Sample records for accident excursion occurring

  1. A Review of Criticality Accidents 2000 Revision

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thomas P. McLaughlin; Shean P. Monahan; Norman L. Pruvost

    Criticality accidents and the characteristics of prompt power excursions are discussed. Sixty accidental power excursions are reviewed. Sufficient detail is provided to enable the reader to understand the physical situation, the chemistry and material flow, and when available the administrative setting leading up to the time of the accident. Information on the power history, energy release, consequences, and causes are also included when available. For those accidents that occurred in process plants, two new sections have been included in this revision. The first is an analysis and summary of the physical and neutronic features of the chain reacting systems. Themore » second is a compilation of observations and lessons learned. Excursions associated with large power reactors are not included in this report.« less

  2. Illness and injury to students on a school excursion to Peru.

    PubMed

    Shaw, Marc T M; Harding, Elizabeth; Leggat, Peter A

    2014-01-01

    School-organized travels abroad provide an opportunity for students to undertake supervised travel that reinforces scholastic study of various geographical locations under the direction and protection of experienced tour leaders and health professional support. Little is known concerning the nature of illnesses and injuries occurring on overseas school excursions. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of injury and illness suffered by older teenagers on a school excursion to South America. In 2010, the school's tour physician (EH) diagnosed and recorded all illnesses and injuries among 29 school girls and 6 accompanying adults on a school excursion to Peru. Information recorded included age, sex, the nature of the presenting illness, number of days into the tour, the assessment of the condition, and the treatment employed during the excursion's field phase of 21 days. A total of 32 (91%) travelers sought medical advice at least once for a total of 371 consultations, resulting in 153 separate diagnoses. The mean age of the students was 16 years with six adults accompanying the students being significantly older. Primary illnesses diagnosed were related to the following systems and conditions: gastrointestinal (58, 37%), respiratory (25, 16%), altitude sickness (19, 12%), genitourinary (8, 5%), dermatological (10, 7%), trauma (7, 5%), neurological (7, 5%), anxiety or psychological adjustment (7, 5%), adverse drug reactions (4, 3%), and musculoskeletal (5, 3%). The most commonly used medications were antidiarrheal and antiemetic medication. There were six accidents during the journey resulting in minor soft-tissue injuries. There were no deaths or other major accidents requiring emergency evacuation or hospitalization. On this school excursion, the health problems encountered were consistent with those reported for other specialized tours, including expeditions and premium tours, although altitude illness needs to be carefully planned for in tours

  3. Fission yield and criticality excursion code

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Blanchard, A.

    2000-06-30

    The ANSI/ANS 8.3 standard allows a maximum yield not to exceed 2 x 10 fissions to calculate requiring the alarm system to be effective. It is common practice to use this allowance or to develop some other yield based on past criticality accident history or excursion experiments. The literature on the subject of yields discusses maximum yields larger and somewhat smaller than the ANS 8.3 permissive value. The ability to model criticality excursions and vary the various parameters to determine a credible maximum yield for operational specific cases has been available for some time but is not in common usemore » by criticality safety specialists. The topic of yields for various solution, metal, oxide powders, etc. in various geometry's and containers has been published by laboratory specialists or university staff and students for many decades but have not been available to practitioners. The need for best-estimate calculations of fission yields with a well-validated criticality excursion code has long been recognized. But no coordinated effort has been made so far to develop a generalized and well-validated excursion code for different types of systems. In this paper, the current practices to estimate fission yields are summarized along with its shortcomings for the 12-Rad zone (at SRS) and Criticality Alarm System (CAS) calculations. Finally the need for a user-friendly excursion code is reemphasized.« less

  4. Human risk factors associated with pilots in runway excursions.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yu-Hern; Yang, Hui-Hua; Hsiao, Yu-Jung

    2016-09-01

    A breakdown analysis of civil aviation accidents worldwide indicates that the occurrence of runway excursions represents the largest portion among all aviation occurrence categories. This study examines the human risk factors associated with pilots in runway excursions, by applying a SHELLO model to categorize the human risk factors and to evaluate the importance based on the opinions of 145 airline pilots. This study integrates aviation management level expert opinions on relative weighting and improvement-achievability in order to develop four kinds of priority risk management strategies for airline pilots to reduce runway excursions. The empirical study based on experts' evaluation suggests that the most important dimension is the liveware/pilot's core ability. From the perspective of front-line pilots, the most important risk factors are the environment, wet/containment runways, and weather issues like rain/thunderstorms. Finally, this study develops practical strategies for helping management authorities to improve major operational and managerial weaknesses so as to reduce the human risks related to runway excursions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. [Work accidents with biological material occurred in municipalities of Minas Gerais].

    PubMed

    Julio, Renata Siqueira; Filardi, Monique Borsato Silva; Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci

    2014-01-01

    The study aimed to identify the profile accidents involving exposure to biological material occurring in Minas Gerais. A descriptive study carried out by querying the Information System for Notifiable Diseases, 50 cities in south of Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in the period of 2007-2011. Were recorded 460 accidents, and about half occurred among nursing assistants and technicians, followed by nurses and physicians. There were more accidents due to improper disposal of sharps. Among the source patients, there was a 8.0% prevalence of positive serology for HIV, 1.0% for HBsAg, 6.0% for anti-HBc and 3% for anti-HCV. Among the injured 14.0% were not immunized to hepatitis B; however, the vaccine and immunoglobulin prescription was lower than necessary. The results will subsidize the plan preventive measures and new approach towards the occurrence of such accidents.

  6. Differences in Characteristics of Aviation Accidents During 1993-2012 Based on Aircraft Type

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Evans, Joni K.

    2015-01-01

    Civilian aircraft are available in a variety of sizes, engine types, construction materials and instrumentation complexity. For the analysis reported here, eleven aircraft categories were developed based mostly on aircraft size and engine type, and these categories were applied to twenty consecutive years of civil aviation accidents. Differences in various factors were examined among these aircraft types, including accident severity, pilot characteristics and accident occurrence categories. In general, regional jets and very light sport aircraft had the lowest rates of adverse outcomes (injuries, fatal accidents, aircraft destruction, major accidents), while aircraft with twin (piston) engines or with a single (piston) engine and retractable landing gear carried the highest incidence of adverse outcomes. The accident categories of abnormal runway contact, runway excursions and non-powerplant system/component failures occur frequently within all but two or three aircraft types. In contrast, ground collisions, loss of control - on ground/water and powerplant system/component failure occur frequently within only one or two aircraft types. Although accidents in larger aircraft tend to have less severe outcomes, adverse outcome rates also differ among accident categories. It may be that the type of accident has as much or more influence on the outcome as the type of aircraft.

  7. The Blake geomagnetic excursion recorded in a radiometrically dated speleothem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osete, María-Luisa; Martín-Chivelet, Javier; Rossi, Carlos; Edwards, R. Lawrence; Egli, Ramon; Muñoz-García, M. Belén; Wang, Xianfeng; Pavón-Carrasco, F. Javier; Heller, Friedrich

    2012-11-01

    One of the most important developments in geomagnetism has been the recognition of polarity excursions of the Earth's magnetic field. Accurate timing of the excursions is a key point for understanding the geodynamo process and for magnetostratigraphic correlation. One of the best-known excursions is the Blake geomagnetic episode, which occurred during marine isotope stage MIS 5, but its morphology and age remain controversial. Here we show, for the first time, the Blake excursion recorded in a stalagmite which was dated using the uranium-series disequilibrium techniques. The characteristic remanent magnetisation is carried by fine-grained magnetite. The event is documented by two reversed intervals (B1 and B2). The age of the event is estimated to be between 116.5±0.7 kyr BP and 112.0±1.9 kyr BP, slightly younger (∼3-4 kyr) than recent estimations from sedimentary records dated by astronomical tuning. Low values of relative palaeointensity during the Blake episode are estimated, but a relative maximum in the palaeofield intensity coeval with the complete reversal during the B2 interval was observed. Duration of the Blake geomagnetic excursion is 4.5 kyr, two times lower than single excursions and slightly higher than the estimated diffusion time for the inner core (∼3 kyr).

  8. Analysis of hospitalization occurred due to motorcycles accidents in São Paulo city

    PubMed Central

    Gorios, Carlos; Armond, Jane de Eston; Rodrigues, Cintia Leci; Pernambuco, Henrique; Iporre, Ramiro Ortiz; Colombo-Souza, Patrícia

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To characterize the motorcycle accidents occurred in the city of São Paulo, SP, Brazil in the year 2013, with emphasis on information about hospital admissions from SIH/SUS. METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. The study covered 5,597 motorcyclists traumatized in traffic accident during the year 2013 occurred in the city of São Paulo. A survey was conducted using secondary data from the Information System of Hospitalization Health System (SIH/SUS). RESULTS: In 2013, in the city of São Paulo there were 5,597 admissions of motorcyclists traumatized in traffic accidents, of which 89.8% were male. The admission diagnosis were: leg fracture, femur fracture, and intracranial injury. CONCLUSION: This study confirms other preliminary studies on several points, among which stands out the highest prevalence of male young adults. Level of Evidence II, Retrospective Study. PMID:26327804

  9. Quaternary magnetic excursions recorded in marine sediments.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Channell, J. E. T.

    2017-12-01

    This year is the golden (50th) anniversary of the first documentation of a magnetic excursion, the Laschamp excursion in volcanics from the Chaine des Puys (Bonhommet and Babkine, 1967). The first recording of an excursion in sediments was from the Blake Outer Ridge (Smith and Foster, 1969). Magnetic excursions are directional aberrations of the geomagnetic field apparently involving short-lived reversal of the main dipole field. They have durations of a few kyrs, and are therefore rarely recorded in sediments with mean sedimentation rates <10 cm/kyr. Certain Brunhes-aged excursions are now well documented having been recorded in both marine sediments and in lavas (Laschamp excursion, 41 ka). Other excursions have not been adequately recorded in lavas, but have been widely recorded in marine and lake sediments (Iceland Basin excursion, 190 ka). The recording of excursions is fortuitous both in lava sequences and in marine sediments due to their millennial/centennial-scale duration, however, the global recording of the Laschamp and Iceland Basin excursions imply that excursions involve the main dipole field, are recorded synchronously over the globe, and are therefore important in stratigraphic correlation. The marine sediment record includes magnetic excursions at 26 ka (Rockall), 32 ka (Mono Lake), 41 ka (Laschamp), 115 ka (Blake), 190 ka (Iceland Basin), 238 ka (Pringle Falls?), 286 ka (Portuguese Orphan), 495 ka (Bermuda), 540 ka (Big Lost), 590 ka (La Palma), and 670 ka (Osaka Bay), implying at least 11 excursions in the Brunhes Chron. For the Matuyama Chron, excursions have been recorded in marine sediments at 868 ka (Kamikatsura?), 932 ka (Santa Rosa), 1051 ka (Intra-Jaramillo), 1115 ka (Punaruu), 1255 ka (Bjorn), 1476 ka (Gardar), 1580 ka (Gilsa), and 2737 ka (Porcupine). Excursions coincide with minima in relative paleointensity (RPI) records. Ages are from correlation of excursion records to oxygen isotope records in the same cores, and ice

  10. 43 CFR 3276.15 - How must I notify BLM of accidents occurring at my utilization facility?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... occurring at my utilization facility? You must orally inform us of all accidents that affect operations or create environmental hazards within 24 hours after each accident. When you contact us, we may require you...

  11. Brief Overlook on the Occupational Accidents Occurring During the Geotechnical Site Works

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akboğa Kale, Özge; Eskişar, Tuğba

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this paper is to evaluate occupational accidents reported in geotechnical site works. Variables of the accidents are categorized as the year and month of accidents, the technical codes used for defining the scope of work trades, end use and project type and cost, nature and cause of accidents, occupation of the victims and finally the cause of fatality. As a result, it is seen that the majority of victims were construction laborers or in special trade constructors who were working on a new project or new additions to an existing project. The geotechnical phase of the projects was whether excavation, landfill, sewer-water treatment, pipeline construction, commercial building or road construction. As the outcomes of the study it is evaluated that excavation, trenching and installing pipe or pile driving were the main causes of the accidents while trench collapse, struck by a falling object / projectile and wall collapse were the main causes of fatality. Moreover, it is established that more than half of the fatalities were due to asphyxia followed by fracture. These findings show that accidents occurred in geotechnical works do not only have high frequency but also high severity. This study emphasizes project specific countermeasures should be taken regarding the nature, cost and importance of the project and the occupation variabilities working on the project.

  12. Scalar excursions in large-eddy simulations

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Matheou, Georgios; Dimotakis, Paul E.

    Here, the range of values of scalar fields in turbulent flows is bounded by their boundary values, for passive scalars, and by a combination of boundary values, reaction rates, phase changes, etc., for active scalars. The current investigation focuses on the local conservation of passive scalar concentration fields and the ability of the large-eddy simulation (LES) method to observe the boundedness of passive scalar concentrations. In practice, as a result of numerical artifacts, this fundamental constraint is often violated with scalars exhibiting unphysical excursions. The present study characterizes passive-scalar excursions in LES of a shear flow and examines methods formore » diagnosis and assesment of the problem. The analysis of scalar-excursion statistics provides support of the main hypothesis of the current study that unphysical scalar excursions in LES result from dispersive errors of the convection-term discretization where the subgrid-scale model (SGS) provides insufficient dissipation to produce a sufficiently smooth scalar field. In the LES runs three parameters are varied: the discretization of the convection terms, the SGS model, and grid resolution. Unphysical scalar excursions decrease as the order of accuracy of non-dissipative schemes is increased, but the improvement rate decreases with increasing order of accuracy. Two SGS models are examined, the stretched-vortex and a constant-coefficient Smagorinsky. Scalar excursions strongly depend on the SGS model. The excursions are significantly reduced when the characteristic SGS scale is set to double the grid spacing in runs with the stretched-vortex model. The maximum excursion and volume fraction of excursions outside boundary values show opposite trends with respect to resolution. The maximum unphysical excursions increase as resolution increases, whereas the volume fraction decreases. The reason for the increase in the maximum excursion is statistical and traceable to the number of grid

  13. Scalar excursions in large-eddy simulations

    DOE PAGES

    Matheou, Georgios; Dimotakis, Paul E.

    2016-08-31

    Here, the range of values of scalar fields in turbulent flows is bounded by their boundary values, for passive scalars, and by a combination of boundary values, reaction rates, phase changes, etc., for active scalars. The current investigation focuses on the local conservation of passive scalar concentration fields and the ability of the large-eddy simulation (LES) method to observe the boundedness of passive scalar concentrations. In practice, as a result of numerical artifacts, this fundamental constraint is often violated with scalars exhibiting unphysical excursions. The present study characterizes passive-scalar excursions in LES of a shear flow and examines methods formore » diagnosis and assesment of the problem. The analysis of scalar-excursion statistics provides support of the main hypothesis of the current study that unphysical scalar excursions in LES result from dispersive errors of the convection-term discretization where the subgrid-scale model (SGS) provides insufficient dissipation to produce a sufficiently smooth scalar field. In the LES runs three parameters are varied: the discretization of the convection terms, the SGS model, and grid resolution. Unphysical scalar excursions decrease as the order of accuracy of non-dissipative schemes is increased, but the improvement rate decreases with increasing order of accuracy. Two SGS models are examined, the stretched-vortex and a constant-coefficient Smagorinsky. Scalar excursions strongly depend on the SGS model. The excursions are significantly reduced when the characteristic SGS scale is set to double the grid spacing in runs with the stretched-vortex model. The maximum excursion and volume fraction of excursions outside boundary values show opposite trends with respect to resolution. The maximum unphysical excursions increase as resolution increases, whereas the volume fraction decreases. The reason for the increase in the maximum excursion is statistical and traceable to the number of grid

  14. Age of the Mono Lake excursion and associated tephra

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Benson, L.; Liddicoat, J.; Smoot, J.; Sarna-Wojcicki, A.; Negrini, R.; Lund, S.

    2003-01-01

    The Mono Lake excursion (MLE) is an important time marker that has been found in lake and marine sediments across much of the Northern Hemisphere. Dating of this event at its type locality, the Mono Basin of California, has yielded controversial results with the most recent effort concluding that the MLE may actually be the Laschamp excursion (Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 197 (2002) 151). We show that a volcanic tephra (Ash #15) that occurs near the midpoint of the MLE has a date (not corrected for reservoir effect) of 28,620 ?? 300 14C yr BP (??? 32,400 GISP2 yr BP) in the Pyramid Lake Basin of Nevada. Given the location of Ash #15 and the duration of the MLE in the Mono Basin, the event occurred between 31,500 and 33,300 GISP2 yr BP, an age range consistent with the position and age of the uppermost of two paleointensity minima in the NAPIS-75 stack that has been associated with the MLE (Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London Ser. A 358 (2000) 1009). The lower paleointensity minimum in the NAPIS-75 stack is considered to be the Laschamp excursion (Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London Ser. A 358 (2000) 1009).

  15. Modeling when and where a secondary accident occurs.

    PubMed

    Wang, Junhua; Liu, Boya; Fu, Ting; Liu, Shuo; Stipancic, Joshua

    2018-01-31

    The occurrence of secondary accidents leads to traffic congestion and road safety issues. Secondary accident prevention has become a major consideration in traffic incident management. This paper investigates the location and time of a potential secondary accident after the occurrence of an initial traffic accident. With accident data and traffic loop data collected over three years from California interstate freeways, a shock wave-based method was introduced to identify secondary accidents. A linear regression model and two machine learning algorithms, including a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) and a least squares support vector machine (LSSVM), were implemented to explore the distance and time gap between the initial and secondary accidents using inputs of crash severity, violation category, weather condition, tow away, road surface condition, lighting, parties involved, traffic volume, duration, and shock wave speed generated by the primary accident. From the results, the linear regression model was inadequate in describing the effect of most variables and its goodness-of-fit and accuracy in prediction was relatively poor. In the training programs, the BPNN and LSSVM demonstrated adequate goodness-of-fit, though the BPNN was superior with a higher CORR and lower MSE. The BPNN model also outperformed the LSSVM in time prediction, while both failed to provide adequate distance prediction. Therefore, the BPNN model could be used to forecast the time gap between initial and secondary accidents, which could be used by decision makers and incident management agencies to prevent or reduce secondary collisions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. High-resolution record of the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion at the Blake-Bahama Outer Ridge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bourne, Mark D.; Mac Niocaill, Conall; Thomas, Alex L.; Henderson, Gideon M.

    2013-12-01

    Geomagnetic excursions are brief deviations of the geomagnetic field from behaviour expected during `normal secular' variation. The Laschamp excursion at ˜41 ka was one such deviation. Previously published records suggest rapid changes in field direction and a concurrent substantial decrease in field intensity associated with this excursion. Accurate dating of excursions, and determination of their durations from multiple locations, is vital to our understanding of global field behaviour during these deviations. We present here high-resolution palaeomagnetic records of the Laschamp excursion obtained from two Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites, 1061 and 1062 on the Blake-Bahama Outer Ridge (ODP Leg 172). High sedimentation rates (˜30-40 cm kyr-1) at these locations allow determination of transitional field behaviour during the excursion. Palaeomagnetic measurements of discrete samples from four cores reveal a single excursional feature, across an interval of 30 cm, associated with a broader palaeointensity low. We determine the age and duration of the Laschamp excursion using a stratigraphy linked to the δ18O record from the Greenland ice cores. This chronology dates the Laschamp excursion at the Blake Ridge to 41.3 ka. The excursion is characterized by rapid transitions (less than 200 yr) between stable normal polarity and a partially reversed polarity state. The palaeointensity record is in good agreement between the two sites, revealing two prominent minima. The first minimum is associated with the Laschamp excursion at 41 ka and the second corresponds to the Mono Lake excursion at ˜35.5 ka. We determine that the directional excursion during the Laschamp at this location was no longer than ˜400 yr, occurring within a palaeointensity minimum that lasted 2000 yr. The Laschamp excursion at this location is much shorter in duration than the Blake and Iceland Basin excursions.

  17. Autonomous excursions using tablets and smartphones

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marra, Wouter; Groothengel, Marin; van de Grint, Liesbeth; Karssenberg, Derek; Stouthamer, Esther

    2017-04-01

    Excursions and fieldworks are valuable components for geosciences education. However, field activities can be time consuming for teachers and pose a logistical challenge to fit in regular courses. Furthermore, the participation of students diminishes with group size in case of instructor-led outings. We are developing excursions that students can follow autonomously without a teacher present, using instructions, assignments and background information on tablets and smartphones. The goal of this approach is to increase the level of active participation, and to reduce logistical and time table issues. We developed a bike-excursion about the landscape and geology in the vicinity of our University. Such excursion was on the wish-list for several years, but posed a logistical challenge for the group of about 80 students in the available timeslot. In our approach, students had a time-window of two weeks in which they could finish the excursion in groups of 2. 8-Inch tablets with water- and shock-proof cases were available for this excursion. For the excursion we used three apps: 1) IZI-Travel for providing the route, spoken navigation instructions, spoken explanations at stops, location-related images, assignments as text, and multiple-choose questions. 2) PDF-Maps for providing geo-referenced maps. 3) ESRI Collector which the students used to digitize polygons on a map, and to collect geo-referenced photos with explanation. These data were answers to assignments and were later used in a tutorial on campus. The assignments where students had to collect data, and the small group size (pairs) increased the level of active participation. The use of a final tutorial on campus was important for the autonomous excursion, as it gave students the opportunity to discuss their observations and questions with their teacher. The developed teaching materials are available online to use and adapt for others. Parts could be useful for other universities and schools in the vicinity of

  18. Analysis of Two Electrocution Accidents in Greece that Occurred due to Unexpected Re-energization of Power Lines.

    PubMed

    Baka, Aikaterini D; Uzunoglu, Nikolaos K

    2014-09-01

    Investigation and analysis of accidents are critical elements of safety management. The over-riding purpose of an organization in carrying out an accident investigation is to prevent similar accidents, as well as seek a general improvement in the management of health and safety. Hundreds of workers have suffered injuries while installing, maintaining, or servicing machinery and equipment due to sudden re-energization of power lines. This study presents and analyzes two electrical accidents (1 fatal injury and 1 serious injury) that occurred because the power supply was reconnected inadvertently or by mistake.

  19. Analysis of Two Electrocution Accidents in Greece that Occurred due to Unexpected Re-energization of Power Lines

    PubMed Central

    Baka, Aikaterini D.; Uzunoglu, Nikolaos K.

    2014-01-01

    Investigation and analysis of accidents are critical elements of safety management. The over-riding purpose of an organization in carrying out an accident investigation is to prevent similar accidents, as well as seek a general improvement in the management of health and safety. Hundreds of workers have suffered injuries while installing, maintaining, or servicing machinery and equipment due to sudden re-energization of power lines. This study presents and analyzes two electrical accidents (1 fatal injury and 1 serious injury) that occurred because the power supply was reconnected inadvertently or by mistake. PMID:25379331

  20. Bounded excursion stable gravastars and black holes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rocha, P; Miguelote, A Y; Chan, R

    2008-06-15

    Dynamical models of prototype gravastars were constructed in order to study their stability. The models are the Visser-Wiltshire three-layer gravastars, in which an infinitely thin spherical shell of stiff fluid divides the whole spacetime into two regions, where the internal region is de Sitter, and the external one is Schwarzschild. It is found that in some cases the models represent the 'bounded excursion' stable gravastars, where the thin shell is oscillating between two finite radii, while in other cases they collapse until the formation of black holes occurs. In the phase space, the region for the 'bounded excursion' gravastars ismore » very small in comparison to that of black holes, but not empty. Therefore, although the possibility of the existence of gravastars cannot be excluded from such dynamical models, our results indicate that, even if gravastars do indeed exist, that does not exclude the possibility of the existence of black holes.« less

  1. High-resolution palaeomagnetic records of the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion from the Blake Ridge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mac Niocaill, C.; Bourne, M. D.; Thomas, A. L.; Henderson, G. M.

    2013-05-01

    flux patches. Similar behaviour has been observed in records of the Iceland Basin Excursion from the same region. The palaeointensity record is in good agreement between the two sites. The palaeointensity record shows two prominent minima, the first associated with the Laschamp excursion at 41 ka and the second at ~34 ka, possibly associated with the elusive 'Mono-Lake' excursion. Similar field intensity behaviour has been observed during the Blake excursion suggesting that the geomagnetic field stability may be reduced for relatively long durations, potentially up to tens of thousands of years. Using the 230Thxs derived sedimentation rate, we determine that the directional excursion at this location was no longer than ~400 years, occurring within a palaeointensity low lasting 2000 years. We compare this record with previously published records of the Blake and Iceland Basin Excursions from nearby locations. The Laschamp excursion at this location appears to be much shorter in duration than the Blake and Iceland Basin excursions.

  2. Relation of Phanerozoic stable isotope excursions to climate, bacterial metabolism, and major extinctions

    PubMed Central

    Stanley, Steven M.

    2010-01-01

    Conspicuous global stable carbon isotope excursions that are recorded in marine sedimentary rocks of Phanerozoic age and were associated with major extinctions have generally paralleled global stable oxygen isotope excursions. All of these phenomena are therefore likely to share a common origin through global climate change. Exceptional patterns for carbon isotope excursions resulted from massive carbon burial during warm intervals of widespread marine anoxic conditions. The many carbon isotope excursions that parallel those for oxygen isotopes can to a large degree be accounted for by the Q10 pattern of respiration for bacteria: As temperature changed along continental margins, where ∼90% of marine carbon burial occurs today, rates of remineralization of isotopically light carbon must have changed exponentially. This would have reduced organic carbon burial during global warming and increased it during global cooling. Also contributing to the δ13C excursions have been release and uptake of methane by clathrates, the positive correlation between temperature and degree of fractionation of carbon isotopes by phytoplankton at temperatures below ∼15°, and increased phytoplankton productivity during “icehouse” conditions. The Q10 pattern for bacteria and climate-related changes in clathrate volume represent positive feedbacks for climate change. PMID:21041682

  3. Brownian excursions on combs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dean, David S.; Jansons, Kalvis M.

    1993-03-01

    In this paper we use techniques from Ito excursion theory to analyze Brownian motion on generalized combs. Ito excursion theory is a little-known area of probability theory and we therefore present a brief introduction for the uninitiated. A general method for analyzing transport along the backbone of the comb is demonstrated and the specific case of a comb whose teeth are scaling branching trees is examined. We then present a recursive method for evaluating the distribution of the first passage times on hierarchical combs.

  4. Practices and Methods for Actualization of the Scientific Information in Art Excursions (Excursions and Cultural Heritage in the Contemporary World)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Portnova, Tatiana V.

    2016-01-01

    The paper deals with various practices and methods for actualization of the scientific information in art excursions. The modern society is characterized by commitment to information richness. The range of cultural and historical materials used as the basis for art excursions is really immense. However if to consider the number of excursions with…

  5. Biology Excursions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baldock, R. N.

    1973-01-01

    Provides many useful suggestions and cautions for planning and executing a biology field excursion. Specific procedures are outlined for investigating land communities and coastal areas, and a number of follow-up laboratory activities are described. The appendix provides an extensive bibliography with useful comments on the literature. (JR)

  6. Mono Lake excursion recorded in sediment of the Santa Clara Valley, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mankinen, Edward A.; Wentworth, Carl M.

    2004-01-01

    Two intervals recording anomalous paleomagnetic inclinations were encountered in the top 40 meters of research drill hole CCOC in the Santa Clara Valley, California. The younger of these two intervals has an age of 28,090 ± 330 radiocarbon years B.P. (calibrated age ∼32.8 ka). This age is in excellent agreement with the latest estimate for the Mono Lake excursion at the type locality and confirms that the excursion has been recorded by sediment in the San Francisco Bay region. The age of an anomalous inclination change below the Mono Lake excursion was not directly determined, but estimates of sedimentation rates indicate that the geomagnetic behavior it represents most likely occurred during the Mono Lake/Laschamp time interval (∼45–28 ka). If true, it may represent one of several recurring fluctuations of magnetic inclination during an interval of a weak geomagnetic dipole, behavior noted in other studies in the region.

  7. Visual evidence of the Sterno-Etrussia geomagnetic excursion (~2700 BP)?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raspopov, O. M.; Dergachev, V. A.; Goos'kova, E. G.; Morner, N.-A.

    2003-04-01

    In the Bible's Old Testament Book of Ezekiel there is a description of the Ezekiel's vision of "a great cloud with brightness round about it" to the north of the observation site. The event described in the Bible occurred in 593 BC, i.e., approximately 2600 years ago. Ezekiel was at that time approximately 100 km south of Babylon (latitude ~ 32 N, longitude ~ 45 E). Auroral specialists interpret the Ezekiel's vision as observation of coronal auroral displays at low latitudes. However, to support this hypothesis, it is necessary to understand the physical mechanism responsible for generation of these forms of auroras at low latitudes. Analysis of palaeo- and archaeomagnetic data, including our data on magnetic properties of sediments of the Barents and White Seas and the literature data, has shown that about 2700 BP, i.e., in Ezekiel's time, development of a geomagnetic "Sterno-Etrussia" excursion took place. The duration of the excursion during which the northern geomagnetic pole wandered to the Southern Hemisphere was no more than 200-300 years. Manifestations of this excursion were found in 16 regions of the Eurasian continent and adjacent seas and also in the North and South America. By plotting the path along which the northern geomagnetic pole wandered to the southern latitudes during this excursion on the basis of palaeomagnetic data, we have found that it wandered in the longitude sector plus or minus 30 degrees, and about 2700 BP the northern geomagnetic pole was at the longitude close to the Babylon longitude, where Ezekiel had his vision. Thus, at that time Babylon was at high geomagnetic latitudes where regular coronal auroral displays occur. Records of observation of the unusual brightness of the sky in the V-VI centuries BC can also be found in Greek chronicles. This indicates that the Ezekiel's vision was not the only observation of auroras at low latitudes during the period considered here. This work was supported by INTAS, Grant 97-31008 and PFBR

  8. Use of an Anatomical Scalar to Control for Sex-Based Size Differences in Measures of Hyoid Excursion during Swallowing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Molfenter, Sonja M.; Steele, Catriona M.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Traditional methods for measuring hyoid excursion from dynamic videofluoroscopy recordings involve calculating changes in position in absolute units (mm). This method shows a high degree of variability across studies but agreement that greater hyoid excursion occurs inmen than in women. Given that men are typically taller than women, the…

  9. ODP Site 1063 (Bermuda Rise) revisited: Oxygen isotopes, excursions and paleointensity in the Brunhes Chron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Channell, J. E. T.; Hodell, D. A.; Curtis, J. H.

    2012-02-01

    An age model for the Brunhes Chron of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1063 (Bermuda Rise) is constructed by tandem correlation of oxygen isotope and relative paleointensity data to calibrated reference templates. Four intervals in the Brunhes Chron where paleomagnetic inclinations are negative for both u-channel samples and discrete samples are correlated to the following magnetic excursions with Site 1063 ages in brackets: Laschamp (41 ka), Blake (116 ka), Iceland Basin (190 ka), Pringle Falls (239 ka). These ages are consistent with current age estimates for three of these excursions, but not for "Pringle Falls" which has an apparent age older than a recently published estimate by ˜28 kyr. For each of these excursions (termed Category 1 excursions), virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) reach high southerly latitudes implying paired polarity reversals of the Earth's main dipole field, that apparently occurred in a brief time span (<2 kyr in each case), several times shorter than the apparent duration of regular polarity transitions. In addition, several intervals of low paleomagnetic inclination (low and negative in one case) are observed both in u-channel and discrete samples at ˜318 ka (MIS 9), ˜412 ka (MIS 11) and in the 500-600 ka interval (MIS 14-15). These "Category 2" excursions may constitute inadequately recorded (Category 1) excursions, or high amplitude secular variation.

  10. 46 CFR 2.01-45 - Excursion permit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ..., on Coast Guard Form CG-950, Application for Excursion Permit. If, after inspection, permission is... the application process for excursion permits for inspected passenger vessels are contained in §§ 71.10, 115.204, or 176.204 of this chapter. Details concerning the application process for special...

  11. Criticality accident dosimetry with ESR spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    d'Errico, F; Fattibene, P; Onori, S; Pantaloni, M

    1996-01-01

    The suitability of the ESR alanine and sugar detectors for criticality accident dosimetry was experimentally investigated during an intercomparison of dosimetry techniques. Tests were performed irradiating detectors both free-in-air and on-phantom during controlled critcality excursions at the SILENE reactor in Valduc, France. Several grays of absorbed dose were imparted in neutron gamma-ray fields of various relative intensities and spectral distributions. Analysed results confirmed the potential of these systems which can immediately provide an acute dose assessment with an average underestimate of 30%in the various fields. This performance allows for the screening of severely exposed individuals and meets the IAEA recommendations on the early estimate of accident absorbed doses.

  12. Geomagnetic excursions in the Brunhes and Matuyama Chrons: Do they come in bunches?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Channell, J. E. T.

    2012-04-01

    Geomagnetic excursions, defined here as brief directional aberrations of the main dipole field outside the range of expected secular variation, remain controversial. Poorly-correlated records of apparent excursions from lavas and sediments can often be assigned to sampling artifacts, sedimentological phenomena, volcanic terrane effects, or local secular variation, rather than behavior of the main dipole field. Although records of magnetic excursions date from the 1960s, the number of Brunhes excursions in recent reviews of the subject have reached the 12-17 range, of which only about ~7 are adequately and/or consistently recorded. For the Matuyama Chron, the current inventory of excursions stands at about 10. The better quality excursion records, with reasonable age control, imply millennial-scale or even sub-millennial-scale durations. When "adequately" recorded, excursions are manifest as paired polarity reversals flanking virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) that reach high latitudes in the opposite hemisphere. At the young end of the excursion record, the Mono Lake (~33 ka) and Laschamp (~41 ka) excursions are well documented, although records of the former are not widely distributed. Several excursions younger than the Mono Lake excursion (at 17 ka and 25 ka) have recently been recorded in lavas and sediments, respectively. Is the 17-41 ka interval characterized by multiple excursions? Similarly, multiple excursions have been recorded in the 188-238 ka interval that encompasses records of the Iceland Basin excursion (~188 ka) and the Pringle Falls (PF) excursion. The PF excursion has been assigned ages in the 211-238 ka range. Does this mean that this interval is also characterized by several discrete excursions? The 500-600 ka interval incorporates not only the Big Lost excursion at ~565 ka, but also anomalous magnetization directions from lava flows, particularly in the West Eifel volcanics that yield mid-latitude northern-hemisphere VGPs with a range of Ar

  13. Outbreaks of Gastroenteritis That Occurred during School Excursions in Korea Were Associated with Several Waterborne Strains of Norovirus

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Sung-Han; Cheon, Doo-Sung; Kim, Jin-Hyeun; Lee, Dong-Han; Jheong, Won-hwa; Heo, Young-Joo; Chung, Hyen-Mi; Jee, Youngmee; Lee, Joo-Shil

    2005-01-01

    In May 2004, 97 of 309 (31%) and 97 of 207 (47%) school students from geographically distant areas were affected by acute gastroenteritis during excursions to neighboring hotels. The two hotels were 300 m apart, on Jeju Island, South Korea. Several strains of norovirus, including both genogroup I and genogroup II viruses, were identified in stool samples from the students and food handlers and in groundwater from the hotels. Of these several strains of norovirus, the nucleotide sequences for one strain were identical for samples from the students, food handlers, and groundwater. PMID:16145153

  14. Condylar motion in children with primary dentition during lateral excursion.

    PubMed

    Yamasaki, Youichi; Hayasaki, Haruaki; Nishi, Megumi; Nakata, Shiho; Nakata, Minoru

    2002-07-01

    Normal development of primary and mixed dentition is indispensable for establishing a healthy mandibular function of the permanent dentition. Because condylar movements are crucial for mandibular function, extensive studies have been reported. However, most of these studies have dealt with mandibular functions in adults, and there is less known about children with primary dentition. The purpose of this study was to clarify the condylar movements during lateral excursions in children with primary dentition and compare these movements with those of adults from the viewpoint of functional development. With use of an optoelectronic recording system with six degrees of freedom, the lateral excursions of 24 children and 20 young women, with sound dentition, were recorded at 100 Hz. The results show that the balancing side condyle of the children had a significantly smaller vertical excursion and a significantly larger anteroposterior excursion than that of adults, indicating the shallower and more anteriorly directed movements of the entire mandible during lateral excursions in children with primary dentition.

  15. Altered lower extremity joint mechanics occur during the star excursion balance test and single leg hop after ACL-reconstruction in a collegiate athlete.

    PubMed

    Samaan, Michael A; Ringleb, Stacie I; Bawab, Sebastian Y; Greska, Eric K; Weinhandl, Joshua T

    2018-03-01

    The effects of ACL-reconstruction on lower extremity joint mechanics during performance of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) and Single Leg Hop (SLH) are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine if altered lower extremity mechanics occur during the SEBT and SLH after ACL-reconstruction. One female Division I collegiate athlete performed the SEBT and SLH tasks, bilaterally, both before ACL injury and 27 months after ACL-reconstruction. Maximal reach, hop distances, lower extremity joint kinematics and moments were compared between both time points. Musculoskeletal simulations were used to assess muscle force production during the SEBT and SLH at both time points. Compared to the pre-injury time point, SEBT reach distances were similar in both limbs after ACL-reconstruction except for the max anterior reach distance in the ipsilateral limb. The athlete demonstrated similar hop distances, bilaterally, after ACL-reconstruction compared to the pre-injury time point. Despite normal functional performance during the SEBT and SLH, the athlete exhibited altered lower extremity joint mechanics during both of these tasks. These results suggest that measuring the maximal reach and hop distances for these tasks, in combination with an analysis of the lower extremity joint mechanics that occur after ACL-reconstruction, may help clinicians and researchers to better understand the effects of ACL-reconstruction on the neuromuscular system during the SEBT and SLH.

  16. An Excursion in Applied Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    von Kaenel, Pierre A.

    1981-01-01

    An excursion in applied mathematics is detailed in a lesson deemed well-suited for the high school student or undergraduate. The problem focuses on an experimental missile guidance system simulated in the laboratory. (MP)

  17. Compensation for large thorax excursions in EIT imaging.

    PubMed

    Schullcke, B; Krueger-Ziolek, S; Gong, B; Mueller-Lisse, U; Moeller, K

    2016-09-01

    Besides the application of EIT in the intensive care unit it has recently also been used in spontaneously breathing patients suffering from asthma bronchiole, cystic fibrosis (CF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In these cases large thorax excursions during deep inspiration, e.g. during lung function testing, lead to artifacts in the reconstructed images. In this paper we introduce a new approach to compensate for image artifacts resulting from excursion induced changes in boundary voltages. It is shown in a simulation study that boundary voltage change due to thorax excursion on a homogeneous model can be used to modify the measured voltages and thus reduce the impact of thorax excursion on the reconstructed images. The applicability of the method on human subjects is demonstrated utilizing a motion-tracking-system. The proposed technique leads to fewer artifacts in the reconstructed images and improves image quality without substantial increase in computational effort, making the approach suitable for real-time imaging of lung ventilation. This might help to establish EIT as a supplemental tool for lung function tests in spontaneously breathing patients to support clinicians in diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression.

  18. 46 CFR 115.204 - Permit to carry excursion party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... jacket, fire safety, and manning standards applicable to a vessel in the service for which the excursion... crew required, any additional lifesaving or safety equipment required, the route for which the permit... applicable minimum safety standards when issuing an excursion permit. In particular, a vessel that is being...

  19. 46 CFR 115.204 - Permit to carry excursion party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... jacket, fire safety, and manning standards applicable to a vessel in the service for which the excursion... crew required, any additional lifesaving or safety equipment required, the route for which the permit... applicable minimum safety standards when issuing an excursion permit. In particular, a vessel that is being...

  20. 46 CFR 115.204 - Permit to carry excursion party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... jacket, fire safety, and manning standards applicable to a vessel in the service for which the excursion... crew required, any additional lifesaving or safety equipment required, the route for which the permit... applicable minimum safety standards when issuing an excursion permit. In particular, a vessel that is being...

  1. 40 CFR 63.1438 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... required to submit Periodic Reports semiannually or quarterly. The first semiannual period is the 6-month... excursions. (5) For the fifth semiannual period—two excused excursions. (6) For the sixth and all subsequent... during the entire test period. The monitoring level(s) shall be those established during from the...

  2. 40 CFR 63.1438 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... required to submit Periodic Reports semiannually or quarterly. The first semiannual period is the 6-month... excursions. (5) For the fifth semiannual period—two excused excursions. (6) For the sixth and all subsequent... during the entire test period. The monitoring level(s) shall be those established during from the...

  3. 40 CFR 63.1438 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... required to submit Periodic Reports semiannually or quarterly. The first semiannual period is the 6-month... excursions. (5) For the fifth semiannual period—two excused excursions. (6) For the sixth and all subsequent... during the entire test period. The monitoring level(s) shall be those established during from the...

  4. 40 CFR 63.1438 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... required to submit Periodic Reports semiannually or quarterly. The first semiannual period is the 6-month... excursions. (5) For the fifth semiannual period—two excused excursions. (6) For the sixth and all subsequent... during the entire test period. The monitoring level(s) shall be those established during from the...

  5. Nonstationary envelope process and first excursion probability.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yang, J.-N.

    1972-01-01

    The definition of stationary random envelope proposed by Cramer and Leadbetter, is extended to the envelope of nonstationary random process possessing evolutionary power spectral densities. The density function, the joint density function, the moment function, and the crossing rate of a level of the nonstationary envelope process are derived. Based on the envelope statistics, approximate solutions to the first excursion probability of nonstationary random processes are obtained. In particular, applications of the first excursion probability to the earthquake engineering problems are demonstrated in detail.

  6. Excursion Processes Associated with Elliptic Combinatorics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baba, Hiroya; Katori, Makoto

    2018-06-01

    Researching elliptic analogues for equalities and formulas is a new trend in enumerative combinatorics which has followed the previous trend of studying q-analogues. Recently Schlosser proposed a lattice path model in the square lattice with a family of totally elliptic weight-functions including several complex parameters and discussed an elliptic extension of the binomial theorem. In the present paper, we introduce a family of discrete-time excursion processes on Z starting from the origin and returning to the origin in a given time duration 2 T associated with Schlosser's elliptic combinatorics. The processes are inhomogeneous both in space and time and hence expected to provide new models in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. By numerical calculation we show that the maximum likelihood trajectories on the spatio-temporal plane of the elliptic excursion processes and of their reduced trigonometric versions are not straight lines in general but are nontrivially curved depending on parameters. We analyze asymptotic probability laws in the long-term limit T → ∞ for a simplified trigonometric version of excursion process. Emergence of nontrivial curves of trajectories in a large scale of space and time from the elementary elliptic weight-functions exhibits a new aspect of elliptic combinatorics.

  7. Excursion Processes Associated with Elliptic Combinatorics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baba, Hiroya; Katori, Makoto

    2018-04-01

    Researching elliptic analogues for equalities and formulas is a new trend in enumerative combinatorics which has followed the previous trend of studying q-analogues. Recently Schlosser proposed a lattice path model in the square lattice with a family of totally elliptic weight-functions including several complex parameters and discussed an elliptic extension of the binomial theorem. In the present paper, we introduce a family of discrete-time excursion processes on Z starting from the origin and returning to the origin in a given time duration 2T associated with Schlosser's elliptic combinatorics. The processes are inhomogeneous both in space and time and hence expected to provide new models in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. By numerical calculation we show that the maximum likelihood trajectories on the spatio-temporal plane of the elliptic excursion processes and of their reduced trigonometric versions are not straight lines in general but are nontrivially curved depending on parameters. We analyze asymptotic probability laws in the long-term limit T → ∞ for a simplified trigonometric version of excursion process. Emergence of nontrivial curves of trajectories in a large scale of space and time from the elementary elliptic weight-functions exhibits a new aspect of elliptic combinatorics.

  8. Analysis of the SL-1 Accident Using RELAPS5-3D

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Francisco, A.D. and Tomlinson, E. T.

    2007-11-08

    On January 3, 1961, at the National Reactor Testing Station, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the Stationary Low Power Reactor No. 1 (SL-1) experienced a major nuclear excursion, killing three people, and destroying the reactor core. The SL-1 reactor, a 3 MW{sub t} boiling water reactor, was shut down and undergoing routine maintenance work at the time. This paper presents an analysis of the SL-1 reactor excursion using the RELAP5-3D thermal-hydraulic and nuclear analysis code, with the intent of simulating the accident from the point of reactivity insertion to destruction and vaporization of the fuel. Results are presented, along with amore » discussion of sensitivity to some reactor and transient parameters (many of the details are only known with a high level of uncertainty).« less

  9. ANALYSIS OF LABOUR ACCIDENTS OCCURRING IN DISASTER RESTORATION WORK FOLLOWING THE NIIGATA CHUETSU EARTHQUAKE (2004) AND THE NIIGATA CHUETSU-OKI EARTHQUAKE (2007)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Itoh, Kazuya; Noda, Masashi; Kikkawa, Naotaka; Hori, Tomohito; Tamate, Satoshi; Toyosawa, Yasuo; Suemasa, Naoaki

    Labour accidents in disaster-relief and disaster restoration work following the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake (2004) and the Niigata Chuetsu-oki Earthquake (2007) were analysed and characterised in order to raise awareness of the risks and hazards in such work. The Niigata Chuetsu-oki Earthquake affected houses and buildings rather than roads and railways, which are generally disrupted due to landslides or slope failures caused by earthquakes. In this scenario, the predominant type of accident is a "fall to lower level," which increases mainly due to the fact that labourers are working to repair houses and buildings. On the other hand, landslides and slope failures were much more prevalent in the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake, resulting in more accidents occurring in geotechnical works rather than in construction works. Therefore, care should be taken in preventing "fall to lower level" accidents associated with repair work on the roofs of low-rise houses, "cut or abrasion" accidents due to the demolition of damaged houses and "caught in or compressed by equipment" accidents in road works and water and sewage works.

  10. Potential Cislunar and Interplanetary Proving Ground Excursion Trajectory Concepts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McGuire, Melissa L.; Strange, Nathan J.; Burke, Laura M.; MacDonald, Mark A.; McElrath, Timothy P.; Landau, Damon F.; Lantoine, Gregory; Hack, Kurt J.; Lopez, Pedro

    2016-01-01

    NASA has been investigating potential translunar excursion concepts to take place in the 2020s that would be used to test and demonstrate long duration life support and other systems needed for eventual Mars missions in the 2030s. These potential trajectory concepts could be conducted in the proving ground, a region of cislunar and near-Earth interplanetary space where international space agencies could cooperate to develop the technologies needed for interplanetary spaceflight. Enabled by high power Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) technologies, the excursion trajectory concepts studied are grouped into three classes of increasing distance from the Earth and increasing technical difficulty: the first class of excursion trajectory concepts would represent a 90-120 day round trip trajectory with abort to Earth options throughout the entire length, the second class would be a 180-210 day round trip trajectory with periods in which aborts would not be available, and the third would be a 300-400 day round trip trajectory without aborts for most of the length of the trip. This paper provides a top-level summary of the trajectory and mission design of representative example missions of these three classes of excursion trajectory concepts.

  11. The Excursion Set Theory of Halo Mass Functions, Halo Clustering, and Halo Growth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zentner, Andrew R.

    I review the excursion set theory with particular attention toward applications to cold dark matter halo formation and growth, halo abundance, and halo clustering. After a brief introduction to notation and conventions, I begin by recounting the heuristic argument leading to the mass function of bound objects given by Press and Schechter. I then review the more formal derivation of the Press-Schechter halo mass function that makes use of excursion sets of the density field. The excursion set formalism is powerful and can be applied to numerous other problems. I review the excursion set formalism for describing both halo clustering and bias and the properties of void regions. As one of the most enduring legacies of the excursion set approach and one of its most common applications, I spend considerable time reviewing the excursion set theory of halo growth. This section of the review culminates with the description of two Monte Carlo methods for generating ensembles of halo mass accretion histories. In the last section, I emphasize that the standard excursion set approach is the result of several simplifying assumptions. Dropping these assumptions can lead to more faithful predictions and open excursion set theory to new applications. One such assumption is that the height of the barriers that define collapsed objects is a constant function of scale. I illustrate the implementation of the excursion set approach for barriers of arbitrary shape. One such application is the now well-known improvement of the excursion set mass function derived from the "moving" barrier for ellipsoidal collapse. I also emphasize that the statement that halo accretion histories are independent of halo environment in the excursion set approach is not a general prediction of the theory. It is a simplifying assumption. I review the method for constructing correlated random walks of the density field in the more general case. I construct a simple toy model to illustrate that excursion set

  12. Stable and 'bounded excursion' gravastars, and black holes in Einstein's theory of gravity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rocha, P; Da Silva, M F A; Wang, Anzhong

    2008-11-15

    Dynamical models of prototype gravastars are constructed and studied. The models are the Visser-Wiltshire three-layer gravastars, in which an infinitely thin spherical shell of a perfect fluid with the equation of state p = (1-{gamma}){sigma} divides the whole spacetime into two regions, where the internal region is de Sitter, and the external one is Schwarzschild. When {gamma}<1 and {Lambda}{ne}0, it is found that in some cases the models represent stable gravastars, and in some cases they represent 'bounded excursion' stable gravastars, where the thin shell is oscillating between two finite radii, while in some other cases they collapse until themore » formation of black holes occurs. However, when {gamma}{>=}1, even with {Lambda}{ne}0, only black holes are found. In the phase space, the region for both stable gravastars and 'bounded excursion' gravastars is very small in comparison to that for black holes, although it is not completely empty.« less

  13. 49 CFR 38.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] 38.177 Section 38.177 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation AMERICANS WITH....177 Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] ...

  14. 49 CFR 38.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] 38.177 Section 38.177 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation AMERICANS WITH....177 Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] ...

  15. 49 CFR 38.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] 38.177 Section 38.177 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation AMERICANS WITH....177 Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] ...

  16. 49 CFR 38.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] 38.177 Section 38.177 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation AMERICANS WITH....177 Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] ...

  17. 49 CFR 38.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] 38.177 Section 38.177 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation AMERICANS WITH....177 Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] ...

  18. A Whale of an Interest in Sea Creatures: The Learning Potential of Excursions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hedges, Helen

    2004-01-01

    Excursions, or field trips, are a common component of early childhood programs, seen as a means of enriching the curriculum by providing experiences with people, places, and things in the community. Although excursions have been used as a framework for research on children's memory development, research on the efficacy of excursions in terms of…

  19. Nateglinide and acarbose are comparably effective reducers of postprandial glycemic excursions in chinese antihyperglycemic agent-naive subjects with type 2 diabetes.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Jian; Li, Hong; Zhang, Xiuzhen; Peng, Yongde; Mo, Yifei; Bao, Yuqian; Jia, Weiping

    2013-06-01

    Recent studies have identified postprandial glycemic excursions as risk factors for diabetes complications. This study aimed to compare the effects of nateglinide and acarbose treatments on postprandial glycemic excursions in Chinese subjects with type 2 diabetes. This was a multicenter, open-label, randomized, active-controlled, parallel-group study. One hundred three antihyperglycemic agent-naive subjects with type 2 diabetes (hemoglobin A1c range, 6.5-9.0%) were prospectively recruited from four hospitals in China. The intervention was nateglinide (120 mg three times a day) or acarbose (50 mg three times a day) therapy for 2 weeks. A continuous glucose monitoring system was used to calculate the incremental area under the curve of postprandial blood glucose (AUCpp), the incremental glucose peak (IGP), mean amplitude of glycemic excursions, SD of blood glucose, the mean of daily differences, and 24-h mean blood glucose (MBG). Subjects' serum glycated albumin and the plasma insulin levels were also analyzed. Both agents caused significant reductions on AUCpp and IGP. Similarly, both treatment groups showed significant improvements in the intra- and interday glycemic excursions, as well as the 24-h MBG and serum glycated albumin compared with baseline (P<0.001). However, neither of the agents produced a significantly better effect (P>0.05). Moreover, the nateglinide-treated group had significantly increased insulin levels at 30 min and at 120 min after a standard meal compared with baseline, whereas the acarbose-treated group decreased. No serious adverse events occurred in either group. The rates of hypoglycemic episodes were comparable in the two groups, and no severe hypoglycemic episode occurred in either group. Nateglinide and acarbose were comparably effective in reducing postprandial glycemic excursions in antihyperglycemic agent-naive Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes, possibly through different pathophysiological mechanisms.

  20. Nateglinide and Acarbose Are Comparably Effective Reducers of Postprandial Glycemic Excursions in Chinese Antihyperglycemic Agent–Naive Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Jian; Li, Hong; Zhang, Xiuzhen; Peng, Yongde; Mo, Yifei; Bao, Yuqian

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Background Recent studies have identified postprandial glycemic excursions as risk factors for diabetes complications. This study aimed to compare the effects of nateglinide and acarbose treatments on postprandial glycemic excursions in Chinese subjects with type 2 diabetes. Subjects and Methods This was a multicenter, open-label, randomized, active-controlled, parallel-group study. One hundred three antihyperglycemic agent–naive subjects with type 2 diabetes (hemoglobin A1c range, 6.5–9.0%) were prospectively recruited from four hospitals in China. The intervention was nateglinide (120 mg three times a day) or acarbose (50 mg three times a day) therapy for 2 weeks. A continuous glucose monitoring system was used to calculate the incremental area under the curve of postprandial blood glucose (AUCpp), the incremental glucose peak (IGP), mean amplitude of glycemic excursions, SD of blood glucose, the mean of daily differences, and 24-h mean blood glucose (MBG). Subjects' serum glycated albumin and the plasma insulin levels were also analyzed. Results Both agents caused significant reductions on AUCpp and IGP. Similarly, both treatment groups showed significant improvements in the intra- and interday glycemic excursions, as well as the 24-h MBG and serum glycated albumin compared with baseline (P<0.001). However, neither of the agents produced a significantly better effect (P>0.05). Moreover, the nateglinide-treated group had significantly increased insulin levels at 30 min and at 120 min after a standard meal compared with baseline, whereas the acarbose-treated group decreased. No serious adverse events occurred in either group. The rates of hypoglycemic episodes were comparable in the two groups, and no severe hypoglycemic episode occurred in either group. Conclusions Nateglinide and acarbose were comparably effective in reducing postprandial glycemic excursions in antihyperglycemic agent–naive Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes, possibly

  1. 36 CFR 1192.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] 1192.177 Section 1192.177 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL... GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.177 Ferries, excursion boats and...

  2. 36 CFR 1192.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] 1192.177 Section 1192.177 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL... GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.177 Ferries, excursion boats and...

  3. 36 CFR 1192.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] 1192.177 Section 1192.177 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL... GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.177 Ferries, excursion boats and...

  4. 36 CFR 1192.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] 1192.177 Section 1192.177 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL... GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.177 Ferries, excursion boats and...

  5. An investigation of the dynamic relationship between navicular drop and first metatarsophalangeal joint dorsal excursion

    PubMed Central

    Griffin, Nicole L; Miller, Charlotte; Schmitt, Daniel; D'Août, Kristiaan

    2013-01-01

    The modern human foot is a complex biomechanical structure that must act both as a shock absorber and as a propulsive strut during the stance phase of gait. Understanding the ways in which foot segments interact can illuminate the mechanics of foot function in healthy and pathological humans. It has been proposed that increased values of medial longitudinal arch deformation can limit metatarsophalangeal joint excursion via tension in the plantar aponeurosis. However, this model has not been tested directly in a dynamic setting. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that during the stance phase, subtalar pronation (stretching of the plantar aponeurosis and subsequent lowering of the medial longitudinal arch) will negatively affect the amount of first metatarsophalangeal joint excursion occurring at push-off. Vertical descent of the navicular (a proxy for subtalar pronation) and first metatarsophalangeal joint dorsal excursion were measured during steady locomotion over a flat substrate on a novel sample consisting of asymptomatic adult males and females, many of whom are habitually unshod. Least-squares regression analyses indicated that, contrary to the hypothesis, navicular drop did not explain a significant amount of variation in first metatarsophalangeal joint dorsal excursion. These results suggest that, in an asymptomatic subject, the plantar aponeurosis and the associated foot bones can function effectively within the normal range of subtalar pronation that takes place during walking gait. From a clinical standpoint, this study highlights the need for investigating the in vivo kinematic relationship between subtalar pronation and metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion in symptomatic populations, and also the need to explore other factors that may affect the kinematics of asymptomatic feet. PMID:23600634

  6. Speckle tracking as a method to measure hemidiaphragm excursion.

    PubMed

    Goutman, Stephen A; Hamilton, James D; Swihart, Blake; Foerster, Bradley; Feldman, Eva L; Rubin, Jonathan M

    2017-01-01

    Diaphragm excursion measured via ultrasound may be an important imaging outcome measure of respiratory function. We developed a new method for measuring diaphragm movement and compared it to the more traditional M-mode method. Ultrasound images of the right and left hemidiaphragms were collected to compare speckle tracking and M-mode measurements of diaphragm excursion. Speckle tracking was performed using EchoInsight (Epsilon Imaging, Ann Arbor, Michigan). Six healthy subjects without a history of pulmonary diseases were included in this proof-of-concept study. Speckle tracking of the diaphragm is technically possible. Unlike M-mode, speckle tracking carries the advantage of reliable visualization and measurement of the left hemidiaphragm. Speckle tracking accounted for diaphragm movement simultaneously in the cephalocaudad and mediolateral directions, unlike M-mode, which is 1-dimensional. Diaphragm speckle tracking may represent a novel, more robust method for measuring diaphragm excursion, especially for the left hemidiaphragm. Muscle Nerve 55: 125-127, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Preventing accidents

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-08-01

    As the most effective strategy for improving safety is to prevent accidents from occurring at all, the Volpe Center applies a broad range of research techniques and capabilities to determine causes and consequences of accidents and to identify, asses...

  8. High-resolution palaeomagnetic records of the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion from ODP Sites 1061 and 1062

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bourne, M. D.; Henderson, G. M.; Thomas, A. L.; Mac Niocaill, C.

    2012-12-01

    The Laschamp geomagnetic excursion (~41 ka) was a brief global deviation in geomagnetic field behaviour from that expected during normal secular variation. Previously published records suggest rapid changes in field direction and a concurrent substantial decrease in field intensity. We present here high-resolution palaeomagnetic records of the Laschamp excursion obtained from two Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 1061 and 1062 on the Blake-Bahama Outer Ridge (ODP Leg 172) and compare this record with previously published records of the Blake and Iceland Basin Excursions. Relatively high sedimentation rates (>10 cm kyr-1) at these locations allow the determination of transitional field behaviour during the excursion. Rather than assuming a constant sedimentation rate between assigned age tie-points, we employ measurements of 230Thxs concentration in the sediment to assess variations in the sedimentation rates through the core sections of interest. This allows us to better determine the temporal behaviour of the Laschamp excursion with greater accuracy and known uncertainty. The Laschamp excursion at this location appears to be much shorter in duration than the Blake and Iceland Basin excursions. Palaeomagnetic measurements of discrete samples from four cores reveal a single excursional feature, across an interval of 30 cm, associated with a broader palaeointensity low. The excursion is characterised by rapid transitions (less than 500 years) between a stable normal polarity and a partially-reversed, polarity. Peaks in inclination either side of the directional excursion indicate periods of time when the local field is dominated by vertical flux patches. Similar behaviour has been observed in records of the Iceland Basin Excursion from the same region. The palaeointensity record is in good agreement between the two sites. The palaeointensity record shows two minima, where the second dip in intensity is associated with a more limited directional deviation. Similar

  9. Duration of and decoupling between carbon isotope excursions during the end-Triassic mass extinction and Central Atlantic Magmatic Province emplacement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yager, Joyce A.; West, A. Joshua; Corsetti, Frank A.; Berelson, William M.; Rollins, Nick E.; Rosas, Silvia; Bottjer, David J.

    2017-09-01

    Changes in δ13Ccarb and δ13Corg from marine strata occur globally in association with the end-Triassic mass extinction and the emplacement of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) during the break up of Pangea. As is typical in deep time, the timing and duration of these isotopic excursions has remained elusive, hampering attempts to link carbon cycle perturbations to specific processes. Here, we report δ13Ccarb and δ13Corg from Late Triassic and Early Jurassic strata near Levanto, Peru, where intercalated dated ash beds permit temporal calibration of the carbon isotope record. Both δ13Ccarb and δ13Corg exhibit a broad positive excursion through the latest Triassic into the earliest Jurassic. The first order positive excursion in δ13Corg is interrupted by a negative shift noted in many sections around the world coincident with the extinction horizon. Our data indicate that the negative excursion lasts 85 ± 25 kyrs, longer than inferred by previous studies based on cyclostratigraphy. A 260 ± 80 kyr positive δ13Corg shift follows, during which the first Jurassic ammonites appear. The overall excursion culminates in a return to pre-perturbation carbon isotopic values over the next 1090 ± 70 kyrs. Via chronologic, isotopic, and biostratigraphic correlation to other successions, we find that δ13Ccarb and δ13Corg return to pre-perturbation values as CAMP volcanism ceases and in association with the recovery of pelagic and benthic biota. However, the initiation of the carbon isotope excursion at Levanto predates the well-dated CAMP sills from North America, indicating that CAMP may have started earlier than thought based on these exposures, or that the onset of carbon cycle perturbations was not related to CAMP.

  10. Age and Structure of the Laschamp Geomagnetic Excursion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scaillet, S.; Laj, C.; Kissel, C.; Guillou, H.; Singer, B. S.

    2004-12-01

    The age of the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion has been recently re-investigated using unspiked K/Ar and Ar/Ar techniques (Guillou et al., Session V01, this conference). The new age determination of 40.4 +/- 2.0 ka (2 sigma) is more precise than those previously reported in the literature and agrees precisely with that deduced from the GLOPIS-75 sedimentary paleointensity stack calibrated against the GISP2 ice core chronology. Two of the North Atlantic cores used in GLOPIS-75 (MD95-2034 and PS2644-5) yield rather detailed transitional VGP paths. In the two cases the paths show large similarities, with the VGP initially descending along mid-western Pacific, then returning to normal polarities with a large clockwise loop over Africa and Europe. Differences in the highest southern latitudes reached by the VGP can be explained assuming more different degrees of smearing of the paleomagnetic record due to differences in sedimentation rate in the two cores. In the most detailed record, MD95-2034 , two smaller loops are present preceding the main excursion. In the two cores, the excursion is characterized by a significant drop in intensity. The reversal paths observed for the Laschamp event are very close in position to those reported for the Icelandic Basin Event (IBE) from sites in the North Atlantic and the South China Sea (Laj et al., this conference) but differ in the sense of looping: while a clockwise loop is observed here, a counterclockwise loop is observed for the IBE. Despite this difference, the similarity of the transitional records tends to suggest that a similar, relatively simple, geometry has dominated the two excursions and therefore that similar dynamo mechanisms have prevailed during the reversal process.

  11. Accidents on hospital wards.

    PubMed Central

    Levene, S; Bonfield, G

    1991-01-01

    Eight hospitals reported 781 non-iatrogenic accidents occurring to patients and visitors under 16 years of age during an 18 month period up to October 1989. Accidents more often involved boys and children aged 3 to 5 years old. Falls from a height, slips, and striking accidents were common by day and falls by night. A total of 41% of accidents to inpatients occurred when parents were present. Only three accidents were serious. Altogether 27% involved beds and cots, and only one consequent injury was more than minor. Data collected routinely in case of medicolegal action can be presented in a form that may facilitate preventative work. Potentially remediable causes for concern include falls from beds and cots and the use of makeshift equipment. PMID:1929510

  12. Engaging students in research learning experiences through hydrology field excursions and projects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ewen, T.; Seibert, J.

    2014-12-01

    One of the best ways to engage students and instill enthusiasm for hydrology is to expose them to hands-on learning. A focus on hydrology field research can be used to develop context-rich and active learning, and help solidify idealized learning where students are introduced to individual processes through textbook examples, often neglecting process interactions and an appreciation for the complexity of the system. We introduced a field course where hydrological measurement techniques are used to study processes such as snow hydrology and runoff generation, while also introducing students to field research and design of their own field project. In the field projects, students design a low-budget experiment with the aim of going through the different steps of a 'real' scientific project, from formulating the research question to presenting their results. In one of the field excursions, students make discharge measurements in several alpine streams with a salt tracer to better understand the spatial characteristics of an alpine catchment, where source waters originate and how they contribute to runoff generation. Soil moisture measurements taken by students in this field excursion were used to analyze spatial soil moisture patterns in the alpine catchment and subsequently used in a publication. Another field excursion repeats a published experiment, where preferential soil flow paths are studied using a tracer and compared to previously collected data. For each field excursion, observational data collected by the students is uploaded to an online database we developed, which also allows students to retrieve data from past excursions to further analyze and compare their data. At each of the field sites, weather stations were installed and a webviewer allows access to realtime data from data loggers, allowing students to explore how processes relate to climatic conditions. With in-house film expertise, these field excursions were also filmed and short virtual

  13. 36 CFR § 1192.177 - Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Ferries, excursion boats and other vessels. [Reserved] § 1192.177 Section § 1192.177 Parks, Forests, and Public Property... GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.177 Ferries, excursion boats and...

  14. Development of a Bayesian Belief Network Runway Incursion and Excursion Model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Green, Lawrence L.

    2014-01-01

    In a previous work, a statistical analysis of runway incursion (RI) event data was conducted to ascertain the relevance of this data to the top ten Technical Challenges (TC) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Aviation Safety Program (AvSP). The study revealed connections to several of the AvSP top ten TC and identified numerous primary causes and contributing factors of RI events. The statistical analysis served as the basis for developing a system-level Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) model for RI events, also previously reported. Through literature searches and data analysis, this RI event network has now been extended to also model runway excursion (RE) events. These RI and RE event networks have been further modified and vetted by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel. The combined system-level BBN model will allow NASA to generically model the causes of RI and RE events and to assess the effectiveness of technology products being developed under NASA funding. These products are intended to reduce the frequency of runway safety incidents/accidents, and to improve runway safety in general. The development and structure of the BBN for both RI and RE events are documented in this paper.

  15. Helicopter sling load accident/incident survey: 1968 - 1974

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shaughnessy, J. D.; Pardue, M. D.

    1977-01-01

    During the period considered a mean of eleven accidents per year occurred and a mean of eleven persons were killed or seriously injured per year. Forty-one percent of the accidents occurred during hover, and 63 percent of the accidents had pilot error listed as a cause/factor. Many accidents involved pilots losing control of the helicopter or allowing a collision with obstructions to occur. There was a mean of 58 incidents each year and 51 percent of these occurred during cruise.

  16. Underreporting of maritime accidents to vessel accident databases.

    PubMed

    Hassel, Martin; Asbjørnslett, Bjørn Egil; Hole, Lars Petter

    2011-11-01

    Underreporting of maritime accidents is a problem not only for authorities trying to improve maritime safety through legislation, but also to risk management companies and other entities using maritime casualty statistics in risk and accident analysis. This study collected and compared casualty data from 01.01.2005 to 31.12.2009, from IHS Fairplay and the maritime authorities from a set of nations. The data was compared to find common records, and estimation of the true number of occurred accidents was performed using conditional probability given positive dependency between data sources, several variations of the capture-recapture method, calculation of best case scenario assuming perfect reporting, and scaling up a subset of casualty information from a marine insurance statistics database. The estimated upper limit reporting performance for the selected flag states ranged from 14% to 74%, while the corresponding estimated coverage of IHS Fairplay ranges from 4% to 62%. On average the study results document that the number of unreported accidents makes up roughly 50% of all occurred accidents. Even in a best case scenario, only a few flag states come close to perfect reporting (94%). The considerable scope of underreporting uncovered in the study, indicates that users of statistical vessel accident data should assume a certain degree of underreporting, and adjust their analyses accordingly. Whether to use correction factors, a safety margin, or rely on expert judgment, should be decided on a case by case basis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. [Occupational accidents in an oil refinery in Brazil].

