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Introduction: We examined the accuracy of research participant characterizations of motor vehicle collisions (MVC).Methods: We conducted an emergency department-based prospective study of adults presenting for care after experiencing an MVC. Study participants completed a structured clinical interview that assessed the number of lanes of the road where the collision took place, vehicle type, road condition, speed limit, seat belt use, airbag deployment, vehicle damage, time of collision, and use of ambulance transportation. Study participant data were then compared with information recorded by Michigan State Police at the scene of the MVC. Agreement between research participant reports and police-reported data were assessed by using percentage agreement and j coefficients for categorical variables and correlation coefficients for continuous variables.Results: There were 97 study participants for whom emergency department interviews and Michigan State Police Report information were available. Percentage agreement was 51% for number of lanes,76% for car drivability, 88% for road condition, 91% for vehicle type, 92% for seat belt use, 94% for airbag deployment, 96% for speed limit, 97% for transportation by ambulance, and 99% for vehicle seat position. j values were 0.32 for seat belt use, 0.34 for number of lanes, 0.73 for vehicle type, 0.76 for speed limit, 0.77 for road condition, 0.87 for airbag deployment, 0.90 for vehicle seat position, and 0.94for transport by ambulance. Correlation coefficients were 0.95 for the time of the collision, and 0.58 for extent of damage to the vehicle. Most discrepancies between patients and police about extent of vehicle damage occurred for cases in which the patient reported moderate or severe damage but the police reported only slight damage.Conclusion: For most MVC characteristics, information reported by research participants was consistent with police-reported data. Agreement was moderate or high for characteristics of greatestrelevance to injury biomechanics. These results suggest that research participant report is an acceptable source of collision information. [West J Emerg Med. 2012;13(4):329–334.]

The bending behavior of reinforced concrete beams under uniform pressure is critical for the research of the blast-resistance performance of structural components under explosive loads. In this study, a bending test of five reinforced concrete beams with the dimensions of 200 mm (width) × 200 mm (depth) × 2500 mm (length) under uniform load produced by a specific cylinder-shaped rubber bag filled with air or water was conducted to investigate their flexural performances. An air bag load was applied to three of the reinforced concrete beams, a water bag load was applied to one reinforced concrete beam, and the remainder beam was subjected to the 4-point bending load. The experimental results highlighted that the air bag and water bag loading methods can be used to effectively apply uniform loads to reinforced concrete beams. Moreover, the stiffness of the air bag was improved by 123% in accordance with the initial pressure increases from 0.15 to 0.45 MPa. In addition, a finite element model of the test loading system was established using ABAQUS/Standard software. Moreover, the critical factors of the air bag loading method were analyzed using the numerical model. The calculated results were found to be in good agreement with the test data. The established finite element model can therefore be used to accurately simulate the action performances of the uniform loading technique using rubber bags filled with air or water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samples at different setting time were determined by glass syringe method and air bag method, and their results were analyzed. The results showed that concentrations of methane and total hydrocarbons obviously declined with the prolonging of setting time by glass syringe method, and recovery rate of sample declined to 60% after 8 h. In air bag method, analysis results of methane and total hydrocarbons were stabler, and recovery rate of sample was 93% after 8 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China offshore oil and gas resources development went into a rapid developing period since 1980s, the offshore oil platforms early constructed are already close to the design life, they will be retired and removed in the future. Steel jacket foundation offshore platform was built in a great number; the installation and removed scheme is mature. Suction can foundation was used since 1990s with rare remove case. Based on an offshore meteorological mast remove project, we introduced 3 kinds of suction can foundation offshore removed schemes combining with the exiting offshore platform remove technologies, carried out the comparative analysis from the technical feasibility and operational safety. All three technical schemes are generally feasibility, but with different operability which needs to be deep studied. The key techniques mentioned in this paper have typical and practical value for other similar suction can structures and jacket foundation structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: "Blobbing" is a modern outdoor activity where a participant sits on the end of a partially inflated air bag ("blobber") and is launched into the water when another participant jumps onto the air bag from a platform on the opposite side ("jumper"). This is the first study to evaluate the injury patterns associated with blobbing.Patients and Methods: A retrospective data analysis was conducted based on 86 patients who sustained blobbing injuries between January 2011 and December 2016. The date of birth, gender, day of injury, diagnosis, body region of trauma, and treatment were recorded