bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correction of ultrasonic wave aberration with a time delay and amplitude filter
Authors: Måso/y Svein-Erik , Johansen Tonni F. , Angelsen Bjo/rn
Published: March 2003

Two-dimensional simulations with propagation through two different heterogeneous human body wall models have been performed to analyze different correction filters for ultrasonic wave aberration due to forward wave propagation. The different models each produce most of the characteristic aberration effects such as phase aberration, relatively strong amplitude aberration, and waveform deformation. Simulations of wave propagation from a point source in the focus (60 mm) of a 20 mm transducer through the body wall models were performed. Center frequency of the pulse was 2.5 MHz. Corrections of the aberrations introduced by the two body wall models were evaluated with reference to the corrections obtained with the optimal filter: a generalized frequency-dependent phase and amplitude correction filter [Angelsen, Ultrasonic Imaging (Emantec, Norway, 2000), Vol. II]. Two correction filters were applied, a time delay filter, and a time delay and amplitude filter. Results showed that correction with a time delay filter produced substantial reduction of the aberration in both cases. A time delay and amplitude correction filter performed even better in both cases, and gave correction close to the ideal situation (no aberration). The results also indicated that the effect of the correction was very sensitive to the accuracy of the arrival time fluctuations estimate, i.e., the time delay correction filter.
Acoustic attenuation in gas mixtures with nitrogen: Experimental data and calculations
Authors: Ejakov Sally G. , Phillips Scott , Dain Yefim , Lueptow Richard M. , Visser Jacobus H.
Published: March 2003

Attenuation in a gas results from a combination of classical attenuation, attenuation from diffusion, and attenuation due to molecular relaxation. In previous papers [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 109, 1955 (2001); 110, 2974 (2001)] a model is described that predicts the attenuation from vibrational relaxation in gas mixtures. In order to validate this model, the attenuation was measured using a pulse technique with four transducer pairs, each with a different resonant frequency. The attenuation calculated using the model was compared to the measured values for a variety of gases including: air, oxygen, methane, hydrogen, and mixtures of oxygen/nitrogen, methane/nitrogen, carbon dioxide/nitrogen, and hydrogen/nitrogen. After the measured data is corrected for diffraction, the model matches the trends in the measured attenuation spectrum for this extensive set of gas mixtures.
Modeling of finite amplitude acoustic waves in closed cavities using the Galerkin method
Authors: Erickson Robert R. , Zinn Ben T.
Published: March 2003

Nonlinear resonant gas oscillations in closed ducts are investigated by solving a previously derived, quasi-one-dimensional, nonlinear wave equation that accounts for forcing, gas dynamic nonlinearities, and viscous dissipation. This equation is solved with the approximate Galerkin method to determine the dependence of driven oscillations upon the duct shape, forcing frequency, and forcing amplitude. Initially, the applicability of the developed Galerkin solution approach was studied by investigating oscillations in a straight duct, closed at both ends and periodically oscillated at a single frequency. It is shown that the Galerkin method predictions of shock wave-like oscillations in such ducts are in excellent agreement with results obtained with other numerical solution techniques. Next, this study investigated the forced response of a class of horn-shaped ducts, and it is shown that for a given forcing amplitude, there exists a nonmonotonic increase in compression ratio as the duct’s flare constant is increased. Finally, it is shown that oscillations driven in ducts whose shapes were chosen to provide shifting of the second and third natural acoustic mode frequencies exhibit significant waveform distortion and non-negligible increases in compression ratio when compared with oscillations driven in straight ducts.
Analysis of axially polarized piezoelectric cylinders with arbitrary boundary conditions on flat surfaces
Authors: Ebenezer D. D. , Ramesh R.
Published: March 2003

A method to analyze axially polarized piezoelectric ceramic cylinders with arbitrary length to radius ratio and arbitrary boundary conditions on the flat surfaces is presented. The method is based on the use of functions that individually exactly satisfy the axisymmetric equations of motion and the Gauss electrostatic conditions. The axial and radial components of displacement and the potential are expressed as weighted sums of these functions. The functions form complete sets in the radial direction and arbitrary boundary conditions can, therefore, be satisfied on the flat surfaces. On the curved surface, certain uniform boundary conditions can be exactly satisfied. The weights are easily determined by using the orthogonal property of the functions. The input electrical admittance is a function of only the average boundary conditions and is very easily determined. Several special cases and numerical results are presented for electrically and mechanically excited cylinders to illustrate the method. The series expressions for displacements, potential, and stress converge rapidly and they are in good agreement with results obtained using ATILA—a finite element program. The method can be extended to analyze hollow cylinders with arbitrary boundary conditions on all surfaces.
Derivation of moving-coil loudspeaker parameters using acoustical testing techniques: Experiment results
Authors: Anderson Brian E. , Leishman Timothy W.
Published: March 2003