    PubMed

    Souza, Carlos Augusto Vaz de; Freitas, Carlos Machado de

    2002-10-01

    Work in oil refineries involves the risk of minor to major accidents. National data show the impact of accidents on this industry. A study was carried out to describe accident profile and evaluate the adequacy of accident reporting system. Data on all accidents reported in an oil refinery in the state of Rio de Janeiro for the year 1997 were organized and analyzed. The study population consisted of 153 injury cases, 83 hired and 69 contracted workers. The variables were: type of accident, operation mode and position of the worker injured. Among hired workers, minor accidents predominated (54.2%) and they occurred during regular operation activities (62.9%). Among contracted workers, there also predominated minor accidents (75.5%) in a higher percentage, but they occurred mainly during maintenance activities (96.8%). The study results showed that there is a predominance of accidents in lower hierarchy workers, and these accidents occur mainly during maintenance activities. There is a need to improve the company's accident reporting system and accident investigation procedures.

  18. Working and Learning in a Field Excursion.

    PubMed

    Hole, Torstein Nielsen

    2018-06-01

    This study aimed to discern sociocultural processes through which students learn in field excursions. To achieve this aim, short-term ethnographic techniques were employed to examine how undergraduate students work and enact knowledge (or knowing) during a specific field excursion in biology. The students participated in a working practice that employed research methods and came to engage with various biological phenomena over the course of their work. A three-level analysis of the students' experiences focused on three processes that emerged: participatory appropriation, guided participation, and apprenticeship. These processes derive from advances in practice-oriented theories of knowing. Through their work in the field, the students were able to enact science autonomously; they engaged with peers and teachers in specific ways and developed new understandings about research and epistemology founded on their experiences in the field. Further discussion about the use of "practice" and "work" as analytical concepts in science education is also included.

  19. Domino effect in chemical accidents: main features and accident sequences.

    PubMed

    Darbra, R M; Palacios, Adriana; Casal, Joaquim

    2010-11-15

    The main features of domino accidents in process/storage plants and in the transportation of hazardous materials were studied through an analysis of 225 accidents involving this effect. Data on these accidents, which occurred after 1961, were taken from several sources. Aspects analyzed included the accident scenario, the type of accident, the materials involved, the causes and consequences and the most common accident sequences. The analysis showed that the most frequent causes are external events (31%) and mechanical failure (29%). Storage areas (35%) and process plants (28%) are by far the most common settings for domino accidents. Eighty-nine per cent of the accidents involved flammable materials, the most frequent of which was LPG. The domino effect sequences were analyzed using relative probability event trees. The most frequent sequences were explosion→fire (27.6%), fire→explosion (27.5%) and fire→fire (17.8%). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Geomagnetic paleointensities from excursion sequences in lavas on Oahu, Hawaii

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Coe, Robert S.; Gromme, Sherman; Mankinen, Edward A.

    1984-01-01

    Paleomagnetic data demonstrating three late Tertiary excursions in the direction of the geomagnetic field recorded in sequences of basaltic lavas on the island of Oahu, Hawaii were published by R. R. Doell and G. B. Dalrymple in 1973. We have determined geomagnetic paleointensities by the Thelliers' method for 14 lavas from the three sites. During these experiments, considerable difficulty was encountered because of the presence of titanomaghemite in many lavas and the contamination of natural remanent magnetization by lightning in many others. Moreover, we often observed the production of spurious high‐temperature chemical remanent magnetization during the Thellier experiments. An analysis of this particularly troublesome problem is presented. Two of the sites showed low paleointensities associated with angular departures of the paleomagnetic field direction from that of a geocentric axial dipole, which suggests that these excursions represent aborted reversals or fragments of reversals. At the third site, however, the paleointensity did not become low as the field diverged. This excursion may reflect the variation of a large nondipole source near Hawaii.

  1. Firearms accidents in Northern India (1980-2000).

    PubMed

    Singh, B P

    2006-01-01

    This paper investigates firearms accidents from the last two decades (1980-2000), with information received from the three North Indian states, Chandigarh, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh and from the military and paramilitary organisations working in the region. In this study 139 cases were analysed for evaluation of various parameters such as type of accident, type of firearm used, age, sex, occupation and caste of victim, day of the week and the season in which the accident occurred, place of incident and location of wound. Information was extracted from the case histories and First Information Reports (FIR), and also from autopsy and injury reports. The accidents were self-inflicted in nine cases while another person fired the weapon in 130 cases. Most accidents occurred during hunting or from mishandling the firearm. Gun cleaning accidents rarely occurred and few cases were due to technical defects of the firearm. Shotguns and rifles caused most of the accidents. Shotgun accidents occurred mostly in rural areas whereas the cases involving rifles and handguns were from urban areas. Victims were predominantly male with a mean age of 26 and 30 years for males and females respectively. Victims' occupations were principally agricultural followed by service class and housewives. The most aggressive community was the Kshatriya caste. Most of the accidents occurred during the winter season and on days between Sunday and Tuesday. Accident locations were most commonly the forest, the fields or the home. The chest and head were the most common anatomical sites of injury. All accidental cases were the result of only one firing. It is important to mention that, based on these findings, firearm accidents could be reduced significantly if firearm holders were better trained regarding the handling and safety aspects of their guns, particularly farmers to whom firearm licences are granted specifically for the protection of crops.

  2. 43 CFR 3264.14 - How do I notify BLM of accidents occurring on my lease?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... lease? You must orally inform us of all accidents that affect operations or create environmental hazards within 24 hours of the accident. When you contact us, we may require you to submit a written report fully...

  3. 22. WILEY CITY LINE BICENTENNIAL EXCURSION TROLLEY NEAR CONGDON ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    22. WILEY CITY LINE - BICENTENNIAL EXCURSION TROLLEY NEAR CONGDON CASTLE - Yakima Valley Transportation Company Interurban Railroad, Connecting towns of Yakima, Selah & Wiley City, Yakima, Yakima County, WA

  4. Volcanic records of the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion from Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ingham, E.; Turner, G. M.; Conway, C. E.; Heslop, D.; Roberts, A. P.; Leonard, G.; Townsend, D.; Calvert, A.

    2017-08-01

    We present palaeodirectional records of the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion from lavas on Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand. Fourteen lava flows on the northwestern and southern flanks of Mt Ruapehu, with 40Ar/39Ar weighted mean plateau ages that range from 46.3 ± 2.0 to 39.9 ± 1.4 ka, were studied. The youngest and older flows carry a normal polarity magnetization; however, six flows, dated between 46.3 ± 2.0 and 42.7 ± 1.8 ka, record excursional directions. Three of these flows record southerly palaeomagnetic declinations and negative inclinations that agree well with a published Laschamp record from the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF). Together, the AVF and Mt Ruapehu lavas currently represent the only volcanic records of the Laschamp excursion outside the Chaîne des Puys region, France. Thus, they make an important contribution to the global set of Laschamp excursion records. Virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) groups for the New Zealand and French records early in the excursion are compatible with a dipole-dominated field that rotated to an equatorial orientation while simultaneously decaying in strength. In contrast, younger excursional flows from France and New Zealand yield separate VGP groups, which suggest either that the field had a nondipolar morphology in this later phase, or that the VGP groups were not synchronous. 40Ar/39Ar ages for the Mt Ruapehu record are on average slightly older than published northern hemisphere ages and from the relative palaeointensity minimum in the GLOPIS sedimentary stack. Although few individual ages differ significantly at the 2σ level, the spread suggests an overall excursion duration that is longer than the currently accepted 1500 years. This age spread may result from excess Ar in magmas at the time of the eruption biasing the results to slightly older ages, or from non-synchronous excursional field behaviour at near-antipodal locations, or, possibly, a precursory phase prior to the main excursion.

  5. Record of the Late Devonian Hangenberg global positive carbon-isotope excursion in an epeiric sea setting: Carbonate production, organic-carbon burial and paleoceanography during the late Famennian

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cramer, Bradley D.; Saltzman, Matthew R.; Day, J.E.; Witzke, B.J.

    2008-01-01

    Latest Famennian marine carbonates from the mid-continent of North America were examined to investigate the Late Devonian (very late Famennian) Hangenberg positive carbon-isotope (??13 Ccarb) excursion. This global shift in the ?? 13C of marine waters began during the late Famennian Hangenberg Extinction Event that occurred during the Middle Siphonodella praesulcata conodont zone. The post-extinction recovery interval spans the Upper S. praesulcata Zone immediately below the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary. Positive excursions in ?? 13 Ccarb are often attributed to the widespread deposition of organic-rich black shales in epeiric sea settings. The Hangenberg ??13 Ccarb excursion documented in the Louisiana Limestone in this study shows the opposite trend, with peak ??13 Ccarb values corresponding to carbonate production in the U.S. mid-continent during the highstand phase of the very late Famennian post-glacial sea level rise. Our data indicate that the interval of widespread black shale deposition (Hangenberg Black Shale) predates the peak isotope values of the Hangenberg ??13 Ccarb excursion and that peak values of the Hangenberg excursion in Missouri are not coincident with and cannot be accounted for by high Corg burial in epeiric seas. We suggest instead that sequestration and burial of Corg in the deep oceans drove the peak interval of the ??13Ccarb excursion, as a result of a change in the site of deep water formation to low-latitude epeiric seas as the global climate shifted between cold and warm states.

  6. Scaphoid tuberosity excursion is minimized during a dart-throwing motion: A biomechanical study.

    PubMed

    Werner, Frederick W; Sutton, Levi G; Basu, Niladri; Short, Walter H; Moritomo, Hisao; St-Amand, Hugo

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether the excursion of the scaphoid tuberosity and therefore scaphoid motion is minimized during a dart-throwing motion. Scaphoid tuberosity excursion was studied as an indicator of scaphoid motion in 29 cadaver wrists as they were moved through wrist flexion-extension, radioulnar deviation, and a dart-throwing motion. Study results demonstrate that excursion was significantly less during the dart-throwing motion than during either wrist flexion-extension or radioulnar deviation. If the goal of early wrist motion after carpal ligament or distal radius injury and reconstruction is to minimize loading of the healing structures, a wrist motion in which scaphoid motion is minimal should reduce length changes in associated ligamentous structures. Therefore, during rehabilitation, if a patient uses a dart-throwing motion that minimizes his or her scaphoid tuberosity excursion, there should be minimal changes in ligament loading while still allowing wrist motion. Bench research, biomechanics, and cross-sectional. Not applicable. The study was laboratory based. Copyright © 2016 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. An Application of CICCT Accident Categories to Aviation Accidents in 1988-2004

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Evans, Joni K.

    2007-01-01

    Interventions or technologies developed to improve aviation safety often focus on specific causes or accident categories. Evaluation of the potential effectiveness of those interventions is dependent upon mapping the historical aviation accidents into those same accident categories. To that end, the United States civil aviation accidents occurring between 1988 and 2004 (n=26,117) were assigned accident categories based upon the taxonomy developed by the CAST/ICAO Common Taxonomy Team (CICTT). Results are presented separately for four main categories of flight rules: Part 121 (large commercial air carriers), Scheduled Part 135 (commuter airlines), Non-Scheduled Part 135 (on-demand air taxi) and Part 91 (general aviation). Injuries and aircraft damage are summarized by year and by accident category.

  8. A Late Cambrian Carbon Isotope Excursion Recorded in Passive Margin Dolostones of the Central Appalachian Basin, USA.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mackey, J. E.; Stewart, B. W.

    2016-12-01

    A Late Cambrian global positive carbon isotope excursion, known as the SPICE event [1,2] is linked to possible widespread ocean anoxia and enhanced carbon burial [3,4]. We report data from the central Appalachian Conasauga Group from the upper portion of the Middle Cambrian Maryville limestone, through the Late Cambrian Nolichucky shale and Maynardville limestone members. A geochemical, macro-, and micro-scale analyses of core material from southeastern Ohio was carried out to further constrain the timing of oceanic anoxia and trace element geochemistry relative to sediment fluxes occurring at the transition of the Middle to Late Cambrian. The section represents condensed, passive margin shale deposition and carbonate ramp development on the continental shelf of Laurentia. Carbonate sediments (primarily diagenetic dolomite) record a positive δ13C (relative to V-PDB) excursion starting in the upper Nolichucky shale member, reaching its peak (+4.0) in the overlying Maynardville limestone. At this location, there is an offset between the onlap Nolichucky shale deposition and start of the C isotope excursion; this was reported as well in a carbonate section further south of this location [2], on the other side of an extensional feature (Rome Trough) that formed a deep marine basin during Cambrian time. The condensed shale package and relatively low TOC content in our samples is likely due to the combination of a shallow, upslope basin location and isostatic influence on passive margin sedimentation. However, within the Rome Trough, the Nolichucky shale is rich in organic carbon and a recent target of hydrocarbon exploration. The data suggest a possible link between deposition of this shale and the global SPICE event. The robustness of the Late Cambrian δ13C excursion in diagenetically altered sediments and association with hydrocarbon bearing units indicates its utility as a stratigraphic indicator and as a target for exploration. Ongoing geochemical work will focus

  9. 32 CFR 644.532 - Reporting accidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Reporting accidents. 644.532 Section 644.532... and Improvements § 644.532 Reporting accidents. Immediately upon receipt of information of an accident... that an accident has occurred, the former using command should be requested to send qualified explosive...

  10. Assessment of vertical excursions and open-sea psychological performance at depths to 250 fsw.

    PubMed

    Miller, J W; Bachrach, A J; Walsh, J M

    1976-12-01

    A series of 10 two-man descending vertical excursion dives was carried out in the open sea from an ocean-floor habitat off the coast of Puerto Rico by four aquanauts saturated on a normoxic-nitrogen breathing mixture at a depth of 106 fsw. The purpose of these dives was two-fold: to validate laboratory findings with respect to decompression schedules and to determine whether such excursions would produce evidence of adaptation to nitrogen narcosis. For the latter, tests designed to measure time estimation, short-term memory, and auditory vigilance were used. The validation of experimental excursion tables was carried out without incidence of decompression sickness. Although no signs of nitrogen narcosis were noted during testing, all subjects made significantly longer time estimates in the habitat and during the excursions than on the surface. Variability and incomplete data prevented a statistical analysis of the short-term memory results, and the auditory vigilance proved unusable in the water.

  11. Improving the Science Excursion: An Educational Technologist's View

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balson, M.

    1973-01-01

    Analyzes the nature of the learning process and attempts to show how the three components of a reinforcement contingency, the stimulus, the response and the reinforcement can be utilized to increase the efficiency of a typical science learning experience, the excursion. (JR)

  12. 46 CFR 72.25-15 - Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. 72.25-15 Section 72.25-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. (a) Except as specifically excluded by this...

  13. 46 CFR 72.25-15 - Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. 72.25-15 Section 72.25-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. (a) Except as specifically excluded by this...

  14. 46 CFR 72.25-15 - Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. 72.25-15 Section 72.25-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. (a) Except as specifically excluded by this...

  15. 46 CFR 72.25-15 - Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. 72.25-15 Section 72.25-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. (a) Except as specifically excluded by this...

  16. 46 CFR 72.25-15 - Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Passenger accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. 72.25-15 Section 72.25-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... accommodations for excursion boats, ferryboats, and passenger barges. (a) Except as specifically excluded by this...

  17. Rapid directional changes associated with a 6.5 kyr-long Blake geomagnetic excursion at the Blake-Bahama Outer Ridge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bourne, Mark; Mac Niocaill, Conall; Thomas, Alex L.; Knudsen, Mads Faurschou; Henderson, Gideon M.

    2012-06-01

    Geomagnetic excursions are recognized as intrinsic features of the Earth's magnetic field. High-resolution records of field behaviour, captured in marine sedimentary cores, present an opportunity to determine the temporal and geometric character of the field during geomagnetic excursions and provide constraints on the mechanisms producing field variability. We present here the highest resolution record yet published of the Blake geomagnetic excursion (∼125 ka) measured in three cores from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1062 on the Blake-Bahama Outer Ridge. The Blake excursion has a controversial structure and timing but these cores have a sufficiently high sedimentation rate (∼10 cm ka-1) to allow detailed reconstruction of the field behaviour at this site during the excursion. Palaeomagnetic measurements of the cores reveal rapid transitions (<500 yr) between the contemporary stable normal polarity and a completely reversed state of long duration which spans a stratigraphic interval of 0.7 m. We determine the duration of the reversed state during the Blake excursion using oxygen isotope stratigraphy, combined with 230Th excess measurements to assess variations in the sedimentation rates through the sections of interest. This provides an age and duration for the Blake excursion with greater accuracy and with constrained uncertainty. We date the directional excursion as falling between 129 and 122 ka with a duration for the deviation of 6.5±1.3 kyr. The long duration of this interval and the fully reversed field suggest the existence of a pseudo-stable, reversed dipole field component during the excursion and challenge the idea that excursions are always of short duration.

  18. The Carnian (Late Triassic) carbon isotope excursion: new insights from the terrestrial realm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Charlotte; Kürschner, Wolfram; Peterse, Francien; Baranyi, Viktoria; Reichart, Gert-Jan

    2016-04-01

    The geological record contains evidence for numerous pronounced perturbations in the global carbon cycle, some of which are associated with eruptions from large igneous provinces (LIP), and consequently, ocean acidification and mass extinction. In the Carnian (Late Triassic), evidence from sedimentology and fossil pollen points to a significant change in climate, resulting in biotic turnover: during a period termed the 'Carnian Pluvial Event' (CPE). Additionally, during the Carnian, large volumes of flood basalts were erupted from the Wrangellia LIP (western North America). Evidence from the marine realm suggests a fundamental relationship between the CPE, a global 'wet' period, and the injection of light carbon into the atmosphere from the LIP. Here we provide the first evidence from the terrestrial realm of a significant negative δ13C excursion through the CPE recorded in the sedimentary archive of the Wiscombe Park Borehole, Devon (UK). Both total organic matter and plant leaf waxes reflect a gradual carbon isotope excursion of ~-5‰ during this time interval. Our data provides evidence for the global nature of this isotope excursion, supporting the hypothesis that the excursion was likely the result of an injection of light carbon into the atmosphere from the Wrangellia LIP.

  19. 49 CFR 230.22 - Accident reports.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Accident reports. 230.22 Section 230.22... Requirements § 230.22 Accident reports. In the case of an accident due to failure, from any cause, of a steam... persons, the railroad on whose line the accident occurred shall immediately make a telephone report of the...

  20. 49 CFR 230.22 - Accident reports.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Accident reports. 230.22 Section 230.22... Requirements § 230.22 Accident reports. In the case of an accident due to failure, from any cause, of a steam... persons, the railroad on whose line the accident occurred shall immediately make a telephone report of the...

  1. 22 CFR 102.17 - Reports on accident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Reports on accident. 102.17 Section 102.17... Accidents Abroad Foreign Aircraft Accidents Involving United States Persons Or Property § 102.17 Reports on accident. When an accident occurs to a foreign aircraft in the district of a Foreign Service post and...

  2. 22 CFR 102.17 - Reports on accident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Reports on accident. 102.17 Section 102.17... Accidents Abroad Foreign Aircraft Accidents Involving United States Persons Or Property § 102.17 Reports on accident. When an accident occurs to a foreign aircraft in the district of a Foreign Service post and...

  3. Paleointensity and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of basalts at Gamarri, Ethiopia: Correlation with the Réunion subchron and Huckleberry Ridge excursion?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kindley, C.; Macho, A.; Tsegaye, M. A.; Feinberg, J. M.; Singer, B. S.; Jicha, B. R.; Brown, M. C.; Birke, T. K.

    2012-12-01

    several excursions occurring between ~2.2 and ~2.5 Ma. These excursions have been observed within records from ODP 982 (Channell & Guyodo, 2004) and IODP U1314 (Ohno et al., 2012), as well as within the GPTS as cryptochron C2r.2r-1 (originally dated as 2.420 to 2.441 Ma by Cande & Kent, 1995). Thus, we no longer interpret the excursion recorded in the lower portion of the Gamarri section to be part of the Réunion subchron and recommend that it be omitted from efforts to construct integrated global field models across the Huckleberry Ridge excursion and Réunion subchron.

  4. Quantifying the risk of extreme aviation accidents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Das, Kumer Pial; Dey, Asim Kumer

    2016-12-01

    Air travel is considered a safe means of transportation. But when aviation accidents do occur they often result in fatalities. Fortunately, the most extreme accidents occur rarely. However, 2014 was the deadliest year in the past decade causing 111 plane crashes, and among them worst four crashes cause 298, 239, 162 and 116 deaths. In this study, we want to assess the risk of the catastrophic aviation accidents by studying historical aviation accidents. Applying a generalized Pareto model we predict the maximum fatalities from an aviation accident in future. The fitted model is compared with some of its competitive models. The uncertainty in the inferences are quantified using simulated aviation accident series, generated by bootstrap resampling and Monte Carlo simulations.

  5. Doppler ultrasound surveillance in deep tunneling compressed-air work with Trimix breathing: bounce dive technique compared to saturation-excursion technique.

    PubMed

    Vellinga, T P van Rees; Sterk, W; de Boer, A G E M; van der Beek, A J; Verhoeven, A C; van Dijk, F J H

    2008-01-01

    The Western Scheldt Tunneling Project in The Netherlands provided a unique opportunity to evaluate two deep-diving techniques with Doppler ultrasound surveillance. Divers used the bounce diving techniques for repair and maintenance of the TBM. The tunnel boring machine jammed at its deepest depth. As a result the work time was not sufficient. The saturation diving technique was developed and permitted longer work time at great depth. Thirty-one divers were involved in this project. Twenty-three divers were examined using Doppler ultrasound. Data analysis addressed 52 exposures to Trimix at 4.6-4.8 bar gauge using the bounce technique and 354 exposures to Trimix at 4.0-6.9 bar gauge on saturation excursions. No decompression incidents occurred with either technique during the described phase of the project. Doppler ultrasound revealed that the bubble loads assessed in both techniques were generally low. We find out, that despite longer working hours, shorter decompression times and larger physical workloads, the saturation-excursion technique was associated with significant lower bubble grades than in the bounce technique using Doppler Ultrasound. We conclude that the saturation-excursion technique with Trimix is a good option for deep and long exposures in caisson work. The Doppler technique proved valuable, and it should be incorporated in future compressed-air work.

  6. Engaging students in research learning experiences through hydrology field excursions and short films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ewen, Tracy; Seibert, Jan

    2015-04-01

    One of the best ways to engage students and instill enthusiasm for hydrology is to expose them to hands-on learning. A focus on hydrology field research can be used to develop context-rich and active learning, and help solidify idealized learning where students are introduced to individual processes through textbook examples, often neglecting process interactions and an appreciation for the complexity of the system. We introduced a field course where hydrological measurement techniques are used to study processes such as snow hydrology and runoff generation, while also introducing students to field research and design of their own field project. Additionally, we produced short films of each of these research-based field excursions, with in-house film expertise. These films present a short overview of field methods applied in alpine regions and will be used for our larger introductory hydrology courses, exposing students to field research at an early stage, and for outreach activities, including for potential high school students curious about hydrology. In the field course, students design a low-budget experiment with the aim of going through the different steps of a 'real' scientific project, from formulating the research question to presenting their results. During the field excursions, students make discharge measurements in several alpine streams with a salt tracer to better understand the spatial characteristics of an alpine catchment, where source waters originate and how they contribute to runoff generation. Soil moisture measurements taken by students in this field excursion were used to analyze spatial soil moisture patterns in the alpine catchment and subsequently used in a publication. Another field excursion repeats a published experiment, where preferential soil flow paths are studied using a tracer and compared to previously collected data. For each field excursion, observational data collected by the students is uploaded to an online database we

  7. Head Excursion of Restrained Human Volunteers and Hybrid III Dummies in Steady State Rollover Tests

    PubMed Central

    Moffatt, Edward; Hare, Barry; Hughes, Raymond; Lewis, Lance; Iiyama, Hiroshi; Curzon, Anne; Cooper, Eddie

    2003-01-01

    Seatbelts provide substantial benefits in rollover crashes, yet occupants still receive head and neck injuries from contacting the vehicle roof interior when the roof exterior strikes the ground. Prior research has evaluated rollover restraint performance utilizing anthropomorphic test devices (dummies), but little dynamic testing has been done with human volunteers to learn how they move during rollovers. In this study, the vertical excursion of the head of restrained dummies and human subjects was measured in a vehicle being rotated about its longitudinal roll axis at roll rates from 180-to-360 deg/sec and under static inversion conditions. The vehicle’s restraint design was the commonly used 3-point seatbelt with continuous loop webbing and a sliding latch plate. This paper presents an analysis of the observed occupant motion and provides a comparison of dummy and human motion under similar test conditions. Thirty-five tests (eighteen static and seventeen dynamic) were completed using two different sizes of dummies and human subjects in both near and far-side roll directions. The research indicates that far-side rollovers cause the restrained test subjects to have greater head excursion than near-side rollovers, and that static inversion testing underestimates head excursion for far-side occupants. Human vertical head excursion of up to 200 mm was found at a roll rate of 220 deg/sec. Humans exhibit greater variability in head excursion in comparison to dummies. Transfer of seatbelt webbing through the latch plate did not correlate directly with differences in head excursion. PMID:12941241

  8. Sedimentary and Volcanic Records of the Laschamp and Mono Lake Excursions from Australia and New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ingham, E. M.; Roberts, A. P.; Turner, G. M.; Heslop, D.; Ronge, T.; Conway, C.; Leonard, G.; Townsend, D.; Tiedemann, R.; Lamy, F.; Calvert, A. T.

    2014-12-01

    Geomagnetic excursions are short-lived deviations of the geomagnetic field from the normal range of secular variation. Despite significant advances in geomagnetic excursion research over the past 20 years, fundamental questions remain concerning the typical duration and global morphology of excursional geomagnetic fields. To answer such questions, more high-resolution, chronologically well-constrained excursion records are required, particularly from the Southern Hemisphere. We present preliminary paleomagnetic records of the Laschamp (~41 ka) and Mono Lake (~35 ka) excursions from three marine sediment cores from the Bounty Trough, New Zealand margin, and complementary volcanic records of the Laschamp excursion from lavas of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand. Relatively high sedimentation rates of 12 - 26 cm/kyr in the Bounty Trough during glacial periods allow identification of excursional field behavior at each of the studied core locations. Each core displays one or two excursional events, with rapid directional swings between stable normal polarity and reversed excursional directions, each associated with coincident relative paleointensity minima. These anomalous paleomagnetic directions are interpreted to represent the Laschamp and Mono Lake excursions, based on a combination of tephrochronology, radiocarbon dating, and cyclostratigraphy (defined from core-scanning X-ray fluorescence and magnetic susceptibility records). Beside these records, we present results from fourteen lava flows, on Mt Ruapehu, for which 40Ar-39Ar dating indicates ages of between 39 and 45 ka. The step heating 40Ar-39Ar experiments produced particularly flat age plateaus, with corresponding 2 s.d. errors mostly approaching 1 kyr. The youngest and oldest flows carry normal polarity magnetization, however six flows, dated between 41 and 43 ka, display transitional field characteristics. Three of these flows display a declination swing of around 180o, which coincides with a previously published

  9. Dating the Laschamp Excursion: Why Speleothems are Valuable Tools for Constraining the Timing and Duration of Short-Lived Geomagnetic Events

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lascu, I.; Feinberg, J. M.; Dorale, J. A.; Cheng, H.; Edwards, R. L.

    2015-12-01

    Short-lived geomagnetic events are reflections of geodynamo behavior at small length scales. A rigorous documentation of the anatomy, timing, duration, and frequency of centennial-to-millennial scale geomagnetic events can be invaluable for theoretical and numerical geodynamo models, and for the understanding the finer dynamics of the Earth's core. A critical ingredient for characterizing such geomagnetic instabilities are tightly constrained age models that enable high-resolution magnetostratigraphies. Here we focus on a North American speleothem geomagnetic record of the Laschamp excursion, which was the first geomagnetic excursion recognized and described in the paleomagnetic record, and remains the most studied event of its kind. The geological significance of the Laschamp lies chiefly in the fact that it constitutes a global time-synchronous geochronological marker. The Laschamp excursion occurred around the time of the demise of Homo neanderthalensis, in conjunction with high-amplitude, rapid climatic oscillations leading into the Last Glacial Maximum, and precedes a major supervolcano eruption in the Mediterranean. Thus, the precise determination of the timing and duration of the Laschamp would help in elucidating major scientific questions situated at the intersection of geology, paleoclimatology, and anthropology. Here we present a geomagnetic record from a stalagmite collected in Crevice Cave, Missouri, which we have dated using a combination of high-precision 230Th ages and annual layer counting using confocal microscopy. We have found a maximum duration for the Laschamp that spans the interval 42,250-39,700 years BP, and an age of 41,100 ± 350 years BP for the height of the excursion. During this period relative paleointensity decreased by an order of magnitude and the virtual geomagnetic pole was located at southerly latitudes. Our chronology provides the first robust bracketing for the Laschamp excursion, and improves on previous age determinations

  10. Scaling fixed-field alternating gradient accelerators with a small orbit excursion.

    PubMed

    Machida, Shinji

    2009-10-16

    A novel scaling type of fixed-field alternating gradient (FFAG) accelerator is proposed that solves the major problems of conventional scaling and nonscaling types. This scaling FFAG accelerator can achieve a much smaller orbit excursion by taking a larger field index k. A triplet focusing structure makes it possible to set the operating point in the second stability region of Hill's equation with a reasonable sensitivity to various errors. The orbit excursion is about 5 times smaller than in a conventional scaling FFAG accelerator and the beam size growth due to typical errors is at most 10%.

  11. Road accident facts Ireland, 2001

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2002-10-01

    This report covers all road or traffic accidents reported : to the Garda Sochna involving fatalities, personal : injury or material damage which occurred on public : roads in Ireland (exclusive of Northern Ireland) in 2001. : Accidents on private...

  12. Road accident facts Ireland, 2000

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-08-01

    This report covers all road or traffic accidents reported : to the Garda Sochna involving fatalities, personal : injury or material damage which occurred on public : roads in Ireland (exclusive of Northern Ireland) in 2000. : Accidents on private...

  13. Road accident facts Ireland, 1999

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-12-01

    This report covers all road or traffic accidents reported to the Garda Siochana involving fatalities, personal injury, or material damage which occurred on public roads in Ireland (exclusive of Northern Ireland) in 1999. Accidents on private property...

  14. Road accident facts Ireland, 1998

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-10-01

    This report covers all road or traffic accidents reported to the Garda Siochana involving fatalities, personal injury or material damage which occurred on public roads in ireland (exclusive of Northern Ireland) in 1998. Accidents on private property,...

  15. A Comparison of two Brunhes Chron Geomagnetic Excursions Recorded by Neighbouring North Atlantic Sites (ODP Sites 1062 and 1063)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bourne, M.; Mac Niocaill, C.; Knudsen, M. F.; Thomas, A. L.; Henderson, G. M.

    2012-04-01

    A full picture of geomagnetic field behaviour during the Blake excursion is currently limited by a paucity of robust, high-resolution records of this ambiguous event. Some records seem to point towards a 'double-excursion' character whilst others fail to record the Blake excursion at all. We present here a high-resolution record of the Blake excursion obtained from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1062 on the Blake Outer Ridge (ODP Leg 172). Palaeomagnetic measurements in three cores reveal a single excursional feature associated with a broad palaeointensity low, characterised by rapid transitions (less than 500 years) between a stable normal polarity and a fully-reversed, pseudo-stable polarity. A relatively high sedimentation rate (~10 cm kyr-1) allows the determination of transitional field behaviour during the excursion. Rather than assuming a constant sedimentation rate between assigned age tie-points, we employ measurements of 230Thxs concentrations in the sediment to assess variations in the sedimentation rates through the core sections of interest. This allows us to determine an age and duration for the two excursions with greater accuracy and known uncertainty. Our new age model gives an age of 127 ka for the midpoint of the Blake event at Site 1062. The age model also gives a duration for the directional excursion of 7.1±1.6 kyr. This duration is similar to that previously reported for the Iceland Basin Excursion (~185 ka) from the nearby Bermuda Rise (ODP Site 1063), which recorded a ~7-8 kyr event. Similarly, a high sedimentation rate (10-15 cm kyr-1) at this site allows a high-resolution reconstruction of the geomagnetic field behaviour during the Iceland Basin Excursion. The Site 1063 palaeomagnetic record suggests more complicated behaviour than that of the Blake excursion at Site 1062. Instead, transitional VGP paths are characterised by stop-and-go behaviour between VGP clusters that may be related to long-standing thermo-dynamic features of the

  16. An analysis of aircraft accidents involving fires

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lucha, G. V.; Robertson, M. A.; Schooley, F. A.

    1975-01-01

    All U. S. Air Carrier accidents between 1963 and 1974 were studied to assess the extent of total personnel and aircraft damage which occurred in accidents and in accidents involving fire. Published accident reports and NTSB investigators' factual backup files were the primary sources of data. Although it was frequently not possible to assess the relative extent of fire-caused damage versus impact damage using the available data, the study established upper and lower bounds for deaths and damage due specifically to fire. In 12 years there were 122 accidents which involved airframe fires. Eighty-seven percent of the fires occurred after impact, and fuel leakage from ruptured tanks or severed lines was the most frequently cited cause. A cost analysis was performed for 300 serious accidents, including 92 serious accidents which involved fire. Personal injury costs were outside the scope of the cost analysis, but data on personnel injury judgements as well as settlements received from the CAB are included for reference.

  17. The impact of round window vs cochleostomy surgical approaches on interscalar excursions in the cochlea: Preliminary results from a flat-panel computed tomography study.

    PubMed

    Jiam, Nicole T; Limb, Charles J

    2016-09-01

    To evaluate incidence of interscalar excursions between round window (RW) and cochleostomy approaches for cochlear implant (CI) insertion. This was a retrospective case-comparison. Flat-panel CT (FPCT) scans for 8 CI users with Med-El standard length electrode arrays were collected. Surgical technique was identified by a combination of operative notes and FPCT imaging. Four cochleae underwent round window insertion and 4 cochleae underwent cochleostomy approaches anterior and inferior to the round window. In our pilot study, cochleostomy approaches were associated with a higher likelihood of interscalar excursion. Within the cochleostomy group, we found 29% of electrode contacts (14 of 48 electrodes) to be outside the scala tympani. On the other hand, 8.5% of the electrode contacts (4 of 47 electrodes) in the round window insertion group were extra-scalar to the scala tympani. These displacements occurred at a mean angle of occurrence of 364° ± 133°, near the apex of the cochlea. Round window electrode displacements tend to localize at angle of occurrences of 400° or greater. Cochleostomy electrodes occurred at an angle of occurrence of 19°-490°. Currently, the optimal surgical approach for standard CI electrode insertion is highly debated, to a certain extent due to a lack of post-operative assessment of intracochlear electrode contact. Based on our preliminary findings, cochleostomy approach is associated with an increased likelihood of interscalar excursions, and these findings should be further evaluated with future prospective studies.

  18. Cerium anomaly across the mid-Tournaisian carbon isotope excursion (TICE)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, G.; Morales, D. C.; Maharjan, D. K.

    2015-12-01

    The Early Mississippian (ca. 359-345 Ma) represents one of the most important greenhouse-icehouse climate transitions in Earth history. Closely associated with this critical transition is a prominent positive carbon isotope excursion (δ13C ≥ +5‰) that has been documented from numerous stratigraphic successions across the globe. This δ13C excursion, informally referred to as the TICE (mid-Tournaisian carbon isotope excursion) event, has been interpreted as resulting from enhanced organic carbon burial, with anticipated outcomes including the lowering of atmospheric CO2 and global cooling, the growth of continental ice sheets and sea-level fall, and the increase of ocean oxygenation and ocean redox changes. The casual relationship between these events has been addressed from various perspectives but not yet clearly demonstrated. To document the potential redox change associated with the perturbation of the carbon cycle, we have analyzed rare earth elements (REE) and trace elements across the TICE in two sections across a shallow-to-deep water transect in the southern Great Basin (Utah and Nevada), USA. In both sections, the REE data show a significant positive cerium (Ce) anomaly (Ce/Ce* = Ce/(0.5La+0.5Pr)). Prior to the positive δ13C shift, most Ce/Ce* values are around 0.3 (between 0.2 and 0.4). Across the δ13C peak, Ce/Ce* values increase up to 0.87, followed by a decrease back to 0.2~0.3 after the δ13C excursion (Figure 1). The positive Ce anomaly is best interpreted as recording expansion of oxygen minimum zone and anoxia resulted from increased primary production. This is consistent with a significant increase of nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) across the δ13C peak. Integration of the carbon, nitrogen, and REE data demonstrates a responsive earth systems change linked to the perturbation of the Early Mississippian carbon cycle.

  19. NASA Medical Response to Human Spacecraft Accidents

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Patlach, Robert

    2010-01-01

    Manned space flight is risky business. Accidents have occurred and may occur in the future. NASA's manned space flight programs, with all their successes, have had three fatal accidents, one at the launch pad and two in flight. The Apollo fire and the Challenger and Columbia accidents resulted in a loss of seventeen crewmembers. Russia's manned space flight programs have had three fatal accidents, one ground-based and two in flight. These accidents resulted in the loss of five crewmembers. Additionally, manned spacecraft have encountered numerous close calls with potential for disaster. The NASA Johnson Space Center Flight Safety Office has documented more than 70 spacecraft incidents, many of which could have become serious accidents. At the Johnson Space Center (JSC), medical contingency personnel are assigned to a Mishap Investigation Team. The team deploys to the accident site to gather and preserve evidence for the Accident Investigation Board. The JSC Medical Operations Branch has developed a flight surgeon accident response training class to capture the lessons learned from the Columbia accident. This presentation will address the NASA Mishap Investigation Team's medical objectives, planned response, and potential issues that could arise subsequent to a manned spacecraft accident. Educational Objectives are to understand the medical objectives and issues confronting the Mishap Investigation Team medical personnel subsequent to a human space flight accident.

  20. Investigation of shipping accident injury severity and mortality.

    PubMed

    Weng, Jinxian; Yang, Dong

    2015-03-01

    Shipping movements are operated in a complex and high-risk environment. Fatal shipping accidents are the nightmares of seafarers. With ten years' worldwide ship accident data, this study develops a binary logistic regression model and a zero-truncated binomial regression model to predict the probability of fatal shipping accidents and corresponding mortalities. The model results show that both the probability of fatal accidents and mortalities are greater for collision, fire/explosion, contact, grounding, sinking accidents occurred in adverse weather conditions and darkness conditions. Sinking has the largest effects on the increment of fatal accident probability and mortalities. The results also show that the bigger number of mortalities is associated with shipping accidents occurred far away from the coastal area/harbor/port. In addition, cruise ships are found to have more mortalities than non-cruise ships. The results of this study are beneficial for policy-makers in proposing efficient strategies to prevent fatal shipping accidents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. 49 CFR 655.34 - Use following an accident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... covered employee required to take a post-accident alcohol test under § 655.44 for eight hours following the accident or until he or she undergoes a post-accident alcohol test, whichever occurs first. ...

  2. 49 CFR 655.34 - Use following an accident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... covered employee required to take a post-accident alcohol test under § 655.44 for eight hours following the accident or until he or she undergoes a post-accident alcohol test, whichever occurs first. ...

  3. 49 CFR 655.34 - Use following an accident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... covered employee required to take a post-accident alcohol test under § 655.44 for eight hours following the accident or until he or she undergoes a post-accident alcohol test, whichever occurs first. ...

  4. 49 CFR 655.34 - Use following an accident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... covered employee required to take a post-accident alcohol test under § 655.44 for eight hours following the accident or until he or she undergoes a post-accident alcohol test, whichever occurs first. ...

  5. 49 CFR 655.34 - Use following an accident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... covered employee required to take a post-accident alcohol test under § 655.44 for eight hours following the accident or until he or she undergoes a post-accident alcohol test, whichever occurs first. ...

  6. 46 CFR 176.204 - Permit to carry excursion party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ..., survival craft, life jacket, fire safety, and manning standards applicable to a vessel in the service for... may carry, the crew required, any additional lifesaving or safety equipment required, the route for... waive the applicable minimum safety standards when issuing an excursion permit. In particular, a vessel...

  7. 46 CFR 176.204 - Permit to carry excursion party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ..., survival craft, life jacket, fire safety, and manning standards applicable to a vessel in the service for... may carry, the crew required, any additional lifesaving or safety equipment required, the route for... waive the applicable minimum safety standards when issuing an excursion permit. In particular, a vessel...

  8. 46 CFR 176.204 - Permit to carry excursion party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ..., survival craft, life jacket, fire safety, and manning standards applicable to a vessel in the service for... may carry, the crew required, any additional lifesaving or safety equipment required, the route for... waive the applicable minimum safety standards when issuing an excursion permit. In particular, a vessel...

  9. Heat Transfer Issues in Finite Element Analysis of Bounding Accidents in PPCS Models

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pampin, R.; Karditsas, P.J.

    2005-05-15

    Modelling of temperature excursions in structures of conceptual power plants during hypothetical worst-case accidents has been performed within the European Power Plant Conceptual Study (PPCS). A new, 3D finite elements (FE) based tool, coupling the different calculations to the same tokamak geometry, has been extensively used to conduct the neutron transport, activation and thermal analyses for all PPCS plant models. During a total loss of cooling, the usual assumption for the bounding accident, passive removal of the decay heat from activated materials depends on conduction and radiation heat exchange between components. This paper presents and discusses results obtained during themore » PPCS bounding accident thermal analyses, examining the following issues: (a) radiation heat exchange between the inner surfaces of the tokamak, (b) the presence of air within the cryostat volume, and the heat flow arising from the circulation pattern provided by temperature differences between various parts, and (c) the thermal conductivity of pebble beds, and its degradation due to exposure to neutron irradiation, affecting the heat transfer capability and thermal response of a blanket based on these components.« less

  10. 40 CFR 63.1334 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... period for the storage vessel. (ii) If the monitoring plan does not specify monitoring a parameter and... semiannually or quarterly. The first semiannual period is the 6-month period starting the date the Notification... period—two excused excursions. (6) For the sixth and all subsequent semiannual periods—one excused...

  11. Validation of the CALSPAN gross-motion-simulation code with actually occurring injury patterns in aircraft accidents.

    PubMed

    Ballo, J M; Dunne, M J; McMeekin, R R

    1978-01-01

    Digital simulation of aircraft-accident kinematics has heretofore been used almost exclusively as a design tool to explore structural load limits, precalculate decelerative forces at various cabin stations, and describe the effect of protective devices in the crash environment. In an effort to determine the value of digital computer simulation of fatal aircraft accidents, a fatality involving an ejection-system failure (out-of-envelope ejection) was modeled, and the injuries actually incurred were compared to those predicted; good agreement was found. The simulation of fatal aircraft accidents is advantageous because of a well-defined endpoint (death), lack of therapeutic intervention, and a static anatomic situation that can be minutely investigated. Such simulation techniques are a useful tool in the study of experimental trauma.

  12. 2004 Missouri state highway system : traffic accident statistics

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-06-27

    The following summary of traffic accidents represents only those accidents that have occurred on the State Highway : System of Missouri in 2004. The information contained in this publication is a summary of the accident reports : provided to the Miss...

  13. 1999 Missouri state highway system : traffic accident statistics

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-01-17

    The following summary of traffic accidents represents only those accidents that have occurred on the State : Highway System of Missouri in 1999. The information contained in this publication is a summary of the accident : reports provided to the Miss...

  14. 2001 Missouri state highway system : traffic accident statistics

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2002-09-30

    The following summary of traffic accidents represents only those accidents that have occurred on the State : Highway System of Missouri in 2001. The information contained in this publication is a summary of the accident : reports provided to the Miss...

  15. 2000 Missouri state highway system : traffic accident statistics

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-10-25

    The following summary of traffic accidents represents only those accidents that have occurred on the State : Highway System of Missouri in 2000. The information contained in this publication is a summary of the accident : reports provided to the Miss...

  16. 2002 Missouri state highway system : traffic accident statistics

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2003-07-02

    The following summary of traffic accidents represents only those accidents that have occurred on the State Highway : System of Missouri in 2002. The information contained in this publication is a summary of the accident reports : provided to the Miss...

  17. 2005 Missouri state highway system : traffic accident statistics

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-08-31

    The following summary of traffic accidents represents only those accidents that have occurred on the State Highway : System of Missouri in 2005. The information contained in this publication is a summary of the accident reports : provided to the Miss...

  18. 2003 Missouri state highway system : traffic accident statistics

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2004-08-12

    The following summary of traffic accidents represents only those accidents that have occurred on the State Highway : System of Missouri in 2003. The information contained in this publication is a summary of the accident reports : provided to the Miss...

  19. Single pilot IFR accident data analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harris, D. F.

    1983-01-01

    The aircraft accident data recorded by the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSR) for 1964-1979 were analyzed to determine what problems exist in the general aviation (GA) single pilot instrument flight rule (SPIFR) environment. A previous study conducted in 1978 for the years 1964-1975 provided a basis for comparison. This effort was generally limited to SPIFR pilot error landing phase accidents but includes some SPIFR takeoff and enroute accident analysis as well as some dual pilot IFR accident analysis for comparison. Analysis was performed for 554 accidents of which 39% (216) occurred during the years 1976-1979.

  20. Improved Quaternary North Atlantic stratigraphy using relative paleointensity (RPI), oxygen isotopes, and magnetic excursions (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Channell, J. E.

    2013-12-01

    Improving the resolution of Quaternary marine stratigraphy is one of the major challenges in paleoceanography. IODP Expedition 303/306, and ODP Legs 162 and 172, have yielded multiple high-resolution records (mean sedimentation rates in the 7-20 cm/kyr range) of relative paleointensity (RPI) that are accompanied by oxygen isotope data and extend through much of the Quaternary. Tandem fit of RPI and oxygen isotope data to calibrated templates (LR04 and PISO), using the Match protocol, yields largely consistent stratigraphies, implying that both RPI and oxygen isotope data are dominated by regional/global signals. Based on the recent geomagnetic field, RPI can be expected to be a global signal (i.e. dominated by the axial dipole field) when recorded at sedimentation rates less than several decimeters/kyr. Magnetic susceptibility, on the other hand, is a local/regional lithologic signal, and therefore less useful for long-distance correlation. Magnetic excursions are directional phenomena and, when adequately recorded, are manifest as paired reversals in which the virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) reach high latitudes in the opposite hemisphere, and they occupy minima in RPI records. Reversed VGPs imply that excursions are attributable to the main axial dipole, and therefore provide global stratigraphy. The so-called Iceland Basin excursion is recorded at many IODP/ODP sites and lies at the MIS 6/7 boundary at ~188 ka, with a duration of 2-3 kyr. Other excursions in the Brunhes chron are less commonly recorded because their duration (perhaps <~1 kyr) requires sedimentation rates >20 cm/kyr to be adequately recorded. On the other hand, several excursions within the Matuyama Chron are more commonly recorded in North Atlantic drift sediments due to relatively elevated durations. With some notable exceptions (e.g. Iberian Margin), high quality RPI records from North Atlantic sediments, together with magnetic excursions, can be used in tandem with oxygen isotope data to

  1. Excursions out-of-lane versus standard deviation of lateral position as outcome measure of the on-the-road driving test.

    PubMed

    Verster, Joris C; Roth, Thomas

    2014-07-01

    The traditional outcome measure of the Dutch on-the-road driving test is the standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP), the weaving of the car. This paper explores whether excursions out-of-lane are a suitable additional outcome measure to index driving impairment. A literature search was conducted to search for driving tests that used both SDLP and excursions out-of-lane as outcome measures. The analyses were limited to studies examining hypnotic drugs because several of these drugs have been shown to produce next-morning sedation. Standard deviation of lateral position was more sensitive in demonstrating driving impairment. In fact, solely relying on excursions out-of-lane as outcome measure incorrectly classifies approximately half of impaired drives as unimpaired. The frequency of excursions out-of-lane is determined by the mean lateral position within the right traffic lane. Defining driving impairment as having a ΔSDLP > 2.4 cm, half of the impaired driving tests (51.2%, 43/84) failed to produce excursions out-of-lane. Alternatively, 20.9% of driving tests with ΔSDLP < 2.4 cm (27/129) had at least one excursion out-of-lane. Excursions out-of-lane are neither a suitable measure to demonstrate driving impairment nor is this measure sufficiently sensitive to differentiate adequately between differences in magnitude of driving impairment. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. French policy for managing the post-accident phase of a nuclear accident.

    PubMed

    Gallay, F; Godet, J L; Niel, J C

    2015-06-01

    In 2005, at the request of the French Government, the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) established a Steering Committee for the Management of the Post-Accident Phase of a Nuclear Accident or a Radiological Emergency, with the objective of establishing a policy framework. Under the supervision of ASN, this Committee, involving several tens of experts from different backgrounds (e.g. relevant ministerial offices, expert agencies, local information commissions around nuclear installations, non-governmental organisations, elected officials, licensees, and international experts), developed a number of recommendations over a 7-year period. First published in November 2012, these recommendations cover the immediate post-emergency situation, and the transition and longer-term periods of the post-accident phase in the case of medium-scale nuclear accidents causing short-term radioactive release (less than 24 h) that might occur at French nuclear facilities. They also apply to actions to be undertaken in the event of accidents during the transportation of radioactive materials. These recommendations are an important first step in preparation for the management of a post-accident situation in France in the case of a nuclear accident. © The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers 2014.

  3. Workplace accidents in materials transfer in Finland.

    PubMed

    Perttula, Pia; Salminen, Simo

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to show the proportion of workplace accidents related to materials transfer and to decide whether they were more serious than other kinds of workplace accidents. The research material for this study were statistics and data, available in Finland, regarding workplace accidents and fatal accidents. Twenty-five percent of studied fatal accidents were related to materials transfer; 26.9-27.7% of all workplace accidents in Finland in 2003-2007 were workplace accidents related to materials transfer. Over half (54.7%) of workplace accidents related to materials transfer caused disabilities lasting over 3 days. Most accidents related to materials transfer occurred to men aged 20-49 years. The most common types of injuries were dislocations, sprains and strains.

  4. The effect of spinal position on sciatic nerve excursion during seated neural mobilisation exercises: an in vivo study using ultrasound imaging

    PubMed Central

    Ellis, Richard; Osborne, Samantha; Whitfield, Janessa; Parmar, Priya; Hing, Wayne

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Research has established that the amount of inherent tension a peripheral nerve tract is exposed to influences nerve excursion and joint range of movement (ROM). The effect that spinal posture has on sciatic nerve excursion during neural mobilisation exercises has yet to be determined. The purpose of this research was to examine the influence of different sitting positions (slump-sitting versus upright-sitting) on the amount of longitudinal sciatic nerve movement during different neural mobilisation exercises commonly used in clinical practice. Methods High-resolution ultrasound imaging followed by frame-by-frame cross-correlation analysis was used to assess sciatic nerve excursion. Thirty-four healthy participants each performed three different neural mobilisation exercises in slump-sitting and upright-sitting. Means comparisons were used to examine the influence of sitting position on sciatic nerve excursion for the three mobilisation exercises. Linear regression analysis was used to determine whether any of the demographic data represented predictive variables for longitudinal sciatic nerve excursion. Results There was no significant difference in sciatic nerve excursion (across all neural mobilisation exercises) observed between upright-sitting and slump-sitting positions (P = 0.26). Although greater body mass index, greater knee ROM and younger age were associated with higher levels of sciatic nerve excursion, this model of variables offered weak predictability (R2 = 0.22). Discussion Following this study, there is no evidence that, in healthy people, longitudinal sciatic nerve excursion differs significantly with regards to the spinal posture (slump-sitting and upright-sitting). Furthermore, although some demographic variables are weak predictors, the high variance suggests that there are other unknown variables that may predict sciatic nerve excursion. It can be inferred from this research that clinicians can individualise the design of

  5. 46 CFR 126.110 - Inspection after accident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Inspection after accident. 126.110 Section 126.110... CERTIFICATION General § 126.110 Inspection after accident. (a) The owner or operator of an OSV shall make the vessel available for inspection by a marine inspector— (1) Each time an accident occurs, or a defect is...

  6. An activity index for geomagnetic paleosecular variation, excursions, and reversals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Panovska, S.; Constable, C. G.

    2017-04-01

    Magnetic indices provide quantitative measures of space weather phenomena that are widely used by researchers in geomagnetism. We introduce an index focused on the internally generated field that can be used to evaluate long term variations or climatology of modern and paleomagnetic secular variation, including geomagnetic excursions, polarity reversals, and changes in reversal rate. The paleosecular variation index, Pi, represents instantaneous or average deviation from a geocentric axial dipole field using normalized ratios of virtual geomagnetic pole colatitude and virtual dipole moment. The activity level of the index, σPi, provides a measure of field stability through the temporal standard deviation of Pi. Pi can be calculated on a global grid from geomagnetic field models to reveal large scale geographic variations in field structure. It can be determined for individual time series, or averaged at local, regional, and global scales to detect long term changes in geomagnetic activity, identify excursions, and transitional field behavior. For recent field models, Pi ranges from less than 0.05 to 0.30. Conventional definitions for geomagnetic excursions are characterized by Pi exceeding 0.5. Strong field intensities are associated with low Pi unless they are accompanied by large deviations from axial dipole field directions. σPi provides a measure of geomagnetic stability that is modulated by the level of PSV or frequency of excursional activity and reversal rate. We demonstrate uses of Pi for paleomagnetic observations and field models and show how it could be used to assess whether numerical simulations of the geodynamo exhibit Earth-like properties.

  7. Glucose excursions and glycaemic control during Ramadan fasting in diabetic patients: insights from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).

    PubMed

    Lessan, N; Hannoun, Z; Hasan, H; Barakat, M T

    2015-02-01

    Ramadan fasting represents a major shift in meal timing and content for practicing Muslims. This study used continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to assess changes in markers of glycaemic excursions during Ramadan fasting to investigate the short-term safety of this practice in different groups of patients with diabetes. A total of 63 subjects (56 with diabetes, seven healthy volunteers; 39 male, 24 female) had CGM performed during, before and after Ramadan fasting. Mean CGM curves were constructed for each group for these periods that were then used to calculate indicators of glucose control and excursions. Post hoc data analyses included comparisons of different medication categories (metformin/no medication, gliptin, sulphonylurea and insulin). Medication changes during Ramadan followed American Diabetes Association guidelines. Among patients with diabetes, there was a significant difference in mean CGM curve during Ramadan, with a slow fall during fasting hours followed by a rapid rise in glucose level after the sunset meal (iftar). The magnitude of this excursion was greatest in the insulin-treated group, followed by the sulphonylurea-treated group. Markers of control deteriorated in a small number (n=3) of patients. Overall, whether fasting or non-fasting, subjects showed no statistically significant changes in mean interstitial glucose (IG), mean amplitude of glycaemic excursion (MAGE), high and low blood glucose indices (HBGI/LBGI), and number of glucose excursions and rate of hypoglycaemia. The main change in glycaemic control with Ramadan fasting in patients with diabetes is in the pattern of excursions. Ramadan fasting caused neither overall deterioration nor improvement in the majority of patients with good baseline glucose control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. Road traffic accident related morbidity as seen in an accident and emergency department.

    PubMed

    Galloway, D J; Patel, A R

    1981-04-01

    This paper describes some of the findings of a prospective study of victims of road traffic accidents arriving at the Western Infirmary's Accident and Emergency Department over a period of 12 months. More than half the accidents occurred during leisure hours thus likely to stretch the resource of the hospital services. More than a third of the total number of patients were young male drivers. Serious injuries were significantly more often sustained among pedestrians who were often older. Victims of motor-cycle accidents less often escaped serious injuries. Blood ethanol studies on a small sample suggested that male pedestrians were often highly intoxicated. A public health education programme is regarded as a primary measure in preventing a large proportion of serious morbidity and mortality especially amongst pedestrians.

  9. The effect of muscle excursion on muscle recovery after tendon repair in a neglected tendon injury: a study in rabbit soleus muscles.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Suk Ha; Chung, Moon Sang; Baek, Goo Hyun; Lee, Young Ho; Gong, Hyun Sik

    2011-01-01

    We attempted to determine whether muscle excursion observed during operation can be a prognostic indicator of muscle recovery after delayed tendon repair in a rabbit soleus model. Eighteen rabbits underwent tenotomy of the soleus muscles bilaterally and were divided into three groups according to the period from tenotomy to repair. The tendons of each group were repaired 2, 4, and 6 weeks after tenotomy. The excursion of each soleus muscle was measured at the time of tenotomy (baseline), at 2, 4, 6 weeks after tenotomy, and 8 weeks after tendon repair. The amount of muscle recovery after tendon repair in terms of muscle excursion independently depended on the timing of repair and on the muscle excursion observed during repair. The regression model predicted that the muscle excursion recovered on average by 0.6% as the muscle excursion at the time of repair increased by 1% after adjusting for the timing of repair. This study suggests that measuring the muscle excursion during tendon repair may help physicians estimate the potential of muscle recovery in cases of delayed tendon repair. Copyright © 2010 Orthopaedic Research Society.

  10. Learning lessons from Natech accidents - the eNATECH accident database

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krausmann, Elisabeth; Girgin, Serkan

    2016-04-01

    When natural hazards impact industrial facilities that house or process hazardous materials, fires, explosions and toxic releases can occur. This type of accident is commonly referred to as Natech accident. In order to prevent the recurrence of accidents or to better mitigate their consequences, lessons-learned type studies using available accident data are usually carried out. Through post-accident analysis, conclusions can be drawn on the most common damage and failure modes and hazmat release paths, particularly vulnerable storage and process equipment, and the hazardous materials most commonly involved in these types of accidents. These analyses also lend themselves to identifying technical and organisational risk-reduction measures that require improvement or are missing. Industrial accident databases are commonly used for retrieving sets of Natech accident case histories for further analysis. These databases contain accident data from the open literature, government authorities or in-company sources. The quality of reported information is not uniform and exhibits different levels of detail and accuracy. This is due to the difficulty of finding qualified information sources, especially in situations where accident reporting by the industry or by authorities is not compulsory, e.g. when spill quantities are below the reporting threshold. Data collection has then to rely on voluntary record keeping often by non-experts. The level of detail is particularly non-uniform for Natech accident data depending on whether the consequences of the Natech event were major or minor, and whether comprehensive information was available for reporting. In addition to the reporting bias towards high-consequence events, industrial accident databases frequently lack information on the severity of the triggering natural hazard, as well as on failure modes that led to the hazmat release. This makes it difficult to reconstruct the dynamics of the accident and renders the development of

  11. Paragliding accidents in remote areas.

    PubMed

    Fasching, G; Schippinger, G; Pretscher, R

    1997-08-01

    Paragliding is an increasingly popular hobby, as people try to find new and more adventurous activities. However, there is an increased and inherent danger with this sport. For this reason, as well as the inexperience of many operators, injuries occur frequently. This retrospective study centers on the helicopter rescue of 70 individuals in paragliding accidents. All histories were examined, and 43 patients answered a questionnaire. Nineteen (42%) pilots were injured when taking off, 20 (44%) during the flight, and six (13%) when landing. Routine and experience did not affect the prevalence of accident. Analysis of the causes of accident revealed pilot errors in all but three cases. In 34 rescue operations a landing of the helicopter near the site of the accident was possible. Half of the patients had to be rescued by a cable winch or a long rope fixed to the helicopter. Seven (10%) of the pilots suffered multiple trauma, 38 (54%) had injuries of the lower extremities, and 32 (84%) of them sustained fractures. Injuries to the spine were diagnosed in 34 cases with a fracture rate of 85%. One patient had an incomplete paraplegia. Injuries to the head occurred in 17 patients. No paraglider pilot died. The average hospitalization was 22 days, and average time of working inability was 14 weeks. Fourteen (34%) patients suffered from a permanent damage to their nerves or joints. Forty-three percent of the paragliders continued their sport despite the accident; two of them had another accident. An improved training program is necessary to lower the incidence of paragliding accidents. Optimal equipment to reduce injuries in case of accidents is mandatory. The helicopter emergency physician must perform a careful examination, provide stabilization of airways and circulation, give analgesics, splint fractured extremities, and transport the victim on a vacuum mattress to the appropriate hospital.

  12. Glucose and triglyceride excursions following a standardized meal in individuals with diabetes: ELSA-Brasil study.

    PubMed

    Riboldi, Bárbara P; Luft, Vivian C; de Castilhos, Cristina D; de Cardoso, Letícia O; Schmidt, Maria I; Barreto, Sandhi M; de Sander, Maria F; Alvim, Sheila M; Duncan, Bruce B

    2015-02-13

    To assess glucose and triglyceride excursions 2 hours after the ingestion of a standardized meal and their associations with clinical characteristics and cardiovascular complications in individuals with diabetes. Blood samples of 898 subjects with diabetes were collected at fasting and 2 hours after a meal containing 455 kcal, 14 g of saturated fat and 47 g of carbohydrates. Self-reported morbidity, socio-demographic characteristics and clinical measures were obtained by interview and exams performed at the baseline visit of the ELSA-Brasil cohort study. Median (interquartile range, IQR) for fasting glucose was 150.5 (123-198) mg/dL and for fasting triglycerides 140 (103-199) mg/dL. The median excursion for glucose was 45 (15-76) mg/dL and for triglycerides 26 (11-45) mg/dL. In multiple linear regression, a greater glucose excursion was associated with higher glycated hemoglobin (10.7, 95% CI 9.1-12.3 mg/dL), duration of diabetes (4.5; 2.6-6.4 mg/dL, per 5 year increase), insulin use (44.4; 31.7-57.1 mg/dL), and age (6.1; 2.5-9.6 mg/dL, per 10 year increase); and with lower body mass index (-5.6; -8.4- -2.8 mg/dL, per 5 kg/m2 increase). In adjusted logistic regression models, a greater glucose excursion was marginally associated with the presence of cardiovascular comorbidities (coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction and angina) in those with obesity. A greater postprandial glycemic response to a small meal was positively associated with indicators of a decreased capacity for insulin secretion and negatively associated with obesity. No pattern of response was observed with a greater postprandial triglyceride excursion.

  13. The Record of Geomagnetic Excursions from a ~150 m Sediment Core: Clear Lake, Northern California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Levin, E.; Byrne, R.; Looy, C. V.; Wahl, D.; Noren, A. J.; Verosub, K. L.

    2015-12-01

    We are studying the paleomagnetic properties of a new ~150 meter drill core from Clear Lake, CA. Step-wise demagnetization of the natural remanent magnetism (NRM) yields stable directions after 20 mT, implying that the sediments are reliable recorders of geomagnetic field behavior. Several intervals of low relative paleointensity (RPI) from the core appear to be correlated with known geomagnetic excursions. At about 46 m depth, and ~33 ka according to an age model based on radiocarbon dates obtained from pollen and the Olema ash bed, a low RPI zone seems to agree with the age and duration of the Mono Lake Excursion, previously identified between 32 and 35 ka. Slightly lower in the core, at about 50 m depth and ~40 ka, noticeably low RPI values seem to be coeval with the Laschamp excursion, which has been dated at ~41 ka. A volcanic ash near the bottom of the core (141 mblf) is near the same depth as an ash identified in 1988 by Andrei Sarna-Wojcicki and others as the Loleta ash bed in a previous Clear Lake core. If the basal ash in the new core is indeed the, Loleta ash bed, then the core may date back to about 270-300 ka. Depending on the age of the lowest ash, a sequence of low RPI intervals could correlate with the Blake (120 ka), Iceland Basin (188 ka), Jamaica/Pringle Falls (211 ka), and CR0 (260 ka) excursions. Correlation of the low RPI intervals to these geomagnetic excursions will help in the development of a higher resolution chronostratigraphy for the core, resolve a long-standing controversy about a possible hiatus in the Clear Lake record, and provide information about climatically-driven changes in sedimentation.

  14. Geomagnetic field excursion recorded 17 ka at Tianchi Volcano, China: New 40Ar/39Ar age and significance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singer, Brad S.; Jicha, Brian R.; He, Huaiyu; Zhu, Rixiang

    2014-04-01

    New 40Ar/39Ar dating of a comenditic lava atop Tianchi Volcano, China, indicates eruption at 17.1 ± 0.9 ka. The flow interior records a pair of transitional virtual geomagnetic poles and a low paleointensity of ~25 μT. Thus, it records a geomagnetic field excursion that is younger than the 41 ka Laschamp or 32 ka Auckland excursions. Implications are: (1) following a repose of several tens of kyr, Tianchi Volcano became highly active immediately following termination of the last glaciation maximum. The flare-up of silicic eruptions may reflect rapid deglaciation of the edifice. (2) A 17 ka age for the Tianchi excursion provides the first direct radioisotopic evidence that excursional behavior, which is imprecisely dated and less well documented magnetically at several other sites, is a global feature of geodynamo behavior. (3) During the Brunhes chron, 13 well-dated excursions cluster into two periods, including seven between 17 and 212 ka, and six between about 530 and 730 ka.

  15. The Hirnantian δ13C Positive Excursion in the Nabiullino Section (South Urals)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yakupov, R. R.; Mavrinskaya, T. M.; Smoleva, I. V.

    2018-02-01

    The upper Sandbian, Katian, and Hirnantian complexes of conodonts in the upper Ordovician section of the western slope of the Southern Urals near the village of Nabiullino were studied. The δ13C positive excursion with a maximum of 3.3‰ associated with the global Hirnantian isotopic event, HICE, was fixed for the first time. This excursion shows the beginning of the Hirnantian stage in the terrigenous-carbonate section of the upper Ordovician in the Southern Urals. It coincides with the first occurrence of the Hirnantian conodont species of Gamachignathus ensifer and the conodonts of shallow-water biophacies, Aphelognathus-Ozarkodina, reflecting the global glacio-eustatic event.

  16. [Accidents on Iceland's most dangerous roads].

    PubMed

    Bjarnason, Thóroddur; Arnarsson, Sveinn

    2012-02-01

    The objective of this paper was to identify the most dangerous segments of the Icelandic road system in terms of the number of accidents pr km and the rate of accidents pr million km travelled. First to identify the segments where the number of accidents is highest and where the risk of the individual traveller is the greatest. Second to evaluate if the association between the number and the rate of accidents is positive or negative. Third to identify the road segments that are the most dangerous in the sense of many accidents and great risk to individual travellers. Main roads outside urban centers were divided into 45 segments that were on average 78 km in length. Infrequently travelled roads and roads within urban centers were omitted. Information on the length of roads, traffic density and number of accidents was used to calculate the number of accidents per km and the rate of accidents per million km travelled. The correlation between the number and rate of accidents was calculated and the most dangerous road segments were identified by the average rank order on both dimensions. Most accidents pr km occurred on the main roads to and from the capital region, but also east towards Hvolsvöllur, north towards Akureyri and in the Mideast region of the country. The rate of accidents pr million km travelled was highest in the northeast region, in northern Snæfellsnes and in the Westfjords. The most dangerous roads on both dimensions were in Mideast, northern Westfjords, in the north between Blönduós and Akureyri and in northern Snæfellsnes. Most accidents pr km occurred on roads with a low accident rate pr million km travelled. It is therefore possible to reduce accidents the most by increasing road safety where it is already the greatest but that would however increase inequalities in road safety. Policy development in transportation is therefore in part a question of priorities in healthcare. Individual equality in safety and health are not always fully

  17. Comparison of longitudinal excursion of a nerve-phantom model using quantitative ultrasound imaging and motion analysis system methods: A convergent validity study.

    PubMed

    Paquette, Philippe; El Khamlichi, Youssef; Lamontagne, Martin; Higgins, Johanne; Gagnon, Dany H

    2017-08-01

    Quantitative ultrasound imaging is gaining popularity in research and clinical settings to measure the neuromechanical properties of the peripheral nerves such as their capability to glide in response to body segment movement. Increasing evidence suggests that impaired median nerve longitudinal excursion is associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. To date, psychometric properties of longitudinal nerve excursion measurements using quantitative ultrasound imaging have not been extensively investigated. This study investigates the convergent validity of the longitudinal nerve excursion by comparing measures obtained using quantitative ultrasound imaging with those determined with a motion analysis system. A 38-cm long rigid nerve-phantom model was used to assess the longitudinal excursion in a laboratory environment. The nerve-phantom model, immersed in a 20-cm deep container filled with a gelatin-based solution, was moved 20 times using a linear forward and backward motion. Three light-emitting diodes were used to record nerve-phantom excursion with a motion analysis system, while a 5-cm linear transducer allowed simultaneous recording via ultrasound imaging. Both measurement techniques yielded excellent association ( r  = 0.99) and agreement (mean absolute difference between methods = 0.85 mm; mean relative difference between methods = 7.48 %). Small discrepancies were largely found when larger excursions (i.e. > 10 mm) were performed, revealing slight underestimation of the excursion by the ultrasound imaging analysis software. Quantitative ultrasound imaging is an accurate method to assess the longitudinal excursion of an in vitro nerve-phantom model and appears relevant for future research protocols investigating the neuromechanical properties of the peripheral nerves.

