Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Injury”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

An analysis of aircraft accidents involving fires

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.

Lucha, G. V.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Effect of evaporative surface cooling on thermographic assessment of burn depth

Differences in surface temperature between evaporating and nonevaporating, partial- and full-thickness burn injuries were studied in 20 male, white guinea pigs. Evaporative cooling can disguise the temperature differential of the partial-thickness injury and lead to a false full-thickness diagnosis. A full-thickness burn with blister intact may retain enough heat to result in a false partial-thickness diagnosis. By the fourth postburn day, formation of a dry eschar may allow a surface temperature measurement without the complication of differential evaporation. For earlier use of thermographic information, evaporation effects must be accounted for or eliminated.

Anselmo, V. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The child in coma

Children in coma continue to pose medical, social, economic, ethical, moral, and legal problems. Modern life-support technology has aggravated these problems. Coma is viewed as a pathological state of unconsciousness from which the patient has not achieved arousal, and which calls for vigorous action to help him regain consciousness. There are two variables that have an especially important bearing on the ability to achieve arousal. These are: the character of the brain injury that caused the coma, and environmental factors that affect the patient after the injury.

Lewinn, E. B.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Mitochondrial role in cell aging

The experimental studies on the mitochondria of insect and mammalian cells are examined with a view to an analysis of intrinsic mitochondrial senescence, and its relation to the age-related changes in other cell organelles. The fine structural and biochemical data support the concept that the mitochondria of fixed postmitotic cells may be the site of intrinsic aging because of the attack by free radicals and lipid peroxides originating in the organelles as a by-product of oxygen reduction during respiration. Although the cells have numerous mechanisms for counteracting lipid peroxidation injury, there is a slippage in the antioxidant protection. Intrinsic mitochondrial aging could thus be considered as a specific manifestation of oxygen toxicity. It is proposed that free radical injury renders an increasing number of the mitochondria unable to divide, probably because of damage to the lipids of the inner membrane and to mitochondrial DNA.

Miquel, J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Air pollutant production by algal cell cultures

The production of phytotoxic air pollutants by cultures of Chlorella vulgaris and Euglena gracilis is considered. Algal and plant culture systems, a fumigation system, and ethylene, ethane, cyanide, and nitrogen oxides assays are discussed. Bean, tobacco, mustard green, cantaloupe and wheat plants all showed injury when fumigated with algal gases for 4 hours. Only coleus plants showed any resistance to the gases. It is found that a closed or recycled air effluent system does not produce plant injury from algal air pollutants.

Fong, F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Design and testing of an energy-absorbing crewseat for the F/FB-111 aircraft. Volume 3: Data from crew module testing

Over the past years, several papers and reports have documented the unacceptably high injury rate during the escape sequence (including the ejection and ground impact) of the crew module for F/FB-111 aircraft. This report documents a program to determine if the injury potential could be reduced by replacing the existing crewseats with energy absorbing crewseats. An energy absorbing test seat was designed using much of the existing seat hardware. An extensive dynamic seat test series, designed to duplicate various crew module ground impact conditions, was conducted at a sled test facility. Comparative tests with operational F-111 crewseats were also conducted. After successful dynamic testing of the seat, more testing was conducted with the seats mounted in an F-111 crew module. Both swing tests and vertical drop tests werre conducted. The vertical drop tests were used to obtain comparative data between the energy absorbing and operational seats.

Shane, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Design and testing of an energy-absorbing crewseat for the F/FB-111 aircraft. Volume 2: Data from seat testing

The unacceptably high injury rate during the escape sequence (including the ejection and ground impact) of the crew module for F/FB-111 aircraft is reviewed. A program to determine if the injury potential could be reduced by replacing the existing crewseats with energy absorbing crewseats is presented. An energy absorbing test seat is designed using much of the existing seat hardware. An extensive dynamic seat test series, designed to duplicate various crew module ground impact conditions is conducted at a sled test facility. Comparative tests with operational F-111 crewseats are also conducted. After successful dynamic testing of the seat, more testing is conducted with the seats mounted in an F-111 crew module. Both swing tests and vertical drop tests are conducted. The vertical drop tests are used to obtain comparative data between the energy absorbing and operational seats. Volume 1 describes the energy absorbing test seat and testing conducted, and evaluates the data from both test series. Volume 2 presents the data obtained during the seat test series, while Volume 3 presents the data from the crew module test series.

