ECOLOGIZATION OF AGRICULTURE AT CATCHMENT AREAS OF LAKES IN BELARUS POOZERYE

Цель исследований заключалась в обосновании основных приемов экологизации земледелия на водосборах озер Белорусского Поозерья. Показано значение почвенно-экологического районирования территории и обоснована необходимость использования нормативов почвозащитной роли возделываемых культур, севооборотов и приемов обработки почвы при формировании системы земледелия.The purpose of investigation was to validate the main ways of agriculture ecologization at catchment areas of lakes in Belarus Poozerye. The significance of soil ecological zoning of territory was shown. The necessity of the application of crops protective standards, crop rotations and soil tillage for the creation of agriculture system.179-18

Social recognition memory and the cross-race effect

The purpose of the current study was to examine how social influence information and the cross race effect influenced recognition judgments in a repetition-lag paradigm (Jennings & Jacoby, 1997; 2003). Prior research suggests that social recognition memory has its greatest negative influence when memory for a test item is poor. A dual-process memory perspective was invoked to assess the extent to which social conformity was more likely a by-product of recollective failure or illusory feelings of familiarity. Participants were 28 undergraduate students. Confederates provided either no social influence information, correct social influence information, or incorrect social influence information. Results demonstrated that there was no interaction of the manipulated variables. Evidence for the cross-race effect was found and replicated previous findings. Participants did conform to correct and incorrect information, but that underlying recollection processes only differed when the correct information was provided. The implications of these findings are discussed and future directions for social influence and the cross race effect are discussed

The distinctiveness effect in fingerprint identification: How the role of distinctiveness, information loss, and informational bias influence fingerprint identification

Fingerprint misidentification has become a concern for legal professionals, especially after the high profile misidentification of Brandon Mayfield as the Madrid train bomber and the first fingerprint related DNA exoneration of Stephen Cowans. The current studies examined how humans perceive the distinctiveness of fingerprints, whether distinctiveness effects found in face perception research are evident in fingerprint identification, and whether there are conditions under which the distinctiveness effect can be eliminated. Experiment 1 examined the distinctiveness effect and information loss, while Experiment 2 investigated the distinctiveness effect and its interaction with information loss and informational bias. In Experiment 1, results showed that participants demonstrated the distinctiveness effect on discrimination accuracy and response criterion, and that information loss (latent prints vs. plain prints) influenced discrimination accuracy. While the interaction between distinctiveness and information loss failed to reach the conventional level of significance, planned comparisons revealed that the distinctiveness effect was present only when complete perceptual information was available. Experiment 2 replicated the findings of Experiment 1 in demonstrating the effects of distinctiveness on response criterion, information loss on discrimination accuracy, and a significant interaction of these two variables on discrimination accuracy. Experiment 2 also demonstrated that informational bias influenced both discrimination accuracy and response criterion, and that this manipulation interacted with both the distinctiveness and information loss variables. Consistent with predictions, distinctiveness effects were observed only when the least amount of informational bias was present and when complete perceptual information was available. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed

Improving the Effectiveness of Nighttime Temporary Traffic Control Warning Devices, Volume 2: Evaluation of Nighttime Mobile Warning Lights

Vehicle-mounted warning lights for nighttime mobile highway operations provide critical protection to workers and the driving public. Alerting the traveling public of the approaching work activity and providing guidance is vital to maintaining safety and mobility. Previous research conducted for IDOT on mobile lane closures (Steele and Vavrik 2009) identified driver confusion as a concern to the safety of nighttime highway operations. Users are subject to warning lights from multiple agencies with varying characteristics and configurations, but we know little about driver comprehension of these signals and their influence on driver behavior. Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) studied the effectiveness of warning lights on nighttime highway operations, including mobile lane closures, incident responses, and police activities, by reviewing pertinent literature, performing observational and experimental field studies, and conducting driver surveys and focus groups of driver perceptions and behavior in response to nighttime mobile operations. We used a cognitive model of driver mental processes to analyze this information and better understand the interaction between warning lights and driver perception and behavior, and to identify and evaluate potential improvements to current practice. The research showed that drivers view current vehicle-mounted warning lights as highly visible, attention-getting, and effective at conveying the message caution/alert. However, intense lights can cause discomfort glare and multiple light sets on individual vehicles, or multiple vehicles at a location, can be distracting, annoying, or anxiety-inducing. Complex visual scenes can confuse drivers and take longer to process cognitively, leading to slower reaction times. Often, information provided by flashing arrows, signs, and changeable message signs can be interfered with by other warning lights on the same vehicle. Suggestions for improvement from the focus groups centered primarily on reducing the number of flashing lights, or synchronizing their flashing, on individual vehicles, reducing the intensity of specific lights, sequential flashing of arrows between multiple trucks in a convoy, and incorporating directional motion in light bars. Researchers were not able to test some of the ideas due to limitations of current device technology; however, field experiments on several suggested concepts showed the potential to improve driver perception, comprehension, and behavior by modifying the number, intensity, and synchronization of lights on individual vehicles, as well as between vehicles.Illinois Department of Transportation R27-108published or submitted for publicationnot peer reviewe

