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• Different visual environments at freeway tunnel entrance zones have varying effects on driver's visual attention, cognitive workload, and subjective mental workload. • The billboard condition attracts the highest level of visual attention from drivers, while the tip slogan condition results in the highest cognitive workload. • Evaluation using the NASA-TLX scale indicates that the tip slogan condition has the greatest impact on drivers' subjective mental workload. This study aims to evaluate the impact of different visual attraction environments at the entrance zone of freeway tunnels on drivers' visual performance and subjective mental workload. Through a naturalistic driving experiment conducted on actual roads, participants experienced various visual attraction environments at the entrance zones of freeway tunnels. The selected visual environments included baseline, landscape-style architecture, tip slogan, and billboard scenarios. Objective visual performance was assessed using eye-tracking devices to collect participants' eye movement data, while subjective mental workload was evaluated through the NASA-TLX measurement reports administered after the driving experiment. The results indicate that the visual attraction environments at the entrance zone of freeway tunnels have significant impacts on drivers' visual attention level, cognitive workload, and subjective mental workload. Under the billboard condition, participants exhibited the longest first fixation duration (FFD) and paid the earliest attention to visual attraction (reflected by participants positioned their initial fixation at the visual attraction farthest from the tunnel entrance zone (DFT)). Additionally, the tip slogan condition resulted in the highest mean fixation duration (MFD), the largest percentage of total fixation duration on the visual attraction (PTFD), and the highest cognitive workload (reflected in maximum pupil diameter (PD)). Billboard at the entrance zone of freeway tunnel had the greatest effect on attracting drivers' visual attention, while tip slogan resulted in the highest cognitive workload on drivers. The results of the subjective mental workload evaluation (NASA-TLX) also indicated that tip slogan had the greatest impact on drivers' subjective mental workload. This study provides valuable insights into the potential impact of different visual attraction environments at the entrance zone of freeway tunnels on drivers' eye-catching effect. The results contribute to both theoretical knowledge and practical applications in the field of transportation safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The driver's PRT was measured according to the visual fixation characteristics (using an eye-tracking device) and vehicle running data. • The PRT was measured in the interchange exit ramps. • These findings should serve as a valuable reference for refining the design of plateau expressway exit ramps and providing a theoretical basis for improving road safety in the plateau areas. The low-pressure (and low-oxygen) environment in plateau regions significantly impacts the driver's perception-reaction time (PRT) and, in turn, road safety. However, drivers faced increased workloads at interchange exit areas while the Tibet region experienced a significant improvement in high-grade highway construction. Therefore, this study aimed to quantitatively analyze the influence of the plateau environment on PRT. Using a UC/win-road simulator, 6 scenarios of expressway exit ramps were constructed. Then, a total of 50 participants (35 males, 15 females) in Nanjing (altitude of 50 m) and 50 participants (36 males, 14 females) in Lhasa (altitude of 3650 m) were recruited for the simulation experiments. The driver's PRT was measured according to the visual fixation characteristics (using an eye-tracking device) and vehicle running data. The no-difference in PRT for various scenarios was validated using the one-way-ANOVA test. Then, the Spearman bivariate correlation and generalized linear regression model were used to analyze the influence of driver's age, driving experience, gender, and acclimation period on PRT. In addition, the difference in PRT of different groups of plain and plateau drivers was further analyzed using the Mann-Whiteney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Although driving experience and gender affected the PRT of the plain and plateau drivers, the effect was greater in the plain areas. The low-pressure environment at high altitude had a more significant impact on young novice male drivers. These findings serve as valuable references for refining the design of expressway exit ramps and improving road safety in the plateau areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We examined attitudes and purchase likelihood for visually sub-optimal apples. • Explicit and implicit measures had predictive validity regarding purchase decisions. • An implicit measure was better in predicting when consumers would reject apples. • An explicit measure was better in predicting when consumers would accept apples. Abstract Consumers are faced with daily choices on what foods to buy and eat. Visual characteristics of foods evoke in consumers both positive and negative attitudes, depending on the level of visual optimality or sub-optimality. These attitudes also play a critical role in purchase decision making. In this study we examined the food decision-making process and the extent to which explicit and implicit measures of visual optimality can predict purchase likelihood. In an online study with 608 Swedish consumers, we performed an implicit association test and used a questionnaire to measure consumers' explicit attitudes and purchase likelihood for optimal and sub-optimal apples. We also assessed the temporal stability of purchase likelihood in a re-test performed three weeks after the first test. The results showed that both explicit and implicit measures had predictive validity, but that the explicit measure was better in predicting when consumers would buy apples, while the implicit measure was better in predicting when consumers would reject apples. It was clear that consumers preferred visually optimal apples, but visually sub-optimal apples were not entirely rejected and the purchase likelihood remained stable throughout the experiment. We applied these results to draw up some recommendations on approaches to generate consumer acceptance and adoption of visually sub-optimal food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The goal of this study was to investigate how the eyes of different species of moray eel evolved to cope with limitations to vision imposed on them by the photic environments in which they reside. The comparative retinal histological structures and visual pigment characteristics including opsin gene sequences, of four species of moray eel inhabiting diverse habitats (i.e., shallow-water species, Rhinomuraena quaesita and Gymnothorax favagineus, and deep-sea species, Gymnothorax reticularis and Strophidon sathete) were examined. The histological sections showed that retinal layer structures of R. quaestia are significantly different from those of the other three species which likely reflects the effects of distribution depth on the structures. The maximal absorbance wavelength (λ max) of photoreceptor cells, as measured by microspectrophotometry (MSP), showed a close correlation between the λ max and the intensity/spectral quality of the light environment where each species lives. The spectra-shift, between shallow and deep-sea species, observed in the rods cells results from amino acid substitution in Rh1 gene, while that in cones most likely results from differential expression of multiple Rh2 genes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Nine