckless driving. Males and high sensation seekers reported lower seatbelt usage and more reckless driving, whereas lower self-regulation predicted inattentive driving. Discussion In this study, exposure to movie reckless driving during early adolescence predicted adolescents’ reckless driving, suggesting a direct modeling effect. Other aspects of movies were also associated with reckless driving, with that association mediated through growth in sensation seeking. Predictors of reckless driving were different from predictors of inattentive driving

78 FR 27238 - Ocean Transportation Intermediary License Applicants

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-09

... President (QI), Charles H. Fischer III, President, Application Type: QI Change. CNC Worldwide, Inc. (NVO), 5343 W. Imperial Highway, Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90045, Officers: Eric Cheon, Secretary (QI), Henry...), 446 Cloverleaf Drive, Baldwin Park, CA 91706, Officers: Alexander C. Sahagun, President (QI), Julian L...

Gear bearing drive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mavroidis, Constantinos (Inventor); Vranish, John M. (Inventor); Weinberg, Brian (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A gear bearing drive provides a compact mechanism that operates as an actuator providing torque and as a joint providing support. The drive includes a gear arrangement integrating an external rotor DC motor within a sun gear. Locking surfaces maintain the components of the drive in alignment and provide support for axial loads and moments. The gear bearing drive has a variety of applications, including as a joint in robotic arms and prosthetic limbs.

State of knowledge of alcohol-impaired driving : research on repeat DWI offenders

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

This study reviews the scientific literature since 1990 relating to drivers who have been convicted more than once of driving while impaired by alcohol (DWI). It covers the role of such drivers in alcohol-related crashes, their characteristics, and t...

Alcohol-Impaired Driving and Perceived Risks of Legal Consequences.

PubMed

Sloan, Frank A; McCutchan, Sabrina A; Eldred, Lindsey M

2017-02-01

apprehension by increasing police staffing and/or conducting sobriety checks is a more effective strategy for reducing alcohol-impaired driving than legislating increased penalties for DWI. Copyright © 2017 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Drunk driving detection based on classification of multivariate time series.

PubMed

Li, Zhenlong; Jin, Xue; Zhao, Xiaohua

2015-09-01

This paper addresses the problem of detecting drunk driving based on classification of multivariate time series. First, driving performance measures were collected from a test in a driving simulator located in the Traffic Research Center, Beijing University of Technology. Lateral position and steering angle were used to detect drunk driving. Second, multivariate time series analysis was performed to extract the features. A piecewise linear representation was used to represent multivariate time series. A bottom-up algorithm was then employed to separate multivariate time series. The slope and time interval of each segment were extracted as the features for classification. Third, a support vector machine classifier was used to classify driver's state into two classes (normal or drunk) according to the extracted features. The proposed approach achieved an accuracy of 80.0%. Drunk driving detection based on the analysis of multivariate time series is feasible and effective. The approach has implications for drunk driving detection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Test drivers in the Daimler-Benz driving simulator with drivers under diphenhydramine

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-01-01

The research project investigated the influence of diphenhydramine on the driving performance measured in the Daimler-Benz driving simulator. Test subjects were male students; 20 received a medium, and 20 received a high dosage of diphenhydramine. A ...

The relative impact of work-related stress, life stress and driving environment stress on driving outcomes.

PubMed

Rowden, Peter; Matthews, Gerald; Watson, Barry; Biggs, Herbert

2011-07-01

Previous research has shown the association between stress and crash involvement. The impact of stress on road safety may also be mediated by behaviours including cognitive lapses, errors, and intentional traffic violations. This study aimed to provide a further understanding of the impact that stress from different sources may have upon driving behaviour and road safety. It is asserted that both stress extraneous to the driving environment and stress directly elicited by driving must be considered part of a dynamic system that may have a negative impact on driving behaviours. Two hundred and forty-seven public sector employees from Queensland, Australia, completed self-report measures examining demographics, subjective work-related stress, daily hassles, and aspects of general mental health. Additionally, the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) and the Driver Stress Inventory (DSI) were administered. All participants drove for work purposes regularly, however the study did not specifically focus on full-time professional drivers. Confirmatory factor analysis of the predictor variables revealed three factors: DSI negative affect; DSI risk taking; and extraneous influences (daily hassles, work-related stress, and general mental health). Moderate intercorrelations were found between each of these factors confirming the 'spillover' effect. That is, driver stress is reciprocally related to stress in other domains including work and domestic life. Structural equation modelling (SEM) showed that the DSI negative affect factor influenced both lapses and errors, whereas the DSI risk-taking factor was the strongest influence on violations. The SEMs also confirmed that daily hassles extraneous to the driving environment may influence DBQ lapses and violations independently. Accordingly, interventions may be developed to increase driver awareness of the dangers of excessive emotional responses to both driving events and daily hassles (e.g. driving fast to 'blow off steam

Age differences in the takeover of vehicle control and engagement in non-driving-related activities in simulated driving with conditional automation.

