Presently, most passive safety tests are performed with a precisely specified seat position and carefully seated ATD (anthropomorphic test device) dummies. Facing the development of autonomous vehicles, as well as the need for safety verification during crashes with various seat positions such research is even more urgently needed. Apart from the numerical environment, the existing testing equipment is not validated to perform such an investigation. For example, ATDs are not validated for nonstandard seatback positions, and the most accurate method of such research is volunteer tests. The study presented here was performed on a sled test rig utilizing a 50cc Hybrid III dummy according to a full factorial experiment. In addition, input factors were selected in order to verify a safe test condition for surrogate testing. The measured value was head acceleration, which was used for calculation of a head injury criterion. What was found was an optimal seat angle −117°—at which the head injury criteria had the lowest represented value. Moreover, preliminary body dynamics showed a danger of whiplash occurrence for occupants in a fully-reclined seat.

Shiitake mushrooms have been highly regarded as possessing enormous nutritive and medicinal values. No clinical studies have yet investigated the effect of shitake supplementation on the health of horses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of shiitake mushroom supplementation on the morphological and biochemical blood properties in horses. A total of 17 adult horses were divided into two groups: supplemented and control. The supplemented group was fed 60 g of shiitake mushrooms per day for 5 months. Blood samples were collected in five sessions. Blood morphological analysis showed higher levels of lymphocytes in session 3 and monocytes in session 4 in the supplemented group. In addition, basophils, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were elevated compared to the control group. Biochemical analysis showed that the shiitake mushrooms affected a large number of parameters. In particular, alkaline phosphatase was found to be the most sensitive to shitake mushroom supplementation, for which the statistical differences were significant for sessions 2, 4, and 5. Furthermore, calcium was found to be affected by supplementation only in session 4, and gamma-glutamyl transferase in session 2. In addition, the bilirubin and glucose levels were lower in the supplemented group, and the albumin/globulin ratio was higher compared to the control group. The differences between the supplement and the control group in various sessions suggest that shiitake mushrooms are a beneficial nutritional supplement for horses.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the toxicological impacts of exhaust generated during the combustion process of aviation fuel containing synthesized hydrocarbons.Design/methodology/approach: Tests on aircraft turbine engines in full scale are complex and expensive. Therefore, a miniature turbojet engine was used in this paper as a source of exhaust gases. Toxicity was tested using innovative BAT–CELL Bio–Ambient Cell method, which consists of determination of real toxic impact of the exhaust gases on the human lung A549 and mouse L929 cells. The research was of a comparative nature. The engine was powered by a conventional jet fuel and a blend of conventional jet fuel with synthesized hydrocarbons.Findings: The results show that the BAT–CELL method allows determination of the real exhaust toxicity during the combustion process in a turbine engine. The addition of a synthetic component to conventional jet fuel affected the reduction of toxicity of exhaust gases. It was confirmed for both tested cell lines.Originality/value: In the literature related to the area of aviation, numerous publications in the field of testing the emission of exhaust gaseous components, particulates or volatile organic compounds can be found. However, there is a lack of research related to the evaluation of the real exhaust toxicity. In addition, it appears that the data given in aviation sector, mainly related to the emission levels of gaseous exhaust components (CO, Nox and HC) and particulate matters, might be insufficient. To fully describe the engine exhaust emissions, they should be supplemented with additional tests, i.e. in terms of toxicity.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present an assessment method of the toxicity emission evaluation during combustion in the miniature turbojet engine. Design/methodology/approach: A small-scale turbojet engine was used for the research because measurements on real aircraft turbines are complex and expensive. The experiment was performed in accordance with innovative BAT – CELL Bio – Ambient Cell method which consists of determination of virtual toxic impact of the gas mixture on the living cells; it is therefore a direct method. The most significant innovation of this method is that, during the test, which consists of exposing the cells to the gas mixture, the cells are deprived of culture fluid. Findings: The preliminary analysis shows that the method used here allows to determine the virtual impact of the gases on the human respiratory system and skin. It could be useful in defining the arduousness of an airport. The obtained results show that both of exhaust gases represent similar toxicity. Practical implications: The new in vitro method allows to determine the virtual impact of the gases on the human respiratory system and skin. Significant potential for further research not only on the miniaturised engines, but also in the case of real objects, as this method does not have to be performed in a laboratory. Originality/value: The work presents potential application of the innovatory method for exhaust gases toxicity evaluation in jet engines, which could be useful in defining the arduousness of an airport.

The aim of this study was to compare the head displacement of the KPSIT C50 dummy, representing a 50th percentile male, with the KPSIT C5 dummy, representing a 5th percentile female, during low-speed collisions. Low-speed collisions, such as those occurring in urban traffic jams, are increasingly common. The research was conducted on a dedicated educational workstation designed to measure forces in seat belts. This study is part of a comprehensive research project on crash tests involving both volunteers and physical KPSIT dummies. The tests were conducted at a speed of 20 km/h to simulate real-world low-speed collision scenarios. The findings demonstrate that using a sports bucket seat with four-point or five-point harnesses significantly reduces head displacement compared with standard car seats. Such seating configurations enhance safety by minimizing the risk of head injuries, which can occur when airbags do not deploy during low-speed collisions. Moreover, the study highlights that standard three-point seat belts allow for greater forward head movement, increasing the risk of head contact with the vehicle’s interior during collisions at speeds too low to trigger airbag deployment.

The dynamic loads acting on passengers during road accidents depend not only on the vehicle structure, but also on the properties of the applied passenger and driver protection system. Two-point seat belts are the most frequently used personal protection system for adult passengers in bus vehicles. The paper investigates the thread of dynamic loads acting on the body of a 50 percentile dummy placed in an armchair equipped with two-point seat belts. In order to solve this problem, tests recorded with the Phantom v310 camera were used, the object of which was the Hybrid II 50th dummy, and the recording of the tests was carried out for three different collision speeds. The article presents the results of the crash tests obtained with the use of the TEMA Automotive program. Crash test analysis showing the displacement of the head and upper torso of the dummy located in the limited space between the bus-type seats indicates that standard seat belts do not provide sufficient protection. The article indicates the basis for further research and improvement of the personal protection system of passengers transported in minibuses and buses.