Minor roads can also be difficult to cross. Can we rely on driver courtesy?

BACKGROUND: Crossing roads is the most problematic stage of walking trips, especially for older pedestrians. There is extensive research and a range of possible solutions in the case of busy roads. But quieter, minor roads can also be difficult to cross, if they are wide or vehicles move fast. This may lead people to suppress walking trips, limiting the benefits of active travel. Signalized or marked crossings increase safety but in minor roads they can lead to unnecessary delays for both pedestrians and vehicles. ‘Courtesy crossings’ are a compromise solution. Drivers are not legally required to stop but are encouraged to do so by the design of the crossing. But do drivers really stop for pedestrians at these crossings? For whom, when, and where? What types of designs are more effective in inducing courtesy? METHODS: We observed 937 driver/pedestrian interactions at 3 mandatory marked crossings (zebras/ marked crosswalks) and 17 courtesy crossings across England. The courtesy crossings had different combinations of four design elements: stripes (different from zebra stripes), coloured/textured road surface, visual narrowing of the road, and ramps. We modelled the effect of these elements on the probability of drivers stopping for pedestrians, controlling for the characteristics of pedestrians, vehicles, and roads. We also compared courtesy rates before and after the inclusion of a new design element (stripes) on an existing courtesy crossing. RESULTS: All four design elements increased the probability of drivers stopping for pedestrians, compared with a scenario without a crossing. The effect of each of the four elements was similar (odds ratio increase varying from 4.3 and 4.7, depending on the element). Some combinations of elements were even more effective than mandatory marked crossings. Courtesy behaviour was more likely when pedestrians crossed in groups, in roads with a median strip or low speed limit, close to junctions, and in areas with shops. There was more courtesy towards women but, surprisingly, age (elderly or children) and mobility restrictions were insignificant. Vehicle type, time of day, and day of week were also insignificant. Adding strips to an existing courtesy crossing increased courtesy rates from 20% to 97%. CONCLUSIONS: The use of multiple design elements increases the effectiveness of courtesy crossings but driver courtesy behaviour is also influenced by non-design characteristics. Adding courtesy crossings can be a solution to increase safety and promote walking trips in minor roads with low volumes of both motorized vehicles and pedestrians

The contribution of hyperspectral remote sensing to identify vegetation characteristics necessary to assess the fate of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the environment

During recent years hyperspectral remote sensing data were successfully used to characterise the state and properties of vegetation. The information on vegetation cover and status is useful for a range of environmental modelling studies. Recent works devoted to the understanding of the fate of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the environment showed that forests and vegetation in general act as a «sponge» for chemicals present in air and the intensity of this «capture» effect depends on some vegetation parameters such as surface area, leaf composition, turnover etc. In the framework of the DARFEM experiment conducted in late June 2001, different airborne hyperspectral images were acquired and analysed to derive some vegetation parameters of relevance for multimedia models, such as the spatial distribution of plant species and their relative foliage biomass. The study area, south west of Milan, encompasses a range of land cover types typical of Northern Italy, including intensive poplar plantations and natural broad-leaf forest. An intensive field campaign was accomplished during the aerial survey to collect vegetation parameters and radiometric measurements. Results obtained from the analysis of hyperspectral images, map of vegetation species, Leaf Area Index (LAI) and foliage biomass are presented and discussed

Analysing pedestrian and vehicle interaction at courtesy crossings

Courtesy crossings are elements of the highway, typically provided in more shared street environments, highlighted with coloured surfacing, marked stripes, a raised carriageway and/or narrowing of the road. Whilst not providing a formal pedestrian crossing, they invite pedestrians to cross in a specific place and drivers to let them cross the road safely, out of courtesy. The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Department for Transport have recently sought more evidence on such schemes; one of the objectives of this study was to fill this gap. The study has analysed 1,369 observations of pedestrians crossing the road at 12 Sites across the UK, including some ‘shared space’ schemes (such as Bexleyheath, Felixstowe, Poynton, Preston and Swindon). Multilinear regression models have been developed both at aggregate and disaggregate levels, relating courtesy behaviour to 34 explanatory variables. In addition, a before-after analysis testing the effect of the introduction of marked stripes at one site has also been undertaken. This paper presents the results of the models, comments on the statistical significance of factors such as traffic and pedestrian volumes and composition and site infrastructure characteristics; and provide recommendations on how to design courtesy crossings. The presence of stripes had the most significant impact on driver`s courtesy behaviour; it was also observed that the legal requirement to give way to pedestrians at a controlled zebra crossing only affects the pedestrian delay at the crossing. Other relevant design features positively affecting courtesy include the presence of ramps and visual narrowings of the road. On the other hand, where traffic flows include significant numbers of heavy goods vehicles and buses, then vehicles are less likely to give way to pedestrians

Sound absorbing and insulating low-cost panels from end-of-life household materials for the development of vulnerable contexts in circular economy perspective