PubMed

Clark, Hallie; Feng, Jing

2017-09-01

High-level vehicle automation has been proposed as a valuable means to enhance the mobility of older drivers, as older drivers experience age-related declines in many cognitive functions that are vital for safe driving. Recent research attempted to examine age differences in how engagement in non-driving-related activities impact driving performance, by instructing drivers to engage in mandatory pre-designed activities. While the mandatory engagement method allows a precise control of the timing and mental workload of the non-driving-related activities, it is different from how a driver would naturally engage in these activities. This study allowed younger (age 18-35, mean age=19.9years) and older drivers (age 62-81, mean age=70.4years) to freely decide when and how to engage in voluntarily chosen non-driving-related activities during simulated driving with conditional automation. We coded video recordings of participants' engagement in non-driving-related activities. We examined the effect of age, level of activity-engagement and takeover notification interval on vehicle control performance during the takeover, by comparing between the high and low engagement groups in younger and older drivers, across two takeover notification interval conditions. We found that both younger and older drivers engaged in various non-driving-related activities during the automated driving portion, with distinct preferences on the type of activity for each age group (i.e., while younger drivers mostly used an electronic device, older drivers tended to converse). There were also significant differences between the two age groups and between the two notification intervals on various driving performance measures. Older drivers benefited more than younger drivers from the longer interval in terms of response time to notifications. Voluntary engagement in non-driving-related activities did not impair takeover performance in general, although there was a trend of older drivers who were

Hostility, driving anger, and dangerous driving: the emerging role of hemispheric preference.

PubMed

Gidron, Yori; Gaygısız, Esma; Lajunen, Timo

2014-12-01

Various studies have implicated psychosocial variables (e.g., hostility) in risk of dangerous driving and traffic accidents. However, whether these variables are related to more basic neurobiological factors, and whether such associations have implications for the modification of psychosocial risk factors in the context of driving, have not been examined in depth. This study examined the relationship between hemispheric preference (HP), hostility and self-reported dangerous driving, and the ability to affect driving anger via hemisphere activating cognitive exercises (HACE). In Study 1, 254 Turkish students completed questionnaires of hostility, HP and driving behavior. In Study 2, we conducted a "proof of concept" experimental study, and tested effects of left, right and neutral HACE on driving anger, by exposing N=650 Turkish students to written scenarios including either logical (left hemisphere), visuo-spatial (right hemisphere) or "mild doses" of both types of contents (control). In Study 1, left-HP was associated with higher hostility and with more dangerous driving, and hostility mediated the relationship between L-HP and reported driving behavior. In Study 2, only right-HACE led to immediate significant reductions in self-reported driving anger. Left-HP is related to hostility and to dangerous driving, and it may be possible to partly reduce driving anger by right-HACE. Future studies must replicate these findings with objective measures, more enduring interventions and longer follow-ups. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Influence of Training Strategy and Physical Condition toward Forehand Drive Ability in Table Tennis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langitan, F. W.

2018-02-01

The objective of this research is to find out the influence of training strategy and physical condition toward forehand drive ability in table tennis of student in faculty of sport in university of Manado, department of health and recreation education. The method used in this research was factorial 2x2 design method. The population was taken from the student of Faculty of Sport at Manado State University, Indonesia, in 2017 of 76 students for sample research. The result of this research shows that: In general, this training strategy of wall bounce gives better influence toward forehand drive ability compare with the strategy of pair training in table tennis. For the students who have strong forehand muscle, the wall bounce training strategy give better influence to their ability of forehand drive in table tennis. For the student who have weak forehand muscle, pair training strategy give better influence than wall bound training toward forehand drive ability in table tennis. There is an interaction between training using hand muscle strength to the training result in table tennis using forehand drive.

Driving performance and driver discomfort in an elevated and standard driving position during a driving simulation.

