Computational investigation of the effects of knee airbag design on the interaction with occupant lower extremity in frontal and oblique impacts

Objective: The lower extremity of the occupant represents the most frequently injured body region in motor vehicle crashes. Knee airbags (KABs) have been implemented as a potential countermeasure to reduce lower extremity injuries. Despite the increasing prevalence of KABs in vehicles, the biomechanical interaction of the human lower extremity with the KAB has not been well characterized. This study uses computational models of the human body and KABs to explore how KAB design may influence the impact response of the occupant's lower extremities.

Methods: The analysis was conducted using a 50th percentile male occupant human body model with deployed KABs in a simplified vehicle interior. The 2 common KAB design types, bottom-deploy KAB (BKAB) and rear-deploy KAB (RKAB), were both included. A state-of-the-art airbag modeling technique, the corpuscular particle method, was adopted to represent the deployment dynamics of the unfolding airbags. Validation of the environment model was performed based on previously reported test results. The kinematic responses of the occupant lower extremities were compared under both KAB designs, 2 seating configurations (in-position and out-of-position), and 3 loading conditions (static, frontal, and oblique impacts). A linear statistical model was used to assess factor significance considering the impact responses of the occupant lower extremities.

Results: The presence of a KAB had a significant influence on the lower extremity kinematics compared to no KAB (P <.05) by providing early restraint and distributing contact force on the legs during airbag deployment. For in-position occupants, the KAB generally tended to decrease tibia loadings. The RKAB led to greater lateral motion of the legs compared to the BKAB, resulting in higher lateral displacement at the knee joint and abduction angle change (51.2 ± 21.7 mm and 15° ± 6.0°) over the dynamic loading conditions. Change in the seating position led to a significant difference in occupant kinematic and kinetic parameters (P <.05). For the out-of-position (forward-seated) occupant, the earlier contact between the lower extremity and the deploying KAB resulted in 28.4° ± 5.8° greater abduction, regardless of crash scenarios. Both KAB types reduced the axial force in the femur relative to no KAB. Overall, the out-of-position occupant sustained a raised axial force and bending moment of the tibia by 0.8 ± 0.2 kN and 21.1 ± 8.7 Nm regardless of restraint use.

Conclusions: The current study provided a preliminary computational examination on KAB designs based on a limited set of configurations in an idealized vehicle interior. Results suggested that the BKAB tended to provide more coverage and less leg abduction compared to the RKAB in oblique impact and/or the selected out-of-position scenario. An out-of-position occupant was associated with larger abduction and lower extremity loads over all occupant configurations. Further investigations are recommended to obtain a full understanding of the KAB performance in a more realistic vehicle environment.     

Degradation of chlorpyrifos in laboratory soil and its impact on soil microbial functional diversity

Degradation of chlorpyrifos at different concentrations in soil and its impact on soil microbial functional diversity were investigated under laboratory conditions. The degradation half-lives of chlorpyrifos at levels of 4, 8, and 12 mg/kg in soil were calculated to be 14.3, 16.7, and 18.0 d, respectively. The Biolog study showed that average well color development (AWCD) in soils was significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited by chlorpyrifos within the first two weeks and thereafter recovered to the similar level as the control. A similar variation in the diversity indices (Simpson index 1/D and McIntosh index U) in chlorpyrifos-treated soils was observed, no significant difference in the Shannon-Wiener index H' was found in these soils. With increasing chlorpyrifos concentration, the half-lives of chlorpyrifos were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) extended and its inhibitory effects on soil microorganisms were aggravated. It is concluded that chlorpyrifos residues in soil had a temporary or short-term inhibitory effect on soil microbial functional diversity.     

蚯蚓生物滤池启动驯化阶段蚯蚓生理生态适应性研究

研究了蚯蚓生物滤池在启动驯化阶段蚯蚓的生理生态状态变化,并分析了相关影响因素.结果表明,由于受到自然环境和滤池环境的胁迫,蚯蚓投加后数量和生物量出现逐渐下降的趋势.一旦条件适宜,幼蚓的孵化可以补充滤池内蚯蚓的数量和生物量.随着温度的升高,周边的蚯蚓逐渐向布水区移动,投加58d后蚯蚓分布较为均匀.蚯蚓密度和含水率之间存在着极显著负相关.温度、日平均降水量和降水强度积分3个自然影响因子对蚯蚓各生态指标的影响均不显著.温度低于15℃时,蚯蚓呼吸率变化较为敏感,出现大幅度下降,不利于蚯蚓代谢处理污水污泥.在一定范围内,采取措施提高滤池内蚯蚓的密度并使蚯蚓分布均匀将提高污泥的处理效率.     