A unique acoustical method of measuring small-signal moving-coil loudspeaker parameters has recently been developed. This technique involves the use of a plane wave tube to measure acoustical properties (e.g., reflection and transmission coefficients) of a driver under test (DUT). From this data, small-signal parameters are derived using curve-fitting techniques. Electrical conditions are easily controlled and automated to allow for the derivation of additional parameters. Current parameter measurement techniques require measurement of the electrical impedance of the DUT. This paper will discuss the acoustical measurement apparatus, experimental measurement techniques, and compare its measured parameters to those derived using electrical techniques.
Density Functional Study of the Electronic Structure and Related Properties of Pt(NO)/Pt(NO2) Redox Couples
Authors: Karipidis Paraskevas , Tsipis Athanassios C. , Tsipis Constantinos A.
Published: March 2003

Density functional calculations at the B3LYP level of theory, using the SDD basis set, provide satisfactory description of geometric, energetic, electronic and spectroscopic properties of the Pt(NO)/Pt(NO2) redox couple. The neutral Pt(NO) species adopts a bent 2A' ground state, while the cationic [Pt(NO)]+ species adopts a linear 1Σ+ ground state. The B3LYP/SDD- predicted Pt-N bond lengths are 2.016 and 1.777 Å for Pt(NO) (2A') and [Pt(NO)]+ (1Σ+), respectively, while the ∠Pt-N-O bent angle for [Pt(NO)] (2A') is 119.6°. On the other hand, the anionic [Pt(NO)]- species adopts the bent 1A' ground state with a Pt-N bond length of 1.867 Å and a ∠Pt-N-O bent angle of 122.5°. The computed binding energies of the NO, NO+ and NO- ligands with Pt(0) were found to be 29.9 (32.8), 69.9 (78.4) and 127.4 (128.7) kcal/mol at the B3LYP/SDD and CCSD(T)/SDD (numbers in parentheses) levels of theory, respectively. Moreover, the structure of the [Pt(NO2)]+ component of the Pt(NO)/Pt(NO2) redox couple and its transformation to [Pt(NO)]+ upon reaction with CO was analysed in the framework of the DFT theory. The coordination of the CO ligand to [Pt(NO2)]+ affords the cationic mixed-ligand [Pt(CO)(NO2)]+ complex, which is stabilized by 66.6 (60.5) kcal/mol, with respect to the separated [Pt(NO2)]+ and CO in their ground states. The O-transfer reaction from the coordinated NO2 to the coordinated CO ligands in the presence of the [Pt(NO2)]+ species corresponds to an exothermic process; the heat of the reaction (∆RH) is -85.2 (-80.5) kcal/mol and the activation barrier amounts to 27.7 (33.0) kcal/mol. Finally, the equilibrium structures of selected stationary points related to the transformation of NO to NO2 ligand located on the potential energy surfaces of the [Pt(NO),O2], [Pt(NO)+,O2], and [Pt(NO)-,O2] systems were analysed in the framework of the DFT theory. The computed interaction energies of O2 with Pt(NO), [Pt(NO)]+ and [Pt(NO)]- species were found to be 106.9 (105.3), 49.2 (48.4) and 26.9 (26.5) kcal/mol, respectively. The O2 ligand is coordinated to the Pt central atom in an end-on mode for [Pt(NO),O2] and [Pt(NO)-,O2] systems and in a side-on mode for the [Pt(NO)+,O2] system. The transformation of NO to NO2 in [Pt(NO)]- species upon reaction with dioxygen corresponds to an exothermic process; the heat of the reaction (∆RH) is -60.6 (-55.8) kcal/mol, while the activation barrier amounts to 35.5 (30.2) kcal/mol. Calculated structures, relative stability and bonding properties of all stationary points are discussed with respect to computed electronic and spectroscopic properties, such as charge density distribution and harmonic vibrational frequencies.
A Comprehensive Computational Study on OCH+-Rg (Rg = He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) Complexes
Authors: Sheng Yinghong , Leszczynski Jerzy
Published: March 2003

The equilibrium geometries, harmonic vibrational frenquencies, and the dissociation energies of the OCH+-Rg (Rg = He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe) complexes were calculated at the DFT, MP2, MP4, CCSD, and CCSD(T) levels of theory. In the lighter OCH+-Rg (Rg = He, Ne, Ar) rare gas complexes, the DFT and MP4 methods tend to produce longer Rg-H+ distance than the CCSD(T) level value, and the CCSD-calculated Rg-H+ bond lengths are slightly shorter. DFT method is not reliable to study weak interaction in the OCH+-He and OCH+-Ne complexes. A qualitative result can be obtained for OCH+-Ar complex by using the DFT method; however, a higher-level method using a larger basis set is required for the quantitative predictions. For heavier atom (Kr, Xe)-containing complexes, only the CCSD method predicted longer Rg-H+ distance than that obtained at the CCSD(T) level. The DFT method can be applied to obtain the semiquantitative results. The relativistic effects are expected to have minor effect on the geometrical parameters, the H+-C stretching mode, and the dissociation energy. However, the dissociation energies are sensitive to the quality of the basis set. The nature of interaction between the OCH+ ion and Rg atoms was also analyzed in terms of the interaction energy components.
The Rovibrational Dependence of the 14N Nuclear Quadrupole Coupling Constants in the X2Σ+ and B2Σ+ States of CN from the Multireference CI Approach
Authors: Polák Rudolf , Fišer Jiří
Published: March 2003

