Dynamic material properties of the pregnant human uterus.

Given that automobile crashes are the largest single cause of death for pregnant females, scientists are developing advanced computer models of pregnant occupants. The purpose of this study is to quantify the dynamic material properties of the human uterus in order to increase the biofidelity of these models. A total of 19 dynamic tension tests were performed on pregnant human uterus tissues taken from six separate donors.

Eye injury risk from water stream impact: biomechanically based design parameters for water toy and park design.

Purpose: Interactive water displays are becoming increasingly popular and can result in direct eye contact. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate eye injury risk from high speed water stream impacts and to provide biomechanically based design parameters for water toys and water park fountains.

Methods: An experimental matrix of 38 tests was developed to impact eight porcine eyes with water streams using a customized pressure system.

Evaluating the risk of eye injuries: intraocular pressure during high speed projectile impacts.

Purpose: To evaluate the risk of eye injuries by determining intraocular pressure during high speed projectile impacts.

Methods: A pneumatic cannon was used to impact eyes with a variety of projectiles at multiple velocities. Intraocular pressure was measured with a small pressure sensor inserted through the optic nerve.

The tolerance of the maxilla to blunt impact.

This study reports the results of 38 infraorbital maxilla impacts performed on male cadavers. Impacts were performed using an unpadded, cylindrical impactor (3.2 kg) at velocities between 1 and 5 m/s.

The tolerance of the frontal bone to blunt impact.

The current understanding of the tolerance of the frontal bone to blunt impact is limited. Previous studies have utilized vastly different methods, which limits the use of statistical analyses to determine the tolerance of the frontal bone. The purpose of this study is to determine the tolerance of the frontal bone to blunt impact.

Analysis of the ability of catcher's masks to attenuate head accelerations on impact with a baseball.

Objective: The goals of this study were to measure the ability of catcher's masks to attenuate head accelerations on impact with a baseball and to compare these head accelerations to established injury thresholds for mild traumatic brain injury.

Design: Testing involved using a pneumatic cannon to shoot baseballs at an instrumented Hybrid III headform (a 50th percentile male head and neck) with and without a catcher's mask on the head. The ball speed was controlled from approximately 26.

The tolerance of the nasal bone to blunt impact.

The nasal bone is among the most frequently broken facial bone due to all types of trauma and is the most frequently fractured facial bone due to motor vehicle collisions. This study reports the results of anterior-posterior impacts performed on male cadavers using a free-falling impactor with a flat impacting surface. The force at fracture onset was determined using an acoustic emission sensor.

The effect of stress and strain formulations on the representation of biological tissue mechanical properties - biomed 2009.

With the increasing use of computational models there is a growing need to establish and analyze the material properties of biological tissues. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the various methods used for reporting stress and strain for biological materials. For this study, three biological materials (bone, sclera, and placenta) were used to compare the effects of reporting stress and strain relationships using various formulations.

Evaluation of eye injury risk from projectile shooting toys using the focus headform - biomed 2009.

Half of eye injuries in the United States are caused by a blunt impact and more specifically, eye injuries effecting children often result from projectile shooting toys. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the risk of eye injuries of currently available projectile shooting toys. In order to assess the risk of each toy, a Facial and Ocular Countermeasure Safety (FOCUS) headform was used to measure the force applied to the eye during each hit for a total of 18 tests.

High-rate internal pressurization of human eyes to predict globe rupture.

Objective: To determine the dynamic rupture pressure of the human eye by using an in vitro high-rate pressurization system to investigate blunt-impact eye injuries.

Methods: Internal pressure was dynamically induced in the eye by means of a drop-tower pressurization system. The internal eye pressure was measured with a small pressure sensor inserted into the eye through the optic nerve.

Dynamic material property measurements of human eyes.

As a result of trauma, approximately 30,000 people become blind in one eye every year in the United States. A common injury prediction tool used for eye injuries is computational modeling, which requires accurate material properties to produce reliable results. The purpose of this study is to determine the dynamic material properties of the human sclera.

The use of acoustic emission in facial fracture detection.

This study describes a method for utilizing Acoustic Emission (AE) in facial fracture detection and demonstrates the association between fracture and acoustic emission magnitude. AE sensors were mounted to the frontal bone and mandible of cadaver skulls (n=14) exposed to impacts to the frontal bone, nasal bone, maxilla and mandible. The presence of AE during fracture and non-fracture tests necessitated the development of a threshold to distinguish AE associated with fracture.

High rate internal pressurization of the human eye to determine dynamic rupture pressure.

Over 1.9 million people suffer from eye injuries in the United States, occurring from automobile accidents, sports related impacts, and military combat. The purpose of the current study is to analyze the rupture pressure of human eyes using a high rate pressurization system.