Nothing good ever happens after midnight: Observed exposure and alcohol use during weekend nights among young male drivers carrying passengers in a late licensing country

Similar to other countries, also in the Netherlands young male drivers (ages between 18 and 24 years) are overrepresented in crashes during weekend nights, thereby fatally injuring one or more of their passengers. This overrepresentation may be due to two contributing factors: (a) a higher exposure-to-risk because of dangerous trip condition, and (b) a higher tendency to take risks. Studies on these factors, mostly carried out in jurisdictions where youngsters are licensed at an earlier age than in Europe, suggest a strong –often negative– influence from peer-aged passengers. Given that in adolescence susceptibility to peer pressure reduces with age, these findings may not be applicable to late licensing countries, such as in Europe. In the Netherlands –a late licensing country– youngsters are licensed after the age of 18 years, followed by a 5 year probation period with a legal alcohol limit of 0.2 g/L. Further, designated driver schemes are in place since 2001, alcohol limits are enforced by random breath testing schemes, and no passenger and night time restrictions are in force. Against this background, we examined the incidence of dangerous trip conditions and risk taking among young male drivers and compared those with a reference group with a low passenger fatality rate. To that end, data on trip conditions and risk behavior were obtained from a data base on 18,608 randomly selected drivers during weekend nights in 2010, between 22:00 and 06:00. This data base held information for each randomly selected on breath alcohol concentration (BAC), license status, driver characteristics (age and gender), number of passengers, time of night, and level of urbanization. Binary logistic regression analysis confirmed the overrepresentation of young male drivers in traffic, carrying more frequently passengers than the reference group, especially after midnight. Urbanization level was not a modifying factor, but ‘time of night’ was, with riskier conditions after midnight in terms of: (a) a higher young male driver presence, (b) young male drivers carrying more frequently multiple passengers and (c) a higher prevalence of illegal BACs. After midnight, no evidence was found for a protective effect of the presence of one passenger on alcohol use. Of the young male drivers, 5% were over the legal limit and 3 in 5 young males who were over the limit carried passengers. However, the indicative result that young male drivers with multiple passengers were less likely to have been drinking than solo drivers or drivers with just one passenger, is suggestive of a protective effect of multiple passengers. These results may guide preventive strategies, including police enforcement and designated driver programmes.     

Secondary traumatization in Dutch couples of World War II survivors.

This study examined whether signs of secondary traumatic stress were present in a community sample of couples who experienced World War II. The authors hypothesized that symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in either spouse may be predicted not only by his or her own war experiences but also by the war experiences and posttraumatic symptoms of the partner. Approximately 50 years after the end of World War II, 444 couples from a community sample of elderly Dutch citizens answered a questionnaire. A multilevel regression analysis was performed with symptoms of PTSD as the dependent variable. The most important predictors of PTSD symptoms were the number of war events reported by the participant and the current level of PTSD symptoms of his or her spouse. The results lend empirical support to the notion that posttraumatic stress reactions of both members of a couple are not independent from each other. Several explanations of the findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Which lifestyle parameters discriminate high- from low-risk participants for coronary heart disease risk factors. Longitudinal analysis covering adolescence and young adulthood

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to analyse which lifestyle parameters (daily physical activity, dietary intake, smoking habits and alcohol consumption) discriminate between participants at high-risk and those at low-risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) [systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), total serum cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), the TC: HDL ratio, body fatness (sum of skinfolds [SSF]) and cardiopulmonary fitness (VO2-max)]. METHODS: The data were derived from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Study (AGHS); an observational longitudinal study in which six repeated measurements were carried out over a period of 15 years on 181 participants aged 13 years at entry to the study. To assess possible discriminating factors, generalized estimating equations were used. This method makes use of risk group changing behaviour over time by using all available longitudinal data. RESULTS: For DBP no significant relationships were found; high risk for SBP was inversely related to smoking habits (OR=0.52; P<0.01). No significant relationships were found for TC; high risk for HDL was positively related to the intake of carbohydrates (OR=1.2; P=0.02) and to smoking habits (OR=1.6; P=0.04); high risk for the TC:HDL ratio was positively related to the intake of carbohydrates (OR=1.3; P=0.01). High risk for SSF was positively related to the intake of protein (OR=1.5; P<0.01) and smoking habits (OR=1.8; P=0.01) and inversely related to daily physical activity (OR=0.81; P=0.01). High risk for VO2-max was inversely related to daily physical activity (OR=0.67; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In the relative young and healthy population of the AGHS during adolescence and young adulthood, physical inactivity was the most important lifestyle parameter related to high risk for CHD.     