Improving the Effectiveness of Nighttime Temporary Traffic Control Warning Devices, Volume 1: Evaluation of Lights on Nighttime Work Zone Channelization Devices

Currently, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is one of the few state transportation agencies that require warning lights on nighttime work zone channelization devices, such as drums and barricades. The intent of the steady-burn, amber warning lights is to increase visibility of the channelization devices, providing guidance to motorists and preventing intrusions into the closed lane. However, their additional benefit beyond that provided by the high-reflectivity materials used on the channelization devices themselves has not been evaluated, including taking into consideration their initial, maintenance, and replacement costs; and the environmental and economic issues of routine battery replacement. Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) studied the effectiveness of warning lights on nighttime channelization devices by reviewing pertinent literature, experimental studies of nighttime work zones with and without lights on drums, driver surveys, and focus groups of driver perceptions and behavior in work zones using traffic drums. We applied a cognitive model of driver mental processes to this information to determine the influence of drum warning lights, if any, on driver perception and response. The research showed that, when unprompted, most drivers did not perceive a difference or respond any differently in nighttime work zones using lights on drums than in those without lights. However, when asked to make direct comparisons between work zones with and without lights on drums, there was a slight preference for lights on drums due to the perceived increase in nighttime lighting they provide. Nighttime work zones, and work zones in general, are visually cluttered environments; and the presence (or absence) of lights on drums was not significant enough to attract the drivers’ attention, given competing visual cues such as work zone traffic control devices, other vehicles, and activities in the work space. In addition, the reflective prismatic sheeting on drums in Illinois provides sufficient visibility without warning lights.Illinois Department of Transportation R27-108published or submitted for publicationnot peer reviewe

Examining the cross-race effect in lineup identification using Caucasian and First Nations samples

This study examined whether findings from research on the cross-race effect (CRE) in eyewitness memory with Caucasian-Black samples can be generalised to Caucasian-First Nations pairings in a lineup identification task. This study used a novel approach to investigate the CRE, using six targets, as well as simultaneous lineups that included both target-present and target-absent arrays. This study also addressed the efficacy of the contact hypothesis as it applies to these populations. A significant CRE was was discovered. Furthermore, both Caucasian and First Nations participants were more likely to choose from the lineup when attempting to recognise First Nations faces than when attempting to recognise Caucasian faces. Contact with the other race had no effect on recognition accuracy of that race. Potential implications and directions for future research are discussed

Are hospitalized or ambulatory patients with heart failure treated in accordance with European Society of Cardiology guidelines? Evidence from 12 440 patients of the ESC Heart Failure Long-Term Registry.

AIMS: To evaluate how recommendations of European guidelines regarding pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for heart failure (HF) are adopted in clinical practice. METHODS AND RESULTS: The ESC-HF Long-Term Registry is a prospective, observational study conducted in 211 Cardiology Centres of 21 European and Mediterranean countries, members of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). From May 2011 to April 2013, a total of 12 440 patients were enrolled, 40.5% with acute HF and 59.5% with chronic HF. Intravenous treatments for acute HF were heterogeneously administered, irrespective of guideline recommendations. In chronic HF, with reduced EF, renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers, beta-blockers, and mineralocorticoid antagonists (MRAs) were used in 92.2, 92.7, and 67.0% of patients, respectively. When reasons for non-adherence were considered, the real rate of undertreatment accounted for 3.2, 2.3, and 5.4% of the cases, respectively. About 30% of patients received the target dosage of these drugs, but a documented reason for not achieving the target dosage was reported in almost two-thirds of them. The more relevant reasons for non-implantation of a device, when clinically indicated, were related to doctor uncertainties on the indication, patient refusal, or logistical/cost issues. CONCLUSION: This pan-European registry shows that, while in patients with acute HF, a large heterogeneity of treatments exists, drug treatment of chronic HF can be considered largely adherent to recommendations of current guidelines, when the reasons for non-adherence are taken into account. Observations regarding the real possibility to adhere fully to current guidelines in daily clinical practice should be seriously considered when clinical practice guidelines have to be written