Fun ride or risky transport: Golf cart-related injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments from 2007 through 2017

Introduction: Golf cart-related injuries constitute a substantial source of morbidity, most notably in pediatric populations. Despite the high rate of injuries, there have been no meaningful changes in golf cart design or legislation to reduce the overall burden of these injuries. This study sought to characterize the epidemiology of golf cart-related injuries treated in United States hospital emergency departments. Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted by using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for patients of all ages who were treated in emergency departments (EDs) (2007–2017) for a golf cart-related injury. Results: From 2007 through 2017, an estimated 156,040 (95% CI = 102,402–209,679) patients were treated in U.S. EDs for golf cart-related injuries. The average rate of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children (1.62 per 100,000 children) was more than three times that of TBIs in adults (0.52 per 100,000 adults; rate ratio = 2.38; 95% CI = 2.36–2.41) and nearly twice that of TBIs in seniors (1.11 per 100,000 seniors; rate ratio = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.19–1.22). The rate of injuries in seniors increased significantly by 67.6% from 4.81 per 100,000 seniors in 2007 to 8.06 per 100,000 seniors in 2017 (slope = 0.096; p = 0.041). Conclusions: Golf cart use remains an important source of injury for people of all ages, especially in children. As use continues to increase, it is unlikely that golf cart-related injuries will decrease without substantial changes to product design, regulation, and/or legislation. Practical Applications: Use of golf carts pose a considerable risk of injury and morbidity; safety recommendations should be followed.     

镉胁迫对虾夷扇贝抗氧化防御系统的影响

实验研究了虾夷扇贝在96 h的急性毒性效应,以及不同浓度Cd2+(0,0.005,0.025,0.050,0.150和0.300 mg/L)对虾夷扇贝内脏团超氧化物岐化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和谷胱甘肽-过氧化物酶(GSH-PX)活力的影响,以探讨其用于污染暴露的生物标记的可行性。结果表明:虾夷扇贝96 h的LC50为1.73 mg/L;其95%的置信区间是1.58～1.90 mg/L;安全浓度为0.0173 mg/L。酶活力:0.025 mg/L及以上的各实验组SOD活力先上升后下降,在第3 d时达到峰值,与对照组呈显著差异(P<0.05);处理第6 d,各浓度组SOD活力有所下降,到第9 d时受到抑制;CAT活力在处理0.5 d时,0.025mg/L0、.150 mg/L和0.300 mg/L三个浓度组均受到显著诱导(P<0.05),处理第6 d时,各实验组酶活力开始受到抑制。两种酶对实验设计的Cd2+浓度反应敏感,呈现出"诱导-抑制"规律,对海洋Cd2+早期污染具有指示作用。GSH-PX对Cd2+污染没有SOD和CAT那样敏感,GSH-PX的各个实验组与对照组相比差异均不显著,因而它作为对海洋Cd2+早期污染指示物的意义不大。     

四溴双酚A在5种巢湖鱼类体内的组织分布与生物浓缩因子研究

利用SPE-HPLC法,分析了四溴双酚A（TBBPA）在巢湖5种经济鱼类体内的组织分布及生物浓缩因子.结果表明,TBBPA在5种鱼体内的平均含量（以干重计）为4.70～11.20 ng.g-1,高低排序为白鱼〉白鲢〉鳙鱼〉鲤鱼〉长吻鮠.不同器官中,白鱼、鳙鱼、鲤鱼和长吻鮠的肾脏中TBBPA含量最高,其次为肝脏和鳃,腹部和背部组织含量较低,无显著脂肪蓄积效应.白鲢体内肝脏的TBBPA含量最高,肾脏和鳃次之.对白鱼各组织中TBBPA含量与体重间的相关关系分析表明,肝脏、肾脏和鳃中TBBPA浓度随体重的增加而增大,而背部、腹部无显著相关关系.同时测得巢湖水体中TBBPA平均浓度为0.52μg.L-1,计算得到5种鱼的生物浓缩因子为9.56～22.64,表明TBBPA在巢湖鱼体中的浓缩效应不显著.     

