SCANGREEN 2019-2022: Turfgrass species, varieties and seed mixtures for Scandinavian putting greens. Final results from a four-year testing period.

The objective of SCANGREEN 2019-22 was to find species, varieties and seed blends/mixtures of Agrostis, Festuca, Poa and Lolium that are suited for pesticide-free management of putting greens in the two major climatic zones of the Nordic countries and in the northern USA. The four test sites in the Nordic countries were Reykjavik GC, Iceland and NIBIO Apelsvoll in the the northern zone, and NIBIO Landvik, Norway and Smørum GC, Denmark in the southern zone. The two US test sites were located at Troll Turfgrass Research Facility in Massachusetts and at University of Minnesota. The trials included 30 candidate varieties representing eight different species and subspecies from 13 different seed companies/representatives, and three seed mixtures of red fescue and colonial and creeping bentgrass, a seed mixture of creeping bentgrass and perennial ryegrass and a seed blend of red fescue. Monthly evaluations of overall impression, tiller density, winter hardiness, disease and weed coverage etc., were done from three weeks after sowing in June-September 2019 until October 2022. The trial at Smørum GC was established in May 2021. The trials were established according to a split-plot design with three blocks (replicates), species on main plots and varieties on subplots. The experimental greens were mown three times per week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and deficit-irrigated to 80% of field capacity three to four times per week in periods without sufficient natural rainfall. Fertilizer (mean N–P–K ratio, 100–22–74) was given as completely balanced compound fertilizers every second week. Each experimental green was divided in different management levels: High and low fertilizer rate and high and low mowing. The two fertilizer rates were 10 and 17 g N m−2 yr−1 and the two mowing heights were 3 and 5 mm. Mixtures were managed at both regimes. There was no use of pesticides or plant growth regulators in any of the trials.SCANGREEN 2019-2022: Turfgrass species, varieties and seed mixtures for Scandinavian putting greens. Final results from a four-year testing period.publishedVersio

Associations between heavy episodic drinking and alcohol related injuries: a case control study

Background: Alcohol is a significant risk factor for injuries. This study addresses 1) whether the risk of alcohol related injury increases with frequency of heavy episodic drinking (HED) in a linear fashion, and 2) whether a small group of high risk drinkers accounts for the majority of alcohol related injuries. Methods: We applied a case – control design. Cases were BAC positive injured patients (n = 534) and controls were respondents to a general population survey in Norway (n = 1947). Age and gender adjusted association between self-reported past year HED frequency and alcohol related injury risk was estimated in logistic regression models for all alcohol related injuries and for violence injuries and accident injuries separately. Results: An increase in HED was associated with an increase in risk of alcohol related injury, resembling a linear risk function. The small fraction of high risk drinkers (6.6%) accounted for 41.6% of all alcohol related injuries, thus lending support to the validity of the prevention paradox. Conclusion: There is a strong relationship between frequency of heavy episodic drinking and risk of alcohol related injuries, yet the majority of alcohol related injuries are found among drinkers who are not in the high risk group. Keywords: Alcohol, Heavy episodic drinking, Injuries, Accidents, Violence, Case control study, Prevention parado

Associations between heavy episodic drinking and alcohol related injuries: a case control study

Background: Alcohol is a significant risk factor for injuries. This study addresses 1) whether the risk of alcohol related injury increases with frequency of heavy episodic drinking (HED) in a linear fashion, and 2) whether a small group of high risk drinkers accounts for the majority of alcohol related injuries. Methods: We applied a case – control design. Cases were BAC positive injured patients (n = 534) and controls were respondents to a general population survey in Norway (n = 1947). Age and gender adjusted association between self-reported past year HED frequency and alcohol related injury risk was estimated in logistic regression models for all alcohol related injuries and for violence injuries and accident injuries separately. Results: An increase in HED was associated with an increase in risk of alcohol related injury, resembling a linear risk function. The small fraction of high risk drinkers (6.6%) accounted for 41.6% of all alcohol related injuries, thus lending support to the validity of the prevention paradox. Conclusion: There is a strong relationship between frequency of heavy episodic drinking and risk of alcohol related injuries, yet the majority of alcohol related injuries are found among drinkers who are not in the high risk group. Keywords: Alcohol, Heavy episodic drinking, Injuries, Accidents, Violence, Case control study, Prevention parado

Norwegian roadside survey of alcohol and drug use by drivers (2008-2009)