  18. Exploring the Angstrom Excursion of Au Nanoparticles Excited away from a Metal Surface by an Impulsive Acoustic Perturbation.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji-Wan; Kovalenko, Oleksandr; Liu, Yu; Bigot, Jean-Yves

    2016-12-27

    We report the anharmonic angstrom dynamics of self-assembled Au nanoparticles (Au:NPs) away from a nickel surface on top of which they are coupled by their near-field interaction. The deformation and the oscillatory excursion away from the surface are induced by picosecond acoustic pulses and probed at the surface plasmon resonance with femtosecond laser pulses. The overall dynamics are due to an efficient transfer of translational momentum from the Ni surface to the Au:NPs, therefore avoiding usual thermal effects and energy redistribution among the electronic states. Two modes are clearly revealed by the oscillatory shift of the Au:NPs surface plasmon resonance-the quadrupole deformation mode due to the transient ellipsoid shape and the excursion mode when the Au:NPs bounce away from the surface. We find that, contrary to the quadrupole mode, the excursion mode is sensitive to the distance between Au:NPs and Ni. Importantly, the excursion dynamics display a nonsinusoidal motion that cannot be explained by a standard harmonic potential model. A detailed modeling of the dynamics using a Hamaker-type Lennard-Jones potential between two media is performed, showing that each Au:NPs coherently evolves in a nearly one-dimensional anharmonic potential with a total excursion of ∼1 Å. This excursion induces a shift of the surface plasmon resonance detectable because of the strong near-field interaction. This general method of observing the spatiotemporal dynamics with angstrom and picosecond resolutions can be directly transposed to many nanostructures or biosystems to reveal the interaction and contact mechanism with their surrounding medium while remaining in their fundamental electronic states.

  19. Non-Gaussianity and Excursion Set Theory: Halo Bias

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Adshead, Peter; Baxter, Eric J.; Dodelson, Scott

    2012-09-01

    We study the impact of primordial non-Gaussianity generated during inflation on the bias of halos using excursion set theory. We recapture the familiar result that the bias scales asmore » $$k^{-2}$$ on large scales for local type non-Gaussianity but explicitly identify the approximations that go into this conclusion and the corrections to it. We solve the more complicated problem of non-spherical halos, for which the collapse threshold is scale dependent.« less

  20. Reliability and feasibility of gait initiation centre-of-pressure excursions using a Wii® Balance Board in older adults at risk of falling.

    PubMed

    Lee, James; Webb, Graham; Shortland, Adam P; Edwards, Rebecca; Wilce, Charlotte; Jones, Gareth D

    2018-04-17

    Impairments in dynamic balance have a detrimental effect in older adults at risk of falls (OARF). Gait initiation (GI) is a challenging transitional movement. Centre of pressure (COP) excursions using force plates have been used to measure GI performance. The Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB) offers an alternative to a standard force plate for the measurement of CoP excursion. To determine the reliability of COP excursions using the WBB, and its feasibility within a 4-week strength and balance intervention (SBI) treating OARF. Ten OARF subjects attending SBI and ten young healthy adults, each performed three GI trials after 10 s of quiet stance from a standardised foot position (shoulder width) before walking forward 3 m to pick up an object. Averaged COP mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) excursions (distance) and path-length time (GI-onset to first toe-off) were analysed. WBB ML (0.866) and AP COP excursion (0.895) reliability (ICC 3,1 ) was excellent, and COP path-length reliability was fair (0.517). Compared to OARF, healthy subjects presented with larger COP excursion in both directions and shorter COP path length. OARF subjects meaningfully improved their timed-up-and-go and ML COP excursion between weeks 1-4, while AP COP excursions, path length, and confidence-in-balance remained stable. COP path length and excursion directions probably measure different GI postural control attributes. Limitations in WBB accuracy and precision in transition tasks needs to be established before it can be used clinically to measure postural aspects of GI viably. The WBB could provide valuable clinical evaluation of balance function in OARF.

  1. Effects of numerical dissipation and unphysical excursions on scalar-mixing estimates in large-eddy simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharan, Nek; Matheou, Georgios; Dimotakis, Paul

    2017-11-01

    Artificial numerical dissipation decreases dispersive oscillations and can play a key role in mitigating unphysical scalar excursions in large eddy simulations (LES). Its influence on scalar mixing can be assessed through the resolved-scale scalar, Z , its probability density function (PDF), variance, spectra, and the budget of the horizontally averaged equation for Z2. LES of incompressible temporally evolving shear flow enabled us to study the influence of numerical dissipation on unphysical scalar excursions and mixing estimates. Flows with different mixing behavior, with both marching and non-marching scalar PDFs, are studied. Scalar fields for each flow are compared for different grid resolutions and numerical scalar-convection term schemes. As expected, increasing numerical dissipation enhances scalar mixing in the development stage of shear flow characterized by organized large-scale pairings with a non-marching PDF, but has little influence in the self-similar stage of flows with marching PDFs. Flow parameters and regimes sensitive to numerical dissipation help identify approaches to mitigate unphysical excursions while minimizing dissipation.

  2. Kinematic predictors of star excursion balance test performance in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

    PubMed

    Hoch, Matthew C; Gaven, Stacey L; Weinhandl, Joshua T

    2016-06-01

    The Star Excursion Balance Test has identified dynamic postural control deficits in individuals with chronic ankle instability. While kinematic predictors of Star Excursion Balance Test performance have been evaluated in healthy individuals, this has not been thoroughly examined in individuals with chronic ankle instability. Fifteen individuals with chronic ankle instability completed the anterior reach direction of the Star Excursion Balance Test and weight-bearing dorsiflexion assessments. Maximum reach distances on the Star Excursion Balance Test were measured in cm and normalized to leg length. Three-dimensional trunk, hip, knee, and ankle motion of the stance limb were recorded during each anterior reach trial using a motion capture system. Sagittal, frontal, and transverse plane displacement observed from trial initiation to the point of maximum reach was calculated for each joint or segment and averaged for analysis. Pearson product-moment correlations were performed to examine the relationships between kinematic variables, maximal reach, and weight-bearing dorsiflexion. A backward multiple linear regression model was developed with maximal reach as the criterion variable and kinematic variables as predictors. Frontal plane displacement of the trunk, hip, and ankle and sagittal plane knee displacement were entered into the analysis. The final model (p=0.004) included all three frontal plane variables and explained 81% of the variance in maximal reach. Maximal reach distance and several kinematic variables were significantly related to weight-bearing dorsiflexion. Individuals with chronic ankle instability who demonstrated greater lateral trunk displacement toward the stance limb, hip adduction, and ankle eversion achieved greater maximal reach. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. Postoperative cerebrovascular accidents in general surgery.

    PubMed

    Larsen, S F; Zaric, D; Boysen, G

    1988-11-01

    In a prospective study of postoperative complications, strokes occurred in 6 out of 2463 patients (0.2%) who underwent non-cardiac, non-carotid artery surgery. The patients who experienced cerebrovascular accidents, including three cases of transient ischemic attack, were significantly older than the rest of the group (mean age 79 years versus 65 years) and had manifestations of atherosclerosis in at least one organ preoperatively. Significant predictors of risk for postoperative cerebrovascular accidents were previous cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and hypertension. Cerebrovascular accidents occurred late in the postoperative period, 5-26 days after surgery, and were not directly related to surgery and anesthesia. They were more frequent after acute than after elective operations. Precipitating factors for some of the stroke incidents were rapid atrial fibrillation and postoperative dehydration.

  4. Postmeal exercise blunts postprandial glucose excursions in people on metformin monotherapy.

    PubMed

    Erickson, Melissa L; Little, Jonathan P; Gay, Jennifer L; McCully, Kevin K; Jenkins, Nathan T

    2017-08-01

    Metformin is used clinically to reduce fasting glucose with minimal effects on postprandial glucose. Postmeal exercise reduces postprandial glucose and may offer additional glucose-lowering benefit beyond that of metformin alone, yet controversy exists surrounding exercise and metformin interactions. It is currently unknown how postmeal exercise and metformin monotherapy in combination will affect postprandial glucose. Thus, we examined the independent and combined effects of postmeal exercise and metformin monotherapy on postprandial glucose. A randomized crossover design was used to assess the influence of postmeal exercise on postprandial glucose excursions in 10 people treated with metformin monotherapy (57 ± 10 yr, HbA 1C  = 6.3 ± 0.6%). Each participant completed the following four conditions: sedentary and postmeal exercise (5 × 10-min bouts of treadmill walking at 60% V̇o 2max ) with metformin and sedentary and postmeal exercise without metformin. Peak postprandial glucose within a 2-h time window and 2-h total area under the curve was assessed after a standardized breakfast meal, using continuous glucose monitoring. Postmeal exercise significantly blunted 2-h peak ( P = 0.001) and 2-h area under the curve ( P = 0.006), with the lowest peak postprandial glucose excursion observed with postmeal exercise and metformin combined ( P < 0.05 vs. all other conditions: metformin/sedentary: 12 ± 3.4, metformin/exercise: 9.7 ± 2.3, washout/sedentary: 13.3 ± 3.2, washout/exercise: 11.1 ± 3.4 mmol/l). Postmeal exercise and metformin in combination resulted in the lowest peak postprandial glucose excursion compared with either treatment modality alone. Exercise timed to the postprandial phase may be important for optimizing glucose control during metformin monotherapy. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The interactive effects of metformin and exercise on key physiological outcomes remain an area of controversy. Findings from this study show that the combination of

  5. Free gracilis transfer for smile in children: the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Experience in excursion and quality-of-life changes.

    PubMed

    Hadlock, Tessa A; Malo, Juan S; Cheney, Mack L; Henstrom, Douglas K

    2011-01-01

    Free muscle transfer for facial reanimation has become the standard of care in recent decades and is now the cornerstone intervention for dynamic smile reanimation. We sought to quantify smile excursion and quality-of-life (QOL) changes in our pediatric free gracilis recipients following reanimation. We quantified gracilis muscle excursion in 17 pediatric patients undergoing 19 consecutive pediatric free gracilis transplantation operations, using our validated SMILE program, as an objective measure of functional outcome. These were compared against excursion measured the same way in a cohort of 17 adults with 19 free gracilis operations. In addition, we prospectively evaluated QOL outcomes in these children using the Facial Clinimetric Evaluation (FaCE) instrument. The mean gracilis excursion in our pediatric free gracilis recipients was 8.8 mm ± 5.0 mm, which matched adult results, but with fewer complete failures of less than 2-mm excursion, with 2 (11%) and 4 (21%), respectively. Quality-of-life measures indicated statistically significant improvements following dynamic smile reanimation (P = .01). Dynamic facial reanimation using free gracilis transfer in children has an acceptable success rate, yields improved commissure excursion, and improves QOL in the pediatric population. It should be considered first-line therapy for children with lack of a meaningful smile secondary to facial paralysis.

  6. Aviation Ground Accidents: The Requirements for Cost Impact Data.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King, Frank H.

    1983-01-01

    Aviation accidents are costly, whether they occur in the air or on the ground. Precise information regarding the cost of ground accidents is important, but not easily available on an industry-wide basis. This article points up the need for information on ground accident costs. (Author)

  7. Psychiatric consequences of stress after a vehicle accident.

    PubMed

    Dickov, Aleksandra; Martinović-Mitrović, Sladjana; Vucković, Nikola; Siladji-Mladenović, Djendji; Mitrović, Dragan; Jovicević, Mirjana; Misić-Pavkov, Gordana

    2009-12-01

    Vehicle accidents are a common cause of disease and death among people over 30 years of age. Essentially, reaction to stress due to the vehicle accident does not differ from the reaction to other stress factors. There are still no uniform viewpoints about the kind of sequels and their percentage representation after vehicle accidents. The research was provided as a prospective study, included 150 subjects who had vehicle accident minimum 2 years prior to the examination. A questionnaire adjusted to the needs of the research and a battery of psychological tests was used. Affective disorders occurred in 35.33% of subjects, 65% of persons suffer from travel anxiety, 9% of the total number of examinees doesn't drive any more, 65% have somatisational dysfunctions of the vegetative nervous system, while the posttraumatic stress disorder is present in 36% of subjects. In 87.4% of persons psychiatric consequences last over two years. Long term consequences in 60% of subjects occur as a combination of multiple psychiatric disorders, so the posttraumatic stress disorder and affective disorders never occur one at a time.

  8. Surprise influences hindsight-foresight differences in temporal judgments of animated automobile accidents.

    PubMed

    Calvillo, Dustin P; Gomes, Dayna M

    2011-04-01

    The hindsight bias occurs when people view an outcome as more foreseeable than it actually was. The role of an outcome's initial surprise in the hindsight bias was examined using animations of automobile accidents. Twenty-six participants rated the initial surprise of accidents' occurring in eight animations. An additional 84 participants viewed these animations in one of two conditions: Half stopped the animations when they were certain an accident would occur (i.e., in foresight), and the other half watched the entire animations first and then stopped the animations when they thought that a naïve viewer would be certain that an accident would occur (i.e., in hindsight). When the accidents were low in initial surprise, there were no foresight-hindsight differences; when initial surprise was medium, there was a hindsight bias; and when initial surprise was high, there was a reversed hindsight bias. The results are consistent with a sense-making model of hindsight bias.

  9. Highway driving safety the day after using sleep medication: the direction of lapses and excursions out-of-lane in drowsy drivers.

    PubMed

    Verster, Joris C; Mooren, Loes; Bervoets, Adriana C; Roth, Thomas

    2017-10-24

    The primary outcome measure of the on-road driving test is the Standard Deviation of Lateral Position. However, other outcome measures, such as lapses and excursions out-of-lane, also need to be considered as they may be related to crash risk. The aim of this study was to determine the direction of lapses and excursions out-of-lane (i.e. towards/into the adjacent traffic lane or towards/into the road shoulder). In total, data from 240 driving tests were re-analysed, and 628 lapses and 401 excursions out-of-lane were identified. The analyses revealed that lapses were made equally frequently over left (49.4%) and over right (43.3%). In contrast, excursions out-of-lane were almost exclusively directed over right into the (safer) road shoulder (97.3%). These findings suggest that drivers are unaware of having lapses, whereas excursions out-of-lane are events where the driver is aware of loss of vehicle control. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Sleep Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Sleep Research Society.

  10. Occurrence and countermeasures of urban power grid accident

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Wang; Tao, Zhang

    2018-03-01

    With the advance of technology, the development of network communication and the extensive use of power grids, people can get to know power grid accidents around the world through the network timely. Power grid accidents occur frequently. Large-scale power system blackout and casualty accidents caused by electric shock are also fairly commonplace. All of those accidents have seriously endangered the property and personal safety of the country and people, and the development of society and economy is severely affected by power grid accidents. Through the researches on several typical cases of power grid accidents at home and abroad in recent years and taking these accident cases as the research object, this paper will analyze the three major factors that cause power grid accidents at present. At the same time, combining with various factors and impacts caused by power grid accidents, the paper will put forward corresponding solutions and suggestions to prevent the occurrence of the accident and lower the impact of the accident.

  11. Sulfur isotope change across the Early Mississippian K-O (Kinderhookian-Osagean) δ13C excursion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maharjan, Dev; Jiang, Ganqing; Peng, Yongbo; Nicholl, Michael J.

    2018-07-01

    Paired carbonate associate sulfate (CAS) sulfur isotopes (δ34SCAS), pyrite sulfur isotopes (δ34SPY) and CAS oxygen isotopes (δ18OCAS) across the Early Mississippian K-O δ13C excursion are documented from two sections of a west-dipping carbonate ramp in the southern Great Basin, western U.S.A. A 4-6‰ positive δ34SCAS anomaly, accompanied by negative shifts in δ34SPY and δ18OCAS, is found within the K-O δ13C excursion. In the section with a broader δ13C excursion, Δ34S (Δ34 S =δ34SCAS-δ34SPY) increases from 15‰ to 45‰ and δ13Ccarb drops from 7‰ to 4‰ at the same stratigraphic interval. If this δ34SCAS anomaly represents a global phenomenon, the large magnitude (4-6‰) and short duration (shorter than that of δ13C) suggest an unusual pyrite burial event that expanded from sediments to the ocean water column. In this scenario, the areal and volumetric expansion of sulfate reduction and pyrite burial was likely triggered by abundantly available organic matter near the peak of the K-O δ13C excursion, during which organic carbon production and burial may have reached a maximum, thus substantially expanding the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Numerical simulations suggest that pyrite burial rates 2.5-5 times higher than that of the modern ocean followed by sulfide oxidation are required to produce the observed δ34SCAS anomaly in a sulfate-rich ([SO4] ≥28 mM) Early Mississippian ocean. Alternatively, the sulfur and CAS oxygen isotope anomalies may record local sulfur cycling in a foreland basin where changes in weathering input and bottom-water redox conditions in response to sea-level fall and cooling resulted in isotope changes. In both scenarios (either local or global), the integrated carbon, sulfur, and CAS-oxygen isotope data suggest a much more dynamic sulfur cycle across the K-O δ13C excursion than has been previously suggested.

  12. Accidents in the greenhouse-construction industry of SE Spain.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Alonso, José; Carreño-Ortega, Angel; Vázquez-Cabrera, Fernando J; Callejón-Ferre, Angel Jesús

    2012-01-01

    This work analyses the labour accidents in the greenhouse-construction industry of SE Spain for the period 1999-2007 through a sample of 180 accident reports. The accidents were characterised by studying 5 variables in order to know the day of the week in which the accident occurred, the hour of the day of the accident, type of accident, the region of Spain in which the accident happened, and the resulting injury. The data characterising the accidents were submitted to a descriptive multiple-correspondence analysis. The incidence of accidents in the greenhouse-construction industry presented a high mean value of 15133.7 per 100,000 workers per year. The days with the greatest incidence of accidents were Thursday and Monday, while the period of greatest number of accidents occurred in the first 4h of the workday. No significant correspondence was found between the day of the week, the hour of the day, or any of the other 3 variables studied. The types of accidents with most frequency were: cuts, punctures, contact with hard or rough material, overexertion, and falls from one level to another. The most affected parts of the anatomy were the eyes, thorax, back, sides, lower legs, and feet. The most common types of injury were bone fractures, twists and sprains, distended muscles, contusions, and being crushed. The study calls attention to the high number of accidents at work, which needs to be corrected by fulfilment of safety regulations at work, on the part of the company. Finally, recommendations are made to correct this situation of high number of accidents at work. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  13. Excursion set mass functions for hierarchical Gaussian fluctuations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bond, J. R.; Kaiser, N.; Cole, S.; Efstathiou, G.

    1991-01-01

    It is pointed out that most schemes for determining the mass function of virialized objects from the statistics of the initial density perturbation field suffer from the cloud-in-cloud problem of miscounting the number of low-mass clumps, many of which would have been subsumed into larger objects. The paper proposes a solution based on the theory of the excursion sets of F(r, R sub f), the four-dimensional initial density perturbation field smoothed with a continuous hierarchy of filters of radii R sub f.

  14. Road Traffic Accident Analysis of Ajmer City Using Remote Sensing and GIS Technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhalla, P.; Tripathi, S.; Palria, S.

    2014-12-01

    With advancement in technology, new and sophisticated models of vehicle are available and their numbers are increasing day by day. A traffic accident has multi-facet characteristics associated with it. In India 93% of crashes occur due to Human induced factor (wholly or partly). For proper traffic accident analysis use of GIS technology has become an inevitable tool. The traditional accident database is a summary spreadsheet format using codes and mileposts to denote location, type and severity of accidents. Geo-referenced accident database is location-referenced. It incorporates a GIS graphical interface with the accident information to allow for query searches on various accident attributes. Ajmer city, headquarter of Ajmer district, Rajasthan has been selected as the study area. According to Police records, 1531 accidents occur during 2009-2013. Maximum accident occurs in 2009 and the maximum death in 2013. Cars, jeeps, auto, pickup and tempo are mostly responsible for accidents and that the occurrence of accidents is mostly concentrated between 4PM to 10PM. GIS has proved to be a good tool for analyzing multifaceted nature of accidents. While road safety is a critical issue, yet it is handled in an adhoc manner. This Study is a demonstration of application of GIS for developing an efficient database on road accidents taking Ajmer City as a study. If such type of database is developed for other cities, a proper analysis of accidents can be undertaken and suitable management strategies for traffic regulation can be successfully proposed.

  15. Testing the Self-Consistency of the Excursion Set Approach to Predicting the Dark Matter Halo Mass Function

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Achitouv, I.; Rasera, Y.; Sheth, R. K.; Corasaniti, P. S.

    2013-12-01

    The excursion set approach provides a framework for predicting how the abundance of dark matter halos depends on the initial conditions. A key ingredient of this formalism is the specification of a critical overdensity threshold (barrier) which protohalos must exceed if they are to form virialized halos at a later time. However, to make its predictions, the excursion set approach explicitly averages over all positions in the initial field, rather than the special ones around which halos form, so it is not clear that the barrier has physical motivation or meaning. In this Letter we show that once the statistical assumptions which underlie the excursion set approach are considered a drifting diffusing barrier model does provide a good self-consistent description both of halo abundance as well as of the initial overdensities of the protohalo patches.

  16. Temperature excursions at the pulp-dentin junction during the curing of light-activated dental restorations.

    PubMed

    Jakubinek, Michael B; O'Neill, Catherine; Felix, Chris; Price, Richard B; White, Mary Anne

    2008-11-01

    Excessive heat produced during the curing of light-activated dental restorations may injure the dental pulp. The maximum temperature excursion at the pulp-dentin junction provides a means to assess the risk of thermal injury. In this investigation we develop and evaluate a model to simulate temperature increases during light-curing of dental restorations and use it to investigate the influence of several factors on the maximum temperature excursion along the pulp-dentin junction. Finite element method modeling, using COMSOL 3.3a, was employed to simulate temperature distributions in a 2D, axisymmetric model tooth. The necessary parameters were determined from a combination of literature reports and our measurements of enthalpy of polymerization, heat capacity, density, thermal conductivity and reflectance for several dental composites. Results of the model were validated using in vitro experiments. Comparisons with in vitro experiments indicate that the model provides a good approximation of the actual temperature increases. The intensity of the curing light, the curing time and the enthalpy of polymerization of the resin composite were the most important factors. The composite is a good insulator and the greatest risk occurs when using the light to cure the thin layer of bonding resin or in deep restorations that do not have a liner to act as a thermal barrier. The results show the importance of considering temperature increases when developing curing protocols. Furthermore, we suggest methods to minimize the temperature increase and hence the risk of thermal injury. The physical properties measured for several commercial composites may be useful in other studies.

  17. Fatal aviation accidents in Lower Saxony from 1979 to 1996.

    PubMed

    Ast, F W; Kernbach-Wighton, G; Kampmann, H; Koops, E; Püschel, K; Tröger, H D; Kleemann, W J

    2001-06-01

    So far no national or regional studies have been published in Germany regarding the number of fatal aviation accidents and results of autopsy findings. Therefore, we evaluated all fatal aviation accidents occurring in Lower Saxony from 1979 to 1996. A total of 96 aviation accidents occurred in this period involving 73 aeroplanes. The crashes resulted in the death of 154 people ranging in age from 19 to 68 years. The greatest number of victims in a single crash of an aircraft was (n=7). Other types of fatal accidents were crashes of aircraft and helicopter while on the ground (n=5), hot-air balloons (n=2), parachutes (n=10), hang glider accidents (n=5) and the striking of a bystander by a model airplane. Autopsies were performed on 68 of the 154 victims (44.2%), including 39 of the 73 pilots (53.4%). Some of the autopsies yielded findings relevant to the cause of the accident: gunshot wounds, the presence of alcohol or drugs in blood and preexisting diseases. Our findings emphasize the need for autopsy on all aviation accident victims, especially pilots, as this is the only reliable method to uncover all factors contributing to an accident.

  18. Accurate prediction of vaccine stability under real storage conditions and during temperature excursions.

    PubMed

    Clénet, Didier

    2018-04-01

    Due to their thermosensitivity, most vaccines must be kept refrigerated from production to use. To successfully carry out global immunization programs, ensuring the stability of vaccines is crucial. In this context, two important issues are critical, namely: (i) predicting vaccine stability and (ii) preventing product damage due to excessive temperature excursions outside of the recommended storage conditions (cold chain break). We applied a combination of advanced kinetics and statistical analyses on vaccine forced degradation data to accurately describe the loss of antigenicity for a multivalent freeze-dried inactivated virus vaccine containing three variants. The screening of large amounts of kinetic models combined with a statistical model selection approach resulted in the identification of two-step kinetic models. Predictions based on kinetic analysis and experimental stability data were in agreement, with approximately five percentage points difference from real values for long-term stability storage conditions, after excursions of temperature and during experimental shipments of freeze-dried products. Results showed that modeling a few months of forced degradation can be used to predict various time and temperature profiles endured by vaccines, i.e. long-term stability, short time excursions outside the labeled storage conditions or shipments at ambient temperature, with high accuracy. Pharmaceutical applications of the presented kinetics-based approach are discussed. Copyright © 2018 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Ocean sunfish rewarm at the surface after deep excursions to forage for siphonophores.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Itsumi; Goto, Yusuke; Sato, Katsufumi

    2015-05-01

    Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) were believed to be inactive jellyfish feeders because they are often observed lying motionless at the sea surface. Recent tracking studies revealed that they are actually deep divers, but there has been no evidence of foraging in deep water. Furthermore, the surfacing behaviour of ocean sunfish was thought to be related to behavioural thermoregulation, but there was no record of sunfish body temperature. Evidence of ocean sunfish feeding in deep water was obtained using a combination of an animal-borne accelerometer and camera with a light source. Siphonophores were the most abundant prey items captured by ocean sunfish and were typically located at a depth of 50-200 m where the water temperature was <12 °C. Ocean sunfish were diurnally active, made frequently deep excursions and foraged mainly at 100-200 m depths during the day. Ocean sunfish body temperatures were measured under natural conditions. The body temperatures decreased during deep excursions and recovered during subsequent surfacing periods. Heat-budget models indicated that the whole-body heat-transfer coefficient between sunfish and the surrounding water during warming was 3-7 times greater than that during cooling. These results suggest that the main function of surfacing is the recovery of body temperature, and the fish might be able to increase heat gain from the warm surface water by physiological regulation. The thermal environment of ocean sunfish foraging depths was lower than their thermal preference (c. 16-17 °C). The behavioural and physiological thermoregulation enables the fish to increase foraging time in deep, cold water. Feeding rate during deep excursions was not related to duration or depth of the deep excursions. Cycles of deep foraging and surface warming were explained by a foraging strategy, to maximize foraging time with maintaining body temperature by vertical temperature environment. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2015

  20. Cerebrovascular accidents in patients with a ventricular assist device.

    PubMed

    Tsukui, Hiroyuki; Abla, Adib; Teuteberg, Jeffrey J; McNamara, Dennis M; Mathier, Michael A; Cadaret, Linda M; Kormos, Robert L

    2007-07-01

    A cerebrovascular accident is a devastating adverse event in a patient with a ventricular assist device. The goal was to clarify the risk factors for cerebrovascular accident. Prospectively collected data, including medical history, ventricular assist device type, white blood cell count, thrombelastogram, and infection, were reviewed retrospectively in 124 patients. Thirty-one patients (25%) had 48 cerebrovascular accidents. The mean ventricular assist device support period was 228 and 89 days in patients with and without cerebrovascular accidents, respectively (P < .0001). Sixty-six percent of cerebrovascular accidents occurred within 4 months after implantation. Actuarial freedom from cerebrovascular accident at 6 months was 75%, 64%, 63%, and 33% with the HeartMate device (Thoratec Corp, Pleasanton, Calif), Thoratec biventricular ventricular assist device (Thoratec Corp), Thoratec left ventricular assist device (Thoratec), and Novacor device (WorldHeart, Oakland, Calif), respectively. Twenty cerebrovascular accidents (42%) occurred in patients with infections. The mean white blood cell count at the cerebrovascular accident was greater than the normal range in patients with infection (12,900/mm3) and without infection (9500/mm3). The mean maximum amplitude of the thrombelastogram in the presence of infection (63.6 mm) was higher than that in the absence of infection (60.7 mm) (P = .0309). The risk of cerebrovascular accident increases with a longer ventricular assist device support period. Infection may activate platelet function and predispose the patient to a cerebrovascular accident. An elevation of the white blood cell count may also exacerbate the risk of cerebrovascular accident even in patients without infection. Selection of device type, prevention of infection, and meticulous control of anticoagulation are key to preventing cerebrovascular accident.

  1. Accident rates and types among self-employed private forest owners.

    PubMed

    Lindroos, Ola; Burström, Lage

    2010-11-01

    Half of all Swedish forests are owned by private individuals, and at least 215,000 people work in these privately owned forest holdings. However, only lethal accidents are systematically monitored among self-employed forest workers. Therefore, data from the registries of the Swedish Work Environment Authority, the Labor Insurance Organization and the regional University Hospital in Umeå were gathered to allow us to perform a more in-depth assessment of the rate and types of accidents that occurred among private forest owners. We found large differences between the registries in the type and number of accidents that were reported. We encountered difficulties in defining "self-employed forest worker" and also in determining whether the accidents that did occur happened during work or leisure time. Consequently, the estimates for the accident rate that we obtained varied from 32 to > or = 4300 injured persons per year in Sweden, depending on the registry that was consulted, the definition of the sample population that was used, and the accident severity definition that was employed. Nevertheless, the different registries gave a consistent picture of the types of accidents that occur while individuals are participating in self-employed forestry work. Severe accidents were relatively common, as self-employed forestry work fatalities constituted 7% of the total number of fatalities in the work authority registry. Falling trees were associated with many of these fatal accidents as well as with accidents that resulted in severe non-fatal injuries. Thus, unsafe work methods appeared more related to the occurrence of an accident than the equipment that was being used at the time of the accident (e.g., a chainsaw). Improvement of the workers' skills should therefore be considered to be an important prevention measure that should be undertaken in this field. The challenges in improving the safety in these smallest of companies, which fall somewhere between the purview of

  2. The Laschamp geomagnetic excursion featured in nitrate record from EPICA-Dome C ice core

    PubMed Central

    Traversi, R.; Becagli, S.; Poluianov, S.; Severi, M.; Solanki, S. K.; Usoskin, I. G.; Udisti, R.

    2016-01-01

    Here we present the first direct comparison of cosmogenic 10Be and chemical species in the period of 38–45.5 kyr BP spanning the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion from the EPICA-Dome C ice core. A principal component analysis (PCA) allowed to group different components as a function of the main sources, transport and deposition processes affecting the atmospheric aerosol at Dome C. Moreover, a wavelet analysis highlighted the high coherence and in-phase relationship between 10Be and nitrate at this time. The evident preferential association of 10Be with nitrate rather than with other chemical species was ascribed to the presence of a distinct source, here labelled as “cosmogenic”. Both the PCA and wavelet analyses ruled out a significant role of calcium in driving the 10Be and nitrate relationship, which is particularly relevant for a plateau site such as Dome C, especially in the glacial period during which the Laschamp excursion took place. The evidence that the nitrate record from the EDC ice core is able to capture the Laschamp event hints toward the possibility of using this marker for studying galactic cosmic ray flux variations and thus also major geomagnetic field excursions at pluri-centennial-millennial time scales, thus opening up new perspectives in paleoclimatic studies. PMID:26819064

  3. Analysis on tank truck accidents involved in road hazardous materials transportation in china.

    PubMed

    Shen, Xiaoyan; Yan, Ying; Li, Xiaonan; Xie, Chenjiang; Wang, Lihua

    2014-01-01

    Due to the sheer size and capacity of the tanker and the properties of cargo transported in the tank, hazmat tanker accidents are more disastrous than other types of vehicle accidents. The aim of this study was to provide a current survey on the situation of accidents involving tankers transporting hazardous materials in China. Detailed descriptions of 708 tanker accidents associated with hazmat transportation in China from 2004 to 2011 were analyzed to identify causes, location, types, time of occurrence, hazard class for materials involved, consequences, and the corresponding probability. Hazmat tanker accidents mainly occurred in eastern (38.1%) and southwest China (12.3%). The most frequent hazmat tanker accidents involved classes 2, 3, and 8. The predominant accident types were rollover (29.10%), run-off-the-road (16.67%), and rear-end collisions (13.28%), with a high likelihood of a large spill occurring. About 55.93% of the accidents occurred on freeways and class 1 roads, with the spill percentage reaching 75.00% and the proportion of spills that occurred in the total accidents amounting to 77.82%, of which 61.72% are considered large spills. The month with the highest accident probability was July (12.29%), and most crashes occurred during the early morning (4:00-6:00 a.m.) and midday (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) hours, 19.63% versus 16.10%. Human-related errors (73.8%) and vehicle-related defects (19.6%) were the primary reasons for hazmat tanker crashes. The most common outcomes of a hazmat tanker accident was a spill without further events (55.51%), followed by a release with fire (7.77%), and release with an explosion (2.54%). The safety situation of China's hazmat tanker transportation is grim. Such accidents not only have high spill percentages and consistently large spills but they can also cause serious consequences, such as fires and explosions. Improving the training of drivers and the quality of vehicles, deploying roll stability aids, enhancing

  4. [Implementation of safety devices: biological accident prevention].

    PubMed

    Catalán Gómez, M Teresa; Sol Vidiella, Josep; Castellà Castellà, Manel; Castells Bo, Carolina; Losada Pla, Nuria; Espuny, Javier Lluís

    2010-04-01

    Accidental exposures to blood and biological material were the most frequent and potentially serious accidents in healthcare workers, reported in the Prevention of Occupational Risks Unit within 2002. Evaluate the biological percutaneous accidents decrease after a progressive introduction of safety devices. Biological accidents produced between 2.002 and 2.006 were analyzed and reported by the injured healthcare workers to the Level 2b Hospital Prevention of Occupational Risk Unit with 238 beds and 750 employees. The key of the study was the safety devices (peripheral i.v. catheter, needleless i.v. access device and capillary blood collection lancet). Within 2002, 54 percutaneous biological accidents were registered and 19 in 2006, that represents a 64.8% decreased. There has been no safety devices accident reported involving these material. Accidents registered during the implantation period occurred because safety devices were not used at that time. Safety devices have proven to be effective in reducing needle stick percutaneous accidents, so that they are a good choice in the primary prevention of biological accidents contact.

  5. Impact of incretin on early-phase insulin secretion and glucose excursion.

    PubMed

    Shen, Jie; Chen, Zhi; Chen, Chaofeng; Zhu, Xiao; Han, Yajuan

    2013-10-01

    This study investigated the impact of incretin on early-phase insulin secretion and glucose excursion. The normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) groups included 16, 8, and 19 subjects, respectively. Subjects underwent continuous glucose monitoring for 3 days, followed by an oral glucose tolerance test. Plasma glucose, insulin, glucagon, total glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon-like peptide-l (GLP-1) levels were measured at 30-min increments for 2 h after glucose intake. Differences with P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The area under the curve (AUC) of total GIP (120-min GIP-AUC) of the T2DM group was significantly lower than those of the NGT and IGT groups. The 120-min GLP-1-AUC of the NGT group was significantly larger than those of the T2DM and IGT groups. The early-phase insulin secretion index (ΔI30/ΔG30) of the T2DM group was significantly lower than those of the NGT and IGT groups. Mean amplitudes of glycemic excursions (MAGEs) went in the order of NGT < IGT < T2DM (P < 0.01, IGT vs. NGT; P < 0.001, T2DM vs. IGT). The 120-min GIP-AUC was negatively correlated with MAGE (r = -0.464), but uncorrelated with ΔI30/ΔG30. The 120-min GLP-1-AUC was positively correlated with ΔI30/ΔG30 (r = 0.580), but negatively correlated with MAGE (r = -0.606). Incretin may ameliorate glucose excursions, and GLP-1 may exert them by promoting early-phase insulin secretion. No correlation was observed between GIP secretion and early-phase insulin secretion.

  6. Geometric and Road Environmental Effects against Total Number of Traffic Accidents in Kendari

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurdin, M. Akbar; Welendo, La; Annisa, Nur

    2017-05-01

    From the large number of traffic accidents that occurred, the carrying of Kendari as the biggest contributor to accidents in the Southeast. The number of accidents in Kendari row since 2011 was recorded at 18 accidents due to the influence of geometric road, in 2012 registered at 13 accident and in 2013 amounted to 6 accidents, with accident data because of the influence Geometric recorded for 3 consecutive years the biggest contributor to accidents because of the influence of geometric is Abeli districts. This study aimed to determine the road which common point of accident-prone (Black spot) in Kecamatan Abeli as accident-prone areas in Kendari, analyze the influence of geometric and road environment against accidents on roads in Kecamatan Abeli, provide alternative treatment based on the causes of accidents on the location of the accident-prone points (blackspot) to reduce the rate of traffic accidents. From the results of a study of 6 curve the accident-prone locations, that the curve I, II, and VI is the “Black Spot” influenced by the amount and condition of traffic accidents, while at the curve II, a traffic accident that occurred also be caused by unsafe geometric where the type of geometric should be changed from Spiral-Spiral type to Spiral-Circle-Spiral type. This indicates geometric effect on the number of accidents.

  7. Accidents involving motorcyclists and cyclists in the municipality of São Paulo: characterization and trends☆☆☆

    PubMed Central

    Rodrigues, Cintia Leci; de Eston Armond, Jane; Gorios, Carlos; Souza, Patricia Colombo

    2014-01-01

    Objective To describe the characteristics of motorcycle and bicycle accident victims, according to notifications of suspected and confirmed accidents that have occurred in the municipality of São Paulo. Method This was a descriptive epidemiological study. It covered all accidents (12,924) that occurred involving motorcycles (11,366) and bicycles (1558) between January 2011 and October 2013. Data in the Health Department's information system for surveillance of violence and accidents (SIVVA) was surveyed. Results Motorcycle accidents accounted for 52.1% of the cases notified and bicycles, 7.1%. Males predominated in both types of accidents: 81.6% and 80.6%, respectively. In the motorcycle accidents, the predominant age group among the victims was from 20 to 24 years. Both types of accidents occurred during the daytime (7:00–18:00 h): 37.4% and 27.0% respectively. Among the motorcycle accidents, the driver had been using alcohol in 3% and it was not possible to identify whether this had occurred in 67%. Conclusions Public policies prioritizing financial and human resources applied toward reducing these types of accidents need to be brought in. PMID:26229868

  8. Intelligent Modeling for Nuclear Power Plant Accident Management

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Darling, Michael Christropher; Luger, George F.; Jones, Thomas B.

    This study explores the viability of using counterfactual reasoning for impact analyses when understanding and responding to “beyond-design-basis” nuclear power plant accidents. Currently, when a severe nuclear power plant accident occurs, plant operators rely on Severe Accident Management Guidelines. However, the current guidelines are limited in scope and depth: for certain types of accidents, plant operators would have to work to mitigate the damage with limited experience and guidance for the particular situation. We aim to fill the need for comprehensive accident support by using a dynamic Bayesian network to aid in the diagnosis of a nuclear reactor’s state andmore » to analyze the impact of possible response measures.« less

  9. Intelligent Modeling for Nuclear Power Plant Accident Management

    DOE PAGES

    Darling, Michael Christropher; Luger, George F.; Jones, Thomas B.; ...

    2018-03-29

    This study explores the viability of using counterfactual reasoning for impact analyses when understanding and responding to “beyond-design-basis” nuclear power plant accidents. Currently, when a severe nuclear power plant accident occurs, plant operators rely on Severe Accident Management Guidelines. However, the current guidelines are limited in scope and depth: for certain types of accidents, plant operators would have to work to mitigate the damage with limited experience and guidance for the particular situation. We aim to fill the need for comprehensive accident support by using a dynamic Bayesian network to aid in the diagnosis of a nuclear reactor’s state andmore » to analyze the impact of possible response measures.« less

  10. Best practices to reduce the accident rate hotel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García Revilla, M. R.; Kahale Carrillo, D. T.

    2014-10-01

    Examining the available databases and existing tourism organizations can conclude that appear studies on accidents and their relationship with other variables. But in our case we want to assess this relationship in the performance of the hotel in relation to lower the accident rate. The Industrial Safety studies analyzing this accident causes (why they happen), their sources (committed activities), their agents (participants work means), its type (how the events occur or develop), all in order to develop prevention. In our case, as accidents happen because people commit wrongful acts or because the equipment, tools, machinery or workplaces are not in proper conditions, the preventive point of view we analyze through the incidence of workplace accidents hotel subsector. The crash occurs because there is a risk, so that adequate control of it would avoid despite individual factors. Absenteeism or absence from work was taken into account first by Dubois in 1977, as he realized the time lost in the nineteenth century due to the long working hours, which included the holidays. Motivation and job satisfaction were the elements that have been most important in the phenomenon of social psychology.

  11. Single pilot IFR accident data analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harris, D. F.; Morrisete, J. A.

    1982-01-01

    The aircraft accident data recorded and maintained by the National Transportation Safety Board for 1964 to 1979 were analyzed to determine what problems exist in the general aviation single pilot instrument flight rules environment. A previous study conducted in 1978 for the years 1964 to 1975 provided a basis for comparison. The purpose was to determine what changes, if any, have occurred in trends and cause-effect relationships reported in the earlier study. The increasing numbers have been tied to measures of activity to produce accident rates which in turn were analyzed in terms of change. Where anomalies or unusually high accident rates were encountered, further analysis was conducted to isolate pertinent patterns of cause factors and/or experience levels of involved pilots. The bulk of the effort addresses accidents in the landing phase of operations. A detailed analysis was performed on controlled/uncontrolled collisions and their unique attributes delineated. Estimates of day vs. night general aviation activity and accident rates were obtained.

  12. Multicultural Group Work on Field Excursions to Promote Student Teachers' Intercultural Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brendel, Nina; Aksit, Fisun; Aksit, Selahattin; Schrüfer, Gabriele

    2016-01-01

    As a response to the intercultural challenges of Geography Education, this study seeks to determine factors fostering intercultural competence of student teachers. Based on a one-week multicultural field excursion of eight German and eight Turkish students in Kayseri (Turkey) on Education for Sustainable Development, we used qualitative interviews…

  13. 31 CFR 576.508 - Judicial process in legal proceedings involving ecological accidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... involving ecological accidents. 576.508 Section 576.508 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to... § 576.508 Judicial process in legal proceedings involving ecological accidents. The Office of Foreign... accident (including an oil spill) that occurred after May 22, 2003. ...

  14. Pedestrian accidents : a state-of-the-art 1970-1980

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1981-09-01

    In 1979 in the United States, 8,090 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle accidents out of a total of 51,093 total traffic fatalities. An estimated total of 150,000 police reported pedestrian accidents of all severities occurred during the same ye...

  15. [Epidemiological profile of traffic accidents in Marília, São Paulo State, Brazil, 2012].

    PubMed

    Biffe, Carina Rejane Fernandes; Harada, Airi; Bacco, Alexander Bocchi; Coelho, Carine Silveira; Baccarelli, João Lucas Ferrareto; Silva, Karoline Lopes; Braccialli, Luzmarina Aparecida Doretto; Beloni, Margarete; Bernardes, Maria Luiza Guidinho; Lacerda, Stephanie Ribeiro; Silva, Thainá Inoue

    2017-01-01

    to describe the profile of victims of traffic accidents and traffic-related deaths in Marília-SP, Brazil. this is a descriptive study, based on data from police reports (PR) and Death Certificates (DC), in 2012. 1,537 PR were gathered; among the 3,257 individuals involved in traffic accidents, 67.3% were men, and 53.3% were between 20-39 years of age; most accidents occurred on road intersections (35.2%), at 8 a.m. (6.8%), 1 p.m. (7.2%) and 7 p.m. (8.1%); motorcycle was the most involved vehicle in the accidents (47.6%); among the 78 deaths reported, 61 were men, 31 were over 50 years old, and 23 were motorcyclists; 32 fatal accidents occurred on highways. the main victims and fatal victims of traffic accidents were male motorcyclists; fatal accidents occurred mainly on highways, and the main victims were over 50 years old.

  16. Stroke while driving: Frequency and association with automobile accidents.

    PubMed

    Inamasu, Joji; Nakatsukasa, Masashi; Tomiyasu, Kazuhiro; Mayanagi, Keita; Nishimoto, Masaaki; Oshima, Takeo; Yoshii, Masami; Miyatake, Satoru; Imai, Akira

    2018-04-01

    Background Cardiovascular events while driving have occasionally been reported. In contrast, there have been few studies on stroke while driving. Aim The objectives of this study were to (1) report the frequency of stroke while driving and (2) evaluate its association with automobile accidents. Methods Clinical data prospectively acquired between January 2011 and December 2016 on 2145 stroke patients (1301 with ischemic stroke, 585 with intracerebral hemorrhage, and 259 with subarachnoid hemorrhage) were reviewed to identify patients who sustained a stroke while driving. The ratio of driving to performing other activities was evaluated for each stroke type. Furthermore, the drivers' response to stroke was reviewed to understand how automobile accidents occurred. Results Among the 2145 patients, 85 (63 ischemic stroke, 20 intracerebral hemorrhage, and 2 subarachnoid hemorrhage) sustained a stroke while driving. The ratio of driving to performing other activities was significantly higher in ischemic stroke (4.8%) than in intracerebral hemorrhage (3.4%) or subarachnoid hemorrhage (0.8%). A majority of drivers either continued driving or pulled over to the roadside after suffering a stroke. However, 14 (16%) patients were involved in automobile accidents. In most patients, an altered mental status due to severe stroke was the presumed cause of the accident. Conclusion Stroke occurred while driving in 4.0% of all strokes and accidents occurred in 16% of these instances.

  17. Fatal occupational accidents in Danish fishing vessels 1989-2005.

    PubMed

    Laursen, Lise H; Hansen, Henrik L; Jensen, Olaf C

    2008-06-01

    The purpose of the study was to study the circumstances and incidence rates of fatal accidents in inspection obligated and non-inspection obligated Danish fishing vessels to identify areas for prevention. Information about the fatalities came from maritime authority reports, including vessel disaster reports, post mortem reports, maritime inquiries and police reports. The person- and vessel years at risk came from the Danish Directorate of Fisheries. During the period 1989-2005, 114 fatalities occurred. Sixty-one of the fatalities occurred in 36 vessel disasters mainly caused by foundering/capsizing due to stability changes in rough weather and collisions; 39 fatal occupational accidents mainly occurred on the larger inspection obligated trawlers during fishing. In the remaining 14 other fatal accidents, the main causal factors were difficult embarking/disembarking conditions by darkness in foreign ports and alcohol intoxication. In the period 1995-2005, the overall incidence rate was 10 per 10,000 fishermen per year with no down-going trend during that period. The fatal accident rates are still too high, despite the efforts to reduce the risk. Increased focus on regular and repeated safety training for all fishermen and improved safety measures are needed, especially in the underscored areas of sea disasters concerning small vessels and occupational accidents on big vessels. Better registration of time at risk for fishermen is needed to validate the effect of the safety measures.

  18. [Traumatology in hang-gliding accidents. Studies based on 100 cases].

    PubMed

    Reymond, M A; de Gottrau, P; Fournier, P E; Arnold, T; Jacomet, H; Rigo, M

    1988-11-01

    The number of paragliding accidents is growing up exponentially. We review in this study 39 paragliding accidents which occurred 1985-1987 in the Val d'Illiez (Switzerland). The REGA (Swiss air ambulance) rescued 1987 61 pilots, which are also included. Most of the accidents were related to a mistake of the pilot. None is due to a failure of the material. The most severe injuries occurred immediately after taking off. The most frequent injuries occurred during landing. There is a correlation between the altitude, the wind velocity and the severity of the injuries. The lower extremities and the backbone are often injured, which is explained through the axial trauma. The pilots need a better training programme, the performance of the material should be built up and the starting places should be equipped.

  19. FACTORS AFFECTING ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN BENGHAZI, LIBYA

    PubMed Central

    Al-Ghaweel, Ibrahim; Mursi, Saleh A.; Jack, Joel P.; Joel, Irene

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the factors responsible for road traffic accidents in Benghazi. Material and Methods: Retrospective and descriptive studies were done in the years 2006-2007. The data was collected from Traffic and License Department, Benghazi. The data were analyzed, based on fatalities, the severely handicapped, hit and run victims and were correlated with age, sex, time, environmental factors, type of roads, etc. Results: One-Thousand-Two-Hundred-Sixty-Five accidents occurred between the years 2006-2007 within the Benghazi city limits; 11.14% of the injuries were fatal; 67.35% of the victims had severe injuries and 21.51% escaped with minor injuries. Table 1 shows that 73.04% lost their lives within the city limits, 13.47% on the fly-over, and 2.12% on minor roads connected to main roads within the city limits. The mean of the accidents and its standard deviation were 16.66± 25.67 with a variance of fatality of 1.54. Conclusion: It is concluded from the studies that major road traffic accidents occur because of environmental stress factors. In addition, fatalities and the seriousness of the accidents depend on a number of factors such as the age of the vehicle, safety measures, human error and time and place of accident. PMID:23012183

  20. Road accident facts Ireland, 2002

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2003-11-01

    This report covers all road traffic accidents reported to : the Garda Sochna, where details were forwarded to the : National Roads Authority, involving fatalities, personal : injury or material damage which occurred on public : roads in Ireland (...

  1. 49 CFR 225.9 - Telephonic reports of certain accidents/incidents and other events.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ...-rail grade crossing when death occurs within 24 hours of the accident/incident; (iv) A train accident... of rail accidents for the National Transportation Safety Board (49 CFR part 840) and the Research and...

  2. 49 CFR 225.9 - Telephonic reports of certain accidents/incidents and other events.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ...-rail grade crossing when death occurs within 24 hours of the accident/incident; (iv) A train accident... of rail accidents for the National Transportation Safety Board (49 CFR part 840) and the Research and...

  3. 49 CFR 225.9 - Telephonic reports of certain accidents/incidents and other events.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ...-rail grade crossing when death occurs within 24 hours of the accident/incident; (iv) A train accident... of rail accidents for the National Transportation Safety Board (49 CFR part 840) and the Research and...

  4. 49 CFR 225.9 - Telephonic reports of certain accidents/incidents and other events.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ...-rail grade crossing when death occurs within 24 hours of the accident/incident; (iv) A train accident... of rail accidents for the National Transportation Safety Board (49 CFR part 840) and the Research and...

  5. Disk Disruptions and X-ray Intensity Excursions in Cyg X-2, LMC X-3 and Cyg X-3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boyd, P. T.; Smale, A. P.

    2001-05-01

    The RXTE All Sky Monitor soft X-ray light curves of many X-ray binaries show long-term intensity variations (a.k.a "superorbital periodicities") that have been ascribed to precession of a warped, tilted accretion disk around the X-ray source. We have found that the excursion times between X-ray minima in Cyg X-2 can be characterized as a series of integer multiples of the 9.8 binary orbital period, (as opposed to the previously reported stable 77.7 day single periodicity, or a single modulation whose period changes slowly with time). While the data set is too short for a proper statistical analysis, it is clear that the length of any given intensity excursion cannot be used to predict the next (integer) excursion length in the series. In the black hole candidate system LMC X-3, the excursion times are shown to be related to each other by rational fractions. We find that the long term light curve of the unusual galactic X-ray jet source Cyg X-3 can also be described as a series of intensity excursions related to each other by integer multiples of a fundamental underlying clock. In the latter cases, the clock is apparently not related to the known binary periods. A unified physical model, involving both an inclined accretion disk and a fixed-probability disk disruption mechanism is presented, and compared with three-body scattering results. Each time the disk passes through the orbital plane it experiences a fixed probability P that it will disrupt. This model has testable predictions---the distribution of integers should resemble that of an atomic process with a characteristic half life. Further analysis can support or refute the model, and shed light on what system parameters effectively set the value of P.

  6. Trend of Elevator-Related Accidents in Tehran

    PubMed Central

    Khaji, Ali; Ghodsi, Syyed Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Background: Elevator-related accidents are uncommon, but can cause significant injury. However, little data exist on these types of accidents. To compile and analyze accident data involving elevators in an effort to eliminate or at least significantly reduce such accidents. Methods: In this retrospective study we investigated 1,819 cases of elevator-related accidents during a four-year period (1999-2003) in Tehran. The data were obtained from the Tehran Safety Services & Fire Fighting Organization (TSFO) that is officially and solely responsible to conduct rescue missions of civilians in Tehran. Results: The number of elevator accidents has increased steadily during the four year study period. During these four years there was a positive upward trend for serious injuries and mortality resulting from elevator accidents. Technical problems were the main cause with 74.5%, followed by power loss and overcapacity riding with 11.5% and 7.9% respectively. Sixty-three individuals sustained serious injury and 15 people died as a result of elevator accidents. The number of accidents was significantly higher in summer (x2=18.32, P=0.032) and a considerable proportion of incidences (54%, 947 cases out of 1819) occurred between 5 and 12 pm. Conclusions: Establishment of an organization to inspect the settings, maintenance, and repair of elevators is necessary. PMID:25207331

  7. Consequences of the radiation accident at the Mayak production association in 1957 (the 'Kyshtym Accident').

    PubMed

    Akleyev, A V; Krestinina, L Yu; Degteva, M O; Tolstykh, E I

    2017-09-01

    This paper presents an overview of the nuclear accident that occurred at the Mayak Production Association (PA) in the Russian Federation on 29 September 1957, often referred to as 'Kyshtym Accident', when 20 MCi (740 PBq) of radionuclides were released by a chemical explosion in a radioactive waste storage tank. 2 MCi (74 PBq) spread beyond the Mayak PA site to form the East Urals Radioactive Trace (EURT). The paper describes the accident and gives brief characteristics of the efficacy of the implemented protective measures that made it possible to considerably reduce doses to the exposed population. The paper also provides retrospective dosimetry estimates for the members of the EURT Cohort (EURTC) which comprises approximately 21 400 people. During the first two years after the accident a decrease in the group average leukocyte (mainly due to neutrophils and lymphocytes) and thrombocyte count was observed in the population. At later dates an increased excess relative risk of solid cancer incidence and mortality was found in the EURTC.

  8. Analysis of accidents in nine Iranian gas refineries: 2007-2011.

    PubMed

    Mehrdad, R; Bolouri, A; Shakibmanesh, A R

    2013-10-01

    Occupational accidents are one of the major health hazards in industries and associated with high mortality, morbidity, spiritual damage and economic losses in the world. To determine the incidence of occupational accidents in 9 Iranian gas refineries between March 2007 and February 2011. Data on all occupational accidents occurred between March 2007 and February 2011, as well as other possible associated variables including time of accident, whether the accident was due to a personal or systemic fault, type of accident and its outcomes, age and gender of the victim, the injured parts of the body, job experience, and type of employment, were extracted from HSE reports and notes of health care services. Based on these data, we calculated the incidence rate of accidents and assessed the associated factors. During the 5 studied years, 1129 accidents have been recorded. The incidence of fatal accidents was 1.64 per 100 000 and of nonfatal accidents was 1857 per 100 000 workers per year. 99.4% of injured workers were male. The mean±SD age of injured people was 29.6±7.3 years. Almost 70% of injured workers aged under 30 years. The mean±SD job experience was 5.3±5.3 years. Accidents occurred more commonly around 10:00. More than 60% of accidents happened between 8:00 and 15:00. July had the highest incidence rate. The most common type of accident was being struck by an object (48%). More than 94% of accidents are caused by personal rather than systemic faults. Hands and wrists were the most common injured parts and involved in more than one-third of accidents. 70% of injured workers needed medical treatment and returned to work after primary treatment. The pattern of occupational accidents in Iranian gas refineries is similar to other previous reports in many ways. The incidence did not change significantly over the study period. Establishment of an online network for precise registration, notification and meticulous data collection seems necessary.

  9. Psychological Distress and Post-Traumatic Symptoms Following Occupational Accidents

    PubMed Central

    Ghisi, Marta; Novara, Caterina; Buodo, Giulia; Kimble, Matthew O.; Scozzari, Simona; Di Natale, Arianna; Sanavio, Ezio; Palomba, Daniela

    2013-01-01

    Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder frequently occur as a consequence of occupational accidents. To date, research has been primarily focused on high-risk workers, such as police officers or firefighters, and has rarely considered individuals whose occupational environment involves the risk of severe, but not necessarily life-threatening, injury. Therefore, the present study was aimed at assessing the psychological consequences of accidents occurring in several occupational settings (e.g., construction and industry). Thirty-eight victims of occupational accidents (injured workers) and 38 gender-, age-, and years of education-matched workers who never experienced a work accident (control group) were recruited. All participants underwent a semi-structured interview administered by a trained psychologist, and then were requested to fill in the questionnaires. Injured workers reported more severe anxious, post-traumatic and depressive symptoms, and poorer coping skills, as compared to controls. In the injured group low levels of resilience predicted post-traumatic symptomatology, whereas the degree of physical injury and the length of time since the accident did not play a predictive role. The results suggest that occupational accidents may result in a disabling psychopathological condition, and that a brief psychological evaluation should be included in the assessment of seriously injured workers. PMID:25379258

  10. [Characterization of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents in China between 1989 and 2003].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Min; Li, Tao; Wang, Huan-Qiang; Wang, Hong-Fei; Chen, Shu-Yang; Du, Xie-Yi; Zhang, Shuang; Qin, Jian

    2006-12-01

    To analyze severe acute occupational poisoning accidents reported in China between 1989 and 2003, and to study the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents and provide scientific evidences for prevention and control strategies. The data from the national occupational poisoning case reporting system were analyzed with descriptive methods. (1) There were 506 acute severe occupational poisoning accidents for 15 years with 4 657 workers poisoned. The total poisoning rate was 54.8%, and the total mortality was 16.5%. The average poisoning age was (31.9 +/- 9.8) years old and the average death age was (33.7 +/- 10.3) years old. The poisoning accidents occurred more in men than in women. (2) There were more than 112 chemicals which caused these poisoning accidents. Most of the accidents caused by hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, benzene and homologs, metal and metalloid and carbon dioxide, and the types of chemicals varied in different types of industries. (3) The accidents mainly occurred in chemical industry, manufacture, water disposal industry, mining and construction industry, and the risk was higher in some jobs than others, such as cleanout, machine maintenance and repair, production, mine and digging. The accidents occurred more frequently from April to August each year. (1) The control over the severe acute occupational poisoning is urgent. (2) The trend of the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents is centralized in the high risk industries, poisons and jobs. (3) The characteristics of the accidents varied in different types of industries. (4) It is the key point to strengthen the supervision on poisoning.

  11. 32 CFR 634.30 - Use of traffic accident investigation report data.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... interviews of victims and witnesses and in collection and preservation of physical evidence, should support... accidents. When frequent accidents occur at a location, the conditions at the location and the types of...

  12. 32 CFR 634.30 - Use of traffic accident investigation report data.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... interviews of victims and witnesses and in collection and preservation of physical evidence, should support... accidents. When frequent accidents occur at a location, the conditions at the location and the types of...

  13. 32 CFR 634.30 - Use of traffic accident investigation report data.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... interviews of victims and witnesses and in collection and preservation of physical evidence, should support... accidents. When frequent accidents occur at a location, the conditions at the location and the types of...

  14. Deciphering the impact of diagenesis overprint on negative δ13C excursions using rock magnetism: Case study of Ediacaran carbonates, Yangjiaping section, South China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macouin, Mélina; Ader, Magali; Moreau, Marie-Gabrielle; Poitou, Charles; Yang, Zhenyu; Sun, Zhimming

    2012-10-01

    Rock magnetism is used here to investigate the genesis of one of the puzzling negative carbon isotopic excursions of the Neoproterozoic in the Yangtze platform (South China). A detailed characterization of the magnetic mineralogy, which includes low-temperature and high-field magnetometry and classical magnetic measurement (ARM, IRM, susceptibility), was therefore performed along upper Doushantuo and lower Dengying Formations outcropping in the Yangjiaping section. The derived magnetic parameters show variations that can be interpreted as variations in magnetic grains size and in oxide contents. They show that the magnetic content is significantly reduced in samples presenting negative δ13Ccalcite values. We interpret this as a result of magnetite dissolution and secondary carbonate precipitation during early diagenesis bacterial sulfate reduction. Combined with C and O isotopic data, paleomagnetic techniques thus show that the upper Doushantuo-lower Dengying negative excursion of the Yangjiaping section is largely due to diagenesis, although the preservation of a genuine δ13C excursion of lower magnitude from +7‰ down to 0‰, instead of down to -9‰ as usually considered, cannot be ruled out. A corrected δ13Ccarbonate chemostratigraphic curve is therefore proposed. The unambiguous identification of a strong diagenetic component for this excursion casts doubts on the primary nature of other potentially time equivalent negative excursions of the Yangtze platform and thus to its correlation to negative excursions in other cratons (i.e. Shuram excursion). More generally, this study illustrates the potential of magnetic mineralogy characterization, a low cost, time efficient and non-destructive technique, as screening tool for diagenetic overprints of δ13C and δ18O.

  15. [Drugs and occupational accident].

    PubMed

    Bratzke, H; Albers, C

    1996-02-01

    In a case of a fatal occupational accident (construction worker, fall from roof, urine test positive for cocaine and THC, e.g. cannabis) the question arised to what extent those drug-related occupational accidents occur. In the literature only few cases, mainly dealing with cannabis influence, have been reported, however, a higher number is suspected. Cocaine and other stimulating drugs (amphetamine) are more often used to increase physical fitness. By direct or indirect interference with vigilance these compounds may provoke accidents. Due to the lack of a legal basis proving of the influence of drugs at the working place is still very limited, although highly sensitive chemical-toxicological assay procedures are available to detect even the chronic abuse (in hair). In the general conditions of accident insurances a compensation is excluded when alcohol is involved, but drugs are not mentioned. It is indeed difficult to establish a concentration limit for drugs like that existing for alcohol (1.1%). In each case the assay of the drug involved and exact knowledge of its specific effects is in an essential prerequisite to prove the causal relationship.

  16. 1994 Accident sequence precursor program results

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Belles, R.J.; Cletcher, J.W.; Copinger, D.A.

    1996-01-01

    The Accident Sequence Precursor (ASP) Program involves the systematic review and evaluation of operational events that have occurred at light-water reactors to identify and categorize precursors to potential severe core damage accident sequences. The results of the ASP Program are published in an annual report. The most recent report, which contains the analyses of the precursors for 1994, is NUREG/CR-4674, Vols. 21 and 22, Precursors to Potential Severe Core Damage Accidents: 1994, A Status Report, published in December 1995. This article provides an overview of the ASP review and evaluation process and a summary of the results for 1994. 12more » refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.« less

  17. Analysis of construction accidents in Spain, 2003-2008.

    PubMed

    López Arquillos, Antonio; Rubio Romero, Juan Carlos; Gibb, Alistair

    2012-12-01

    The research objective for this paper is to obtain a new extended and updated insight to the likely causes of construction accidents in Spain, in order to identify suitable mitigating actions. The paper analyzes all construction sector accidents in Spain between 2003 and 2008. Ten variables were chosen and the influence of each variable is evaluated with respect to the severity of the accident. The descriptive analysis is based on a total of 1,163,178 accidents. Results showed that the severity of accidents was related to variables including age, CNAE (National Classification of Economic Activities) code, size of company, length of service, location of accident, day of the week, days of absence, deviation, injury, and climatic zones. According to data analyzed, a large company is not always necessarily safer than a small company in the aspect of fatal accidents, experienced workers do not have the best accident fatality rates, and accidents occurring away from the usual workplace had more severe consequences. Results obtained in this paper can be used by companies in their occupational safety strategies, and in their safety training programs. Copyright © 2012 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Modeling secondary accidents identified by traffic shock waves.

    PubMed

    Junhua, Wang; Boya, Liu; Lanfang, Zhang; Ragland, David R

    2016-02-01

    The high potential for occurrence and the negative consequences of secondary accidents make them an issue of great concern affecting freeway safety. Using accident records from a three-year period together with California interstate freeway loop data, a dynamic method for more accurate classification based on the traffic shock wave detecting method was used to identify secondary accidents. Spatio-temporal gaps between the primary and secondary accident were proven be fit via a mixture of Weibull and normal distribution. A logistic regression model was developed to investigate major factors contributing to secondary accident occurrence. Traffic shock wave speed and volume at the occurrence of a primary accident were explicitly considered in the model, as a secondary accident is defined as an accident that occurs within the spatio-temporal impact scope of the primary accident. Results show that the shock waves originating in the wake of a primary accident have a more significant impact on the likelihood of a secondary accident occurrence than the effects of traffic volume. Primary accidents with long durations can significantly increase the possibility of secondary accidents. Unsafe speed and weather are other factors contributing to secondary crash occurrence. It is strongly suggested that when police or rescue personnel arrive at the scene of an accident, they should not suddenly block, decrease, or unblock the traffic flow, but instead endeavor to control traffic in a smooth and controlled manner. Also it is important to reduce accident processing time to reduce the risk of secondary accident. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. [Mortality in traffic accidents in Bayamo, Cuba 2011].

    PubMed

    Piña-Tornés, Arlines; González-Longoria, Lourdes; González-Pardo, Secundino; Acosta-González, Ariel; Vintimilla-Burgos, Patricio; Paspuel-Yar, Silvana

    2014-01-01

    With the objective of describing mortality from traffic accidents in Bayamo, Cuba, in 2011 a review was performed of injured and deceased patients due to traffic accidents, recorded in the Hospital Carlos M. de Céspedes. Of the 1,365 injured patients treated in the emergency room, the predominant groups were individuals aged 25 to 44 years comprising 372 patients (27.3%) and men comprising 1,071 (78.5%). 46 people died, most from the same age group and male. Multiple traumatisms (52.6%) and craniofacial trauma (34.2%) were the predominant injuries. Motor vehicle-pedestrian accidents stood out with a mortality of 26.3%. In conclusion, mortality from traffic accidents predominately occurs in young male adults, whose fatal consequences are due to multiple traumatisms from road accidents.

  20. [Fatal occupational accidents in Lombardy].

    PubMed

    Pianosi, G

    1995-01-01

    All fatal occupational accidents compensated in Lombardy from 1984 to 1989 were analyzed (1259 cases): significant differences between geographical distribution of fatal occupational accidents and workers were observed. Males accounted for about 95% of fatalities; an excess of cases was shown in both young and elderly workers. Death was the consequence of injuries involving most frequently the head, thorax and spinal cord. An excess of fatalities was observed in agriculture and, at a lower level, in manufacturing industries; small enterprises were involved in approximately 25% of fatalities occurring in the manufacturing industries and services. Employers were the victims of fatal accidents in 50% of cases in agriculture and in 70% of cases in craft industries. Construction, agriculture and transport accounted for about 50% of all fatalities. About 50% of fatal occupational accidents were related to vehicle use: the victim was the driver in the majority of cases, sometimes the victim was run over by a vehicle or fell from a vehicle. The results agree with some previous observations (e.g.: sex and age distribution; construction, agriculture and transport as working activities at high accident risk); but some original observations have emerged, in particular about the frequency of employers as victims and the role of vehicles in the genesis of fatal occupational accidents. If further studies confirm these latter observations, important developments could follow in preventive action design and implementation.