Shane, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Development of medical electronic devices in the APL space department

Several electronic devices for automatically correcting specific defects in a body's physiologic regulation and allowing approximately normal functioning are described. A self-injurious behavior inhibiting system (SIBIS) is fastened to the arm of a person with chronic self-injurious behavior patterns. An electric shock is delivered into the arm whenever the device senses above-threshold acceleration of the head such as occur with head-bangers. Sounding a buzzer tone with the shock eventually allows transference of the aversive stimulus to the buzzer so shocks are no longer necessary. A programmable implantable medication system features a solenoid pump placed beneath the skin and refueled by hypodermic needle. The pump functions are programmable and can deliver insulin, chemotherapy mixes and/or pain killers according to a preset schedule or on patient demand. Finally, an automatic implantible defibrillator has four electrodes attached directly to the heart for sensing electrical impulses or emitting them in response to cardiac fibrillation.

Newman, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Energy-Absorbing Passenger Seat for Aircraft

Development of energy-absorbing passenger seat, designed to minimize injury in commercial-aircraft crash, part of joint FAA/NASA controlledimpact flight test of transport-category commercial aircraft. Modified seat mechanism collapses under heavy load to absorb impact energy and thereby protect passenger. Results of simulation tests indicate probability of passenger survival high. Proposed seat mechanism mitigates passenger injuries by reducing impact forces in crash.

Eichelberger, C. P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Medical impact analysis for the Space Station

In this study, Space Station medical care priorities were determined by a medical impact analysis of two analog populations, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy personnel. Diseases and injuries in the International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) were ranked, using a Medical Impact Score (MIS) combining modified incidence rate and a function of disease outcome. The validity of the analysis method was tested by measuring rank order correlation between the two analog populations. Despite virtually identical age and sex distributions, Army and Navy incidence rates differed significantly for half of the ICD-9-CM categories, p less than 0.05. Disability rates differed for 76 percent, p less than 0.05. Nevertheless, Army and Navy MIS rank orders for categories and sections were not significantly different, p less than 0.001. In critical ways, the Space Station will be a safer environment than earth. Cardiac events, musculoskeletal injuries, affective psychoses, and renal calculi were among the highest scoring categories.

Nelson, Brent D.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Technologies for the marketplace from the Centers for Disease Control

The Centers for Disease Control, a Public Health Service agency, is responsible for the prevention and control of disease and injury. Programs range from surveillance and prevention of chronic and infectious diseases to occupational health and injury control. These programs have produced technologies in a variety of fields, including vaccine development, new methods of disease diagnosis, and new tools to ensure a safer work environment.

Reid-Sanden, Frances L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Microcomputer based software for biodynamic simulation

This paper presents a description of a microcomputer based software package, called DYNAMAN, which has been developed to allow an analyst to simulate the dynamics of a system consisting of a number of mass segments linked by joints. One primary application is in predicting the motion of a human occupant in a vehicle under the influence of a variety of external forces, specially those generated during a crash event. Extensive use of a graphical user interface has been made to aid the user in setting up the input data for the simulation and in viewing the results from the simulation. Among its many applications, it has been successfully used in the prototype design of a moving seat that aids in occupant protection during a crash, by aircraft designers in evaluating occupant injury in airplane crashes, and by users in accident reconstruction for reconstructing the motion of the occupant and correlating the impacts with observed injuries.

Rangarajan, N.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Composite redesign of obstetrical forceps

Due to the increase in the number of children being born recently, medical technology has struggled to keep pace in certain areas. In these areas, particular needs have arisen to which the subject of this paper is directed. In the area of obstetrics, the forceps design and function has remained relatively unchanged for a number of years. In an effort to advance the technology, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center has been asked by the obstetrical community to help in a redesign of the obstetric forceps. Traditionally the forceps design has been of tubular stainless steel, constructed in two halves which interlock and hinge to provide the gripping force necessary to aid in the delivery of an infant. The stainless steel material was used to provide for ease of cleaning and sterilization. However, one of the drawbacks of the non-flexible steel design is that excessive force can be placed upon an infants head which could result in damage or injury to the infant. The redesign of this particular obstetric tool involves applying NASA's knowledge of advanced materials and state of the art instrumentation to create a tool which can be used freely throughout the obstetrics community without the fear of injury to an infant being delivered.

