Impacts of Effects of Deficit Irrigation Strategy on Water Use Efficiency and Yield in Cotton under Different Irrigation Systems

Irrigated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growers in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) of Australia, are challenged by limited water availability. This modelling-study aimed to determine if deficit irrigation (DI) practices can potentially improve water use efficiency (WUE) for furrow irrigation (FI), overhead sprinkler irrigation (OSI) and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems. We validated the Agricultural Production System sIMulator (APSIM) against observed cotton lint yield and crop biomass accumulation for different management practices. The model achieved concordance correlation coefficients of 0.93 and 0.82 against observed cotton crop biomass accumulation and lint yields, respectively. The model was then applied to evaluate the impacts of different levels of DI on lint yield, WUE across cotton growing locations in the MDB (Goondiwindi, Moree, Narrabri, and Warren), during the period from 1977 to 2017. The different levels of DI for the FI system were no irrigation, full irrigation (TF) and irrigated one out of four, one out of three, one out of two, two out of three and two out of four TF events. For the OSI and SDI systems, DI levels were no irrigation, TF, 20% of TF, 40% of TF, 60% of TF and 80% of TF. Lint yield was maximised under the OSI and SDI systems for most locations by applying 80% of TF. However; modelling identified that WUE was maximised at 60% of full irrigation for OSI and SDI systems. These results suggest there are significant gains in agronomic performance to be gained through the application of DI practices with these systems. For FI, DI had no benefit in terms of increasing yield, while DI showed marginal gains in terms of WUE in some situations. This result is due to the greater exposure to periodic water deficit stress that occurred when DI practices were applied by an FI system. The results suggest that in the northern MDB, water savings could be realised for cotton production under both OSI and SDI systems if DI were adopted to a limited extent, depending on location and irrigation system

The MUARC-TAC enhanced crash investigation study: study update, analysis of crash types and contributing factors [Abstract]

This paper presents an update of the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) – Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Enhanced Crash Investigation Study (ECIS) as well as an exploration of the characteristics of injured drivers, crash types and factors implicated in crash occurrence. Three configurations are of particularly high frequency and severity, whilst crashes involving young and older drivers are different in nature and have different contributing factors. Fatigue, driver error, and pre-crash driver blackouts due to medical conditions were prominent contributing factors. Injury severity would be significantly lower in 32% of cases if either front or side airbags were fitted. The findings point to key risk factors that can be addressed in road safety strategies

What drivers do while speeding: examining the associations between speeding and driver distraction through the Enhanced Crash Investigation Study protocol [Abstract]

This paper represents an exploratory analysis to assess the feasibility of assessing the relationship between driver speed and engagement in potentially distracting behaviours. Control data from the ECIS project are examined. These data include both objective speed measurements recorded via laser camera positioned at ECIS case-vehicle crash locations as well as retrospective self-reported driving behaviours from drivers recorded at these sites. Exploratory analysis suggests that the activities reported by drivers with recorded speeds above the limit may differ from the activities reported by those recorded on or below the limit

The MUARC-TAC enhanced crash investigation study: a platform to understand the causes and consequences of serious injury crashes.

Background: In recognising the consequences of serious injury crashes, the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) commissioned Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) to undertake the Enhanced Crash Investigation Study (ECIS). This paper describes the program components, seven key research questions and technical innovations used in the study. We describe the information collected and outline a ‘Safe Systems Failure Analysis’ used for each case. Project Method: Participants in ECIS include drivers aged 18 years and older seriously injured in crashes on public Victorian roads. Drivers are recruited whilst inpatients at a major trauma hospital and where possible interviews conducted. The ECIS team inspects their crashed vehicle and critically analyses the crash environment. Event Data Recorder (EDR, black-box) data is acquired from vehicles where possible and crash reconstructions are undertaken. Each case is submitted to an internal panel review with a sub-sample of cases presented to external panels throughout Victoria. This process leads to each case being submitted to a Safe Systems Failure Analysis where contributing factors and countermeasures are identified by a broad group of stakeholders. The ECIS control arm permits examination of the relationship between certain factors, such as speed and crash occurrence. Results and Discussion: In addition to describing the study, we provide an example of how the identification of crash factors, using a Safe Systems paradigm based on real-world serious injury crashes, can lead to the identification of targeted countermeasures, each with an identified policy action. Implications: This paper will demonstrate a method for creating a robust evidence base upon which government road safety policy can be built. By scaling up individual crash findings to the broader crash population, countermeasures and associated policy actions can be appropriately prioritised

An Outbreak of Severe Infections with Community-Acquired MRSA Carrying the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Following Vaccination

Background: Infections with community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) are emerging worldwide. We investigated an outbreak of severe CA-MRSA infections in children following out-patient vaccination. Methods and Findings: We carried out a field investigation after adverse events following immunization (AEFI) were reported. We reviewed the clinical data from all cases. S. aureus recovered from skin infections and from nasal and throat swabs were analyzed by pulse-field gel electrophoresis, multi locus sequence typing, PCR and microarray. In May 2006, nine children presented with AEFI, ranging from fatal toxic shock syndrome, necrotizing soft tissue infection, purulent abscesses, to fever with rash. All had received a vaccination injection in different health centres in one District of Ho Chi Minh City. Eight children had been vaccinated by the same health care worker (HCW). Deficiencies in vaccine quality, storage practices, or preparation and delivery were not found. Infection control practices were insufficient. CA-MRSA was cultured in four children and from nasal and throat swabs from the HCW. Strains from children and HCW were indistinguishable. All carried the Panton-Valentine leukocidine (PVL), the staphylococcal enterotoxin B gene, the gene complex for staphylococcal-cassette-chromosome mec type V, and were sequence type 59. Strain HCM3A is epidemiologically unrelated to a strain of ST59 prevalent in the USA, althoughthey belong to the same lineage. Conclusions. We describe an outbreak of infections with CA-MRSA in children, transmitted by an asymptomatic colonized HCW during immunization injection. Consistent adherence to injection practice guidelines is needed to prevent CA-MRSA transmission in both in- and outpatient settings