The impact of remedial intervention on 3-year recidivism among first-time DUI offenders in Mississippi

This study examines the impact of the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program (MASEP), a court-mandated intervention program, on 3-year recidivism rates among first-time DUI offenders (i.e. those convicted of a first offense for driving under the influence of alcohol or another drug). It also examines whether a new version of the curriculum that incorporates activities to enhance motivation for change further ameliorates recidivism. Cox proportional hazard regression models are used to compare recidivism rates among DUI offenders who completed MASEP with those who did not complete or who failed to enroll in the program. Recidivism rates were also compared for MASEP participants across time periods during which curriculum revisions were introduced. The hazard of recidivism was lower for individuals who completed the program than for individuals who did not complete or did not enroll in the program. Recidivism rates were further reduced following the introduction of curriculum revisions. Attendance of court-mandated remedial intervention programs lower subsequent DUI arrests and program content is associated with lower rates.     

Short-term outcomes of a motivation-enhancing approach to DUI intervention

Objective

We compared a group-delivered, theory-based, motivation-enhancing program (PRIME For Life^® – PFL, n = 450) to an intervention as usual (IAU, n = 72).

Method

Individuals convicted of a substance related offense in North Carolina, typically first offense alcohol and drug-impaired driving, participated in a PFL or IAU group. We compare the interventions on program satisfaction and changes made from preintervention to postintervention, and examined the moderating effects of demographics and alcohol dependence level.

Results

When significant, findings varied in magnitude from small to medium effects. Participants in both interventions showed intentions to use statistically significantly less alcohol and drugs in the future compared to their previous use, and differences between the groups were not statistically significant. Otherwise, findings favored PFL. PFL exhibited greater benefit than IAU on understanding tolerance, perceived risk for addiction, problem recognition, and program satisfaction. Additionally, IAU perceived less risk for negative consequences postintervention than they had at preintervention. Moderation analyses showed that the between-condition findings occurred regardless of gender, age, education, and number of alcohol dependence indicators. Additionally, younger people and those with more dependence indicators – groups of particular concern – showed the greatest change.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that a motivation-enhancing approach can be effective in producing short-term change in factors that can help facilitate and sustain behavioral change. This is consistent with previous research on the use of motivational approaches, and extends such findings to suggest promise in group-based settings and with people across demographic categories and dependence levels. Future research should focus on larger studies looking at long-term behavioral change, including recidivism.     

Evaluation of a program to motivate impaired driving offenders to install ignition interlocks

Approximately 30,000 alcohol ignition interlocks, which are designed to prevent the operation of a vehicle if the driver has been drinking, are in use in the US and Canada. Ignition interlock programs are also being initiated in Sweden and Australia. The best-controlled studies that are currently available suggest that ignition interlocks are effective in reducing impaired driving recidivism while on the vehicle. However, in the US, the practical effectiveness of these devices is limited because only a small number of offenders are willing to install them in order to drive legally. This paper reports on a study of a court policy that created a strong incentive for impaired driving offenders to install interlocks by making traditional penalties, such as jail or electronically monitored house arrest, the alternative to participation in an interlock program. Comparison of the recidivism rates of offenders subject to this policy with offenders in similar, nearby courts, not using interlocks, indicated that the policy was producing substantial reductions in DUI recidivism.     

The role of parental alcohol consumption on driving under the influence of alcohol: results from a longitudinal, nationally representative sample

Purpose

Many studies have examined the role of peer and parental alcohol use on drinking behaviors among adolescents. Few studies, however, have examined parental influences on driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol. The current study uses data from a longitudinal study to examine the role of parental alcohol use during adolescence on the risk for DUI among young adult men and women.

Methods

Data were derived from 9559 adolescents and young adults who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Waves I and III. Survey logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between multilevel risk and protective factors and self-reported DUI. Analyses were stratified by gender and frequency of parental alcohol consumption to understand the role of parental alcohol use on risk for DUI among their youth.

Results

Risk and protective factors for DUI were very similar among men and women. Parental alcohol use significantly predicted DUI among women (OR = 1.39, p < 0.01) and men (OR = 1.33, p < 0.05). When parents did not report alcohol use, peer alcohol use significantly increased risk for DUI for both women (OR = 1.26, p < 0.05) and men (OR = 1.31, p < 0.001). When parents reported alcohol use, however, peer alcohol use was not a significant independent predictor.