In using several augmented correlation-consistent basis sets and reference configuration spaces, the 14N quadrupole coupling constants (QCCs) of rovibrational levels of the X2Σ+ and B2Σ+ states of the CN radical are computed from internally contracted multireference configuration interaction wave functions. To examine the overall quality of the correlated wave functions used for computing the expectation values of the electric field gradient (EFG) tensor at the N nucleus, electric dipole moments are calculated and spectroscopic constants are derived from corresponding potential energy curves. The adequacy of the expectation value approach to the evaluation of the EFG and dipole moment is discussed. The calculated vibrational dependence of the 14N QCC compares reasonably with the available experimental data.
Externally Corrected Coupled-Cluster Approaches: Energy versus Amplitude Corrected CCSD
Authors: Paldus Josef , Li Xiangzhu
Published: March 2003

The externally corrected coupled-cluster methods with singles and doubles (ecCCSD), which exploit some independently available wave function as a source of higher-than-pair clusters, are considered. The focus is on methods that employ a modest-size multireference (MR) configuration interaction (with singles and doubles, CISD) wave function as the external source. Both the amplitude- and energy-corrected CCSD methods are employed, the former correcting the standard single reference (SR) CCSD equations for triples and quadruples, while the latter accounts for the nondynamic correlation effects when evaluating the energy by employing the MR CISD wave function in lieu of the single determinantal (usually Hartree-Fock) reference in the asymmetric energy formula. The performance and relationship of both types of approaches is illustrated by computing the rotational and vibrational energy levels using the potential generated by these various methods and by comparing the calculated spectra with the experimental ones for the simplest first-row hydride, namely the LiH molecule. A special attention is paid to the role of core-correlation effects, in which case we also consider the HF molecule.
Calculation of Thermodynamical, Transport and Structural Properties of Neon in Liquid and Supercritical Phases by Molecular Dynamics Simulations Using an Accurate ab initio Pair Potential
Authors: Venkatraj Muthusamy , Müller Markus G. , Huber Hanspeter , Gdanitz Robert J.
Published: March 2003

An analytical potential energy curve (NE3) is constructed from points obtained by accurate ab initio calculations. The quality of the pair potential is established by a comparison of calculated and experimental second virial coefficients as a function of temperature. Molecular dynamics equilibrium simulations are performed with the NE3 potential for pressures between 20 and 1000 MPa and temperatures between 100 and 600 K in the supercritical phase and for one point in the liquid phase of neon. The properties are compared with those obtained from experiment. It is found that the accurate pair potential has a large effect on pressure, energies and enthalpies and a significant influence on other thermodynamic properties but little influence on transport and structural properties. In the supercritical phase the deviation between the calculated quantum-corrected and experimental pressure values is always less than 2%.
Unintentional fatal injuries arising from unpaid work at home
Authors: Driscoll T R , Mitchell R J , Hendrie A L , Healey S H , Mandryk J A , Hull B P
Published: March 2003

Objective:Unpaid work in and around the home is a common and potentially high risk activity, yet there is limited information about the circumstances surrounding resulting injuries. This study aimed to describe circumstances surrounding fatal injuries resulting from home duties activities, in order to identify and prioritise areas for prevention.

Design and setting:Coroners’ reports on all unintentional deaths in Australia from 1989–92 inclusive were inspected to identify deaths of interest. Rates were calculated using population data and incorporating measures of time engaged in particular home duties activities.

Results:There were 296 home duties deaths over the four year period. Most (83%) deaths were of males, and males had 10 times the risk of fatal injury compared with females. The most common activities resulting in fatal injuries were home repairs, gardening, and car care. The highest risk activities (deaths per million persons per year per hour of activity) were home repairs (49), car care (20), home improvements (18), and gardening (16). Being hit by inadequately braced vehicles during car maintenance, falls from inadequately braced ladders, contact with fire and flames while cooking, and contact with electricity during maintenance were the most common injury scenarios.

Conclusions:Fatal injury of persons engaged in unpaid domestic work activities is a significant cause of death. Use of activity specific denominator data allows appropriate assessment of the degree of risk associated with each activity. The recurrence of similar circumstances surrounding many independent fatal incidents indicates areas where preventative interventions might be usefully targeted.
Nail gun injuries in residential carpentry: lessons from active injury surveillance
Authors: Lipscomb H J , Dement J M , Nolan J , Patterson D , Li L
Published: March 2003

Objective:To describe circumstances surrounding injuries involving nail guns among carpenters, calculate injury rates, identify high risk groups and preventive measures.

Methods and setting:Active injury surveillance was used to identify causes of injury among a large cohort of union residential and drywall carpenters. Injured carpenters were interviewed by experienced journeymen; enumeration of workers and hourworked were provided by the union. The combined data allowed definition of a cohort of carpenters, their hours worked, detailed information on the circumstances surrounding injuries, and identification of preventive measures from the perspectives of the injured worker and an experienced investigator.

