Repeated conditionally automated driving on the road: How do drivers leave the loop over time?

The goal of this on the road driving study was to investigate how drivers adapt their behavior when driving with conditional vehicle automation (SAE L3) on different occasions. Specifically, we focused on changes in how fast drivers took over control from automation and how their gaze off the road changed over time. On each of three consecutive days, 21 participants drove for 50 min, in a conditionally automated vehicle (Wizard of Oz methodology), on a typical German commuting highway. Over these rides the take-over behavior and gaze behavior were analyzed. The data show that drivers' reactions to non-critical, system initiated, take-overs took about 5.62 s and did not change within individual rides, but on average became 0.72 s faster over the three rides. After these self-paced take-over requests a final urgent take-over request was issued at the end of the third ride. In this scenario participants took over rapidly with an average of 5.28 s. This urgent take-over time was not found to be different from the self-paced take-over requests in the same ride. Regarding gaze behavior, participants' overall longest glance off the road and the percentage of time looked off the road increased within each ride, but stayed stable over the three rides. Taken together, our results suggest that drivers regularly leave the loop by gazing off the road, but multiple exposures to take-over situations in automated driving allow drivers to come back into loop faster.

Keeping the driver in the loop through semi-automated or manual lane changes in conditionally automated driving.

In the current study we investigated if drivers of conditionally automated vehicles can be kept in the loop through lane change maneuvers. More specifically, we examined whether involving drivers in lane-changes during a conditionally automated ride can influence critical take-over behavior and keep drivers' gaze on the road. In a repeated measures driving simulator study (n = 85), drivers drove the same route three times, each trial containing four lane changes that were all either (1) automated, (2) semi-automated or (3) manual. Each ride ended with a critical take-over situation that could be solved by braking and/or steering. Critical take-over reactions were analyzed with a linear mixed model and parametric accelerated failure time survival analysis. As expected, semi-automated and manual lane changes throughout the ride led to 13.5% and 17.0% faster maximum deceleration compared to automated lane changes. Additionally, semi-automated and manual lane changes improved the quality of the take-over by significantly decreasing standard deviation of the steering wheel angle. Unexpectedly, drivers in the semi-automated condition were slowest to start the braking maneuver. This may have been caused by the drivers' confusion as to how the semi-automated system would react. Additionally, the percentage gaze off-the-road was significantly decreased by the semi-automated (6.0%) and manual (6.6%) lane changes. Taken together, the results suggest that semi-automated and manual transitions may be an alarm-free instrument which developers could use to help maintain drivers' perception-action loop and improve automated driving safety.

The influence of semantic priming on event-related potentials to painful laser-heat stimuli in humans.

In this study we investigated the effects of different semantic primes on the processing of painful stimuli. For prime stimuli, descriptors of three categories were used: somatosensory pain-related, affective pain-related, and neutral adjectives. While subjects (n=10) processed these primes, a painful laser-heat stimulus was applied. Laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) were recorded and pain intensity ratings were obtained after each single laser stimulus. Painful stimuli applied while subjects processed pain-related primes (affective and somatosensory adjectives) resulted in larger LEP amplitudes at 370 ms post laser stimulus compared to amplitudes of laser-evoked activities while subjects processed neutral primes (F((2,18))=3.90, P=0.05). It is suggested that pain-related semantic primes might preactivate neural networks subserving pain memory and pain processing. The processing of pain-related primes seems to preactivate cortical cell-assemblies involved in the processing of the succeeding painful laser stimuli.

Tc-99m HMPAO leukocyte and Tc-99m nanocolloid scintigraphy in posttraumatic bone infection.

