Sex and gender differences are often overlooked in research design, study implementation and scientific reporting, as well as in general science communication. This oversight limits the generalizability of research findings and their applicability to clinical practice, in particular for women but also for men. This article describes the rationale for an international set of guidelines to encourage a more systematic approach to the reporting of sex and gender in research across disciplines. A panel of 13 experts representing nine countries developed the guidelines through a series of teleconferences, conference presentations and a 2-day workshop. An internet survey of 716 journal editors, scientists and other members of the international publishing community was conducted as well as a literature search on sex and gender policies in scientific publishing. The Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines are a comprehensive procedure for reporting of sex and gender information in study design, data analyses, results and interpretation of findings. The SAGER guidelines are designed primarily to guide authors in preparing their manuscripts, but they are also useful for editors, as gatekeepers of science, to integrate assessment of sex and gender into all manuscripts as an integral part of the editorial process.

/pdf/sex-and-gender-equity-in-research-rationale-for-the-sager-2zmphmavo5.pdf

Sex and Gender Equity in Research: rationale for the SAGER guidelines and recommended use

Abbreviated Injury Scale

More and more vehicles are being equipped with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems. These systems intend to help the driver avoid or mitigate accidents by automatically applying the brakes prior to an accident. Initially only rear-end collision were addressed but over time more accident types are incorporated and brakes are applied earlier and stronger, in order to increase the velocity reduction before the accident occurs. This paper describes one of the latest AEB systems called Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection (CWAB-PD). It helps the driver with avoiding both rear-end and pedestrian accidents by providing a warning and, if necessary, automatic braking using full braking power. A limited set of accident scenarios is selected to illustrate the theoretical and practical performance of this system. It is shown that the CWAB-PD system can avoid accidents up to 35 km/h and can mitigate accidents achieving an impact speed reduction of 35 km/h. To the best of the authors knowledge CWAB-PD is the only system on the market that automatically can avoid accidents with pedestrians.

Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection - a practical example of Automatic Emergency Braking

Child passenger safety has dramatically evolved over the past decade; however, motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death of children 4 years and older. This policy statement provides 4 evidence-based recommendations for best practices in the choice of a child restraint system to optimize safety in passenger vehicles for children from birth through adolescence: (1) rear-facing car safety seats for most infants up to 2 years of age; (2) forward-facing car safety seats for most children through 4 years of age; (3) belt-positioning booster seats for most children through 8 years of age; and (4) lap-and-shoulder seat belts for all who have outgrown booster seats. In addition, a fifth evidence-based recommendation is for all children younger than 13 years to ride in the rear seats of vehicles. It is important to note that every transition is associated with some decrease in protection; therefore, parents should be encouraged to delay these transitions for as long as possible. These recommendations are presented in the form of an algorithm that is intended to facilitate implementation of the recommendations by pediatricians to their patients and families and should cover most situations that pediatricians will encounter in practice. The American Academy of Pediatrics urges all pediatricians to know and promote these recommendations as part of child passenger safety anticipatory guidance at every health-supervision visit.

/pdf/policy-statement-child-passenger-safety-pocr0vw1dr.pdf

Policy Statement—Child Passenger Safety

Child passenger safety has dramatically evolved over the past decade; however, motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children 4 years and older. This policy statement provides 4 evidence-based recommendations for best practices in the choice of a child restraint system to optimize safety in passenger vehicles for children from birth through adolescence: (1) rear-facing car safety seats as long as possible; (2) forward-facing car safety seats from the time they outgrow rear-facing seats for most children through at least 4 years of age; (3) belt-positioning booster seats from the time they outgrow forward-facing seats for most children through at least 8 years of age; and (4) lap and shoulder seat belts for all who have outgrown booster seats. In addition, a fifth evidence-based recommendation is for all children younger than 13 years to ride in the rear seats of vehicles. It is important to note that every transition is associated with some decrease in protection; therefore, parents should be encouraged to delay these transitions for as long as possible. These recommendations are presented in the form of an algorithm that is intended to facilitate implementation of the recommendations by pediatricians to their patients and families and should cover most situations that pediatricians will encounter in practice. The American Academy of Pediatrics urges all pediatricians to know and promote these recommendations as part of child passenger safety anticipatory guidance at every health supervision visit.

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/127/4/e1050.full.pdf

Child Passenger Safety

WHIPS-Volvo's Whiplash Protection Study

A study was carried out using detailed traffic accident data from rear-end car collisions involving Volvo cars. Vehicle and occupant related parameters influencing the risk of neck injury were identified. A new humanlike occupant model was developed in MADYMO-format comprising a mechanical equivalent of the complex spine. The motions of the occupant model were compared to volunteer data from a corresponding rear-end impact situation. The biofidelity of the model was found to be adequate for qualitative assessment of the influence of occupant and vehicle related parameters on the occupant response. Tensile and shear forces between adjacent vertebrae, head angular acceleration and "flow" of the lower cervical spine were found to best predict risk of injury in this model. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 881069.

Analysis of different head and neck responses in rear-end car collisions using a new humanlike mathematical model

This paper is based on 25.000 crashes which occurred in Sweden between 1976 and 1996. The analysis is carried out on a subset of 4242 child occupants between 0 and 15 years of age, restrained and unrestrained. A positive trend to more frequent use of child restraint systems (CRS) in Sweden, during the last 20 years, is shown in the paper. During the same period, the overall injury risk, for different age groups of child occupants, has decreased substantially. This indicates the high effectiveness of CRS. Children need car occupant safety systems specifically designed for their size. The paper clearly states the need for child safety systems, and discusses benefits and drawbacks with regard to different restraints, ages, and injuries. The analysis points out, that when a crash occurs, the maximum effect of a CRS is not reached, if the child is not using the correct system for his/her size. There is even a tendency that the injury risk increases when children switch from one restraint system to another, that is to say when they are at the youngest ages for which the specific restraint is recommended. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 899572.

Hans Norin

Papers

WHIPS-Volvo's Whiplash Protection Study

Analysis of different head and neck responses in rear-end car collisions using a new humanlike mathematical model

Trends and Effects of Child Restraint Systems Based on Volvo's Swedish Accident Database

Rearward-facing child seats--the safest car restraint for children?

Parameters influencing AIS 1 neck injury outcome in frontal impacts.