Traumatic brain injury-related hospitalizations and deaths among American Indians and Alaska natives — United States, 2008–2014

IntroductionDespite progress, injury remains the leading cause of preventable death for American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN), aged 1 to 44. There are few publications on injuries among the AI/AN population, especially those on traumatic brain injury (TBI). A TBI can cause short- or long-term changes in cognition, communication, and/or emotion. Methods: To describe changes over time in TBI incidence by mechanism of injury, injury intent, and age group among AI/ANs, the CDC analyzed hospitalization and death data from the 2008–2014 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), respectively. Results: From 2008-2014, the incidence of TBI-related hospitalizations increased by 32% (1,477 in 2008 to 1,945 in 2014) and resulted in a 21% increase in age-adjusted rates of people hospitalized with TBI. TBI-related deaths increased in number (569 in 2008 to 644 in 2014) and age-adjusted rate (22.7 in 2008 to 25.4 in 2014) by approximately 13% and 12%, respectively. Motor-vehicle crashes were the leading cause of TBI-related deaths among AI/ANs aged 0–54 years. Practical application: Prevention efforts should focus on increasing motor-vehicle safety and advancing prevention strategies for other leading causes of TBI, including: falls, intentional self-harm, and assaults.     

Prenatal diagnosis of harlequin ichthyosis by fetal skin biopsy; Report of two cases

Two cases of harlequin ichthyosis were successfully diagnosed prenatally by fetal skin biopsy. The aborted fetuses were later confirmed to be afflicted with this very unusual skin disease. Both families had a previous history of harlequin ichthyosis. In performing the biopsy, it was found that amniotic fluid cytology can also be very helpful in the diagnosis of this kind of severe ichthyosis. With regard to these families, the disease may have been transmitted in an autosomal dominant fashion, and not in a recessive manner as is commonly believed.     

可伸缩接地装置在浮顶罐中的应用

介绍了浮顶罐浮盘与罐壁之间的电气连接--可伸缩接地装置,它易于安装、检测和维护,能快速对地泄放雷电电荷和静电电荷,同时降低雷电流频率下的趋肤效应,尽可能地消除二次电弧,防止油罐密封处产生火花放电引起的火灾.     

Effects of skin and hydraulic fractures on SVE wells

Soil vapor extraction (SVE) systems are intended to cause substantial volumes of air to flow through the subsurface with the purpose of removing volatile contaminants. The effectiveness of SVE can be influenced by any effect that changes the specific gas capacity (discharge as a function of vacuum) of a well. Skins of low permeability material enveloping a well bore are widely recognized to affect the performance of wells used to recover water, natural gas, or petroleum, and skin can also significantly diminish the performance of an SVE well. Skins a few mm thick consisting of material whose gas phase permeability is 0.01 of the formation can reduce the specific gas capacity of an SVE well by factors of 2 to 10 or more. Hydraulic fractures created in the vicinities of shallow wells commonly resemble sand-filled layers shaped like flat-lying disks or gently dipping saucers. The contrast between the gas-phase permeability of the sand in the fracture and that of the formation is particularly important, with significant effects requiring the ratio to be greater than approximately 50. Shallow hydraulic fractures filled with several tenths of m3 of sand in formations that are several orders of magnitude less permeable than that of the enveloping formation should increase specific gas capacity by factors of 10 or more. Field tests of the effects of hydraulic fractures on the performance of SVE were conducted by creating four wells intersecting fractures and a suite of control wells created using conventional methods in silty saprolite. Specific gas capacities ranged over more than an order of magnitude for 10 wells completed within a small area (2 m2) and at the same depth. Specific capacities correlate to the drilling method that was used to create the bore for the well: lowest values occurred in wells drilled with a machine auger, slightly better results were obtained using a Shelby tube, and the best results were obtained from conventional wells bored with a hand auger. Skin factors determined for wells created with a machine auger could be explained by a layer 1 cm thick that has 0.007 times the permeability of the enveloping material, which could readily have been created during the drilling procedure. Specific capacities of wells intersecting hydraulic fractures were 5 to 100 times more than those of conventional wells. The large difference in performance appears to be due in part to the beneficial effects of the fracture, and in part to the detrimental effects of well skin.     