Results:Nail guns were involved in 14% of injuries investigated. Ninety percent of these injuries were the result of the carpenter being struck, most commonly by a nail puncturing a hand or fingers. The injury rate among apprentices was 3.7 per 200 000 hours worked (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.7 to 4.9) compared with a rate of 1.2 among journeymen (95% CI 0.80 to 1.7). While not always the sole contributing factor, a sequential trigger would have likely prevented 65% of the injuries from tools with contact trip triggers.

Conclusions:Training, engineering, and policy changes in the workplace and manufacturing arena are all appropriate targets for prevention of these injuries. Use of sequential triggers would likely decrease acute injury rates markedly. Over 70% of injuries among residential carpenters were associated with through nailing tasks (such as nailing studs or blocks, trusses or joists) or toe nailing (angled, corner nailing) as opposed to flat nailing used for sheathing activities; this provides some indication that contact trip tools could be used solely for flat nailing.
Seatbelt use by high school students
Authors: Williams A F , McCartt A T , Geary L
Published: March 2003

Objective:To determine seatbelt use of teenage drivers arriving at high schools in the morning and at evening football games compared with belt use of adults driving teenage passengers to these events, and teenage passenger belt use depending on whether they were being driven by another teenager or an adult.

Methods:Unobtrusive observations of belt use were made at 12 high schools in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Results:Among males, teenage drivers had lower belt use than adults; differences between female teenage and female adult drivers were slight. Teenage passengers had lower belt use in vehicles driven by other teenagers than in cars driven by adults, but more than 40% of teenage passengers in vehicles driven by adults, presumed in most cases to be the teenager’s parent, were not belted. Teenage passenger belt use was lower than teenage driver use regardless of gender. These differences were found both at morning arrivals and at football games, but teenage belt use was not much different in these two settings. Teenage passengers were belted more often if drivers were belted, whether the driver was another teenager or an adult, but a third of male passengers and 25%–30% of female passengers were unbelted even when drivers were belted.

Conclusion:Teenagers have high crash risk but low belt use, which adds to their injury problem. Avenues to address this include strong belt use laws and their enforcement, building belt use requirements into graduated licensing systems, keeping young beginners out of high risk driving situations, and finding ways to influence parents and other adults to ensure that their teenage passengers use seatbelts.
Seatbelt legislation in Japan: high risk driver mortality and seatbelt use
Authors: Nakahara S , Ichikawa M , Wakai S
Published: March 2003

Objectives:To clarify why seatbelt legislation did not achieve the expected reduction in mortality in Japan.

Location and background:Seatbelt legislation was enacted in Japan in September 1985 and penalties were introduced in November 1986.

Methods:The driver deaths per vehicle km traveled (D/VKT) were calculated to adjust for changes in traffic volume. Decreases in D/VKT were compared with the reduction expected after legislation. The association between percentage changes of driver D/VKT, seatbelt use rate, and seatbelt non-use rate were explored. Deaths of passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists were also examined. Mortality data were obtained from vital statistics, traffic volume figures from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, and seatbelt use rates from the National Police Agency.

Results:Although the decrease in D/VKT after the law was enforced was larger than the absolute number of deaths, it was far less than predicted. The percentage decrease in seatbelt non-use rate showed the strongest correlation with the percentage decrease in driver mortality. Mortality did not increase among other road users after the law was enacted.

Conclusion:Accurate evaluation of the effect of seatbelt legislation must take into account changes in traffic volume. The selective recruitment hypothesis—that high risk drivers were less responsive to seatbelt legislation—fits well with the findings. There was no conclusive evidence supporting risk compensation—that is, an increase in injuries among other road users.
Socioeconomic variation in injury in children and older people: a population based study
Authors: Lyons R A , Jones S J , Deacon T , Heaven M
Published: March 2003

Objectives:To compare hospital admission rates for all causes and specific causes of injury in children and the elderly by a measure of economic deprivation.

Study design:All emergency admissions for Welsh residents from 1997–99 were located to one of 865 electoral tracts, which were grouped into fifths using a measure of socioeconomic deprivation. Standardised admission rates for all ages and 0–14, 15–75, and 75+ year groups for each quintile were calculated with 95% confidence intervals.

Results:There were 90 935 admissions in a population of 2.84 million yielding a crude admission rate of 1601/100 000/year and a standardised rate of 1493/100 000. The ratio of admissions in deprived and affluent areas varied with category of injury and age group. In general, socioeconomic variations in injury rates were much smaller in older people than in children with the exception of pedestrian related injuries where the rates were similar. The largest variations were for injuries sustained in assaults or self inflicted.

Conclusions:The relationship between socioeconomic position and injury varies by cause and age group. This should be considered when developing area based preventive interventions or monitoring the effectiveness of policies to reduce inequalities in injury occurrence.
Discrepancy between actual and estimated speeds of drivers in the presence of child pedestrians
Authors: Harré N
Published: March 2003

Objectives:First, to measure the speeds of vehicles with and without children on the footpath, and second to compare these with drivers’ estimates of how fast they would go in these conditions.