耐氨固氮菌对蔬菜作物生长的促进作用研究

研究并探讨了蔬菜作物在施用耐氨固氮菌后的生长、生理反应及增产的效果和原因。试验结果表明： 施用耐氨固氮菌显著增加了蔬菜苗期生物量、叶面积和叶片的叶绿素含量, 同时还增强了植株的根系活力, 并有明显的增产效果。耐氨固氮菌促进增产的作用不仅与其本身的固氮作用有关, 还可能与其分泌出某些生长刺激物 （ 或激素） 有关。     

蚯蚓土壤填料生态滤池处理生活污水

采用二级蚯蚓土壤填料生态滤池对生活污水进行处理,考察其对污水中各类污染物的去除效果。连续运行90d,试验结果表明:滤池运行稳定,对COD、TP、NH3-N、TN和SS的去除效果良好,平均去除率分别为78.7%、93.4%、74.9%、60.4%和87.5%,出水满足GB 1898—2002《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》二级标准。滤池二级串联结构设计系统稳定,改善了出水水质。蚯蚓在试验初期对滤池环境可较好较快的适应,维持了滤池的稳定运行。土壤生态处理技术工艺简单,兼具经济实用和规模灵活的优点,适合推广。     

应急场景下个体生理指标变化研究

搭建了应急场景下个体反应测试系统,利用BSL数据采集仪测试了35名样本人员应急前后收缩压、舒张压、心率、呼吸速率等生理指标的变化特征,并对个体应急处置能力进行了评估。结果表明:应急场景下,个体生理指标与其应急处置能力有密切关系,专业知识及工作经验越丰富的被测试者其各生理指标波动越小、应急处置指数也越小。研究结果可为企业员工应急处置能力的评估和提高提供依据。     

铅处理对茴香植株生长及精油组分的影响

为了揭示铅对茴香（Foeniculum vulgare L.）生长和次生代谢产物-精油组分的影响及茴香植株对铅的吸收累积特性,本试验采用水培方法,在霍格兰营养液中加入铅,设计0（对照）、1 mg·L^-1、5 mg·L^-1、10 mg·L^-1处理,研究了不同铅质量浓度对茴香植株生长、精油组分及茴香植株对铅吸收累积的影响。结果表明：不同铅质量浓度处理对茴香植株的形态、生物量、色素质量分数、碳和氮质量分数、铅的吸收累积及精油组分均有影响。随着铅质量浓度的增加,茴香植株的株高呈降低趋势,且各处理之间差异显著,真叶数大致也呈降低趋势,但仅10 mg·L^-1处理显著低于对照,各处理的最大叶长差异均不显著,最大叶宽仅对照与5 mg·L^-1处理之间差异显著。随着铅质量浓度的增加,地上部鲜质量和干质量均呈逐渐降低趋势,且铅处理后的地上部鲜质量和干质量均显著低于对照,地下部鲜质量和干质量呈逐渐升高趋势,但铅处理后的地下部鲜质量和干质量与对照差异均不显著,根冠比呈逐渐增加趋势,但仅10 mg·L^-1处理显著高于对照。随着铅质量浓度的增加,叶绿素a、叶绿素b、叶绿素a＋b和类胡萝卜素质量分数均呈降低趋势,且均低于对照,叶绿素a/叶绿素b以5 mg·L^-1处理最高,但仅显著高于1 mg·L^-1处理。铅处理后,可溶性蛋白质质量分数均高于对照,但仅1 mg·L^-1处理和5 mg·L^-1处理显著高于对照,全氮质量分数与可溶性蛋白质质量分数的变化趋势基本一致,但各处理之间差异均不显著;随铅质量浓度的增加,可溶性糖质量分数呈降低趋势,除1 mg·L^-1处理显著高于对照外,其余铅处理均显著低于对照,各处理的全碳质量分数与对照差异均不显著。随铅质量浓度的增加,茴香植株对铅的吸收累积显著增加。不同铅质量浓度处理下的反式-茴香脑含量和含氧化合物均显著低于对照,以5 mg·L^-1铅处理最低,而柠檬烯含量和单萜类化合物均显著高于对照,以5 mg·L^-1铅处理最高;随铅质量浓度的增加,倍半萜类化合物含量呈降低趋势,且均低于对照。因此,铅能抑制茴香植株的生长;随铅质量浓度的增加,茴香植株对铅的吸收累积显著增加;铅处理能影响茴香精油组分,显著降低反式-茴香脑和含氧化合物含量,而显著提高柠檬烯和单萜类化合物含量。     