PubMed

Smith, Jordan; Mansfield, Neil; Gyi, Diane; Pagett, Mark; Bateman, Bob

2015-07-01

The primary purposes of a vehicle driver's seat, is to allow them to complete the driving task comfortably and safely. Within each class of vehicle (e.g. passenger, commercial, industrial, agricultural), there is an expected driving position to which a vehicle cabin is designed. This paper reports a study that compares two driving positions, in relation to Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs), in terms of driver performance and driver discomfort. In the 'elevated' driving position, the seat is higher than usually used in road vehicles; this is compared to a standard driving position replicating the layout for a commercially available vehicle. It is shown that for a sample of 12 drivers, the elevated position did not, in general, show more discomfort than the standard position over a 60 min driving simulation, although discomfort increased with duration. There were no adverse effects shown for emergency stop reaction time or for driver headway for the elevated posture compared to the standard posture. The only body part that showed greater discomfort for the elevated posture compared to the standard posture was the right ankle. A second experiment confirmed that for 12 subjects, a higher pedal stiffness eliminated the ankle discomfort problem. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

The contribution of parents' driving behavior, family climate for road safety, and parent-targeted intervention to young male driving behavior.

PubMed

Taubman-Ben-Ari, Orit; Musicant, Oren; Lotan, Tsippy; Farah, Haneen

2014-11-01

One of the prominent issues in contemporary research on young drivers deals with the mechanisms underlying parents' influences on their offspring's driving behavior. The present study combines two sets of data: the first gathered from in-vehicle data recorders tracking the driving of parents and their teenage sons, and the second derived from self-report questionnaires completed by the young drivers. The aim was to evaluate the contribution of parents' driving behavior, participation in a parent-targeted intervention, and the teen drivers' perception of the family climate for road safety, to the driving behavior of young drivers during solo driving. The data was collected over the course of 12 months, beginning with the licensure of the teen driver, and examined a sample of 166 families who were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups (receiving different forms of feedback) or a control group (with no feedback). Findings indicate that young male drivers' risky driving events rate was positively associated with that of their parents. In addition, any type of intervention led to a lower rate of risky driving events among young drivers compared to the control group. Finally, a higher perception of parents as not committed to safety and lower perceived parental monitoring were related to a higher risky driving events rate among young drivers. The results highlight the need to consider a complex set of antecedents in parents' attitudes and behavior, as well as the family's safety atmosphere, in order to better understand young drivers' risky driving. The practical implications refer to the effective use of the family as a lever in the attempt to promote safety awareness among young drivers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parenting behaviors during risky driving by teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Schatz, Nicole K; Fabiano, Gregory A; Morris, Karen L; Shucard, Jennifer M; Leo, Brittany A; Bieniek, Courtney

2014-03-01

Parenting practices for teen drivers with ADHD were observed via a video monitor installed in vehicles. All teens had recently completed a driver education course and were in the driving permit stage of a graduated driver-licensing program. Parent behaviors were coded during drives when teens were driving safely and during drives when teens engaged in risky driving. The overall frequency of positive parenting strategies was low, regardless of whether teens drove safely or engaged in risky driving. Although the rate of negative feedback was also low, parents engaged in significantly more criticism and were rated by an observer to appear angrier when teens were driving in a risky manner. No other differences in parent behaviors associated with the quality of teen driving were observed. The inconsistencies between observed parenting behaviors and those parenting practices recommended as effective with teens with ADHD are discussed. The need for further research addressing effective strategies for teaching teens with ADHD to drive is highlighted. © 2013.

Driving poststroke: problem identification, assessment use, and interventions offered by canadian occupational therapists.

PubMed

Petzold, Anita; Korner-Bitensky, Nicol; Rochette, Annie; Teasell, Robert; Marshall, Shawn; Perrier, Marie-Josee

2010-01-01

Driving is a key factor in maintaining autonomy and participation in life. Occupational therapists (OTs) are expected to assess individuals who want to resume driving post stroke and to provide retraining where appropriate. Research from the 1980s and 1990s indicated that patients were, for the most part, not being assessed and retrained. However, little is known about current practice management. Thus, this study examined clinicians' management of driving-related issues when treating clients with stroke. We performed a Canadawide telephone survey of 480 OTs providing stroke rehabilitation in both inpatient rehabilitation and community-based settings. Clinicians reported on problems they noted and assessments and interventions they would provide for a "typical patient" described in a vignette that matched their work setting. 20% and 34% of clinicians responding to the inpatient rehabilitation and community-based vignettes, respectively, identified return to driving as a problem. Clinician and work environment variables significantly associated (P < .01) with identifying driving as a potential problem included being male, involvement in university teaching, research conducted in setting, and hosting student placements. The use of driving-specific assessments was under 12%. Less than 6% of clinicians offered driving retraining, and their desired use of retraining was low. Few clinicians identified driving as a problem post stoke, raising concern that patients attempt to drive on their own or never resume driving because of a lack of attention to driving during their rehabilitation. Poststroke driver assessment and retraining is a critical component of poststroke community reintegration that requires greater awareness by clinicians.

