A standing vehicle occupant is likely to sustain a more severe injury than one who has flexed knees in an under‐vehicle explosion : a cadaveric study

The lower limb of military vehicle occupants has been the most injured body part due to undervehicle explosions in recent conflicts. Understanding the injury mechanism and causality of injury severity could aid in developing better protection. Therefore, we tested 4 different occupant postures (seated, brace, standing, standing with knee locked in hyper‐extension) in a simulated under‐vehicle explosion (solid blast) using our traumatic injury simulator in the laboratory; we hypothesised that occupant posture would affect injury severity. No skeletal injury was observed in the specimens in seated and braced postures. Severe, impairing injuries were observed in the foot of standing and hyper‐extended specimens. These results demonstrate that a vehicle occupant whose posture at the time of the attack incorporates knee flexion is more likely to be protected against severe skeletal injury to the lower leg.

Maintenance instructions, direct support/general support maintenance : M128 ground vehicle mine dispenser (1095-00-397-3456).

"September 1984."

Operator's manual : M128 ground vehicle mine dispenser (1095-00-397-3456).

Includes indexes.

Maintenance instructions, direct support/general support maintenance : M128 ground vehicle mine dispenser (1095-00-397-3456).

"September 1984"--Vol. 4.

Organizational, maintenance, repair parts, and special tools list : M128 ground vehicle mine dispenser (1095-00-397-3456).

"September 1984."

Maintenance instructions, organizational maintenance : M128 ground vehicle mine dispenser (1095-00-397-3456).

"September 1984."

Design of a traumatic injury simulator for assessing lower limb response to high loading rates

Current military conflicts are characterized by the use of the improvised explosive device. Improvements in personal protection, medical care, and evacuation logistics have resulted in increasing numbers of casualties surviving with complex musculoskeletal injuries, often leading to lifelong disability. Thus, there exists an urgent requirement to investigate the mechanism of extremity injury caused by these devices in order to develop mitigation strategies. In addition, the wounds of war are no longer restricted to the battlefield; similar injuries can be witnessed in civilian centers following a terrorist attack. Key to understanding such mechanisms of injury is the ability to deconstruct the complexities of an explosive event into a controlled, laboratory-based environment. In this article, a traumatic injury simulator, designed to recreate in the laboratory the impulse that is transferred to the lower extremity from an anti-vehicle explosion, is presented and characterized experimentally and numerically. Tests with instrumented cadaveric limbs were then conducted to assess the simulator’s ability to interact with the human in two mounting conditions, simulating typical seated and standing vehicle passengers. This experimental device will now allow us to (a) gain comprehensive understanding of the load-transfer mechanisms through the lower limb, (b) characterize the dissipating capacity of mitigation technologies, and (c) assess the bio-fidelity of surrogates.

The comparative behaviour of two combat boots under impact

Background Improvised explosive devices have become the characteristic weapon of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. While little can be done to mitigate against the effects of blast in free-field explosions, scaled blast simulations have shown that the combat boot can attenuate the effects on the vehicle occupants of anti-vehicular mine blasts. Although the combat boot offers some protection to the lower limb, its behaviour at the energies seen in anti-vehicular mine blast has not been documented previously. Methods The sole of eight same-size combat boots from two brands currently used by UK troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan were impacted at energies of up to 518 J, using a spring-assisted drop rig. Results The results showed that the Meindl Desert Fox combat boot consistently experienced a lower peak force at lower impact energies and a longer time-to-peak force at higher impact energies when compared with the Lowa Desert Fox combat boot. Discussion This reduction in the peak force and extended rise time, resulting in a lower energy transfer rate, is a potentially positive mitigating effect in terms of the trauma experienced by the lower limb. Conclusion Currently, combat boots are tested under impact at the energies seen during heel strike in running. Through the identification of significantly different behaviours at high loading, this study has shown that there is rationale in adding the performance of combat boots under impact at energies above those set out in international standards to the list of criteria for the selection of a combat boot.

Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes as a live vaccine vehicle for the induction of protective anti-viral cell-mediated immunity.

Listeria monocytogenes (LM) is a Gram-positive bacterium that is able to enter host cells, escape from the endocytic vesicle, multiply within the cytoplasm, and spread directly from cell to cell without encountering the extracellular milieu. The ability of LM to gain access to the host cell cytosol allows proteins secreted by the bacterium to efficiently enter the pathway for major histocompatibility complex class I antigen processing and presentation. We have established a genetic system for expression and secretion of foreign antigens by recombinant strains, based on stable site-specific integration of expression cassettes into the LM genome. The ability of LM recombinants to induce protective immunity against a heterologous pathogen was demonstrated with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). LM strains expressing the entire LCMV nucleoprotein or an H-2Ld-restricted nucleoprotein epitope (aa 118-126) were constructed. Immunization of mice with LM vaccine strains conferred protection against challenge with virulent strains of LCMV that otherwise establish chronic infection in naive adult mice. In vivo depletion of CD8+ T cells from vaccinated mice abrogated their ability to clear viral infection, showing that protective anti-viral immunity was due to CD8+ T cells.

Vehicle anti-theft security system design. Volume II: technical report. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Vehicle anti-theft security system design. Volume I: summary report. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

A manual of anti-theft guidelines for state motor vehicle titling programs.

Mode of access: Internet.

Unit maintenance : carrier, personnel, full tracked, armored, M113A2, 2350-01-068-4077; carrier, command post, light tracked, M577A2, 2350-01-068-4089; carrier, mortar, 107-mm, M30, self-propelled, M106A2, 2350-01-069-6931; carrier, mortar, 81-mm, M29A1, self-propelled, M125A2, 2350-01-068-4087; chassis, gun, anti-aircraft artillery ... carrier, smoke generator, full tracked ... combat vehicle, anti-tank ....

"July 1990--[Vol. 2].

Organizational, direct support, and general support maintenance repair parts and special tools list for combat vehicle, anti-tank, improved TOW vehicle, M901A1, NSN 2350-01-103-5641 (EIC: AEV).

"October 1992."

Hand receipt covering contents of Components of End Item (COEI), Basic Issued Items (BII), and Additional Authorization List (AAL) for combat vehicle, anti-tank : improved tow vehicle, M901 (2350-01-045-1123).

"April 1983."