Adaptive response criteria in road hazard detection among older drivers

Objectives: The majority of existing investigations on attention, aging, and driving have focused on the negative impacts of age-related declines in attention on hazard detection and driver performance. However, driving skills and behavioral compensation may accommodate for the negative effects that age-related attentional decline places on driving performance. In this study, we examined an important question that had been largely neglected in the literature linking attention, aging, and driving: can top-down factors such as behavioral compensation, specifically adaptive response criteria, accommodate the negative impacts from age-related attention declines on hazard detection during driving?

Methods: In the experiment, we used the Drive Aware Task, a task combining the driving context with well-controlled laboratory procedures measuring attention. We compared younger (n = 16, age 21–30) and older (n = 21, age 65–79) drivers on their attentional processing of hazards in driving scenes, indexed by percentage of correct responses and reaction time of hazard detection, as well as sensitivity and response criteria using signal detection analysis.

Results: Older drivers, in general, were less accurate and slower on the task than younger drivers. However, results from this experiment revealed that older, but not younger, drivers adapted their response criteria when the traffic condition changed in the driving scenes. When there was more traffic in the driving scene, older drivers became more liberal in their responses, meaning that they were more likely to report that a driving hazard was detected.

Conclusions: Older drivers adopt compensatory strategies for hazard detection during driving. Our findings showed that, in the driving context, even at an older age our attentional functions are still adaptive according to environmental conditions. This leads to considerations on potential training methods to promote adaptive strategies that may help older drivers maintain performance in road hazard detection.     

The combined effects of on-road and simulator training with feedback on older drivers' on-road performance: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial

Objective: A number of training programs that seek to improve driving performance among older drivers are available accompanied by a growing interest in their effectiveness. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the combined effect of (1) basic in-class training (BT); (2) on-road training with individualized feedback (OR); and (3) training on a driving simulator (S).

Methods: Using a randomized controlled trial study design, 78 older drivers were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups (BT, BT + OR, or BT + OR + S). All participants completed a pre- and postintervention on-road driving evaluation on a standardized route. The driving evaluations were recorded using video and Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment and were scored by a blind assessor.

Results: The results indicated a significant reduction of approximately 30% in overall number of driving errors/omissions among participants in the BT + OR and the BT + OR + S groups in comparison to participants in the BT group.

Conclusions: This study adds to the mounting evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of individualized driver training in improving safe driving among older adults.     

Use of computer models of flood inundation to facilitate communication in flood risk management

It is now widely recognised that good communication between multi-disciplinary stakeholders is central to effective flood risk management. Recent developments in Geographical Information Systems, increased availability of accurate digital terrain models from remotely sensed data sources and improved graphical computer interfaces have made the outputs from computer models of flood inundation easily accessible to the stakeholder community. As a consequence, predictions from such models are now being used routinely as a means of communication between engineers and other stakeholders in flood risk management. This paper provides a review of the modelling methods most appropriate for flood risk communication. These are one-dimensional models which are suitable for simulating flood risk at a catchment or sub-catchment scale and appropriate for communicating the impact of strategic flood management decisions and two-dimensional models which can be applied across a range of scales but, are now being regularly applied at the relatively small scale, less than 10 km², where they have the potential to inform and communicate disaster management decisions. The role of such models in communicating between modellers and non-modellers by providing a means for immediate visualisation of “the future” is discussed and illustrated by application to two case studies.     