Objective: To examine alcohol and drug use among random drivers in different regions of Norway by analyzing oral fluid, compare drivers in urban and rural areas, compare with results from the roadside survey in southeastern Norway in 2005–2006, and roughly estimate the prevalence of driving with blood drug concentrations above the new Norwegian legislative limits among random drivers. This roadside survey was part of the European DRUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines) Project. Methods: Drivers were selected for a voluntary and anonymous study using a stratified multistage cluster sampling procedure in collaboration with the Mobile Police Service. Samples of oral fluid were taken using the Statsure Saliva Sample (Statsure Diagnostic Systems, Framingham, MA), and the drivers’ gender, age, and nationality were recorded. Samples of oral fluid were analyzed for alcohol or drugs, for a total 28 psychoactive substances. Results: One hundred eighty-four roadside survey sessions were conducted and 10,004 drivers were asked to participate. The refusal rate was 5.8 percent. Psychoactive substances were found in 4.8 percent of the 9410 oral fluid samples analyzed. Alcohol was detected in 0.3 percent, medicinal drugs in 3.2 percent, and illegal drugs in 1.5 percent of the samples. Illegal drugs were significantly more frequently detected in samples from southeastern Norway including the capital Oslo, whereas medicinal drugs were more frequently detected in samples from southeastern Norway excluding Oslo. Illegal drugs were significantly more frequently detected in samples from drivers in urban areas than in rural areas, though there were no significant differences for alcohol and medicinal drugs. Medicinal drugs were most commonly found in samples collected during the daytime on weekdays (3.8%), and illegal drugs were most commonly found in samples collected during late night on weekdays or weekends (2.8%–3.2%). The most commonly found substances were the sleeping agent zopiclone (1.4%), the main active substance in cannabis tetrahydrocannabinol (1.1%), and the sedative drug diazepam (0.7%). The prevalence of driving with drug concentrations above the Norwegian legislative limits for blood was estimated to be about 0.2 percent for alcohol, 0.6 percent for illegal drugs, and about 1.3 percent for medicinal drugs. Conclusions: The incidence of drink driving was very low, though driving after using psychoactive illegal or medicinal drugs was more frequent. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Traffic Injury Prevention to view the supplemental file.publishedVersio

Norwegian roadside survey of alcohol and drug use by drivers (2008-2009)

Objective: To examine alcohol and drug use among random drivers in different regions of Norway by analyzing oral fluid, compare drivers in urban and rural areas, compare with results from the roadside survey in southeastern Norway in 2005–2006, and roughly estimate the prevalence of driving with blood drug concentrations above the new Norwegian legislative limits among random drivers. This roadside survey was part of the European DRUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines) Project. Methods: Drivers were selected for a voluntary and anonymous study using a stratified multistage cluster sampling procedure in collaboration with the Mobile Police Service. Samples of oral fluid were taken using the Statsure Saliva Sample (Statsure Diagnostic Systems, Framingham, MA), and the drivers’ gender, age, and nationality were recorded. Samples of oral fluid were analyzed for alcohol or drugs, for a total 28 psychoactive substances. Results: One hundred eighty-four roadside survey sessions were conducted and 10,004 drivers were asked to participate. The refusal rate was 5.8 percent. Psychoactive substances were found in 4.8 percent of the 9410 oral fluid samples analyzed. Alcohol was detected in 0.3 percent, medicinal drugs in 3.2 percent, and illegal drugs in 1.5 percent of the samples. Illegal drugs were significantly more frequently detected in samples from southeastern Norway including the capital Oslo, whereas medicinal drugs were more frequently detected in samples from southeastern Norway excluding Oslo. Illegal drugs were significantly more frequently detected in samples from drivers in urban areas than in rural areas, though there were no significant differences for alcohol and medicinal drugs. Medicinal drugs were most commonly found in samples collected during the daytime on weekdays (3.8%), and illegal drugs were most commonly found in samples collected during late night on weekdays or weekends (2.8%–3.2%). The most commonly found substances were the sleeping agent zopiclone (1.4%), the main active substance in cannabis tetrahydrocannabinol (1.1%), and the sedative drug diazepam (0.7%). The prevalence of driving with drug concentrations above the Norwegian legislative limits for blood was estimated to be about 0.2 percent for alcohol, 0.6 percent for illegal drugs, and about 1.3 percent for medicinal drugs. Conclusions: The incidence of drink driving was very low, though driving after using psychoactive illegal or medicinal drugs was more frequent. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Traffic Injury Prevention to view the supplemental file