  1. Relationship of medial gastrocnemius relative fascicle excursion and ankle joint power and work performance during gait in typically developing children

    PubMed Central

    Martín Lorenzo, Teresa; Albi Rodríguez, Gustavo; Rocon, Eduardo; Martínez Caballero, Ignacio; Lerma Lara, Sergio

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Muscle fascicles lengthen in response to chronic passive stretch through in-series sarcomere addition in order to maintain an optimum sarcomere length. In turn, the muscles’ force generating capacity, maximum excursion, and contraction velocity is enhanced. Thus, longer fascicles suggest a greater capacity to develop joint power and work. However, static fascicle length measurements may not be taking sarcomere length differences into account. Thus, we considered relative fascicle excursions through passive ankle dorsiflexion may better correlate with the capacity to generate joint power and work than fascicle length. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine if medial gastrocnemius relative fascicle excursions correlate with ankle joint power and work generation during gait in typically developing children. A sample of typically developing children (n = 10) were recruited for this study and data analysis was carried out on 20 legs. Medial gastrocnemius relative fascicle excursion from resting joint angle to maximum dorsiflexion was estimated from trigonometric relations of medial gastrocnemius pennation angle and thickness obtained from B-mode real-time ultrasonography. Furthermore, a three-dimensional motion capture system was used to obtain ankle joint work and power during the stance phase of gait. Significant correlations were found between relative fascicle excursion and peak power absorption (–) r(14) = −0.61, P = .012 accounting for 31% variability, positive work r(18) = 0.56, P = .021 accounting for 31% variability, and late stance positive work r(15) = 0.51, P = .037 accounting for 26% variability. The large unexplained variance may be attributed to mechanics of neighboring structures (e.g., soleus or Achilles tendon mechanics) and proximal joint kinetics which may also contribute to ankle joint power and work performance, and were not taken into account. Further studies are encouraged to provide

  2. Laboratory accidents--a matter of attitude.

    PubMed

    Karim, N; Choe, C K

    2000-12-01

    This is a prospective study on accidents occurring in the Pathology laboratories of Hospital Ipoh over the 3-year period from January 1996 to October 1999. 15 mishaps were recorded. The location of the accidents were the histology (40%), microbiology (33%), haematology (20%) and cytology (7%) laboratories. No mishaps were reported from the clinical chemistry, blood bank and outpatient laboratories. Cuts by sharp objects were the most common injuries sustained (47%) followed by splashes and squirts by fluid such as blood or chemicals (27%). There was 1 case each of contact with biohazardous fluid, burn, allergy and accidental drinking of disinfectant. 67% of the accidents involved medical laboratory technicians, 20% involved attendants and the rest were medical officers and the junior laboratory technicians. Although the accidents reported appeared trivial, it is vital to document them and bring them to the attention of all concerned in the laboratory, in order to prevent major accidents and also because of medico-legal implications. The role of the Laboratory Safety Committee cannot be overemphasised. Modification of staff attitude is considered an important remedial goal.

  3. Accidents with biological material and immunization against hepatitis B among students from the health area.

    PubMed

    Gir, Elucir; Netto, Jeniffer Caffer; Malaguti, Silmara Elaine; Canini, Silvia Rita Marin da Silva; Hayashida, Miyeko; Machado, Alcyone Artioli

    2008-01-01

    Undergraduate students from the health area often handle piercing-cutting instruments in their academic activities, which exposes them to the risk of contracting infections. This study aimed to analyze accidents with biological material among these students. Out of 170 accidents registered, 83 (48.8%) occurred with Dentistry students, 69 (40.6%) with Medical students, 11 (6.5%) with Nursing students and in 06 (3.5%) of the cases there was no such information in the files. Most accidents, 106 (62.4%), occurred with students from private schools and 55 (32.3%) with those from public schools. Percutaneous accidents occurred in 133 (78.2%) exposures and there was immediate search for specialized health care in only 38 (21.3%) accidents. In 127 (74.7%) accidents, the immunization schedule against hepatitis B was complete. Therefore, schools need to offer courses and specific class subjects regarding biosafety measures, including aspects related to immunization, especially the vaccine against hepatitis B.

  4. Accident Response and Investigation Plan

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1995-11-01

    The purpose of this plan is to identify and define the responsibilities of the various parties involved should an accident, incident, or other occurrence (as defined herein) occur for which OCST has responsibility. In so doing, the plan: : o Defines ...

  5. Mitigating the consequences of accidents

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-08-01

    If an accident occurs, effective strategies must be available to minimize the effects in terms of loss of life, injury, and property damage. The Volpe Center's work in this area is reviewed in this report. It ranges from occupant protection strategie...

  6. Review of hydrogen accidents and incidents in NASA operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ordin, P. M.

    1974-01-01

    A number of the accidents/incidents with hydrogen in NASA operations are reviewed. The cause factors for the mishaps are reviewed and show that although few accidents occurred, the number could have been further reduced if the established NASA rules and regulations had been followed. Requirements for effective safety codes and areas of study for hydrogen safety information are included. The report concludes with a compilation of 96 hydrogen mishaps; a description of the accidents and their causes.

  7. The Tragic Bazooka Accident at Los Alamos on July 14, 1962

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Skidmore, Cary Bradford

    In recent years the Laboratory has made information (documents, photographs, and perspectives) regarding the occupational explosives accidents that killed seven men in the late 1950s more accessible to the public. While pursuing this effort, we were reminded of similar tragedies that occurred to children of the community. The purpose of this paper is to make information that has come into our hands more available to the public regarding these accidents. Following this introduction, a brief synopsis is provided for each accident. The appendices contain source documents for the 1962 accident that are not generally available. The community of Los Alamos,more » New Mexico was born out of a military post created to support the secret Manhattan Project during World War II. Security was provided by military police and some training exercises were conducted using live ordnance. In two instances unexploded ordnance (UXO) from this era was found “in the field” by residents hiking in the local area and brought into town. Tragically, handling these “bazooka” rounds as “dud” munitions resulted in death for one child and injury to several others. The first accident occurred on Saturday, September 6, 1947, which resulted in injuries to two boys, ages 5 and 12. The second accident occurred on Saturday, July 14, 1962 and resulted in the death of one five-year-old boy, and injuries to four other children, ages 6 to 10 years-old. The latter accident is the primary focus of the paper.« less

  8. British army air corps accidents, 1991-2010: a review of contrasting decades.

    PubMed

    Adams, Mark S; Curry, Ian P; Gaydos, Steven J

    2014-08-01

    Accident investigation and review are important not only to attribute failure modes, but also mitigate risk, improve safety, and enhance capability. It was hypothesized that an interesting perspective on British Army Air Corps (AAC) rotary-wing (RW) accidents may be garnered by contrasting data from the previous two decades with a general operational (OP) shift from European theaters of conflict to operations in Southwest Asia. AAC mishaps for the period from January 1991 through December 2010 were reviewed within an air safety management system. Accidents, defined by category 4 or 5 aircraft damage or death or major injury of personnel, were selected. Analysis was conducted jointly by a minimum of two specialists in aviation medicine. There were 37 accidents that occurred in 6 differing airframes at an average rate of 2.5 per 100,000 flying hours. From 1991-2000, 25 accidents (9 OP) occurred with a rate of 2.8 per 100,000 flying hours. From 2001-2010, 12 accidents (5 OP) occurred with a rate of 2.1 per 100,000 flying hours. Aircrew human factors (HF) errors represented 84% of attributable causation for both decades. Spatial disorientation (SD) represented a higher proportion of HF-related accidents for OP flying. Despite the perception of a more difficult OP theater for the latter decade, the overall rate and the proportion of OP accidents did not differ appreciably. Rather than theater-specific threats or challenges, it has been the longstanding and prominent player of HF error and specifically SD in OP flying that has remained entrenched in the causal chain.

  9. Major Railroad Accidents Involving Hazardous Materials Release, Composite Summaries 1969-1978

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1980-07-31

    This report presents composite summaries describing 75 major railroad accidents in which hazardous materials were released. The selected accidents occurred during the years 1969-1978. The data contained in the individual summaries were derived from v...

  10. Mid-Brunhes magnetic excursions in marine isotope stages 9, 13, 14, and 15 (286, 495, 540, and 590 ka) at North Atlantic IODP Sites U1302/3, U1305, and U1306

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Channell, J. E. T.

    2017-02-01

    Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Site U1302/3 (Orphan Knoll, off Newfoundland) recorded magnetic excursions in marine isotope stages (MIS) 9a (at 286 ka) and 13a (at 495 ka). Sites U1306 and U1305 (Eirik Drift, off SE Greenland) record excursions in MIS 14a/b (at 540 ka) and 15b/c (at 590 ka). In the excursion intervals, magnetic measurements of continuous "u-channel" samples from multiple holes within site are augmented by measurements of cubic (8 cm3) discrete samples. The excursions lie in relative paleointensity (RPI) minima at each site and in RPI reference stacks, and correspond to dated intervals of 10Be overproduction in other deep-sea sediment records. Although observed at multiple holes at each site, and from u-channel and discrete samples, the excursions are not observed at all three sites, and often at only one of the three sites. Sporadic recording of these magnetic excursions, and excursions in general, is attributed to a combination of filtering by the process of acquisition of detrital remanent magnetization (DRM), postdepositional overprint of weak excursion magnetizations, the millennial or even centennial duration of directional excursions, and nonuniform sedimentation rates at these timescales in North Atlantic sediment drifts.

  11. Behavior of road accidents: Structural time series approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Junus, Noor Wahida Md; Ismail, Mohd Tahir; Arsad, Zainudin

    2014-12-01

    Road accidents become a major issue in contributing to the increasing number of deaths. Few researchers suggest that road accidents occur due to road structure and road condition. The road structure and condition may differ according to the area and volume of traffic of the location. Therefore, this paper attempts to look up the behavior of the road accidents in four main regions in Peninsular Malaysia by employing a structural time series (STS) approach. STS offers the possibility of modelling the unobserved component such as trends and seasonal component and it is allowed to vary over time. The results found that the number of road accidents is described by a different model. Perhaps, the results imply that the government, especially a policy maker should consider to implement a different approach in ways to overcome the increasing number of road accidents.

  12. In search of mitochondrial mechanisms: interfield excursions between cell biology and biochemistry.

    PubMed

    Bechtel, William; Abrahamsen, Adele

    2007-01-01

    Developing models of biological mechanisms, such as those involved in respiration in cells, often requires collaborative effort drawing upon techniques developed and information generated in different disciplines. Biochemists in the early decades of the 20th century uncovered all but the most elusive chemical operations involved in cellular respiration, but were unable to align the reaction pathways with particular structures in the cell. During the period 1940-1965 cell biology was emerging as a new discipline and made distinctive contributions to understanding the role of the mitochondrion and its component parts in cellular respiration. In particular, by developing techniques for localizing enzymes or enzyme systems in specific cellular components, cell biologists provided crucial information about the organized structures in which the biochemical reactions occurred. Although the idea that biochemical operations are intimately related to and depend on cell structures was at odds with the then-dominant emphasis on systems of soluble enzymes in biochemistry, a reconceptualization of energetic processes in the 1960s and 1970s made it clear why cell structure was critical to the biochemical account. This paper examines how numerous excursions between biochemistry and cell biology contributed a new understanding of the mechanism of cellular respiration.

  13. Accidents in Germany: evaluation of the german telephone health survey 2004.

    PubMed

    Saß, Anke-Christine

    2008-09-01

    In the year 2006 there were over 19 000 fatal accidents in Germany and estimates put the number of accidental injuries at more than 8 million. Detailed information on the pattern of accidents is indispensable for the definition of priorities in accident prevention. The German Telephone Health Survey 2004 provides representative cross-sectional data on the health of German residents from 18 years of age (n = 7341). Questions on the prevalence of accidents (13 items) were selected for analysis. Every tenth interviewee reported being injured in an accident in the previous 12 months. Men, particularly young men, are at greater risk of accidents than women. Almost one third of all accidents occurred at home. Social status had no influence on the probability of having an accident, but did affect where the accident happened. The survey yields information on the overall pattern of non-fatal accidents in Germany. The data point to target groups for accident prevention measures.

  14. School accidents in Austria.

    PubMed

    Schalamon, Johannes; Eberl, Robert; Ainoedhofer, Herwig; Singer, Georg; Spitzer, Peter; Mayr, Johannes; Schober, Peter H; Hoellwarth, Michael E

    2007-09-01

    The aim of this study was to obtain information about the mechanisms and types of injuries in school in Austria. Children between 0 and 18 years of age presenting with injuries at the trauma outpatient in the Department of Pediatric Surgery in Graz and six participating hospitals in Austria were evaluated over a 2-year prospective survey. A total of 28,983 pediatric trauma cases were registered. Personal data, site of the accident, circumstances and mechanisms of accident and the related diagnosis were evaluated. At the Department of Pediatric Surgery in Graz 21,582 questionnaires were completed, out of which 2,148 children had school accidents (10%). The remaining 7,401 questionnaires from peripheral hospitals included 890 school accidents (12%). The male/female ratio was 3:2. In general, sport injuries were a predominant cause of severe trauma (42% severe injuries), compared with other activities in and outside of the school building (26% severe injuries). Injuries during ball-sports contributed to 44% of severe injuries. The upper extremity was most frequently injured (34%), followed by lower extremity (32%), head and neck area (26%) and injuries to thorax and abdomen (8%). Half of all school related injuries occur in children between 10 and 13 years of age. There are typical gender related mechanisms of accident: Boys get frequently injured during soccer, violence, and collisions in and outside of the school building and during craft work. Girls have the highest risk of injuries at ball sports other than soccer.

  15. [Spatial analysis of road traffic accidents with fatalities in Spain, 2008-2011].

    PubMed

    Gómez-Barroso, Diana; López-Cuadrado, Teresa; Llácer, Alicia; Palmera Suárez, Rocío; Fernández-Cuenca, Rafael

    2015-09-01

    To estimate the areas of greatest density of road traffic accidents with fatalities at 24 hours per km(2)/year in Spain from 2008 to 2011, using a geographic information system. Accidents were geocodified using the road and kilometer points where they occurred. The average nearest neighbor was calculated to detect possible clusters and to obtain the bandwidth for kernel density estimation. A total of 4775 accidents were analyzed, of which 73.3% occurred on conventional roads. The estimated average distance between accidents was 1,242 meters, and the average expected distance was 10,738 meters. The nearest neighbor index was 0.11, indicating that there were aggregations of accidents in space. A map showing the kernel density was obtained with a resolution of 1 km(2), which identified the areas of highest density. This methodology allowed a better approximation to locating accident risks by taking into account kilometer points. The map shows areas where there was a greater density of accidents. This could be an advantage in decision-making by the relevant authorities. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  16. How perceptions of experience-based analysis influence explanations of work accidents.

    PubMed

    Mbaye, Safiétou; Kouabenan, Dongo Rémi

    2013-12-01

    This article looks into how perceptions of experience-based analysis (EBA) influence causal explanations of accidents given by managers and workers in the chemical industry (n=409) and in the nuclear industry (n=222). The approach is based on the model of naive explanations of accidents (Kouabenan, 1999, 2006, 2009), which recommends taking into account explanations of accidents spontaneously given by individuals, including laypersons, not only to better understand why accidents occur but also to design and implement the most appropriate prevention measures. The study reported here describes the impact of perceptions about EBA (perceived effectiveness, personal commitment, and the feeling of being involved in EBA practices) on managers' and workers' explanations of accidents likely to occur at the workplace. The results indicated that both managers and workers made more internal explanations than external ones when they perceived EBA positively. Moreover, the more the participants felt involved in EBA, were committed to it, and judged it effective, the more they explained accidents in terms of factors internal to the workers. Recommendations are proposed for reducing defensive reactions, increasing personal commitment to EBA, and improving EBA effectiveness. © 2013.

  17. Fatigue failure of metal components as a factor in civil aircraft accidents

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holshouser, W. L.; Mayner, R. D.

    1972-01-01

    A review of records maintained by the National Transportation Safety Board showed that 16,054 civil aviation accidents occurred in the United States during the 3-year period ending December 31, 1969. Material failure was an important factor in the cause of 942 of these accidents. Fatigue was identified as the mode of the material failures associated with the cause of 155 accidents and in many other accidents the records indicated that fatigue failures might have been involved. There were 27 fatal accidents and 157 fatalities in accidents in which fatigue failures of metal components were definitely identified. Fatigue failures associated with accidents occurred most frequently in landing-gear components, followed in order by powerplant, propeller, and structural components in fixed-wing aircraft and tail-rotor and main-rotor components in rotorcraft. In a study of 230 laboratory reports on failed components associated with the cause of accidents, fatigue was identified as the mode of failure in more than 60 percent of the failed components. The most frequently identified cause of fatigue, as well as most other types of material failures, was improper maintenance (including inadequate inspection). Fabrication defects, design deficiencies, defective material, and abnormal service damage also caused many fatigue failures. Four case histories of major accidents are included in the paper as illustrations of some of the factors invovled in fatigue failures of aircraft components.

  18. Fatal accidents in nighttime vs. daytime highway construction work zones.

    PubMed

    Arditi, David; Lee, Dong-Eun; Polat, Gul

    2007-01-01

    Awareness about worker safety in nighttime construction has been a major concern because it is believed that nighttime construction creates hazardous work conditions. However, only a few studies provide valuable comparative information about accident characteristics of nighttime and daytime highway construction activities. This study investigates fatal accidents that occurred in Illinois highway work zones in the period 1996-2001 in order to determine the safety differences between nighttime and daytime highway construction. The lighting and weather conditions were included into the study as control parameters to see their effects on the frequency of fatal accidents occurring in work zones. According to this study, there is evidence that nighttime construction is more hazardous than daytime construction. The inclusion of a weather parameter into the analysis has limited effect on this finding. The study justifies establishing an efficient work zone accident reporting system and taking all necessary measures to enhance safety in nighttime work zones.

  19. [Analysis of work accidents during the years 1999-2006 in a hospital company in Lombardia].

    PubMed

    Melloni, P; Antoniazzi, E; Somenzi, V; Galli, L; Fazioli, R; Mottinelli, A; Franzosi, C; Cirla, A M; Gobba, E

    2007-01-01

    This study describe accidents occurred in the period between 1999 and 2006 in the Hospital of Cremona, in which about 2400 subjects operate. The analysis of Accident Register showed a reduction of about 30% of the total number of accidents during the examined period and a non homogeneous distribution of the various types of accidents. The most frequent accidents were prick (25.8%), trauma (22.9%) and "in itinere" accidents (7.8%). One type of accident has been little considered up to now: the aggressions. Professional nurses were the most frequently involved and the most affected units were those that belong to the Internal Medicine Department. "In itinere" accidents had the longest average prognosis (11.6 days). The repetition of accidents occurred to the same operator hasn't been analysed before now: a professional nurse had nine accidents (of various type) in the seven years considered. Probably the reduction of accident must be attributed to the effectiveness of the prevention activities undertaken during the reviewed period. Biological accidents, for which it was possible to implement prevention programs, have been markedly reduced; it was not the same for "In Itinere" accidents, that depend significantly on external factors that are not easily dismissed.

  20. Epidemiology of Accidents and Traumas in Qom Province in 2010

    PubMed Central

    Karami Joushin, Moharram; Saghafipour, Abedin; Noroozi, Mehdi; Soori, Hamid; Khedmati Morasae, Esmaeil

    2013-01-01

    Background Accidents are the most important public health challenges in our society. To prevent the accidents, the identification of their epidemiological features seems necessary. Objectives This study was conducted to reveal the epidemiological features of accidents and their casualties in Qom province in 2010. Patients and Methods A cross–sectional study was conducted on 29426 injured people referred to Qom province hospitals in 2010. Information about place, time, type of accidents and traumas and demographic variables had been collected in a veteran hospital. Data were analyzed by SPSS (version 16) software, using chi-square test and logistic regression. Results The incidence of accidents was about 27/1000 per year. The incidences of traffic accidents, motorcycle accidents, violence, burns, poisoning and suicides were 3, 1.6, 1.2, 0.3, 0.8, 0.37 cases per 1000 people respectively. Strikes (65%) and falls (12%) were the main causes of traumas. Forty-six percent of all injuries had occurred in 16 - 30 years groups. Most frequent accidents were as follows: fall (97%) and strike (50%) in < 12, violence (46%) in 20 - 29, suicide (71%) in 15 - 29, poisoning (34%) and burns (20%) among < 5 years old. Pedestrian and motorcycle accidents among +60 years old people were significantly higher than other (P = 0.000). Odds ratio for suicide among female was about 3.36 and in 16 - 30 age-group was 15.7 more than +60 years old group (P = 0.000). Conclusions Most traumas in Qom province occurred among younger age-groups and strikes and falls are the main causes of such traumas. Therefore, safeties to prevent falls and traffic regulations to reduce strikes can be effective strategies. PMID:24693520

  1. Epidemiology of accidents and traumas in qom province in 2010.

    PubMed

    Karami Joushin, Moharram; Saghafipour, Abedin; Noroozi, Mehdi; Soori, Hamid; Khedmati Morasae, Esmaeil

    2013-12-01

    Accidents are the most important public health challenges in our society. To prevent the accidents, the identification of their epidemiological features seems necessary. This study was conducted to reveal the epidemiological features of accidents and their casualties in Qom province in 2010. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 29426 injured people referred to Qom province hospitals in 2010. Information about place, time, type of accidents and traumas and demographic variables had been collected in a veteran hospital. Data were analyzed by SPSS (version 16) software, using chi-square test and logistic regression. The incidence of accidents was about 27/1000 per year. The incidences of traffic accidents, motorcycle accidents, violence, burns, poisoning and suicides were 3, 1.6, 1.2, 0.3, 0.8, 0.37 cases per 1000 people respectively. Strikes (65%) and falls (12%) were the main causes of traumas. Forty-six percent of all injuries had occurred in 16 - 30 years groups. Most frequent accidents were as follows: fall (97%) and strike (50%) in < 12, violence (46%) in 20 - 29, suicide (71%) in 15 - 29, poisoning (34%) and burns (20%) among < 5 years old. Pedestrian and motorcycle accidents among +60 years old people were significantly higher than other (P = 0.000). Odds ratio for suicide among female was about 3.36 and in 16 - 30 age-group was 15.7 more than +60 years old group (P = 0.000). Most traumas in Qom province occurred among younger age-groups and strikes and falls are the main causes of such traumas. Therefore, safeties to prevent falls and traffic regulations to reduce strikes can be effective strategies.

  2. Curve Estimation of Number of People Killed in Traffic Accidents in Turkey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berkhan Akalin, Kadir; Karacasu, Murat; Altin, Arzu Yavuz; Ergül, Bariş

    2016-10-01

    One or more than one vehicle in motion on the highway involving death, injury and loss events which have resulted are called accidents. As a result of increasing population and traffic density, traffic accidents continue to increase and this leads to both human losses and harm to the economy. In addition, also leads to social problems. As a result of increasing population and traffic density, traffic accidents continue to increase and this leads to both human losses and harm to the economy. In addition to this, it also leads to social problems. As a result of traffic accidents, millions of people die year by year. A great majority of these accidents occur in developing countries. One of the most important tasks of transportation engineers is to reduce traffic accidents by creating a specific system. For that reason, statistical information about traffic accidents which occur in the past years should be organized by versed people. Factors affecting the traffic accidents are analyzed in various ways. In this study, modelling the number of people killed in traffic accidents in Turkey is determined. The dead people were modelled using curve fitting method with the number of people killed in traffic accidents in Turkey dataset between 1990 and 2014. It was also predicted the number of dead people by using various models for the future. It is decided that linear model is suitable for the estimates.

  3. Nuclear Accidents in the Former Soviet Union: Kyshtym, Chelyabinsk and Chernobyl

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-01-01

    in the Former Soviet Union: Kyshtym, Chelyabinsk and Chernobyl DNA/AFRRI 4020 *. AUTHORIS) Daniel L. Collins, Ph.D. Lt Col, USAF lE L E T E 1...sJ Three nuclear accidents besides Chernobyl have occurred in the Former Soviet Union (FSU). The accidents occurred over the geographic area around...enviromental chemicals. 94,1 126 14. SUBJECT TERMS 16. NUMBER OF PAGES Kyshtym, Chelyabinsk, Chernobyl , REM, human, psychological 0 radiation 90Sr, Curies

  4. Modelling tendon excursions and moment arms of the finger flexors: anatomic fidelity versus function.

    PubMed

    Kociolek, Aaron M; Keir, Peter J

    2011-07-07

    A detailed musculoskeletal model of the human hand is needed to investigate the pathomechanics of tendon disorders and carpal tunnel syndrome. The purpose of this study was to develop a biomechanical model with realistic flexor tendon excursions and moment arms. An existing upper extremity model served as a starting point, which included programmed movement of the index finger. Movement capabilities were added for the other fingers. Metacarpophalangeal articulations were modelled as universal joints to simulate flexion/extension and abduction/adduction while interphalangeal articulations used hinges to represent flexion. Flexor tendon paths were modelled using two approaches. The first method constrained tendons with control points, representing annular pulleys. The second technique used wrap objects at the joints as tendon constraints. Both control point and joint wrap models were iteratively adjusted to coincide with tendon excursions and moment arms from a anthropometric regression model using inputs for a 50th percentile male. Tendon excursions from the joint wrap method best matched the regression model even though anatomic features of the tendon paths were not preserved (absolute differences: mean<0.33 mm, peak<0.74 mm). The joint wrap model also produced similar moment arms to the regression (absolute differences: mean<0.63 mm, peak<1.58 mm). When a scaling algorithm was used to test anthropometrics, the scaled joint wrap models better matched the regression than the scaled control point models. Detailed patient-specific anatomical data will improve model outcomes for clinical use; however, population studies may benefit from simplified geometry, especially with anthropometric scaling. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Analysis of Crew Fatigue in AIA Guantanamo Bay Aviation Accident

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rosekind, Mark R.; Gregory, Kevin B.; Miller, Donna L.; Co, Elizabeth L.; Lebacqz, J. Victor; Statler, Irving C. (Technical Monitor)

    1994-01-01

    Flight operations can engender fatigue, which can affect flight crew performance, vigilance, and mood. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) requested the NASA Fatigue Countermeasures Program to analyze crew fatigue factors in an aviation accident that occurred at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There are specific fatigue factors that can be considered in such investigations: cumulative sleep loss, continuous hours of wakefulness prior to the incident or accident, and the time of day at which the accident occurred. Data from the NTSB Human Performance Investigator's Factual Report, the Operations Group Chairman's Factual Report, and the Flight 808 Crew Statements were analyzed, using conservative estimates and averages to reconcile discrepancies among the sources. Analysis of these data determined the following: the entire crew displayed cumulative sleep loss, operated during an extended period of continuous wakefulness, and obtained sleep at times in opposition to the circadian disposition for sleep, and that the accident occurred in the afternoon window of physiological sleepiness. In addition to these findings, evidence that fatigue affected performance was suggested by the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript as well as in the captain's testimony. Examples from the CVR showed degraded decision-making skills, fixation, and slowed responses, all of which can be affected by fatigue; also, the captain testified to feeling "lethargic and indifferent" just prior to the accident. Therefore, the sleep/wake history data supports the hypothesis that fatigue was a factor that affected crewmembers' performance. Furthermore, the examples from the CVR and the captain's testimony support the hypothesis that the fatigue had an impact on specific actions involved in the occurrence of the accident.

  6. Civilian Helicopter Search and Rescue Accidents in the United States: 1980 Through 2013.

    PubMed

    Worley, Gordon H

    2015-12-01

    Helicopters are commonly used in search and rescue operations, and accidents have occurred during helicopter search and rescue (HSAR) missions. The purposes of this study were to investigate whether the HSAR accident rate in the United States could be determined and whether any common contributing factors or trends could be identified. Searches were conducted of the National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident database, the records of the major search and rescue and air medical organizations, and the medical and professional literature for reports of HSAR accidents. A total of 47 civilian HSAR accidents were identified during the study. Of these, 43% involved fatal injuries, compared with a 19% fatality rate for US helicopter general aviation accidents during the same time period and a 40% rate for helicopter emergency medical services. The HSAR accidents carried a significantly higher risk of fatal outcomes when compared with helicopter general aviation accidents (2-tailed Fisher's exact test, P < .0005). Accidents that occurred at night and under instrument meteorological conditions did not have a statistically significant increase in percentage of fatal outcomes (P > .05). The number of HSAR missions conducted annually could not be established, so an overall accident rate could not be calculated. Although the overall number of HSAR accidents is small, the percentage of fatal outcomes from HSAR accidents is significantly higher than that from general helicopter aviation accidents and is comparable to that seen for helicopter emergency medical services operations. Further study could help to improve the safety of HSAR flights. Copyright © 2015 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. REAC/TS Radiation Accident Registry: An Overview

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Doran M. Christensen, DO, REAC /TS Associate Director and Staff Physician Becky Murdock, REAC/TS Registry and Health Physics Technician

    2012-12-12

    Over the past four years, REAC/TS has presented a number of case reports from its Radiation Accident Registry. Victims of radiological or nuclear incidents must meet certain dose criteria for an incident to be categorized as an “accident” and be included in the registry. Although the greatest numbers of “accidents” in the United States that have been entered into the registry involve radiation devices, the greater percentage of serious accidents have involved sealed sources of one kind or another. But if one looks at the kinds of accident scenarios that have resulted in extreme consequence, i.e., death, the greater sharemore » of deaths has occurred in medical settings.« less

  8. Characteristics of worker accidents on NYSDOT construction projects.

    PubMed

    Mohan, Satish; Zech, Wesley C

    2005-01-01

    This paper aims at providing cost-effective safety measures to protect construction workers in highway work zones, based on real data. Two types of accidents that occur in work zones were: (a) construction work area accidents, and (b) traffic accidents involving construction worker(s). A detailed analysis of work zone accidents involving 36 fatalities and 3,055 severe injuries to construction workers on New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) construction projects from 1990 to 2001 established that five accident types: (a) Struck/Pinned by Large Equipment, (b) Trip or Fall (elevated), (c) Contact w/Electrical or Gas Utility, (d) Struck-by Moving/Falling Load, and (e) Crane/Lift Device Failure accounted for nearly 96% of the fatal accidents, nearly 63% of the hospital-level injury accidents, and nearly 91% of the total costs. These construction work area accidents had a total cost of $133.8 million. Traffic accidents that involve contractors' employees were also examined. Statistical analyses of the traffic accidents established that five traffic accident types: (a) Work Space Intrusion, (b) Worker Struck-by Vehicle Inside Work Space, (c) Flagger Struck-by Vehicle, (d) Worker Struck-by Vehicle Entering/Exiting Work Space, and (e) Construction Equipment Struck-by Vehicle Inside Work Space accounted for nearly 86% of the fatal, nearly 70% of the hospital-level injury and minor injury traffic accidents, and $45.4 million (79.4%) of the total traffic accident costs. The results of this paper provide real statistics on construction worker related accidents reported on construction work zones. Potential preventions based on real statistics have also been suggested. The ranking of accident types, both within the work area as well as in traffic, will guide the heavy highway contractor and owner agencies in identifying the most cost effective safety preventions.

  9. Avalanche Accidents Causing Fatalities: Are They Any Different in the Summer?

    PubMed

    Pasquier, Mathieu; Hugli, Olivier; Kottmann, Alexandre; Techel, Frank

    2017-03-01

    Pasquier, Mathieu, Olivier Hugli, Alexandre Kottmann, and Frank Techel. Avalanche accidents causing fatalities: are they any different in the summer? High Alt Med Biol. 18:67-72, 2017. This retrospective study investigated the epidemiology of summer avalanche accidents that occurred in Switzerland and caused at least one fatality between 1984 and 2014. Summer avalanche accidents were defined as those that occurred between June 1st and October 31st. Summer avalanches caused 21 (4%) of the 482 avalanches with at least one fatality occurring during the study period, and 40 (6%) of the 655 fatalities. The number of completely buried victims per avalanche and the proportion of complete burials among trapped people were lower in summer than in winter. Nevertheless, the mean number of fatalities per avalanche was higher in summer than in winter: 1.9 ± 1.2 (standard deviation; range 1-6) versus 1.3 ± 0.9 (range 1-7; p < 0.001). Trauma was the presumed cause of death in 94% (33 of 35) in summer avalanche accidents. Sixty-five percent of fully buried were found due to visual clues at the snow surface. Fatal summer avalanche accidents caused a higher mean number of fatalities per avalanche than winter avalanches, and those deaths resulted mostly from trauma. Rescue teams should anticipate managing polytrauma for victims in summer avalanche accidents rather than hypothermia or asphyxia; they should be trained in prehospital trauma life support and equipped accordingly to ensure efficient patient care.

  10. Airway accidents in critical care unit: A 3-year retrospective study in a Public Teaching Hospital of Eastern India

    PubMed Central

    Dasgupta, Sugata; Singh, Shipti Shradha; Chaudhuri, Arunima; Bhattacharya, Dipasri; Choudhury, Sourav Das

    2016-01-01

    Background: Although tracheal tubes are essential devices to control and protect airway in a critical care unit (CCU), they are not free from complications. Aims: To document the incidence and nature of airway accidents in the CCU of a government teaching hospital in Eastern India. Methods: Retrospective analysis of all airway accidents in a 5-bedded (medical and surgical) CCU. The number, types, timing, and severity of airway accidents were analyzed. Results: The total accident rate was 19 in 233 intubated and/or tracheostomized patients over 1657 tube days (TDs) during 3 years. Fourteen occurred in 232 endotracheally intubated patients over 1075 endotracheal tube (ETT) days, and five occurred in 44 tracheostomized patients over 580 tracheostomy TDs. Fifteen accidents were due to blocked tubes. Rest four were unplanned extubations (UEs), all being accidental extubations. All blockages occurred during night shifts and all UEs during day shifts. Five accidents were mild, the rest moderate. No major accident led to cardiorespiratory arrest or death. All blockages occurred after 7th day of intubation. The outcome of accidents were more favorable in tracheostomy group compared to ETT group (P = 0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of airway accidents was 8.2 accidents per 100 patients. Blockages were the most common accidents followed by UEs. Ten out of the 15 blockages and all 4 UEs were in endotracheally intubated patients. Tracheostomized patients had 5 blockages and no UEs. PMID:27076709

  11. 10-year evaluation of train accidents.

    PubMed

    Akkaş, Meltem; Ay, Didem; Metin Aksu, Nalan; Günalp, Müge

    2011-09-01

    Although less frequent than automobile accidents, train accidents have a major impact on victims' lives. Records of patients older than 16 years of age admitted to the Adult Emergency Department of Hacettepe University Medical Center due to train accidents were retrospectively evaluated. 44 patients (30 males, 14 females) with a mean age of 31.8±11.4 years were included in the study. The majority of the accidents occurred during commuting hours. 37 patients were discharged, 22 of them from the emergency department. The mortality rate was 7/44 (16%). Overall mean Revised Trauma Score (RTS) was 10.5 (3 in deaths and 11.9 in survivors). In 5 patients, the cause of death was pelvic trauma leading to major vascular injury and lower limb amputation. In 1 patient, thorax and abdomen trauma and in 1 patient head injury were the causes of mortality. Primary risk factors for mortality were alcohol intoxication (100%), cardiopulmonary resuscitation on admittance (100%), recurrent suicide attempt (75%), presence of psychiatric illness (60%), and low RTS. In this study, most train accidents causing minor injuries were due to falling from the train prior to acceleration. Nevertheless, train accidents led to a mortality rate of 16% and morbidity rate of 37%. These findings draw attention to the importance of developing preventive strategies.

  12. Multiple High-Frequency Carbon Isotope Excursions Across the Precambrian-Cambrian Boundary: Implications for Correlations and Environmental Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, E. F.; Macdonald, F. A.; Schrag, D. P.; Laakso, T.

    2014-12-01

    The GSSP Precambrian-Cambrian boundary in Newfoundland is defined by the first appearance datum (FAD) of Treptichnus pedum, which is considered to be roughly coincident with the FAD of small shelly fossils (SSFs) and a large negative carbon isotope excursion. An association between the FAD of T. pedum and a negative carbon isotope excursion has previously been documented in Northwest Canada (Narbonne et al., 1994) and Death Valley (Corsetti and Hagadorn, 2000), and since then has been used as an chronostratigraphic marker of the boundary, particularly in siliciclastic poor sections that do not preserve T. pedum. Here we present new high-resolution carbon isotope (δ13C ) chemostratigraphy from multiple sections in western Mongolia and the western United States that span the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition. High-resolution sampling (0.2-1 m) reveals that instead of one large negative excursion, there are multiple, high-frequency negative excursions with an overall negative trend during the latest Ediacaran. These data help to more precisely calibrate changes in the carbon cycle across the boundary as well as to highlight the potential problem of identifying the boundary with just a few negative δ13C values. We then use a simple carbon isotope box model to explore relationships between phosphorous delivery to the ocean, oxygenation, alkalinity, and turnovers in carbonate secreting organisms. Corsetti, F.A., and Hagadorn, J.W., 2000, Precambrian-Cambrian transition: Death Valley, United States: Geology, v. 28, no. 4, p. 299-302. Narbonne, G.M., Kaufman, A.J., and Knoll, A.H., 1994, Integrated chemostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Windermere Supergroup, northwestern Canada: Implications for Neoproterozoic correlations and the early evolution of animals: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 106, no. 10, p. 1281-1292.

  13. Severe Accident Scoping Simulations of Accident Tolerant Fuel Concepts for BWRs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Robb, Kevin R.

    2015-08-01

    CrAl would tend to generate heat and hydrogen from oxidation at a slower rate compared to the zirconium-based alloys in use today. The previous study, [2], of the FeCrAl ATF concept during station blackout (SBO) severe accident scenarios in BWRs was based on simulating short term SBO (STSBO), long term SBO (LTSBO), and modified SBO scenarios occurring in a BWR-4 reactor with MARK-I containment. The analysis indicated that FeCrAl had the potential to delay the onset of fuel failure by a few hours depending on the scenario, and it could delay lower head failure by several hours. The analysis demonstrated reduced in-vessel hydrogen production. However, the work was preliminary and was based on limited knowledge of material properties for FeCrAl. Limitations of the MELCOR code were identified for direct use in modeling ATF concepts. This effort used an older version of MELCOR (1.8.5). Since these analyses, the BWR model has been updated for use in MELCOR 1.8.6 [10], and more representative material properties for FeCrAl have been modeled. Sections 2 4 present updated analyses for the FeCrAl ATF concept response during severe accidents in a BWR. The purpose of the study is to estimate the potential gains afforded by the FeCrAl ATF concept during BWR SBO scenarios.« less

  14. Comparison of Dynamic Balance in Collegiate Field Hockey and Football Players Using Star Excursion Balance Test

    PubMed Central

    Bhat, Rashi; Moiz, Jamal Ali

    2013-01-01

    Purpose The preliminary study aimed to compare dynamic balance between collegiate athletes competing or training in football and hockey using star excursion balance test. Methods A total thirty university level players, football (n = 15) and field hockey (n = 15) were participated in the study. Dynamic balance was assessed by using star excursion balance test. The testing grid consists of 8 lines each 120 cm in length extending from a common point at 45° increments. The subjects were instructed to maintain a stable single leg stance with the test leg with shoes off and to reach for maximal distance with the other leg in each of the 8 directions. A pencil was used to point and read the distance to which each subject's foot reached. The normalized leg reach distances in each direction were summed for both limbs and the total sum of the mean of summed normalized distances of both limbs were calculated. Results There was no significant difference in all the directions of star excursion balance test scores in both the groups. Additionally, composite reach distances of both groups also found non-significant (P=0.5). However, the posterior (P=0.05) and lateral (P=0.03) normalized reach distances were significantly more in field hockey players. Conclusion Field hockey players and football players did not differ in terms of dynamic balance. PMID:24427482

  15. Comparison of dynamic balance in collegiate field hockey and football players using star excursion balance test.

    PubMed

    Bhat, Rashi; Moiz, Jamal Ali

    2013-09-01

    The preliminary study aimed to compare dynamic balance between collegiate athletes competing or training in football and hockey using star excursion balance test. A total thirty university level players, football (n = 15) and field hockey (n = 15) were participated in the study. Dynamic balance was assessed by using star excursion balance test. The testing grid consists of 8 lines each 120 cm in length extending from a common point at 45° increments. The subjects were instructed to maintain a stable single leg stance with the test leg with shoes off and to reach for maximal distance with the other leg in each of the 8 directions. A pencil was used to point and read the distance to which each subject's foot reached. The normalized leg reach distances in each direction were summed for both limbs and the total sum of the mean of summed normalized distances of both limbs were calculated. There was no significant difference in all the directions of star excursion balance test scores in both the groups. Additionally, composite reach distances of both groups also found non-significant (P=0.5). However, the posterior (P=0.05) and lateral (P=0.03) normalized reach distances were significantly more in field hockey players. Field hockey players and football players did not differ in terms of dynamic balance.

  16. Glider accidents: an analysis of 143 cases, 2001-2005.

    PubMed

    van Doorn, Robert R A; de Voogt, Alexander J

    2007-01-01

    The majority of aviation crashes and casualties take place in general and sport aviation. Although gliding has gained popularity in recent decades, we could find no systematic analysis of glider accidents. This study determined factors associated with both non-fatal and fatal glider accidents to document their position within sport and general aviation accidents, and to suggest preventive measures and improvements. We performed a retrospective review of glider accidents for the period 2001-2005 in the database maintained by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). A total of 117 non-fatal and 26 fatal glider accidents were reported for the 5-yr period. Adverse weather was the cause in 20% of all non-fatal accidents, 60% of which occurred in the cruise phase. Logistic regression revealed that fatal accidents were predicted by pilot error, flight phase, and home-built aircraft. Factors contributing to glider crashes are specific to this type of sport aviation. Owners of home-built gliders should pay particular attention to the aircraft's specifications and design limits.

  17. Study on the Accident-causing of Foundation Pit Engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shuicheng, Tian; Xinyue, Zhang; Pengfei, Yang; Longgang, Chen

    2018-05-01

    With the development of high-rise buildings and underground space, a large number of foundation pit projects have occurred. Frequent accidents of it cause great losses to the society, how to reduce the frequency of pit accidents has become one of the most urgent problems to be solved. Therefore, analysing the influencing factors of foundation pit engineering accidents and studying the causes of foundation pit accidents, which of great significance for improving the safety management level of foundation pit engineering and reducing the incidence of foundation pit accidents. Firstly, based on literature review and questionnaires, this paper selected construction management, survey, design, construction, supervision and monitoring as research factors, we used the AHP method and the Dematel method to analyze the weights of various influencing factors to screen indicators to determine the ultimate system of accidents caused by foundation pit accidents; Secondly, SPSS 21.0 software was used to test the reliability and validity of the recovered questionnaire data. AMOS 7.0 software was used to fit, evaluate, and explain the set model; Finally, this paper analysed the influencing factors of foundation pit engineering accidents, corresponding management countermeasures and suggestions were put forward.

  18. Aftereffect Calculation and Prediction of Methanol Tank Leak’s Environmental Risk Accident

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lang, Yueting; Zheng, Lina; Chen, Henan; Wang, Qiushi; Jiang, Hui; Pan, Yiwen

    2018-01-01

    With the increasing frequency of environmental risk accidents, more emphasis was placed on environmental risk assessment. In this article, the aftermath of an Environmental Risk Accident on Methanol Tank Leakage occurred on a cryogenic unit area in a certain oilfield processing plant have been mainly calculated and predicted. Major hazards were identified through the major hazards identification on dangerous chemicals, which could afterwards analyze maximum credible accident and confirm source item and the source intensity. In the end, the consequence of the accident has been calculated so that the impact on surrounding environment can be predicted after the accident.

  19. Meaning of missing values in eyewitness recall and accident records.

    PubMed

    Uttl, Bob; Kisinger, Kelly

    2010-09-02

    Eyewitness recalls and accident records frequently do not mention the conditions and behaviors of interest to researchers and lead to missing values and to uncertainty about the prevalence of these conditions and behaviors surrounding accidents. Missing values may occur because eyewitnesses report the presence but not the absence of obvious clues/accident features. We examined this possibility. Participants watched car accident videos and were asked to recall as much information as they could remember about each accident. The results showed that eyewitnesses were far more likely to report the presence of present obvious clues than the absence of absent obvious clues even though they were aware of their absence. One of the principal mechanisms causing missing values may be eyewitnesses' tendency to not report the absence of obvious features. We discuss the implications of our findings for both retrospective and prospective analyses of accident records, and illustrate the consequences of adopting inappropriate assumptions about the meaning of missing values using the Avaluator Avalanche Accident Prevention Card.

  20. IODP Expedition 303 (North Atlantic): Excursions and Reversals in the Brunhes and Matuyama Chrons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Channell, J. E.; Mazaud, A.; Stoner, J. S.

    2005-12-01

    The primary objective of IODP Expedition 303 (Sept.-Nov., 2004) was to recover complete and continuous records of Pliocene-Quaternary millennial-scale environmental and geomagnetic variability, and place these records into high-resolution isotopic and magnetic stratigraphies (including relative paleointensity). Some of the Exp. 303 site locations (Orphan Knoll, Eirik and Gardar Drifts, and DSDP Site 609) have already been instrumental in developing marine records of suborbital climate variability for the last climate cycle, and the goal of Exp. 303 was to extend the records back through the Quaternary and into the Pliocene. High mean sedimentation rates (15-20 cm/ky) at sites located on Orphan Knoll (Site U1302/3), Eirik Drift (Sites U1305 and U1306) and Gardar Drift (Site U1304) have resulted in shipboard records of excursions and reversals in the Brunhes and Matuyama Chrons. Site U1308 (DSDP Site 609) has lower mean sedimentation rate (7.9 cm/kyr) and extends the record into the Gauss Chron to ~3.1 Ma. Initial u-channel magnetic data support the existence of a number of polarity excursions in the Matuyama Chron, but only a single polarity excursion (Iceland Basin Event) has so far been observed in the Brunhes Chron. The Matuyama-Brunhes (M-B) polarity reversal yields virtual geomagnetic polar (VGP) paths that are reminiscent of those recovered from the northern Gardar and Bjorn drifts during ODP Leg 162. VGP clusters in the South Atlantic and off NE Asia accompany a Pacific loop, in what appears to be a repetitive but complex pattern for the M-B transition recorded in 9 holes from three Exp. 303 North Atlantic sites.

  1. Prognostic value of early in-hospital glycemic excursion in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction.

    PubMed

    Su, Gong; Mi, Shu-hua; Li, Zhao; Tao, Hong; Yang, Hong-xia; Zheng, Hong

    2013-02-11

    Acute phase hyperglycemia has been associated with increased mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the predictive value of glycemic excursion for adverse outcome in elderly AMI patients is not clear. The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of early in-hospital glycemic excursion and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) for one-year major adverse cardiac event (MACE) in elderly patients with AMI. We studied 186 elderly AMI patients, whose clinical data were collected and the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score were calculated on admission. The fluctuations of blood glucose in patients were measured by a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) for 72 hours. Participants were grouped into tertiles of mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE) and grouped into HbA1c levels (as ≥6.5% or <6.5%). The MACE of patients, including new-onset myocardial infarction, acute heart failure and cardiac death, was documented during one year follow-up. The relationship of MAGE and HbA1c to the incidence of MACE in elderly AMI patients was analyzed. In all participants, a higher MAGE level was associated with the higher GRACE score (r = 0.335, p < 0.001). The rate of MACE by MAGE tertiles (>3.94 mmol/L, 2.55-3.94 mmol/L or <2.55 mmol/L) was 30.2% vs. 14.8% vs. 8.1%, respectively (p = 0.004); by HbA1c category (≥6.5% vs. <6.5%) was 22.7% vs. 14.4%, respectively (p = 0.148). Elderly AMI patients with a higher MAGE level had a significantly higher cardiac mortality. In multivariable analysis, high MAGE level was significantly associated with incidence of MACE (HR 3.107, 95% CI 1.190-8.117, p = 0.021) even after adjusting for GRACE risk score, but HbA1c was not. The early in-hospital intraday glycemic excursion may be an important predictor of mortality and MACE even stronger than HbA1c in elderly patients after AMI.

  2. Effect of Subspine Decompression on Rectus Femoris Integrity and Iliopsoas Excursion: A Cadaveric Study.

    PubMed

    El-Shaar, Rami; Stanton, Michael; Biehl, Scott; Giordano, Brian

    2015-10-01

    To determine the relative influence of anteroinferior iliac spine (AIIS) or subspine decompression on proximal rectus femoris integrity and iliopsoas excursion throughout a physiological range of motion. Nineteen cadaveric hips from 10 specimens were dissected to retain the origin of the rectus femoris direct and indirect heads. The anatomic footprints of the origins were measured with calipers. Serial 5-mm resections of the AIIS were made to determine the extent of proximal tendon disruption that corresponded to each resection. Iliopsoas tendon tracking was also assessed after sequential AIIS decompression by measuring the excursion of the medial border of the iliopsoas tendon as it traveled from its native resting position to the point where it first encountered bony impingement at the AIIS. The mean proximal-distal footprint of the rectus femoris direct head was 17.95 ± 2.99 mm. The mean medial-lateral distance was 11.84 ± 2.34 mm. There was a consistent bare area along the inferior aspect of the AIIS that averaged 4.84 ± 1.42 mm. The average percentage of remaining footprint after each 5-mm resection (5 to 25 mm) was 96%, 65%, 35%, 14%, and 11%, respectively, with statistical significance noted after resections larger than 5 mm (P < .001). The native excursion distance of the iliopsoas tendon was 14.05 mm. With each 5-mm resection, the percentage of excursion before impingement on the AIIS increased by 18%, 45%, 72%, 95%, and 100%, respectively, which was statistically significance after all resections (P < .001). Our study maps the anatomic footprint of the direct head of the rectus femoris tendon and confirms a previously identified bare area along the inferior aspect of the AIIS. Female cadaveric hips had a significantly smaller rectus footprint than male cadavers in our study (P < .001). Subspine decompression greater than 10 mm significantly compromises the rectus femoris origin and should be avoided when performing arthroscopic AIIS decompression. In

  3. The Mono Lake geomagnetic excursion recorded in loess: Its application as time marker and implications for its geomagnetic nature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hambach, U.; Hark, M.; Zeeden, C.; Reddersen, B.; Zöller, L.; Fuchs, M.

    2009-04-01

    . The directional palaeomagnetic record is of high quality and shows variations in the bandwidth of secular variation in the upper and in the lower part of the section, whereas in the central part shallow (? 30˚ ) and oversteep inclinations reveal the record of a geomagnetic excursion just above the find horizon. The shallow inclinations are preceded by and go along with westerly declinations, whereas the steep inclinations are preceded by easterly declinations. This directional pattern is similar to what was found at the Mono Lake in California (e.g. Liddicoat and Coe, 1979; Lund et al., 1988). A relative palaeointensity (RPI) record was constructed by using MS and ARM as normalisers. This record corresponds quite well to the GLOPIS (Laj et al., 2004) and thus provides additional dating. The peak of the directional excursion coincides with a relative minimum of RPI. The average RPI during the excursional interval, however, is significantly higher than during normal periods, contrary to what is usually reported. Furthermore, just before and after the directional excursion the highest values of RPI occur. The largest amplitude of the directional excursion does not correspond to the well defined minimum in RPI preceding this interval which is usually taken for the MLE in the marine RPI records. This offset between the RPI and the directional record may indicate the presence of strong non-dipole components and may also explain the blur in dating of the MLE. The calculated VGPs of the directional excursion lie over North America but do not correspond to the looping behaviour as reported from the Mono Lake VGPs itself (Liddicoat and Coe, 1979). The cultural layer at the Krems-Wachtberg site is located in the centre of the RPI minimum which is slightly older than the peak of the directional excursion. The radiocarbon ages from the cultural layer (~27 ka 14C age BP = ~32 ka calendric age calBP) fit well to the age estimates of the MLE at the Mono Lake based on radiocarbon

  4. Analysis of Occupational Accident Fatalities and Injuries Among Male Group in Iran Between 2008 and 2012

    PubMed Central

    Alizadeh, Seyed Shamseddin; Mortazavi, Seyed Bagher; Sepehri, Mohammad Mehdi

    2015-01-01

    Background: Because of occupational accidents, permanent disabilities and deaths occur and economic and workday losses emerge. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the factors responsible for occupational accidents occurred in Iran. Patients and Methods: The current study analyzed 1464 occupational accidents recorded by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs’ offices in Iran during 2008 - 2012. At first, general understanding of accidents was obtained using descriptive statistics. Afterwards, the chi-square test and Cramer’s V statistic (Vc) were used to determine the association between factors influencing the type of injury as occupational accident outcomes. Results: There was no significant association between marital status and time of day with the type of injury. However, activity sector, cause of accident, victim’s education, age of victim and victim’s experience were significantly associated with the type of injury. Conclusions: Successful accident prevention relies largely on knowledge about the causes of accidents. In any accident control activity, particularly in occupational accidents, correctly identifying high-risk groups and factors influencing accidents is the key to successful interventions. Results of this study can cause to increase accident awareness and enable workplace’s management to select and prioritize problem areas and safety system weakness in workplaces. PMID:26568848

  5. In-hospital paediatric accidents: an integrative review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Da Rin Della Mora, R; Bagnasco, A; Sasso, L

    2012-12-01

    Paediatric hospitals can be perceived by children, parents, health professionals as 'safe' places, but accidents do occur. To review publications relating to in-hospital paediatric accidents and highlight the state-of-the-science concerning this issue especially in relation to falls, and the evolution of research addressing this issue. Integrative review of papers published before March 2011 on accidents and falls occurred in hospitalized children. Electronic databases (PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Cochrane Library databases) and further hand searching through references were searched. The inclusion criteria were articles involving observational, quasi-experimental or experimental studies in English or Italian. Exclusion criteria were articles addressing the outcomes of falls caused by suspect violence on children. Thirteen studies in English were included. Of the 13 studies conducted between 1963 and 2010, 10 had been conducted in the last 5 years; 10 in the USA. The studies were divided into two categories: contextualization and prevention of the 'accident' or 'fall' phenomenon (10 studies), and fall risk assessment (three studies). The most frequent type of design was observational explorative/descriptive. Several areas of investigation were explored (hazardous environment, children's characteristics correlated to accidents/falls, characteristics of the accidents/falls and their outcomes, paediatric fall risk factors and risk assessment tools, fall risk prevention programmes, parents' perceptions of accident/fall risks, etc.). No comparable methods were used to investigate the contextualization and prevention of the 'accident' and 'fall' phenomena; proposed fall risk assessment tools were not evaluated for their reliability and validity. Consensus would be needed around the approach to accidents in terms of: the definition of 'accident' and 'fall'; 'fall-related injury' and respective classifications; the frequency and

  6. Glycemic excursions are positively associated with changes in duration of asymptomatic hypoglycemia after treatment intensification in patients with type 2 diabetes.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jun-Sing; Lee, I-Te; Lee, Wen-Jane; Lin, Shi-Dou; Su, Shih-Li; Tu, Shih-Te; Tseng, Yao-Hsien; Lin, Shih-Yi; Sheu, Wayne Huey-Herng

    2016-03-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the association between glycemic excursions and duration of hypoglycemia after treatment intensification in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Patients with T2D on oral anti-diabetes drug (OAD) with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of 7.0-11.0% were switched to metformin monotherapy (500 mg thrice daily) for 8 weeks, followed by randomization to either glibenclamide or acarbose as add-on treatment for 16 weeks. Glycemic excursions were assessed as mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE) with 72-h ambulatory continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) before randomization and at the end of study. Hypoglycemia was defined as sensor glucose level of less than 60 mg/dl in two or more consecutive readings from CGM. A total of 50 patients (mean age 53.5 ± 8.2 years, male 48%, mean baseline HbA1c 8.4 ± 1.2%) were analyzed. Duration of hypoglycemia significantly increased after treatment with glibenclamide (from 5.5 ± 13.8 to 18.8 ± 35.8 min/day, p=0.041), but not with acarbose (from 2.9 ± 10.9 to 14.7 ± 41.9 min/day, p=0.114). Post treatment MAGE was positively associated with change from baseline in duration of hypoglycemia after treatment with either glibenclamide (β coefficient 0.345, p=0.036) or acarbose (β coefficient 0.674, p=0.046). The association remained significant after multivariate adjustment (p<0.05 for all models). Post treatment glycemic excursions are associated with changes in duration of hypoglycemia after treatment intensification with OAD in patients with T2D. Glycemic excursions should be an important treatment target for T2D to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Relationship of medial gastrocnemius relative fascicle excursion and ankle joint power and work performance during gait in typically developing children: A cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Martín Lorenzo, Teresa; Albi Rodríguez, Gustavo; Rocon, Eduardo; Martínez Caballero, Ignacio; Lerma Lara, Sergio

    2017-07-01

    Muscle fascicles lengthen in response to chronic passive stretch through in-series sarcomere addition in order to maintain an optimum sarcomere length. In turn, the muscles' force generating capacity, maximum excursion, and contraction velocity is enhanced. Thus, longer fascicles suggest a greater capacity to develop joint power and work. However, static fascicle length measurements may not be taking sarcomere length differences into account. Thus, we considered relative fascicle excursions through passive ankle dorsiflexion may better correlate with the capacity to generate joint power and work than fascicle length. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine if medial gastrocnemius relative fascicle excursions correlate with ankle joint power and work generation during gait in typically developing children. A sample of typically developing children (n = 10) were recruited for this study and data analysis was carried out on 20 legs. Medial gastrocnemius relative fascicle excursion from resting joint angle to maximum dorsiflexion was estimated from trigonometric relations of medial gastrocnemius pennation angle and thickness obtained from B-mode real-time ultrasonography. Furthermore, a three-dimensional motion capture system was used to obtain ankle joint work and power during the stance phase of gait. Significant correlations were found between relative fascicle excursion and peak power absorption (-) r(14) = -0.61, P = .012 accounting for 31% variability, positive work r(18) = 0.56, P = .021 accounting for 31% variability, and late stance positive work r(15) = 0.51, P = .037 accounting for 26% variability. The large unexplained variance may be attributed to mechanics of neighboring structures (e.g., soleus or Achilles tendon mechanics) and proximal joint kinetics which may also contribute to ankle joint power and work performance, and were not taken into account. Further studies are encouraged to provide greater insight

  8. Application of forensic image analysis in accident investigations.

    PubMed

    Verolme, Ellen; Mieremet, Arjan

    2017-09-01

    Forensic investigations are primarily meant to obtain objective answers that can be used for criminal prosecution. Accident analyses are usually performed to learn from incidents and to prevent similar events from occurring in the future. Although the primary goal may be different, the steps in which information is gathered, interpreted and weighed are similar in both types of investigations, implying that forensic techniques can be of use in accident investigations as well. The use in accident investigations usually means that more information can be obtained from the available information than when used in criminal investigations, since the latter require a higher evidence level. In this paper, we demonstrate the applicability of forensic techniques for accident investigations by presenting a number of cases from one specific field of expertise: image analysis. With the rapid spread of digital devices and new media, a wealth of image material and other digital information has become available for accident investigators. We show that much information can be distilled from footage by using forensic image analysis techniques. These applications show that image analysis provides information that is crucial for obtaining the sequence of events and the two- and three-dimensional geometry of an accident. Since accident investigation focuses primarily on learning from accidents and prevention of future accidents, and less on the blame that is crucial for criminal investigations, the field of application of these forensic tools may be broader than would be the case in purely legal sense. This is an important notion for future accident investigations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. [The meaning of accidents with biological material to nursing professionals].

    PubMed

    Magagnini, Maristela Aparecida Magri; Rocha, Suelen Alves; Ayres, Jairo Aparecido

    2011-06-01

    The aim of this study is to understand what meaning work accidents with exposure to biological material has to nurses. This is an exploratory study with a qualitative approach, and it used Bardin's content analysis. 87 accidents with biological material occurred in the period between 2001 and 2006; among them, eight were seropositive for Hepatitis B and C and HIV/AIDS. An interview with guiding questions was used to collect data. When inquiring these professionals about the meaning of these accidents, four categories emerged: risk situation, danger perception, fatality, and feelings. Although it is not a strategy of clarification, it is a fact that work organization and educative actions have considerable impact in reducing this type of accident, also reducing damage to the life of nurses involved in these accidents.

  10. Theoretical Perspectives on Fishing Vessel Accidents and Their Prevention.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boshier, Roger

    Fishing vessel accidents occur because of complex interactions of human, technical, and environmental factors. Although they usually occur because of human actions, thoughts, or behavior, investigators and prevention educators are preoccupied with technical matters and equipment. Equipment, machinery, weather, and other objective facts are…

  11. Statistical Analysis And Treatment Of Accident Black Spots: A Case Study Of Nandyal Mandal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sudharshan Reddy, B.; Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, L.; Sreenivasa Reddy, G., Dr

    2017-08-01

    Background: Increased, economic activity raised the consumption levels of the people across the country. This created scope for increase in travel and transportation. The increase in the vehicles since last 10 years has put lot of pressure on the existing roads and ultimately resulting in road accidents. Nandyal Mandal is located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh and well developed in both agricultural and industrial sectors after Kurnool. 567 accidents occurred in the last seven years at 143 locations shows the severity of the accidents in the Nandyal Mandal. There is a need to carry out some work in the Nandyal Mandal to improve the accidents black spots for reducing the accidents. Methods: Last seven years (2010-2016) of accident data collected from Police Stations. Weighted Severity Index (WSI), a scientific method is used for identifying the accident black spots. Statistical analysis has carried out for the collected data using Chi-Square Test to determine the independence of accidents with other attributes. Chi-Square Goodness of fit test conducted for test whether the accidents are occurring by chance or following any pattern. Results: WSI values are determined for the 143 locations. The Locations with high WSI are treated as accident black spots. Five black spots are taken for field study. After field observations and interaction with the public, some improvements are suggested for improving the accident black spots. There is no relationship between the severity of accidents and the other attributes like month, season, day, hours in day and the age group except type of vehicle. Road accidents are distributed throughout the Year, Month and Season. Road accidents are not distributed throughout the day.

  12. Risk analysis of emergent water pollution accidents based on a Bayesian Network.

    PubMed

    Tang, Caihong; Yi, Yujun; Yang, Zhifeng; Sun, Jie

    2016-01-01

    To guarantee the security of water quality in water transfer channels, especially in open channels, analysis of potential emergent pollution sources in the water transfer process is critical. It is also indispensable for forewarnings and protection from emergent pollution accidents. Bridges above open channels with large amounts of truck traffic are the main locations where emergent accidents could occur. A Bayesian Network model, which consists of six root nodes and three middle layer nodes, was developed in this paper, and was employed to identify the possibility of potential pollution risk. Dianbei Bridge is reviewed as a typical bridge on an open channel of the Middle Route of the South to North Water Transfer Project where emergent traffic accidents could occur. Risk of water pollutions caused by leakage of pollutants into water is focused in this study. The risk for potential traffic accidents at the Dianbei Bridge implies a risk for water pollution in the canal. Based on survey data, statistical analysis, and domain specialist knowledge, a Bayesian Network model was established. The human factor of emergent accidents has been considered in this model. Additionally, this model has been employed to describe the probability of accidents and the risk level. The sensitive reasons for pollution accidents have been deduced. The case has also been simulated that sensitive factors are in a state of most likely to lead to accidents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. [Characterization of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases in China between 1989 and 2003].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Min; Li, Tao; Wang, Huan-Qiang; Wang, Hong-Fei; Chen, Shu-Yang; Du, Xie-Yi; Qin, Jian; Zhang, Shuang; Ji, Li-Ying

    2006-12-01

    To analyze severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases reported in China between 1989 and 2003, and to study the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents and provide scientific evidences for prevention and control strategies. The data from the national occupational poisoning case reporting system were analyzed with descriptive methods. (1) There were 273 severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases for 15 years with 1638 workers poisoned and 600 workers died, which accounted for 53.95% in total accidents and 35.17% of workers poisoned and 78.64% of workers died of all severe acute occupational poisoning accidents. The average poisoning age was (33.8 +/- 9.7) years old and the average death age was (36.6 +/- 10.0) years old. (2) Most of the accidents were caused by hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide respectively, and mainly occurred in chemical industry, mining, water disposal industry, paper making industry and brewing industry. The risk was higher in some jobs than others, such as cleanout, machine maintenance and repair, production, mine and digging. The poisoning accidents occurred more frequently from April to September each year and occurred in the confined space, in the basement and the mine, and workers died of poisoning mostly were men. (1) The severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases are more dangerous than others. (2) The control of poisoning accidents related to hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which occurred easily in the confined space, should be paid more attention to, and good work practice should be developed on some posts, such as digging, cleanout, dredge, machine maintenance and repair and mine.

  14. [Proposal of a method for collective analysis of work-related accidents in the hospital setting].

    PubMed

    Osório, Claudia; Machado, Jorge Mesquita Huet; Minayo-Gomez, Carlos

    2005-01-01

    The article presents a method for the analysis of work-related accidents in hospitals, with the double aim of analyzing accidents in light of actual work activity and enhancing the vitality of the various professions that comprise hospital work. This process involves both research and intervention, combining knowledge output with training of health professionals, fostering expanded participation by workers in managing their daily work. The method consists of stimulating workers to recreate the situation in which a given accident occurred, shifting themselves to the position of observers of their own work. In the first stage of analysis, workers are asked to show the work analyst how the accident occurred; in the second stage, the work accident victim and analyst jointly record the described series of events in a diagram; in the third, the resulting record is re-discussed and further elaborated; in the fourth, the work accident victim and analyst evaluate and implement measures aimed to prevent the accident from recurring. The article concludes by discussing the method's possibilities and limitations in the hospital setting.

  15. Correlation of aptian-albian carbon isotope excursions in continental strata of the cretaceous Foreland Basin, Eastern Utah, U.S.A.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ludvigson, Greg A.; Joeckel, R.M.; Gonzalez, Luis A.; Gulbranson, E.L.; Rasbury, E.T.; Hunt, G.J.; Kirkland, J.I.; Madsen, S.

    2010-01-01

    Nodular carbonates ("calcretes") in continental foreland-basin strata of the Early Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation (CMF) in eastern Utah yield ??13C and ??O records of changes in the exogenic carbon cycle related to oceanic anoxic events (OAEs), and terrestrial paleoclimate. Chemostratigraphic profiles of both forebulge and foredeep sections show two prominent positive ??13C excursions, each with a peak value of -3% VPDB, and having background ??13C values of about -6% VPDB. These excursions correlate with the global early Aptian (Ap7) and late Aptian-early Albian (Apl2-All) carbon isotope excursions. Aptian-Albian positive ??13C excursions in the CMF also correspond to 3-4 per mil increases in carbonate ??18O. These phenomena record local aridification events. The chemostratigraphic profile on the thinner forebulge section of the CMF is calibrated, for the first time, by a radiogenic U-Pb date of 119.4 ?? 2.6 Ma on a carbonate bed, and by detrital zircon U-Pb dates on two bounding sandstone units (maximum depositional ages of 146 Ma and 112 Ma). P??trographie observations and diagenetic analyses of micritic to microsparitic carbonates from nodules indicate palustrine origins and demonstrate that they crystallized in shallow early meteoric phreatic environments. Meteoric calcite lines derived from CMF carbonates have ??18O values ranging between -8.1 to -7.5%o VPDB, supporting an estimate of zonal mean groundwater ??18O of -6% VSMOW for an Aptian-Albian paleolatitude of 34?? N. Furthermore, our two chemostratigraphic profiles exhibit a generally proportionate thinning of correlative strata from the foredeep on to the forebulge, suggesting that there were consistently lower rates of accumulation on the forebulge during the Aptian-Albian. Identification of the global Aptian-Albian ??13C excursions in purely continental strata, as demonstrated in this paper, opens a new avenue of research by identifying specific stratigraphie intervals that record the terrestrial

  16. Radioactive release during nuclear accidents in Chernobyl and Fukushima

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nur Ain Sulaiman, Siti; Mohamed, Faizal; Rahim, Ahmad Nabil Ab

    2018-01-01

    Nuclear accidents that occurred in Chernobyl and Fukushima have initiated many research interests to understand the cause and mechanism of radioactive release within reactor compound and to the environment. Common types of radionuclide release are the fission products from the irradiated fuel rod itself. In case of nuclear accident, the focus of monitoring will be mostly on the release of noble gases, I-131 and Cs-137. As these are the only accidents have been rated within International Nuclear Events Scale (INES) Level 7, the radioactive release to the environment was one of the critical insights to be monitored. It was estimated that the release of radioactive material to the atmosphere due to Fukushima accident was approximately 10% of the Chernobyl accident. By referring to the previous reports using computational code systems to model the release rate, the release activity of I-131 and Cs-137 in Chernobyl was significantly higher compare to Fukushima. The simulation code also showed that Chernobyl had higher release rate of both radionuclides on the day of accident. Other factors affecting the radioactive release for Fukushima and Chernobyl accidents such as the current reactor technology and safety measures are also compared for discussion.