The effects of texting on driving performance in a driving simulator: the influence of driver age.

PubMed

Rumschlag, Gordon; Palumbo, Theresa; Martin, Amber; Head, Doreen; George, Rajiv; Commissaris, Randall L

2015-01-01

Distracted driving is a significant contributor to motor vehicle accidents and fatalities, and texting is a particularly significant form of driver distraction that continues to be on the rise. The present study examined the influence of driver age (18-59 years old) and other factors on the disruptive effects of texting on simulated driving behavior. While 'driving' the simulator, subjects were engaged in a series of brief text conversations with a member of the research team. The primary dependent variable was the occurrence of Lane Excursions (defined as any time the center of the vehicle moved outside the directed driving lane, e.g., into the lane for oncoming traffic or onto the shoulder of the road), measured as (1) the percent of subjects that exhibited Lane Excursions, (2) the number of Lane Excursions occurring and (3) the percent of the texting time in Lane Excursions. Multiple Regression analyses were used to assess the influence of several factors on driving performance while texting, including text task duration, texting skill level (subject-reported), texting history (#texts/week), driver gender and driver age. Lane Excursions were not observed in the absence of texting, but 66% of subjects overall exhibited Lane Excursions while texting. Multiple Regression analysis for all subjects (N=50) revealed that text task duration was significantly correlated with the number of Lane Excursions, and texting skill level and driver age were significantly correlated with the percent of subjects exhibiting Lane Excursions. Driver gender was not significantly correlated with Lane Excursions during texting. Multiple Regression analysis of only highly skilled texters (N=27) revealed that driver age was significantly correlated with the number of Lane Excursions, the percent of subjects exhibiting Lane Excursions and the percent of texting time in Lane Excursions. In contrast, Multiple Regression analysis of those drivers who self-identified as not highly skilled

Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion research at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics: charting the path to thermonuclear ignition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCrory, R. L.; Regan, S. P.; Loucks, S. J.; Meyerhofer, D. D.; Skupsky, S.; Betti, R.; Boehly, T. R.; Craxton, R. S.; Collins, T. J. B.; Delettrez, J. A.; Edgell, D.; Epstein, R.; Fletcher, K. A.; Freeman, C.; Frenje, J. A.; Glebov, V. Yu.; Goncharov, V. N.; Harding, D. R.; Igumenshchev, I. V.; Keck, R. L.; Kilkenny, J. D.; Knauer, J. P.; Li, C. K.; Marciante, J.; Marozas, J. A.; Marshall, F. J.; Maximov, A. V.; McKenty, P. W.; Myatt, J.; Padalino, S.; Petrasso, R. D.; Radha, P. B.; Sangster, T. C.; Séguin, F. H.; Seka, W.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Soures, J. M.; Stoeckl, C.; Yaakobi, B.; Zuegel, J. D.

2005-10-01

Significant theoretical and experimental progress continues to be made at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), charting the path to direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) ignition. Direct drive offers the potential for higher-gain implosions than x-ray drive and is a leading candidate for an inertial fusion energy power plant. LLE's direct-drive ICF ignition target designs for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are based on hot-spot ignition. A cryogenic target with a spherical DT-ice layer, within or without a foam matrix, enclosed by a thin plastic shell, will be directly irradiated with ~1.5 MJ of laser energy. Cryogenic and plastic/foam (surrogate-cryogenic) targets that are hydrodynamically scaled from these ignition target designs are imploded on the 60-beam, 30 kJ, UV OMEGA laser system to validate the key target physics issues, including energy coupling, hydrodynamic instabilities and implosion symmetry. Prospects for direct-drive ignition on the NIF are extremely favourable, even while it is in its x-ray-drive irradiation configuration, with the development of the polar-direct-drive concept. A high-energy petawatt capability is being constructed at LLE next to the existing 60-beam OMEGA compression facility. This OMEGA EP (extended performance) laser will add two short-pulse, 2.6 kJ beams to the OMEGA laser system to backlight direct-drive ICF implosions and study fast-ignition physics with focused intensities up to 6 × 1020 W cm-2.