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.     

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.     

Travelling without a helmet: tourists' vulnerabilities and responses to disasters in Indonesia

Tourists are particularly vulnerable when natural disasters occur in regions that they are visiting. It is assumed that they lack awareness and understanding of the actions that they need to take in such circumstances. This study examines the responses of tourists in times of disaster, building on empirical data collected through large‐scale surveys conducted in Bali and Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in 2015. Both are important tourist destinations in the country that have suffered major disasters in recent years. The different types of responses to these events are framed using a grid/group analysis stemming from cultural theory. The study resulted in three key findings: (i) current disaster management planning largely follows a single rationale; (ii) tourists are not a homogeneous group, but rather a complex, diverse, and dynamic body of stakeholders; and (iii) the focus of disaster management planning should shift from a single rationale to a polyrational methodology. Disaster managers need to consider, therefore, these different aspects in the context of preparedness.     

2种除草剂联合胁迫下日本青鳉的逐级行为响应(The Stepwise Behavioral Responses of the Japanese Medaka under the Joint Stress of Two Herbicides)

探讨了日本青鳉在两种除草剂阿特拉津和百草枯联合暴露下的逐级行为响应,采用水质安全在线生物预警系统(BEWs)记录行为强度数据,分析不同暴露浓度、不同暴露时间日本青鳉的行为响应.10、5、1和0.1TU的暴露浓度下行为反应时间分别为:0.74、7.7、29.4和42.2h,而每个浓度不同配比之间行为反应时间差异明显.结果表明:在两种除草剂的暴露下,日本青鳉的逐级行为响应既受化合物浓度高低的影响,又受暴露时间的影响,而且每个浓度两种药物不同配比暴露下的青鳉鱼的逐级行为响应基本一致,每个浓度不同配比之间行为反应时间差异明显,即两种作用机制不同的除草剂对日本青鳉的行为毒性是协同作用.     

Integrated Estimation of the Effect of Physical Factors on Human Functional State During Mental Work

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for an integrated estimation of the functional state of the human organism (FSHO) and an integral estimation of physical factors (PF) for hygienic rating. Tests were performed twice with 3 men in 0.7-clo clothing during 4-hr mental work with 9 combinations of 4 PF: wideband noise (55–83 dB(A)), whole-body vibration (6 Hz, a_z = 0.2–1.8 ms^?2), air temperature (18–30 °C), and illumination (1, 3, 5 lx). Thermoregulatory, cardiovascular, and psychophysiological reactions and temporary threshold of hearing (TTS₂) shifts were studied. For the integral estimation of PF influence on FSHO the model F(y₁, y₂, ... y_m) = f(x₁, x₂, ... x_n) was used, relating both FSHO and PF sets. The most important physiological parameters in creating FSHO are defined and the contribution of individual parameters of FSHO and PF is found.     

Nest site selection and induced response in a dominant arboreal ant species

It is well known that arboreal ants, both territorially dominant species and plant ants (e.g., species associated with myrmecophytes or plants housing them in hollow structures), protect their host trees from defoliators. Nevertheless, the presence of an induced defense, suggested by the fact that the workers discovering a leaf wound recruit nestmates, is only known for plant ants. Based on the results from a field study, we show here (1) that colonies of Azteca chartifex, a territorially dominant, neotropical arboreal ant species, mostly selected Goupia glabra (Goupiaceae) trees in which to build their principal carton nests and (2) that plant signals induced workers to recruit nestmates, which patrol the leaves, likely providing the plant with a biotic defense. Furthermore, the number of recruited workers was clearly higher on G. glabra, their most frequently selected host tree species, than on other tree species. These results show that contrary to what was previously believed, induced responses are also found in territorially dominant arboreal ants and so are not limited to the specific associations between myrmecophytes and plant ants.     

塔里木河下游胡杨对输水的生态响应

对塔里木河下游不同离河距离成过熟胡杨和输水后更新胡杨胸径、地径、树高、冠幅、枯枝比以及优势胡杨百分比的调查表明:随离河距离增加(地下水埋深增加),胡杨(大树)枯枝比增加,优势胡杨百分比降低;胸径、树高、冠幅随离河距离增加,增减规律不明显。输水后萌蘖更新胡杨的树高、冠幅和地径均随离河距离增加而降低。以上调查指标确定胡杨输水后恢复等级,离河50~300 m胡杨整体恢复"优",离河300~500 m胡杨恢复"良",离河500~1 050m胡杨恢复"中",离河1 050~1 500 m胡杨对输水响应微弱,整体恢复"差"。胡杨具明显的随离河距离增加恢复等级降低的梯度响应特征,生态输水促进了河畔带胡杨的恢复,水是制约塔里木河下游胡杨生长与恢复的关键因子。     

岩溶地下河水化学对城镇化进程的时序响应

利用25年地下水观测与遥感解译数据研究地下河对城镇化进程的水化学时序响应,结果表明,随着城镇化的进行,地下河的矿化度逐渐上升;水化学类型时序演变从枯水期单一的HCO_3·SO_4-Ca·Mg型和丰水期HCO_3-Ca·Mg型向HCO_3·ClCa型、HCO_3·SO_4-Ca型、HCO_3-Ca和HCO_3·SO_4-Ca·Mg型等多类型演化,快速城镇化时期水化学类型多变.受地表降水输入影响,地下河枯水期与丰水期[Mg2+]/[Ca2+]和[HCO_3~-]/[SO_4~(2-)](摩尔比)变化较大,城镇化前地下河水化学受水岩相互作用、农业活动和酸雨入渗共同影响,两者均值分别为0. 86和29. 34; 2001年城镇化后农业活动和酸雨输入贡献减少,丰水期城镇化输入(居民生活和工业排污)明显增加,两者出现突变特征,分别降低至0. 38与6. 01. 1990～1995、1996～2010和2011～2015年不同时期的主要地球化学敏感阳离子分别为Ca~(2+)及Mg~(2+)、Na~+和NH_4~+,阴离子则分别为HCO_3~-、HCO_3~-及SO_4~(2-)和Cl~-.地下河对城镇化进程的水化学响应具有明显的阶段性和时序性.     

HYDROLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE 1988 DROUGHT IN ILLINOIS1

ABSTRACT: Drought is evaluated in terms of the magnitude and duration of the 1988 spring and summer precipitation shortfall, and according to various components of the hydrologic budget, both surface and sub-surface. The response time of some of these components is investigated, relative to the time of precipitation. Individual water users perceived a beginning and ending of the drought at different times relative to their activities. Some statistics better describe some components of a drought to some users, and better answer some questions, than do others.     

污泥处理与处置的认识误区与技术对策

通过分析我国污泥处理处置的现状及国内外污泥处理处置发展动态,指出目前污泥处理过程中在污泥处理责任主体、污泥监管系统和相关标准上存在的若干问题,以及就目前各种污泥的处置方案,引出污泥处理处置的认识误区,从而对污泥处置方法进行分析说明,找出一条经济可行、管理方便的处理对策,并对污泥的最终处置方式提出合理的建议。