  17. Scenario analysis of freight vehicle accident risks in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Ming-Chih; Su, Chien-Chih

    2004-07-01

    This study develops a quantitative risk model by utilizing Generalized Linear Interactive Model (GLIM) to analyze the major freight vehicle accidents in Taiwan. Eight scenarios are established by interacting three categorical variables of driver ages, vehicle types and road types, each of which contains two levels. The database that consists of 2043 major accidents occurring between 1994 and 1998 in Taiwan is utilized to fit and calibrate the model parameters. The empirical results indicate that accident rates of freight vehicles in Taiwan were high in the scenarios involving trucks and non-freeway systems, while; accident consequences were severe in the scenarios involving mature drivers or non-freeway systems. Empirical evidences also show that there is no significant relationship between accident rates and accident consequences. This is to stress that safety studies that describe risk merely as accident rates rather than the combination of accident rates and consequences by definition might lead to biased risk perceptions. Finally, the study recommends using number of vehicle as an alternative of traffic exposure in commercial vehicle risk analysis. The merits of this would be that it is simple and thus reliable; meanwhile, the resulted risk that is termed as fatalities per vehicle could provide clear and direct policy implications for insurance practices and safety regulations.

  18. Young people and snowmobiling in northern Norway: accidents, injury prevention and safety strategies.

    PubMed

    Mehus, Grete; Mehus, Alf Gunnar; Germeten, Sidsel; Henriksen, Nils

    2016-01-01

    Snowmobiling among young people in Scandinavia frequently leads to accidents and injuries. Systematic studies of accidents exist, but few studies have addressed young drivers' experiences. The aim of this article is to reveal how young people experience and interpret accidents, and to outline a prevention strategy. Thirty-one girls and 50 boys aged 16-23 years from secondary schools in Northern Norway and on Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, participated in 17 focus groups segregated by gender. A content analysis identified themes addressing the research questions. Participants described risk as being inherent to snowmobiling, and claimed that accidents followed from poor risk assessment, careless driving or mishaps. Evaluation of accidents and recommendations for preventive measures varied. Girls acknowledged the risks and wanted knowledge about outdoor life, navigation and external risks. Boys underestimated or downplayed the risks, and wanted knowledge about safety precautions while freeriding. Both genders were aware of how and why accidents occurred, and took precautions. Boys tended to challenge norms in ways that contradict the promotion of safe driving behaviour. Stories of internal justice regarding driving under the influence of alcohol occurred. Adolescents are aware of how accidents occur and how to avoid them. Injury prevention strategies should include a general population strategy and a high-risk strategy targeted at extreme risk-seekers. Drivers, snowmobilers' organisations and the community should share local knowledge in an effort to define problem areas, set priorities and develop and implement preventive measures. Risk prevention should include preparation of safe tracks and focus on safety equipment and safe driving behaviour, but should also pay increased attention to the potential of strengthening normative regulation within peer groups regarding driving behaviour and mutual responsibility for preventing accidents.

  19. Enabling the Development of Student Teacher Professional Identity through Vicarious Learning during an Educational Excursion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steenekamp, Karen; van der Merwe, Martyn; Mehmedova, Aygul Salieva

    2018-01-01

    This paper explores the views of student teachers who were provided vicarious learning opportunities during an educational excursion, and how the learning enabled them to develop their teacher professional identity. This qualitative research study, using a social-constructivist lens highlights how vicarious learning influenced student teachers'…

  20. Avalanche risk in backcountry terrain based on usage frequency and accident data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Techel, F.; Zweifel, B.; Winkler, K.

    2014-08-01

    In Switzerland, the vast majority of avalanche accidents occurs during recreational activities. Risk analysis studies mostly rely on accident statistics without considering exposure (or the elements at risk), i.e. how many and where people are recreating. We compared the accident data (backcountry touring) with reports from two social media mountaineering networks - bergportal.ch and camptocamp.org. On these websites, users reported more than 15 000 backcountry tours during the five winters 2009/2010 to 2013/2014. We noted similar patterns in avalanche accident data and user data like demographics of recreationists, distribution of the day of the week (weekday vs. weekend) or weather conditions (fine vs. poor weather). However, we also found differences such as the avalanche danger conditions on days with activities and accidents, but also the geographic distribution. While backcountry activities are concentrated in proximity to the main population centres in the West and North of the Swiss Alps, a large proportion of the severe avalanche accidents occurred in the inner-alpine, more continental regions with frequently unfavorably snowpack structure. This suggests that even greater emphasis should be put on the type of avalanche problem in avalanche education and avalanche forecasting to increase the safety of backcountry recreationists.

  1. 75 FR 75911 - Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents/Incidents for Calendar...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-07

    ...This rule increases the rail equipment accident/incident reporting threshold from $9,200 to $9,400 for certain railroad accidents/incidents involving property damage that occur during calendar year 2011. This action is needed to ensure that FRA's reporting requirements reflect cost increases that have occurred since the reporting threshold was last computed in December of 2009.

  2. 76 FR 72850 - Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents/Incidents for Calendar...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-28

    ...This rule increases the rail equipment accident/incident reporting threshold from $9,400 to $9,500 for certain railroad accidents/incidents involving property damage that occur during calendar year 2012. This action is needed to ensure that FRA's reporting requirements reflect cost increases that have occurred since the reporting threshold was last published in December of 2010.

  3. 77 FR 71354 - Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents/Incidents for Calendar...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-30

    ...This rule increases the rail equipment accident/incident reporting threshold from $9,500 to $9,900 for certain railroad accidents/incidents involving property damage that occur during calendar year 2013. This action is needed to ensure that FRA's reporting requirements reflect cost increases that have occurred since the reporting threshold was last published in November of 2011.

  4. A few seconds to have an accident, a long time to recover: consequences for road accident victims from the ESPARR cohort 2 years after the accident.

    PubMed

    Tournier, Charlène; Charnay, Pierrette; Tardy, Hélène; Chossegros, Laetitia; Carnis, Laurent; Hours, Martine

    2014-11-01

    were affected by their accident even 2 years after it occurred. The severity of lesions induced by the accident was the main predictive factor. However, considering lesion as intermediary factors between the accident and the recovery status at 2 year post-accident, impact on health status was lower for cyclists than M4W users or M2W users. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Meaning of Missing Values in Eyewitness Recall and Accident Records

    PubMed Central

    Uttl, Bob; Kisinger, Kelly

    2010-01-01

    Background Eyewitness recalls and accident records frequently do not mention the conditions and behaviors of interest to researchers and lead to missing values and to uncertainty about the prevalence of these conditions and behaviors surrounding accidents. Missing values may occur because eyewitnesses report the presence but not the absence of obvious clues/accident features. We examined this possibility. Methodology/Principal Findings Participants watched car accident videos and were asked to recall as much information as they could remember about each accident. The results showed that eyewitnesses were far more likely to report the presence of present obvious clues than the absence of absent obvious clues even though they were aware of their absence. Conclusions One of the principal mechanisms causing missing values may be eyewitnesses' tendency to not report the absence of obvious features. We discuss the implications of our findings for both retrospective and prospective analyses of accident records, and illustrate the consequences of adopting inappropriate assumptions about the meaning of missing values using the Avaluator Avalanche Accident Prevention Card. PMID:20824054

  6. Predictions of structural integrity of steam generator tubes under normal operating, accident, an severe accident conditions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Majumdar, S.

    1997-02-01

    Available models for predicting failure of flawed and unflawed steam generator tubes under normal operating, accident, and severe accident conditions are reviewed. Tests conducted in the past, though limited, tended to show that the earlier flow-stress model for part-through-wall axial cracks overestimated the damaging influence of deep cracks. This observation was confirmed by further tests at high temperatures, as well as by finite-element analysis. A modified correlation for deep cracks can correct this shortcoming of the model. Recent tests have shown that lateral restraint can significantly increase the failure pressure of tubes with unsymmetrical circumferential cracks. This observation was confirmedmore » by finite-element analysis. The rate-independent flow stress models that are successful at low temperatures cannot predict the rate-sensitive failure behavior of steam generator tubes at high temperatures. Therefore, a creep rupture model for predicting failure was developed and validated by tests under various temperature and pressure loadings that can occur during postulated severe accidents.« less

  7. Traffic Accidents Involving Cyclists Identifying Causal Factors Using Questionnaire Survey, Traffic Accident Data, and Real-World Observation.

    PubMed

    Oikawa, Shoko; Hirose, Toshiya; Aomura, Shigeru; Matsui, Yasuhiro

    2016-11-01

    The purpose of this study is to clarify the mechanism of traffic accidents involving cyclists. The focus is on the characteristics of cyclist accidents and scenarios, because the number of traffic accidents involving cyclists in Tokyo is the highest in Japan. First, dangerous situations in traffic incidents were investigated by collecting data from 304 cyclists in one city in Tokyo using a questionnaire survey. The survey indicated that cyclists used their bicycles generally while commuting to work or school in the morning. Second, the study investigated the characteristics of 250 accident situations involving cyclists that happened in the city using real-world bicycle accident data. The results revealed that the traffic accidents occurred at intersections of local streets, where cyclists collided most often with vehicles during commute time in the morning. Third, cyclists' behavior was observed at a local street intersection in the morning in the city using video pictures. In one hour during the morning commute period, 250 bicycles passed through the intersection. The results indicated that one of the reasons for traffic accidents involving cyclists might be the combined effect of low visibility, caused by the presence of box-like building structures close to the intersections, and the cyclists' behavior in terms of their velocity and no confirming safety. It was observed that, on average, bicycle velocity was 3.1 m/s at the initial line of an intersection. The findings from this study could be useful in developing new technologies to improve cyclist safety, such as alert devices for cyclists and vehicle drivers, wireless communication systems between cyclists and vehicle drivers, or advanced vehicles with bicycle detection and collision mitigation systems.

  8. Bayes classifiers for imbalanced traffic accidents datasets.

    PubMed

    Mujalli, Randa Oqab; López, Griselda; Garach, Laura

    2016-03-01

    Traffic accidents data sets are usually imbalanced, where the number of instances classified under the killed or severe injuries class (minority) is much lower than those classified under the slight injuries class (majority). This, however, supposes a challenging problem for classification algorithms and may cause obtaining a model that well cover the slight injuries instances whereas the killed or severe injuries instances are misclassified frequently. Based on traffic accidents data collected on urban and suburban roads in Jordan for three years (2009-2011); three different data balancing techniques were used: under-sampling which removes some instances of the majority class, oversampling which creates new instances of the minority class and a mix technique that combines both. In addition, different Bayes classifiers were compared for the different imbalanced and balanced data sets: Averaged One-Dependence Estimators, Weightily Average One-Dependence Estimators, and Bayesian networks in order to identify factors that affect the severity of an accident. The results indicated that using the balanced data sets, especially those created using oversampling techniques, with Bayesian networks improved classifying a traffic accident according to its severity and reduced the misclassification of killed and severe injuries instances. On the other hand, the following variables were found to contribute to the occurrence of a killed causality or a severe injury in a traffic accident: number of vehicles involved, accident pattern, number of directions, accident type, lighting, surface condition, and speed limit. This work, to the knowledge of the authors, is the first that aims at analyzing historical data records for traffic accidents occurring in Jordan and the first to apply balancing techniques to analyze injury severity of traffic accidents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Comparison of Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise, Volume and Flow Incentive Spirometry, on Diaphragm Excursion and Pulmonary Function in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Anand, R.

    2016-01-01

    Objective. To evaluate the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercises and flow and volume-oriented incentive spirometry on pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion in patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Methodology. We selected 260 patients posted for laparoscopic abdominal surgery and they were block randomization as follows: 65 patients performed diaphragmatic breathing exercises, 65 patients performed flow incentive spirometry, 65 patients performed volume incentive spirometry, and 65 patients participated as a control group. All of them underwent evaluation of pulmonary function with measurement of Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1), Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), and diaphragm excursion measurement by ultrasonography before the operation and on the first and second postoperative days. With the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Results. Pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion showed a significant decrease on the first postoperative day in all four groups (p < 0.001) but was evident more in the control group than in the experimental groups. On the second postoperative day pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity) and diaphragm excursion were found to be better preserved in volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise group than in the flow incentive spirometry group and the control group. Pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity) and diaphragm excursion showed statistically significant differences between volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise group (p < 0.05) as compared to that flow incentive spirometry group and the control group. Conclusion. Volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise can be recommended as an intervention for all patients pre- and postoperatively, over flow-oriented incentive spirometry for the generation and sustenance of pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion in the management of laparoscopic

  10. Comparison of Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise, Volume and Flow Incentive Spirometry, on Diaphragm Excursion and Pulmonary Function in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    PubMed

    Alaparthi, Gopala Krishna; Augustine, Alfred Joseph; Anand, R; Mahale, Ajith

    2016-01-01

    Objective. To evaluate the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercises and flow and volume-oriented incentive spirometry on pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion in patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Methodology. We selected 260 patients posted for laparoscopic abdominal surgery and they were block randomization as follows: 65 patients performed diaphragmatic breathing exercises, 65 patients performed flow incentive spirometry, 65 patients performed volume incentive spirometry, and 65 patients participated as a control group. All of them underwent evaluation of pulmonary function with measurement of Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1), Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), and diaphragm excursion measurement by ultrasonography before the operation and on the first and second postoperative days. With the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Results. Pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion showed a significant decrease on the first postoperative day in all four groups (p < 0.001) but was evident more in the control group than in the experimental groups. On the second postoperative day pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity) and diaphragm excursion were found to be better preserved in volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise group than in the flow incentive spirometry group and the control group. Pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity) and diaphragm excursion showed statistically significant differences between volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise group (p < 0.05) as compared to that flow incentive spirometry group and the control group. Conclusion. Volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise can be recommended as an intervention for all patients pre- and postoperatively, over flow-oriented incentive spirometry for the generation and sustenance of pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion in the management of laparoscopic

  11. Preliminary Modeling of Accident Tolerant Fuel Concepts under Accident Conditions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gamble, Kyle A.; Hales, Jason D.

    2016-12-01

    The catastrophic events that occurred at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011 have led to widespread interest in research of alternative fuels and claddings that are proposed to be accident tolerant. Thus, the United States Department of Energy through its NEAMS (Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation) program has funded an Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) High Impact Problem (HIP). The ATF HIP is funded for a three-year period. The purpose of the HIP is to perform research into two potential accident tolerant concepts and provide an in-depth report to the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) describing the behavior of themore » concepts, both of which are being considered for inclusion in a lead test assembly scheduled for placement into a commercial reactor in 2022. The initial focus of the HIP is on uranium silicide fuel and iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy cladding. Utilizing the expertise of three national laboratory participants (INL, LANL, and ANL) a comprehensive mulitscale approach to modeling is being used including atomistic modeling, molecular dynamics, rate theory, phase-field, and fuel performance simulations. In this paper, we present simulations of two proposed accident tolerant fuel systems: U3Si2 fuel with Zircaloy-4 cladding, and UO2 fuel with FeCrAl cladding. The simulations investigate the fuel performance response of the proposed ATF systems under Loss of Coolant and Station Blackout conditions using the BISON code. Sensitivity analyses are completed using Sandia National Laboratories’ DAKOTA software to determine which input parameters (e.g., fuel specific heat) have the greatest influence on the output metrics of interest (e.g., fuel centerline temperature). Early results indicate that each concept has significant advantages as well as areas of concern. Further work is required prior to formulating the proposition report for the Advanced Fuels Campaign.« less

  12. Relative fascicle excursion effects on dynamic strength generation during gait in children with cerebral palsy.

    PubMed

    Martín Lorenzo, T; Lerma Lara, S; Martínez-Caballero, I; Rocon, E

    2015-10-01

    Evaluation of muscle structure gives us a better understanding of how muscles contribute to force generation which is significantly altered in children with cerebral palsy (CP). While most muscle structure parameters have shown to be significantly correlated to different expressions of strength development in children with CP and typically developing (TD) children, conflicting results are found for muscle fascicle length. Muscle fascicle length determines muscle excursion and velocity, and contrary to what might be expected, correlations of fascicle length to rate of force development have not been found for children with CP. The lack of correlation between muscle fascicle length and rate of force development in children with CP could be due, on the one hand, to the non-optimal joint position adopted for force generation on the isometric strength tests as compared to the position of TD children. On the other hand, the lack of correlation could be due to the erroneous assumption that muscle fascicle length is representative of sarcomere length. Thus, the relationship between muscle architecture parameters reflecting sarcomere length, such as relative fascicle excursions and dynamic power generation, should be assessed. Understanding of the underlying mechanisms of weakness in children with CP is key for individualized prescription and assessment of muscle-targeted interventions. Findings could imply the detection of children operating on the descending limb of the sarcomere length-tension curve, which in turn might be at greater risk of developing crouch gait. Furthermore, relative muscle fascicle excursions could be used as a predictive variable of outcomes related to crouch gait prevention treatments such as strength training. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Reduced Bearing Excursion After Mobile-Bearing Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty is Associated With Poor Functional Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Wahal, Naman; Gaba, Sahil; Malhotra, Rajesh; Kumar, Vijay; Pegg, Elise C; Pandit, Hemant

    2018-02-01

    A small proportion of patients with mobile unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) report poor functional outcomes in spite of optimal component alignment on postoperative radiographs. The purpose of this study is to assess whether there is a correlation between functional outcome and knee kinematics. From a cohort of consecutive cases of 150 Oxford medial UKA, patients with fair/poor functional outcome at 1-year postsurgery (Oxford Knee Score [OKS] < 34, n = 15) were identified and matched for age, gender, preoperative clinical scores, and follow-up period with a cohort of patients with good/excellent outcome (OKS ≥ 34, n = 15). In vivo kinematic assessment was performed using step-up and deep knee bend exercises under fluoroscopic imaging. The fluoroscopic videos were analyzed using MATLAB software to measure the variation in time taken to complete the exercises, patellar tendon angle, and bearing position with knee flexion angle. Mean OKS in the fair/poor group was 29.9 and the mean OKS in the good/excellent group was 41.1. The tibial slope, time taken to complete the exercises, and patellar tendon angle trend over the flexion range were similar in both the groups; however, bearing position and the extent of bearing excursion differed significantly. The total bearing excursion in the OKS < 34 group was significantly smaller than the OKS ≥ 34 group (35%). Furthermore, on average, the bearing was positioned 1.7 mm more posterior on the tibia in the OKS < 34 group. This study provides evidence that abnormal knee kinematics, in particular bearing excursion and positioning, are associated with worse functional outcomes after mobile UKA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Fractionation between inorganic and organic carbon during the Lomagundi (2.22 2.1 Ga) carbon isotope excursion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bekker, A.; Holmden, C.; Beukes, N. J.; Kenig, F.; Eglinton, B.; Patterson, W. P.

    2008-07-01

    The Lomagundi (2.22-2.1 Ga) positive carbon isotope excursion in shallow-marine sedimentary carbonates has been associated with the rise in atmospheric oxygen, but subsequent studies have demonstrated that the carbon isotope excursion was preceded by the rise in atmospheric oxygen. The amount of oxygen released to the exosphere during the Lomagundi excursion is constrained by the average global fractionation between inorganic and organic carbon, which is poorly characterized. Because dissolved inorganic and organic carbon reservoirs were arguably larger in the Paleoproterozoic ocean, at a time of lower solar luminosity and lower ocean redox state, decoupling between these two variables might be expected. We determined carbon isotope values of carbonate and organic matter in carbonates and shales of the Silverton Formation, South Africa and in the correlative Sengoma Argillite Formation, near the border in Botswana. These units were deposited between 2.22 and 2.06 Ga along the margin of the Kaapvaal Craton in an open-marine deltaic setting and experienced lower greenschist facies metamorphism. The prodelta to offshore marine shales are overlain by a subtidal carbonate sequence. Carbonates exhibit elevated 13C values ranging from 8.3 to 11.2‰ vs. VPDB consistent with deposition during the Lomagundi positive excursion. The total organic carbon (TOC) contents range from 0.01 to 0.6% and δ13C values range from - 24.8 to - 13.9‰. Thus, the isotopic fractionation between organic and carbonate carbon was on average 30.3 ± 2.8‰ ( n = 32) in the shallow-marine environment. The underlying Sengoma shales have highly variable TOC contents (0.14 to 21.94%) and δ13C values (- 33.7 to - 20.8‰) with an average of - 27.0 ± 3.0‰ ( n = 50). Considering that the shales were also deposited during the Lomagundi excursion, and taking δ13C values of the overlying carbonates as representative of the δ13C value of dissolved inorganic carbon during shale deposition, a carbon

  15. Public Health Profile of Road Traffic Accidents in Kosovo 2010-2015.

    PubMed

    Ramadani, Naser; Zhjeqi, Valbona; Berisha, Merita; Hoxha, Rina; Begolli, Ilir; Salihu, Drita; Krasniqi, Pranvera

    2017-12-15

    To determine the characteristics of the Socio-medical profile of road traffic accidents in Kosovo, between 2010 and 2015 year. Retrospective study. A descriptive method based on the database of road traffic accidents from the National Police of Kosovo. In Kosovo for the period 2010-2015, on average, the yearly number of road traffic accidents is 18437 with mortality rate 7.4 per 100000 and lethality of 1.5%. The highest number of fatal cases are drivers and above 19 years old with more than 80%. Among injured significantly highest percentage is among passengers for all years and above 19 years old. Road traffic accident with a vehicle occurs most frequently, with approximately over 70%, mostly on dry road 72.9% and clear weather 71.1%. The driver is the contributing factors of road traffic accidents on average 99.3% whereas climatic conditions only 0.5%, with over 50% of crashes occurring in urban road 56.2%, mostly during Monday 16.0% and in the afternoon rush hours between 14.00-18.00 with 31.0%. There is a slight decrease in the mortality rate of 0.1‰ and lethality rate of 0.1% each year, whereas there is an increase of 21.5‰ for traumatism rate for each year.

  16. [Injury rate and incidence of accidents with biological risk among infirmary students].

    PubMed

    Rodríguez Martín, A; Novalbos Ruiz, J P; Costa Alonso, M J; Zafra Mezcua, J A

    2000-09-09

    A study of the incidence and characteristics of biological accidents among infirmary students during their practicals at the hospital. A retrospective study carried out at five centres by means of two questionnaires, one on the duration of the training and the rate of accidents and the other on the characteristics, precautions and ports exposure behaviour. Out of 397 students, 70,5% had accidents at a rate of 64% (CI 95%, 59-68). Of these, 15% were accidents with biological risk, the majority being jabs (39%) and splashes (32,5%). It is worth note that 49,2% occurred while putting away the material and 58% in the absence of any individual protective measures. One out of 8 accidents implied a biological risk. A very high rate of accidents was observed with important deficiencies in security.

  17. Paleointensities of the Auckland Excursion from Volcanic Rocks in New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mochizuki, N.; Tsunakawa, H.; Shibuya, H.; Cassidy, J.; Smith, I. E.

    2001-12-01

    Shibuya et al. (1992) reported the Auckland excursion from several basaltic lava flows of monogenetic volcanic centers (<50 ka) in the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand. The Auckland excursion was recorded in five centers in three intermediate direction groups of north-down, west and south. We carried out paleointensity and rock-magnetic studies in order to obtain the absolute paleointensities associated with three intermediate geomagnetic fields. Thermomagnetic analyses indicated typical Curie temperatures of 150-200, 450-500 and/or 550-580 oC. The Day plot (Day et al., 1977) showed a linear trend in the pseudo-single-domain range of magnetic carriers. Those results, combined with the reflection microscope observations, identified the magnetic carriers as titanomagnetites with wide variation in titanium content and grain size. First, the Coe's version of the Thellier method (Coe, 1967) was applied to the samples. Several samples seemed to give paleointensities ranging from 3.2 to 6.4 μ T (Shibuya and Cassidy, 1995 AGU fall meeting), but they were often affected by thermal alteration in the furnace even from fairly low temperature steps like 200oC. We were forced to introduce correction for thermal alterations in laboratory heating, using low temperature part of the Arai plot. We, therefore, applied the double heating technique (DHT) of Shaw method (Tsunakawa and Shaw, 1994), which was capable of detecting inappropriate results by the ARM correction, to the samples. The low temperature demagnetization (LTD) was combined with DHT (Yamamoto et al., submitted) before AF demagnetization and samples were heated in a vacuum of 10-100 Pa. Sixty-one samples from the five lava flows were subjected to the LTD-DHT Shaw method. Twenty-three of these samples yielded successful results passing the selection criteria. Five out of six paleointensities from the Crater Hill lava were consistent with each other. A mean paleointensity was given to be 10.9+/- 1.9 μ T (N=5) for the

  18. Guidelines for exposure assessment in health risk studies following a nuclear reactor accident.

    PubMed

    Bouville, André; Linet, Martha S; Hatch, Maureen; Mabuchi, Kiyohiko; Simon, Steven L

    2014-01-01

    Worldwide concerns regarding health effects after the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plant accidents indicate a clear need to identify short- and long-term health impacts that might result from accidents in the future. Fundamental to addressing this problem are reliable and accurate radiation dose estimates for the affected populations. The available guidance for activities following nuclear accidents is limited with regard to strategies for dose assessment in health risk studies. Here we propose a comprehensive systematic approach to estimating radiation doses for the evaluation of health risks resulting from a nuclear power plant accident, reflected in a set of seven guidelines. Four major nuclear reactor accidents have occurred during the history of nuclear power production. The circumstances leading to these accidents were varied, as were the magnitude of the releases of radioactive materials, the pathways by which persons were exposed, the data collected afterward, and the lifestyle factors and dietary consumption that played an important role in the associated radiation exposure of the affected populations. Accidents involving nuclear reactors may occur in the future under a variety of conditions. The guidelines we recommend here are intended to facilitate obtaining reliable dose estimations for a range of different exposure conditions. We recognize that full implementation of the proposed approach may not always be feasible because of other priorities during the nuclear accident emergency and because of limited resources in manpower and equipment. The proposed approach can serve as a basis to optimize the value of radiation dose reconstruction following a nuclear reactor accident.

  19. Traffic dynamics around weaving section influenced by accident: Cellular automata approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kong, Lin-Peng; Li, Xin-Gang; Lam, William H. K.

    2015-07-01

    The weaving section, as a typical bottleneck, is one source of vehicle conflicts and an accident-prone area. Traffic accident will block lanes and the road capacity will be reduced. Several models have been established to study the dynamics around traffic bottlenecks. However, little attention has been paid to study the complex traffic dynamics influenced by the combined effects of bottleneck and accident. This paper presents a cellular automaton model to characterize accident-induced traffic behavior around the weaving section. Some effective control measures are proposed and verified for traffic management under accident condition. The total flux as a function of inflow rates, the phase diagrams, the spatial-temporal diagrams, and the density and velocity profiles are presented to analyze the impact of accident. It was shown that the proposed control measures for weaving traffic can improve the capacity of weaving section under both normal and accident conditions; the accidents occurring on median lane in the weaving section are more inclined to cause traffic jam and reduce road capacity; the capacity of weaving section will be greatly reduced when the accident happens downstream the weaving section.

  20. Paralysis from sport and diving accidents.

    PubMed

    Schmitt, H; Gerner, H J

    2001-01-01

    To examine the causes of sport-related spinal cord injuries that developed into paraplegia or tetraplegia, and to compare data from different sports with previous studies in the same geographical region. A retrospective epidemiological study and comparison with previous studies. The Orthopedic Department, specializing in the treatment and rehabilitation of paralyzed patients, at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Between 1985 and 1997, 1,016 cases of traumatic spinal cord injury presented at the Orthopedic Department at the University of Heidelberg: 6.8% were caused by sport and 7.7% by diving accidents. Sport-related spinal cord injuries with paralysis. A total of 1.016 cases of traumatic spinal cord injury were reviewed. Of these, 14.5% were caused by sport accidents (n = 69) or diving accidents (n = 78). Age of patients ranged from 9 to 52 years. 83% were male. 77% of the patients developed tetraplegia, and 23%, paraplegia. 16 of the sport accidents resulted from downhill skiing, 9 resulted from horseback riding, 7 from modern air sports, 6 from gymnastics, 5 from trampolining, and 26 from other sports. Previous analyses had revealed that paraplegia had mainly occurred from gymnastics, trampolining, or high diving accidents. More recently, however, the number of serious spinal injuries caused by risk-filled sports such as hang gliding and paragliding has significantly increased (p = 0.095), as it has for horseback riding and skiing. Examinations have shown that all patients who were involved in diving accidents developed tetraplegia. An analysis of injury from specific sports is still under way. Analysis of accidents resulting in damage to the spinal cord in respect to different sports shows that sports that have become popular during the last 10 years show an increasing risk of injury. Modern air sports hold the most injuries. Injury-preventing strategies also are presented.

  1. Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report. Volume 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gehman, Harold W., Jr.; Barry, John L.; Deal, Duane W.; Hallock, James N.; Hess, Kenneth W.; Hubbard, G. Scott; Logsdon, John M.; Osheroff, Douglas D.; Ride, Sally K.; Tetrault, Roger E.

    2003-01-01

    The Columbia Accident Investigation Board's independent investigation into the tragic February 1, 2003, loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia and its seven-member crew lasted nearly seven months and involved 13 Board members, approximately 120 Board investigators, and thousands of NASA and support personnel. Because the events that initiated the accident were not apparent for some time, the investigation's depth and breadth were unprecedented in NASA history. Further, the Board determined early in the investigation that it intended to put this accident into context. We considered it unlikely that the accident was a random event; rather, it was likely related in some degree to NASA's budgets, history, and program culture, as well as to the politics, compromises, and changing priorities of the democratic process. We are convinced that the management practices overseeing the Space Shuttle Program were as much a cause of the accident as the foam that struck the left wing. The Board was also influenced by discussions with members of Congress, who suggested that this nation needed a broad examination of NASA's Human Space Flight Program, rather than just an investigation into what physical fault caused Columbia to break up during re-entry. Findings and recommendations are in the relevant chapters and all recommendations are compiled in Chapter 11. Volume I is organized into four parts: The Accident; Why the Accident Occurred; A Look Ahead; and various appendices. To put this accident in context, Parts One and Two begin with histories, after which the accident is described and then analyzed, leading to findings and recommendations. Part Three contains the Board's views on what is needed to improve the safety of our voyage into space. Part Four is reference material. In addition to this first volume, there will be subsequent volumes that contain technical reports generated by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board and NASA, as well as volumes containing reference

  2. Analysis of traffic accidents in Romania, 2009.

    PubMed

    Călinoiu, Geovana; Minca, Dana Galieta; Furtunescu, Florentina Ligia

    2012-01-01

    This paper aimed to underline the main consequences of traffic accidents in Romania 2009 and their associated causes or circumstances. We identified some problematic geographic areas, some critical months or moments of the day and also the most frequent causes; all these should become targets for the future planning. The current analysis provides some priority criteria for public health interventions. So, the future national road safety strategy should be in line with the EU objectives, but also with the national priorities. Romania is far away from the average EU target for 2010 of halving the death by traffic accidents registered in 2001. To describe the circumstances and the consequences related to traffic accidents registered in Romania, for the year 2009. An ecological study was conducted. The traffic accidents circumstances were analyzed in terms of magnitude, geographic space, time and cause. The consequences were analyzed as affected people and damaged cars. A total of 28,627 traffic accidents were registered in Romania during the year 2009. 2,796 people were killed and 27,968 were hospitalized and 42,443 cars were damaged. 3 of 4 accidents were caused by violations on behalf of the car drivers. Most common violations in car drivers were excess of speed and priority violations (52.4%). Among the pedestrians, 7 of 10 accidents were caused by illegal crossing. A higher number of accidents occurred during the summer months and during the evening hours (from 5.00 pm till 8.00 pm). The traffic accidents represent a real public health problem in Romania and a serious burden for the health system. The gap between Romania and the other EU member states needs to be diminished in the next decade. In this purpose, the future national road safety strategy should be in line with the EU objectives, but also with the national priorities. Research is needed to understand the causes and the socio-economical impact of traffic accidents and to define appropriate national

  3. [Accidents among postmen using motorbikes for mail deliveries in Tuscany in the period 2007-2009].

    PubMed

    Chellini, Elisabetta; Cortini, Barbara; Mameli, Marina; Abbarchi, M; Dei, Simona; Rossi, Oriana; Zallocco, A

    2014-01-01

    Health risks for postmen using motorbikes for mail delivery may be influenced by stability, weight and ease of handling of the vehicle, traffic and slippery or irregular road surface. To describe accidents that occurred among postmen in Tuscany and evaluate how many of these would have been prevented using the UNI EN 13595/2004 safety jacket. Record linkage of data obtained from the employer--the main mail delivery company in Italy--and from the Italian Workers Compensation Authority on accidents that occurred in postmen in Tuscany who used motorbikes for deliveries during the period 2007-2009. Accident rates (with CI 95%) by age, sex, year and province were calculated; the differences were evaluated using chi2 test. 1,342 accidents requiring at least 3 days' sick absence were recorded in postmen in Tuscany in the period 2007-2009, with an increasing trend in young men. The average accident rate was 17.6 per 100 workers, with 42,419 sick absence days. The female rate was higher compared to men (19.4%, CI 95% 18.03-20.79 in women vs 15.5%, CI 95%: 14.15-16.89 in men). 68% of accidents occurred driving a motorbike. The index of severity was 6.79, which was higher than that calculated by INAIL for the whole Tuscan transport and communication work sector (5.31). 309 accidents (11,021 sick absence days) could have been mitigated or avoided using UNI EN 13595/2004 safety jackets (47% spinal, 30% shoulder, 23% elbow, arm and forearm). The frequency of accidents in postmen using motorbikes is extremely high. Several serious accidents could have been prevented using the UNI EN 13595/2004 safety jackets, suggesting the need to make their use obligatory by these workers.

  4. Reported radiation overexposure accidents worldwide, 1980-2013: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Coeytaux, Karen; Bey, Eric; Christensen, Doran; Glassman, Erik S; Murdock, Becky; Doucet, Christelle

    2015-01-01

    Radiation overexposure accidents are rare but can have severe long-term health consequences. Although underreporting can be an issue, some extensive literature reviews of reported radiation overexposures have been performed and constitute a sound basis for conclusions on general trends. Building further on this work, we performed a systematic review that completes previous reviews and provides new information on characteristics and trends of reported radiation accidents. We searched publications and reports from MEDLINE, EMBASE, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Radiation Protection Association, the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site radiation accident registry over 1980-2013. We retrieved the reported overexposure cases, systematically extracted selected information, and performed a descriptive analysis. 297 out of 5189 publications and reports and 194 records from the REAC/TS registry met our eligibility criteria. From these, 634 reported radiation accidents were retrieved, involving 2390 overexposed people, of whom 190 died from their overexposure. The number of reported cases has decreased for all types of radiation use, but the medical one. 64% of retrieved overexposure cases occurred with the use of radiation therapy and fluoroscopy. Additionally, the types of reported accidents differed significantly across regions. This review provides an updated and broader view of reported radiation overexposures. It suggests an overall decline in reported radiation overexposures over 1980-2013. The greatest share of reported overexposures occurred in the medical fields using radiation therapy and fluoroscopy; this larger number of reported overexposures accidents indicates the potential need for enhanced quality assurance programs. Our data also highlights variations in characteristics of reported

  5. Falsifying the Sikussak-Oasis Hypothesis for the Tillite Group, East Greenland: Implications for Trezona-like Carbon Isotope Excursions Beneath Neoproterozoic Glacials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoffman, P. F.; Domack, E. W.; Maloof, A. C.; Halverson, G. P.

    2006-05-01

    In Neoproterozoic time, East Greenland and East Svalbard (EGES) occupied landward and seaward positions, respectively, on the southern subtropical margin of Laurentia. In both areas, thick clastic-to-carbonate successions are overlain by two discrete glacial and/or periglacial formations, separated by fine basinal clastics. In Svalbard, the younger glacial has a characteristic Marinoan (basal Ediacaran) cap dolostone, but the older glacial is underlain by a 10-permil negative carbon isotope excursion that is indistinguishable from excursions observed exclusively beneath Marinoan glacials in Australia, Namibia and western Laurentia. This led us to propose (Basin Research 16, 297-324, 2004) that the paired glacials in EGES represent the onset and climax of a single, long-lived, Marinoan glaciation. The intervening fine clastics, which contain ikaite pseudomorphs, presumptively accumulated beneath permanent shorefast sea ice (sikussak), analogous to East Greenland fjords during the Younger Dryas and Little Ice Age. In this model, the top of the older glacial signals the start of Snowball Earth. We conducted a preliminary field test of the sikussak hypothesis in Strindberg Land (SL), Andrée Land (AL) and Ella O (EO), East Greenland. We confirmed the correlation of the paired glacials and the Marinoan cap dolostone (missing on EO). In SL, the older glacial (Ulveso Fm) is a thin diamictite overlain by conglomerate lag and a set of megavarves composed of alternating siltstone and ice-rafted debris. In AL and EO, the Ulveso is a sub-glacial diamictite overlain by aeolian and/or marine sandstone. In Bastion Bugt on EO, it is a transgressive shoreface sandstone. This proves that glacial recession occurred under open-water conditions and did not result from permanent sea-ice formation, as stipulated in the sikussak model. There is no evidence that the fine clastic sequence between the glacials formed under an ice cover, or for a single glacial period. This brings us back to

  6. Exploring the factors affecting motorway accident severity in England using the generalised ordered logistic regression model.

    PubMed

    Michalaki, Paraskevi; Quddus, Mohammed A; Pitfield, David; Huetson, Andrew

    2015-12-01

    The severity of motorway accidents that occurred on the hard shoulder (HS) is higher than for the main carriageway (MC). This paper compares and contrasts the most important factors affecting the severity of HS and MC accidents on motorways in England. Using police reported accident data, the accidents that occurred on motorways in England are grouped into two categories (i.e., HS and MC) according to the location. A generalized ordered logistic regression model is then applied to identify the factors affecting the severity of HS and MC accidents on motorways. The factors examined include accident and vehicle characteristics, traffic and environment conditions, as well as other behavioral factors. Results suggest that the factors positively affecting the severity include: number of vehicles involved in the accident, peak-hour traffic time, and low visibility. Differences between HS and MC accidents are identified, with the most important being the involvement of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and driver fatigue, which are found to be more crucial in increasing the severity of HS accidents. Measures to increase awareness of HGV drivers regarding the risk of fatigue when driving on motorways, and especially the nearside lane, should be taken by the stakeholders. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  7. Who by accident? The social morphology of car accidents.

    PubMed

    Factor, Roni; Yair, Gad; Mahalel, David

    2010-09-01

    Prior studies in the sociology of accidents have shown that different social groups have different rates of accident involvement. This study extends those studies by implementing Bourdieu's relational perspective of social space to systematically explore the homology between drivers' social characteristics and their involvement in specific types of motor vehicle accident. Using a large database that merges official Israeli road-accident records with socioeconomic data from two censuses, this research maps the social order of road accidents through multiple correspondence analysis. Extending prior studies, the results show that different social groups indeed tend to be involved in motor vehicle accidents of different types and severity. For example, we find that drivers from low socioeconomic backgrounds are overinvolved in severe accidents with fatal outcomes. The new findings reported here shed light on the social regularity of road accidents and expose new facets in the social organization of death. © 2010 Society for Risk Analysis.

  8. Review the number of accidents in Tehran over a two-year period and prediction of the number of events based on a time-series model

    PubMed Central

    Teymuri, Ghulam Heidar; Sadeghian, Marzieh; Kangavari, Mehdi; Asghari, Mehdi; Madrese, Elham; Abbasinia, Marzieh; Ahmadnezhad, Iman; Gholizadeh, Yavar

    2013-01-01

    Background: One of the significant dangers that threaten people’s lives is the increased risk of accidents. Annually, more than 1.3 million people die around the world as a result of accidents, and it has been estimated that approximately 300 deaths occur daily due to traffic accidents in the world with more than 50% of that number being people who were not even passengers in the cars. The aim of this study was to examine traffic accidents in Tehran and forecast the number of future accidents using a time-series model. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2011. The sample population was all traffic accidents that caused death and physical injuries in Tehran in 2010 and 2011, as registered in the Tehran Emergency ward. The present study used Minitab 15 software to provide a description of accidents in Tehran for the specified time period as well as those that occurred during April 2012. Results: The results indicated that the average number of daily traffic accidents in Tehran in 2010 was 187 with a standard deviation of 83.6. In 2011, there was an average of 180 daily traffic accidents with a standard deviation of 39.5. One-way analysis of variance indicated that the average number of accidents in the city was different for different months of the year (P < 0.05). Most of the accidents occurred in March, July, August, and September. Thus, more accidents occurred in the summer than in the other seasons. The number of accidents was predicted based on an auto-regressive, moving average (ARMA) for April 2012. The number of accidents displayed a seasonal trend. The prediction of the number of accidents in the city during April of 2012 indicated that a total of 4,459 accidents would occur with mean of 149 accidents per day during these three months. Conclusion: The number of accidents in Tehran displayed a seasonal trend, and the number of accidents was different for different seasons of the year. PMID:26120405

  9. Accidents at work in the health care - legal aspects in Poland.

    PubMed

    Szereda, Kamil; Szymańska, Jolanta

    2016-01-01

    An accident at work is a sudden event caused by external circumstances that occurred in relation to work. Referring to the current legislation, the Supreme Court judgments and the opinions contained in publications, the authors discuss the legal aspects of selected accidents: needle stick injuries, cuts with other sharp tools, heart attacks and strokes among health professionals and social workers in Poland. It has been stressed that defining rigid criteria that allow for stating unequivocal work - accidents relationships would be difficult or even impossible. Especially in the case of medical personnel the long-term and negative impact of stress on health is significant, and thus the occurrence of work accidents - heart attack or stroke. © 2016 MEDPRESS.

  10. Dynamics of the earth magnetic field in the 10-75 kyr period comprising the Laschamp and Mono Lake excursions: New results from the French Chaîne des Puys in a global perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laj, Carlo; Guillou, Hervé; Kissel, Catherine

    2014-02-01

    We report here on a new paleomagnetic (directions and intensities) and coupled K/Ar and 40Ar/39Ar analysis of 35 different flows, emplaced in the Chaîne des Puys during the 75 to 10 kyr interval, which contains the Mono Lake and Laschamp excursions. There is a remarkable agreement between the new set of absolute volcanic intensities and published sedimentary (GLOPIS-75) and cosmogenic (10Be and 36Cl) records. The Laschamp and Mono Lake excursions are clearly revealed by a very significant intensity drop at 41.2±1.6 ka and 34.2±1.2 ka respectively. The duration of the Laschamp excursion is ˜1500 yr and about 640 yr when the drop of paleointensity or the directional change are considered respectively. The intensity drop at the Mono Lake is twice as short. In the ˜7 ka interval separating the two excursions, the field intensity recovers to almost non-transitional values. The rate of decrease of the field intensity during these excursions attains 18 nT/yr for the Laschamp and even greater value (33 nT/yr) for the Mono Lake. This figure is, for the Laschamp excursion, similar to the present field intensity decrease in the last two centuries so that one may wonder whether such a high rate of change may be characteristic of an impending geomagnetic event (reversal or excursion). We suggest that the name Auckland excursion should be used for the present-day called Mono Lake.

  11. Author Correction: Reliability and feasibility of gait initiation centre-of-pressure excursions using a Wii® Balance Board in older adults at risk of falling.

    PubMed

    Lee, James; Webb, Graham; Shortland, Adam P; Edwards, Rebecca; Wilce, Charlotte; Jones, Gareth D

    2018-05-12

    In the original publication, the article title was incorrectly published as 'Reliability and feasibility of gait initiation centre-of-pressure excursions using a Wii® Balance Board in older adults at risk of failing'. The correct title should read as 'Reliability and feasibility of gait initiation centre-of-pressure excursions using a Wii® Balance Board in older adults at risk of falling'.

  12. [Factors associated with road accidents in the city of Lubumbashi].

    PubMed

    Kandolo, Simon Ilunga; Matungulu, Charles Matungulu; Mukanya, Pascal Kimba; Umba, Irène Kabange; Kabamba, Julie Ndayi; Numbi, Oscar Luboya; Ilunga, Benjamin Kabyla; Kaj, Françoise Malonga; Lubaba, Célestin Banza; Ngongo, Ghislain Mashini

    2014-01-01

    We conducted a retrospective non-comparative cross-sectional study in Lubumbashi on factors associated with road accidents. To contribute to the reduction of morbidity and mortality related to road accidents based on a better understanding of this phenomenon in the city of Lubumbashi, to assess the frequency and the growth of road accidents in the city of Lubumbashi and to determine the factors predisposing to these accidents. This non-controlled retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study covered the period from 1st January to 31st December 2008, and included all cases of vehicles registered by the police department after an accident. A total of 1,915 road traffic were reported, mostly caused by public transport vehicles (59%) driven by young adult males (89% of cases) with a mean age of 28 years. The main cause was speeding combined with other factors (34% of cases). The majority of these accidents occurred in the city of Lubumbashi (52.9% of cases) between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (74% of cases). Transit vehicles were exposed to a greater risk of road accidents (59%). There is an urgent need for accurate information on the rules of the road for drivers and road users to reduce the mortality and morbidity due to road accidents.

  13. Introduction of Bayesian network in risk analysis of maritime accidents in Bangladesh

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahman, Sohanur

    2017-12-01

    Due to the unique geographic location, complex navigation environment and intense vessel traffic, a considerable number of maritime accidents occurred in Bangladesh which caused serious loss of life, property and environmental contamination. Based on the historical data of maritime accidents from 1981 to 2015, which has been collected from Department of Shipping (DOS) and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), this paper conducted a risk analysis of maritime accidents by applying Bayesian network. In order to conduct this study, a Bayesian network model has been developed to find out the relation among parameters and the probability of them which affect accidents based on the accident investigation report of Bangladesh. Furthermore, number of accidents in different categories has also been investigated in this paper. Finally, some viable recommendations have been proposed in order to ensure greater safety of inland vessels in Bangladesh.

  14. Effects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident on goshawk reproduction

    PubMed Central

    Murase, Kaori; Murase, Joe; Horie, Reiko; Endo, Koichi

    2015-01-01

    Although the influence of nuclear accidents on the reproduction of top predators has not been investigated, it is important that we identify the effects of such accidents because humans are also top predators. We conducted field observation for 22 years and analysed the reproductive performance of the goshawk (Accipiter gentilis fujiyamae), a top avian predator in the North Kanto area of Japan, before and after the accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that occurred in 2011. The reproductive performance declined markedly compared with the pre-accident years and progressively decreased for the three post-accident study years. Moreover, it was suggested that these declines were primarily caused by an increase in the air dose rate of radio-active contaminants measured under the nests caused by the nuclear accidents, rather than by other factors. We consider the trends in the changes of the reproductive success rates and suggest that internal exposure may play an important role in the reproductive performance of the goshawk, as well as external exposure. PMID:25802117

  15. Effects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident on goshawk reproduction.

    PubMed

    Murase, Kaori; Murase, Joe; Horie, Reiko; Endo, Koichi

    2015-03-24

    Although the influence of nuclear accidents on the reproduction of top predators has not been investigated, it is important that we identify the effects of such accidents because humans are also top predators. We conducted field observation for 22 years and analysed the reproductive performance of the goshawk (Accipiter gentilis fujiyamae), a top avian predator in the North Kanto area of Japan, before and after the accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that occurred in 2011. The reproductive performance declined markedly compared with the pre-accident years and progressively decreased for the three post-accident study years. Moreover, it was suggested that these declines were primarily caused by an increase in the air dose rate of radio-active contaminants measured under the nests caused by the nuclear accidents, rather than by other factors. We consider the trends in the changes of the reproductive success rates and suggest that internal exposure may play an important role in the reproductive performance of the goshawk, as well as external exposure.

  16. Effect of a new motorway on social-spatial patterning of road traffic accidents: A retrospective longitudinal natural experimental study

    PubMed Central

    Mitchell, Richard; Ogilvie, David

    2017-01-01

    Background The World Health Organisation reports that road traffic accidents (accidents) could become the seventh leading cause of death globally by 2030. Accidents often occur in spatial clusters and, generally, there are more accidents in less advantaged areas. Infrastructure changes, such as new roads, can affect the locations and magnitude of accident clusters but evidence of impact is lacking. A new 5-mile motorway extension was opened in 2011 in Glasgow, Scotland. Previous research found no impact on the number of accidents but did not consider their spatial location or socio-economic setting. We evaluated impacts on these, both locally and city-wide. Methods We used STATS19 data covering the period 2008 to 2014 and describing the location and details of all reported accidents involving a personal injury. Poisson-based continuous scan statistics were used to detect spatial clusters of accidents and any change in these over time. Change in the socio-economic distribution of accident cluster locations during the study period was also assessed. Results In each year accidents were strongly clustered, with statistically significant clusters more likely to occur in socio-economically deprived areas. There was no significant shift in the magnitude or location of accident clusters during motorway construction or following opening, either locally or city-wide. There was also no impact on the socio-economic patterning of accident cluster locations. Conclusions Although urban infrastructure changes occur constantly, all around the world, this is the first study to evaluate the impact of such changes on road accident clusters. Despite expectations to the contrary from both proponents and opponents of the M74 extension, we found no beneficial or adverse change in the socio-spatial distribution of accidents associated with its construction, opening or operation. Our approach and findings can help inform urban planning internationally. PMID:28880956

  17. Effect of a new motorway on social-spatial patterning of road traffic accidents: A retrospective longitudinal natural experimental study.

    PubMed

    Olsen, Jonathan R; Mitchell, Richard; Ogilvie, David

    2017-01-01

    The World Health Organisation reports that road traffic accidents (accidents) could become the seventh leading cause of death globally by 2030. Accidents often occur in spatial clusters and, generally, there are more accidents in less advantaged areas. Infrastructure changes, such as new roads, can affect the locations and magnitude of accident clusters but evidence of impact is lacking. A new 5-mile motorway extension was opened in 2011 in Glasgow, Scotland. Previous research found no impact on the number of accidents but did not consider their spatial location or socio-economic setting. We evaluated impacts on these, both locally and city-wide. We used STATS19 data covering the period 2008 to 2014 and describing the location and details of all reported accidents involving a personal injury. Poisson-based continuous scan statistics were used to detect spatial clusters of accidents and any change in these over time. Change in the socio-economic distribution of accident cluster locations during the study period was also assessed. In each year accidents were strongly clustered, with statistically significant clusters more likely to occur in socio-economically deprived areas. There was no significant shift in the magnitude or location of accident clusters during motorway construction or following opening, either locally or city-wide. There was also no impact on the socio-economic patterning of accident cluster locations. Although urban infrastructure changes occur constantly, all around the world, this is the first study to evaluate the impact of such changes on road accident clusters. Despite expectations to the contrary from both proponents and opponents of the M74 extension, we found no beneficial or adverse change in the socio-spatial distribution of accidents associated with its construction, opening or operation. Our approach and findings can help inform urban planning internationally.

  18. Eyelid reanimation with gold weight implant and tendon sling suspension: evaluation of excursion and velocity using the FACIAL CLIMA system.

    PubMed

    Hontanilla, Bernardo; Marre, Diego

    2013-04-01

    This study aims to analyse the efficacy of static techniques, namely gold weight implant and tendon sling, in the reanimation of the paralytic eyelid. Upper eyelid rehabilitation in terms of excursion and blinking velocity is performed using the automatic motion capture system, FACIAL CLIMA. Seventy-four patients underwent a total of 101 procedures including 58 upper eyelid gold weight implants and 43 lower eyelid tendon suspension with 27 patients undergoing both procedures. The presence of lagophtalmos, eye dryness, corneal ulcer, epiphora and lower lid ptosis/ectropion was assessed preoperatively. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare preoperative versus postoperative measurements of upper eyelid excursion and blinking velocity determined with FACIAL CLIMA. Significance was set at p <0.05. FACIAL CLIMA revealed significant improvement of eyelid excursion and velocity of blinking (p < 0.001). Eye dryness improved in 49 patients (90.7%) and corneal ulcer resolved without any further treatment in 12 (85.7%) of those with a gold weight inserted. Implant extrusion was observed in 8.6% of the cases. Of the patients with lower lid tendon suspension, correction of ptosis/ectropion and epiphora was achieved in 93.9% and 91.9% of cases, respectively. In eight patients (18.6%), further surgery was needed to adjust tendon tension. The paralytic upper and lower eyelid can be successfully managed with gold weight implant and tendon suspension. The FACIAL CLIMA system is a reliable method to quantify upper eyelid excursion and blinking velocity and to detect the exact position of the lower eyelid. Copyright © 2012 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Systematic strategies for the third industrial accident prevention plan in Korea.

    PubMed

    Kang, Young-sig; Yang, Sung-hwan; Kim, Tae-gu; Kim, Day-sung

    2012-01-01

    To minimize industrial accidents, it's critical to evaluate a firm's priorities for prevention factors and strategies since such evaluation provides decisive information for preventing industrial accidents and maintaining safety management. Therefore, this paper proposes the evaluation of priorities through statistical testing of prevention factors with a cause analysis in a cause and effect model. A priority matrix criterion is proposed to apply the ranking and for the objectivity of questionnaire results. This paper used regression method (RA), exponential smoothing method (ESM), double exponential smoothing method (DESM), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model and proposed analytical function method (PAFM) to analyze trends of accident data that will lead to an accurate prediction. This paper standardized the questionnaire results of workers and managers in manufacturing and construction companies with less than 300 employees, located in the central Korean metropolitan areas where fatal accidents have occurred. Finally, a strategy was provided to construct safety management for the third industrial accident prevention plan and a forecasting method for occupational accident rates and fatality rates for occupational accidents per 10,000 people.

  20. [Minor and major work accidents in a Puglia business in the food sector: a 10-year study].

    PubMed

    Di Lorenzo, L; Zocchetti, C; Platania, A; De Francesco, G; De Metrio, R; Pirris, A; Gigante, M R

    1998-01-01

    At present no official data are available for those occupational accidents which, according to current law, are not subject to notification to the Italian National Institute for Insurance of Occupational Accidents (INAIL) and which are conventionally called "minor" accidents. They can be divided into accidents with prognosis from 1 to 3 days (franchises) and accidents which do not cause absence from work (medications). The already mentioned lack of data, which is not confined to Italy, is reflected in the small number of articles published in Italian and international journals. Also information regarding the possible relationships between "minor" accidents and the life habits of injured workers, are rare. The aim of this study was to provide detailed data on the characteristics of the different kinds of occupational accidents occurring in a food factory in Apulia, southern Italy, from 1985 to 1994, as well as to verify whether any relationship existed between the different types of occupational accidents and the consumption of cigarettes and alcohol by injured workers. The company's accident register yielded data on injuries which caused absence from work; the nursing service register provided information about accidents which did not determine absence from work; personal health documents gave details of worker life habits; and the company pay roll showed the amount of "worked hours". "Minor" accidents represented 70% of all accidents occurring during the ten year period studied. "Blue collars" had more frequent and serious occupational injuries, in comparison with "technical employees". "Minor" accidents, and especially "medications", occurred more frequently during one-shift work than during three-shift work. As work seniority increased, the number of "major" accidents decreased and number of accidents without absence from work rose. Contusions were the most frequent lesions and were responsible for the majority of the 3 kinds of accidents. "Medications" together

  1. The use of flight test techniques in aircraft accident investigations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Parks, E. K.; Bach, R. E., Jr.; Wingrove, R. C.

    1986-01-01

    Wind shear is a serious safety hazard to commercial aviation. Low level wind shear (downburst) was the cause of the takeoff accident in New Orleans, July 9, 1982, and the landing accident in Dallas, Aug. 2, 1985. Shear layer instability is a common cause of clear air turbulence (CAT) at cruising altitudes. A number of encounters with severe CAT, in which passengers were injured, have recently occurred (Hannibal, MO, April 1981; Morton, WY, July 1982; etc.). Improved accident investigation techniques can lead to a better understanding of the nature of the wind environment associated with downbursts and CAT and to better detection and avoidance procedures. For the past several years, NASA-Ames has worked closely with the National Transportation Safety Board in the investigation of wind related accidents.

  2. Epidemiology of occupational accidents in iran based on social security organization database.

    PubMed

    Mehrdad, Ramin; Seifmanesh, Shahdokht; Chavoshi, Farzaneh; Aminian, Omid; Izadi, Nazanin

    2014-01-01

    Today, occupational accidents are one of the most important problems in industrial world. Due to lack of appropriate system for registration and reporting, there is no accurate statistics of occupational accidents all over the world especially in developing countries. The aim of this study is epidemiological assessment of occupational accidents in Iran. Information of available occupational accidents in Social Security Organization was extracted from accident reporting and registration forms. In this cross-sectional study, gender, age, economic activity, type of accident and injured body part in 22158 registered accidents during 2008 were described. The occupational accidents rate was 253 in 100,000 workers in 2008. 98.2% of injured workers were men. The mean age of injured workers was 32.07 ± 9.12 years. The highest percentage belonged to age group of 25-34 years old. In our study, most of the accidents occurred in basic metals industry, electrical and non-electrical machines and construction industry. Falling down from height and crush injury were the most prevalent accidents. Upper and lower extremities were the most common injured body parts. Due to the high rate of accidents in metal and construction industries, engineering controls, the use of appropriate protective equipment and safety worker training seems necessary.

  3. [Mechanism of pelvic girdle injuries in street traffic. Medical-technical accident analysis].

    PubMed

    Pohlemann, T; Richter, M; Otte, D; Gänsslen, A; Bartram, H; Tscherne, H

    2000-04-01

    During 1985 and 1993, 7,410 persons were injured in traffic accidents in the area of Hanover. Of these, 306 (4.1%) sustained a pelvic girdle injury. In 139 cases (45%), the pelvic girdle injuries were further classified (Pennal and Tile) and a technical reconstruction of the accident situation was performed. 52% were type A, 27% type B and 21% type C injuries. Some 47% of the casualties were vehicle occupants, 31% pedestrians, 12% motorcyclists and 10% cyclists. In restrained vehicle occupants pelvic girdle injuries occurred mostly in accidents with a delta-v of more than 30 km/h, whereas in unrestrained vehicle occupants, pedestrians and cyclists they also occurred with lower delta-v or collision speed. The percentage of type B and C injuries increased with higher velocities. In addition to further improvements in passive safety, lower collision speed or delta-v is necessary to reduce or prevent pelvic girdle injuries. The reconstruction of pelvic girdle injury mechanism in traffic accidents is possible, when both technical and medical parameters are considered.

  4. Global ship accidents and ocean swell-related sea states

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zhiwei; Li, Xiao-Ming

    2017-11-01

    With the increased frequency of shipping activities, navigation safety has become a major concern, especially when economic losses, human casualties and environmental issues are considered. As a contributing factor, the sea state plays a significant role in shipping safety. However, the types of dangerous sea states that trigger serious shipping accidents are not well understood. To address this issue, we analyzed the sea state characteristics during ship accidents that occurred in poor weather or heavy seas based on a 10-year ship accident dataset. Sea state parameters of a numerical wave model, i.e., significant wave height, mean wave period and mean wave direction, were analyzed for the selected ship accident cases. The results indicated that complex sea states with the co-occurrence of wind sea and swell conditions represent threats to sailing vessels, especially when these conditions include similar wave periods and oblique wave directions.

  5. Public Health Profile of Road Traffic Accidents in Kosovo 2010-2015

    PubMed Central

    Ramadani, Naser; Zhjeqi, Valbona; Berisha, Merita; Hoxha, Rina; Begolli, Ilir; Salihu, Drita; Krasniqi, Pranvera

    2017-01-01

    AIM: To determine the characteristics of the Socio-medical profile of road traffic accidents in Kosovo, between 2010 and 2015 year. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: A descriptive method based on the database of road traffic accidents from the National Police of Kosovo. RESULTS: In Kosovo for the period 2010-2015, on average, the yearly number of road traffic accidents is 18437 with mortality rate 7.4 per 100000 and lethality of 1.5%. The highest number of fatal cases are drivers and above 19 years old with more than 80%. Among injured significantly highest percentage is among passengers for all years and above 19 years old. Road traffic accident with a vehicle occurs most frequently, with approximately over 70%, mostly on dry road 72.9% and clear weather 71.1%. The driver is the contributing factors of road traffic accidents on average 99.3% whereas climatic conditions only 0.5%, with over 50% of crashes occurring in urban road 56.2%, mostly during Monday 16.0% and in the afternoon rush hours between 14.00-18.00 with 31.0%. CONCLUSIONS: There is a slight decrease in the mortality rate of 0.1‰ and lethality rate of 0.1% each year, whereas there is an increase of 21.5‰ for traumatism rate for each year. PMID:29362641

  6. The Human Factors of an Early Space Accident: Flight 3-65 of the X-15

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barshi, Immanuel; Statler, Irving C.; Orr, Jeb S.

    2015-01-01

    The X-15 was a critical research vehicle in the early days of space flight. On November 15, 1967, the X-15-3 suffered an in-flight breakup. This 191st flight of the X-15 and the 65th flight of this third configuration was the only fatal accident of the X-15 program. This paper presents an analysis, from a human factors perspective, of the events that led up to the accident. The analysis is based on the information contained in the report of the Air Force-NASA Accident Investigation Board (AIB) dated January, 1968. The AIBs analysis addressed, primarily, the events that occurred subsequent to the pilots taking direct control of the reaction control system. The analysis described here suggests that all of the events that caused the accident occurred well before the moment when the pilot switched to direct control. Consequently, the analyses and conclusions regarding the causal factors of, and the contributing factors to, the loss of Flight 3-65 presented here differ from those of the AIB based on the same evidence. Although the accident occurred in 1967, the results of the presented analysis are still relevant today. We present our analysis and discuss its implications for the safety of space operations.

  7. Epaxial muscle fiber architecture favors enhanced excursion and power in the leaper Galago senegalensis

    PubMed Central

    Huq, Emranul; Wall, Christine E; Taylor, Andrea B

    2015-01-01

    Galago senegalensis is a habitual arboreal leaper that engages in rapid spinal extension during push-off. Large muscle excursions and high contraction velocities are important components of leaping, and experimental studies indicate that during leaping by G. senegalensis, peak power is facilitated by elastic storage of energy. To date, however, little is known about the functional relationship between epaxial muscle fiber architecture and locomotion in leaping primates. Here, fiber architecture of select epaxial muscles is compared between G. senegalensis (n = 4) and the slow arboreal quadruped, Nycticebus coucang (n = 4). The hypothesis is tested that G. senegalensis exhibits architectural features of the epaxial muscles that facilitate rapid and powerful spinal extension during the take-off phase of leaping. As predicted, G. senegalensis epaxial muscles have relatively longer, less pinnate fibers and higher ratios of tendon length-to-fiber length, indicating the capacity for generating relatively larger muscle excursions, higher whole-muscle contraction velocities, and a greater capacity for elastic energy storage. Thus, the relatively longer fibers and higher tendon length-to-fiber length ratios can be functionally linked to leaping performance in G. senegalensis. It is further predicted that G. senegalensis epaxial muscles have relatively smaller physiological cross-sectional areas (PCSAs) as a consequence of an architectural trade-off between fiber length (excursion) and PCSA (force). Contrary to this prediction, there are no species differences in relative PCSAs, but the smaller-bodied G. senegalensis trends towards relatively larger epaxial muscle mass. These findings suggest that relative increase in muscle mass in G. senegalensis is largely attributable to longer fibers. The relative increase in erector spinae muscle mass may facilitate sagittal flexibility during leaping. The similarity between species in relative PCSAs provides empirical support

  8. [Motorcycle accidents in the municipality of Rio Branco in the State of Acre: characterization and trends].

    PubMed

    Rocha, Greiciane da Silva; Schor, Néia

    2013-03-01

    The scope of this paper is to assess traffic accidents involving motorcycles, the victims involved and the increase in the fleet compared with other vehicles in Rio Branco, State of Acre. It is an epidemiological, descriptive and transversal study of accidents between 2005 and 2008 recorded by the Acre State Highway Department. There were 3,582 motorcycle accidents and 3,768 victims in the period. The motorcycle fleet increased by 72.8%, with involvement in accidents increasing by 42.2%, while accidents involving other vehicles only increased by 9.2%. As regards victims, there is a predominance of men, with rates of 561.1, with the age groups of between 20 and 29 and 30 and 39 being the highest, with 755.4 and 542.2, respectively. With reference to accident characteristics, the highest number of accidents - 32.4% - occurred in the afternoon, followed by the morning with 29.2% and the evening with 28.9%. 18.3% occurred on Saturdays and 15.7% on Sundays. Collisions were the commonest kind of accident, with 3,036 (84.8%) occurrences. The conclusion drawn is that it is essential to stage ongoing preventive programs and ensure greater integration among the institutions involved, with planning and campaigns to reverse the current situation.

  9. [Traffic accidents: a health problem in primary care].

    PubMed

    Blanquer, J J; Rapa, M; Melchor, A; Jiménez, T; Adam, A; Mulet, M J

    1993-09-15

    To discover the prevalence and most relevant epidemiological characteristics of the victims of traffic accidents which occur in our health area. Hospital Casualty department (HC), Health area 19, Alcoy. This was an observational, crossover study, based on the collection of data from all those patients who had been brought into the HC for attention because of a traffic accident and who were attended between October 1, 1990 and September 31, 1991. During the study period a total of 1,111 traffic accident victims were attended. Their average age was 26.62 (SD +/- 15.95), with 69.6% being men and 30.2% women. 60.7% of the victims were attended on non-working days or the eve of a non-working day. 44.5% of those involved in accidents were in four-wheeled vehicles; 40% on two-wheeled vehicles and 11.1% of the victims were pedestrians. Injuries were light in 73.3% of cases; moderate in 15.9% and in the other 8.8% serious, grave or critical. 43.7% of the total had the accident in an urban area and 40.9% on the open road. The high prevalence of victims of accidents (8.3 per 1000 inhabitants) observed in our health area can be explained by the type of study. It is vital to obtain valid information of the real importance of this health problem. The primary care doctor must take preventive action concerning traffic accidents: a) through full studies of traffic accident levels among primary care centre users; b) primary preventive action, through the spreading of information on norms of safety; and c) secondary and tertiary prevention, by means of effective and efficacious outpatient emergency measures, as well as a thorough rehabilitation of accident victims.

  10. Manifestation of the geomagnetic Mono Lake excursion in sediments of the northern part of the Barents Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goos'kova, E.; Volkova, Y.; Piskarev, A.; Morner, N.-A.; Abrahamsen, N.; Dergachev, V.; Raspopov, O.

    2003-04-01

    Palaeomagnetic characteristics of cores from three boreholes (AK-56, AK-87, AK-98) collected in the northern part of the Barents sea (79-80 N) during the expedition of the Research Vessel "Academician Karpinsky" in 1998 have been studied. The cores were taken from depths of 329, 377, and 473 m, respectively. In all three cores, changes in inclination from -80 to -150 degrees were observed at a depth of 110-130 cm (in 6-8 core samples), which suggests that this phenomenon can be attributed to a geomagnetic field excursion. Basing on dating of the lithologic Holocene-Pleistocene boundary, the sedimentation rate in this part of the Barents Sea can be estimated to be 5-7 cm/1000 years. In this case the age of the excursion is about 24 000 BP, i.e., it corresponds to the Mono Lake excursion. In the Barents Sea sediments, the manifestation of this excursion was revealed for the first time in the ACB-2 core taken in the central part of the sea. At a depth of 150-180 cm, all three cores (in 8-10 samples) were found to have a layer with abnormally high natural remanent magnetization (up to 6-11 nT with a mean value of 1.5 nT) and magnetic susceptibility (up to 1.0-1.7 x 10-3 SI with a mean value of 0.4 x 10-3 SI). Basing on lithological data, the time of formation of this layer can be estimated as approximately 30 000 - 35 000 BP. A reference layer at the depth corresponding to the Holocene-Pleistocene boundary with similar changes in magnetic susceptibility attributed to climate change was found in the cores taken from the central part of the Barents sea earlier. It is likely that sharp changes in magnetic properties of sediments in the northern part of the Barents Sea about 30 000 - 35 000 BP are also attributable to a sharp climate change (warming) during that period of time. This work was supported by INTAS, Grant 97-31008 and PFBR, Grant 00-05-64921.