Design:The speeds of vehicles in three conditions: control (no children present), children playing with a ball on the footpath, and children waiting to cross the road, were measured using speed tubes during two 55 minute sessions. Drivers’ estimates of their speeds were measured with a questionnaire.

Setting:Speeds were measured on a main road in Auckland, New Zealand. The questionnaire was conducted at another time with drivers stopping for petrol approximately 500 metres from the measurement site.

Subjects:A total of 1446 speed measurements were taken and 93 drivers‘ questionnaire responses were analysed.

Results:The mean free speed of vehicles in the control condition was 55.60 kph, with drivers‘ estimates being 56.37 kph. When children were playing with a ball the measured speed was 54.29 kph and the estimated speed 39.27 kph. When children were waiting to cross the measured speed was 52.78 kph, estimated speed 34.02 kph. Analyses indicated that there were significant differences between measured and estimated speeds.

Conclusions:New Zealand drivers make inadequate speed adjustments in the presence of children, despite probably believing they do so. Establishing specific rules about appropriate speeds around children and highlighting to drivers the discrepancy between their attitudes and behaviour are two intervention strategies suggested.
Injury prevention attitudes and awareness in New Zealand
Authors: Hooper R , Coggan C A , Adams B
Published: March 2003

Objectives:This study was designed to obtain New Zealand data on beliefs related to a broad spectrum of injuries and their prevention.

Methods:A cross sectional phone survey was conducted of approximately 400 randomly selected households from each of 13 territorial local authorities across New Zealand, giving a total of 5282. Respondents were asked questions on awareness and attitudes to injury prevention, ownership and use of safety equipment, safety behaviours, and incidence of self reported injury.

Results:84% agreed with the statement that “Most injuries are preventable” and 91% rated their homes as “very safe” or “reasonably safe”. A high proportion of homes had smoke alarms (81%) and first aid kits (81%), and more than half (56%) had turned down the temperature of their hot water to 55°C or lower. However, less than half of the respondents said that they practised the other safety behaviours. Significant associations were found between the practise of safety behaviours and respondents’ home safety ratings. There was a significant association between home safety ratings and the incidence of injury occurring in all settings (p<0.0001), however there was no discernable association between home safety ratings and injury occurring in the home.

Conclusions:Although this survey found that most respondents believed that injuries are preventable and considered their homes to be safe, the public need to be further encouraged to adopt common safety practices and behaviours in the home.
Association between handgun purchase and mortality from firearm injury
Authors: Grassel K M , Wintemute G J , Wright M A , Romero M P
Published: March 2003

Objective:To determine the association between mortality from violent or firearm related injury and previous handgun purchase.

Methods:Case-control study of 213 466 Californians ages 21 and older who died in 1998; cases were the 4728 violent or firearm related injury deaths, with subsets by specific cause and means of death, and controls were the 208 738 non-injury deaths. The exposure of interest was the purchase of a handgun during 1996–98. The main outcome measure was the odds ratio for handgun purchase, adjusted for age, sex, race, education, and marital status.

Results:Handgun purchase was more common among persons dying from suicide (odds ratio (OR) 6.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.7 to 8.1) or homicide (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.6 to 3.7), and particularly among those dying from gun suicide (OR 12.5; 95% CI 10.4 to 15.0) or gun homicide (OR 3.3; 95% CI 2.1 to 5.3), than among controls. No such differences were seen for non-gun suicide or homicide. Among women, those dying from gun suicide were much more likely than controls to have purchased a handgun (OR 109.8; 95% CI 61.6 to 195.7). Handgun purchasers accounted for less than 1% of the study population but 2.4% of gun homicides, 14.2% of gun suicides, and 16.7% of unintentional gun deaths. Gun suicide made up 18.9% of deaths among purchasers but only 0.6% of deaths among non-purchasers.

Conclusion:Among adults who died in California in 1998, those dying from violence were more likely than those dying from non-injury causes to have purchased a handgun.
Studying “exposure” to firearms: household ownershipvaccess
Authors: Ikeda R M , Dahlberg L L , Kresnow M-j , Sacks J J , Mercy J A
Published: March 2003

Background:Firearm ownership has often been used to measure access to weapons. However, persons who own a firearm may not have access to it and conversely, persons who do not own a firearm may be able to access one quickly.

Objectives:To examine whether using firearm ownership is a reasonable proxy for access by describing the demographic characteristics associated with ownership and access.

Methods:Data are from the 1994 Injury Control and Risk Survey, a national, random digit dial survey. Information about household firearm ownership and ready access to a loaded firearm were collected and weighted to provide national estimates. Adjusted odds ratios for three separate models were calculated using logistic regression.

Results:A total of 1353 (27.9%) respondents reported both having a firearm in the household and ready access to one. An additional 313 respondents (8.1%) reported having a firearm, but were not able to access these weapons. Another 421 respondents (7.2%) did not have a firearm in or around their home, yet reported being able to retrieve and fire one within 10 minutes. Based on the logistic regression findings, the demographic characteristics of this latter group are quite different from those who report ownership. Those who do not have a firearm, but report ready access to one, are more likely to be ethnic minorities, single, and living in attached homes.