New genetic markers to identify European resistant abalone to vibriosis revealed by high-resolution melting analysis,a sensitive and fast approach

Increasing temperature of seawater is often associated with increased exposure incidence of disease in field and in aquaculture populations. Numerous episodic mass mortalities of the abalone Haliotis tuberculata have been observed along the northern Brittany coast of France caused by a complex interaction between the host, pathogen and environmental factors. Here, we evaluated the potential of high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis for mutation genotyping and development of genetic markers for resistance to vibriosis in the gastropod species H. tuberculata. Small amplicon assays were developed and revealed genetic polymorphism between surviving and susceptible abalone obtained after two successive infections of aquaculture families in controlled conditions. Together with specific COI haplotypes, we identified particular genotypes in nascent polypeptide-associated complex subunit alpha and ferritin genes linked to the susceptibility or resistance of abalone to vibriosis. Selection of genitors based on these genes may increase the proportion in offspring of resistant individuals of more than 76 %. Finally, HRM assays constitute a very efficient genotyping tool to validate the genetic markers on a representative number of individuals of wild populations and thus identify future resistant genitors for aquaculture or conservation purposes.     

Follow-Up of Norovirus Contamination in an Oyster Production Area Linked to Repeated Outbreaks

A production area repeatedly implicated in oyster-related gastroenteritis in France was studied for several months over 2 years. Outbreaks and field samples were analyzed by undertaking triplicate extractions, followed by norovirus (NoV) detection using triplicate wells for genomic amplification. This approach allowed us to demonstrate that some variabilities can be observed for samples with a low level of contamination, but most samples analyzed gave reproducible results. At the first outbreak, implicated oysters were collected at the beginning of the contamination event, which was reflected by the higher NoV levels during the first month of the study. During the second year, NoV concentrations in samples implicated in outbreaks and collected from the production area were similar, confirming the failure of the shellfish depuration process. Contamination was detected mainly during winter-spring months, and a high prevalence of NoV GI contamination was observed. A half-life of 18 days was calculated from NoV concentrations detected in oysters during this study, showing a very slow decrease of the contamination in the production area. Preventing the contamination of coastal waters should be a priority.     

Land Use and Water Quality Along a Mekong Tributary in Northern Lao P.D.R.

Improving access to clean water has the potential to make a major contribution toward poverty reduction in rural communities of Lao P.D.R. This study focuses on stream water quality along a Mekong basin tributary, the Houay Xon that flows within a mountainous, mosaic land-use catchment of northern Lao P.D.R. To compare direct water quality measurements to the perception of water quality within the riparian population, our survey included interviews of villagers. Water quality was found to vary greatly depending on the location along the stream. Overall, it reflected the balance between the stream self-cleaning potential and human pressure on the riparian zone: (i) high bacteria and suspended load levels occurred where livestock are left to free-range within the riparian zone; (ii) very low oxygen content and high bacteriological contamination prevailed downstream from villages; (iii) high concentrations of bacteria were consistently observed along urbanized banks; (iv) low oxygen content were associated with the discharge of organic-rich wastewater from a small industrial plant; (v) very high suspended load and bacteria levels occurred during flood events due to soil erosion from steep cultivated hill slopes. Besides these human induced pollutions we also noted spontaneous enrichments in metals in wetland areas fed by dysoxic groundwater. These biophysical measurements were in agreement with the opinions expressed by the majority of the interviewees who reported poor and decreasing water quality in the Houay Xon catchment. Based on our survey, we propose recommendations to improve or maintain stream water quality in the uplands of northern Lao P.D.R.     

Distribution of mercury and organic matter in particle-size classes in sediments contaminated by a waste water treatment plant: Vidy Bay, Lake Geneva, Switzerland

In Lake Geneva, Switzerland, the most Hg-contaminated sediments have been found in the Vidy Bay where high Hg contents largely exceeds the background levels of Lake Geneva sediments. This contamination has been attributed to the discharge of a waste water treatment plant (WWTP). Total Hg (THg) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) were determined in bulk sediment and in three different grain size fractions (i: clay and silt, ii: fine-coarse sand, iii: and very coarse sand and gravel) collected close to the outlet pipe of a WWTP in order to verify whether the standardized procedures of sediment treatment is adequate for this setting and, by extension, for similar contaminated sites. THg was homogeneously distributed in the different grain size fractions and was correlated to organic matter content (R(2) = 0.6). MMHg was homogeneously distributed in the two finer grain fractions (Φ < 0.063 mm; 0.063 mm < Φ <1 mm). The results of this study suggested that the analysis of the bulk sediment seems to be more appropriate for the assessment of the content and spatial distribution of Hg in freshwater sediments contaminated by WWTPs.     