Conclusions

Findings suggest remarkable similarities in risk and protective factors for DUI across gender groups. For men and women, parental alcohol consumption was a risk factor for DUI. Peers’ alcohol use predicted DUI only when parents did not use alcohol.     

The contribution of a novel intervention to enhance safe driving among young drivers in Israel

Young drivers in Israel, as in other parts of the world, are at an elevated risk of being involved in car crashes more than any other age group. A Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDL) has been introduced in Israel, requiring new drivers to be accompanied by an experienced driver during the first 3 months after obtaining a driving license. In an effort to ensure the effectiveness of the accompanied driving phase, a novel program which targets both young drivers and their parents, called green light for life (GLL), was initiated. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of GLL by comparing between young drivers who participated in the program and those who did not. Additionally, this study examined a structural equation model to predict young drivers’ involvement in car crashes and additional risk measures. The study utilized quantitative measures through a questionnaire completed by 738 young drivers (437 men, 301 women; 362 of whom participated in the program, 376 who did not). The results obtained indicate that GLL participants showed more positive views regarding the accompanied driving phase and were less involved in car crashes. They draw a comprehensive model of associations between various aspects of accompanied driving and risky driving measures.     

The impact of outlet densities on alcohol-related crashes: a spatial panel approach

BACKGROUND: A number of studies using cross-sectional data have demonstrated that the availability of alcohol, measured by the number and types of alcohol outlets, is directly related to numerous measures associated with drinking and driving. The current study contributes the first observation of relationships over time between alcohol outlet densities on one hand and both automobile crashes and related injuries on the other hand. METHOD: The study examined longitudinal data from 581 consistently defined zip code areas represented in the California Index Locations Database, a geographic information system that coordinates population and ecological data with spatial attributes for areas across the state. Six years of data were collected on features of local populations (e.g., demographics, household size) and places (e.g., retail markets) thought to be related to two measures of automobile crashes (hospital discharges related to car crash injuries geocoded to the zip code of patient residence, and police reports associated with car crashes geocoded to the zip code of crash location). Both crash measures were positively associated with two outlet types: bars, and off-premise outlets. Additionally, restaurants appear to provide a protective effect relative to the residence-based measure. Crash rates were also related to changes in population and place characteristics using random effects models with controls for spatial autocorrelation (nxt=3486 observations). Changes in population and place characteristics of adjacent (spatially lagged) areas were also considered. RESULTS: Over time, both local and lagged population and place characteristics were related to automobile crash-related measures. CONCLUSION: Controlling for cross-sectional differences between zip code areas, changes in numbers of licensed alcohol retail establishments, especially bars and off-premise outlets, affect rates of car crashes and related injuries.     

The effect on teen driving outcomes of the Checkpoints Program in a state-wide trial

Crash rates among teenagers are highly elevated during the first months of licensure. Parent-imposed driving restrictions on initial driving privileges can reduce exposure to high-risk driving conditions, thus reducing crash risk while teens' driving proficiency develops. This report describes the effect of the Checkpoints Program on driving limits and outcomes. Connecticut teens who obtained a learners permit over a 9-month period were recruited, providing a final sample of 3743 who obtained driver licenses. Families were randomized to the intervention or comparison condition. Intervention families received by mail a series of persuasive communications related to high-risk teen driving and a parent-teen driving agreement, while comparison families received on the same schedule general information on driving and vehicle maintenance. Relative to the comparison group, teens and parents in the Checkpoints Program reported significantly greater limits on high-risk teen driving conditions at licensure, 3-, and 6-months post-licensure; and intervention teens reported significantly less risky driving at each reporting period. By the 12-month follow up teens in the intervention group were significantly less likely than those in the comparison group to have had a traffic violation. However, no treatment group effect was found for crashes. This is the first study to report significant effects on teen driving behavior and performance of education designed to increase parental-imposed teen driving limits.     