  11. Characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of periprocedural cerebrovascular accidents during electrophysiologic procedures.

    PubMed

    Harb, Serge C; Thomas, George; Saliba, Walid I; Nakhoul, Georges N; Hussein, Ayman A; Duarte, Valeria E; Bhargava, Mandeep; Baranowski, Bryan; Tchou, Patrick; Dresing, Thomas; Callahan, Thomas; Kanj, Mohamed; Natale, Andrea; Lindsay, Bruce D; Wazni, Oussama M

    2013-06-01

    We sought to identify the characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of periprocedural cerebrovascular accident (PCVA) during electrophysiologic (EP) procedures. Periprocedural cerebrovascular accident is one of the most feared complications during EP procedures with very few data regarding its characteristics, management, and outcomes. Between January 1998 and December 2008, we reviewed 30,032 invasive EP procedures for PCVA occurrence and characteristics. Management and outcomes were also determined. Thirty-eight CVAs were identified. Twenty (53 %) were intraprocedural and 18 (47 %) postprocedural. Thirty-two (84 %) were classified as strokes and six (16 %) as transient ischemic attacks. All CVAs except one (37, 97 %) were ischemic and the vast majority occurred during ablation procedures (36, 95 %). Among the 31 patients with ischemic stroke, 11 (35 %) were treated with reperfusion (eight catheter-based therapy and three intravenous t-PA) of whom five (46 %) had complete recovery, three (27 %) had partial recovery, and three (27 %) had no recovery. No hemorrhagic transformations occurred. Periprocedural cerebrovascular accident during EP procedures is rare and is almost always ischemic. It occurs more frequently during ablation procedures. Reperfusion therapy is feasible and safe.

  12. The Fukushima radiation accident: consequences for radiation accident medical management.

    PubMed

    Meineke, Viktor; Dörr, Harald

    2012-08-01

    The March 2011 radiation accident in Fukushima, Japan, is a textbook example of a radiation accident of global significance. In view of the global dimensions of the accident, it is important to consider the lessons learned. In this context, emphasis must be placed on consequences for planning appropriate medical management for radiation accidents including, for example, estimates of necessary human and material resources. The specific characteristics of the radiation accident in Fukushima are thematically divided into five groups: the exceptional environmental influences on the Fukushima radiation accident, particular circumstances of the accident, differences in risk perception, changed psychosocial factors in the age of the Internet and globalization, and the ignorance of the effects of ionizing radiation both among the general public and health care professionals. Conclusions like the need for reviewing international communication, interfacing, and interface definitions will be drawn from the Fukushima radiation accident.

  13. A Computer Knowledge Database of accidents at work in the construction industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoła, B.; Szóstak, M.

    2017-10-01

    At least 60,000 fatal accidents at work occur on building sites all over the world each year, which means that on average, every 10 minutes an employee dies during the execution of work. In 2015 on Polish building sites, 5,776 accidents at work happened, of which 69 resulted in the death of an employee. Accidents are an enormous social and economic burden for companies, communities and countries. The vast majority of accidents at work can be prevented by appropriate and effective preventive measures. Therefore, the Computer Knowledge Database (CKD) was formulated for this purpose and it enables data and information on accidents at work in the construction industry to be collected and processed in order to obtain necessary knowledge. This gained knowledge will be the basis to form conclusions of a preventive nature

  14. Review of Global Menace of Road Accidents with Special Reference to Malaysia- A Social Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Kareem, Abdul

    2003-01-01

    Road accident is ‘a global tragedy’ with ever-rising trend. The goal of this article includes review of the causes and nature of accidents, statistical data regarding road accidents and the economical impact. 1.17 million deaths occur each year worldwide due to road accidents 70 % of which occur in developing countries. 65% of deaths involve pedestrians, 35 % of which are children. Estimates suggest that 23–34 million people are injured worldwide every year in road crashes - a value almost twice that previously estimated. It is estimated that more than 200 U.S. citizens die each year due to road accidents abroad. Every year in Europe, more than 50,000 peoples are killed in road accidents, and more than 150,000 remain disabled. It is a sad fact that the total number of road accidents in Malaysia exceeded 223,000 in 1999. On the average, 16 persons died from these road accidents, every single day in 1999. Lack of attention, reckless driving, lack of proper protection, speeding, bad personal habits, social and behavioral misconduct and inconsiderate drivers of larger vehicles are some of the problems that cause accidents. In Malaysia, motorcycle fatal accidents (60%) warrant a high degree of concern. Young children and senior citizens are found to be in the vulnerable age group. In Malaysia, in 1999 alone, general insurers paid RM1.67 billion or an average of RM4.6 million a day on motor claims. It is now recognized that road traffic accidents represent a major public health problem, because of the high number of victims involved and because of the seriousness of the consequences for themselves and for their families. PMID:23386795

  15. Major Accidents (Gray Swans) Likelihood Modeling Using Accident Precursors and Approximate Reasoning.

    PubMed

    Khakzad, Nima; Khan, Faisal; Amyotte, Paul

    2015-07-01

    Compared to the remarkable progress in risk analysis of normal accidents, the risk analysis of major accidents has not been so well-established, partly due to the complexity of such accidents and partly due to low probabilities involved. The issue of low probabilities normally arises from the scarcity of major accidents' relevant data since such accidents are few and far between. In this work, knowing that major accidents are frequently preceded by accident precursors, a novel precursor-based methodology has been developed for likelihood modeling of major accidents in critical infrastructures based on a unique combination of accident precursor data, information theory, and approximate reasoning. For this purpose, we have introduced an innovative application of information analysis to identify the most informative near accident of a major accident. The observed data of the near accident were then used to establish predictive scenarios to foresee the occurrence of the major accident. We verified the methodology using offshore blowouts in the Gulf of Mexico, and then demonstrated its application to dam breaches in the United Sates. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

  16. Analysis of Incident and Accident Reports and Risk Management in Spine Surgery.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Kazuyoshi; Imagama, Shiro; Ando, Kei; Hida, Tetsuro; Ito, Kenyu; Tsushima, Mikito; Ishikawa, Yoshimoto; Matsumoto, Akiyuki; Morozumi, Masayoshi; Nishida, Yoshihiro; Nagao, Yoshimasa; Ishiguro, Naoki

    2017-08-01

    A review of accident and incident reports. To analyze prevalence, characteristics, and details of perioperative incidents and accidents in patients receiving spine surgery. In our institution, a clinical error that potentially results in an adverse event is usually submitted as an incident or accident report through a web database, to ensure anonymous and blame-free reporting. All reports are analyzed by a medical safety management group. These reports contain valuable data for management of medical safety, but there have been no studies evaluating such data for spine surgery. A total of 320 incidents and accidents that occurred perioperatively in 172 of 415 spine surgeries were included in the study. Incidents were defined as events that were "problematic, but with no damage to the patient," and accidents as events "with damage to the patient." The details of these events were analyzed. There were 278 incidents in 137 surgeries and 42 accidents in 35 surgeries, giving prevalence of 33% (137/415) and 8% (35/415), respectively. The proportion of accidents among all events was significantly higher for doctors than non-doctors [68.0% (17/25) vs. 8.5% (25/295), P < 0.01] and in the operating room compared with outside the operating room [40.5% (15/37) vs. 9.5% (27/283), P < 0.01]. There was no significant difference in years of experience among personnel involved in all events. The major types of events were medication-related, line and tube problems, and falls and slips. Accidents also occurred because of a long-term prone position, with complications such as laryngeal edema, ulnar nerve palsy, and tooth damage. Surgery and procedures in the operating room always have a risk of complications. Therefore, a particular effort is needed to establish safe management of this environment and to provide advice on risk to the doctor and medical care team. 4.

  17. U.S. Civil Rotorcraft Accidents, 1963 Through 1997

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harris, Franklin D.; Kasper, Eugene F.; Iseler, Laura E.

    2000-01-01

    Narrative summary data produced by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been obtained and analyzed for all 8,436 U.S. civil registered rotorcraft accidents which occurred from mid-1963 through 1997. This analysis was based on the NTSB's assignment of each mishap into one of 21 "first event" categories. The number of U.S. civil registered rotorcraft as recorded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the same period has also been obtained. Taken together, these data indicate the civil rotorcraft accident rate (on a per 1,000 registered rotorcraft basis) has decreased by almost a factor of 10 (i.e., from 130 accidents per 1,000 rotorcraft in 1964 to 13.4 per 1,000 in 1997). Analysis of the mishap data indicates over 70% of the rotorcraft accidents were associated with one of the following four NTSB "first event" categories: 2408 Loss of engine power (28.5%); 1,322 In-flight collisions with objects (15.7%); 1,114 Loss of control (13.2%); 1,083 Airframe/component/system failure or malfunction (12.8%).

  18. TECHNICAL REVIEW OF ZPR-I ACCIDENTAL TRANSIENT--THE POWER EXCURSION, EXPOSURES, AND CLINICAL DATA

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brittan, R. O.; Hasterlik, R. J.; Marinelli, L. D.

    1953-01-26

    On June 2. 1952. a large reactivity change was made manually in a ZPR-1 assembly causing a power excursion of about one kwh, which resulted in damage to the reactor core components and radiation exposure of some of the operating personnel to perhaps several hundred rep. A description is presented of the incident, estimates are made of the exposures, and early clinical data are summarized. (C.H.)

  19. Quality evaluation of official accident reports conducted by Labour Authorities in Andalusia (Spain).

    PubMed

    Salguero-Caparros, Francisco; Suarez-Cebador, Manuel; Carrillo-Castrillo, Jesús A; Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos

    2018-01-01

    A public accident investigation is carried out when the consequences of the incident are significant or the accident has occurred in unusual circumstances. We evaluated the quality of the official accident investigations being conducted by Safety Specialists of the Labour Authorities in Andalusia. To achieve this objective, we analysed 98 occupational accident investigations conducted by the Labour Authorities in Andalusia in the last quarter of 2014. Various phases in the accident investigation process were examined, such as the use of the Eurostat variables within European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW), detection of causes, determination of preventive measures, cost analysis of the accidents, identification of noncompliance with legal requirements or the investigation method used. The results of this study show that 77% of the official occupational accident investigation reports analysed were conducted in accordance with all the quality criteria recommended in the literature. To enhance glogal learning, and optimize allocation of resources, we propose the development of a harmonized European model for the public investigation of occupational accidents. Further it would be advisable to create a common classification and coding system for the causes of accidents for all European Union Member States.

  20. Roller skating accidents and injuries.

    PubMed

    Sedlin, E D; Zitner, D T; McGinniss, G

    1984-02-01

    A consecutive series of 65 fractures, dislocations, and ligament tears produced by roller skating accidents treated by the Orthopaedic Department of the Mt. Sinai Services at City Hospital Center of Elmhurst, New York, is reviewed. It was learned that the injuries resulting from collisions occurring in a skating rink were more serious than those resulting from street accidents. Data indicated that lack of expertise is a prominent factor in the production of serious injury. However, the sport has inherent risk which is not eliminated by expertise. It was concluded that roller skating can and does produce disabling injuries. In order to reduce the number of injuries it will be required to reduce crowding in rinks, designate separate beginners' areas, use training wheels or clampon-type of skates when learning, encourage lessons, and separate beginners in the rinks.

  1. Comparison of excursive occlusal force parameters in post-orthodontic and non-orthodontic subjects using T-Scan® III.

    PubMed

    Qadeer, Sarah; Abbas, Ahmed A; Sarinnaphakorn, Lertrit; Kerstein, Robert B

    2018-01-01

    Published studies indicate that orthodontically treated patients demonstrate increased posterior occlusal friction contributing to temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms. This study investigated measured excursive movement occlusal contact parameters and their association with TMD symptoms between non- and post-orthodontic subjects. Twenty-five post-orthodontic and 25 non-orthodontic subjects underwent T-Scan® computerized occlusal analysis to determine their disclusion time (DT), the excursive frictional contacts, and occlusal scheme. Each subject answered a TMD questionnaire to determine the presence or absence of TMD symptoms. Statistical analysis compared the within group and between group differences (p < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed in the disclusion time: DT = 2.69 s in the post-orthodontic and 1.36 s in the non-orthodontic group. In the non-orthodontic group, 72.7% working and 27.3% non-working side contacts were seen, while in the post-orthodontic group, (near equal) 54.7% working and 45.3% non-working side contacts were seen. Presence of canine guidance was seen in 60% of the non-orthodontic group and 24% in the post-orthodontic group. Seventy-two percent of the post orthodontics subjects presented with one or more TMD symptoms. Significantly longer disclusion time, higher posterior frictional contacts, and more TMD symptoms were observed in the post-orthodontic group, suggesting that orthodontic treatment increases posterior tooth friction. Computerized occlusal analysis is an objective diagnostic tool determining the quality of excursive movements following orthodontic treatment.

  2. General aviation accidents related to exceedance of airplane weight/center of gravity limits.

    PubMed

    Boyd, Douglas D

    2016-06-01

    Obesity, affects a third of the US population and its corollary occupant weight adversely impacts safe flight operations. Increased aircraft weight results in longer takeoff/landing distances, degraded climb gradients and airframe failure may occur in turbulence. In this study, the rate, temporal changes, and lethality of accidents in piston-powered, general aviation aircraft related to exceeding the maximum aircraft weight/center of gravity (CG) limits were determined. Nation-wide person body mass were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The NTSB database was used to identify accidents related to operation of aircraft outside of their weight/CG envelope. Statistical analyses employed T-tests, proportion tests and a Poisson distribution. While the average body mass climbed steadily (p<0.001) between 1999 and 2014 the rate of accidents related to exceedance of the weight/CG limits did not change (p=0.072). However, 57% were fatal, higher (p<0.001) than the 21% for mishaps attributed to other causes/factors. The majority (77%) of accidents were due to an overloaded aircraft operating within its CG limits. As to the phase of flight, accidents during takeoff and those occurring enroute carried the lowest (50%) and highest (85%) proportion of fatal accidents respectively. While the rate of general aviation accidents related to operating an aircraft outside of its weight/CG envelope has not increased over the past 15 years, these types of accidents carry a high risk of fatality. Airmen should be educated as to such risks and to dispel the notion held by some that flights may be safely conducted with an overloaded aircraft within its CG limits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. [Recreational boating accidents--Part 1: Catamnestic study].

    PubMed

    Lignitz, Eberhard; Lustig, Martina; Scheibe, Ernst

    2014-01-01

    Deaths on the water are common in the autopsy material of medicolegal institutes situated on the coast or big rivers and lakes (illustrated by the example of the Institute of Legal Medicine of Greifswald University). They mostly occur during recreational boating activities. Apart from hydro-meteorological influences, human error is the main cause of accidents. Often it is not sufficiently kept in mind whether the boat crew is fit for sailing and proper seamanship is ensured. Drowning (following initial hypothermia) is the most frequent cause of death. Medicolegal aspects are not decisive for ordering a forensic autopsy. As statistics are not compiled in a uniform way, a comparison of the data of different institutions engaged in investigating deaths at sea and during water sports activities is hardly possible, neither on a national nor an international basis--and the reconstruction of aquatic accidents is generally difficult. Fatal accidents can only be prevented by completely clarifying their causes.

  4. Epidemiology of Occupational Accidents in Iran Based on Social Security Organization Database

    PubMed Central

    Mehrdad, Ramin; Seifmanesh, Shahdokht; Chavoshi, Farzaneh; Aminian, Omid; Izadi, Nazanin

    2014-01-01

    Background: Background: Today, occupational accidents are one of the most important problems in industrial world. Due to lack of appropriate system for registration and reporting, there is no accurate statistics of occupational accidents all over the world especially in developing countries. Objectives: The aim of this study is epidemiological assessment of occupational accidents in Iran. Materials and Methods: Information of available occupational accidents in Social Security Organization was extracted from accident reporting and registration forms. In this cross-sectional study, gender, age, economic activity, type of accident and injured body part in 22158 registered accidents during 2008 were described. Results: The occupational accidents rate was 253 in 100,000 workers in 2008. 98.2% of injured workers were men. The mean age of injured workers was 32.07 ± 9.12 years. The highest percentage belonged to age group of 25-34 years old. In our study, most of the accidents occurred in basic metals industry, electrical and non-electrical machines and construction industry. Falling down from height and crush injury were the most prevalent accidents. Upper and lower extremities were the most common injured body parts. Conclusion: Due to the high rate of accidents in metal and construction industries, engineering controls, the use of appropriate protective equipment and safety worker training seems necessary. PMID:24719699

  5. Studded and unstudded winter tires in fatal road accidents in Finland.

    PubMed

    Malmivuo, Mikko; Luoma, Juha; Porthin, Markus

    2017-07-04

    The aim of the study was to compare the safety effects of studded and unstudded winter tires based on fatal road accidents. The data included 958 road accidents involving a passenger car or van that occurred in Finland from November to March between 1997 and 2012. Comparing the proportions of winter tire type in accidents and in general traffic showed that the overall effect of tire type on the number of accidents was not significant, although studded tires reduced fatal accidents by 10-15%. Compared to unstudded tires, studded tires reduced accidents significantly only on bald ice in 2005-2012. Drivers using unstudded tires were more experienced and their profession was more frequently related to driving. In addition, the vehicle age was lower for vehicles with unstudded tires. On the other hand, the state of repair was less pertinent for unstudded than for studded tires. These confounding factors offset their effects to some degree. The risk of fatal road accidents in winter between studded and unstudded tires does not differ significantly. However, the accident risk has recently been substantially higher on bald ice for unstudded than for studded tires. The magnitude of this risk difference is difficult to determine without specific information on exposure by road surface.

  6. Accident investigation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Laynor, William G. Bud

    1987-01-01

    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has attributed wind shear as a cause or contributing factor in 15 accidents involving transport-categroy airplanes since 1970. Nine of these were nonfatal; but the other six accounted for 440 lives. Five of the fatal accidents and seven of the nonfatal accidents involved encounters with convective downbursts or microbursts. Of other accidents, two which were nonfatal were encounters with a frontal system shear, and one which was fatal was the result of a terrain induced wind shear. These accidents are discussed with reference to helping the aircraft to avoid the wind shear or if impossible to help the pilot to get through the wind shear.

  7. Reported Radiation Overexposure Accidents Worldwide, 1980-2013: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Coeytaux, Karen; Bey, Eric; Christensen, Doran; Glassman, Erik S.; Murdock, Becky; Doucet, Christelle

    2015-01-01

    Background Radiation overexposure accidents are rare but can have severe long-term health consequences. Although underreporting can be an issue, some extensive literature reviews of reported radiation overexposures have been performed and constitute a sound basis for conclusions on general trends. Building further on this work, we performed a systematic review that completes previous reviews and provides new information on characteristics and trends of reported radiation accidents. Methods We searched publications and reports from MEDLINE, EMBASE, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Radiation Protection Association, the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site radiation accident registry over 1980-2013. We retrieved the reported overexposure cases, systematically extracted selected information, and performed a descriptive analysis. Results 297 out of 5189 publications and reports and 194 records from the REAC/TS registry met our eligibility criteria. From these, 634 reported radiation accidents were retrieved, involving 2390 overexposed people, of whom 190 died from their overexposure. The number of reported cases has decreased for all types of radiation use, but the medical one. 64% of retrieved overexposure cases occurred with the use of radiation therapy and fluoroscopy. Additionally, the types of reported accidents differed significantly across regions. Conclusions This review provides an updated and broader view of reported radiation overexposures. It suggests an overall decline in reported radiation overexposures over 1980-2013. The greatest share of reported overexposures occurred in the medical fields using radiation therapy and fluoroscopy; this larger number of reported overexposures accidents indicates the potential need for enhanced quality assurance programs. Our data also highlights

  8. Jerky periods: myoclonus occurring solely during menses.

    PubMed

    Buijink, Arthur W G; Gelauff, Jeannette M; van der Salm, Sandra M A; Tijssen, Marina A J; van Rootselaar, Anne-Fleur

    2013-01-01

    In this case report, we describe an unusual case of a patient with myoclonus only occurring during menses. A 41-year-old female, known to have neurological sequelae after a car accident 1 year earlier, presented with myoclonic movements of the right arm and hand only during menses. Brain magnetic resonance imaging is compatible with head trauma. Electromyography shows brief irregular bursts with a duration of about 20 ms. This appears to be the first description of myoclonus appearing only during menses. We suggest a cortical origin for myoclonus.

  9. Simulation study of traffic car accidents at a single lane roundabout

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Echab, H.; Lakouari, N.; Ez-Zahraouy, H.; Benyoussef, A.

    2016-07-01

    In this paper, using the Nagel-Schreckenberg model, we numerically investigate the probability Pac of entering/circulating car accidents to occur at single-lane roundabout under the expanded open boundary. The roundabout consists of N on-ramps (respectively, off-ramps). The boundary is controlled by the injecting rates α1,α2 and the extracting rate β. The simulation results show that, depending on the injecting rates, the car accidents are more likely to happen when the capacity of the rotary is set to its maximum. Moreover, we found that the large values of rotary size L and the probability of preferential Pexit are reliable to improve safety and reduce accidents. However, the usage of indicator, the increase of β and/or N provokes an increase of car accident probability.

  10. [When and where motorcyclists have accidents and die in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil].

    PubMed

    Diniz, Eugênio Paceli Hatem; Pinheiro, Letícia Cavalari; Proietti, Fernando Augusto

    2015-12-01

    The objective of this study was to analyze traffic accidents involving motorcycles in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, from 2007 to 2011 and to identify clusters of high-risk and hazardous intersections in and around the city. Data were provided by the Military Police Brigade and the Emergency Medical Service (SAMU). Accident severity rates were used to identify critical intersections. Two techniques were used: kernel analysis and scan statistics (continuous Poisson model). High-risk clusters were located in the downtown area and on major thoroughfares. Surprisingly, the highest risk of accidents and death occurred not at intersections, but between them. Hazardous intersections are part of routes used to access regions around Greater Metropolitan Belo Horizonte. Two distinct trends in mortality rates and accidents were identified. Most motorcycle deaths occurred after 7:00 PM. The study concludes that there is an urgent need to improve motorcycle and public transportation routes.

  11. Diamond Fire: Serious Accident Investigation Report

    Treesearch

    John Waconda; Ivan Pupulidy; Leonard Diaz; Robin Broyles; Roberta Junge; James Saveland

    2012-01-01

    This incident is effectively two studies. The first study, and the reason the Serious Accident Investigation Team was assembled, was due to a fatality, which the autopsy later determined to have been caused by a heart attack. The team was not aware of the cause of death for over 4 weeks after the incident occurred. However, the observed and reported cases of heat...

  12. The situation of hazardous chemical accidents in China between 2000 and 2006.

    PubMed

    Duan, Weili; Chen, Guohua; Ye, Qing; Chen, Qingguang

    2011-02-28

    From the aspects of the total quantity of accidents, regional inequality, enterprises scale and environmental pollution accidents, this study makes an analysis of hazardous chemical accidents in China for the period spanning from 2000 to 2006. The following results are obtained: firstly, there were lots of accidents and fatalities in hazardous chemical business, i.e., the number of casualty accidents fluctuated between 200 and 600/year, the number of fatality fluctuated between 220 and 1100/year. Secondly, the accident rate in developed southeast coastal areas, e.g., Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, was far higher than that in the northwest regions, e.g., Xizang, Xinjiang, and Qinghai. Thirdly, nearly 80% of dangerous chemical accidents had occurred in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Finally, various sudden environmental pollution accidents resulted from hazardous chemicals were frequent in recent years, causing a huge damage to human and property. Then, based on the readjustment of economic structure in the last decades, the development status of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in SMEs and other factors, the paper explores the main causes, which offers valuable insight into measures that should be taken to reduce hazardous chemical accidents. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Environmental Aftermath of the Radiation Accident at Tomsk-7

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Porfiriev, Boris N.; Porfiriev, Boris N.

    1996-01-01

    An analysis is presented of the environmental effects of the most serious radiation accident recorded after Chernobyl, which occurred in the formerly secret town of Tomsk-7 in Siberia, Russia, on 6, April 1993. Fortunately, it appears not to have become a major industrial crisis or disaster. The causes of the accident are described. It is argued that a mixture of both objective and subjective prerequisites, including specific human, organizational, and technological factors, were responsible for the explosion or directly facilitated it. The Tomsk-7 accident’s ecological, medical, social, and psychological consequences are discussed.

  14. Effect of eating vegetables before carbohydrates on glucose excursions in patients with type 2 diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Imai, Saeko; Fukui, Michiaki; Kajiyama, Shizuo

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this review was to evaluate whether eating vegetables before carbohydrates could reduce the postprandial glucose, insulin, and improve long-term glycemic control in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. We studied the effect of eating vegetables before carbohydrates on postprandial plasma glucose, insulin, and glycemic control for 2.5 y in patients with type 2 diabetes. The postprandial glucose and insulin levels decreased significantly when the patients ate vegetables before carbohydrates compared to the reverse regimen, and the improvement of glycemic control was observed for 2.5 y. We also compared the postprandial glucose and glucose fluctuations assessed by continuous glucose monitoring system for 72-h in patients with type 2 diabetes and subjects with normal glucose tolerance when subjects ate vegetables before carbohydrates and carbohydrates before vegetables in a randomized crossover design. The glycemic excursions and incremental glucose peak were significantly lower when the subjects ate vegetables before carbohydrates compared to the reverse regimen. This evidence supports the effectiveness of eating vegetables before carbohydrates on glucose excursions in the short-term and glycemic control in the long-term in patients with type 2 diabetes. PMID:24426184

  15. Effect of eating vegetables before carbohydrates on glucose excursions in patients with type 2 diabetes.

    PubMed

    Imai, Saeko; Fukui, Michiaki; Kajiyama, Shizuo

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this review was to evaluate whether eating vegetables before carbohydrates could reduce the postprandial glucose, insulin, and improve long-term glycemic control in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. We studied the effect of eating vegetables before carbohydrates on postprandial plasma glucose, insulin, and glycemic control for 2.5 y in patients with type 2 diabetes. The postprandial glucose and insulin levels decreased significantly when the patients ate vegetables before carbohydrates compared to the reverse regimen, and the improvement of glycemic control was observed for 2.5 y. We also compared the postprandial glucose and glucose fluctuations assessed by continuous glucose monitoring system for 72-h in patients with type 2 diabetes and subjects with normal glucose tolerance when subjects ate vegetables before carbohydrates and carbohydrates before vegetables in a randomized crossover design. The glycemic excursions and incremental glucose peak were significantly lower when the subjects ate vegetables before carbohydrates compared to the reverse regimen. This evidence supports the effectiveness of eating vegetables before carbohydrates on glucose excursions in the short-term and glycemic control in the long-term in patients with type 2 diabetes.

  16. The study of the geomagnetic excursions and the relative intensities from Chinese loess 10Be over the past 130 ka

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, W.; Xian, F.; Beck, J.; An, Z.; Wu, Z.; Liu, M.; Chen, M.; Priller, A.; Kutschera, W.; Jull, A. T.; Yu, H.; Song, S.; Cheng, P.; Kong, X.

    2009-12-01

    Chinese loess is well-known archive for the paleogeomagnetic and paleoclimatic studies [Zhou et al., 1990; An et al., 1990; Zhu et al., 2007]. However, earlier efforts to extract weak geomagnetic excursion signals from Chinese loess 10Be were always unsuccessful due to the complexities of loess 10Be, which results in the fact that loess 10Be was only used as a climatic proxy [Shen et al., 1992; Beer et al.,1993; Gu et al.,1996]. Meanwhile, knowledge on the precise stratigraphic horizons of geomagnetic excursions with a reliable dating [Channell, 2006], on whether the short-lived excursions such as Blake can not be recorded in paleosol unit are still controversial. Here, we present the reconstructed past 130ka geomagnetic excursions and relative paleointensities for the first time from 10Be records in two Chinese loess sections. Results are comparative with those of independent geomagnetic research on Atlantic and Pacific sediments. The derived Laschamp and Blake events lie in the loess-paleosol (L1SS1 and S1SS3) corresponding to mid MIS 3 and 5e respectively. Our studies prove the potential application of the complex loess 10Be for long-term geomagnetic tracing and provide new evidence to answer the long-existing debates on the precise stratigraphic horizon of geomagnetic excursions. Our study suggests the potential application of loess-paleosol 10Be for reconstructing geomagnetic intensity variations spanning the whole Quaternary. References 1. Zhou, L. P., F. Oldfield, A. G. Wintle, S. G. Robinson, and J. T. Wang (1990), Partly pedogenic origin of magnetic variations in Chinese loess, Nature, 346, 737-739. 2. An, Z. S., T. S. Liu, Y. C. Lu, S. C. Porter, G. Kukla, X. H. Wu, and Y. M. Hua (1990), The long-term paleomonsoon variation recorded by the loess-paleosol sequence in Central China, Quat. Int., 7-8, 91-95. 3. Zhu, R. X., R. Zhang, C. L. Deng, Y. X. Pan, Q. S. Liu, and Y. B. Sun (2007), Are Chinese loess deposits essentially continuous?, Geophys. Res. Lett

  17. Study of activities of postmen motorcyclists: a look at motorcycle accidents.

    PubMed

    Nascimento, Lícia Maria Barreto do; Bortolotto, Gracielle Aparecida Orlando

    2012-01-01

    This article presents the steps of transforming the material and organizational aspects in the work environment, beyond the social order for the proper development of activities in the Household Distribution Center, the Postmen Motorcyclists. The demand was made by managers from the accident records, establishing the need to identify the working conditions of postmen motorcyclists, regarding motorcycle accidents occurring on public roads. Based on the characteristics of the steps required by the methodology, was necessary to realize internal and external observations, with the aim of identifying the dynamics of the accident and the collective dimensions of activity which requires a strategy for monitoring the work on the street.

  18. Accidents of Electrical and Mechanical Works for Public Sector Projects in Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Wong, Francis K W; Chan, Albert P C; Wong, Andy K D; Hon, Carol K H; Choi, Tracy N Y

    2018-03-10

    A study on electrical and mechanical (E&M) works-related accidents for public sector projects provided the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the causes of accidents by analyzing the circumstances of all E&M works accidents. The research aims to examine accidents of E&M works which happened in public sector projects. A total of 421 E&M works-related accidents in the "Public Works Programme Construction Site Safety and Environmental Statistics" (PCSES) system were extracted for analysis. Two-step cluster analysis was conducted to classify the E&M accidents into different groups. The results identified three E&M accidents groups: (1) electricians with over 15 years of experience were prone to 'fall of person from height'; (2) electricians with zero to five years of experience were prone to 'slip, trip or fall on same level'; (3) air-conditioning workers with zero to five years of experience were prone to multiple types of accidents. Practical measures were recommended for each specific cluster group to avoid recurrence of similar accidents. The accident analysis would be vital for industry practitioners to enhance the safety performance of public sector projects. This study contributes to filling the knowledge gap of how and why E&M accidents occur and promulgating preventive measures for E&M accidents which have been under researched.

  19. Accidents of Electrical and Mechanical Works for Public Sector Projects in Hong Kong

    PubMed Central

    Wong, Francis K. W.; Chan, Albert P. C.; Wong, Andy K. D.; Choi, Tracy N. Y.

    2018-01-01

    A study on electrical and mechanical (E&M) works-related accidents for public sector projects provided the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the causes of accidents by analyzing the circumstances of all E&M works accidents. The research aims to examine accidents of E&M works which happened in public sector projects. A total of 421 E&M works-related accidents in the “Public Works Programme Construction Site Safety and Environmental Statistics” (PCSES) system were extracted for analysis. Two-step cluster analysis was conducted to classify the E&M accidents into different groups. The results identified three E&M accidents groups: (1) electricians with over 15 years of experience were prone to ‘fall of person from height’; (2) electricians with zero to five years of experience were prone to ‘slip, trip or fall on same level’; (3) air-conditioning workers with zero to five years of experience were prone to multiple types of accidents. Practical measures were recommended for each specific cluster group to avoid recurrence of similar accidents. The accident analysis would be vital for industry practitioners to enhance the safety performance of public sector projects. This study contributes to filling the knowledge gap of how and why E&M accidents occur and promulgating preventive measures for E&M accidents which have been under researched. PMID:29534429

  20. Association between Daily Hospital Outpatient Visits for Accidents and Daily Ambient Air Temperatures in an Industrial City.

    PubMed

    Chau, Tang-Tat; Wang, Kuo-Ying

    2016-01-01

    An accident is an unwanted hazard to a person. However, accidents occur. In this work, we search for correlations between daily accident rates and environmental factors. To study daily hospital outpatients who were admitted for accidents during a 5-year period, 2007-2011, we analyzed data regarding 168,366 outpatients using univariate regression models; we also used multivariable regression models to account for confounding factors. Our analysis indicates that the number of male outpatients admitted for accidents was approximately 1.31 to 1.47 times the number of female outpatients (P < 0.0001). Of the 12 parameters (regarding air pollution and meteorology) considered, only daily temperature exhibited consistent and significant correlations with the daily number of hospital outpatient visits for accidents throughout the 5-year analysis period. The univariate regression models indicate that older people (greater than 66 years old) had the fewest accidents per 1-degree increase in temperature, followed by young people (0-15 years old). Middle-aged people (16-65 years old) were the group of outpatients that were more prone to accidents, with an increase in accident rates of 0.8-1.2 accidents per degree increase in temperature. The multivariable regression models also reveal that the temperature variation was the dominant factor in determining the daily number of outpatient visits for accidents. Our further multivariable model analysis of temperature with respect to air pollution variables show that, through the increases in emissions and concentrations of CO, photochemical O3 production and NO2 loss in the ambient air, increases in vehicular emissions are associated with increases in temperatures. As such, increases in hospital visits for accidents are related to vehicular emissions and usage. This finding is consistent with clinical experience which shows about 60% to 80% of accidents are related to traffic, followed by accidents occurred in work place.

  1. Association between Daily Hospital Outpatient Visits for Accidents and Daily Ambient Air Temperatures in an Industrial City

    PubMed Central

    Chau, Tang-Tat; Wang, Kuo-Ying

    2016-01-01

    An accident is an unwanted hazard to a person. However, accidents occur. In this work, we search for correlations between daily accident rates and environmental factors. To study daily hospital outpatients who were admitted for accidents during a 5-year period, 2007–2011, we analyzed data regarding 168,366 outpatients using univariate regression models; we also used multivariable regression models to account for confounding factors. Our analysis indicates that the number of male outpatients admitted for accidents was approximately 1.31 to 1.47 times the number of female outpatients (P < 0.0001). Of the 12 parameters (regarding air pollution and meteorology) considered, only daily temperature exhibited consistent and significant correlations with the daily number of hospital outpatient visits for accidents throughout the 5-year analysis period. The univariate regression models indicate that older people (greater than 66 years old) had the fewest accidents per 1-degree increase in temperature, followed by young people (0–15 years old). Middle-aged people (16–65 years old) were the group of outpatients that were more prone to accidents, with an increase in accident rates of 0.8–1.2 accidents per degree increase in temperature. The multivariable regression models also reveal that the temperature variation was the dominant factor in determining the daily number of outpatient visits for accidents. Our further multivariable model analysis of temperature with respect to air pollution variables show that, through the increases in emissions and concentrations of CO, photochemical O3 production and NO2 loss in the ambient air, increases in vehicular emissions are associated with increases in temperatures. As such, increases in hospital visits for accidents are related to vehicular emissions and usage. This finding is consistent with clinical experience which shows about 60% to 80% of accidents are related to traffic, followed by accidents occurred in work place. PMID

  2. Instrumentation Performance During the TMI-2 Accident

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rempe, Joy L.; Knudson, Darrell L.

    2014-08-01

    The accident at the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) reactor provided a unique opportunity to evaluate sensors exposed to severe accident conditions. The loss of coolant and the hydrogen combustion that occurred during this accident exposed instrumentation to harsh conditions, including direct radiation, radioactive contamination, and high humidity with elevated temperatures and pressures. As part of a program initiated by the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), a review was completed to gain insights from prior TMI-2 sensor survivability and data qualification efforts. This new effort focused upon a set of sensors that provided critical data to TMI-2 operators for assessing the condition of the plant and the effects of mitigating actions taken by these operators. In addition, the effort considered sensors providing data required for subsequent accident simulations. Over 100 references related to instrumentation performance and post-accident evaluations of TMI-2 sensors and measurements were reviewed. Insights gained from this review are summarized within this paper. As noted within this paper, several techniques were invoked in the TMI-2 post-accident program to evaluate sensor survivability status and data qualification, including comparisons with data from other sensors, analytical calculations, laboratory testing, and comparisons with sensors subjected to similar conditions in large-scale integral tests and with sensors that were similar in design but more easily removed from the TMI-2 plant for evaluations. Conclusions from this review provide important insights related to sensor survivability and enhancement options for improving sensor performance. In addition, this paper provides recommendations related to sensor survivability and the data evaluation process that could be implemented in upcoming Fukushima Daiichi recovery efforts.

  3. Professional experience and traffic accidents/near-miss accidents among truck drivers.

    PubMed

    Girotto, Edmarlon; Andrade, Selma Maffei de; González, Alberto Durán; Mesas, Arthur Eumann

    2016-10-01

    To investigate the relationship between the time working as a truck driver and the report of involvement in traffic accidents or near-miss accidents. A cross-sectional study was performed with truck drivers transporting products from the Brazilian grain harvest to the Port of Paranaguá, Paraná, Brazil. The drivers were interviewed regarding sociodemographic characteristics, working conditions, behavior in traffic and involvement in accidents or near-miss accidents in the previous 12 months. Subsequently, the participants answered a self-applied questionnaire on substance use. The time of professional experience as drivers was categorized in tertiles. Statistical analyses were performed through the construction of models adjusted by multinomial regression to assess the relationship between the length of experience as a truck driver and the involvement in accidents or near-miss accidents. This study included 665 male drivers with an average age of 42.2 (±11.1) years. Among them, 7.2% and 41.7% of the drivers reported involvement in accidents and near-miss accidents, respectively. In fully adjusted analysis, the 3rd tertile of professional experience (>22years) was shown to be inversely associated with involvement in accidents (odds ratio [OR] 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16-0.52) and near-miss accidents (OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.05-0.53). The 2nd tertile of professional experience (11-22 years) was inversely associated with involvement in accidents (OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.40-0.98). An evident relationship was observed between longer professional experience and a reduction in reporting involvement in accidents and near-miss accidents, regardless of age, substance use, working conditions and behavior in traffic. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Beryllium isotopes as tracers of Lake Lisan (last Glacial Dead Sea) hydrology and the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belmaker, Reuven; Stein, Mordechai; Beer, Jürg; Christl, Marcus; Fink, David; Lazar, Boaz

    2014-08-01

    The content of the cosmogenic isotope 10Be (t1/2=1.39 Ma) in lacustrine sediments that deposit in lakes with a large watershed is susceptible to both climate and cosmogenic production rate variations. In order to distinguish between these two controls, we measured 10Be and major elements in several sections of the annually laminated sediments of the Lake Lisan (the last Glacial precursor of the Dead Sea) that are composed of detrital sediments and primary (evaporitic) aragonites. The sections were selected to represent regional hydrology and climate as reflected by different lake configurations (level rise, drop and high-stands) and rapid change in the 10Be production rate during the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion. Since the short-lived cosmogenic “sister” of 10Be, 7Be (t1/2=53.3 d) has virtually no recycled component, the recycled 10Be in Lake Lisan detrital sediments was evaluated by measuring 7Be in their modern equivalents: modern flood suspended matter, dust and mud cracks. Our results demonstrate that although the recycled 10Be component is significant, secular variations in the 10Be concentration in Lake Lisan sediments correlate with hydrological variations and geomagnetic excursions. During periods of moderate variations in 10Be production rate, the 10Be concentration in the Lisan detrital sediments positively correlates with lake level, Al + Fe content and the (Al + Fe)/(Ca + Mg) ratio. These correlations suggest that the 10Be is adsorbed on the fine silicate component (probably clays) of the detrital laminae. The fine silicates together with carbonates were transported to Dead Sea drainage basin mainly as airborne dust that after a short residence time was washed into Lake Lisan as flood suspended matter. We suggest that preferential dissolution of carbonates in the flood suspended matter concentrated the residual fine component leading to the positive correlation between 10Be and the (Al + Fe)/(Ca + Mg) ratio. During periods of increased water

  5. The Late Eocene 187Os / 188Os excursion: Chemostratigraphy, cosmic dust flux and the Early Oligocene glaciation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dalai, Tarun K.; Ravizza, Gregory E.; Peucker-Ehrenbrink, B.

    2006-01-01

    High resolution records (ca. 100 kyr) of Os isotope composition ( 187Os / 188Os) in bulk sediments from two tropical Pacific sites (ODP Sites 1218 and 1219) capture the complete Late Eocene 187Os / 188Os excursion and confirm that the Late Eocene 187Os / 188Os minimum, earlier reported by Ravizza and Peucker-Ehrenbrink [Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 210 (2003) 151-165], is a global feature. Using the astronomically tuned age models available for these sites, it is suggested that the Late Eocene 187Os / 188Os minimum can be placed at 34.5 ± 0.1 Ma in the marine records. In addition, two other distinct features of the 187Os / 188Os excursion that are correlatable among sections are proposed as chemostratigraphic markers which can serve as age control points with a precision of ca. ± 0.1 Myr. We propose a speculative hypothesis that higher cosmic dust flux in the Late Eocene may have contributed to global cooling and Early Oligocene glaciation (Oi-1) by supplying bio-essential trace elements to the oceans and thereby resulting in higher ocean productivity, enhanced burial of organic carbon and draw down of atmospheric CO 2. To determine if the hypothesis that enhanced cosmic dust flux in the Late Eocene was a cause for the 187Os / 188Os excursion can be tested by using the paired bulk sediment and leachate Os isotope composition; 187Os / 188Os were also measured in sediment leachates. Results of analyses of leachates are inconsistent between the south Atlantic and the Pacific sites, and therefore do not yield a robust test of this hypothesis. Comparison of 187Os / 188Os records with high resolution benthic foraminiferal δ18O records across the Eocene-Oligocene transition suggests that 187Os flux to the oceans decreased during cooling and ice growth leading to the Oi-1 glaciation, whereas subsequent decay of ice-sheets and deglacial weathering drove seawater 187Os / 188Os to higher values. Although the precise timing and magnitude of these changes in weathering fluxes

  6. Comparing the Identification of Recommendations by Different Accident Investigators Using a Common Methodology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, Chris W.; Oltedal, H. A.; Holloway, C. M.

    2012-01-01

    Accident reports play a key role in the safety of complex systems. These reports present the recommendations that are intended to help avoid any recurrence of past failures. However, the value of these findings depends upon the causal analysis that helps to identify the reasons why an accident occurred. Various techniques have been developed to help investigators distinguish root causes from contributory factors and contextual information. This paper presents the results from a study into the individual differences that can arise when a group of investigators independently apply the same technique to identify the causes of an accident. This work is important if we are to increase the consistency and coherence of investigations following major accidents.

  7. Road accident rates: strategies and programmes for improving road traffic safety.

    PubMed

    Goniewicz, K; Goniewicz, M; Pawłowski, W; Fiedor, P

    2016-08-01

    Nowadays, the problem of road accident rates is one of the most important health and social policy issues concerning the countries in all continents. Each year, nearly 1.3 million people worldwide lose their life on roads, and 20-50 million sustain severe injuries, the majority of which require long-term treatment. The objective of the study was to identify the most frequent, constantly occurring causes of road accidents, as well as outline actions constituting a basis for the strategies and programmes aiming at improving traffic safety on local and global levels. Comparative analysis of literature concerning road safety was performed, confirming that although road accidents had a varied and frequently complex background, their causes have changed only to a small degree over the years. The causes include: lack of control and enforcement concerning implementation of traffic regulation (primarily driving at excessive speed, driving under the influence of alcohol, and not respecting the rights of other road users (mainly pedestrians and cyclists), lack of appropriate infrastructure and unroadworthy vehicles. The number of fatal accidents and severe injuries, resulting from road accidents, may be reduced through applying an integrated approach to safety on roads. The strategies and programmes for improving road traffic should include the following measures: reducing the risk of exposure to an accident, prevention of accidents, reduction in bodily injuries sustained in accidents, and reduction of the effects of injuries by improvement of post-accident medical care.

  8. Fatal accidents due to train surfing in Berlin.

    PubMed

    Strauch, H; Wirth, I; Geserick, G

    1998-06-08

    This study was undertaken for the purpose of analysing under the aspect of legal medicine, fatal accidents due to train surfing in the local transport system of Berlin (S-Bahn and underground). The period of investigation was from 1989 through 1995, with 41 train surfing accidents, among them 18 with fatal outcome. Evaluation included those 14 deaths which were forensically autopsied. It was based on autopsy records of Berlin-based university institutes (Humboldt University and Free University) as well as the Brandenburg State Institute of Legal Medicine. Also used were data obtained from the Berlin Transport Police Record. The casualties were aged between 13 and 25 years, most of them between 16 and 20. The male-female gender ratio was 13:1. Accidents occurred above all in the warmer season of the year, most of them between 20:00 h and midnight. More than 50% of all cases were affected by alcohol, but centrally acting medicaments or other addictive drugs were not noticed at all. Most of the fatal accidents occurred to users of the Berlin S-Bahn network. Older train models were the preferred surfing objects due to their structural peculiarities. Collision with close-to-track obstacles and slipping from the train proved to be the major sources of danger. An analysis of injuries revealed polytraumatisation but for one exception, with craniocerebral injuries being the most common and severest events. The longest survival time amounted to 24 h. As the psychosocial causes of high-risk behaviour of adolescents will hardly be controllable, withdrawal of technical, that is structural design possibilities appears to be the most important approach to prevention of accidents in the future. This demand is met by the new series of the Berlin S-Bahn. The model of the old series, suitable for surfing, still accounts for about 10% of the rolling stock and is to be decommissioned in 1998.

  9. Examination of morbidity and mortality of cases according to intra-vehicle position and accident mechanism.

    PubMed

    Meral, Orhan; Aktaş, Ekin Özgür; Ersel, Murat

    2018-05-01

    Traffic accidents are still an important public health issue in our country and intra-vehicle accidents cause substantial morbidity and mortality. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of seating position on morbidity and mortality in traffic accidents. Patients who were admitted to the Emergency Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University between May 1, 2014 and November 30, 2014 due to injuries in motor vehicles and who signed informed consent were included. In total, 519 cases were included, and 329 (63.4%) were male and 190 (36.6%) were female. The average age was 33.11±16.86 (range, 0-85) years. It was noted that the accidents most frequently occurred between 18.00 and 23.59 (36.3%) hours, in the car (79%), and due to collision with another car (61.7%). Although 39.5% of the injured individuals were drivers, 26.4% were front seat passengers. From a forensic medicine perspective, life-threatening injuries were approximately twice more common (37.5%-13.6%) in accidents with >110 km/h speed compared with accidents with <110 km/h speed. Accidents with >110 km/h speed caused approximately twice the amount (56.3%-26.3%) of injuries that cannot be resolved with simple medical intervention compared with accidents with <110 km/h speed. Since most people who are injured or die in traffic accidents have an active professional life, significant rehabilitation expenditure and labor loss occur along with diagnosis and treatment costs. Our study and similar studies not only show the effectiveness of the measures taken but also provide an insight into changing injury profiles and precautions to prevent them.

  10. Estimates of the effectiveness of automatic control in alleviating wake vortex induced roll excursions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tinling, B. E.

    1977-01-01

    Estimates of the effectiveness of a model following type control system in reducing the roll excursion due to a wake vortex encounter were obtained from single degree of freedom computations with inputs derived from the results of wind tunnel, flight, and simulation experiments. The analysis indicates that the control power commanded by the automatic system must be roughly equal to the vortex induced roll acceleration if effective limiting of the maximum bank angle is to be achieved.

  11. [Accidents with biological material at West Paraná University Hospital].

    PubMed

    Murofuse, Neide Tiemi; Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci; Gemelli, Lorena Moraes Goetem

    2005-08-01

    It is a descriptive and retrospective study with the purpose of investigating labor accidents with biological material involving workers and trainees occurred in 2003 and 2004 in a University Hospital of Parana. For data collection, the electronic form of the Net of Occupational Accidents Prevention - REPAT has been utilized. Out of the 586 hospital workers, there was a register of 20 (3,4%) injured workers in 2003 and 23 (3,8%) in 2004, representing an increase of 15% in the notifications from one year to the other.

  12. Root causes and impacts of severe accidents at large nuclear power plants.

    PubMed

    Högberg, Lars

    2013-04-01

    The root causes and impacts of three severe accidents at large civilian nuclear power plants are reviewed: the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, the Chernobyl accident in 1986, and the Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2011. Impacts include health effects, evacuation of contaminated areas as well as cost estimates and impacts on energy policies and nuclear safety work in various countries. It is concluded that essential objectives for reactor safety work must be: (1) to prevent accidents from developing into severe core damage, even if they are initiated by very unlikely natural or man-made events, and, recognizing that accidents with severe core damage may nevertheless occur; (2) to prevent large-scale and long-lived ground contamination by limiting releases of radioactive nuclides such as cesium to less than about 100 TBq. To achieve these objectives the importance of maintaining high global standards of safety management and safety culture cannot be emphasized enough. All three severe accidents discussed in this paper had their root causes in system deficiencies indicative of poor safety management and poor safety culture in both the nuclear industry and government authorities.

  13. 78 FR 77601 - Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents/Incidents for Calendar...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-24

    ..., Notice No. 6] RIN 2130-ZA12 Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents... threshold from $9,900 to $10,500 for certain railroad accidents/incidents involving property damage that... reflect cost increases that have occurred since the reporting threshold was last published in November of...

  14. Optimization of vehicle weight for Mars excursion missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ferebee, Melvin J., Jr.

    1991-01-01

    The excursion class mission to Mars is defined as a mission with one year durations coupled with a stay time of up to 30 days. The fuel budget for such a mission is investigated. The overall figure of merit in such an assessment is the vehicle weight ratio, the ratio between the wet vehicle weight to the dry vehicle weight. It is necessary to minimize the overall fuel budget for the mission in order to maximize the benefits that could be obtained by sending humans to Mars. Assumptions used in the analysis are: each mission will depart and terminate in low-earth-orbit (LEO) (500 km circular) and the maximum stay time at Mars is 30 days. The maximum mission duration is one year (355-375 days). The mass returned to LEO is 135,000 kg, the dropoff mass left at Mars is 168,000 kg. Three propulsive techniques for atmospheric interface are investigated: aerobraking, all-chemical propulsion, and nuclear thermal propulsion. By defining the fuel requirements, the space transfer vehicle's configuration is defined.

  15. A new approach to modeling aviation accidents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rao, Arjun Harsha

    views aviation accidents as a set of hazardous states of a system (pilot and aircraft), and triggers that cause the system to move between hazardous states. I used the NTSB's accident coding manual (that contains nearly 4000 different codes) to develop a "dictionary" of hazardous states, triggers, and information codes. Then, I created the "grammar", or a set of rules, that: (1) orders the hazardous states in each accident; and, (2) links the hazardous states using the appropriate triggers. This approach: (1) provides a more correct count of the causes for accidents in the NTSB database; and, (2) checks for gaps or omissions in NTSB accident data, and fills in some of these gaps using logic-based rules. These rules also help identify and count causes for accidents that were not discernable from previous analyses of historical accident data. I apply the model to 6200 helicopter accidents that occurred in the US between 1982 and 2015. First, I identify the states and triggers that are most likely to be associated with fatal and non-fatal accidents. The results suggest that non-fatal accidents, which account for approximately 84% of the accidents, provide valuable opportunities to learn about the causes for accidents. Next, I investigate the causes of inflight loss of control using both a conventional approach and using the state-based approach. The conventional analysis provides little insight into the causal mechanism for LOC. For instance, the top cause of LOC is "aircraft control/directional control not maintained", which does not provide any insight. In contrast, the state-based analysis showed that pilots' tendency to clip objects frequently triggered LOC (16.7% of LOC accidents)--this finding was not directly discernable from conventional analyses. Finally, I investigate the causes for improper autorotations using both a conventional approach and the state-based approach. The conventional approach uses modifiers (e.g., "improper", "misjudged") associated with "24520

  16. Mammalian faunal response to the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (~53.5-48.5 mya) and a new terrestrial record of the associated carbon isotope excursion from Raven Ridge in the Uinta Basin, Colorado-Utah

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dutchak, A. R.

    2010-12-01

    Raven Ridge straddles the Colorado-Utah border on the northeastern edge of the Uinta Basin and consists of intertonguing units of the fluvial Colton and lacustrine Green River Formations. Fossil vertebrate localities along the ridge have produced a diverse mammalian fauna comprising 64 genera in 34 families. Included are the index taxa Smilodectes, Omomys, Heptodon, and Lambdotherium which suggest an age range of mid-Wasatchian (Wa5, ~53.5mya) through mid Bridgerian (Br2, ~48.5mya) for the Raven Ridge fauna. Others have shown that this time interval coincides with the onset, peak, and decline of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO), an extended interval of globally warm temperatures following the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) that is coincident with a large negative carbon excursion. The Raven Ridge fauna provides an excellent opportunity to investigate the effects of a lengthy interval of global warmth on mammalian diversity and ecosystem structure. To study changes in the mammalian fauna that occurred during the EECO, it was necessary to constrain the onset, peak, and decline of the EECO at Raven Ridge through chemostratigraphic correlation with established marine isotope curves. This was accomplished by analysis of approximately 300 sediment samples for Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content. TOC has been used successfully in the Bighorn Basin to identify the stratigraphic occurrence of the Carbon Isotope Excursion (CIE) associated with the PETM, which has roughly the same amplitude as the negative excursion associated with the EECO. The Raven Ridge TOC data show a large negative carbon excursion that starts during the Wa6 biochron, peaks during the Wa7 biochron, and is followed by a positive excursion near the Wa-Br boundary. This terrestrial δ13C pattern is consistent with results seen in established marine isotope curves across the EECO interval. The minimum δ13C value of the negative excursion is -29.67‰, which is comparable to the Bighorn CIE

  17. Tuning the Field Trip: Audio-Guided Tours as a Replacement for 1-Day Excursions in Human Geography

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wissmann, Torsten

    2013-01-01

    Educators are experiencing difficulties with 1-day field trips in human geography. Instead of teaching students how to apply theory in the field and learn to "sense" geography in everyday life, many excursions have degraded into tourist-like events where lecturers try to motivate rather passive students against a noisy urban backdrop.…

  18. WHEN MODEL MEETS REALITY – A REVIEW OF SPAR LEVEL 2 MODEL AGAINST FUKUSHIMA ACCIDENT

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhegang Ma

    The Standardized Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) models are a set of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) models used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to evaluate the risk of operations at U.S. nuclear power plants and provide inputs to risk informed regulatory process. A small number of SPAR Level 2 models have been developed mostly for feasibility study purpose. They extend the Level 1 models to include containment systems, group plant damage states, and model containment phenomenology and accident progression in containment event trees. A severe earthquake and tsunami hit the eastern coast of Japan in March 2011 and caused significantmore » damages on the reactors in Fukushima Daiichi site. Station blackout (SBO), core damage, containment damage, hydrogen explosion, and intensive radioactivity release, which have been previous analyzed and assumed as postulated accident progression in PRA models, now occurred with various degrees in the multi-units Fukushima Daiichi site. This paper reviews and compares a typical BWR SPAR Level 2 model with the “real” accident progressions and sequences occurred in Fukushima Daiichi Units 1, 2, and 3. It shows that the SPAR Level 2 model is a robust PRA model that could very reasonably describe the accident progression for a real and complicated nuclear accident in the world. On the other hand, the comparison shows that the SPAR model could be enhanced by incorporating some accident characteristics for better representation of severe accident progression.« less

  19. Albian to Santonian carbon isotope excursions and faunal extinctions in the Canadian Western Interior Sea: Recognition of eustatic sea-level controls on a forebulge setting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schröder-Adams, Claudia J.; Herrle, Jens O.; Tu, Qiang

    2012-12-01

    The forebulge region of the Cretaceous Canadian Western Interior Sea (CWIS) was susceptible to subaerial exposure and marine erosion during sea level lowstands. The middle Albian to Santonian record as cored at Cold Lake, east-central Alberta, Canada documents numerous disconformities that are expressed in bioclastic concentration horizons and faunal extinctions and turnovers. Detailed comparison between a newly established δ13Corg. record measured on bulk sediment at Cold Lake and a combined δ13Ccarb. reference curve based on the Cretaceous English chalk and SE France hemipelagic marlstones highlights missing positive and negative δ13C excursions at the CWIS forebulge and thus missing sections that precisely corroborate with sequence boundaries. Disconformable boundaries correlate closely with global sea-level lowstands as established for the Cretaceous North Atlantic suggesting a pronounced eustatic influence on the CWIS forebulge setting. Sequence boundaries occur in the uppermost Middle Albian, lowermost Upper Albian, Albian/Cenomanian boundary, Cenomanian/Turonian boundary, middle Turonian to lower Coniacian and uppermost Middle Santonian, each followed by a positive δ13C excursion. Oceanic anoxic events 1d, 2 and 3 are recognized and linked to major faunal and floral assemblage changes. Of these the Albian/Cenomanian biotic turnover is the most severe in the CWIS marked by the total loss of Albian benthic foraminifera species. Causes of this benthic extinction might be linked to a period of anoxia (OAE 1d) during the latest Albian followed by sea-level controlled basin restriction.

  20. Orbiter Payload Bay Bucket Hoist Mishap...An Accident We Should Never Forget

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lytle, Bradford P.

    2009-01-01

    This slide presentation reviews the accident that occurred in 1985 when a bay bucket hoist fell from its stowed position. This accident damaged the orbiter, injured a technician, and delayed the launch. The accident was investigated, and the cause of the accident was determined to be the practice of two-blocking. Two-blocking is the result of hoisting beyond the intended safe upper limit of hook travel to the point of solid contact between the load block and the upper block or hoist/trolley structure. The usual result is immediate failure of the wire rope, due to the ropes being cut by the grooves of the drum or sheaves. The design of the hoist, the inspection, and the operator training were all in part responsible for this failure.

  1. Development of water environment information management and water pollution accident response system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, J.; Ruan, H.

    2009-12-01

    In recent years, many water pollution accidents occurred with the rapid economical development. In this study, water environment information management and water pollution accident response system are developed based on geographic information system (GIS) techniques. The system integrated spatial database, attribute database, hydraulic model, and water quality model under a user-friendly interface in a GIS environment. System ran in both Client/Server (C/S) and Browser/Server (B/S) platform which focused on model and inquiry respectively. System provided spatial and attribute data inquiry, water quality evaluation, statics, water pollution accident response case management (opening reservoir etc) and 2D and 3D visualization function, and gave assistant information to make decision on water pollution accident response. Polluted plume in Huaihe River were selected to simulate the transport of pollutes.

  2. Analysis of labour accidents in tunnel construction and introduction of prevention measures.

    PubMed

    Kikkawa, Naotaka; Itoh, Kazuya; Hori, Tomohito; Toyosawa, Yasuo; Orense, Rolando P

    2015-01-01

    At present, almost all mountain tunnels in Japan are excavated and constructed utilizing the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), which was advocated by Prof. Rabcewicz of Austria in 1964. In Japan, this method has been applied to tunnel construction since around 1978, after which there has been a subsequent decrease in the number of casualties during tunnel construction. However, there is still a relatively high incidence of labour accidents during tunnel construction when compared to incidence rates in the construction industry in general. During tunnel construction, rock fall events at the cutting face are a particularly characteristic of the type of accident that occurs. In this study, we analysed labour accidents that possess the characteristics of a rock fall event at a work site. We also introduced accident prevention measures against rock fall events.

  3. Evaluation and improvement of the inquest system on work accidents (TOT)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lepistoe, Jukka

    1992-11-01

    A project to evaluate and improve the work accident inquest system TOT (Finnish acronym) is reported. The study began with visits to workplaces where mortal accidents had occurred. Inquest reports, accident information dissemination, and the use of inquest reports, were examined. The study showed that work-related accidental deaths had a warning value, due to the gravity of the event, that could be exploited in the prevention field. The inquest system was shown to operate stably, all elements operating at least satisfactorily, and no improvement objective could be distinguished as more urgent than another. Improvement possibilities in the general system operation and in the capacity of workplaces to use inquest reports were shown.

  4. [Maculopathy caused by Nd:YAG laser accident].

    PubMed

    Blümel, C; Brosig, J

    1999-02-01

    Since the construction of the first laser in the sixties and the extended use in medicine, technology and hobby the number of accidents has increased. Appreciated to therapy concepts are missing at the time. A 19 year-old-man was hit by the impulse of an military hand-held rangefinder (Nd:YAG with a wavelength of 1064 nm) on the right eye. The visual acuity dropped to 1/35 and a central scotoma with metamorphopsia occurred immediatly after the accident. The ophthalmological findings showed a distinct submacular hemorrhage. The therapy with Prednisolon intravenous and daily parabulbar, vitamin C, indomethacin systemical and lokal application resulted in an increase of visual acuity up to 0.4 and a reduction of central scotoma from 8 degrees to 2 degrees. Systemical and local use of antiphlogistic and antiinflamatoric substances may partially reduce the vision limitating scar formation. Application of antioxidants to neutralize the toxic radicals that arise by tissue decay should be given additionally to the cyclopegic medication. Special attention should be payed to the prevention of such laser accidents.

  5. The effects of texting on driving performance in a driving simulator: the influence of driver age.

    PubMed

    Rumschlag, Gordon; Palumbo, Theresa; Martin, Amber; Head, Doreen; George, Rajiv; Commissaris, Randall L

    2015-01-01

    Distracted driving is a significant contributor to motor vehicle accidents and fatalities, and texting is a particularly significant form of driver distraction that continues to be on the rise. The present study examined the influence of driver age (18-59 years old) and other factors on the disruptive effects of texting on simulated driving behavior. While 'driving' the simulator, subjects were engaged in a series of brief text conversations with a member of the research team. The primary dependent variable was the occurrence of Lane Excursions (defined as any time the center of the vehicle moved outside the directed driving lane, e.g., into the lane for oncoming traffic or onto the shoulder of the road), measured as (1) the percent of subjects that exhibited Lane Excursions, (2) the number of Lane Excursions occurring and (3) the percent of the texting time in Lane Excursions. Multiple Regression analyses were used to assess the influence of several factors on driving performance while texting, including text task duration, texting skill level (subject-reported), texting history (#texts/week), driver gender and driver age. Lane Excursions were not observed in the absence of texting, but 66% of subjects overall exhibited Lane Excursions while texting. Multiple Regression analysis for all subjects (N=50) revealed that text task duration was significantly correlated with the number of Lane Excursions, and texting skill level and driver age were significantly correlated with the percent of subjects exhibiting Lane Excursions. Driver gender was not significantly correlated with Lane Excursions during texting. Multiple Regression analysis of only highly skilled texters (N=27) revealed that driver age was significantly correlated with the number of Lane Excursions, the percent of subjects exhibiting Lane Excursions and the percent of texting time in Lane Excursions. In contrast, Multiple Regression analysis of those drivers who self-identified as not highly skilled

  6. Relationships Among Tweets Related to Radiation: Visualization Using Co-Occurring Networks.

    PubMed

    Yagahara, Ayako; Hanai, Keiri; Hasegawa, Shin; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko

    2018-03-15

    After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident on March 11, 2011, interest in, and fear of, radiation increased among citizens. When such accidents occur, appropriate risk communication must provided by the government. It is therefore necessary to understand the fears of citizens in the days after such accidents. This study aimed to identify the progression of people's concerns, specifically fear, from a study of radiation-related tweets in the days after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. From approximately 1.5 million tweets in Japanese including any of the phrases "radiation" (), "radioactivity" (), and "radioactive substance" () sent March 11-17, 2011, we extracted tweets that expressed fear. We then performed a morphological analysis on the extracted tweets. Citizens' fears were visualized by creating co-occurrence networks using co-occurrence degrees showing relationship strength. Moreover, we calculated the Jaccard coefficient, which is one of the co-occurrence indices for expressing the strength of the relationship between morphemes when creating networks. From the visualization of the co-occurrence networks, we found high citizen interest in "nuclear power plant" on March 11 and 12, "health" on March 12 and 13, "medium" on March 13 and 14, and "economy" on March 15. On March 16 and 17, citizens' interest changed to "lack of goods in the afflicted area." In each co-occurrence network, trending topics, citizens' fears, and opinions to the government were extracted. This study used Twitter to understand changes in the concerns of Japanese citizens during the week after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, with a focus specifically on citizens' fears. We found that immediately after the accident, the interest in the accident itself was high, and then interest shifted to concerns affecting life, such as health and economy, as the week progressed. Clarifying citizens' fears and the dissemination of information through mass media and social media can add to

  7. Accident Report: Pupils -- Employees, School Jurisdiction, 1972-1973.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Hara, James M., Comp.; Conklin, Robert L., Comp.

    This report is intended to provide principals, department heads, teachers, and parents with specific information designed to assist them in isolating unsafe conditions, activities, and behavioral problems. The document is divided into three parts: (1) a pupil section, with tables showing where accidents occurred, what parts of the body were…

  8. The theatrical stage as accident site in professional dance.

    PubMed

    Wanke, Eileen M; Arendt, Michael; Mill, Helmgard; Koch, Franziska; Davenport, Jacqueline; Fischer, Axel; Groneberg, David A

    2014-03-01

    Reducing work-related health hazards at the different theatre workplaces is one aspect of preventive options in professional dance. This also applies to hazards on the highly variable theatrical stage areas. However, detailed information on these stages and their risks is not available. The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate work-related traumatic injuries in the stage area. The basis for the evaluation was accident reports, from the German National Statutory Insurance, of work-related traumatic injuries occurring on stage in professional dancers (n=790: 407 males, 383 females) over a 17-year period (1995-2011). Most (79.4%) of the accidents on stage occurred during an ongoing performance (frequency: 10.1/100 performances), with only 19.7% occurring during rehearsals on stage (p<0.001). Due to the sustained injury, 30.2% of the dancers sustained a time-loss injury. Most (57.7%) of the injured dancers were older than 25 years. Of the accidents, 59.3% were initiated by a definably extrinsic cause, with 40.7% caused by intrinsic factors (p<0.001). Injuries were most commonly caused by the "partner" (21.7%) or "floor" (21.0%). The lower extremity was the most commonly affected body region (63.6%) (p<0.001). Stage performances seem to carry an increased injury risk compared to rehearsals. The "risk" of on-stage work is spread across various factors that seem to be stage-specific. There is a need for further qualitative and quantitative research to be able to classify the stage as workplace more precisely.

  9. Comparison of the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents: a review of the environmental impacts.

    PubMed

    Steinhauser, Georg; Brandl, Alexander; Johnson, Thomas E

    2014-02-01

    The environmental impacts of the nuclear accidents of Chernobyl and Fukushima are compared. In almost every respect, the consequences of the Chernobyl accident clearly exceeded those of the Fukushima accident. In both accidents, most of the radioactivity released was due to volatile radionuclides (noble gases, iodine, cesium, tellurium). However, the amount of refractory elements (including actinides) emitted in the course of the Chernobyl accident was approximately four orders of magnitude higher than during the Fukushima accident. For Chernobyl, a total release of 5,300 PBq (excluding noble gases) has been established as the most cited source term. For Fukushima, we estimated a total source term of 520 (340-800) PBq. In the course of the Fukushima accident, the majority of the radionuclides (more than 80%) was transported offshore and deposited in the Pacific Ocean. Monitoring campaigns after both accidents reveal that the environmental impact of the Chernobyl accident was much greater than of the Fukushima accident. Both the highly contaminated areas and the evacuated areas are smaller around Fukushima and the projected health effects in Japan are significantly lower than after the Chernobyl accident. This is mainly due to the fact that food safety campaigns and evacuations worked quickly and efficiently after the Fukushima accident. In contrast to Chernobyl, no fatalities due to acute radiation effects occurred in Fukushima. © 2013.