Conclusions:Asking only about the presence of a firearm in a household may miss some respondents with ready access to a loaded firearm. More importantly, those who do not own a firearm, but report ready access to one, appear to be qualitatively different from those who report ownership. Caution should be exercised when using measures of ownership as a proxy for access.
Family characteristics and pedestrian injury risk in Mexican children
Authors: Celis A , Gomez Z , Martinez-Sotomayor A , Arcila L , Villaseñor M
Published: March 2003

Background:Family characteristics have been described as risk factors for child pedestrian and motor vehicle collision. Research results come mainly from developed countries, where family relationships could be different than in developing ones.

Objective:To examine family characteristics as risk factors for pedestrian injury in children living in Guadalajara City, Mexico.

Methods:Case-control study of injuries among children 1–14 years of age involved in pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions. Cases resulting in death or injuries that required hospitalization or medical attention were included and identified through police reports and/or emergency room registries. Two neighborhood matched controls were selected randomly and compared with cases to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results:Significant risk factors were: male (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.4), number of siblings in household (two siblings, OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.4 to 6.6; three siblings, OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.9 to 11.0; four or more siblings, OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 12.9), and number of non-siblings/non-parents in household (four or more, OR 6.2, 95% CI 1.5 to 26.6). Children of a sole mother, working mother, or grandmother living in house did not show increased risk after adjusting for socioeconomic conditions.

Conclusion:Household size has implications for child pedestrian and motor vehicle collision prevention efforts and is relatively easy to identify. Also, the lack of risk association with working mothers may indicate that grandmothers are not part of the social support network that cares for children of working mothers.
Seismic, structural, and individual factors associated with earthquake related injury
Authors: Peek-Asa C , Ramirez M , Seligson H , Shoaf K
Published: March 2003

Background:Earthquakes cause thousands of deaths worldwide every year, and systematic study of the causes of these deaths can lead to their prevention. Few studies have examined how multiple types of risk factors are related to physical injury during an earthquake.

Methods:A population based case-control study was conducted to examine how individual characteristics, building characteristics, and seismic features of the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake contributed to physical injury. Cases included fatal and hospital-admitted injuries caused by the earthquake. Controls were drawn from a population based phone survey of county residents. Cases were individually matched to two sets of controls: one matched by age and gender and one matched by location at the time of the earthquake.

Results:Individuals over age 65 had 2.9 times the risk of injury as younger people (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2 to 7.4) and women had a 2.4 times greater risk than men (95% CI 1.2 to 5.1). Location in multiple unit residential and commercial structures each led to increased injury risk compared with single unit residential structures, but the exact estimate varied depending on the control group used. With every increase in ground motion of 10%g, injury risk increased 2.2 times (95% CI 1.6 to 3.3).

Conclusions:Controlling for other factors, it was found that individual, building, and seismic characteristics were independently predictive of increased injury risk. Prevention and preparedness efforts should focus on each of these as potential points of intervention.
Suicide among North Carolina women, 1989–93: information from two data sources
Authors: Runyan C W , Moracco K E , Dulli L , Butts J
Published: March 2003

Objectives:To characterize the events and examine suicide precursors among women and to examine gaps in surveillance.

Setting:A statewide study in North Carolina.

Methods:Suicides of women age 15 and older for the time period 1989–93, as identified from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, were included. All case files were reviewed by hand and telephone interviews were attempted with investigating law enforcement officials for every case in 1993.

Results:Altogether 882 suicides met the case definition, for an age adjusted rate that fluctuated between 5.53 and 7.26 per 100 000 women across the period. Interviews with law enforcement officials were completed for 135 of the 177 cases from 1993. White women had rates nearly three times those of racial minorities. Women under age 45 were proportionally more likely than older women to have recently experienced the breakup of an intimate relationship. Information about precursors was not as consistently reported as had been hoped. Medical examiner records were variable in completeness. Law enforcement interviews frequently did not yield information about the factors we had hoped to examine, probably because the investigations were conducted primarily to rule out homicide.

Conclusions:This study suggests somewhat different precursor patterns by age group. It also points to the need for reconsidering how suicide surveillance is accomplished as a strategy to guide intervention.
Validity of self reported home safety practices
Authors: Chen L-H , Gielen A C , McDonald E M
Published: March 2003

Objectives:To examine the validity of self reported data on parents’ home safety practices of using smoke alarms and stair gates, and having syrup of ipecac.

Setting:Families from a pediatric continuity clinic in a large, urban teaching hospital with infants from birth to 6 months were enrolled in the study.

Methods:As part of a randomized controlled trial to promote home safety, parents’ responses to personal interviews were compared to observations made in the respondents’ homes two to four weeks after the interview. Positive and negative predictive values, sensitivity, and specificity were computed and compared between the intervention and control group families.

