Intrauterine brain teratoma: a case report of imaging (US,MRI) with neuropathologic correlations

Fetal brain tumors are rare and teratoma is considered as the most common. Fetal MR Imaging is currently used to evaluate cases of ventricular dilatation. We report a case of cerebral immature teratoma detected by ultrasonography because of ventricular dilatation at 24 gestational weeks. MRI was the more accurate imaging method in depicting the tumor and its consequences on brain development as well as in taking a decision with regard to the management of pregnancy. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Traumatic brain injury mortality among U.S. children and adolescents ages 0–19 years, 1999–2017

IntroductionTo examine recent traumatic brain injury (TBI) mortality changes among Americans aged 0–19 years by sex, age, urbanicity, state, and intent/causes of injury. Method: TBI mortality per 100,000 population and average annual percent changes (AAPCs), plus 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on Joinpoint regression models. Results: Age-adjusted TBI mortality among Americans aged 0–19 years declined consistently, though at varying rates between 1999 and 2013 (AAPC = −4.8%, 95%CI: −6.3%, −3.2%), and then significantly increased from 4.42 per 100,000 population in 2013 to 5.17 per 100,000 population in 2017 (AAPC = 3.4%, 95% CI: 1.7%, 5.1%). During the study time period, boys, rural children, and youth aged 15–19 years had higher TBI mortality rates than girls, urban children, and younger children, respectively. TBI mortality from unintentional transport crashes decreased substantially in all age groups between 1999 and 2017, and especially from 1999 to 2010. TBI mortality from suicide increased significantly from 2008 to 2017 in the 10–14-year age group (AAPC = 14.6%, 95% CI: 12.6%, 16.6%) and from 2007 to 2017 in the 15–19-year age group (AAPC = 6.3%, 95% CI: 3.8%, 8.7%). Unintentional transport crashes were the leading cause of TBI-related mortality in 46 states in 1999, but by 2017, suicide became the first leading cause in 14 states. Conclusions: Pediatric TBI mortality declined consistently between 1999 and 2013 and increased significantly from 2013 to 2017, driven primarily by the mortality decrease from unintentional transport crashes and increase in suicide mortality. The spectrum of leading causes of pediatric TBI mortality changed across age groups and over time from 1999 to 2017. Practical Applications: TBI mortality increases in the United States since 2013 are driven primarily by increasing suicide rates, a trend that merits the attention of policy-makers and injury researchers. Action should be taken to curb growing TBI mortality rates among adolescents aged 10–19 years.     

二嗪磷对鸟类脑组织乙酰胆碱酯酶活性的影响

为了初步研究有机磷农药二嗪磷对鸟类的毒性作用,采用室内饲喂染毒的方法,分析了二嗪磷对鹌鹑、鹧鸪及斑鸠3种鸟脑组织乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)活性的影响。鹌鹑、鹧鸪采用经食饲喂,染毒剂量分别为0、40、80、160、320、600mg·kg-1饲料和0、400、800、1600、3200、6000mg·kg-1饲料,试验周期8d;斑鸠采用拌种饲喂(1mL50%二嗪磷乳油拌500g麦种),染毒剂量为0、1.2、2.0、4.0、8.0mg·kg-1体重,一次性染毒后进行常规饲养,试验周期15d。结果表明,二嗪磷对3种鸟脑组织AChE活性均有一定程度的抑制作用:各染毒组死亡鸟AChE活性较对照降低显著(p<0.05,p<0.01),活性抑制率均超过40%;各染毒组存活鸟AChE活性较对照也有所降低,但活性抑制率均未超过20%.以上结果提示,抑制脑组织AChE活性可能是二嗪磷致鸟类死亡的重要原因。     

Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of ischemic brain injury

The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the usefulness of fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in ischemic brain injury. We report seven cases of fetal brain ischemia prenatally suspected on ultrasound (US) and confirmed by fetal MRI. Sonographic abnormalities included ventricular dilatation (n=3), microcephaly (n=1), twin pregnancy with in utero death of a twin and suspected cerebral lesion in the surviving co-twin (n=3). MRI was performed with a 1.0 T unit using half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) sequences between 28 and 35 weeks of gestation. US and MRI images were compared with pathologic findings or postnatal imaging. MRI diagnosed hydranencephaly (n=1), porencephaly (n=2), multicystic encephalomalacia (n=2), unilateral capsular ischemia (n=1), corpus callosum and cerebral atrophy (n=1). In comparison with US, visualization of fetal brain anomalies was superior with MRI. The present cases demonstrate that MRI is a valuable complementary means of investigation when a brain pathology is discovered or suspected during prenatal US. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High blood alcohol concentration associated with traumatic brain injury among traffic injury patients during New Year festivals in Thailand

Objective: Road traffic injury (RTI) is one of the most significant public health problems in Thailand, especially during New Year and Songkran (Thai traditional New Year) holidays, which have the highest traffic density during the entire year. Drunk driving was reported to be one of the leading causes of RTI in Thailand. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of patients with high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and the association of BAC and specific organ injury during New Year and Songkran (Thai traditional New Year) holidays.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed to analyze the database from the Thai Governmental Road Safety Evaluation Project. Patient data on RTIs were collected from 26 main provincial hospitals during the New Year Festival 2003 and 2004 and Songkran Festival in 2003. Patient characteristics, type of organ injured, and BAC levels were mainly analyzed.

Results: During those long holidays, 2,642 RTI patients were identified, among whom 1,341 patients had high BAC levels. High BAC levels were associated with motorcycle users, male sex, middle age, teenagers, being riders or drivers, and not using protective devices. Moreover, high BAC levels were associated with brain injury.

Conclusion: Excessive alcohol consumption and RTIs occurred on New Year and Songkran Festival in Thailand. Legislation should be strictly used during these long holidays to control driving under the influence of alcohol, particularly among motorcyclists.     

Fall-related traumatic brain injury deaths and hospitalizations among older adults--United States, 2005

PROBLEM: Among older adults, both unintentional falls and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) result in significant morbidity and mortality; however, only limited national data on fall-related TBI are available. METHOD: To examine the relationship between older adult falls and TBI deaths and hospitalizations, CDC analyzed 2005 data from the National Center for Health Statistics' National Vital Statistics System and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Nationwide Inpatient Sample. RESULTS: In 2005, among adults>or=65 years, there were 7946 fall-related TBI deaths and an estimated 56,423 hospitalizations for nonfatal fall-related TBI in the United States. Fall-related TBI accounted for 50.3% of unintentional fall deaths and 8.0% of nonfatal fall-related hospitalizations. SUMMARY: These findings underscore the need for greater dissemination and implementation of evidence-based fall prevention interventions.     

The Relation Between Upper Limb Muscle and Brain Activity in Two Precision Levels of Repetitive Light Tasks

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of repetitive light tasks of low and high precision on upper limb muscles and brain activities. Surface electromyography (EMG) and electroencephalography (EEG) were used to measure the muscle and brain activity of 10 subjects. The results show that the root-meansquare (RMS) and mean power frquency (MPF) of the muscle activity and the mean power of the EEG alpha bands were higher on the high-precision task than on the low-precision one. There was also a high and significant correlation between upper limb muscle and brain activity during the tasks. The longer the time and the more precise the task, the more the subjects become fatigued both physically and mentally. Thus, these results could be potentially useful in managing fatigue, especially fatique related to muscle and mental workload.