Toxicity of cadmium to the green alga Parachlorella kessleri: Producing Cd-loaded algae for feeding experiments

The effects of Cd at environmental concentrations (0–32 µg/L) on the green alga Parachlorella kessleri were investigated. At about 3 µg Cd/L, toxic effects of Cd are becoming evident, much lower than reported previously. At 8 µg/L and higher, pronounced adverse effects on growth, cell morphology, size, and physiological state are seen. Therefore, levels lower than 2 µg Cd/L should be employed to produce Cd-carrying algae for feeding experiments with organisms on the next trophic level, e.g. mussels, to avoid reduced food uptake. These findings also suggest that aquatic ecosystem conditions can be indirectly influenced via the impairment of the nutritional value of algae since they are the basic organisms of aquatic food chains.     

Removal of Remazol Brilliant Violet-5R dye using periwinkle shells

The purpose of this research is to obtain optimal processing conditions for the adsorption of Remazol Brilliant Violet-5R (RBV-5R) dye onto activated carbon prepared from periwinkle shells (PSAC) by chemical activation with KOH using response surface methodology. Central composite design (CCD) was used to determine the effects of three preparation variables; CO₂ activation temperature, CO₂ activation time and KOH:char impregnation ratio (IR) on two responses; percentage RBV-5R dye removal and PSAC yield. Based on the CCD, two quadratic models were developed for percentage RBV-5R dye removal and PSAC yield, respectively. The most influential factor on each experimental design response was identified from the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimum conditions for the adsorption of RBV-5R dye onto PSAC were CO₂ activation temperature of 811 °C, CO₂ activation time of 1.70 h and IR of 3.0, resulting in 81.28% RBV-5R dye removal and 28.18% PSAC yield. PSAC prepared under optimum conditions was mesoporous with a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of 1894 m²·g^?1, total pore volume of 1.107 cm³·g^?1 and average pore diameter of 2.32 nm. The surface morphology and functional groups of the activated carbon were respectively determined from the scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared analysis.     

Effects of of V,Cr single and combined stress on the growth and physiological characteristics of wheat seedling

采用水培法研究了V（Ⅴ）、Cr（Ⅵ）单一及复合胁迫对小麦幼苗生长和生理特性的影响.结果表明,无论单一或复合胁迫,随着V、Cr浓度的增加,小麦幼苗鲜重、株高、叶绿素含量均呈先上升后下降的趋势.当V≤5 mg.L-1、Cr≤10 mg.L-1,小麦的鲜重、株高、叶绿素含量均高于对照,当V〉5 mg.L-1、Cr〉10 mg.L-1,则分别比对照降低0.2%—46.8%、0.8%—40.7%和2.5%—76.9%.丙二醛含量随着V、Cr胁迫浓度的增加而增大,与对照相比,含量增加了7.5%—251.6%.在V、Cr单一胁迫下,随着金属浓度增加细胞膜透性增大,比对照增加17.8%—59.8%,根系活力则下降8.1%—53.0%;复合胁迫时细胞膜透性先下降后上升,但始终高于对照,比对照增加了0.6%—126.2%;根系活力呈先升高后下降的趋势,降低6.1%—97.3%.研究表明在低浓度范围,复合胁迫在一定程度上可以缓解单一金属对小麦的毒害,对小麦幼苗生长具有拮抗作用;在高浓度范围两种金属复合胁迫对小麦幼苗的损伤和毒害作用比单一金属伤害更为严重,表现为协同作用.单一胁迫中Cr对小麦幼苗的毒性比V大.