基于概率-凸集混合模型的汽车正面碰撞结构可靠性优化设计

本文基于概率和凸集模型研究汽车正面碰撞可靠性优化设计问题。根据汽车吸能结构厚度、材料参数等不确定参数类型,分别采用概率和多椭球凸模型进行描述,以汽车正面碰撞安全性可靠性指标为约束,考虑汽车吸能结构质量为优化目标,建立了一种基于混合模型的可靠性优化设计模型。采用拉丁方试验设计构造了目标函数和约束函数的Kriging近似模型,利用功能度量法求解可靠度指标值,通过基于移动因子序列优化与可靠性评定将嵌套优化解耦为单层次优化。实际算例表明算法具有较高的计算效率及精度,对实际设计工作有一定参考价值。     

The impact of extended-hours home hemodialysis and buttonhole cannulation technique on hospitalization rates for septic events related to dialysis access

Few studies adequately document adverse events in patients receiving long, slow, and overnight hemodialysis (NHD). Concerns about high rates of dialysis access complications have been raised. This is an observational cohort study comparing hospital admission rates for vascular access complications between alternate nightly NHD (n=63) and conventional hemodialysis (n=172) patients established on chronic hemodialysis for at least 3 months. Overall, hospital admission rates and hospital admission rates for cardiac and all infective events are also reported. The NHD cohort was younger and less likely to be female, diabetic, or have ischemic heart disease than the conventional hemodialysis cohort. When NHD and buttonhole cannulation technique were used simultaneously, there was a demonstrated increased risk of septic dialysis access events: incidence rate ratio 3.0 (95% confidence interval 1.04-8.66) (P=0.04). The majority of blood culture isolates in NHD patients were gram-positive organisms, particularly Staphylococcus aureus. Alternate nightly NHD did not significantly change total hospital admissions or hospital admissions for indications other than dialysis access complications, compared with conventional hemodialysis. Our data suggest that buttonhole cannulation technique should be used with caution in patients performing extended-hours hemodialysis as this combination appears to increase the risk of septic access complications. Randomized-controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.     

试件断裂对万吨级多功能结构试验系统隔振层影响的数值分析

万吨级多功能结构试验系统是中国建筑股份有限公司研制的重型结构试验设备,试验系统的综合功能和加载能力为世界同类设备之最。为减少试验系统对周边办公区域的影响,在设备的基座下面设置了隔振层。本文采用ANSYS瞬态动力学分析方法,针对试件断裂对万吨级多功能结构试验系统隔振层的冲击影响进行了分析,提取了试验系统基座底部边界角点的X、Y、Z方向位移和单个隔振器的Z方向受力时程曲线,对比分析了不同卸载时间对隔振响应的影响,并校核了隔振器的安全性,对模拟试件断裂的卸载时间提出了建议。针对不同隔振器数量布置的隔振层,计算了试件突然断裂时隔振效果的区别,提出了隔振器数量的建议。     

The impact of shear force magnitude on cumulative injury load tolerance: a force weighting approach for low-back shear loads

Vertebral joint fatigue life non-linearly decreases with increasing anterior shear force magnitude. Therefore, equal treatment of independent shear force exposures will underestimate low-back injury potential. This investigation developed mathematical functions for deriving appropriate weighting factors (WFs) to be applied in occupational cumulative shear force estimates. Porcine vertebral joints were repetitively loaded in shear to 20%, 40%, 60% or 80% of their calculated shear failure tolerance for 21,600 cycles or until bone failure was detected. Two WF functions were derived from mathematical relationships between sub-maximal shear force magnitude and sustained cumulative shear force to failure. These functions explained 98.2% and 88.6% of the variance in sustained cumulative shear force. Accelerated injury potential represented by WFs greater than unity was assigned to shear forces above 35.6% and 695?N. These weighting approaches will enhance sensitivity in future evaluations between exposure and lost-time/injury for detecting relationships between cumulative shear loading and low-back injury.     