Lawson, Seth W.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Medical and surgical evaluation and care of illness in space

This report summarizes the work done on the contract NAG9-567, which was activated at the New Jersey Medical School-UMDNJ in April 1992 and carried on during the 1992-93 year to the present 1993-94 year which was terminated in May 1994. The initial examination stage was completed of an interactive program for the recording of physical and physiologic injury information obtained from examination of an injured person, who might be an astronaut sustaining traumatic injury, due to a burn or physical trauma, either in space or in an earth bound training environment. In this report three aspects will be discussed: 1) a description of the system of diagnostic examination graphics, 2) a description of the organization of the therapeutic advisory systems with a demonstration of two specific modules, and 3) a brief technical description of the organization of the programming system carried out on a UNIX based work station using a WINDOWS environment.

Siegel, John H.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Characteristics of civil aviation atmospheric hazards

Clear air turbulence, wake vortices, dry hail, and volcanic ash are hazards to civil aviation that have not been brought to the forefront of public attention by a catastrophic accident. However, these four hazards are responsible for major and minor injuries, emotional trauma, significant aircraft damage, and in route and terminal area inefficiency. Most injuries occur during clear air turbulence. There is significant aircraft damage for any volcanic ash encounter. Rolls induced by wake vortices occur near the ground. Dry hail often appears as an area of weak echo on the weather radar. This paper will present the meteorological, electromagnetic, and spatiotemporal characteristics of each hazard. A description of a typical aircraft encounter with each hazard will be given. Analyzed microwave and millimeter wave sensor systems to detect each hazard will be presented.

Marshall, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Fire hazard considerations for composites in vehicle design

Military ground vehicles fires are a significant cause of system loss, equipment damage, and crew injury in both combat and non-combat situations. During combat, the ability to successfully fight an internal fire, without losing fighting and mobility capabilities, is often the key to crew survival and mission success. In addition to enemy hits in combat, vehicle fires are initiated by electrical system failures, fuel line leaks, munitions mishaps and improper personnel actions. If not controlled, such fires can spread to other areas of the vehicle, causing extensive damage and the potential for personnel injury and death. The inherent fire safety characteristics (i.e. ignitability, compartments of these vehicles play a major roll in determining rather a newly started fire becomes a fizzle or a catastrophe. This paper addresses a systems approach to assuring optimum vehicle fire safety during the design phase of complex vehicle systems utilizing extensive uses of composites, plastic and related materials. It provides practical means for defining the potential fire hazard risks during a conceptual design phase, and criteria for the selection of composite materials based on its fire safety characteristics.

Gordon, Rex B.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Building Satellites is Easier

'Building Satellites' is a story about Jim Marsh's recovery from a severe head injury told by his wife Phyllis from the moment she learned of its happening, through the ups and downs of a lengthy rehabilitation, until his return to work and daily living. It continues on, however, and narrates his battle with the more insidious Grave's disease. Told in the first person, 'Building Satellites' vividly portrays Phyllis's thoughts and feelings throughout this experience with scrupulous honestly. This is a story worth reading for many reasons. First of all, Jim was an accomplished scientist, respected by his colleagues both in this country and abroad. Secondly, it narrates the many stages of his recovery from head injury with detailed readable accuracy; it informs us as well as inspires. Finally, 'Building Satellites" also tells us the story of Phyllis Marsh's remarkable creative response to this crisis. It narrates her personal experiences as she progresses through the strange and somewhat bizarre world of medicine and rehabilitation, guided by a few basic beliefs, which she learned as a child in Iowa, that provided her with the strength to endure. 'Building Satellites' seems to reaffirm our unconscious, but settled conviction, that when confornted overnight with adversity, we are somehow given the means for coping, supported by our basic beliefs, strengthened by family and friends, and eventually learning to accept any outcome.

Marsh, Phyllis Nimmo↗
NASA NTRS1998

Noninvasive Intracranial Volume and Pressure Measurements Using Ultrasound

Prevention of secondary brain injuries following head can be accomplished most easily when intracranial pressure (ICP) is monitored. However, current measurement techniques are invasive and thus not practical in the combat environment. The Pulsed Phase Lock Loop (PPLL) devise, which was developed and patented, uses a unique, noninvasive ultrasonic phase comparison method to measure slight changes in cranial volume which occur with changes in ICP. Year one studies involved instrument improvements and measurement of altered intracranial distance with altered ICP in fresh cadavera. Our software was improved to facilitate future studies of normal subjects and trauma patients. Our bench studies proved that PPLL output correlated highly with changes in path length across a model cranium. Cadaveric studies demonstrated excellent compact, noninvasive devise for monitoring changes in intracranial distance may aid in the early detection of elevated ICP, decreasing risk of secondary brain injury and infection, and returning head-injured patients to duty.

Hargens, A. R.↗