A biomechanical shoulder strain index based on stabilizing demand of shoulder joint

Abstract

Work-related shoulder joint disorders contribute considerably to absenteeism in the workplace. To identify the tasks that are stressful to the shoulder joint, a strain index was formulated based on the concept of concavity compression—a shoulder stabilizing mechanism. The magnitude and direction of the shoulder joint reaction forces were used in formulating the strain index. A two phase experiment was conducted. In Phase 1, participants performed 30 different manual handling tasks. The tasks were categorized into low, medium and high strain tasks based on their strain index values. In Phase 2, out of the 30 tasks, repetitive exertions of three tasks (low, medium and high strain index values) were simulated using three external loads (0.91, 1.81 and 2.72?kg). The muscle activity data recorded from eight shoulder muscles showed that tasks with higher strain index values induced significantly greater activation and muscle fatigue than tasks with lower strain index values.Practitioner Summary: The strain index developed in this study is a conclusive estimation of the concavity compression required for shoulder joint stabilization. It can be used to identify the activities that may contribute to the risks of shoulder disorders. Abbreviation BLS Bureau of the Labor Statistics

     

Enzymatic interesterification of palm and coconut stearin blends

Hard fractions of palm oil and coconut oil, blended in the ratios of 90:10, 85:15, 80:20 and 75:25, were interesterified for 8 h using Lipozyme TL IM. Major fatty acids in the blends were palmitic acid (41.7–48.4%) and oleic acid (26.2–30.8%). Medium‐chain fatty acids accounted for 4.5–13.1% of the blends. After interesterification (IE), slip melting point was found to decrease from 44.8–46.8 °C to 28.5–34.0 °C owing to reduction in solids content at all temperatures. At 37.5 °C, the blends containing 25% coconut stearins had 17.4–19% solids, which reduced to 0.4–1.5% on IE, and the slip melting point (28.6 and 28.8 °C) indicated their suitability as margarine base. The reduction in solid fat index of the interesterified fats is attributed to the decrease in high‐melting triacylglycerols in palm oil (GS₃ and GS₂U type) and increase in triolein (GU₃) content from 1 to 9.2%. Retention of tocopherols and β‐carotene during IE was 76 and 60.1%, respectively, in 75:25 palm stearin and coconut stearin blend.     

Rock quality classification and stability evaluation of undersea deposit based on M-IRMR

The mine improvement of rock mass rating (M-IRMR) evaluation method was put forward based on the existing theory of the rock quality classification and the stability evaluation in the undersea deposit of Sanshandao Gold Mine, China. The M-IRMR evaluation method includes 9 evaluation indexes which are rock compressive strength, rock quality index RQD, joint spacing, joint state, groundwater state, joint direction, ground stress, blasting vibration, and exposed area, respectively. During the evaluation process, according to the special features of the undersea deposit, the rock mass rating (RMR) method was used as the foundation, and the four geological parameters (i.e., rock compressive strength, rock quality index, joint spacing, and ground stress) were modified. The computing methods of the two engineering factors (blasting vibration and exposed area) were presented. The M-IRMR rock quality classification and stability evaluation method was applied in the level of −420 to −690 m in the undersea deposit of Sanshandao Gold Mine and the classification results were consistent with the actual situations, which can provide a scientific basis for choosing the suitable mining method and stope support system of the undersea deposit.     

Improvements to the structural condition index (SCI) for pavement structural evaluation at network level

Structural evaluation provides valuable information about the expected behaviour and response of pavements and can be used at the network level of pavement management to prioritise projects. The falling weight deflectometer (FWD) can be used to identify the beginning and end of management sections and group pavement sections with similar structural capacities. The structural condition index (SCI) was developed as a screening tool for the pavement network-level evaluation, and the FWD data are used to determine the SCI. For the successful implementation of the SCI concept at the network level, one of the critical issues is the accuracy of the index. This article evaluates the accuracy of the SCI and also discusses a concept and procedure how to improve the SCI and its algorithm for low-volume flexible pavements. A case study (Texas) illustrates that the original SCI algorithm underestimates the existing structural condition, resulting in overestimated treatments in the pavement maintenance and rehabilitation.     