The effects of Ta on the stress rupture properties and microstructural stability of a novel Ni-base superalloy for land-based high temperature applications

A novel polycrystalline Ni-base superalloy was developed for land-based high temperature applications, such as isothermal forging dies and industrial gas turbines. The alloy possessed surprisingly high stress rupture life of 52 h at 1100 °C/118 MPa which is comparable to the first generation single crystal (SC) superalloy and exhibited good microstructural stability. The effects of Ta addition on the phase change, stress rupture properties and microstructural stability of the alloy were investigated. The results indicated that Ta is a γ′-former and promotes the formation of eutectic γ′. The alloys with ∼7 vol.% eutectic γ′ possess higher stress rupture life at 1100 °C/118 MPa than the alloys with higher ∼20 vol.% eutectic. However, ∼20 vol.% excessive eutectic phases will enhance the stress rupture life at intermediate temperature of 760 °C for 686 MPa but weaken high temperature stress rupture properties. The (Al + Ta) content over 14.4 at.% led to the formation of large amounts of eutectic γ′ and exceeded the solubility of W and Mo in the residue liquid pool, which then promoted the precipitation of primary α-(W,Mo) and M₆C phases. Tantalum was also found as a strong MC carbides forming element. The order of ability to form monocarbide decreased from NbC to TaC to TiC. 6Al–0Ta (wt.%) alloys possessed good microstructural stability with no harmful topologically close-packed (TCP) phases being observed after thermal exposure at 850 °C/3000 h, 900 °C/1000 h. Only trace amounts of secondary plate-like M₆C carbides appeared in Ta-free and 5Al–4Ta (wt.%) alloys at 1100 °C/100–500 h. However, excessive Ta addition will destabilize the alloy and large amounts of secondary plate-like M₆C carbides precipitated after thermal exposure at 1100 °C. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) results showed the existence of the plate-like M₆C carbides.     

Issues in motorcycle sensory and cognitive conspicuity: The impact of motorcycle low-beam headlights and riding experience on drivers’ decisions to turn across the path of a motorcycle

Background

Crashes involving a passenger car and a motorcycle, where the car is turning across the path of the motorcycle, are a major crash type of motorcycle riders. It has been proposed that the incidence of such crashes could be reduced through improvements in motorcycle conspicuity. Operation of low-beam headlights on motorcycles has been discussed as one approach for improving the “sensory conspicuity” of motorcycles during daylight hours, whilst previous experience as a rider may serve to heighten “cognitive conspicuity” through raised awareness of motorcyclists on our roads.

Method

Twenty-three experienced car drivers with no riding experience (“drivers”) and 20 experienced car drivers who were also motorcycle riders (“driver–riders”) completed a series of trials in a driving simulator where their task in each trial was to turn ahead of an oncoming vehicle if they felt that they had sufficient room to do so safely. A key manipulation across trials was whether the oncoming vehicle was a motorcycle with headlights on, or a motorcycle with headlights off. Time gap (short, medium, long) was also manipulated.

Results

Results indicate that, at time gaps defined in the current study as short, low-beam headlights may confer some benefit in gap acceptance by encouraging drivers to accept fewer gaps ahead of a motorcycle with headlights on than ahead of a motorcycle with headlights off. No statistically significant differences in gap acceptance between the headlight conditions were found at either the medium or long time gaps. Irrespective of time gap, driver–riders were found to adopt a more efficient turn strategy than drivers with no direct riding experience.

Conclusions

Overall, the present research provides support for the use of low-beam headlights and riding experience as tools through which to augment the sensory and cognitive conspicuity of motorcycles, respectively. It is proposed that further research aim to explore directly the precise mechanisms underlying the observed effects.     

The effect of micro-scale surface treatment on heat and mass transfer performance for a falling film H2O/LiBr absorber

The objectives of this paper are to develop a new method of wettability measurement, to study the effect of micro-scale surface treatment on the wettability across horizontal tubes and to apply it for numerical analysis of heat and mass transfer in a H₂O/LiBr falling film absorber. Three types of tubes with roughness are tested in a test rig. Inlet solution temperature (30–50 °C), concentration (55–62 wt.% of LiBr) and mass flow rate (0.74–2.71 kg/min) are considered as key parameters. Reynolds number ranged from 30 to 120 by controlling the inlet mass flow rate. The wettability on the roughened tubes was higher than that for the smooth tubes. The wettability decreased linearly along the vertical location but was proportional to the solution temperature and mass flow rate. The experimental correlations of the wettability for the smooth and the roughened tubes were developed with error bands of ±20 and ±10%, respectively. These are used for the heat and mass transfer analysis of absorbers with micro-scale hatched tubes.