Studying the role of vision in cycling: Critique on restricting research to fixation behaviour

In a recent study published in Accident Analysis & Prevention, Vansteenkiste et al. (2013) – as one of the first in this field – investigated the visual control of bicycle steering. They undertook the interesting task of testing cyclists’ eye fixation behaviour against Donges’ two-level model of steering, i.e. the guidance level to anticipate alternations in the course of the road and the stabilization level for lane keeping. Although the laboratory experiment itself is well conducted, we believe that its results cannot be used to test the two-level model of steering as developed for driving. The test track was only 15 m long, was completely straight and was known in advance. Accordingly, it did not provide adequate conditions for testing the guidance level. Furthermore, as the experimental lanes were much narrower than real-world cycling lanes, the stabilization level differed considerably from that in the real world. The study by Vansteenkiste et al. (2013) may provide valuable insight into the role of vision in ‘precision steering’, but, as we discuss in the paper, more elaborate research paradigms are needed to achieve more comprehensive knowledge of the role of vision in real-world cycling and cycling safety.     

Production of Glucose from Maize Grits on Commercial Scale

An industrial process is described whereby maize grits are used as raw material for the production of glucose syrup and dextrose. Glucose syrup is produced by means of a single-enzyme system which eliminates many disadvantages associated with a double-enzyme system. Chemical analysis of the syrup and protein residue as well as a gel chromatogram of the syrup is also presented in the paper.     

CSF Biomarkers Reflecting Protein Pathology and Axonal Degeneration Are Associated with Memory,Attentional, and Executive Functioning in Early-Stage Parkinson′s Disease

In early-stage Parkinson′s disease (PD), cognitive impairment is common, and a variety of cognitive domains including memory, attention, and executive functioning may be affected. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are potential markers of cognitive functioning. We aimed to explore whether CSF α-synuclein species, neurofilament light chain, amyloid-β₄₂, and tau are associated with cognitive performance in early-stage PD patients. CSF levels of total-α-synuclein and phosphorylated-α-synuclein, neurofilament light chain, amyloid-β₄₂, and total-tau and phosphorylated-tau were measured in 26 PD patients (disease duration ≤5 years and Hoehn and Yahr stage 1–2.5). Multivariable linear regression models, adjusted for age, gender, and educational level, were used to assess the relationship between CSF biomarker levels and memory, attention, executive and visuospatial function, and language performance scores. In 26 early-stage PD patients, attention and memory were the most commonly affected domains. A higher CSF phosphorylated-α-synuclein/total-α-synuclein ratio was associated with better executive functioning (sβ = 0.40). Higher CSF neurofilament light was associated with worse memory (sβ = −0.59), attentional (sβ = −0.32), and executive functioning (sβ = −0.35). Reduced CSF amyloid-β₄₂ levels were associated with poorer attentional functioning (sβ = 0.35). Higher CSF phosphorylated-tau was associated with worse language functioning (sβ = −0.33). Thus, CSF biomarker levels, in particular neurofilament light, were related to the most commonly affected cognitive domains in early-stage PD. This indicates that CSF biomarker levels may identify early-stage PD patients who are at an increased risk of developing cognitive impairment.     