Results:Sensitivities were high among the four safety practices. Specificities were much lower and fell into a much wider range than sensitivities. The positive predictive values were low and the negative predictive values were high. No differences in these indicators of validity were found between intervention and control group families.

Conclusions:If the main interest in an evaluation is on therelativedifference between study groups, rather than theabsolutevalue of the outcome measure, our results suggest that self reported data may be of acceptable validity. However, when assessing a patient’s risk, clinicians need to recognize the problem of over-reporting of safety practices.
Injuries and death of children in rollover motor vehicle crashes in the United States
Authors: Rivara F P , Cummings P , Mock C
Published: March 2003

Context:There is an increased awareness of the problem of rollover crashes, but few data on children involved in rollover crashes in the United States.

Objective:To determine: (1) the rates of rollover crashes involving children and the incidence of fatal injury; (2) the characteristics of crashes involving children; (3) the risk factors for children being in a rollover compared with a non-rollover crash; and (4) whether the risk of death is greater for children involved in crashes in sport utility vehicles (SUVs) or passenger cars.

Design:Retrospective cohort study.

Data:1993 through 1998 crashes involving children younger than 16 years included in the Crashworthiness Data System or reported to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

Results:During the study period, 100.4 children per 100 000 person-years were involved in a rollover crash, accounting for 10% of all children involved in crashes. The incidence of fatal injuries in rollover crashes was 3.4 per 100 000 person-years. Sixty percent of children involved in rollovers were riding in SUVs. Among vehicles carrying children and involved in a crash, the adjusted relative risk of the crash being a rollover was 11.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) 9.3 to 13.3) for SUVs compared with passenger cars. The adjusted relative risk of death was 1.8 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.8) in a rollover crash and the relative risk of injury was 2.1 (95% CI 1.1 to 3.8) compared with non-rollover crashes. However, the relative risk of death for children in SUVs which crashed was 0.4 (95% CI 0.1 to 2.5) compared with passenger cars which crashed.

Conclusions:Crashes involving children in SUVs were more likely to be rollover crashes than those involving passenger cars, and rollover crashes were associated with an increased risk of death and injury. However, the overall risk of death for children in a crash was not higher for children who crashed in an SUV compared to children who crashed in a passenger vehicle. Whether children are safer overall in SUVs compared with other cars cannot be answered with the data used.
Predictors and severity of injury in assaults with barglasses and bottles
Authors: Coomaraswamy K S , Shepherd J P
Published: March 2003

Background:Although glasses and bottles are frequently used as weapons in assaults, there is little knowledge on which prevention strategies can be based.

Design:Scrutiny of a random sample of 1288 criminal injury compensation applications.

Objective:To identify predictors and relative severity of glass and bottle injury.

Method:Injury site, severity, treatment, and demographic characteristics of victims and assailants were studied with reference to awards from the UK national Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

Main outcome measures:Gender of victims and assailants, injury sites, treatment, and award (UK pounds) as indices of injury severity.

Results:Annual CICA awards to all victims of assaults in licensed premises during 1996–98 amounted to £4.08 million (for all glass/bottle assaults: £1.15 million = 28%). The mean cost of 746 glass assaults was £2347, compared with £2007 for 542 injuries from bottle assaults (mean difference £340; p<0.01). This difference largely reflected more eye injuries with glasses (26 cases: 3% of all glass assaults) than with bottles (eight cases: 1% of all bottle assaults).

Bottle assault was significantly associated with unidentified assailants and scalp injuries; whereas glass injury was significantly linked to pub opening hours (midday to midnight), Thursdays, eye and face injuries, and treatment requiring sutures.

Mean age of bottle assault victims (26.1 years) was lower than of glass victims (27.3 years; p<0.01), and same gender assaults were more frequent than between gender assaults for both bottle (p<0.001) and glass (p<0.001) assaults. Female victims were allocated to lower compensation awards more frequently than male victims; this was the case for both bottle (p<0.05) and glass (p<0.01) assaults.

Conclusions:Assaults with bottles caused less serious injury and resulted in lower compensation costs. Injury distribution was linked to victim gender and weapon choice, but not to assailant gender. Prevention strategies should focus on both bottle and glass assaults and should take account of the setting and time in which drinking occurs.
An investigation of child restraint/seatbelt usage in motor vehicles by Maori in Northland New Zealand
Authors: Brewin M , Peters T
Published: March 2003

Objective:To investigate child restraint/seatbelt use by the indigenous (Maori) population in Northland New Zealand.

Method:Observational surveys were conducted at the two main car parks (McDonald’s and the largest supermarket) to determine the number of passengers restrained, the type of restraints, and correct use. Observations were restricted to those who were obviously Maori, based upon the local knowledge of the observer. In addition, face to face questionnaires were administered to Maori whanau/caregivers involved in the care of two or more children for more than three days a week.

Results:A total of 788 participants were observed. Babies were those most likely to have all occupants restrained correctly (97%), followed by toddlers (66%), adults (56%), and school age children (48%); 138 interviews were conducted. Females (86%) were significantly more likely to ensure that all passengers were restrained on short journeys compared to males (67%; p<0.05). Respondents under 45 (80%) were significantly less likely to restrain child passengers compared to people aged 45 or older (91%; p<0.05).