  10. The influence of the infrastructure characteristics in urban road accidents occurrence.

    PubMed

    Vieira Gomes, Sandra

    2013-11-01

    This paper summarizes the result of a study regarding the creation of tools that can be used in intervention methods in the planning and management of urban road networks in Portugal. The first tool relates the creation of a geocoded database of road accidents occurred in Lisbon between 2004 and 2007, which allowed the definition of digital maps, with the possibility of a wide range of consultations and crossing of information. The second tool concerns the development of models to estimate the frequency of accidents on urban networks, according to different desegregations: road element (intersections and segments); type of accident (accidents with and without pedestrians); and inclusion of explanatory variables related to the road environment. Several methods were used to assess the goodness of fit of the developed models, allowing more robust conclusions. This work aims to contribute to the scientific knowledge of accidents phenomenon in Portugal, with detailed and accurate information on the factors affecting its occurrence. This allows to explicitly include safety aspects in planning and road management tasks. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. An Ocean Acidification Pulse in the Pre-onset Carbon Isotope Excursion Preceding the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson, M. M.; Self-Trail, J. M.; Willard, D. A.; Stassen, P.; Spivey, W.

    2015-12-01

    The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; ~55.5 Ma) is recognized globally in marine sediments by a carbonate dissolution zone, the extinction or turnover of benthic taxa, and a radiation of planktic excursion taxa, all accompanied by a rapid-onset, negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE). The cause and nature of the massive carbon release leading to this extreme climate event remains under debate. Regardless of cause, the environmental and ecosystem changes centered on the PETM are the subject of much study because they provide an analog to modern deteriorating conditions associated with the ongoing rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide. We present evidence from sediments of the South Dover Bridge core, deposited on the U.S. mid-Atlantic shelf, for an ocean acidification event in the latest Paleocene that coincides with a relatively small (-2‰) negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE) that precedes the larger (-4‰) Paleocene-Eocene CIE onset. Planktic foraminifers during this pre-onset event (POE) show post-deposition dissolution in which the coarsely cancellate and muricate wall textures characteristic of many Late Paleocene species have been dissolved away, leaving smooth, thin-walled specimens often with collapsed chambers. In addition, we document biotic responses in benthic, planktic, and terrestrial communities to the POE, including shifts in foraminifer and pollen assemblages and adaptations in calcareous nannofossil species in response to environmental perturbations. A complete recovery is evident between the POE and CIE in both the carbon isotopic signal and in the biotic response, providing additional evidence not only for a pulsed carbon release, but also for a more rapid rate of carbon release than is suggested by a single pulse over a longer period of time. The timing, nature and magnitude of ecological changes during the less extreme POE shallow water acidification event may help to define the ecological tipping point of shallow marine ecosystems.

  12. Assessment of trend and seasonality in road accident data: an Iranian case study.

    PubMed

    Razzaghi, Alireza; Bahrampour, Abbas; Baneshi, Mohammad Reza; Zolala, Farzaneh

    2013-06-01

    Road traffic accidents and their related deaths have become a major concern, particularly in developing countries. Iran has adopted a series of policies and interventions to control the high number of accidents occurring over the past few years. In this study we used a time series model to understand the trend of accidents, and ascertain the viability of applying ARIMA models on data from Taybad city. This study is a cross-sectional study. We used data from accidents occurring in Taybad between 2007 and 2011. We obtained the data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and used the time series method with a time lag of one month. After plotting the trend, non-stationary data in mean and variance were removed using Box-Cox transformation and a differencing method respectively. The ACF and PACF plots were used to control the stationary situation. The traffic accidents in our study had an increasing trend over the five years of study. Based on ACF and PACF plots gained after applying Box-Cox transformation and differencing, data did not fit to a time series model. Therefore, neither ARIMA model nor seasonality were observed. Traffic accidents in Taybad have an upward trend. In addition, we expected either the AR model, MA model or ARIMA model to have a seasonal trend, yet this was not observed in this analysis. Several reasons may have contributed to this situation, such as uncertainty of the quality of data, weather changes, and behavioural factors that are not taken into account by time series analysis.

  13. Predictive factors for cerebrovascular accidents after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

    PubMed

    Mariscalco, Giovanni; Piffaretti, Gabriele; Tozzi, Matteo; Bacuzzi, Alessandro; Carrafiello, Giampaolo; Sala, Andrea; Castelli, Patrizio

    2009-12-01

    Cerebrovascular accidents are devastating and worrisome complications after thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The aim of this study was to determine cerebrovascular accident predictors after thoracic endovascular aortic repair. Between January 2001 and June 2008, 76 patients treated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair were prospectively enrolled. The study cohort included 61 men; mean age was 65.4 +/- 16.8 years. All patients underwent a specific neurologic assessment on an hourly basis postoperatively to detect neurologic deficits. Cerebrovascular accidents were diagnosed on the basis of physical examination, tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging, or autopsy. Cerebrovascular accidents occurred in 8 (10.5%) patients, including 4 transient ischemic attack and 4 major strokes. Four cases were observed within the first 24-hours. Multivariable analysis revealed that anatomic incompleteness of the Willis circle (odds ratio [OR] 17.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.10 to 140.66), as well as the presence of coronary artery disease (OR 6.86, 95 CI% 1.18 to 40.05), were independently associated with postoperative cerebrovascular accident development. Overall hospital mortality was 9.2%, with no significant difference for patients hit by cerebrovascular accidents (25.0% vs 7.3%, p = 0.102). Preexisting coronary artery disease, reflecting a severe diseased aorta and anomalies of Willis circle are independent cerebrovascular accident predictors after thoracic endovascular aortic repair procedures. A careful evaluation of the arch vessels and cerebral vascularization should be mandatory for patients suitable for thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

  14. [Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident and Tokaimura criticality accident].

    PubMed

    Takada, Jun

    2012-03-01

    It is clear from inspection of historical incidents that the scale of disasters in a nuclear power plant accident is quite low level overwhelmingly compared with a nuclear explosion in nuclear war. Two cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed by nuclear blast with about 20 kt TNT equivalent and then approximately 100,000 people have died respectively. On the other hand, the number of acute death is 30 in the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident. In this chapter, we review health hazards and doses in two historical nuclear incidents of Chernobyl and Tokaimura criticality accident and then understand the feature of the radiation accident in peaceful utilization of nuclear power.

  15. [HIV and the nursing professional in the face of needlestick accidents].

    PubMed

    Vieira, Mariana; Padilha, Maria Itayra Coelho de Souza

    2008-12-01

    The goal of this study was to identify the scientific production about work-related needlestick accidents among nursing professionals involving HIV-contaminated biological material, as well as to characterize the pre-existing factors to such accidents, such as procedures occurring after the exposure to potentially HIV-contaminated needlestick material. This is a literature review, whose bibliographic search for keywords was carried out within the LILACS databases from the year 2000 onward. This study confirms that pre-existing factors for the occurrence of work-related needlestick accidents are related to work conditions as much as to individual conditions. In face of these accidents, the nursing workers need to know the conducts concerning post-exposure to potentially HIV-contaminated needlestick material. We conclude that the adoption of standardized precautions when working in healthcare is a fundamental condition for worker safety, independently of their area of expertise, given the increasing number of HIV cases.

  16. The Excursion set approach: Stratonovich approximation and Cholesky decomposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nikakhtar, Farnik; Ayromlou, Mohammadreza; Baghram, Shant; Rahvar, Sohrab; Tabar, M. Reza Rahimi; Sheth, Ravi K.

    2018-05-01

    The excursion set approach is a framework for estimating how the number density of nonlinear structures in the cosmic web depends on the expansion history of the universe and the nature of gravity. A key part of the approach is the estimation of the first crossing distribution of a suitably chosen barrier by random walks having correlated steps: The shape of the barrier is determined by the physics of nonlinear collapse, and the correlations between steps by the nature of the initial density fluctuation field. We describe analytic and numerical methods for calculating such first up-crossing distributions. While the exact solution can be written formally as an infinite series, we show how to approximate it efficiently using the Stratonovich approximation. We demonstrate its accuracy using Monte-Carlo realizations of the walks, which we generate using a novel Cholesky-decomposition based algorithm, which is significantly faster than the algorithm that is currently in the literature.

  17. A virtual, interactive and dynamic excursion in Google Earth on soil management and conservation (AgroGeovid)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vanwalleghem, Tom; Giráldez, Juan Vicente

    2013-04-01

    Many courses on natural resources require hands-on practical knowledge and experience that students traditionally could only acquire by expensive and time-consuming field excursions. New technologies and social media however provide an interesting alternative to train students and help them improve their practical knowledge. AgroGeovid is a virtual excursion, based on Google Earth, Youtube, Facebook and Twitter that is aimed at agricultural engineering students, but equally useful for any student interested in soil management and conservation, e.g. geography, geology and environmental resources. Agrogeovid provides the framework for teachers and students to upload geotagged photos, comments and discussions. After the initial startup phase, where the teacher uploaded material on e.g. soil erosion phenomena, soil conservation structures and different soil management strategies under different agronomic systems, students contributed with their own material gathered throughout the academic year. All students decided to contribute via Facebook, in stead of Twitter, which was not known to most of them. The final result was a visual and dynamic tool which students could use to train and perfect skills adopted in the classroom using case-studies and examples from their immediate environment.

  18. Clustering-based classification of road traffic accidents using hierarchical clustering and artificial neural networks.

    PubMed

    Taamneh, Madhar; Taamneh, Salah; Alkheder, Sharaf

    2017-09-01

    Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been widely used in predicting the severity of road traffic crashes. All available information about previously occurred accidents is typically used for building a single prediction model (i.e., classifier). Too little attention has been paid to the differences between these accidents, leading, in most cases, to build less accurate predictors. Hierarchical clustering is a well-known clustering method that seeks to group data by creating a hierarchy of clusters. Using hierarchical clustering and ANNs, a clustering-based classification approach for predicting the injury severity of road traffic accidents was proposed. About 6000 road accidents occurred over a six-year period from 2008 to 2013 in Abu Dhabi were used throughout this study. In order to reduce the amount of variation in data, hierarchical clustering was applied on the data set to organize it into six different forms, each with different number of clusters (i.e., clusters from 1 to 6). Two ANN models were subsequently built for each cluster of accidents in each generated form. The first model was built and validated using all accidents (training set), whereas only 66% of the accidents were used to build the second model, and the remaining 34% were used to test it (percentage split). Finally, the weighted average accuracy was computed for each type of models in each from of data. The results show that when testing the models using the training set, clustering prior to classification achieves (11%-16%) more accuracy than without using clustering, while the percentage split achieves (2%-5%) more accuracy. The results also suggest that partitioning the accidents into six clusters achieves the best accuracy if both types of models are taken into account.

  19. Comparison of Glycemic Excursion in Patients with New Onset Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus before and after Treatment with Repaglinide.

    PubMed

    Hezarkhani, Sharabeh; Bonakdaran, Shokufeh; Rajabian, Reza; Shahini, Najmeh; Marjani, Abdoljalal

    2013-01-01

    Due to industrialization and sedentary life, incidence of type 2 diabetes (DM2) is increasing seriously. Repaglinide is a glucose reducing agent that predominantly reduces post-prandial glucose. Continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) monitors blood glucose excursions over a 3-day period. CGMS can be used as a therapeutic and diagnostic instrument in diabetics. There are not enough studies about using CGMS in DM2. The aim of this study was to determine the blood glucose excursions in patients with new onset of DM2. 10 patients with new onset of DM2 were entered to this study. As the first therapeutic management, patients received diabetic diet and moderate exercise for 3-weeks, if they did not achieve blood glucose goal (Fasting blood glucoser (FBG) <120mg/dl, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hpp) <180mg/dl), were considered to undergo 3-days CGMS at baseline and after 4-weeks on Repaglinide (0.5mg three times before meals). Mean excursions of blood glucose were not different at the onset and at the end of treatment (6±4.05 VS 7.6±5.2 episodes, P=0.49). There were also no significant differences between mean duration of hypoglycemic episodes (zero VS 5.1±14.1 hours, P =0.28) and hyperglycemic episodes before and after therapy (7.6±5.2 VS 5.7±4.1, P=0.42), but mean hyperglycemia duration was significantly reduced at the end of therapy (21±26.17 VS 57.7±35.3, P=0.001). Patients experienced a mean of 0.3±0.67 episodes of hypoglycemia after therapy showed no significant difference before it (P =0.19). Mean FBG (with CGMS) was significantly lower after therapy than before it (142.9±54.31 VS 222.9±82.6, P <0.001). This study showed the usefulness of CGMS not only as a diagnostic but also as an educational and therapeutic tool that in combination with Repaglinide (with the lowest effective dose and duration) can significantly reduce FBG and glycemic excursions in DM2 patients and hypoglycemic events are low.

  20. Accidents in Building Engineering in the European Union Countries in the Years 2008 - 2014

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harasymiuk, Jolanta; Tadeusz Barski, Janusz

    2017-10-01

    According to the ESAW1, an accident at work is an event that results in physical or mental harm to the person doing the work. As a result of this incident, fatal accidents may occur (which in the course of one year lead to death of the victim) or non-fatal accidents (that imply at least four full calendar days of absence from work). In the paper the authors present the number and the analysis of the causes of accidents at work in the construction industry in years 2008 - 2014 in 28 countries of the European Union. The descriptive statistics method was used to achieve the intended goal. The accident rate indicator for individual European Union countries has been shown in the analyzed period. The structure and trends of accidents during the period under investigation, divided into two groups: fatal accidents and non-fatal accidents, were presented. Both groups were analyzed for what caused them and what factors affected the quantity (Age of the victim, work experience, month of occurrence). On the basis of the analyzed causes and factors causing accidents in the construction industry in years 2008 - 2014, the classification of EU countries has been shown in terms of accidents. The paper was concluded with a summary.

  1. Accident-precipitating factors for crashes in turbine-powered general aviation aircraft.

    PubMed

    Boyd, Douglas D; Stolzer, Alan

    2016-01-01

    General aviation (14CFR Part 91) accounts for 83% of civil aviation fatalities. While much research has focused on accident causes/pilot demographics in this aviation sector, studies to identify factors leading up to the crash (accident-precipitating factors) are few. Such information could inform on pre-emptive remedial action. With this in mind and considering the paucity of research on turbine-powered aircraft accidents the study objectives were to identify accident-precipitating factors and determine if the accident rate has changed over time for such aircraft operating under 14CFR Part 91. The NTSB Access database was queried for accidents in airplanes (<12,501lb) powered by 1-2 turbine engines and occurring between 1989 and 2013. We developed and utilized an accident-precipitating factor taxonomy. Statistical analyses employed logistic regression, contingency tables and a generalized linear model with Poisson distribution. The "Checklist/Flight Manual Not Followed" was the most frequent accident-precipitating factor category and carried an excess risk (OR 2.34) for an accident with a fatal and/or serious occupant injury. This elevated risk reflected an over-representation of accidents with fatal and/or serious injury outcomes (p<0.001) in the "non-adherence to V Speeds" sub-category. For accidents grouped in the "Inadequate Pre-Flight Planning/Inspection/Procedure" the "inadequate weather planning" sub-category accounted (p=0.036) for the elevated risk (OR 2.22) of an accident involving fatal and/or serious injuries. The "Violation FARs/AIM Deviation" category was also associated with a greater risk for fatal and/or serious injury (OR 2.59) with "Descent below the MDA/failure to execute the missed approach" representing the largest sub-category. Accidents in multi-engine aircraft are more frequent than their single engine counterparts and the decline (50%) in the turbine aircraft accident rate over the study period was likely due, in part, to a 6-fold

  2. Effect of hamstring flexibility on hip and lumbar spine joint excursions during forward-reaching tasks in participants with and without low back pain.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Erica N; Thomas, James S

    2010-07-01

    To examine the correlation between hamstring flexibility and hip and lumbar spine joint excursions during standardized reaching and forward-bending tasks. Retrospective analysis of data obtained during 2 previous prospective studies that examined kinematics and kinetics during forward-reaching tasks in participants with and without low back pain (LBP). The 2 previous studies were conducted in the Motor Control Lab at Ohio University and the Orthopaedic Ergonomics Laboratory at The Ohio State University. Data from a total of 122 subjects from 2 previous studies: study 1: 86 subjects recovered from an episode of acute LBP (recovered) and study 2 (A.I. McCallum, unpublished data): 18 chronic LBP subjects and 18 healthy-matched controls (healthy). Not applicable. Correlation values between hamstring flexibility as measured by straight leg raise (SLR) and amount of hip and lumbar spine joint excursions used during standardized reaching and forward-bending tasks. No significant correlation was found between hamstring flexibility and hip and lumbar joint excursions during forward-bending tasks in the LBP or recovered groups. The SLR had a significant negative correlation with lumbar spine excursions during reaching tasks to a low target in the healthy group (right SLR: P=.011, left SLR: P=.004). Hamstring flexibility is not strongly related to the amount of lumbar flexion used to perform forward-reaching tasks in participants who have chronic LBP or who have recovered from LBP. More research needs to be conducted to examine the influence of hamstring flexibility on observed movement patterns to further evaluate the efficacy of flexibility training in the rehabilitation of patients with LBP. Copyright 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Assessment of the prevalence of occupational accidents and their influential actors in an electricity distribution company during a five-year period.

    PubMed

    Sadeghain, Marzieh; Farid, Ramin Ataei; Dormohammadi, Ali; Aghaei, Habib Allah; Rahmani, Abdolrasoul; Farhadi, Rozita; Eskandari, Rasoul; Karchani, Mohsen

    2013-01-01

    Occupational accidents have been considered as one of the most important crippling factors contributing to disabilities and life-threatening situations in many countries. This study was conducted to survey the prevalence of occupational accidents and the factors of that lead to injuries in an Electricity Distribution Company during a five-year period. In this descriptive study, the accident report form included items asking about the season of the year when the accident occurred, the ages and the average age of those injured, the type of employment, work experience, nature of the injuries that occurred, parts of the body affected, treatments that were applied, average number of days lost per accident, the levels of education of those involved, and their marital status. Data was analyzed using SPSS. A total of 66 Electricity Distribution Company workers were determined to be suffering from injuries due to accidents. The accidents mostly occurred in the summer (33%). Most of the injured workers (16.7%) belonged to the age groups of 25 to 29 and 40 to 44; there were no accidents reported for workers who were less than 20. About 48% of the accident victims had to be hospitalized. Furthermore, 35% of the accident victims were treated in outpatient clinics, and 7.4% of the accident victims died. We demonstrated that there were significant relationships between: 1) marital status and accidental injuries (P<0.001); 2) the average age of those injured among both permanent and temporary workers (P<0.001), 3) the level of education and the consequences of the accidents (P<0.001), and 4) the average of days lost per accident in both the permanent and temporary workers (P<0.001). In this study, no significant relationships were found between the accident occurrence and age (P>0.05) or work experience and the distribution of the accidents (P>0.05). This study indicated that most of the injuries in these accidents were related to the nature of employment, marital status, and

  4. Assessment of the prevalence of occupational accidents and their influential actors in an electricity distribution company during a five-year period

    PubMed Central

    Sadeghain, Marzieh; Farid, Ramin Ataei; Dormohammadi, Ali; Aghaei, Habib Allah; Rahmani, Abdolrasoul; Farhadi, Rozita; Eskandari, Rasoul; Karchani, Mohsen

    2013-01-01

    Background: Occupational accidents have been considered as one of the most important crippling factors contributing to disabilities and life-threatening situations in many countries. This study was conducted to survey the prevalence of occupational accidents and the factors of that lead to injuries in an Electricity Distribution Company during a five-year period. Methods: In this descriptive study, the accident report form included items asking about the season of the year when the accident occurred, the ages and the average age of those injured, the type of employment, work experience, nature of the injuries that occurred, parts of the body affected, treatments that were applied, average number of days lost per accident, the levels of education of those involved, and their marital status. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Results: A total of 66 Electricity Distribution Company workers were determined to be suffering from injuries due to accidents. The accidents mostly occurred in the summer (33%). Most of the injured workers (16.7%) belonged to the age groups of 25 to 29 and 40 to 44; there were no accidents reported for workers who were less than 20. About 48% of the accident victims had to be hospitalized. Furthermore, 35% of the accident victims were treated in outpatient clinics, and 7.4% of the accident victims died. We demonstrated that there were significant relationships between: 1) marital status and accidental injuries (P<0.001); 2) the average age of those injured among both permanent and temporary workers (P<0.001), 3) the level of education and the consequences of the accidents (P<0.001), and 4) the average of days lost per accident in both the permanent and temporary workers (P<0.001). In this study, no significant relationships were found between the accident occurrence and age (P>0.05) or work experience and the distribution of the accidents (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study indicated that most of the injuries in these accidents were related to the

  5. Accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power stations of TEPCO--outline & lessons learned.

    PubMed

    Tanaka, Shun-ichi

    2012-01-01

    The severe accident that broke out at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power stations on March 11, 2011, caused seemingly infinite damage to the daily life of residents. Serious and wide-spread contamination of the environment occurred due to radioactive materials discharged from nuclear power stations (NPSs). At the same time, many issues were highlighted concerning countermeasures to severe nuclear accidents. The accident is outlined, and lessons learned are extracted with respect to the safety of NPSs, as well as radiation protection of residents under the emergency involving the accident. The materials of the current paper are those released by governmental agencies, academic societies, interim reports of committees under the government, and others.

  6. World commercial aircraft accidents

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kimura, C.Y.

    1993-01-01

    This report is a compilation of all accidents world-wide involving aircraft in commercial service which resulted in the loss of the airframe or one or more fatality, or both. This information has been gathered in order to present a complete inventory of commercial aircraft accidents. Events involving military action, sabotage, terrorist bombings, hijackings, suicides, and industrial ground accidents are included within this list. Included are: accidents involving world commercial jet aircraft, world commercial turboprop aircraft, world commercial pistonprop aircraft with four or more engines and world commercial pistonprop aircraft with two or three engines from 1946 to 1992. Each accidentmore » is presented with information in the following categories: date of the accident, airline and its flight numbers, type of flight, type of aircraft, aircraft registration number, construction number/manufacturers serial number, aircraft damage, accident flight phase, accident location, number of fatalities, number of occupants, cause, remarks, or description (brief) of the accident, and finally references used. The sixth chapter presents a summary of the world commercial aircraft accidents by major aircraft class (e.g. jet, turboprop, and pistonprop) and by flight phase. The seventh chapter presents several special studies including a list of world commercial aircraft accidents for all aircraft types with 100 or more fatalities in order of decreasing number of fatalities, a list of collision accidents involving commercial aircrafts, and a list of world commercial aircraft accidents for all aircraft types involving military action, sabotage, terrorist bombings, and hijackings.« less

  7. How "lucky" we are that the Fukushima disaster occurred in early spring: predictions on the contamination levels from various fission products released from the accident and updates on the risk assessment for solid and thyroid cancers.

    PubMed

    Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Balkanski, Yves; Cozic, Anne; Møller, Anders Pape

    2014-12-01

    The present paper studies how a random event (earthquake) and the subsequent disaster in Japan affect transport and deposition of fallout and the resulting health consequences. Therefore, except for the original accident in March 2011, three additional scenarios are assessed assuming that the same releases took place in winter 2010, summer 2011 and autumn 2011 in order to cover a full range of annual seasonality. This is also the first study where a large number of fission products released from the accident are used to assess health risks with the maximum possible efficiency. Xenon-133 and (137)Cs are directly estimated within the model, whereas 15 other radionuclides are calculated indirectly using reported isotopic ratios. As much as 85% of the released (137)Cs would be deposited in continental regions worldwide if the accident occurred in winter 2010, 22% in spring 2011 (when it actually happened), 55% in summer 2011 and 48% if it occurred during autumn 2011. Solid cancer incidents and mortalities from Fukushima are estimated to be between 160 and 880 and from 110 to 640 close to previous estimations. By adding thyroid cancers, the total number rises from 230 to 850 for incidents and from 120 to 650 for mortalities. Fatalities due to worker exposure and mandatory evacuation have been reported to be around 610 increasing total estimated mortalities to 730-1260. These estimates are 2.8 times higher than previously reported ones for radiocaesium and (131)I and 16% higher than those reported based on radiocaesium only. Total expected fatalities from Fukushima are 32% lower than in the winter scenario, 5% that in the summer scenario and 30% lower than in the autumn scenario. Nevertheless, cancer fatalities are expected to be less than 5% of those from the tsunami (~20,000). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Work time control, sleep & accident risk: A prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Tucker, Philip; Albrecht, Sophie; Kecklund, Göran; Beckers, Debby G J; Leineweber, Constanze

    We examined whether the beneficial impact of work time control (WTC) on sleep leads to lower accident risk, using data from a nationally representative survey conducted in Sweden. Logistic regressions examined WTC in 2010 and 2012 as predictors of accidents occurring in the subsequent 2 years (N = 4840 and 4337, respectively). Sleep disturbance and frequency of short sleeps in 2012 were examined as potential mediators of the associations between WTC in 2010 and subsequent accidents as reported in 2014 (N = 3636). All analyses adjusted for age, sex, education, occupational category, weekly work hours, shift work status, job control and perceived accident risk at work. In both waves, overall WTC was inversely associated with accidents (p = 0.048 and p = 0.038, respectively). Analyses of the sub-dimensions of WTC indicated that Control over Daily Hours (influence over start and finish times, and over length of shift) did not predict accidents in either wave, while Control over Time-off (CoT; influence over taking breaks, running private errands during work and taking paid leave) predicted fewer accidents in both waves (p = 0.013 and p = 0.010). Sleep disturbance in 2012 mediated associations between WTC/CoT in 2010 and accidents in 2014, although effects' sizes were small (effectWTC = -0.006, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.018 to -0.001; effectCoT = -0.009, 95%CI = -0.022 to -0.001; unstandardized coefficients), with the indirect effects of sleep disturbance accounting for less than 5% of the total direct and indirect effects. Frequency of short sleeps was not a significant mediator. WTC reduces the risk of subsequently being involved in an accident, although sleep may not be a strong component of the mechanism underlying this association.

  9. Organizational influence on the occurrence of work accidents involving exposure to biological material.

    PubMed

    Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci; Rocha, Fernanda Ludmilla Rossi; Robazzi, Maria Lúcia do Carmo Cruz; Cenzi, Camila Maria; dos Santos, Heloisa Ehmke Cardoso; Trovó, Marli Elisa Mendes

    2013-01-01

    to analyze work accidents involving exposure to biological materials which took place among personnel working in nursing and to evaluate the influence of the organizational culture on the occurrence of these accidents. a retrospective, analytical study, carried out in two stages in a hospital that was part of the Network for the Prevention of Work Accidents. The first stage involved the analysis of the characteristics of the work accidents involving exposure to biological materials as recorded over a seven-year period by the nursing staff in the hospital studied, and registered in the Network databank. The second stage involved the analysis of 122 nursing staff members' perception of the institutional culture, who were allocated to the control group (workers who had not had an accident) and the case group (workers who had had an accident). 386 accidents had been recorded: percutaneous lesions occurred in 79% of the cases, needles were the materials involved in 69.7% of the accidents, and in 81.9% of the accident there was contact with blood. Regarding the influence of the organizational culture on the occurrence of accidents, the results obtained through the analysis of the two groups did not demonstrate significant differences between the average scores attributed by the workers in each organizational value or practice category. It is concluded that accidents involving exposure to biological material need to be avoided, however, it was not possible to confirm the influence of organizational values or practices on workers' behavior concerning the occurrence of these accidents.

  10. Woodworking injuries: a comparative study of work-related and hobby-related accidents.

    PubMed

    Loisel, F; Bonin, S; Jeunet, L; Pauchot, J; Tropet, Y; Obert, L

    2014-10-01

    The primary objective of this study was to describe the injury characteristics and demographics of patients injured during woodworking activities, upon their arrival to the emergency department in a regional of France where this industry is prevalent. The secondary objective was to compare patient and injury characteristics for work-related and hobby-related accidents. A cohort of 87 patients who had suffered a woodworking accident over a two-year period was evaluated; 79 were available for follow-up. The context and circumstances of the accident, nature and location of the injuries and patient demographics were recorded. Hobby-related accidents accounted for two-thirds of the accidents (51/79). Most of the injured workers were either loggers (35%) or carpenters (46%). The hand was injured in 53 cases (67%). Work-related accidents resulted in significantly more serious consequences in terms of hospital stay, work stoppage, resumption of work or retraining than hobby-related accidents. For the workplace accidents, 86% occurred on new machines; more than 25% of the machines involved in accidents at home were over 15 years. Sixty-eight per cent of workers were wearing their safety gear, while only 31% of those injured during recreational woodworking wore the appropriate gear. Several elements of prevention should be improved: information about the need to maintain the equipment, protect the worker with suitable clothing, and learn which maneuvers are considered hazardous. Safety gear should be regularly inspected in the workplace. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier SAS.

  11. Development of Northeast Asia Nuclear Power Plant Accident Simulator.

    PubMed

    Kim, Juyub; Kim, Juyoul; Po, Li-Chi Cliff

    2017-06-15

    A conclusion from the lessons learned after the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident was that Korea needs a tool to estimate consequences from a major accident that could occur at a nuclear power plant located in a neighboring country. This paper describes a suite of computer-based codes to be used by Korea's nuclear emergency response staff for training and potentially operational support in Korea's national emergency preparedness and response program. The systems of codes, Northeast Asia Nuclear Accident Simulator (NANAS), consist of three modules: source-term estimation, atmospheric dispersion prediction and dose assessment. To quickly assess potential doses to the public in Korea, NANAS includes specific reactor data from the nuclear power plants in China, Japan and Taiwan. The completed simulator is demonstrated using data for a hypothetical release. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Analysis of labour accidents in tunnel construction and introduction of prevention measures

    PubMed Central

    KIKKAWA, Naotaka; ITOH, Kazuya; HORI, Tomohito; TOYOSAWA, Yasuo; ORENSE, Rolando P.

    2015-01-01

    At present, almost all mountain tunnels in Japan are excavated and constructed utilizing the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), which was advocated by Prof. Rabcewicz of Austria in 1964. In Japan, this method has been applied to tunnel construction since around 1978, after which there has been a subsequent decrease in the number of casualties during tunnel construction. However, there is still a relatively high incidence of labour accidents during tunnel construction when compared to incidence rates in the construction industry in general. During tunnel construction, rock fall events at the cutting face are a particularly characteristic of the type of accident that occurs. In this study, we analysed labour accidents that possess the characteristics of a rock fall event at a work site. We also introduced accident prevention measures against rock fall events. PMID:26027707

  13. Off-road truck-related accidents in U.S. mines

    PubMed Central

    Dindarloo, Saeid R.; Pollard, Jonisha P.; Siami-Irdemoosa, Elnaz

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Off-road trucks are one of the major sources of equipment-related accidents in the U.S. mining industries. A systematic analysis of all off-road truck-related accidents, injuries, and illnesses, which are reported and published by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), is expected to provide practical insights for identifying the accident patterns and trends in the available raw database. Therefore, appropriate safety management measures can be administered and implemented based on these accident patterns/trends. Methods A hybrid clustering-classification methodology using K-means clustering and gene expression programming (GEP) is proposed for the analysis of severe and non-severe off-road truck-related injuries at U.S. mines. Using the GEP sub-model, a small subset of the 36 recorded attributes was found to be correlated to the severity level. Results Given the set of specified attributes, the clustering sub-model was able to cluster the accident records into 5 distinct groups. For instance, the first cluster contained accidents related to minerals processing mills and coal preparation plants (91%). More than two-thirds of the victims in this cluster had less than 5 years of job experience. This cluster was associated with the highest percentage of severe injuries (22 severe accidents, 3.4%). Almost 50% of all accidents in this cluster occurred at stone operations. Similarly, the other four clusters were characterized to highlight important patterns that can be used to determine areas of focus for safety initiatives. Conclusions The identified clusters of accidents may play a vital role in the prevention of severe injuries in mining. Further research into the cluster attributes and identified patterns will be necessary to determine how these factors can be mitigated to reduce the risk of severe injuries. Practical application Analyzing injury data using data mining techniques provides some insight into attributes that are associated with

  14. Off-road truck-related accidents in U.S. mines.

    PubMed

    Dindarloo, Saeid R; Pollard, Jonisha P; Siami-Irdemoosa, Elnaz

    2016-09-01

    Off-road trucks are one of the major sources of equipment-related accidents in the U.S. mining industries. A systematic analysis of all off-road truck-related accidents, injuries, and illnesses, which are reported and published by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), is expected to provide practical insights for identifying the accident patterns and trends in the available raw database. Therefore, appropriate safety management measures can be administered and implemented based on these accident patterns/trends. A hybrid clustering-classification methodology using K-means clustering and gene expression programming (GEP) is proposed for the analysis of severe and non-severe off-road truck-related injuries at U.S. mines. Using the GEP sub-model, a small subset of the 36 recorded attributes was found to be correlated to the severity level. Given the set of specified attributes, the clustering sub-model was able to cluster the accident records into 5 distinct groups. For instance, the first cluster contained accidents related to minerals processing mills and coal preparation plants (91%). More than two-thirds of the victims in this cluster had less than 5years of job experience. This cluster was associated with the highest percentage of severe injuries (22 severe accidents, 3.4%). Almost 50% of all accidents in this cluster occurred at stone operations. Similarly, the other four clusters were characterized to highlight important patterns that can be used to determine areas of focus for safety initiatives. The identified clusters of accidents may play a vital role in the prevention of severe injuries in mining. Further research into the cluster attributes and identified patterns will be necessary to determine how these factors can be mitigated to reduce the risk of severe injuries. Analyzing injury data using data mining techniques provides some insight into attributes that are associated with high accuracies for predicting injury severity. Copyright © 2016

  15. Characteristics of motorcyclists involved in accidents between motorcycles and automobiles.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, Amanda Lima de; Petroianu, Andy; Gonçalves, Dafne Maria Villar; Pereira, Gisele Araújo; Alberti, Luiz Ronaldo

    2015-01-01

    traffic accidents are one of the main causes of death and disability, with motorcyclists representing the great majority of both the victims and the perpetrators. this work studied the characteristics of motorcyclists injured in accidents involving motorcycles and automobiles. this study sought to interview 100 motorcyclists who had been injured in collisions between motorcycles and automobiles, and who were undergoing emergency hospital treatment in the region of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The questionnaires included demographic information (age, gender, skin color, education level, profession) and questions about years of licensed driving practice, how often they would drive an automobile, how long they had had a motorcycle driver's license, how often they would ride a motorcycle, the number of prior accidents involving a car, and the number of prior accidents not involving a car. of the 100 consecutive accidents studied, 91 occurred with men and 9 with women, aged between 16 and 79 (m = 29 ± 11) years. Regarding their reason for using a motorcycle, 83% reported using it for transport, 7% for work, and 10% for leisure. Most of these accident victims had secondary or higher education (47%). Of the motorcyclists who held a car driver's license, 68.3% drove the vehicle daily or weekly and held the license for more than one year. Sixty-seven percent of the accident victims used a motorcycle daily and had a motorcycle driver's license for at least one year. among the motorcyclists injured, most were men aged 20 years or older, with complete secondary education, and experienced in driving both motorcycles and cars, indicating that recklessness while driving the motorcycle is the main cause of traffic accidents.

  16. Accidents with biological material among undergraduate nursing students in a public Brazilian university.

    PubMed

    Reis, Renata Karina; Gir, Elucir; Canini, Silvia Rita M S

    2004-02-01

    During their academic activities, undergraduate nursing students are exposed to contamination by bloodborne pathogens, as well as by others found in body fluids, among which are the Human Immunodeficiency (HIV), Hepatitis B and C viruses. We developed a profile of victimized students, characterizing accidents with biological material occurring among undergraduate nursing students at a public university in São Paulo State, Brazil. We identified the main causes and evaluated the conduct adopted by students and their reactions and thoughts concerning the accidents. Seventy-two accidents were identified, of which 17% involved potentially contaminated biological material. Needles were the predominant cause of accidents. The most frequently involved topographic areas were the fingers. Only five students reported the accidents and sought medical care. Among these, two students were advised to begin prophylactic treatment against HIV infection by means of antiretroviral drugs. It was found that the risk of accidents is underestimated and that strategies such as formal teaching and continual training are necessary in order to make students aware of biosafety measures.

  17. Human factors analysis and classification system applied to civil aircraft accidents in India.

    PubMed

    Gaur, Deepak

    2005-05-01

    The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) has gained wide acceptance as a tool to classify human factors in aircraft accidents and incidents. This study on application of HFACS to civil aircraft accident reports at Directorate General Civil of Aviation (DGCA), India, was conducted to ascertain the practicability of applying HFACS to existing investigation reports and to analyze the trends of human factor causes of civil aircraft accidents. Accident investigation reports held at DGCA, New Delhi, for the period 1990--99 were scrutinized. In all, 83 accidents occurred during this period, of which 48 accident reports were evaluated in this study. One or more human factors contributed to 37 of the 48 (77.1%) accidents. The commonest unsafe act was 'skill based errors' followed by 'decision errors.' Violations of laid down rules were contributory in 16 cases (33.3%). 'Preconditions for unsafe acts' were seen in 23 of the 48 cases (47.9%). A fairly large number (52.1%) had 'organizational influences' contributing to the accident. These results are in consonance with larger studies of accidents in the U.S. Navy and general aviation. Such a high percentage of 'organizational influences' has not been reported in other studies. This is a healthy sign for Indian civil aviation, provided effective remedial action for the same is undertaken.

  18. The Human Factors of an Early Space Accident: Flight 3-65 of the X-15

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barshi, Immanuel; Statler, Irving C.; Orr, Jeb S.

    2016-01-01

    The X-15 was a critical research vehicle in the early days of space flight. On November 15, 1967, the X-15-3 suffered an in-flight breakup. This 191st flight of the X-15 and the 65th flight of this third configuration was the only fatal accident of the X-15 program. This paper presents an analysis, from a human factors perspective, of the events that led up to the accident. The analysis is based on the information contained in the report of the Air Force-NASA Accident Investigation Board (AIB) dated January, 1968. The AIBs analysis addressed, primarily, the events that occurred subsequent to the pilot's taking direct control of the reaction control system. The analysis described here suggests that, rather than events following the pilot's switch to direct control, it was the events preceding the switch that led to the accident. Consequently, the analyses and conclusions regarding the causal factors of, and the contributing factors to, the loss of Flight 3-65 presented here differ from those of the AIB based on the same evidence. Although the accident occurred in 1967, the results of the presented analysis are still relevant today. We present our analysis and discuss its implications for the safety of space operations.

  19. Markov switching multinomial logit model: An application to accident-injury severities.

    PubMed

    Malyshkina, Nataliya V; Mannering, Fred L

    2009-07-01

    In this study, two-state Markov switching multinomial logit models are proposed for statistical modeling of accident-injury severities. These models assume Markov switching over time between two unobserved states of roadway safety as a means of accounting for potential unobserved heterogeneity. The states are distinct in the sense that in different states accident-severity outcomes are generated by separate multinomial logit processes. To demonstrate the applicability of the approach, two-state Markov switching multinomial logit models are estimated for severity outcomes of accidents occurring on Indiana roads over a four-year time period. Bayesian inference methods and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations are used for model estimation. The estimated Markov switching models result in a superior statistical fit relative to the standard (single-state) multinomial logit models for a number of roadway classes and accident types. It is found that the more frequent state of roadway safety is correlated with better weather conditions and that the less frequent state is correlated with adverse weather conditions.

  20. Ca and Mg isotope constraints on the origin of Earth's deepest δ13 C excursion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Husson, Jon M.; Higgins, John A.; Maloof, Adam C.; Schoene, Blair

    2015-07-01

    Understanding the extreme carbon isotope excursions found in carbonate rocks of the Ediacaran Period (635-541 Ma), where δ13 C of marine carbonates (δ13 Ccarb) reach their minimum (- 12 ‰) for Earth history, is one of the most vexing problems in Precambrian geology. Known colloquially as the 'Shuram' excursion, the event has been interpreted by many as a product of a profoundly different Ediacaran carbon cycle. More recently, diagenetic processes have been invoked, with the very negative δ13 C values of Ediacaran carbonates explained via meteoric alteration, late-stage burial diagenesis or growth of authigenic carbonates in the sediment column, thus challenging models which rely upon a dramatically changing redox state of the Ediacaran oceans. Here we present 257 δ 44 / 40 Ca and 131 δ26 Mg measurements, along with [Mg], [Mn] and [Sr] data, from carbonates of the Ediacaran-aged Wonoka Formation (Fm.) of South Australia to bring new isotope systems to bear on understanding the 'Shuram' excursion. Data from four measured sections spanning the basin reveal stratigraphically coherent trends, with variability of ∼1.5‰ in δ26 Mg and ∼1.2‰ in δ 44 / 40 Ca. This Ca isotope variability dwarfs the 0.2-0.3 ‰ change seen coeval with the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, the largest recorded in the rock record, and is on par with putative changes in the δ 44 / 40 Ca value of seawater seen over the Phanerozoic Eon. Changes in both isotopic systems are too large to explain with changes in the isotopic composition of Ca and Mg in global seawater given modern budgets and residence times, and thus must be products of alternative processes. Relationships between δ 44 / 40 Ca and [Sr] and δ26 Mg and [Mg] are consistent with mineralogical control (e.g., aragonite vs. calcite, limestone vs. dolostone) on calcium and magnesium isotope variability. The most pristine samples in the Wonoka dataset, preserving Sr concentrations (in the 1000s of ppm range) and δ 44 / 40

  1. Glacial Erosion of Antarctica Evidenced by a Rapid Nd Isotope Excursion Associated with the Eocene-Oligocene Transition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pusz, A. E.; Scher, H. D.; Thunell, R.

    2010-12-01

    The Eocene-Oligocene transition (EOT) marks the largest change in global climate over the past 50 million years. The EOT is characterized by a two step increase in benthic foraminiferal δ18O that culminated at the Eocene-Oligocene Glacial Maximum. The δ18O increase reflects a combination of deep-water temperature change and the first development of continental-scale ice sheets on Antarctica during the Cenozoic. We present two new high-resolution coupled benthic foraminiferal δ18O and fossil fish tooth neodymium (Nd) isotope records across the EOT from South Atlantic Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 1090 (Agulhas Ridge, 42°54’S, 8°54’E, 3200 m paleo-depth) and 1265 (Walvis Ridge, 28°50’S, 2°38’E, 2400 m paleo-depth). The least radiogenic Nd values of -7.5 at Site 1090 and -8.1 at Site 1265 occur in step with the benthic δ18O shifts at these two sites. Data from Sites 1090 and 1265 are in agreement with coupled benthic δ18O and ɛNd records from ODP Site 738 on the Kerguelen Plateau. The magnitude of the ɛNd excursion is 1.0 at Site 1265, 1.5 at Site 1090, and 3.0 at Site 738. The origin of nonradiogenic Nd associated with the excursions at Sites 1265, 1090, and 738 is likely glacial erosion of old, Precambrian and Proterozoic bedrock from the Antarctic continent during ice sheet formation. This explanation is preferred over a pulse of Northern Component Water because the abrupt ɛNd decrease at the Agulhas and Walvis ridges is half the magnitude of that at Site 738, which is farthest from the influence of a North Atlantic derived deep-water mass source. We interpret the Nd isotope records to reflect the input of a large amount of glacially transported detrital material from the east Antarctic continent that was funneled through the Lambert Graben towards Prydz Bay. The abrupt and coincident character of the ɛNd shift indicates the eroded material was quickly spread through the Southern Ocean and diluted by mixing with other water masses.

  2. Characteristic variation and original analysis of emergent water source pollution accidents in China between 1985 and 2013.

    PubMed

    Qu, Jianhua; Meng, Xianlin; Ye, Xiuqing; You, Hong

    2016-10-01

    China has suffered various water source pollution incidents in the past decades, which have resulted in severe threats to the safety of the water supply for millions of residents. From the aspects of quantity fluctuation, temporal volatility, regional inequality, pollutant category variation, and accident type differences, this study first characterizes the current status of water source contaminations in China by analyzing 340 pollution events for the period spanning from 1985 to 2013. The results show a general increase in the number of accidents during the period 1985-2006 and then a rapid decline starting in 2007. Spring and summer are high-incidence seasons for pollution, and the accident rate in developed southeastern coastal areas is far higher than that in the northwestern regions. Hazardous chemicals and petroleum are the most frequently occurring pollutants, whereas heavy metals and tailings are becoming emerging contaminants during occasional pollutions. Most of the accidents that occurred before 2005 were blamed on illegal emissions or traffic accidents; however, leakage in production has gradually become a major accident type in the past decade. Then, in combination with government actions and policy constraints, this paper explores the deep inducements and offers valuable insight into measures that should be taken to ensure future prevention and mitigation of emergent source water pollution.

  3. Mortality in traffic accidents with older adults in Colombia

    PubMed Central

    Cardona, Angela Maria Segura; Arango, Doris Cardona; Fernández, Dedsy Yajaira Berbesí; Martínez, Alejandra Agudelo

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the traffic accident mortality in the Colombian older adults during the 1998-2012 period and show the loss of productive years and mortality from this cause. METHODS Quantitative study of the trend analysis of deaths in Colombia in traffic accidents, from 1998 to 2012, according to death records and population projected by the Colombian National Administrative Department of Statistics. Frequency distribution profile of the deceased, death rates per hundred thousand inhabitants, potential years of life lost and calculation of excess mortality by age in the over 60 were made. RESULTS In the study period 100,758 deaths occurred in traffic accidents, 6,717 annual average, of which 18.5% occurred in people aged 60 years and over. The predominated deaths were men; the risk of dying was 32.15 per hundred thousand people in this age range, with double risk of dying those under 60 years. CONCLUSIONS The young population has a higher proportion of deaths, but those over 60 years are at increased risk of death, leading to the need to turn our gaze to the improvement of road infrastructure and standards, to educate the population in self-care and compliance with safety measures and prepare society for an ever more adult population, more numerous and more prone to take risks. PMID:28355347

  4. ARAMIS project: a comprehensive methodology for the identification of reference accident scenarios in process industries.

    PubMed

    Delvosalle, Christian; Fievez, Cécile; Pipart, Aurore; Debray, Bruno

    2006-03-31

    In the frame of the Accidental Risk Assessment Methodology for Industries (ARAMIS) project, this paper aims at presenting the work carried out in the part of the project devoted to the definition of accident scenarios. This topic is a key-point in risk assessment and serves as basis for the whole risk quantification. The first result of the work is the building of a methodology for the identification of major accident hazards (MIMAH), which is carried out with the development of generic fault and event trees based on a typology of equipment and substances. The term "major accidents" must be understood as the worst accidents likely to occur on the equipment, assuming that no safety systems are installed. A second methodology, called methodology for the identification of reference accident scenarios (MIRAS) takes into account the influence of safety systems on both the frequencies and possible consequences of accidents. This methodology leads to identify more realistic accident scenarios. The reference accident scenarios are chosen with the help of a tool called "risk matrix", crossing the frequency and the consequences of accidents. This paper presents both methodologies and an application on an ethylene oxide storage.

  5. Consequences and countermeasures in a nuclear power accident: Chernobyl experience.

    PubMed

    Kirichenko, Vladimir A; Kirichenko, Alexander V; Werts, Day E

    2012-09-01

    Despite the tragic accidents in Fukushima and Chernobyl, the nuclear power industry will continue to contribute to the production of electric energy worldwide until there are efficient and sustainable alternative sources of energy. The Chernobyl nuclear accident, which occurred 26 years ago in the former Soviet Union, released an immense amount of radioactivity over vast territories of Belarus, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation, extending into northern Europe, and became the most severe accident in the history of the nuclear industry. This disaster was a result of numerous factors including inadequate nuclear power plant design, human errors, and violation of safety measures. The lessons learned from nuclear accidents will continue to strengthen the safety design of new reactor installations, but with more than 400 active nuclear power stations worldwide and 104 reactors in the Unites States, it is essential to reassess fundamental issues related to the Chernobyl experience as it continues to evolve. This article summarizes early and late events of the incident, the impact on thyroid health, and attempts to reduce agricultural radioactive contamination.

  6. Assessment of an explosive LPG release accident: a case study.

    PubMed

    Bubbico, Roberto; Marchini, Mauro

    2008-07-15

    In the present paper, an accident occurred during a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank filling activity has been taken into consideration. During the transfer of LPG from the source road tank car to the receiving fixed storage vessel, an accidental release of LPG gave rise to different final consequences ranging from a pool fire, to a fireball and to the catastrophic rupture of the tank with successive explosion of its contents. The sequence of events has been investigated by using some of the consequence calculation models most commonly adopted in risk analysis and accident investigation. On one hand, this allows to better understand the link between the various events of the accident. On the other hand, a comparison between the results of the calculations and the damages actually observed after the accident, allows to check the accuracy of the prediction models and to critically assess their validity. In particular, it was shown that the largest uncertainty is associated with the calculation of the energy involved in the physical expansion of the fluid (both liquid and vapor) after the catastrophic rupture of the tank.

  7. Analysis of occupational accidents with biological material among professionals in pre-hospital services.

    PubMed

    de Oliveira, Adriana Cristina; Paiva, Maria Henriqueta Rocha Siqueira

    2013-02-01

    To estimate the prevalence of accidents due to biological material exposure, the characteristics and post-accident conduct among professionals of pre-hospital services of the four municipalities of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A cross-sectional study, using a structured questionnaire that was developed to enable the calculation of prevalence, descriptive analysis and analytical analysis using logistic regression. The study included 228 professionals; the prevalence of accidents due to biological material exposure was 29.4%, with 49.2% percutaneous, 10.4% mucousal, 6.0% non-intact skin, and 34.4% intact skin. Among the professionals injured, those that stood out were nursing technicians (41.9%) and drivers (28.3%). Notification of the occurrence of the accident occurred in 29.8% of the cases. Percutaneous exposure was associated with time of work in the organization (OR=2.51, 95% CI: 1.18 to 5.35, p<0.017). Notification about accidents with biological material should be encouraged, along with professional evaluation/monitoring.

  8. Landing Distance Minimization to Prevent Overrun Accidents Using Field Theory and Stabilizing Air Traffic - A Novel Approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krishna Kumar, R.; Navaneeth, M.; Shachin Shibi, R.

    2017-09-01

    Airplane is considered to be the pinnacle of engineering as it has proven that it is possible for a manmade object to fly. Before its invention, flying was just a dream for mankind. In such an esteemed domain, landing is the most challenging part and it is where a large number of accidents occur, especially due to overrun. As the name suggests, overrun accidents occur due to insufficient runway length. In the present study, the concept of planar electromagnetic fields is incorporated to minimize the landing distance of an aircraft, thus preventing the overrun accidents. As a result, unexpected losses can be avoided. In addition to this, the stability of air traffic control can be perpetuated and the fuel consumed during loitering time can be diminished.

  9. Comparison of the accident process, radioactivity release and ground contamination between Chernobyl and Fukushima-1

    PubMed Central

    Imanaka, Tetsuji; Hayashi, Gohei; Endo, Satoru

    2015-01-01

    In this report, we have reviewed the basic features of the accident processes and radioactivity releases that occurred in the Chernobyl accident (1986) and in the Fukushima-1 accident (2011). The Chernobyl accident was a power-surge accident that was caused by a failure of control of a fission chain reaction, which instantaneously destroyed the reactor and building, whereas the Fukushima-1 accident was a loss-of-coolant accident in which the reactor cores of three units were melted by decay heat after losing the electricity supply. Although the quantity of radioactive noble gases released from Fukushima-1 exceeded the amount released from Chernobyl, the size of land area severely contaminated by 137Cesium (137Cs) was 10 times smaller around Fukushima-1 compared with around Chernobyl. The differences in the accident process are reflected in the composition of the discharged radioactivity as well as in the composition of the ground contamination. Volatile radionuclides (such as 132Te-132I, 131I, 134Cs and 137Cs) contributed to the gamma-ray exposure from the ground contamination around Fukishima-1, whereas a greater variety of radionuclides contributed significantly around Chernobyl. When radioactivity deposition occurred, the radiation exposure rate near Chernobyl is estimated to have been 770 μGy h−1 per initial 137Cs deposition of 1000 kBq m−2, whereas it was 100 μGy h−1 around Fukushima-1. Estimates of the cumulative exposure for 30 years are 970 and 570 mGy per initial deposition of 1000 kBq m−2 for Chernobyl and Fukusima-1, respectively. Of these exposures, 49 and 98% were contributed by radiocesiums (134Cs + 137Cs) around Chernobyl and Fukushima-1, respectively. PMID:26568603

  10. Comparison of the accident process, radioactivity release and ground contamination between Chernobyl and Fukushima-1.

    PubMed

    Imanaka, Tetsuji; Hayashi, Gohei; Endo, Satoru

    2015-12-01

    In this report, we have reviewed the basic features of the accident processes and radioactivity releases that occurred in the Chernobyl accident (1986) and in the Fukushima-1 accident (2011). The Chernobyl accident was a power-surge accident that was caused by a failure of control of a fission chain reaction, which instantaneously destroyed the reactor and building, whereas the Fukushima-1 accident was a loss-of-coolant accident in which the reactor cores of three units were melted by decay heat after losing the electricity supply. Although the quantity of radioactive noble gases released from Fukushima-1 exceeded the amount released from Chernobyl, the size of land area severely contaminated by (137)Cesium ((137)Cs) was 10 times smaller around Fukushima-1 compared with around Chernobyl. The differences in the accident process are reflected in the composition of the discharged radioactivity as well as in the composition of the ground contamination. Volatile radionuclides (such as (132)Te-(132)I, (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs) contributed to the gamma-ray exposure from the ground contamination around Fukishima-1, whereas a greater variety of radionuclides contributed significantly around Chernobyl. When radioactivity deposition occurred, the radiation exposure rate near Chernobyl is estimated to have been 770 μGy h(-1) per initial (137)Cs deposition of 1000 kBq m(-2), whereas it was 100 μGy h(-1) around Fukushima-1. Estimates of the cumulative exposure for 30 years are 970 and 570 mGy per initial deposition of 1000 kBq m(-2) for Chernobyl and Fukusima-1, respectively. Of these exposures, 49 and 98% were contributed by radiocesiums ((134)Cs + (137)Cs) around Chernobyl and Fukushima-1, respectively. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

  11. Vulnerability assessment of chemical industry facilities in South Korea based on the chemical accident history

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heo, S.; Lee, W. K.; Jong-Ryeul, S.; Kim, M. I.

    2016-12-01

    The use of chemical compounds are keep increasing because of their use in manufacturing industry. Chemical accident is growing as the consequence of the chemical use increment. Devastating damages from chemical accidents are far enough to aware people's cautious about the risk of the chemical accident. In South Korea, Gumi Hydrofluoric acid leaking accident triggered the importance of risk management and emphasized the preventing the accident over the damage reducing process after the accident occurs. Gumi accident encouraged the government data base construction relate to the chemical accident. As the result of this effort Chemical Safety-Clearing-house (CSC) have started to record the chemical accident information and damages according to the Harmful Chemical Substance Control Act (HCSC). CSC provide details information about the chemical accidents from 2002 to present. The detail informations are including title of company, address, business type, accident dates, accident types, accident chemical compounds, human damages inside of the chemical industry facilities, human damage outside of the chemical industry facilities, financial damages inside of the chemical industry facilities, and financial damages outside of the chemical industry facilities, environmental damages and response to the chemical accident. Collected the chemical accident history of South Korea from 2002 to 2015 and provide the spatial information to the each accident records based on their address. With the spatial information, compute the data on ArcGIS for the spatial-temporal analysis. The spatial-temporal information of chemical accident is organized by the chemical accident types, damages, and damages on environment and conduct the spatial proximity with local community and environmental receptors. Find the chemical accident vulnerable area of South Korea from 2002 to 2015 and add the vulnerable area of total period to examine the historically vulnerable area from the chemical accident in

  12. Assessing accident phobia in mild traumatic brain injury: The Accident Fear Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Sutherland, Jessica; Middleton, Jason; Ornstein, Tisha J; Lawson, Kerry; Vickers, Kristin

    2016-08-01

    Despite a documented prevalence of accident phobia in almost 40% of motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivors, the onset of accident phobia after traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains poorly understood. There is currently a body of knowledge about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in patients with TBI, but less is known about accident phobia following TBI, particularly in cases of mild TBI (mTBI). Accident phobia can impede safe return to driving or motor vehicle travel, inhibiting return to daily functioning. In addition, pain complaints have been found to correlate positively with postinjury anxiety disorders. The present study sought to determine the reliability and validity of the Accident Fear Questionnaire (AFQ), a measure used to assess accident phobia, in 72 patients with mTBI using secondary data analysis and the subsequent development of accident phobia postinjury. Furthermore, we sought to examine the impact of pain, anxiety, and depression complaints on the AFQ. Results reveal convergent validity and reliability in mTBI populations. Additionally, pain, anxiety, and depression measures were significantly correlated with scores on the AFQ. Psychometrically, the phobia avoidance subscale of the AFQ is a reliable measure for use with mTBI populations, although some limitations were found. In particular, the accident profile (AP) subscale was not found to be reliable or valid and could be eliminated from the AFQ. Collectively, the present study contributes to the small body of published literature evaluating accident phobia in patients with mTBI and the impact of pain on the development of postinjury anxiety disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. Iodine-to-calcium ratios in carbonates suggest a primary origin for the Precambrian Lomagundi and Shuram carbon isotope excursions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hardisty, D. S.; Lu, Z.; Planavsky, N. J.; Osburn, M. R.; Bekker, A.; Lyons, T. W.

    2013-12-01

    Systematic increases in iodine-to-calcium ratios (I/Ca) in carbonates from both the Precambrian Lomagundi and Shuram carbonate carbon isotope (δ13Ccarb) excursion intervals suggest primary origins for these events. Iodate (IO3-), the oxidized iodine species, is the exclusive species incorporated into carbonates. The high redox sensitivity of IO3- to deoxygenation requires highly oxidizing fluids for IO3- production, making I/Ca in platform carbonates a simple indicator of the presence of oxidizing fluids in the surface ocean. Similarly, redox sensitivity makes the proxy host susceptible to diagenetic iodine loss during carbonate recrystallization in reducing pore fluids. Recent work has shown carbonates to experience near-complete iodine loss during dolomitization in the Permian, and work from our group evaluating modern and recent carbonates demonstrate the potential for diagenetic iodine loss during carbonate recrystallization. In some cases, however, such as meteoric aragonite-to-calcite transitions, oxidizing pore fluids have the potential to buffer IO3- concentrations, causing negligible alteration to primary I/Ca despite negative shifts in δ13Ccarb. These results highlight that diagenetic alterations to I/Ca and δ13Ccarb need not always be coupled, but importantly, no observed scenario promotes post-depositional addition of iodine to carbonates. This means that, independent of δ13Ccarb, systematic, stratigraphic increases in I/Ca ratios observed in the carbonate record are most easily interpreted as resulting from depositional controls such as surface ocean redox or shifts in the total marine iodine reservoir. From this, increasing I/Ca ratios coincident with rising and falling δ13Ccarb trends for the Paleoproterozic Lomagundi and Neoproterozoic Shuram events, respectively, support suggestions of a primary origin for the δ13Ccarb excursions. Significant increase in I/Ca in dolomites deposited during the Lomagundi excursion, rising from blank values in

  14. [Fatal occupational accidents: updating of data from a mortality register].

    PubMed

    Mantero, Silvia; Baldasseroni, A; Chellini, Elisabetta; Giovanetti, Lucia

    2005-01-01

    In Italy, almost one thousand deaths due to occupational accidents are usually registered by INAIL each year. Case registration by INAIL has merely administrative purposes and therefore it is necessary to use other sources for case ascertainment in order to better estimate the real number of deaths related to occupational accidents, as shown also by previous papers. Evaluation of the contribution of another data source, namely the Tuscany Regional Mortality Registry, to obtain the correct figure for occupational accident deaths through the use of a place-of-occurrence notation on the death certificate. Cases that occurred in residents in Tuscany in 2000-2001 were considered. They were identified from : a) the Tuscany Regional Mortality Registry (RMR) using the E code of the ICD LX code of death, the year and place of occurrence; b) the INAIL archive using the year of event, the type of definition and management. The INAIL source was without doubt the most informative but was only 51% complete, whereas the RMR source, although less informative, was more complete (82.4%) and allowed identification of cases not registered by INAIL, that had occurred for instance in the Armed Forces and in the National Railway Company. However, the vast majority of RMR extra-cases occurred in subjects aged 65+, in agriculture and in the building industry. It is currently possible to plan a systematic linkage of the two sources due to the new possibilities that are available: the place-of-occurrence in the death certificate and the availability of individual data in the INAIL source.

  15. [Characterization of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to organic solvents in China between 1989 and 2003].

    PubMed

    Wang, Huan-Qiang; Li, Tao; Zhang, Min; Wang, Hong-Fei; Chen, Shu-Yang; Du, Xie-Yi; Wang, Dan; Zhang, Shuang; Qin, Jian

    2006-12-01

    To analyze severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to organic solvents reported in China between 1989 and 2003, and to study the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents and provide scientific evidences for prevention and control strategies. The data from the national occupational poisoning case reporting system were analyzed with descriptive methods. (1) There were 58 severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to organic solvents for 15 years with 393 workers poisoned and 48 workers died. The total poisoning rate was 51.2%, and the total mortality was 12.2%. The average poisoning age was (30.9 +/- 8.8) years old and the average death age was (30.6 +/- 12.0) years old. (2) There were 11 types of chemicals that caused these poisoning accidents, and most of the accidents were caused by benzene and homologs. (3) Most of the accidents occurred in manufacture, chemical industry, construction industry, transportation and storage industry, service and commerce. The risk was higher in some jobs than in others, such as paint spraying and cleanout. The poisoning accidents occurred more frequently from April to July each year. (4) The main causes of the accidents were poor ventilation (23.6%), lack of personal protection equipment (21.2%), lack of safety education (19.2%), and lack of safety work practice (15.8%) etc. The ventilation at the workplace involved in organic solvents should be maintained and the skin contacting directly with the organic solvents should be avoided, and it is encouraged to replace the poison with the nontoxic or lower toxic chemicals.

  16. Accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Stations of TEPCO —Outline & lessons learned—

    PubMed Central

    TANAKA, Shun-ichi

    2012-01-01

    The severe accident that broke out at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power stations on March 11, 2011, caused seemingly infinite damage to the daily life of residents. Serious and wide-spread contamination of the environment occurred due to radioactive materials discharged from nuclear power stations (NPSs). At the same time, many issues were highlighted concerning countermeasures to severe nuclear accidents. The accident is outlined, and lessons learned are extracted with respect to the safety of NPSs, as well as radiation protection of residents under the emergency involving the accident. The materials of the current paper are those released by governmental agencies, academic societies, interim reports of committees under the government, and others. PMID:23138450

  17. Key risk indicators for accident assessment conditioned on pre-crash vehicle trajectory.

    PubMed

    Shi, X; Wong, Y D; Li, M Z F; Chai, C

    2018-08-01

    Accident events are generally unexpected and occur rarely. Pre-accident risk assessment by surrogate indicators is an effective way to identify risk levels and thus boost accident prediction. Herein, the concept of Key Risk Indicator (KRI) is proposed, which assesses risk exposures using hybrid indicators. Seven metrics are shortlisted as the basic indicators in KRI, with evaluation in terms of risk behaviour, risk avoidance, and risk margin. A typical real-world chain-collision accident and its antecedent (pre-crash) road traffic movements are retrieved from surveillance video footage, and a grid remapping method is proposed for data extraction and coordinates transformation. To investigate the feasibility of each indicator in risk assessment, a temporal-spatial case-control is designed. By comparison, Time Integrated Time-to-collision (TIT) performs better in identifying pre-accident risk conditions; while Crash Potential Index (CPI) is helpful in further picking out the severest ones (the near-accident). Based on TIT and CPI, the expressions of KRIs are developed, which enable us to evaluate risk severity with three levels, as well as the likelihood. KRI-based risk assessment also reveals predictive insights about a potential accident, including at-risk vehicles, locations and time. Furthermore, straightforward thresholds are defined flexibly in KRIs, since the impact of different threshold values is found not to be very critical. For better validation, another independent real-world accident sample is examined, and the two results are in close agreement. Hierarchical indicators such as KRIs offer new insights about pre-accident risk exposures, which is helpful for accident assessment and prediction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Pilot Domain Task Experience in Night Fatal Helicopter Emergency Medical Service Accidents.

    PubMed

    Aherne, Bryan B; Zhang, Chrystal; Newman, David G

    2016-06-01

    In the United States, accident and fatality rates in helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) operations increase significantly under nighttime environmentally hazardous operational conditions. Other studies have found pilots' total flight hours unrelated to HEMS accident outcomes. Many factors affect pilots' decision making, including their experience. This study seeks to investigate whether pilot domain task experience (DTE) in HEMS plays a role against likelihood of accidents at night when hazardous operational conditions are entered. There were 32 flights with single pilot nighttime fatal HEMS accidents between 1995 and 2013 with findings of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control (LCTRL) due to spatial disorientation (SD) identified. The HEMS DTE of the pilots were compared with industry survey data. Of the pilots, 56% had ≤2 yr of HEMS experience and 9% had >10 yr of HEMS experience. There were 21 (66%) accidents that occurred in non-visual flight rules (VFR) conditions despite all flights being required to be conducted under VFR. There was a statistically significant increase in accident rates in pilots with <2 and <4 yr HEMS DTE and a statistically significant decrease in accident rates in pilots with >10 yr HEMS DTE. HEMS DTE plays a preventive role against the likelihood of a night operational accident. Pilots with limited HEMS DTE are more likely to make a poor assessment of hazardous conditions at night, and this will place HEMS flight crew at high risk in the VFR night domain.

  19. [A procedure for estimating the rate of occupational accidents in non-European-Union workers with irregular immigrant status].

    PubMed

    Marchiori, L; Marangi, G; Mazzoccoli, P; Scoizzato, L; Buja, Alessandra; Mastrangelo, G

    2008-01-01

    Statistics on occupational accidents provided by the Italian Institute for Occupational Diseases and Accidents (INAIL, Italian acronym) include only events that occurred in workers with regular employment status. The aim of the study was to establish a procedure in order to estimate the rate of occupational accidents in non-European-Union (non-EU) workers with irregular employment status and/or irregular immigrant status. The sources of data were the clinical records of the Emergency Department of San Bonifacio Hospital, and the population data of District 4 of Local Health Authority 20 of Verona, which was considered the catchment area of this hospital. Among 419 cases of accidents occurred in the numerator of the rate. The denominator of the rate was estimated by calculating: (1) the subjects of working age resident in District 4 (= 83714); (2) the total number of non-EU workers, assuming that the percentage was similar to that in San Bonifacio Municipality (= 0.115); the number of irregular non-EU workers, assuming that the percentage was similar to that in north-eastern Italy (= 0.103). Non-EU workers with irregular employment status and/or irregular immigrant status should, according to these calculations, be 992 (= 83714 x 0.115 x 0.103). The rate--147.2 (= 146/992) occupational accidents per 1000 irregular non-EU workers--is more than twice as high as that calculated in 2004 in Italy in regular non-EU workers (approximately 65 accidents per 1000). The difference can be explained by the fact that irregular workers find employment mainly in agriculture, building and the metallurgic industry, which have a high frequency of accidents, and are more willing to accept risky work and longer work shifts. On the assumption that the rate of occupational accidents in the 500,000 irregular workers living in Italy in 2004 was 147.2 per 1000 (as in the catchment area of the San Bonifacio Hospital), the number of accidents would be 73,600, against the 116,000 that occurred

  20. Estimation of fatality and injury risk by means of in-depth fatal accident investigation data.

    PubMed

    Yannis, George; Papadimitriou, Eleonora; Dupont, Emmanuelle; Martensen, Heike

    2010-10-01

    when the most harmful event of the accident occurs later within the accident chain.

  1. Depriming of arterial heat pipes: An investigation of CTS thermal excursions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Antoniuk, D.; Edwards, D. K.

    1980-01-01

    Four thermal excursions of the Transmitter Experiment Package (TEP) were the result of the depriming of the arteries in all three heat pipes in the Variable Conductance Heat Pipe System which cooled the TEP. The determined cause of the depriming of the heat pipes was the formation of bubbles of the nitrogen/helium control gas mixture in the arteries during the thaw portion of a freeze/thaw cycle of the inactive region of the condenser section of the heat pipe. Conditions such as suction freezeout or heat pipe turn-on, which moved these bubbles into the active region of the heat pipe, contributed to the depriming mechanism. Methods for precluding, or reducing the probability of, this type of failure mechanism in future applications of arterial heat pipes are included.