Posttraumatic osteomyelitis was investigated in 23 patients using nuclear medicine techniques. Tc-99m hexamethylpropilene amine oxime (HMPAO)-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy was performed in 11 patients, and Tc-99m nanocolloid scanning was performed in the other 12 patients. The scintigraphic findings were compared with clinical, laboratory, radiologic, and bacteriologic results. The findings on leukocyte imaging were consistent with the clinical symptoms in 7 of 11 patients, with the laboratory pattern in 7 of 10 patients, with the radiologic findings in 7 of 11 patients, and with the results of bacteriology in 6 of 7 patients. The findings on nanocolloid scintigraphy corresponded with the clinical symptoms in 9 of 12 patients, with the laboratory pattern in 8 of 10 patients, with the radiologic findings in 8 of 12 patients, and with the bacteriology in 4 of 5 patients. The results suggest that both methods were of similar value for the detection of chronic posttraumatic osteomyelitis regardless of whether the process was active. Conversely, on the basis of semiquantitative analysis of the images, leukocyte scintigraphy seemed to characterize the grade of inflammation better than did nanocolloid scintigraphy.

Reorganization of the somatosensory cortex after amputation of the index finger.

Cortical reorganization occurs within the primary somatosensory and the primary motor cortex after amputation of the arm or forearm. Here we report on a patient showing cortical reorganization after amputation of his right index finger. Our findings indicate that the neural networks within the area of the amputated finger in the somatosensory cortex (SI) were invaded by neighbouring structures, i.e. of neural cell assemblies that subserve the thumb and middle finger of his right hand.

Ketamine abuse--a new edge.

Ketamine produces effects of a psychological nature that normally last about 30 minutes, depending on the method of administration. Operating room personnel should be aware of the warning signs of ketamine addiction, and if necessary, work toward having the individual seek treatment.

Substance abuse in the perioperative setting.

Published information and extensive anecdotal reports from perioperative nurses reveal an alarming amount of substance abuse in the perioperative setting. In addition to the familiar controlled substances (eg, narcotics, tranquilizers), practitioners must be familiar with the potential abuse of anesthesia induction agents such as ketamine, nitrous oxide, and general inhalation anesthetics. Perioperative nurses need to be aware of the problem of substance abuse in the perioperative setting, increase their knowledge of substance abuse practices, be alert to signs and symptoms of chemical dependency, and have plans for responding to reported substance abuse situations when on duty.

[Colposcopy of the vulva]. / La vulvoscopie.

A detailed colposcopy study of the cervix, vagina and vulva was conducted in 365 women referred for genital human papillomavirus (HPV) lesions, abnormal cervico-vaginal smear or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Valvuloscopic abnormalities, all biopsied, were found in 144 women, i.e. 40% of the population studied. Five types of vulvoscopic abnormalities are described: diffuse acidophilia (55% of abnormalities), acidophilic maculae (17%), micropapillae (20%), papulae (4%) and leucoparakeratosis (4%). Histological examination of the biopsy specimens obtained from 144 women with abnormal vulvoscopy showed 55 typical flat condylomas (38%), 50 probable flat condylomas (35%) and no signs of condyloma in 38 cases (27%). It also revealed the presence of four vulvar intraepithelial neoplasias (VIN) stages 2-3, all of them associated with typical or probable condyloma. Comparison between the 144 abnormal vulvoscopies and a series of 14 normal vulvoscopies made it possible to establish a significant correlation between the presence of valvuloscopic abnormalities and the finding of histological signs of typical or probable flat condyloma. The vulvoscopic images of subclinical vulvar HPV infection, but apart from papulae and, to a lesser extent, leucoparakeratosis, correlations between vulvoscopic and histological images were imprecise.

A trypanosomiasis survey of wild animals in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia.

Between 1971 and 1974 546 wild animals of 34 species were examined for trypanosomes; 79 infections (9 mixed) were diagnosed and 29 stocks were cryopreserved. Of 14 stocks of the subgenus Trypanozoon tested by the blood incubation infectivity test three (two from Kobus ellipsiprymnus and one from Phacochoerus aethiopicus) retained their infectivity to rodents. There are indications that the number of animals harbouring trypanosomes is far in excess of those showing detectable parasitaemias even when using a combination of diagnostic methods. The standard microhaematocrit method involving microscopic examination of the buffy layer from a microhaematocrit tube between a slide and coverslip, and the inoculation of experimental animals produced the most satisfactory results.