长期暴露于全氟十三酸的青鳉鱼体内分布和生物富集

研究了将青鳉鱼长期暴露于不同浓度的全氟羧酸类物质全氟十三酸(PFTriDA)后的器官分布和富集系数.结果显示, PFTriDA最高富集在性腺;其次是卵、肝脏;浓度最低的部分是残体.除了性腺之外,该器官分布与野生中华鲟的一致.在相同暴露浓度下,雄鱼体内各器官的PFTriDA的含量高于雌鱼,机理模型计算进一步表明高母子传递系数是造成雌雄差异的可能原因.随着PFTriDA暴露浓度的升高,鱼体内同一器官的生物富集系数(BCF)呈现下降趋势.     

镉对单环刺螠非特异性免疫及组织蓄积的影响

为探究镉(Cd)对海洋动物的毒性效应,考察了不同质量浓度(0.005、0.05和0.5 mg·L~(-1)) Cd处理对单环刺螠相关免疫生理指标及主要组织中Cd蓄积量的影响。结果表明:Cd胁迫下,血细胞密度(density of hemocyte, DHC)先升后降再升,酚氧化酶(phenoloxidase, PO)活力先升后降,溶菌酶(lysozyme, LSZ)活力先降后升再降,至处理96 h,处理组DHC均显著高于对照组(P0.05),总蛋白含量变化不显著;除低浓度胁迫组(0.005 mg·L~(-1))PO活力与对照组相近外,其他处理组的PO和LSZ活力均显著低于对照组(P0.05)。超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase, SOD)活力和丙二醛(malondialdehyde, MDA)含量总体呈上升趋势,过氧化氢(H_2O_2)含量先升后降再升,至胁迫96 h,各处理组SOD活力、MDA和H_2O_2含量均显著高于对照组(P0.05)。总之,Cd胁迫对单环刺螠非特异性免疫影响显著,Cd的短期胁迫可刺激DHC、PO和LSZ升高,免疫力增强,而高浓度Cd的胁迫时间较长会造成机体解毒能力下降,持续刺激机体产生过氧化反应,MDA含量升高,可作为单环刺螠在Cd长期胁迫下的免疫检测指标。不同胁迫浓度组单环刺螠肌肉和消化道中的Cd含量随胁迫时间均呈上升趋势,且存在显著的时间-剂量-效应关系(P0.05),其蓄积量水平为:消化道肌肉,具有组织特异性。     

彗星电泳法测定双酚A对雄性幼龄小鼠脑细胞的DNA损伤

双酚A是一种日常生活中无处不在的环境雌激素,具有生殖和神经毒性,但低剂量长期暴露对发育期青少年的危害性常常被低估或忽视。本研究以4周龄雄性清洁级小鼠为实验对象,以茶油作为溶媒对照,分别以双酚A浓度为0μg·m L-1、0.1μg·m L-1、10μg·m L-1和1 000μg·m L-1的茶油灌胃小鼠8周,然后利用彗星电泳法检测各组小鼠脑细胞的DNA损伤。结果显示,不同浓度双酚A暴露8周后,彗星电泳图像显示小鼠脑细胞DNA出现不同程度的损伤,随着暴露剂量的增加,带有彗尾的脑细胞比率从对照组小鼠的9.5%分别升高到暴露组小鼠的34.5%、36.0%和50.5%,细胞总体的尾部DNA含量、尾长和尾矩也都逐渐增加,而且各双酚A暴露组小鼠与溶媒对照组小鼠脑细胞都具有显著性差异(P0.01),这说明中长期双酚A暴露(包括低浓度环境暴露)会导致雄性幼龄小鼠脑细胞的DNA损伤。     