  2. Preliminary calculations related to the accident at Three Mile Island

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kirchner, W.L.; Stevenson, M.G.

    This report discusses preliminary studies of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident based on available methods and data. The work reported includes: (1) a TRAC base case calculation out to 3 hours into the accident sequence; (2) TRAC parametric calculations, these are the same as the base case except for a single hypothetical change in the system conditions, such as assuming the high pressure injection (HPI) system operated as designed rather than as in the accident; (3) fuel rod cladding failure, cladding oxidation due to zirconium metal-steam reactions, hydrogen release due to cladding oxidation, cladding ballooning, cladding embrittlement,more » and subsequent cladding breakup estimates based on TRAC calculated cladding temperatures and system pressures. Some conclusions of this work are: the TRAC base case accident calculation agrees very well with known system conditions to nearly 3 hours into the accident; the parametric calculations indicate that, loss-of-core cooling was most influenced by the throttling of High-Pressure Injection (HPI) flows, given the accident initiating events and the pressurizer electromagnetic-operated valve (EMOV) failing to close as designed; failure of nearly all the rods and gaseous fission product gas release from the failed rods is predicted to have occurred at about 2 hours and 30 minutes; cladding oxidation (zirconium-steam reaction) up to 3 hours resulted in the production of approximately 40 kilograms of hydrogen.« less

  3. The Role of Spatial Disorientation in Fatal General Aviation Accidents

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scheuring, RIchard

    2005-01-01

    In-flight Spatial Disorientation (SD) in pilots is a serious threat to aviation safety. Indeed, SD may play a much larger role in aviation accidents than the approximate 6-8% reported by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) each year, because some accidents coded by the NTSB as aircraft control-not maintained (ACNM) may actually result from SD. The purpose of this study is to determine whether SD is underestimated as a cause of fatal general aviation (GA) accidents in the NTSB database. Fatal GA airplane accidents occurring between January 1995 and December 1999 were reviewed from the NTSB aviation accident database. Cases coded as ACNM or SD as the probable cause were selected for review by a panel of aerospace medicine specialists. Using a rating scale, each rater was instructed to determine if SD was the probable cause of the accident. Agreement between the raters and agreement between the raters and the NTSB were evaluated by Kappa statistics. The raters agreed that 11 out of 20 (55%) accidents coded by the NTSB as ACNM were probably caused by SD (p less than 0.05). Agreement between the raters and the NTSB did not reach significance (p greater than 0.05). The 95% C.I. for the sampling population estimated that between 33-77% of cases that the NTSB identified as ACNM could be identified by aerospace medicine experts as SD. Aerospace medicine specialists agreed that some cases coded by the NTSB as ACNM were probably caused by SD. Consequently, a larger number of accidents may be caused by the pilot succumbing to SD than indicated in the NTSB database. This new information should encourage regulating agencies to insure that pilots receive SD recognition training, enabling them to take appropriate corrective actions during flight. This could lead to new training standards, ultimately saving lives among GA airplane pilots.

  4. Occupational accidents in artisanal mining in Katanga, D.R.C.

    PubMed

    Elenge, Myriam; Leveque, Alain; De Brouwer, Christophe

    2013-04-01

    This study focuses on accidents in artisanal mining, to support policies improving miners' employability. Based on a questionnaire administered in November 2009 to a sample of 180 miners from the artisanal mining of LUPOTO, in the Province of Katanga, we explored significant trends between the accidents and their consequences and behavioral or sociological variables. During the 12 months preceding the study, 392 accidents occurred, affecting 72.2% of miners. Tools handling represents 51.5%, of the accidents' causes, followed by handling heavy loads (32.9%). Factors such as age, seniority or apprenticeship did not generate significant differences. Contusions were the most common injuries (50.2%), followed by wounds (44.4%). These injuries were located in upper limbs (50.5%) and in lower limbs (29.3%). 80.5% of miners were cared for by their colleagues and 50% of them could not work for more than 3 days. Physical sequelae were reported by 19% of the injured miners. Many surveys related to accidents in the area of artisanal mining report such high frequency. The unsuitability of tools to jobs to be done is usually raised as one of the major causes of accidents. The lack of differentiation of the tasks carried out in relation to age is another factor explaining the lack of protective effect of seniority as it minimizes the contribution of experience in the worker's safety. The apprenticeship reported is inadequate; it is rather a learning by doing than anything else. That is why it lacks protective effect. Low income combined with precariousness of artisanal mining are likely to explain the low level of work stoppages. Tools improvement associated with adequate training seem to be the basis of accident prevention. Availability of suitable medical care should improve artisanal miners' recovery after accidents.

  5. Prediction of road accidents: A Bayesian hierarchical approach.

    PubMed

    Deublein, Markus; Schubert, Matthias; Adey, Bryan T; Köhler, Jochen; Faber, Michael H

    2013-03-01

    In this paper a novel methodology for the prediction of the occurrence of road accidents is presented. The methodology utilizes a combination of three statistical methods: (1) gamma-updating of the occurrence rates of injury accidents and injured road users, (2) hierarchical multivariate Poisson-lognormal regression analysis taking into account correlations amongst multiple dependent model response variables and effects of discrete accident count data e.g. over-dispersion, and (3) Bayesian inference algorithms, which are applied by means of data mining techniques supported by Bayesian Probabilistic Networks in order to represent non-linearity between risk indicating and model response variables, as well as different types of uncertainties which might be present in the development of the specific models. Prior Bayesian Probabilistic Networks are first established by means of multivariate regression analysis of the observed frequencies of the model response variables, e.g. the occurrence of an accident, and observed values of the risk indicating variables, e.g. degree of road curvature. Subsequently, parameter learning is done using updating algorithms, to determine the posterior predictive probability distributions of the model response variables, conditional on the values of the risk indicating variables. The methodology is illustrated through a case study using data of the Austrian rural motorway network. In the case study, on randomly selected road segments the methodology is used to produce a model to predict the expected number of accidents in which an injury has occurred and the expected number of light, severe and fatally injured road users. Additionally, the methodology is used for geo-referenced identification of road sections with increased occurrence probabilities of injury accident events on a road link between two Austrian cities. It is shown that the proposed methodology can be used to develop models to estimate the occurrence of road accidents for any

  6. MDCT findings in sports and recreational accidents.

    PubMed

    Bensch, Frank V; Koivikko, Mika P; Koskinen, Seppo K

    2011-12-01

    Sports and recreational accidents involving critical areas of the body occur commonly in the general population. Reports on their demographics and recommendations for screening procedures are, however, few. To assess injuries of the craniofacial area, spine, and torso resulting from sports and recreational accidents with multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) as primary imaging method in a Level I trauma center. All emergency room CT requests over a time span of 105 months were reviewed retrospectively for trauma mechanism and injury. Patients were identified using an electronic picture archiving and communications system (PACS), and MDCT studies interpreted by two radiologists independently. Of a total of 5898 patients, 492 patients (301 boys/men, 191 girls/women, age range 2-76 years, mean 33.5 years, median 29.5 years) with sports or recreational accidents emerged. A total of 102 traumatic findings were diagnosed, thereof 72 (71%) serious. The three most commonly encountered serious injuries were intracranial injury, fractures of facial bones, and vertebral injuries. The three most common injury mechanisms were bicycling, horseback riding, and team ball sports. Patients from recreational activities were on average significantly younger (29.2 years) than those from sports accidents (36.9 years; P < 0.001). Only age groups <21 years and 41-50 years differed in injury severity from the other age groups (P = 0.004 and P = 0.063, respectively). Of all trauma mechanisms, only bicycling had a significantly increased risk of injury (P < 0.001). Injuries in sports and recreational accidents presented with an overall incidence of 21%, of which 71% are serious. The most common mechanisms of injury were bicycling, horseback riding, and team ball sports. The largest incidence of serious injury involved bicycling. Because of the high probability of a serious injury and the high energies that are often involved in these accidents, we recommend ruling out of internal injury

  7. Visualization of Traffic Accidents

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, Jie; Shen, Yuzhong; Khattak, Asad

    2010-01-01

    Traffic accidents have tremendous impact on society. Annually approximately 6.4 million vehicle accidents are reported by police in the US and nearly half of them result in catastrophic injuries. Visualizations of traffic accidents using geographic information systems (GIS) greatly facilitate handling and analysis of traffic accidents in many aspects. Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), Inc. is the world leader in GIS research and development. ArcGIS, a software package developed by ESRI, has the capabilities to display events associated with a road network, such as accident locations, and pavement quality. But when event locations related to a road network are processed, the existing algorithm used by ArcGIS does not utilize all the information related to the routes of the road network and produces erroneous visualization results of event locations. This software bug causes serious problems for applications in which accurate location information is critical for emergency responses, such as traffic accidents. This paper aims to address this problem and proposes an improved method that utilizes all relevant information of traffic accidents, namely, route number, direction, and mile post, and extracts correct event locations for accurate traffic accident visualization and analysis. The proposed method generates a new shape file for traffic accidents and displays them on top of the existing road network in ArcGIS. Visualization of traffic accidents along Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel is included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

  8. Occupational accidents aboard merchant ships

    PubMed Central

    Hansen, H; Nielsen, D; Frydenberg, M

    2002-01-01

    Objectives: To investigate the frequency, circumstances, and causes of occupational accidents aboard merchant ships in international trade, and to identify risk factors for the occurrence of occupational accidents as well as dangerous working situations where possible preventive measures may be initiated. Methods: The study is a historical follow up on occupational accidents among crew aboard Danish merchant ships in the period 1993–7. Data were extracted from the Danish Maritime Authority and insurance data. Exact data on time at risk were available. Results: A total of 1993 accidents were identified during a total of 31 140 years at sea. Among these, 209 accidents resulted in permanent disability of 5% or more, and 27 were fatal. The mean risk of having an occupational accident was 6.4/100 years at sea and the risk of an accident causing a permanent disability of 5% or more was 0.67/100 years aboard. Relative risks for notified accidents and accidents causing permanent disability of 5% or more were calculated in a multivariate analysis including ship type, occupation, age, time on board, change of ship since last employment period, and nationality. Foreigners had a considerably lower recorded rate of accidents than Danish citizens. Age was a major risk factor for accidents causing permanent disability. Change of ship and the first period aboard a particular ship were identified as risk factors. Walking from one place to another aboard the ship caused serious accidents. The most serious accidents happened on deck. Conclusions: It was possible to clearly identify work situations and specific risk factors for accidents aboard merchant ships. Most accidents happened while performing daily routine duties. Preventive measures should focus on workplace instructions for all important functions aboard and also on the prevention of accidents caused by walking around aboard the ship. PMID:11850550

  9. Analysis of accidents and injuries on motorcycles in Mexico.

    PubMed

    Berrones-Sanz, Luis David

    2017-01-01

    To analyze the type of injuries and the characteristics and geographical distribution of road accidents where motorcycles were involved in Mexico. A descriptive analysis of second-hand information sources was conducted, including the number of accidents (N = 41,881), total number of injured people (N = 13,916) and medical expenses (N = 9,111) associated to motorcycle accidents during 2014. Motorcycles represent 13.14% of the total number of deaths in road accidents in Mexico, and the Southeast region of Mexico registers the highest proportion of fatal injuries. Of the total number of motorcycles, 1.84% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.83-1.86) were involved in a collision. 3.64 (95% CI: 3.39-3.89) people died and 105.5 (95% CI: 104.1-106.8) were injured in every 10,000. Out of the total number of injuries, 76.6% were male and 53.74% were women. 55.1% of deaths were caused by intracranial trauma. Only 16.6% wore a helmet at the time of the accident, and those not wearing a helmet had a 2.11 (odds ratio [OR]: 2.1; CI 95%: 1.8-2.4) higher chance of head injury. Regarding the severity of the crash, those occurred in suburban areas (OR: 6.58; CI 95%: 5.69-7.60), in unpaved surfaces (OR: 4.13; CI 95%: 3.04-5.61), after low alcohol consumption (OR: 1.89; CI 95%: 1.46-2.44), at night (OR: 2.24; CI 95%: 1.95-2.57) and on weekends (OR: 1.65; CI 95%: 1.44-1.90), had the highest chance of turning into a fatal accident. In spite of the progress made in terms of road safety, motorcycle accidents are still increasing, and the use of a helmet is still proportionally low. More information on these groups and risk factors needs to be available so people are better informed. Also, regulations need improvements regarding the use of security equipment like helmets in order to reduce injuries and fatal accidents.

  10. Factors correlated with traffic accidents as a basis for evaluating Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

    PubMed

    Staubach, Maria

    2009-09-01

    This study aims to identify factors which influence and cause errors in traffic accidents and to use these as a basis for information to guide the application and design of driver assistance systems. A total of 474 accidents were examined in depth for this study by means of a psychological survey, data from accident reports, and technical reconstruction information. An error analysis was subsequently carried out, taking into account the driver, environment, and vehicle sub-systems. Results showed that all accidents were influenced by errors as a consequence of distraction and reduced activity. For crossroad accidents, there were further errors resulting from sight obstruction, masked stimuli, focus errors, and law infringements. Lane departure crashes were additionally caused by errors as a result of masked stimuli, law infringements, expectation errors as well as objective and action slips, while same direction accidents occurred additionally because of focus errors, expectation errors, and objective and action slips. Most accidents were influenced by multiple factors. There is a safety potential for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which support the driver in information assimilation and help to avoid distraction and reduced activity. The design of the ADAS is dependent on the specific influencing factors of the accident type.

  11. Effective environmental factors on geographical distribution of traffic accidents on pedestrians, downtown Tehran city.

    PubMed

    Moradi, Ali; Soori, Hamid; Kavousi, Amir; Eshghabadi, Farshid; Nematollahi, Shahrzad; Zeini, Salahdien

    2017-01-01

    In most countries, occurrence of traffic causalities is high in pedestrians. The aim of this study is to geographically analyze the traffic casualties in pedestrians in downtown Tehran city. The study population consisted of traffic injury accidents in pedestrians occurred during 2015 in Tehran city. Data were extracted from offices of traffic police and municipality. For analysis of environmental factors and site of accidents, ordinary least square regression models and geographically weighted regression were used. Fitness and performance of models were checked using the Akaike information criteria, Bayesian information criteria, deviance, and adjusted R 2 . Totally, 514 accidents were included in this study. Of them, site of accidents was arterial streets in 370 (71.9%) cases, collector streets in 133 cases (25.2%), and highways in 11 cases (2.1%). Geographical units of traffic accidents in pedestrians had statistically significant relationship with a number of bus stations, number of crossroads, and recreational areas. Distribution of injury traffic accidents in pedestrians is different in downtown Tehran city. Neighborhoods close to markets are considered as most dangerous neighborhoods for injury traffic accidents. Different environmental factors are involved in determining the distribution of these accidents. The health of pedestrians in Tehran city can be improved by proper traffic management, control of environmental factors, and educational programs.

  12. Profile of non-fatal injuries due to road traffic accidents from a industrial town in India.

    PubMed

    Bayan, Pankaj; Bhawalkar, J S; Jadhav, S L; Banerjee, Amitav

    2013-01-01

    India has one of the highest road traffic accident rates in the world. To lessen this burden, information on the contributing factors is necessary. We studied a series of cases of non-fatal road traffic accidents in two tertiary care hospitals in Pimpri, Pune, India. A total of 212 non-fatal road traffic accidents admitted over a period of one year in these two hospitals constituted the study sample. The study variables were, the gender of the accident victims, mode of accident, days of week on which the accident took place, time of day when the injury was sustained, part of the body injured, nature of injury, and self-reported reasons for the accident. data were summarized using percentages. The Chi-square test for goodness of fit was applied, to see whether there was any association between the different weekdays or time of day and the accidents. MALE : female ratio was almost 5 : 1, which was statistically significant (Chi-Square for goodness of fit = 95.11, df = 1, P < 0.0001). The maximum accidents occurred on Sundays and Mondays and the least around midweek (Wednesday). This pattern was also statistically significant (Chi-square for goodness of fit = 30.09, df = 6, P < 0.001). Pedestrians were the most vulnerable group, followed by drivers and pillions of two wheelers. These categories of road users contributed to almost 80% of the cases of Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs). Accidents were more likely in the time zone of 8 pm to midnight, followed by 4 pm to 8 pm (Chi-square for goodness of fit = 89.58, df = 5, P < 0.0001). A majority of the patients sustained multiple injuries followed by injuries to the lower limbs. A majority reported impaired visibility and fatigue as the cause of accident. Almost half (46.22%) of the injured admitted to drinking alcohol on a regular basis. Wide pavements and safe zebra crossings should be provided for pedestrians, as the highest casualty in this study were pedestrians. More accidents occurred on Sundays and Mondays and in the

  13. Students' Long-Term Memories from an Ecology Field Excursion: Retelling a Narrative as an Interplay between Implicit and Explicit Memories

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stolpe, Karin; Bjorklund, Lars

    2013-01-01

    This study aims to investigate the science content remembered by biology students 6 and 12 months after an ecology excursion. The students' memories were tested during a stimulated recall interview. The authors identified three different types of memories: "recall," "recognition" and "narratives." The "dual…

  14. [Sports accidents: 1963-1973 statistics].

    PubMed

    Fasler, S

    1976-01-01

    Every year, the Swiss Accident Insurance Administration is paying a considerable amount of money for sports accidents. From 1963 to 1973 the number of these accidents has increased more markedly than other types of accidents. Different tendencies can be observed in the different types of sports: skiing accidents have, after a long period of retrogression until 1973, shown a noticeable augmentation again. Football accidents and accidents in other types of sports have on the other hand increased year by year. Mountaineering and aquatic sports often result in fatal accidents. The numerous preventive measures in skiing accidents have obviously been successful. Not only the fractures have decreased, but also the average number of days where sickness benefit was paid. Next to the traffic accidents, the skiing accidents are the most expensive ones. The nature of the healing cost in sports accidents has changed during the period from 1967 to 1972, depending on the different types of sports. In particular, hospital costs have changed considerably. The number of medical consultations per accident has decreased. Payment of sickness benefit has followed the development of the salaries on the one hand and the modifications of the number of lost days on the other. Finally, the costs of the annuities show more or less the same tendency as the ones for sickness benefit. A very gross estimation on the economical losses through sports accidents in Switzerland makes us believe that the direct and indirect costs actually amount to more than one thousand millions of Swiss Francs per year.

  15. The Mechanical Response of Advanced Claddings during Proposed Reactivity Initiated Accident Conditions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cinbiz, Mahmut N; Brown, Nicholas R; Terrani, Kurt A

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates the failure mechanisms of advanced nuclear fuel cladding of FeCrAl at high-strain rates, similar to design basis reactivity initiated accidents (RIA). During RIA, the nuclear fuel cladding was subjected to the plane-strain to equibiaxial tension strain states. To achieve those accident conditions, the samples were deformed by the expansion of high strength Inconel alloy tube under pre-specified pressure pulses as occurring RIA. The mechanical response of the advanced claddings was compared to that of hydrided zirconium-based nuclear fuel cladding alloy. The hoop strain evolution during pressure pulses were collected in situ; the permanent diametral strains of bothmore » accident tolerant fuel (ATF) claddings and the current nuclear fuel alloys were determined after rupture.« less

  16. Heat transfer of molten metal layers in severe accidents

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wong, Seung Kai; Walton, A.; Yang, Zhilin

    1997-12-01

    In some scenarios of severe accidents of light water reactors, a layer of molten metal from internal structural components of the pressure vessel is predicted to occur on top of a ceramic core debris in the lower head. The layer transfers the heat generated in the ceramic pool to the side wall of the vessel, causing the latter to melt. This problem has been investigated by Theofanous et al. for the advanced light water reactor AP600 in the context of the accident management strategy of ex-vessel cooling, and the conclusion was drawn that the melting does not seriously compromise themore » integrity of the pressure vessel.« less

  17. Farm accidents in children.

    PubMed Central

    Cameron, D.; Bishop, C.; Sibert, J. R.

    1992-01-01

    OBJECTIVE--To examine the problem of accidental injury to children on farms. DESIGN--Prospective county based study of children presenting to accident and emergency departments over 12 months with injuries sustained in a farm setting and nationwide review of fatal childhood farm accidents over the four years April 1986 to March 1990. SETTING--Accident and emergency departments in Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest, and Llanelli and fatal accidents in England, Scotland, and Wales notified to the Health and Safety Executive register. SUBJECTS--Children aged under 16. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Death or injury after farm related accidents. RESULTS--65 accidents were recorded, including 18 fractures. Nine accidents necessitated admission to hospital for a mean of two (range one to four) days. 13 incidents were related to tractors and other machinery; 24 were due to falls. None of these incidents were reported under the statutory notification scheme. 33 deaths were notified, eight related to tractors and allied machinery and 10 related to falling objects. CONCLUSIONS--Although safety is improving, the farm remains a dangerous environment for children. Enforcement of existing safety legislation with significant penalties and targeting of safety education will help reduce accident rates further. PMID:1638192

  18. Sodium Hypochlorite Accident: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Guivarc'h, Maud; Ordioni, Ugo; Ahmed, Hany Mohamed Aly; Cohen, Stephen; Catherine, Jean-Hugues; Bukiet, Frédéric

    2017-01-01

    Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) extrusion beyond the apex, also known as "a hypochlorite accident," is a well-known complication that seldom occurs during root canal therapy. These "accidents" have been the subject of several case reports published over the years. Until now, no publication has addressed the global synthesis of the general and clinical data related to NaOCl extrusion. The main purpose of this article was to conduct a systematic review of previously published case reports to identify, synthesize, and present a critical analysis of the available data. A second purpose was to propose a standardized presentation of reporting data concerning NaOCl extrusions to refine and develop guidelines that should be used in further case report series. A review of clinical cases reporting NaOCl accidents was conducted in June 2016 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist; it combined an electronic search of the PubMed database and an extensive manual search. Forty full-text articles corresponding to 52 case reports published between 1974 and 2015 were selected. Four main categories of data were highlighted: general and clinical information, clinical signs and symptoms of NaOCl extrusions, management of NaOCl extrusions, and healing and prognosis. Overall, up to now, clinical cases were reported in a very unsystematic manner, and some relevant information was missing. A better understanding of the potential causes, management, and prognosis of NaOCl accidents requires a standardization of reported data; this study proposes a template that can fulfill this objective. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. NASA Accident Precursor Analysis Handbook, Version 1.0

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Groen, Frank; Everett, Chris; Hall, Anthony; Insley, Scott

    2011-01-01

    Catastrophic accidents are usually preceded by precursory events that, although observable, are not recognized as harbingers of a tragedy until after the fact. In the nuclear industry, the Three Mile Island accident was preceded by at least two events portending the potential for severe consequences from an underappreciated causal mechanism. Anomalies whose failure mechanisms were integral to the losses of Space Transportation Systems (STS) Challenger and Columbia had been occurring within the STS fleet prior to those accidents. Both the Rogers Commission Report and the Columbia Accident Investigation Board report found that processes in place at the time did not respond to the prior anomalies in a way that shed light on their true risk implications. This includes the concern that, in the words of the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), "no process addresses the need to update a hazard analysis when anomalies occur" At a broader level, the ASAP noted in 2007 that NASA "could better gauge the likelihood of losses by developing leading indicators, rather than continue to depend on lagging indicators". These observations suggest a need to revalidate prior assumptions and conclusions of existing safety (and reliability) analyses, as well as to consider the potential for previously unrecognized accident scenarios, when unexpected or otherwise undesired behaviors of the system are observed. This need is also discussed in NASA's system safety handbook, which advocates a view of safety assurance as driving a program to take steps that are necessary to establish and maintain a valid and credible argument for the safety of its missions. It is the premise of this handbook that making cases for safety more experience-based allows NASA to be better informed about the safety performance of its systems, and will ultimately help it to manage safety in a more effective manner. The APA process described in this handbook provides a systematic means of analyzing candidate

  20. Attendance at a hospital emergency department by drivers involved in automobile accidents in Italy.

    PubMed

    Pileggi, C; Nicotera, G; Angelillo, I F

    2005-04-01

    This study investigated the profile of drivers involved in automobile accidents attending a hospital emergency department (ED) in Catanzaro (Italy). Car drivers involved in automobile accidents who were registered for emergency care between May 2003 and February 2004 were included in the study. Demographics and details of the accident were collected immediately after admittance, before examination by the medical staff. For each patient, the medical staff completed a form including diagnostic investigations and medical/surgical examination in the ED. Of a total of 424 drivers included in the study 27.4% had conditions that were definitely non-urgent problems. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the use of the ED as a source of non-urgent care was significantly higher among patients who were driving at a lower speed when the accident occurred, among those who presented to the ED before the implementation of the new Italian traffic code, and among those who underwent fewer diagnostic investigations and medical/surgical examinations in the ED. Most of the automobile related lesions occurred in the neck (43.9%) followed by multiple body regions (12.5%) and the upper extremities (10.4%). According to the nature of the injury a third were contusions (34%), followed by pain without physical signs and symptoms (28.8%), and dislocation, sprains, and strains (22.9%). Development of health promotion and education campaigns is required to prevent the use of the ED as a source of non-urgent care by those involved in automobile accidents.

  1. Survival, neurological recovery and morbidity after spinal cord injuries following road accidents in Israel.

    PubMed

    Tchvaloon, E; Front, L; Gelernter, I; Ronen, J; Bluvshtein, V; Catz, A

    2008-02-01

    A retrospective cohort study. Assess outcomes in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) following road accidents, and factors that affect them. Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital, Raanana, Israel. A total of 143 patients admitted for rehabilitation between 1962 and 2004. Survival rates were estimated using the product limit (Kaplan-Meyer) method and their association with risk factors was analyzed with the Cox model. Neurological recovery was determined by comparing the Frankel grade at admission to rehabilitation and at discharge. The relation between recovery and various factors was tested with logistic regression. The risk of SCI in road accidents is higher among car drivers and motorcycle or bicycle riders. Median survival was 43 years. Survival was negatively associated with age at injury (P<0.0002) and with diagnosis of pressure sores (P=0.0065). Recovery of at least one Frankel grade occurred in 29.1% of patients. Useful recovery (upgrade to Frankel grade D or E) occurred in 23.1% of all patients. Neurological recovery was negatively associated with the severity of neurological deficit (P<0.001) and with thoracic injuries (P=0.046). The most common complications were pressure sores and those of the urinary and respiratory systems. In SCI following road accidents, survival rates were higher and recovery rates lower than in mixed types of trauma. This may be related to better compensation followed by better nursing for road accident victims in Israel, which may prevent life-shortening complications, and to more severe injuries caused by road accidents.

  2. A decade of occupational accidents due to direct or indirect electrical contact in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in Spain (2003-2012).

    PubMed

    Castillo-Rosa, Juan; Suárez-Cebador, Manuel; Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos; Aguado, Jose Antonio

    2017-03-01

    Occupational accidents caused by electrical contact are a major concern worldwide due to their severe consequences. The study conducted is based on an analysis of the evolution of incidence rates and dependence between variables for 14,022 electrical accidents occurring in Spain between 2003 and 2012. The results show that electrical accidents as a whole are 3.6 times more likely to have severe consequences than the rest of the accidents in the country. This proportion is even nine times greater in the case of fatal accidents. They also confirm a significant relationship between the severity of this type of accidents and the economic sector in which they occur. On the other hand, there is a positive trend in the reduction of the incidence rate, especially in relation to direct contact, although unexpectedly the rate of accidents due to indirect contact is on the rise. Thus, preventing electrical occupational accidents requires efforts to guarantee adequate training adapted to the needs of workers in the various economic sectors. Furthermore, those responsible for safety should work to implement mechanisms to monitor and control compliance with efficient protective measures against electrical contact.

  3. Analyses of non-fatal accidents in an opencast mine by logistic regression model - a case study.

    PubMed

    Onder, Seyhan; Mutlu, Mert

    2017-09-01

    Accidents cause major damage for both workers and enterprises in the mining industry. To reduce the number of occupational accidents, these incidents should be properly registered and carefully analysed. This study efficiently examines the Aegean Lignite Enterprise (ELI) of Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI) in Soma between 2006 and 2011, and opencast coal mine occupational accident records were used for statistical analyses. A total of 231 occupational accidents were analysed for this study. The accident records were categorized into seven groups: area, reason, occupation, part of body, age, shift hour and lost days. The SPSS package program was used in this study for logistic regression analyses, which predicted the probability of accidents resulting in greater or less than 3 lost workdays for non-fatal injuries. Social facilities-area of surface installations, workshops and opencast mining areas are the areas with the highest probability for accidents with greater than 3 lost workdays for non-fatal injuries, while the reasons with the highest probability for these types of accidents are transporting and manual handling. Additionally, the model was tested for such reported accidents that occurred in 2012 for the ELI in Soma and estimated the probability of exposure to accidents with lost workdays correctly by 70%.

  4. Retrospective self-reports of childhood accidents causing unconsciousness in phallometrically diagnosed pedophiles.

    PubMed

    Blanchard, Ray; Christensen, Bruce K; Strong, Scott M; Cantor, James M; Kuban, Michael E; Klassen, Philip; Dickey, Robert; Blak, Thomas

    2002-12-01

    The present study investigated whetherhead injuries in childhood might increase the risk of pedophilia in males. The subjects were 1206 patients referred to a clinical sexology service for assessment of their erotic preferences. These were classified, on the basis of phallometric test results, as pedophilic (n = 413) or nonpedophilic (n = 793). Information regarding early head injuries, other signs of possible neurodevelopmental problems, and parental histories of psychiatric treatment were collected with self-administered questionnaires. The results showed that childhood accidents that resulted in unconsciousness were associated with pedophilia and with lower levels of intelligence and education. These associations were statistically significant for accidents that occurred before the age of 6, but not for accidents that occurred between the ages of 6 and 12. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that neurodevelopmental perturbations in early childhood may increase the risk of pedophilia. They are also, however, compatible with the alternative explanation that prior neurodevelopmental problems lead to accident-proneness and head injury, on the one hand, and to pedophilia, on the other, and that head injury has no causal influence on pedophilia. A secondary finding was that the pedophiles were more likely to report that their mothers had undergone psychiatric treatment. This finding suggests that pedophilia may be influenced by genetic factors, which are manifested in women as an increased risk of psychiatric problems, and in their sons, as an increased risk of erotic interest in children.

  5. Reactor Safety Gap Evaluation of Accident Tolerant Components and Severe Accident Analysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Farmer, Mitchell T.; Bunt, R.; Corradini, M.

    The overall objective of this study was to conduct a technology gap evaluation on accident tolerant components and severe accident analysis methodologies with the goal of identifying any data and/or knowledge gaps that may exist, given the current state of light water reactor (LWR) severe accident research, and additionally augmented by insights obtained from the Fukushima accident. The ultimate benefit of this activity is that the results can be used to refine the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Reactor Safety Technology (RST) research and development (R&D) program plan to address key knowledge gaps in severe accident phenomena and analyses that affectmore » reactor safety and that are not currently being addressed by the industry or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).« less

  6. Persistence of airline accidents.

    PubMed

    Barros, Carlos Pestana; Faria, Joao Ricardo; Gil-Alana, Luis Alberiko

    2010-10-01

    This paper expands on air travel accident research by examining the relationship between air travel accidents and airline traffic or volume in the period from 1927-2006. The theoretical model is based on a representative airline company that aims to maximise its profits, and it utilises a fractional integration approach in order to determine whether there is a persistent pattern over time with respect to air accidents and air traffic. Furthermore, the paper analyses how airline accidents are related to traffic using a fractional cointegration approach. It finds that airline accidents are persistent and that a (non-stationary) fractional cointegration relationship exists between total airline accidents and airline passengers, airline miles and airline revenues, with shocks that affect the long-run equilibrium disappearing in the very long term. Moreover, this relation is negative, which might be due to the fact that air travel is becoming safer and there is greater competition in the airline industry. Policy implications are derived for countering accident events, based on competition and regulation. © 2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2010.

  7. [School accidents--an epidemiological assessment of injury types and treatment effort].

    PubMed

    Kraus, R; Heiss, C; Alt, V; Schnettler, R

    2006-10-01

    Children and adolescents spend up to 50% of their time at school. The purpose of this study was to assess injury patterns with their treatment of school accidents in a Trauma Service of a German University Hospital and to compare these data to the literature. All school accidents from 01.07.1999 to 30.06.2004 were statistically analysed in a retrospective manner by chart review. There were 1399 school accidents treated in our department. Average age of the injured children was 11.8 years with a boy:girl ratio of 3:2. Almost 40% of the injuries occurred during school sport. The most frequently injured region was the upper extremity including the hand (36.8%). Distortion and contusion were the most frequent diagnoses of all injuries. 16% of the cases had to be treated surgically and/or under general anaesthesia and also a total of 16% of the patients had to be admitted to the hospital. It can be concluded for school facilities that special attention has to be paid during school sports activity and breaks because they account for most accidents. Traffic education may reduce severe injuries. For diagnosis and treatment of school accidents specific knowledge of the growing longbones of the upper extremity and the hand is important.

  8. Global risk of radioactive fallout after major nuclear reactor accidents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lelieveld, J.; Kunkel, D.; Lawrence, M. G.

    2012-05-01

    Major reactor accidents of nuclear power plants are rare, yet the consequences are catastrophic. But what is meant by "rare"? And what can be learned from the Chernobyl and Fukushima incidents? Here we assess the cumulative, global risk of exposure to radioactivity due to atmospheric dispersion of gases and particles following severe nuclear accidents (the most severe ones on the International Nuclear Event Scale, INES 7), using particulate 137Cs and gaseous 131I as proxies for the fallout. Our results indicate that previously the occurrence of INES 7 major accidents and the risks of radioactive contamination have been underestimated. Using a global model of the atmosphere we compute that on average, in the event of a major reactor accident of any nuclear power plant worldwide, more than 90% of emitted 137Cs would be transported beyond 50 km and about 50% beyond 1000 km distance before being deposited. This corroborates that such accidents have large-scale and trans-boundary impacts. Although the emission strengths and atmospheric removal processes of 137Cs and 131I are quite different, the radioactive contamination patterns over land and the human exposure due to deposition are computed to be similar. High human exposure risks occur around reactors in densely populated regions, notably in West Europe and South Asia, where a major reactor accident can subject around 30 million people to radioactive contamination. The recent decision by Germany to phase out its nuclear reactors will reduce the national risk, though a large risk will still remain from the reactors in neighbouring countries.

  9. Analysis of avalanche risk factors in backcountry terrain based on usage frequency and accident data in Switzerland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Techel, F.; Zweifel, B.; Winkler, K.

    2015-09-01

    Recreational activities in snow-covered mountainous terrain in the backcountry account for the vast majority of avalanche accidents. Studies analyzing avalanche risk mostly rely on accident statistics without considering exposure (or the elements at risk), i.e., how many, when and where people are recreating, as data on recreational activity in the winter mountains are scarce. To fill this gap, we explored volunteered geographic information on two social media mountaineering websites - bergportal.ch and camptocamp.org. Based on these data, we present a spatiotemporal pattern of winter backcountry touring activity in the Swiss Alps and compare this with accident statistics. Geographically, activity was concentrated in Alpine regions relatively close to the main Swiss population centers in the west and north. In contrast, accidents occurred equally often in the less-frequented inner-alpine regions. Weekends, weather and avalanche conditions influenced the number of recreationists, while the odds to be involved in a severe avalanche accident did not depend on weekends or weather conditions. However, the likelihood of being involved in an accident increased with increasing avalanche danger level, but also with a more unfavorable snowpack containing persistent weak layers (also referred to as an old snow problem). In fact, the most critical situation for backcountry recreationists and professionals occurred on days and in regions when both the avalanche danger was critical and when the snowpack contained persistent weak layers. The frequently occurring geographical pattern of a more unfavorable snowpack structure also explains the relatively high proportion of accidents in the less-frequented inner-alpine regions. These results have practical implications: avalanche forecasters should clearly communicate the avalanche danger and the avalanche problem to the backcountry user, particularly if persistent weak layers are of concern. Professionals and recreationists, on the

  10. Mass functions from the excursion set model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hiotelis, Nicos; Del Popolo, Antonino

    2017-11-01

    Aims: We aim to study the stochastic evolution of the smoothed overdensity δ at scale S of the form δ(S) = ∫0S K(S,u)dW(u), where K is a kernel and dW is the usual Wiener process. Methods: For a Gaussian density field, smoothed by the top-hat filter, in real space, we used a simple kernel that gives the correct correlation between scales. A Monte Carlo procedure was used to construct random walks and to calculate first crossing distributions and consequently mass functions for a constant barrier. Results: We show that the evolution considered here improves the agreement with the results of N-body simulations relative to analytical approximations which have been proposed from the same problem by other authors. In fact, we show that an evolution which is fully consistent with the ideas of the excursion set model, describes accurately the mass function of dark matter haloes for values of ν ≤ 1 and underestimates the number of larger haloes. Finally, we show that a constant threshold of collapse, lower than it is usually used, it is able to produce a mass function which approximates the results of N-body simulations for a variety of redshifts and for a wide range of masses. Conclusions: A mass function in good agreement with N-body simulations can be obtained analytically using a lower than usual constant collapse threshold.

  11. Accurate Predictions of Mean Geomagnetic Dipole Excursion and Reversal Frequencies, Mean Paleomagnetic Field Intensity, and the Radius of Earth's Core Using McLeod's Rule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Voorhies, Coerte V.; Conrad, Joy

    1996-01-01

    The geomagnetic spatial power spectrum R(sub n)(r) is the mean square magnetic induction represented by degree n spherical harmonic coefficients of the internal scalar potential averaged over the geocentric sphere of radius r. McLeod's Rule for the magnetic field generated by Earth's core geodynamo says that the expected core surface power spectrum (R(sub nc)(c)) is inversely proportional to (2n + 1) for 1 less than n less than or equal to N(sub E). McLeod's Rule is verified by locating Earth's core with main field models of Magsat data; the estimated core radius of 3485 kn is close to the seismologic value for c of 3480 km. McLeod's Rule and similar forms are then calibrated with the model values of R(sub n) for 3 less than or = n less than or = 12. Extrapolation to the degree 1 dipole predicts the expectation value of Earth's dipole moment to be about 5.89 x 10(exp 22) Am(exp 2)rms (74.5% of the 1980 value) and the expected geomagnetic intensity to be about 35.6 (mu)T rms at Earth's surface. Archeo- and paleomagnetic field intensity data show these and related predictions to be reasonably accurate. The probability distribution chi(exp 2) with 2n+1 degrees of freedom is assigned to (2n + 1)R(sub nc)/(R(sub nc). Extending this to the dipole implies that an exceptionally weak absolute dipole moment (less than or = 20% of the 1980 value) will exist during 2.5% of geologic time. The mean duration for such major geomagnetic dipole power excursions, one quarter of which feature durable axial dipole reversal, is estimated from the modern dipole power time-scale and the statistical model of excursions. The resulting mean excursion duration of 2767 years forces us to predict an average of 9.04 excursions per million years, 2.26 axial dipole reversals per million years, and a mean reversal duration of 5533 years. Paleomagnetic data show these predictions to be quite accurate. McLeod's Rule led to accurate predictions of Earth's core radius, mean paleomagnetic field

  12. 49 CFR 837.3 - Published reports, material contained in the public accident investigation dockets, and accident...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... public accident investigation dockets, and accident database data. 837.3 Section 837.3 Transportation... investigation dockets, and accident database data. (a) Demands for material contained in the NTSB's official public docket files of its accident investigations, or its computerized accident database(s) shall be...

  13. 49 CFR 837.3 - Published reports, material contained in the public accident investigation dockets, and accident...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... public accident investigation dockets, and accident database data. 837.3 Section 837.3 Transportation... investigation dockets, and accident database data. (a) Demands for material contained in the NTSB's official public docket files of its accident investigations, or its computerized accident database(s) shall be...

  14. 49 CFR 837.3 - Published reports, material contained in the public accident investigation dockets, and accident...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... public accident investigation dockets, and accident database data. 837.3 Section 837.3 Transportation... investigation dockets, and accident database data. (a) Demands for material contained in the NTSB's official public docket files of its accident investigations, or its computerized accident database(s) shall be...

  15. 49 CFR 837.3 - Published reports, material contained in the public accident investigation dockets, and accident...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... public accident investigation dockets, and accident database data. 837.3 Section 837.3 Transportation... investigation dockets, and accident database data. (a) Demands for material contained in the NTSB's official public docket files of its accident investigations, or its computerized accident database(s) shall be...

  16. 49 CFR 837.3 - Published reports, material contained in the public accident investigation dockets, and accident...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... public accident investigation dockets, and accident database data. 837.3 Section 837.3 Transportation... investigation dockets, and accident database data. (a) Demands for material contained in the NTSB's official public docket files of its accident investigations, or its computerized accident database(s) shall be...

  17. Effective environmental factors on geographical distribution of traffic accidents on pedestrians, downtown Tehran city

    PubMed Central

    Moradi, Ali; Soori, Hamid; Kavousi, Amir; Eshghabadi, Farshid; Nematollahi, Shahrzad; Zeini, Salahdien

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: In most countries, occurrence of traffic causalities is high in pedestrians. The aim of this study is to geographically analyze the traffic casualties in pedestrians in downtown Tehran city. Methods: The study population consisted of traffic injury accidents in pedestrians occurred during 2015 in Tehran city. Data were extracted from offices of traffic police and municipality. For analysis of environmental factors and site of accidents, ordinary least square regression models and geographically weighted regression were used. Fitness and performance of models were checked using the Akaike information criteria, Bayesian information criteria, deviance, and adjusted R2. Results: Totally, 514 accidents were included in this study. Of them, site of accidents was arterial streets in 370 (71.9%) cases, collector streets in 133 cases (25.2%), and highways in 11 cases (2.1%). Geographical units of traffic accidents in pedestrians had statistically significant relationship with a number of bus stations, number of crossroads, and recreational areas. Conclusion: Distribution of injury traffic accidents in pedestrians is different in downtown Tehran city. Neighborhoods close to markets are considered as most dangerous neighborhoods for injury traffic accidents. Different environmental factors are involved in determining the distribution of these accidents. The health of pedestrians in Tehran city can be improved by proper traffic management, control of environmental factors, and educational programs. PMID:28660163

  18. Challenging the immediate causes: A work accident investigation in an oil refinery using organizational analysis.

    PubMed

    Beltran, Sandra Lorena; Vilela, Rodolfo Andrade de Gouveia; de Almeida, Ildeberto Muniz

    2018-01-01

    In many companies, investigations of accidents still blame the victims without exploring deeper causes. Those investigations are reactive and have no learning potential. This paper aims to debate the historical organizational aspects of a company whose policy was incubating an accident. The empirical data are analyzed as part of a qualitative study of an accident that occurred in an oil refinery in Brazil in 2014. To investigate and analyse this case we used one-to-one and group interviews, participant observation, Collective Analyses of Work and a documentary review. The analysis was conducted on the basis of concepts of the Organizational Analysis of the event and the Model for Analysis and Prevention of Work Accidents. The accident had its origin in the interaction of social and organizational factors, among them being: excessively standardized culture, management tools and outcome indicators that give a false sense of safety, the decision to speed up the project, the change of operator to facilitate this outcome and performance management that encourages getting around the usual barriers. The superficial accident analysis conducted by the company that ignored human and organizational factors reinforces the traditional safety culture and favors the occurrence of new accidents.

  19. Construction of a technique plan repository and evaluation system based on AHP group decision-making for emergency treatment and disposal in chemical pollution accidents.

    PubMed

    Shi, Shenggang; Cao, Jingcan; Feng, Li; Liang, Wenyan; Zhang, Liqiu

    2014-07-15

    The environmental pollution resulting from chemical accidents has caused increasingly serious concerns. Therefore, it is very important to be able to determine in advance the appropriate emergency treatment and disposal technology for different types of chemical accidents. However, the formulation of an emergency plan for chemical pollution accidents is considerably difficult due to the substantial uncertainty and complexity of such accidents. This paper explains how the event tree method was used to create 54 different scenarios for chemical pollution accidents, based on the polluted medium, dangerous characteristics and properties of chemicals involved. For each type of chemical accident, feasible emergency treatment and disposal technology schemes were established, considering the areas of pollution source control, pollutant non-proliferation, contaminant elimination and waste disposal. Meanwhile, in order to obtain the optimum emergency disposal technology schemes as soon as the chemical pollution accident occurs from the plan repository, the technique evaluation index system was developed based on group decision-improved analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and has been tested by using a sudden aniline pollution accident that occurred in a river in December 2012. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Historical analysis of US pipeline accidents triggered by natural hazards

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Girgin, Serkan; Krausmann, Elisabeth

    2015-04-01

    Natural hazards, such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, or lightning, can initiate accidents in oil and gas pipelines with potentially major consequences on the population or the environment due to toxic releases, fires and explosions. Accidents of this type are also referred to as Natech events. Many major accidents highlight the risk associated with natural-hazard impact on pipelines transporting dangerous substances. For instance, in the USA in 1994, flooding of the San Jacinto River caused the rupture of 8 and the undermining of 29 pipelines by the floodwaters. About 5.5 million litres of petroleum and related products were spilled into the river and ignited. As a results, 547 people were injured and significant environmental damage occurred. Post-incident analysis is a valuable tool for better understanding the causes, dynamics and impacts of pipeline Natech accidents in support of future accident prevention and mitigation. Therefore, data on onshore hazardous-liquid pipeline accidents collected by the US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) was analysed. For this purpose, a database-driven incident data analysis system was developed to aid the rapid review and categorization of PHMSA incident reports. Using an automated data-mining process followed by a peer review of the incident records and supported by natural hazard databases and external information sources, the pipeline Natechs were identified. As a by-product of the data-collection process, the database now includes over 800,000 incidents from all causes in industrial and transportation activities, which are automatically classified in the same way as the PHMSA record. This presentation describes the data collection and reviewing steps conducted during the study, provides information on the developed database and data analysis tools, and reports the findings of a statistical analysis of the identified hazardous liquid pipeline incidents in terms of accident dynamics and

  1. The Viareggio LPG railway accident: event reconstruction and modeling.

    PubMed

    Brambilla, Sara; Manca, Davide

    2010-10-15

    This manuscript describes in detail the LPG accident occurred in Viareggio on June 2009 and its modeling. The accident investigation highlighted the uncertainty and complexity of assessing and modeling what happened in the congested environment close to the Viareggio railway station. Nonetheless, the analysis allowed comprehending the sequence of events, the way they influenced each other, and the different possible paths/evolutions. The paper describes suitable models for the quantitative assessment of the consequences of the most probable accidental dynamics and its outcomes. The main finding is that after about 80 s from the beginning of the release the dense-gas cloud reached the surrounding houses that were destroyed successively by internal explosions. This fact has two main implications. First, it shows that the adopted modeling framework can give a correct picture of what happened in Viareggio. Second, it confirms the need to develop effective mitigation measures because, in case of this kind of accidents, there is no time to apply any protective emergency plans/actions. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Powered two-wheelers road accidents and their risk perception in dense urban areas: case of Paris.

    PubMed

    Maestracci, Marion; Prochasson, François; Geffroy, Aurélie; Peccoud, Florian

    2012-11-01

    For a few years, the use of powered two-wheelers has taken off in Paris. It then became critical for the City of Paris to understand both the mechanisms leading to traffic accidents involving at least one powered two-wheelers user and the perception of their risk when riding in dense urban areas. In so doing, two studies were carried out along similar lines so that their results could be compared. The first study focused on the perception of situations where accidents are most likely to occur. The second one was an analysis of police reports of accidents involving at least one powered two-wheelers and the drawing-up of prototypical accident scenarios. Comparing the results of the two studies revealed a gap between perceived and objective risks of these users. In fact, they rather fear the situations during which a car driver is changing lanes, while accidents involving them occur more often when a car driver turns (right, left or U). Knowledge of this dissonance in terms of awareness of road risks for powered two-wheelers and equally, other road users, will give the City of Paris food for thought. The promising results of this study have encouraged the City of Paris to extend it to other types of users, such as cyclists or elderly pedestrians. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Urban pedestrian accident countermeasures experimental evaluation. Volume 2, Accident studies

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1975-02-01

    A pedestrian accident data collection system was established in six major cities. The system involved using the regular police accident report form and a specifically designed supplementary data form. The information on the forms was combined, and th...

  4. Prognostic Value of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: Superiority of Longitudinal Strain Over Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion.

    PubMed

    Carluccio, Erberto; Biagioli, Paolo; Alunni, Gianfranco; Murrone, Adriano; Zuchi, Cinzia; Coiro, Stefano; Riccini, Clara; Mengoni, Anna; D'Antonio, Antonella; Ambrosio, Giuseppe

    2018-01-01

    In heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction, right ventricular (RV) impairment, as defined by reduced tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, is a predictor of poor outcome. However, peak longitudinal strain of RV free wall (RVFWS) has been recently proposed as a more accurate and sensitive tool to evaluate RV function. Accordingly, we investigated whether RVFWS could help refine prognosis of patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction in whom tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion is still preserved. A total of 200 patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (age, 66±11 years; ejection fraction, 30±7%) with preserved tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (>16 mm) underwent RV function assessment using speckle-tracking echocardiography to measure peak RVFWS. After a median follow-up period of 28 months, 62 (31%) patients reached the primary composite end point of all-cause death/HF rehospitalization. Median RVFWS was -19.3% (interquartile range, -23.3% to -15.0%). By lasso-penalized Cox-hazard model, RVFWS was an independent predictor of outcome, along with Eplerenone in Mild Patients Hospitalization and Survival Study in Heart Failure-HF score, Echo-HF score, and severe mitral regurgitation. The best cutoff value of RVFWS for prediction of outcome was -15.3% (area under the curve, 0.68; P <0.001; sensitivity, 50%; specificity, 80%). In 50 patients (25%), RVFWS was impaired (ie, ≥-15.3%); event rate (per 100 patients per year) was greater in them than in patients with RVFWS <-15.3% (29.5% [95% confidence interval, 20.4-42.7] versus 9.4% [95% confidence interval, 6.7-13.1]; P <0.001). RVFWS yielded a significant net reclassification improvement (0.584 at 3 years; P <0.001), with 68% of nonevents correctly reclassified. In patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction with preserved tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, RV free-wall strain provides incremental prognostic information and improved risk stratification. © 2018

  5. Rates and causes of accidents for general aviation aircraft operating in a mountainous and high elevation terrain environment.

    PubMed

    Aguiar, Marisa; Stolzer, Alan; Boyd, Douglas D

    2017-10-01

    Flying over mountainous and/or high elevation terrain is challenging due to rapidly changeable visibility, gusty/rotor winds and downdrafts and the necessity of terrain avoidance. Herein, general aviation accident rates and mishap cause/factors were determined (2001-2014) for a geographical region characterized by such terrain. Accidents in single piston engine-powered aircraft for states west of the US continental divide characterized by mountainous terrain and/or high elevation (MEHET) were identified from the NTSB database. MEHET-related-mishaps were defined as satisfying any one, or more, criteria (controlled flight into terrain/obstacles (CFIT), downdrafts, mountain obscuration, wind-shear, gusting winds, whiteout, instrument meteorological conditions; density altitude, dust-devil) cited as factors/causal in the NTSB report. Statistics employed Poisson distribution and contingency tables. Although the MEHET-related accident rate declined (p<0.001) 57% across the study period, the high proportion of fatal accidents showed little (40-43%) diminution (χ 2 =0.935). CFIT and wind gusts/shear were the most frequent accident cause/factor categories. For CFIT accidents, half occurred in degraded visibility with only 9% operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) and the majority (85%) involving non-turbo-charged engine-powered aircraft. For wind-gust/shear-related accidents, 44% occurred with a cross-wind exceeding the maximum demonstrated aircraft component. Accidents which should have been survivable but which nevertheless resulted in a fatal outcome were characterized by poor accessibility (60%) and shoulder harness under-utilization (41%). Despite a declining MEHET-related accident rate, these mishaps still carry an elevated risk of a fatal outcome. Airmen should be encouraged to operate in this environment utilizing turbo-charged-powered airplanes and flying under IFR to assure terrain clearance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Fall-related accidents among hikers in the Austrian Alps: a 9-year retrospective study

    PubMed Central

    Faulhaber, Martin; Pocecco, Elena; Ruedl, Gerhard; Walter, Dagmar; Sterr, Regina; Ebner, Hans; Schobersberger, Wolfgang; Burtscher, Martin

    2017-01-01

    Objective To analyse the circumstances of fatal and non-fatal mountain hiking accidents caused by falls. Methods The study was designed as a retrospective analysis. Mountain hiking accidents caused by falls were documented during a 9-year period (2006–2014). After screening of all data for potential exclusion criteria the final sample size of 5368 accidents and 5665 victims was included into the analyses. Main outcome measures were details about accidents, victims, type of trail and surface. Results The annual number of accidents showed a continuous increase from 467 in 2006 to 700 in 2014. In total, 5.8% of all victims died during the 9-year period. 75.3% of the hikers fell during descent and 80.9% of the victims had their accident on a marked hiking trail or small path. The sex ratio for non-fatal accidents was 55% female and 45% male; for fatal accidents the female-to-male ratio was 28%:72%. Mean age of all victims was 52.5±17.5 years and victims of fatalities were about 5 years older compared with victims of non-fatal accidents (57.5±16.5 vs 52.2±17.5 years, P<0.01). Conclusion Descent is the most risky part for accidents caused by falls during mountain hiking. Male hikers are at greater risk for fatalities independent of age and this is associated with accidents occurring in pathless terrain. The death rate from falls was 6%. We recommend a critical self-assessment of the individual capabilities and mountain hiking skills and adequate planning of the hiking tours for mountain hikers. PMID:29259815

  7. Human and fishing vessel losses in sea accidents in the UK fishing industry from 1948 to 2008.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Stephen E; Jaremin, Bogdan; Marlow, Peter B

    2010-01-01

    To investigate long-term trends in mortality rates for accidents to fishing vessels in the UK fishing industry from 1948 to 2008; to investigate the circumstances and causes of these fishing vessel accidents and trends in fishing vessel losses. Examination of paper death inquiry files, death registers, marine accident investigative files, annual casualty and death returns. Of 1039 fatalities from accidents to UK fishing vessels from 1948 to 2008, most (65%) resulted from vessels that foundered (or capsized or disappeared), followed by vessels grounding (21%), collisions (7%), and fires and explosions (5%). There was a significant increase over time of 1.04% per year in the overall fishing vessel loss rate and for vessels that foundered (5.19%), a reduction for vessels grounding (1.13%), but no trends for collisions or fires and explosions. Regarding mortality, there was a significant reduction over time for grounding (1.44%) and a non-significant reduction for vessel accidents overall, but no trends for other types of vessel accident. Mortality was highest during the winter months (for foundering and grounding), during night time (for grounding, fires and explosions), and afternoons (foundering and collisions). Since 1976, most fatalities from collisions (83%) occurred in the English Channel and North Sea, while 49% from grounding occurred off the west coast of Scotland. The mortality rate from fishing vessel casualties in UK fishing is still very high. Fatalities in recent years have often been linked to fishing vessels that are unstable, overloaded, and unseaworthy.

  8. Radioactivity teaching: Environmental consequences of the radiological accident in Goiânia (Brazil)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anjos, R. M.; Facure, A.; Lima, E. L. N.; Gomes, P. R. S.; Santos, M. S.; Brage, J. A. P.; Okuno, E.; Yoshimura, E. M.; Umisedo, N. K.

    2001-03-01

    Ionizing radiation and its effects on human beings, radiation protection, and radiological accident prevention are topics usually not included in the physics courses at the Brazilian universities. As a consequence, high school teachers are not able to enlighten their students when radiological or nuclear accidents occur. This paper presents a teaching program on ionizing radiation physics, to be applied to undergraduate physics students and to physics high school teachers. It is based on the environmental consequences of the 1987 radiological accident in Goiânia. This program was applied to two undergraduate physics students, in 1999, at the Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil. Results of the gamma ray spectrometry measurements of samples collected in Goiânia by the students are presented.

  9. 40Ar/ 39Ar, K-Ar and 230Th- 238U dating of the Laschamp excursion: A radioisotopic tie-point for ice core and climate chronologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singer, Brad S.; Guillou, Hervé; Jicha, Brian R.; Laj, Carlo; Kissel, Catherine; Beard, Brian L.; Johnson, Clark M.

    2009-08-01

    A brief period of enhanced 10Be flux that straddles the interstadial warm period known as Dansgaard-Oeschger event 10 in Greenland and its counterpart in Antarctica, the Antarctic Isotope Maximum 10 is but one consequence of the weakening of Earth's magnetic field associated with the Laschamp excursion. This 10Be peak measured in the GRIP ice core is dated at 41,250 y b2k (= before year 2000 AD) in the most recent GICC05 age model obtained from the NorthGRIP core via multi-parameter counting of annual layers. Uncertainty in the age of the 10Be peak is, however, no better than ± 1630 y at the 95% confidence level, reflecting accumulated error in identifying annual layers. The age of the Laschamp excursion [Guillou, H., Singer, B.S., Laj, C., Kissel, C., Scaillet, S., Jicha, B., 2004. On the age of the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 227, 331-343.] is revised on the basis of new 40Ar/ 39Ar, unspiked K-Ar and 238U- 230Th data from three lava flows in the Massif Central, France, together with the 40Ar/ 39Ar age of a transitionally magnetized lava flow at Auckland, New Zealand. Combined, these data yield an age of 40,700 ± 950 y b2k, where the uncertainty includes both analytical and systematic ( 40K and 230Th decay constant) errors. Taking the radioisotopic age as a calibration tie point suggests that the layer-counting chronologies for the NorthGRIP and GISP2 ice cores are more accurate and precise than previously thought at depths corresponding to the Laschamp excursion.

  10. Profile of non-fatal injuries due to road traffic accidents from a industrial town in India

    PubMed Central

    Bayan, Pankaj; Bhawalkar, J. S.; Jadhav, S. L.; Banerjee, Amitav

    2013-01-01

    Background: India has one of the highest road traffic accident rates in the world. To lessen this burden, information on the contributing factors is necessary. Materials and Methods: We studied a series of cases of non-fatal road traffic accidents in two tertiary care hospitals in Pimpri, Pune, India. A total of 212 non-fatal road traffic accidents admitted over a period of one year in these two hospitals constituted the study sample. The study variables were, the gender of the accident victims, mode of accident, days of week on which the accident took place, time of day when the injury was sustained, part of the body injured, nature of injury, and self-reported reasons for the accident. Statistical Analysis: data were summarized using percentages. The Chi-square test for goodness of fit was applied, to see whether there was any association between the different weekdays or time of day and the accidents. Results: Male : female ratio was almost 5 : 1, which was statistically significant (Chi-Square for goodness of fit = 95.11, df = 1, P < 0.0001). The maximum accidents occurred on Sundays and Mondays and the least around midweek (Wednesday). This pattern was also statistically significant (Chi-square for goodness of fit = 30.09, df = 6, P < 0.001). Pedestrians were the most vulnerable group, followed by drivers and pillions of two wheelers. These categories of road users contributed to almost 80% of the cases of Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs). Accidents were more likely in the time zone of 8 pm to midnight, followed by 4 pm to 8 pm (Chi-square for goodness of fit = 89.58, df = 5, P < 0.0001). A majority of the patients sustained multiple injuries followed by injuries to the lower limbs. A majority reported impaired visibility and fatigue as the cause of accident. Almost half (46.22%) of the injured admitted to drinking alcohol on a regular basis. Conclusion: Wide pavements and safe zebra crossings should be provided for pedestrians, as the highest casualty in this

  11. Modelling Accident Tolerant Fuel Concepts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hales, Jason Dean; Gamble, Kyle Allan Lawrence

    2016-05-01

    The catastrophic events that occurred at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011 have led to widespread interest in research of alternative fuels and claddings that are proposed to be accident tolerant. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) through its Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program has funded an Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) High Impact Problem (HIP). The ATF HIP is a three-year project to perform research on two accident tolerant concepts. The final outcome of the ATF HIP will be an in-depth report to the DOE Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) giving a recommendation on whether eithermore » of the two concepts should be included in their lead test assembly scheduled for placement into a commercial reactor in 2022. The two ATF concepts under investigation in the HIP are uranium silicide fuel and iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy cladding. Utilizing the expertise of three national laboratory participants (Idaho National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory), a comprehensive multiscale approach to modeling is being used that includes atomistic modeling, molecular dynamics, rate theory, phase-field, and fuel performance simulations. Model development and fuel performance analysis are critical since a full suite of experimental studies will not be complete before AFC must prioritize concepts for focused development. In this paper, we present simulations of the two proposed accident tolerance fuel systems: U3Si2 fuel with Zircaloy-4 cladding, and UO2 fuel with FeCrAl cladding. Sensitivity analyses are completed using Sandia National Laboratories’ Dakota software to determine which input parameters (e.g., fuel specific heat) have the greatest influence on the output metrics of interest (e.g., fuel centerline temperature). We also outline the multiscale modelling approach being employed. Considerable additional work is required prior to preparing the recommendation report for the

  12. [Characterization of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to irritating gases in China between 1989 and 2003].

    PubMed

    Du, Xie-Yi; Zhang, Min; Wang, Huan-Qiang; Li, Tao; Wang, Hong-Fei; Chen, Shu-Yang; Zhang, Shuang; Qin, Jian; Ji, Li-Ying

    2006-12-01

    To analyze severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to irritating gases reported in China between 1989 and 2003, and to study the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents and provide scientific evidences for prevention and control strategies. The data from the national occupational poisoning case reporting system were analyzed with descriptive methods. (1) There were 92 severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases during 15 years, which showed that there were 14.5 accidents occurred each year. Forty types of chemicals were reported to cause poisoning accidents directly. On average, there were 14.5 persons poisoned and 0.8 persons died of poisoning in each event. The number of death of poisoning reached 7 in most of the severe accidents. Chlorine was the main irritating gas resulting in poisoning accidents according to the number of accidents, cases and death. (1) The severe acute occupational poisoning related to irritating gases are more dangerous than others because of it is involved in more cases in each accident. (2) The accidents have concentricity in the certain types of chemicals, industries and jobs, and should be focused on control. (3) It is important to develop the program about early warning and forecast and the first aid.

  13. Drug Usage in Pilots Involved in Aviation Accidents Compared With Drug Usage in the General Population: From 1990 to 2005

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-04-01

    Unclassified 11 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized 1 DRUG USAGE IN PILOTS INVOLVED IN AVIATION ACCIDENTS COMPARED WITH DRUG...0.01% during the examined time period (5192 accidents). Benzodiazepines Psychotherapeutic agents, anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics occurred in

  14. Scope Complexity Options Risks Excursions (SCORE) Factor Mathematical Description.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gearhart, Jared Lee; Samberson, Jonell Nicole; Shettigar, Subhasini

    The purpose of the Scope, Complexity, Options, Risks, Excursions (SCORE) model is to estimate the relative complexity of design variants of future warhead options, resulting in scores. SCORE factors extend this capability by providing estimates of complexity relative to a base system (i.e., all design options are normalized to one weapon system). First, a clearly defined set of scope elements for a warhead option is established. The complexity of each scope element is estimated by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), including a level of uncertainty, relative to a specific reference system. When determining factors, complexity estimates for a scope element canmore » be directly tied to the base system or chained together via comparable scope elements in a string of reference systems that ends with the base system. The SCORE analysis process is a growing multi-organizational Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) effort, under the management of the NA-12 led Enterprise Modeling and Analysis Consortium (EMAC). Historically, it has provided the data elicitation, integration, and computation needed to support the out-year Life Extension Program (LEP) cost estimates included in the Stockpile Stewardship Management Plan (SSMP).« less

  15. Edge Mechanisms for Power Excursion Control in Burning Plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hill, M. D.; Stacey, W. M.

    2017-10-01

    ITER must have active and preferably also passive control mechanisms that will limit inadvertent plasma power excursions which could trigger runaway fusion heating. We are identifying and investigating the potential of ion-orbit loss, impurity seeding, and various divertor ``choking'' phenomena to control or limit sudden increases in plasma density or temperature by reducing energy confinement, increasing radiation loss, etc., with the idea that such mechanisms could be tested on DIII-D and other existing tokamaks. We are assembling an edge-divertor code (GTEDGE-2) with a neutral transport model and a burn dynamics code, for this purpose. One potential control mechanism is the enhanced ion orbit loss from the thermalized ion distribution that would result from heating of the thermalized plasma ion distribution. Another possibility is impurity seeding with ions whose emissivity would increase sharply if the edge temperature increased. Enhanced radiative losses should also reduce the thermal energy flux across the separatrix, perhaps dropping the plasma into the poorer L-mode confinement regime. We will present some initial calculations to quantify these ideas. Work supported by US DOE under DE-FC02-04ER54698.

  16. Females do not have more injury road accidents on Friday the 13th

    PubMed Central

    Radun, Igor; Summala, Heikki

    2004-01-01

    Background This study reinvestigated the recent finding that females – but not males – die in traffic accidents on Friday the 13th more often than on other Fridays (Näyhä S: Traffic deaths and superstition on Friday the 13th. Am J Psychiatry 2002, 159: 2110–2111). The current study used matched setting and injury accident data base that is more numerous than fatality data. If such an effect would be caused by impaired psychic and psychomotor functioning due to more frequent anxiety among women, it should also appear in injury crashes. Methods We used the national Finnish road accident database for 1989–2002. To control seasonal variation, 21 Fridays the 13th were compared in a matched design to previous and following Fridays, excluding all holidays, on number of accidents, male/female responsibility for accidents, and the number of dead, injured and overall number of active participants (drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists) as a consequence of the accident. Results There were no significant differences in any examined aspect of road injury accidents among the three Fridays, either in females or males. Women were not overrepresented in crashes that occurred on Fridays 13th. Conclusion There is no consistent evidence for females having more road traffic crashes on Fridays the 13th, based on deaths or road accident statistics. However, this does not imply a non-existent effect of superstition related anxiety on accident risk as no exposure-to-risk data are available. People who are anxious of "Black Friday" may stay home, or at least avoid driving a car. PMID:15546493

  17. Rear-end accident victims. Importance of understanding the accident.

    PubMed Central

    Sehmer, J. M.

    1993-01-01

    Family physicians regularly treat victims of rear-end vehicle accidents. This article describes how taking a detailed history of the accident and understanding the significance of the physical events is helpful in understanding and anticipating patients' morbidity and clinical course. Eight questions to ask patients are suggested to help physicians understand the severity of injury. PMID:8495140

  18. Prevention of bicycle accidents.

    PubMed

    Simpson, A H; Mineiro, J

    1992-01-01

    To elucidate the way of reducing the number of bicycle accidents. A prospective study of all casualties from bicycle accidents attending an accident unit for a 29-month period was performed (1831 patients). A more detailed questionnaire on the causes of accidents was used for the last 12 months of the study (818 patients). In the 0-7 and 8-12 years age groups, 87.5 per cent and 66.2 per cent, respectively, were due to cyclist error. The 8-12-year-old cyclists were twice as likely to have caused the accident if they had not had formal training (risk ratio = 2.0). Over the age of 18 years, 41.4 per cent were due to another road user. A motor vehicle was involved in 633 of the 1831 accidents. Children under the age of 8 years should not be allowed on public roads. Older children should only be allowed on the roads after formal training. This should become part of the school curriculum. A campaign to increase the awareness of motorists would be expected to reduce the number of cycle accidents. It would be beneficial to dedicate more roads and tracks to cycle use. Cyclists should be encouraged to wear more protective gear.

  19. Restraint systems for the prevention of injury to children in automobile accidents.

    PubMed Central

    Scherz, R G

    1976-01-01

    Highway accidents are the leading cause of child deaths in the United States from the ages of 1-14 years-6,122 such deaths occurred in 1973. In most instances deaths and permanent injuries occurred with the child as a passenger in an automobile. One approach toward alleviating this problem is the restraint of children in automobiles to reduce the likelihood of injury in a crash. PMID:1275118

  20. Accident data availability

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-06-01

    This project investigates alternate forms of dissemination for the accident information. Costs, capabilities, and compatibility are reviewed for integration of the accident database with a GIS format to allow a graphical and spatial interface. the is...