Discussion:This study highlights the problem that larger families in this study had in providing correct child restraints for all their children.
Children’s response to a commercial back-up warning device: Figure 1
Authors: Sapien R E , Widman Roux J , Fullerton-Gleason L
Published: March 2003

Objective:To determine preschool children’s response to a commercial back-up warning alarm in a mock setting of an automobile backing up.

Setting:Preschool parking lot in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

Methods:With subjects acting as their own controls, 33 preschoolers were asked to walk behind a stationary vehicle twice. The first time, the control, no warning sound was emitted from the vehicle. The second time, the vehicle was placed in reverse gear triggering an alarm. Children’s responses were recorded by a hidden video camera. Avoidance behavior by the child was considered a positive response. Location and distance to where the response occurred was measured.

Results:Thirty three children, 38–61 months, were studied. None responded to the alarm with avoidance behavior but 18 looked toward the vehicle or hesitated in their gait.

Conclusion:Although over half of the children acknowledged the warning alarm, the device did not elicit avoidance behavior. Mere acknowledgment of the warning device would not prevent injury.
How much science is there in injury prevention and control?
Authors: Smith C A , Shannon H S
Published: March 2003

Objectives:To determine what proportion of research papers at an injury prevention conference reported an evaluation.

Methods:A random sample of 250 abstracts from the 6th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Control were classified by methodological type. Those that described any evaluation were further subdivided by whether the evaluation was of process or if it used an intermediate or “true” outcome.

Results:Of 250 abstracts, 20 (8%; 95% confidence interval 5.0% to 12.1%) showed evaluations with intermediate or true outcomes. Research designs were weak. Among the 20 reports, none was a randomized trial and only two conducted a before and after study with control group. The remaining 17 used before-after or “after only” designs.

Conclusion:The conference papers included few evaluations. To ensure that resources are best used, those in the injury prevention field must increase their use of rigorous evaluation.
Diversity of trends in occupational injury mortality in the United States, 1980–96
Authors: Loomis D , Bena J F , Bailer A J
Published: March 2003

Objectives:Although the United States has generally enjoyed declining rates of fatal occupational injury, the rate of decline has not been uniform. To examine the heterogeneity of trends, changes in fatal occupational injury rates from 1980 to 1996 were estimated by occupation, industry, geographic region, and demographic group.

Methods:Deaths due to injury at work during 1980–96 were identified from the US National Traumatic Occupational Fatality database and populations at risk were estimated from the census of population. Mortality rates were computed for unintentional injuries, homicides, and all injuries combined. The annual rate of change was estimated using Poisson regression to model the death rate as a function of time.

Results:The estimated average rates for all fatal occupational injuries and for unintentional injuries declined by 3% per year, while the estimated rate of homicide declined <1% per year. The improvement was faster for men (3% per year) than for women (<1% per year) and for younger relative to older workers (7% per yearv2%–3% per year). Trends were also geographically heterogeneous, with the most rapid declines (7%–8% per year) in the South and West. Injury rates for most occupations and industries declined at near the average rate, but some experienced no change or an increase. The rate of homicide also increased in a number of occupations and industries.

Conclusions:Broad downward trends in occupational fatality rates may be explained by several factors, including organized safety efforts, product and process changes, and the ongoing shift of employment toward safer sectors. Disparities in fatal injury trends draw attention to potential opportunities to reduce risk: work settings with increasing injury rates are of particular concern.
Iterative methods for solving fixed‐point problems with nonself‐mappings in Banach spaces
Authors: Alber Yakov , Reich Simeon , Yao Jen-Chih
Published: March 2003

We study descent‐like approximation methods and proximal methods of the retraction type for solving fixed‐point problems with
nonself‐mappings in Hilbert and Banach spaces. We prove strong
and weak convergences for weakly contractive and nonexpansive
maps, respectively. We also establish the stability of these
methods with respect to perturbations of the operators and the
constraint sets.
Fixed points and periodic points of semiflows of holomorphic maps
Authors: Vesentini Edoardo
Published: March 2003

Let ϕ be a semiflow of holomorphic maps of a bounded domain
D in a complex Banach space. The general question arises under
which conditions the existence of a periodic orbit of ϕ implies that ϕ itself is periodic. An answer is provided, in the first part of this paper, in the case in which D is the open unit ball of a J∗‐algebra and ϕ acts isometrically. More precise results are provided when the J∗‐algebra is a Cartan factor of type one or a spin factor. The second part of this paper deals essentially with the discrete semiflow ϕ generated by the iterates of a holomorphic map. It investigates
how the existence of fixed points determines the asymptotic behaviour of the semiflow. Some of these results are extended to continuous semiflows.
Parabolic curves in ℂ3
Authors: Abate Marco , Tovena Francesca
Published: March 2003

We discuss a family of holomorphic self‐maps of ℂ3 tangent to the identity at the origin presenting dynamical phenomena not appearing for lower‐dimensional maps.