Quantifying the influence of safe road systems and legal licensing age on road mortality among young adolescents: Steps towards system thinking

Based on existing literature, a system thinking approach was used to set up a conceptual model on the interrelationships among the components influencing adolescent road mortality, distinguishing between components at the individual level and at the system level. At the individual level the role of risk behaviour (sometimes deliberate and sometimes from inexperience or other non-deliberate causes) in adolescent road mortality is well documented. However, little is known about the extent to which the ‘road system’ itself may also have an impact on younger adolescents’ road mortality. This, by providing a safe or unsafe road environment for all road users (System-induced exposure) and by allowing access to high-risk vehicles at a young or older age through the legal licensing age. This study seeks to explore these relationships by analysing the extent to which the road mortality of 10 to 17 year olds in various jurisdictions can be predicted from the System-induced Exposure (SiE) in a jurisdiction and from its legal licensing age to drive motor vehicles. SiE was operationalized as the number of road fatalities per 10⁵ inhabitants/all ages together, but excluding the 10 to 17 year olds. Data on road fatalities during the years 2001 through 2008 were obtained from the OECD International Road Traffic Accident Database (IRTAD) and from the USA NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database for 29 early and 10 late licensing jurisdictions. Linear mixed models were fitted with annual ‘Adolescent road mortality per capita’ for 2001 through 2008 as the dependent variable, and time-dependent ‘SiE’ and time-independent ‘Licensing system’ as predictor variables. To control for different levels of motorisation, the time-dependent variable ‘Annual per capita vehicle distance travelled’ was used as a covariate. Licensing system of a jurisdiction was entered as a categorical predictor variable with late licensing countries as a baseline group. The study found support for the protective effects of SiE on adolescent safety. If SiE increased by one unit, the mortality rate of 10 to 17 year olds increased by 0.487 units. No support was found for a protective effect of late licensing for this age group. Thus, compared to young adolescents who are allowed to drive motor vehicles in early licensing jurisdictions, late licensing does not provide extra protection for pre-license adolescents. This finding is probably the result of the high risks associated with alternative transport modes, such as moped riding and bicycling. Also, the fact that the study only included risks to young adolescents themselves and did not include the risks they might pose to other road users and passengers may have contributed to this finding, because such risks are greater when driving a motor vehicle than riding a moped or a bicycle. Therefore, to advance our understanding of the impact of licensing systems, more study is needed into the benefits of early or late licensing, thereby considering these wider effects as well.     

Identifying predictors of comfort and discomfort in using hand tools

The aim of the study was to identify predictors of comfort and discomfort in using hand tools. For this purpose, the comfort questionnaire for hand tools (CQH) was developed based on the results of a previous study. In the current study, four screwdrivers were evaluated on comfort (expected comfort at first sight and comfort after short time use) using the CQH and discomfort (local perceived discomfort). The results showed that expected comfort at first sight was predicted by aesthetics. Additionally, functionality and physical interaction, and adverse body effects were the major predictors of overall comfort after short time use. Discomfort was predicted by adverse body effects only. It is concluded that comfort and discomfort in using hand tools have partly the same underlying factors: discomfort feelings also affect the comfort experience.     

Evaluation of peanut and cottonseed oils for deep frying

A comparative study of cottonseed and peanut oils for frying of potato chips was undertaken. Industrial scale frying was conducted for 5 days with cottonseed and 5 days with peanut oil and frying oils and chips were sampled twice a day. Frying oils and oils extracted from stored chips were analyzed for ultraviolet absorption (A₂₃₂ and A₂₆₈), peroxide and acid values. Tocopherol and tertiary butylhydroquinone levels were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Chips stored at room temperature for 12 weeks were organoleptically evaluated. During the first 20 hr frying the A₂₃₂, free acid and peroxide values of cottonseed oil increased rapidly, exceeding that of peanut oil, which increased moderately. For both oils, constant values were attained during the next 80 hr period, followed by moderate increases during the last 23 hr. Peanut frying oil lost 55% of its tocopherols and 54% of its tertiary butylhydroquinone during frying (103 hr), whereas cottonseed frying oil retained these compounds at the original levels. Tocopherols were also better retained in chips fried in cottonseed oil than in peanut oil. The fatty acid patterns of frying oils and oils extracted from chips did not show significant changes due to frying and storage, respectively. These results, therefore, suggest that cottonseed oil is sufficiently stable to be used as a substitute for peanut oil in deep frying.