typical traffic hazard scenarios were carried out at Linzhi, Lhasa, Naqu, and Yanghu Scenic Area based on UC-WIN / ROAD driving simulation software. • Drivers' visual search modes in the plateau areas were analyzed according to drivers' eye movement data collected by ASL Mobile Eye monocular eye tracker. • The increase of altitude would weaken the drivers' visual sensitivity and cognitive processing ability of hazard information, which would reduce drivers' hazard perception skills, and the increase of driving experience might help alleviate such negative impacts to some extent. A good visual search mode is an important prerequisite for a driver to perceive the hazard in the traffic environment timely and accurately. However, hypoxia conditions in the plateau environment might affect drivers' cognitive and judgment ability, posing potential threats to safe driving. This study analyzed the eye movement behaviors of drivers when faced with traffic hazards in the plateau environment, to examine the impact level of altitude on drivers' perception and reaction. Nine typical traffic hazard scenarios were investigated at four locations with four different altitudes, including Linzhi, Lhasa, Naqu, and Yanghu Scenic Area based on UC-WIN / ROAD driving simulation software. Then, drivers' visual search modes were analyzed according to drivers' eye movement data collected by ASL Mobile Eye monocular eye tracker. As the altitude increased, the drivers' first fixation time and the average saccade amplitude decreased, while the fixation duration percentage increased. Drivers with fewer years of driving experience had a larger percentage of fixation duration and a smaller saccade amplitude. In addition, a shorter acclimation period also negatively influenced the percentage of fixation time. The increase of altitude would weaken the drivers' visual sensitivity and cognitive processing ability of hazard information, which would reduce drivers' hazard perception skills, and the increase of driving experience might help alleviate such negative impacts to some extent. Based on the visual characteristics of traffic hazard scenarios obtained in this paper, the training of highly accident-prone drivers can be guided specifically to improve their visual search strategies, thereby improving driving safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Evaluation of observer''s image perception in medical images is important, and yet has not been performed because it is difficult to quantify visual characteristics. In the present study, we investigated the observer''s image perception by clustering a group of 20 observers. Images of a contrast–detail (C–D) phantom, which had cylinders of 10 rows and 10 columns with different diameters and lengths, were acquired with an X-ray screen-film system with fixed exposure conditions. A group of 10 films were prepared for visual evaluations. Sixteen radiological technicians, three radiologists and one medical physicist participated in the observation test. All observers read the phantom radiographs on a transillumination image viewer with room lights off. The detectability was defined as the shortest length of the cylinders of which border the observers could recognize from the background, and was recorded using the number of columns. The detectability was calculated as the average of 10 readings for each observer, and plotted for different phantom diameter. The unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA) was adopted for clustering. The observers were clustered into two groups: one group selected objects with a demarcation from the vicinity, and the other group searched for the objects with their eyes constrained. This study showed a usefulness of the cluster method to select personnels with the similar perceptual predisposition when a C–D phantom was used in image quality control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Molten pool can be divided into three regions to describe LDED process. • Coaxial visual characteristics can reflect metallurgical behaviors of molten pool. • There is a definite relationship between visual and temperature characteristics. • Visual characteristics can be used to monitor process state and product qualities. Laser-based directed energy deposition (LDED), an additive manufacturing technique, has received increasing attention from the industry and academia. Unstable reliability and poor repeatability in the production of metal parts are two challenges currently faced by LDED. In-situ monitoring and adaptive control technology based on visual characteristics serves as effective methods to ensure part quality and process stability. Although molten pools directly influence metallurgical behaviors in LDED, their visual characteristics still require further investigation. In this work, a coaxial visual image of a molten pool was captured during the LDED of 316 L material and divided into three regions. Then, the evolutionary behaviors of different regions during single-layer single-track processing, multi-layer one-track stacking, and one-layer multi-track overlapping were analyzed. Additionally, the metallurgical behaviors of the molten pool, including the formation mechanisms of slag characteristics, were explicated. Results showed that molten pool characteristics could be presented and described with visual images reasonably. These characteristics could indicate the state of melting, heat conduction and convection, and overlapping position. Meanwhile, coaxial visual characteristics were closely related to product qualities. This work could enhance the understanding of LDED process mechanisms and improve real-time monitoring capability. The proposed approach for the determination of molten pool characteristics is expected to be applicable to other materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Visual sub-optimality has a significant impact on how food is experienced. • Emotions and attitudes are key mediators between sub-optimal apples and expected liking. • After tasting, actual liking significantly differs from expected liking. • Colour and shape sub-optimality have a higher chance to be chosen than physical damage. Food appearance is an important determinant for expected and actual liking, but some food is not even available for purchase due to visual imperfections. In two studies conducted with 130 participants in Sweden, we measured consumers' expected and actual liking for different apples with three types of visual imperfection (color, shape and damage). We investigated the effects of apples' visual characteristics on expected liking and whether or not this relationship is mediated by emotions and attitudes. Secondly, we investigated how actual liking differed between the groups of apples, and how it differed from expected liking. Results indicated that attitudes are the strongest mediator between visual characteristics of apples and expected liking. Moreover, participants indicated higher expected liking for color and shape imperfections relative to damaged apples. Results from the second study indicated a significant difference between expected and actual liking, and less variability in actual liking between the apple groups relative to the variability in expected liking. It can be concluded that the visual characteristics of apples influence both expected and actual liking, the practical implication for retailers being a need to carefully distinguish between the different types of visual sub-optimality and to keep the products that have a higher chance to be chosen (sub-optimal in shape and colour). Thus, these results generate a clearer understanding of visual sub-optimality, and can be incorporated in strategies for reducing food waste in stores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]