Driving Behaviour Profile of Drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

The symptomatology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can make driving risky, but little is known about the on-road driving behaviour of individuals with ASD. This study assessed and compared the on-road driving performance of drivers with and without ASD, and explored how the symptomatology of ASD hinders or facilitates on-road driving performance. Sixteen drivers with ASD and 21 typically-developed drivers participated in the study. Drivers with ASD underperformed in vehicle manoeuvring, especially at left-turns, right-turns and pedestrian crossings. However, drivers with ASD outperformed the TD group in aspects related to rule-following such as using the indicator at roundabouts and checking for cross-traffic when approaching intersections. Drivers with ASD in the current study presented with a range of capabilities and weaknesses during driving.     

Combining optical satellite data and airborne laser scanner data for vegetation classification

The aim of this study was to investigate to which degree the accuracy of vegetation classification could be improved by combining optical satellite data and airborne laser scanner (ALS) data, compared with using satellite data only. A Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) 5 scene and Leica ALS 50-II data from 2009, covering a test area in the mid-Sweden (latitude 60° 43′ N, longitude 16° 43′ E), were used in maximum likelihood and decision tree classifications. Training and validation data were obtained from the interpretation of digital aerial photo stereo models. Combination of SPOT and ALS data gave classification accuracies up to 72%, compared with 56% using only SPOT data. This indicates that integrating features from large area laser scanning may lead to significant improvements in satellite data-based vegetation classifications.     

Inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Danish version of the everyday technology use questionnaire

Background: Everyday technologies are naturally integrated in people’s daily life. For older adults and adults living with a chronic disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the ability to use technologies for health management has become increasingly important. The aim of this study was to investigate inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Danish version of the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (ETUQ) in a sample of older adults with (n?=?23) and without (n?=?24) COPD.

Material and method: The ETUQ was initially translated in accordance with the dual panel approach and then administered to a sample of 47 participants. Svensson’s method for paired ordinal data was utilized to calculate and analyze reliability.

Results: Overall, inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Danish version of the ETUQ demonstrated excellent percentage agreement (PA) (>75%), although for test-retest reliability, nine items demonstrated fair (53%) to good (73%) agreement.

Conclusion: This study supports the use of the Danish version of the ETUQ in a sample of older adults with or without COPD.

Application to practice: The Danish version of the ETUQ is an evidence-based evaluation that can reliably contribute to clinical occupational therapy and research in Denmark focusing on everyday technology use.     

Identifying scale and person response validity of a new assessment of driving ability

The purpose of this study was to evaluate evidence on the validity of a newly developed assessment tool, P-Drive (Performance Analysis of Driving Ability) intended to measure driving ability in a simulator. P-Drive was made available to a sample of 31 brain-damaged participants. P-Drive consists of 21 items relating to observable driving actions, each of which is scored on a 4-point criterion-referenced rating scale. A Rasch measurement model was used to evaluate whether P-Drive was a valid tool. The results indicated that P-Drive represented one single construct. All the items showed acceptable goodness-of-fit, indicating overall internal scale validity. The hierarchical order of the items in P-Drive was in agreement with the theories concerning driving ability after acquired brain injury, providing further evidence of validity. The participants also demonstrated acceptable levels of goodness-of-fit, indicating person response validity. The study indicates that the results for different aspects of the validity of P-Drive are promising, but that it needs to be reassessed for a larger and more heterogeneous group of participants. The results show that P-Drive has potential as a means of making valid evaluations of driving ability in a simulator.     

Adrenaline stimulated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response in leucocytes is reduced after prolonged physical activity combined with sleep and energy deprivation

Summary The mechanism for adrenergic desensitisation during physical stress was studied by measuring [¹²⁵I] cyanopindolol ([¹²⁵I]CYP) binding sites and the adrenaline stimulated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) responses in peripheral blood leucocytes from ten male cadets during a 5-day military training course. The cadets had physical activities around the clock corresponding to a daily energy consumption of about 40,000 kJ but with an intake of only 2,000 kJ, and only 1–3 h of sleep in the 5 days. During the course, the maximal cAMP response to adrenaline stimulation was reduced to about 45% in granulocytes and to 52% in mononuclear cells, and the half maximal response was obtained only at 5–10 times higher adrenaline concentrations than in the control experiment. The binding sites for [¹²⁵I]-CYP in mononuclear cells increased during the course. However, [¹²⁵I]-CYP measured not only surface receptors but also intracellular receptors and might even have represented other binding sites. In conclusion, this study showed that decreased cAMP response to adrenergic stimulation would seem to be one of the mechanisms behind adrenergic desensitisation during stress.     

General practitioners’ reasoning on risk screening and primary prevention of stroke – a focus group study

Background

By screening and modifying risk factors, stroke incidence can be reduced. Clinical guidelines states that primary prevention of stroke is a responsibility and task of primary health care, but research shows that this not always the case. The aim of the study was to explore and describe what characterizes GPs’ reasoning around risk screening and primary prevention among persons at risk for stroke in primary health care.

Methods

A qualitative design based in a grounded theory approach was chosen in order to investigate this unexplored research area. Data collection was done using focus group interviews and data was analysed using a constant comparative method. Twenty-two GPs were interviewed in four focus groups.

Results

Findings showed that GPs perceived difficulties in prioritizing patients with an unhealthy lifestyle and described a lack of systematicity in their procedures, which complicated their clinical decisions concerning patients with stroke risk factors. The results showed a lack of systematic risk screening methods. Time constraints and the reimbursement system were described as hindering the preventive work.

Conclusion

There is a need for a more proactive, transparent and systematic approach in the distribution of GPs’ time and reimbursement of prevention in primary health care. The findings suggest, by developing new methods and approaches such as digital clinical decision-making tools and by implementing inter-professional team-work, the quality of the primary prevention of stroke could be improved.