基于应变监测的梁式桥横向分布状态指标研究

以监测技术为背景,研究了一种以应变监测为信息来源的横向分布状态指标,通过该指标,判断梁式桥的横向连接状态,为桥梁大修提供决策依据。通过某桥的实际例子,验证了该方法的可行性。     

基于并联机构调姿的大部件支撑点优选

为了提高基于并联机构形式的数字化调姿装置的操作性能和支撑稳定性等,对部件上的支撑点位置进行了优化选择。建立了该定位调姿装置的运动学模型,根据分支机构运动链的矢量图形,求解了定位调姿装置的位置方程及机构雅克比矩阵;根据机构雅克比矩阵建立了调姿装置的灵活度、承载力和刚度等性能评价指标;根据定位雅克比矩阵建立了调姿装置对部件定位时的支撑稳定性指标;对上述指标进行综合评价,根据指标的优化得到了部件的优化支撑点位置。分析结果表明:基于并联机构形式的大部件调姿装置的性能评价指标和位姿无关,支撑稳定性和姿态有关,且各指标依赖于初始支撑点的选择,以上结论为大部件定位支撑点的选择提供了参考。     

Woody Breast短期贮藏中肉质的变化

为研究近年来速生型肉鸡鸡胸肉硬度缺陷(woody/wooden breast,WB)俗称"木质肉"在短期贮藏中生肉肉质参数的变化。实验选取68只42日龄Cobb 500肉鸡作为研究对象,经宰杀后人工分级为低(normal,NORM)、高(severe,SEV)两组(n=34只/组)。在不同时间节点下(1、3、8 d)对所有样本测定质量、挤压力(compression force,CF)、滴水损失(drip loss,DL)、肌节长度(sarcomere length,SL)及肉破碎化指数(gravimetric fragmentation index,GFI)。对所有参数进行组间(不同WB等级间,不同时间节点)显著性分析,同时对各参数与WB等级间进行相关性分析。结果表明:SEV样本质量、CF、SL、GFI在贮藏时间节点处都显著高于NORM样本(P0.05),DL在1 d时NORM与SEV间无差异,在3~8 d时显著上升(P0.05)。CF、SL、GFI在1~3 d时,所有样本都显著减小(P0.05),3~8 d时CF无显著变化(P0.05),SL、GFI在NORM样本间无差异但在SEV样本间继续减小(P0.05)。相关性分析表明,CF、累积DL与WB等级极显著相关(P0.01),SL、GFI随时间变化与WB硬度减小存在联系。综上可知,SEV生肉肉质较NORM差,WB硬度随贮藏时间变长而减小,但其生肉品质并不会发生改变,因此对WB检测应在宰杀当天在线进行,且WB硬度由多种原因共同作用导致。     

Dynamic pushing on three frictional surfaces: maximum acceptable forces,cardiopulmonary and calf muscle metabolic responses in healthy men

Pushing is an important materials handling activity in many occupations; however, pushing-related physiological investigations are still in infancy. The purpose was to evaluate maximum acceptable forces and physiological responses while pushing on: treadmill (TREAD); plywood floor (PLY); and Teflon floor (TEF). Acceptable forces, cardiopulmonary and calf muscle oxygenation and blood volume responses were collected simultaneously while 12 men (age 39 ± 13 years; height 178 ± 6 cm; and body mass 91.5 ± 16 kg) pushed for 2 h on each surface at their psychophysical workload. Participants selected higher forces on the PLY, resulting in higher pulmonary oxygen uptake compared to that of TEF (by ～9%) and TREAD (by ～18%). Pushing on the TEF demonstrated 50–56% lower blood volume changes and 1.5–1.8 times more oxygenation-force ratio than that for other surfaces. It is concluded that, to avoid a potential slip, participants were conservative in selecting acceptable forces to push on the slippery TEF. Part of this compensatory strategy on the TEF resulted in less muscle activity and, therefore, less demand for oxygen delivery to the calf muscle than for other surfaces. The present findings of significant force- and physiological-related differences in treadmill vs. high inertia pushcart clearly demonstrate that pushing experiments are essential to evaluate functional abilities of the workers.     

城市树木致伤风险可视化评估：以武汉市 中山公园为例

城市中的树木能提供多种生态系统服务，但树木倒 伏、树枝坠落也可能致人伤害，评估城市树木风险能有效地预 防伤害发生、保障人身安全。但当前研究的评估维度多聚焦于 树木自身，对城市人群致伤可能性的考量较少。建构了风险严 重性、风险可能性和致伤潜力3个维度的城市树木致伤风险指 数(I UTIR)评估方法，以武汉市中山公园为例展开树木致伤风险 评估，并分析了树木自身风险、致伤潜力与致伤风险之间的空 间关系。研究发现：68.7%的区域中，树木自身风险与致伤潜 力之间的空间关系呈现正相关性，25.1%的区域呈现负相关 性。在此基础上，提出了预防树木致伤风险的管理建议。为公 园规划设计和树木风险管理策略提供参考，从而减弱树木致伤 风险对人体健康的影响。