for the patients. Treatment was subclassified into conservative or surgical treatment. The position of the participant was recorded as either a jumper or a blobber.Results: One-third of the patients sustained a spine injury, which was the most common body part injured. The most frequent type of injury was cervical spine distortion. All shoulder (n = 9), elbow (n = 3), hand (n = 2), knee (n = 3), and foot (n = 12) injuries occurred in jumpers, whereas all ear (n = 6) and lung (n = 5) injuries occurred in blobbers. Head (n = 5) and spine (n = 33) injuries were distributed in jumpers and blobbers. Sixty-nine patients were treated with conservative treatment. Three ankle fractures and two spine fractures were treated with immediate surgical treatment. Twelve patients were treated with conservative treatment but were referred for potential surgery at their hospital at home.Conclusion: Both jumpers and blobbers were prone to injuries. More severe injuries with the potential for surgical treatment occurred in jumpers, presumably because of bad landings. This analysis of the injury patterns in blobbers might lead to the introduction of protective gear and changes in the behavior of participants in order to reduce the risk of injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We examined the accuracy of research participant characterizations of motor vehicle collisions (MVC).Methods: We conducted an emergency department-based prospective study of adults presenting for care after experiencing an MVC. Study participants completed a structured clinical interview that assessed the number of lanes of the road where the collision took place, vehicle type, road condition, speed limit, seat belt use, airbag deployment, vehicle damage, time of collision, and use of ambulance transportation. Study participant data were then compared with information recorded by Michigan State Police at the scene of the MVC. Agreement between research participant reports and police-reported data were assessed by using percentage agreement and j coefficients for categorical variables and correlation coefficients for continuous variables.Results: There were 97 study participants for whom emergency department interviews and Michigan State Police Report information were available. Percentage agreement was 51% for number of lanes,76% for car drivability, 88% for road condition, 91% for vehicle type, 92% for seat belt use, 94% for airbag deployment, 96% for speed limit, 97% for transportation by ambulance, and 99% for vehicle seat position. j values were 0.32 for seat belt use, 0.34 for number of lanes, 0.73 for vehicle type, 0.76 for speed limit, 0.77 for road condition, 0.87 for airbag deployment, 0.90 for vehicle seat position, and 0.94for transport by ambulance. Correlation coefficients were 0.95 for the time of the collision, and 0.58 for extent of damage to the vehicle. Most discrepancies between patients and police about extent of vehicle damage occurred for cases in which the patient reported moderate or severe damage but the police reported only slight damage.Conclusion: For most MVC characteristics, information reported by research participants was consistent with police-reported data. Agreement was moderate or high for characteristics of greatestrelevance to injury biomechanics. These results suggest that research participant report is an acceptable source of collision information.

The pattern of injuries in restrained victims of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) remains an issue of debate. We investigated the association of peripheral nerve injuries with the use of protective devices (seat belt and air bag) during MVCs. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 384,539 adult MVC victims who were registered in the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) between 2009 and 2011. Regression techniques were used to investigate the association of restraint use with the risk of peripheral nerve injury in patients hospitalized after an MVC. Of the study patients, 271,099 were using restraints and 113,440 were not. Overall, there were a total of 3086 peripheral nerve injuries. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated an association of protective device use with decreased risk of peripheral nerve injury (odds ratio [OR], 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-0.96; absolute risk reduction, 10.68%). This corresponds to 16 patients who needed to be restrained to prevent one nerve injury. The location of the patient in the vehicle did not seem to affect the risk of peripheral nerve injury, with drivers demonstrating no association with nerve injuries (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.87-1.02) in comparison with non-drivers. On the contrary, alcohol consumption was associated with increased incidence of peripheral nerve injuries (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01-1.20). In summary, restraint use was associated with decreased risk of peripheral nerve injury in MVC victims, after controlling for confounders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed an innovative imprinting process technology using an elastic auxiliary air bag imprinting mechanism, combined with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) soft mold and UV-LED array photocuring equipment, to evenly imprint and reproduce a micro-lens mold into a gradient micro-lens structure in order to achieve linear gradient in micro-structures. The structure defined by the proposed process technology is more continuous and smoother than that of the current semi-conductor gray scale photomasking process technology. The process is simpler, faster, and less expensive and is a more effective option for satisfying the formation requirements of different structural heights. This study used pressure-sensitive film to test and discuss gradient imprint force distribution. The test results suggested that different spring constants led to tilt impressions, which caused the PDMS soft mold to contact with the substrate surface at different pressures. The color depth distribution of the pressure-sensitive film testing results indicated that the spring constant and pressure distribution were somewhat correlated. Hence, the height of structural formation can be controlled by different spring constants. Finally, SEM and surface profiler measurements suggested that different spring constants can result in different tilt degrees of the imprinting platform of air bag imprinting applications for the imprinting and reproduction of smooth, continuous micro-lens array structures of different heights. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Production of toxic sodium azide (NaN3) surged worldwide over the past two decades to meet the demand for automobile air bag inflator propellant. Industrial activity and the return of millions of inflators to automobile recycling facilities are leading to increasing release of NaN3 to the environment so there is considerable interest in learning more about its environmental fate. Water soluble NaN3 could conceivably be found in drinking water supplies so here we describe the kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of azide with hypochlorite, which is often used in water treatment plants. The reaction stoichiometry is: HOCl+2N3 − =3N2 +Cl− +OH−, and proceeds by a key intermediate chlorine azide, ClN3, which subsequently decomposes by reaction with a second azide molecule in the rate determining step: ClN3 +N3 − →3N2 +Cl− (k =0.52±0.04M−1 s−1, 25°C, μ =0.1M). We estimate that the half-life of azide would be ≈15s at the point of chlorination in a water treatment plant and ≈24 days at some point downstream where only residual chlorine remains. Hypochlorite is not recommended for treatment of concentrated azide waste due to formation of the toxic chlorine azide intermediate under acidic conditions and the slow kinetics under basic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Public concern has arisen about the reliability of front air bags because Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data indicate many nondeployed air bags in fatal frontal crashes. However, the accuracy of air bag deployment, the variable in question, is uncertain. This study aimed to provide more certain estimates of nondeployment incidence in fatal frontal crashes. Methods: Fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers and right-front passengers in frontal crashes were identified in two U.S. databases for calendar years 1998-2006 and model years 1994-2006: FARS, a census of police-reported fatal crashes on public roads, and National Automotive Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System (NASS/CDS), a probability sample of tow-away crashes. NASS/CDS contains subsets of fatal crashes in FARS and collects detailed data using crash investigators. Front air bag deployment coding for front-seat occupant fatalities was compared in FARS and NASS/CDS, and case reviews were conducted. Results: Among FARS frontal deaths with available deployment status (N = 43,169), front air bags were coded as not deployed for 18 percent of front occupants. In comparison, NASS/CDS (N = 628) reported 9 percent (weighted estimate) nondeployment among front occupants killed. Among crashes common to both databases, NASS/CDS reported deployments for 45 percent of front occupant deaths for which FARS had coded nondeployments. Detailed case reviews of NASS/CDS crashes indicated highly accurate coding for deployment status. Based on this case review, 8 percent (weighted estimate) of front occupant deaths in frontal crashes appeared to involve air bag nondeployments; 1-2 percent of front occupant deaths represented potential system failures where deployments would have been expected. Air bag deployments appeared unwarranted in most nondeployments based on crash characteristics. Discussion: FARS data overstate the magnitude of the problem of air bag deployment failures; steps should be taken to improve coding. There are inherent uncertainties in judgments about whether or not air bags would be expected to deploy in some crashes. Continued monitoring of air bag performance is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a wearable airbag that incorporates a fall-detection system that uses both acceleration and angular velocity signals to trigger inflation of the airbag. The fall-detection algorithm was devised using a thresholding technique with an accelerometer and gyro sensor. Sixteen subjects mimicked falls, and their acceleration waveforms were monitored. Then, we developed a fall-detection algorithm that could detect signals 300 ms before the fall. This signal was used as a trigger to inflate the airbag to a capacity of 2.4 L. Although the proposed system can help to prevent fall-related injuries, further development is needed to miniaturize the inflation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. There is concern that small stature occupants (particularly women) involved in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) may be at risk of injury or death from frontal air bags, though evidence to substantiate this concern is lacking. We sought to assess how occupant body size (measured through height and weight) affects air bag effectiveness in mitigating the risk of serious injury, after adjusting for important crash factors. Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study using a national population-based cohort of adult front-seat occupants involved in MVCs as included in the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System database (NASS CDS) from 1995 to 2006. Drivers and front-seat passengers 15 years and older involved in MVCs involving passenger vehicles and light trucks were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was serious injury, defined as an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score ≥3 in any body region. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to test interaction terms (effect modification) between air bags, body size, and injury. The predicted probability of injury across body sizes was plotted to further illustrate potential differences. Results. Sixty-nine thousand three hundred eighty-seven adult front-seat occupants during the 12-year period were included in the analysis, of which 9333 (2.3%) were seriously injured. There was no evidence that height or weight modified air bag effectiveness among all crashes (p > .40). In primary frontal collisions, there was some evidence for effect modification by weight (p = .04) but not by height (p = .59). When assessed using air bag deployment, height was a strong effect modifier (p = .0078), but not weight (p = .43). Predicted probability figures confirmed that occupant height modifies the effect of air bag deployment, but there was no similar visual evidence for body weight. Conclusions. In this sample, we found no consistent evidence that body size modifies the overall effectiveness of frontal air bags. However, among crashes involving air bag deployment, the effect of deployment on injury differs by occupant height, with a relative increase in the odds of serious injury among smaller occupants. In such crashes, the probability of injury with (versus without) deployment began to increase with occupant heights less than 155 cm (5'), reaching a level of statistical difference below 138 cm (4' 6''). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, numerical simulation is used all over the world to develop and optimise the restraint system performance. But more than just helping engineers to design restraint systems fulfilling the homologation and ratings requirements, the numerical simulation enables them to extend their field of investigation by going beyond the laboratory test conditions, making their first steps in “real life safety”. This paper presents the simulation of a concept of an adaptive restraint system for the passenger side. Its restraint capacity is continuously adjustable to the occupant, by an airbag whose shape and volume can be varied. In addition to this, the airbag outflow hole characteristics have also been optimised. The performance of this restraint system has been evaluated using the three standard adult dummies (5th, 50th and 95th percentile), each one in various seating positions for both US and Euro-NCAP pulses. The results will be shown with respect to a state-of-the-art restraint system. The design process, starting from the 95th percentile dummy, will be explained as well as the problems encountered during the optimisation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective . Motor vehicle collision (MVC)-related spinal injury is a severe and often permanently disabling injury. In addition, strain injuries have been reported as a common outcome of MVCs. Although advances in automobile crashworthiness have reduced both fatalities and severe injuries, the impact of varying occupant restraint systems (seatbelts and airbags) on thoracolumbar spine injuries is unknown. This study examined the relationship between the occurrence of mild to severe cervical and thoracolumbar spine injury and occupant restraint systems among front seat occupants involved in frontal MVCs. Methods . A retrospective cohort study was conducted among subjects obtained from the 1995–2004 National Automotive Sampling System. Cases were identified based on having sustained a spine injury of ≥1 on the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), 1990 Revision. Risk risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed comparing occupant restraint systems with unrestrained occupants. Results . We found an overall incidence of AIS1 cervical (11.8%) and thoracolumbar (3.7%) spinal injury. Seatbelt only restraints were associated with increased cervical AIS1 injury (RR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.04–1.88). However, seatbelt only restraints showed the greatest risk reduction for AIS2 spinal injuries. Airbag only restraints reduced thoracolumbar AIS1 injuries (RR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.08–1.04). Seatbelt combined with airbag use was protective for cervical AIS3+ injury overall (RR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.14–0.58), cervical neurological injury (RR = 0.19, 95% CI 0.05–0.81), and thoracolumbar AIS3+ injury overall (RR = 0.20, 95% CI 0.05–0.70). Conclusions . The results of this study suggest that seatbelts alone or in combination with an airbag increased the incidence of AIS1 spinal injuries, but provide protection against more severe injury to all regions of the spine. Airbag deployment without seatbelt use did not show increased protection relative to unrestrained occupants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Current recommendations regarding children traveling in passenger vehicles equipped with passenger air bags are based, in part, on evidence that the air-bag--related risk of injury and death is higher for children <12 years of age. However, the age or body size required to allow a child to be seated safely in front of a passenger air bag is unknown. Objective. To evaluate specific cutoff points for age, height, and weight as effect modifiers of the association between the presence of a passenger air bag and serious injury among children involved in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs), while controlling for important crash factors. Design. A national population-based cohort of children