Comparison of translocation methods to conserve metallophyte communities in the Southeastern D.R. Congo

In southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, unique metallophyte communities supporting numerous endemic species occurred on the highly mineralized copper cobalt (Cu–Co) hills throughout the province. These hills are economically valuable mineral reserves; mining activities represent therefore a threat to the long-term persistence of these communities. Ex situ conservation program was set up by a mining company to rescue and conserve the diversity of Cu–Co communities until restoration activities are initiated. Two kinds of Cu–Co communities: the steppe and the steppic savanna, were translocated using topsoil spreading and whole-turf translocation. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of these two techniques in conserving Cu–Co communities and their potential use in future restoration programs. More than 2 years after the translocation, whole-turf translocation appeared to be the better technique for ex situ conservation of endemic Cu–Co species. Not only did whole-turf successfully translocate numerous target species that were not present in the topsoil areas, but it also resulted in fewer ruderal and non-target species compared to topsoil spreading. Topsoil spreading recorded low seedling emergence from seed bank due to large proportions of dormant seeds or the absence of a seed bank, especially for the steppic savanna. Restoration of the steppe is currently more successful than for steppic savanna where the lack of dominant and structuring species likely contributed to divergence in species composition compared to reference ecosystem. Our study stresses the fact that tropical old-growth grasslands, which require probably several centuries to assemble, are difficult to restore or translocate.     

Sharing and preparing: cross-institutional,food security-based knowledge in Canada

This study proposes a framework for the collection and management of knowledge related to food security in Canada. This paper has several goals. First, the paper summarizes the current state of food security knowledge in Canada. Second, the paper presents data from an experiment where food security issues were discussed by stakeholders at two fora, the first of which was held in western Canada and the second held in eastern Canada. Finally, based on the notes taken during and feedback received after the fora, this paper suggests a framework for organizing and managing the multiple perspectives and complex types of knowledge about food security and sustainable development from a Canadian context. Two fora were held in Canada where food security issues were presented and discussed by multiple stakeholders. Most provinces in Canada were represented in at least one of the two sessions. Sessions were designed to be informative and interactive; agenda were designed to take advantage of the needs and experiences of multiple stakeholders in both western and eastern regions of Canada. To develop the framework, the sessions were also designed to assess the types of issues and knowledge about food security in Canada. Evidence presented from this experiment supports arguments that food security work must be approached in a collaborative manner, no matter the approach or discipline. Data from fora held in western and eastern regions of Canada indicate a number of specific ways in which those along the food continuum have the desire to share knowledge and enter into partnerships to work toward secure and sustainable food systems. Data also indicate how academia and institutions of higher learning might play a key role in sharing food security-based knowledge. The data from this study suggest that academia could play a leadership role in collecting and sharing information about food security-based knowledge from all disciplinary approaches that could help collaborative in addressing the complexity of food security challenges. The framework developed in this paper could provide the guide for organizing knowledge about food security and sustainable development. The framework could be used as a map to guide understanding about the different ways in which food security can be approached and understood; this could help reduce tensions among partners in projects where a wide variety of experiences are attempting to work collaboratively. The two food security fora brought together stakeholders with specialized knowledge about food security in a Canadian context. The analysis of data arising from the fora permitted unique insights to arise about the nature of knowledge by region. The data in this study also allowed us to build a framework for food security knowledge from these regional knowledge bases. This paper suggests that academia actively take a leadership role and openly share knowledge about food security. Open sharing of knowledge will help collaborates in dealing with complex food security issues understand in-depth other approaches; this sharing may help to make explicit the tensions that arise during collaborative work.