对化学品登记要求的数据解释：皮肤致敏重复染毒及致变

本文对化学品登记所要求的部分健康效应数据——皮肤致敏、重复经口染毒、致变做了解释.涉及到的测试参数包括:皮肤致敏、重复(14/28天)经口啮动物毒性、基因突变、染色体畸变和DMA效应.     

Fetal tissue involvement in the late infantile type of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis

Prenatal diagnosis in a pregnancy at risk for late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (Batten's disease) was undertaken at 17 weeks' gestation by ultrastructural examination of amniotic fluid cells. The presence of curvilinear profiles indicated an affected fetus and the diagnosis was confirmed, after the pregnancy was terminated, by the finding of many typical curvilinear profiles in multiple tissues which included skin, amnion, umbilical vessels, blood, liver, and brain. Comparison between the involved cells in the amniotic fluid and fetal tissues suggests that these cells are probably derived from the periderm, and possibly also from the amnion. The prominent presence of cytosomes in the periderm and intermediate cells of the fetal epidermis and occasionally also in the endothelial cells of the dermis suggests that fetal skin may be a useful alternative site for assessing fetal involvement. Control specimens of the amniotic fluid, fetal skin, amnion, and liver showed no similar cytosomes. However, some control amniotic fluid samples did contain cells with large collections of irregular trilaminar membranes, and these could be open to misinterpretation. It is important that only typical curvilinear profiles are considered as an indication of an affected pregnancy.     

The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and texting while driving behavior in college students

Objective: To examine the role of intent and other theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs in predicting college students' willingness to text while driving (TWD).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. 243 male and female college students enrolled in the 2013–2014 academic year in the College of Health, Human Services & Nursing completed a survey on TWD. Inclusion criteria: All races and ethnicities, ≥18 years of age, cell phone owner, and licensed driver.

Results: Over 70% of the sample (n = 243) reported talking on a cell phone and sending and receiving text messages “at least a few times” while driving within the past week. However, only 27% reported being stopped by police. Of these, 22% reported being fined. Within the past 30 days, 26% reported reading or sending TWD and having to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting another car or pedestrian(s) as a result. In all, 47% of the variance in intention to send TWD was accounted for by the full TPB model. Intention, in turn, predicted willingness to TWD. Intention also mediated the relationship between perceived behavioral control and willingness to TWD.

Conclusion: Attitude was found to be the strongest predictor of intention. In addition, intention was found to mediate the relationship of willingness to TWD on perceived behavioral control. These findings highlight potential factors that could be targeted in behavioral change interventions seeking to prevent TWD.     

Orthopedic injury in electric bicycle-related collisions

Objective: Although electric bicycle-related injuries have become the most common reason for hospitalization due to a road crash in China, no study has comprehensively investigated electric bicycle collisions and their impact on orthopedic injuries; such a study may provide evidence to support a new road safety policy.

Methods: A retrospective review of orthopedic injuries from electric bicycle collisions was performed in an urban trauma center. We collected variables including age, gender, location of fracture, presence of open or closed fractures, concomitant vascular, and neurologic injuries.

Results: A total of 2,044 cases were involved in electric bicycle collisions. The orthopedic injury victims were predominantly male and middle aged. The most common orthopedic injury was a femur fracture. Open fractures frequently involved the forearm and tibia/fibula. Male patients were more likely to suffer from multiple fractures and associated injuries than female patients. Fewer patients age 60 years old or older wore helmets at the time of the accident compared to those in other age groups.

Conclusions: Orthopedic injuries from electric bicycle-related accidents cause patients substantial suffering that could lead to serious social consequences. Helmet use and protective clothing or similar safety gear, especially for electric bicycle users, should be required to provide greater protection.