involved in MVCs and included in the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) Crashworthiness Data System (CDS) database from 1995 to 2002 was studied. NASS CDS clusters, strata, and weights were included in all analyses. Subjects. Children 0 to 18 years of age involved in MVCs and seated in the right front passenger seat. Main Outcome Measure. Serious injury, defined as an Abbreviated Injury Scale score of >3 for any body region. Results. A total of 3790 patients (1 month to 18 years of age) were represented in the NASS CDS database during the 8-year period. Sixty children (1.6%) were seriously injured (Abbreviated Injury Scale score of >3) Among age, height, and weight, age of 0 to 14 years (versus 15 --18 years) was the only consistent effect modifier of the association between air-bag presence (or air- bag deployment) and serious injury, particularly for crashes with a moderate probability of injury. In analyses stratified according to age and adjusted for important crash factors, children 0 to 14 years of age involved in frontal collisions seemed to be at increased risk of serious injury from air-bag presence (odds ratio [OR ]: 2.66; 95% confidence interval [CI ]:0.23 --30.9) and deployment (OR: 6.13; 95% CI: 0.30--126), although these values did not reach... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the anchorage of FRP systems in strengthening masonry walls against out-of-plane lateral loads. The anchorage methods utilized (i) improved bond; (ii) a fiber anchor bolt system; and (iii) an embedded bar system. Tests were carried out on eight walls of half-brick thickness and seven walls of full-brick thickness, strengthened with two different types of glass and one carbon FRP systems. Each wall was placed in a horizontal plane and simply supported along four sides without edge restraint, and then subjected to a uniformly distributed pressure applied using an air bag over a square area at its centre. Test results indicated that specimens without any anchorage measures showed premature failure by FRP debonding, while those provided with an anchorage system, failed by brick crushing or by punching shear at a much higher load. An analytical model is also presented to predict the failure load of FRP reinforced masonry walls failing in flexural compression or punching shear, and was found to predict test results well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental fate of sodium azide (NaN[sub3]) is of considerable interest given the recent surge in production to satisfy demand for automobile air bag inflators, where it serves as the principal active ingredient. Since the mid-1990s, demand for sodium azide has exceeded 5 million kg per year and most passenger vehicles sold in the United States now contain approximately 300 g (≈0.7 lb) of sodium azide. This has greatly increased the potential for accidental environmental releases and for human exposure to this highly toxic, broad-spectrum biocide. It can be argued that a new environmental threat has developed because not only are millions of kilograms of sodium azide now transported to and processed at air bag inflator factories, but also this substance is now widely distributed throughout the developed world in automobiles. Even if sodium azide were to be replaced by a more benign propellant in the future, the problem of safely disposing of large quantities of azide will remain as the vehicle fleet ages and is retired to scrap yards and shredders. Unfortunately, the environmental fate of sodium azide is unknown so it is difficult to effectively manage releases. The problem is compounded by the fact that aqueous sodium azide is readily hydrolyzed to yield hydrazoic acid (HN[sub3]), a volatile substance that partitions strongly to the gas phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation was conducted to estimate the effectiveness of air bags as a function of velocity. The study consisted of three parts: a theoretical idealization, an analysis of National Automotive Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System (NASS/CDS), and a reanalysis of previously published Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data. The theoretical analysis looked at idealized risk curves as a function of velocity; assuming that the air bag offers a benefit for both belted and unbelted occupants. Analysis of the NASS/CDS data looked at the effectiveness of air bags as a function of velocity for Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (MAIS) 3+ injuries. The reanalysis of the previously published FARS data looked at the effectiveness of the air bag as a function of velocity for fatalities. The theoretical analysis indicates that the air bag effectiveness should be greatest at the low velocities. The field data analysis of both NASS/CDS and FARS were consistent with the theoretical analysis, indicating that air bags are most effective at the lower velocities, below 40 kph (25 mph), for both belted and unbelted occupants. Although it was not possible to estimate a different effect for belted and unbelted for fatalities using FARS, it was possible for MAIS 3+ using NASS/CDS. For unbelted occupants the effectiveness goes to zero or becomes negative above 40 kph (25 mph) for MAIS 3+, and for belted occupants the effectiveness stays positive but with significantly lower magnitude for speeds above 40 kph (25 mph). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the response of two upper extremity test devices under driver-side air bag deployment to contribute to the development of dummy surrogates for the investigation of primary contact forearm injuries during air bag deployments. The first of these test devices, the SAE 5th Percentile Female Arm (SAE arm), is an anthropomorphic representation of a small female forearm and upper arm that is instrumented with load cells, accelerometers and potentiometers to enable the determination of upper extremity kinematics and dynamics. The second, the Research Arm Injury Device (RAID), is a simple beam test device designed for detailed investigation of moments and accelerations resulting from close contact in the initial stages of air bag deployment. It includes strain gauges distributed along its length to measure the distribution of moment applied by the air bag deployment. The study used four air bags representing a wide range of aggressivities in the current automobile fleet. Logistic risk functions for forearm fracture were developed using existing cadaver studies and the moment response of each test device. These risk functions indicate that, for 50 per cent risk of ulna or ulna/radius fractures, the SAE arm peak forearm moment is 67 N m while the RAID peak forearm moment is 373 N m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air bags have been implicated in saving lives and reducing morbidity associated with motor vehicle crashes since their introduction in the mid-1970s. However, there is increasing evidence showing that air bags can be a source of injury and even death in certain circumstances. As the number of air bag-equipped vehicles increases, air bag-related injuries have occurred more frequently. Thus, a greater awareness of air bag-related injuries is required in forensic autopsies. Here, we review thoroughly the literature concerning air bag-related injuries with special regard to their nature and causative mechanisms, and summarize air bag-related injuries observed in adults, children and infants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents the dynamic injury tolerance of the male forearm, derived from dynamic three-point bending tests using ten male cadaver upper extremities. The impact loading conditions were chosen to be representative of those observed during upper extremity interaction with frontal air bags. Using matched forearm pairs, it was determined that the forearm is significantly (p =0.01) stronger in the supinated position, 126±13 N m, than in the pronated position, 108±8 N m. Two distinct fracture patterns were seen for the pronated and supinated groups. In the supinated position the average difference in fracture time between the radius and ulna was not significantly different (p = 0.24); however, the pronated tests yielded an average difference in fracture time that was significantly different (p = 0.05), with the ulna breaking before the radius in every test. This trend implies that in the pronated position the ulna and radius are loaded independently, while in the supinated position the ulna and radius are loaded together as a combined structure. To produce a conservative injury criterion, only the data from the pronated tests were included for an average failure tolerance of 108 N m. It is anticipated that these data will provide injury reference values for the male forearm during driver air bag loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of a new planar piezoelectric accelerometer is investigated, both theoretically and experimentally. The proposed accelerometer is composed of a piezoceramic ring filled, in its inner space, with a seismic mass. The theoretical analysis has been carried out by using a matrix model of the radial symmetric modes of the thin piezoceramic ring, proposed by the authors (1996). The numerical results obtained for the empty ring show that, with the response being constant, the bandwidth increases when the annulus radius increases. On the contrary, by inserting a high-density and stiffness seismic mass, both the response and the bandwidth increase by increasing the percent quantity of the seismic mass. The measurements of admittance and sensitivity, carried out on a test specimen, validate the computed results and demonstrate that the accelerometer is planar. Finally, an accelerometer composed of two of such elements, stacked and connected in parallel, has been realized [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Burns due to the deployment of air bags have been occasionally described in recent years. Most reports are about injuries in the USA. However, there have been few reports of this type of injury in Australia. This case report details such an injury that took place in a road traffic accident in Melbourne, Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automobile air bag inflation-caused injuries to the chest, neck, and face, in particular the orbital contents, are infrequent but recognized. We report the occurrence of multiple digital fractures in the left hand of a 30-yearold male driver as a result of sudden air bag inflation. Continued monitoring of the potential hazards of this device is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor-vehicle collisions are the leading cause of unintentional injury and death in children in many parts of the world, including Europe, North America and Australia. The number of fatal collisions has decreased considerably in countries where safety measures such as child restraints, seat belts and air bags have been introduced, providing protection for children within vehicles, although it is recognised that there have been concomitant improvements in emergency responses and techniques, and in hospital treatments. Helmets and changes in external vehicle designs have been implemented to protect paediatric pedestrians and cyclists. However, despite the development of safety guidelines and technologies, injuries still occur. This paper provides an overview of the role of motor-vehicle collisions in paediatric morbidity and mortality to analyse the nature and aetiology of common fatal and non-fatal injuries in children that may present for forensic assessment as passengers, pedestrians or cyclists.