From a construction point of view, neighborhoods with residents living at or below the poverty threshold are characterized by low energy efficiency buildings, in which people live in acoustic discomfort with no viable options for home improvements, as they usually can not afford the materials and labor costs associated. An alternative to this is to use low-cost insulating elements made of non-conventional materials with acceptable acoustic properties. Given that household materials at their end-of-life (EoLHM) are free of costs and available also to the more disadvantaged population, they can be used to build acoustic panels for such contexts. This approach embraces several benefits since it reduces the amount of waste produced, the footprint deriving from the extraction of new raw materials and, by highlighting the potential of the EoLHM, discourages the abandonment of waste. In this paper, the acoustic properties of EoLHM, such as cardboard, egg-cartons, clothes, metal elements and combinations of them, are investigated by means of the impedance tube technique. The measured sound absorption coefficient and transmission loss have shown that EoLHM can be used for the realization of acoustic panels. However, since none of the analyzed materials shows absorbing and insulating properties at the same time, EoLHM must be wisely selected. This innovative approach supports the circular economy and the improvement for the living condition of low-income households

Conversion of end-of-life household materials into building insulating low-cost solutions for the development of vulnerable contexts: Review and outlook towards a circular and sustainable economy

In a world increasingly aware of the environmental cost of the current production/ consumption model, the use of sustainable practices to reduce our environmental impact as a society becomes imperative. One way to reduce this impact is to increase the reuse of materials that are considered, by current definitions of ”waste”, at their end of life. End-of-Life Household Materials (EoLHM) can be defined as household waste materials that still possess exploitable properties, thus making them suitable for reuse. There are several studies in the literature that address the recycling of these materials. When it comes to their reuse, unfortunately, only a limited number of studies are available. This paper aims to fill this gap by investigating the possibility to convert EoLHM, such as clothes or packaging, into low-cost thermal insulating materials for the improvement of the indoor thermal comfort in buildings, especially for households at risk of suffering from energy poverty. For this purpose, a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative analysis of both commercial and EoLHM are proposed. Commercial thermal insulating materials analysis is used as a reference to measure the performance of EoLHM. Important aspects to be considered when choosing suitable EoLHM for a smart conversion and reuse are also investigated. The most important outcome of this investigation is the comprehension that the conversion of EoLHM into insulating material is possible, and it implies a direct reduction in waste production, with environmental benefits and positive social implications. However, some aspects such as adaptability, life expectancy, collection and storage are, at present, in need of further thinking and development to make the EoLHM reuse and re-conversion processes viable on a large (neighborhood/city) scale

Morbilliviruses in aquatic mammals: report on round table discussion.

A workshop was organised to ascertain the current situation with regard to morbillivirus infections in aquatic animals. The great interest generated by the discovery of these new virus infections in 1988 has to some extent abated but much high quality research has continued in this field as the workshop showed. There is some serological evidence that the viruses have continued to circulate in most areas since the initial epizootics. As to their origin, it appears that the most likely source of the European seal morbillivirus (PDV-1) is the North Atlantic and Artic seal populations. As to the origin of the Mediterranean dolphin morbillivirus and the morbilliviruses isolated from porpoises, there is serological evidence that the viruses are widespread in many cetacean species in the Atlantic and 93% of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) which mass stranded between 1982 and 1993 were morbillivirus seropositive. The epizootic in freshwater seals in Lake Baikal was unrelated to events in the European marine mammal populations. The virus which infected these animals (PDV-2) is indistinguishable from canine distemper field strains. Serological and molecular biological studies provided evidence for the presence of the virus in the seals, at least as late as the Summer of 1992 when the animals were last sampled

Sustainable and low-cost solutions for thermal and acoustic refurbishment of old buildings

This paper investigates the possibility to realize solutions for buildings thermal and acoustic refurbishment by using end-of-life household materials, such as cardboard, clothes, and egg-boxes. These solutions can be installed to improve the indoor quality in neighborhoods populated by people below the poverty threshold. The considered end-of-life household materials and their combination have been analyzed from the acoustic and thermal points of view. First of all, the sound insulation and the sound absorption properties have been determined by means of an impedance tube. Then, the summer and the winter thermal performances, when coupled to different wall systems, have been investigated analitically. The results suggest that good thermal and acoustic characteristics can be achieved in a contained thickness by coupling end-of-life household materials

HCV and HIV co-infection in pregnant women attending St. Camille Medical Centre in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso

Five hundred and forty-seven pregnant women with less than 32 weeks of amenorrhoea, attending an antenatal clinic of St. Camille Medical Centre (SCMC) of Ouagadougou were enrolled for a hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV co-infection study. Fifty-eight (10.6%) were HIV positive and 18 (3.3%) were anti-HCV positive. Only seven pregnant women (i.e., 1.3%) had a documented HIV and HCV co-infection. HCV-RNA was found in 5 out of 18 (27.8%) patients, who had anti-HCV antibodies. The genotype analysis of these five patients showed that two were of 1b whereas three were of 2a genotype. Mother-to-infant transmission of the same HCV genotype (2a) was documented in only one case. High 1b prevalence has been reported in other parts of Africa, while 2a is the prevalent genotype (60%) in Burkina Faso. This genotype has a higher response rate to treatment. Serum transaminases were normal, also in presence of HCV-RNA. The higher than expected rate of co-infection in Burkina Faso seems to demonstrate a correlation between these two infections, which could influence the evolution of HIV and HCV diseases