DEHP暴露对鲤鱼肾脑生物标志物的影响

为探讨邻苯二甲酸二乙基己酯(DEHP)对鱼类肾、脑组织生物标志物的影响,将鲤鱼分别在浓度为5、20、80、160 mg·L~(-1)的DEHP水体,暴露20 d,以水和吐温-80为对照,测定肾脑组织中多种酶活性和丙二醛(MDA)含量的变化。结果表明:与水对照组相比,吐温-80组所测各项指标,差异均不显著。与水和吐温-80对照组相比,各染毒组,肾脏中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性和抗羟自由基、抗超氧阴离子的活力均显著降低(P0.05或P0.01)。谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)酶活性呈现先升高后降低,在5、20、80 mg·L~(-1)浓度组显著升高(P0.05)。丙二醛(MDA)含量在80、160 mg·L~(-1)浓度下,显著升高(P0.05),但脑组织中变化不显著。脑中一氧化氮合酶(NOS)在各浓度组显著升高(P0.05或P0.01);乙酰胆碱酯酶(ACh E)在80、160 mg·L~(-1)时降低显著(P0.05);钙调神经磷酸酶(CaN)呈先升高后降低的趋势,在20 mg·L~(-1)下,升高显著(P0.01),在80、160 mg·L~(-1)浓度组,降低极显著(P0.01);抗羟自由基、抗超氧阴离子活性均显著下降(P0.05或P0.01)。可见,在实验浓度范围内,DEHP对鲤鱼具有一定免疫毒性和神经毒性,进一步的机理有待研究。     

Effect of Aging on Brain Injury Prediction in Rotational Head Trauma—A Parameter Study with a Rat Finite Element Model

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of age-related intracranial changes on the potential outcome of diffuse axonal injuries and acute subdural hematoma under rotational head loading.

Methods: A simulation-based parametric study was conducted using an updated and validated finite element model of a rat head. The validation included a comparison of predicted brain cortex sliding with respect to the skull. Further, model material properties were modified to account for aging; predicted tissue strains were compared with experimental data in which groups of rats in 2 different lifecycle stages, young adult and mature adult, were subjected to rotational trauma. For the parameter study, 2 age-dependent factors—brain volume and region-specific brain material properties—were implemented into the model. The models young adult and old age were subjected to several injurious and subinjurious sagittal plane rotational acceleration levels.

Results: Sequential analysis of the simulated trauma progression indicates that an increase in acute subdural hematoma injury risk indicator occurs at an early stage of the trauma, whereas an increase in diffuse axonal injury risk indicators occurs at a later stage. Tissue stiffening from young adult to mature adult rats produced an increase in strain-based thresholds accompanied by a wider spread of strain distribution toward the rear part of the brain, consistent with rotational trauma experiments with young adult and mature adult rats. Young adult to old age brain tissue softening and brain atrophy resulted in an increase in diffuse axonal injuries and acute subdural hematoma injury risk indicators, respectively.

Conclusions: The findings presented in this study suggest that age-specific injury thresholds should be developed to enable the development of superior restraint systems for the elderly. The findings also motivate other further studies on age-dependency of head trauma.     

甲醛对原癌基因c-myc、MDM2及抑癌基因p53的影响

为研究吸入性甲醛的毒性能否进入动物骨髓组织,引起骨髓组织基因表达发生改变,选择小鼠某些原癌基因和抑癌基因为研究对象,以SPF级balb/c雄性小鼠为材料,采用动态吸入方式染毒2周(5+2模式),染毒浓度分别为0, 0.5, 3.0mg/m3,用半定量RT-PCR方法检测不同浓度甲醛对小鼠染毒后骨髓组织细胞中c-myc、MDM2和p53基因表达的变化.结果表明,在不同浓度的甲醛暴露条件下,与空白对照组相比,小鼠骨髓组织中的c-myc基因,MDM2基因和p53基因表达均发生改变,在3.0mg/m3浓度组与空白对照组存在显著差异(P<0.05), c-myc基因,MDM2基因呈现表达上调,p53基因则呈现表达下调.吸入性甲醛的毒性能进入动物骨髓组织,并能引起骨髓组织基因表达发生改变.     

四溴双酚A在鲫鱼不同器官中的分布、富集及病理研究

研究了将鲫鱼(Carassius auratus)长期暴露于不同浓度的四溴双酚A(TBBPA)后的器官组织分布和浓缩富集系数,同时对不同暴露时间的鲫鱼不同器官病理切片进行了观察.结果显示,各浓度组鲫鱼肝脏和肾脏的TBBPA含量都表现出先升高后下降的趋势,鳃和肌肉中TBBPA含量只有在高浓度时呈现相同的趋势.病理切片显示鲫鱼肝脏、肾脏和鳃等器官组织均表现出时间-剂量依赖性的病理损伤,在相同暴露浓度下,雄鱼的性腺损伤程度高于雌鱼.