A comparison of head injuries in male and female lacrosse participants seen in US emergency departments from 2005 to 2016

Introduction

In the United States there has been a large increase in participation in lacrosse for both males and females. The purpose of this study was to analyze the number of head injuries, injury rates (calculated using the reported number of participants) and types of head injuries that are seen in emergency departments in the United States.

Does SARS‐Cov‐2 invade the brain? Translational lessons from animal models

The current coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) outbreak, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), has raised the possibility of potential neurotropic properties of this virus. Indeed, neurological sequelae of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection have already been reported and highlight the relevance of considering the neurological impact of coronavirus (CoV) from a translational perspective. Animal models of SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome, caused by structurally similar CoVs during the 2002 and 2012 epidemics, have provided valuable data on nervous system involvement by CoVs and the potential for central nervous system spread of SARS‐CoV‐2. One key finding that may unify these pathogens is that all require angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 as a cell entry receptor. The CoV spike glycoprotein, by which SARS‐CoV‐2 binds to cell membranes, binds angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 with a higher affinity compared with SARS‐CoV. The expression of this receptor in neurons and endothelial cells hints that SARS‐CoV‐2 may have higher neuroinvasive potential compared with previous CoVs. However, it remains to be determined how such invasiveness might contribute to respiratory failure or cause direct neurological damage. Both direct and indirect mechanisms may be of relevance. Clinical heterogeneity potentially driven by differential host immune‐mediated responses will require extensive investigation. Development of disease models to anticipate emerging neurological complications and to explore mechanisms of direct or immune‐mediated pathogenicity in the short and medium term is therefore of great importance. In this brief review, we describe the current knowledge from models of previous CoV infections and discuss their potential relevance to COVID‐19.     

Per‐oral transgastric abdominal surgery

Laparoscopic surgery has several advantages over traditional surgery because it has been shown to be less invasive. The next logical step in the evolution of minimally invasive surgery may be to eliminate all abdominal incisions. The natural orifices provide a port of entry via the gastrointestinal tract to the peritoneal cavity. This approach would require the creation of a perforation, which is considered to be a major complication of endoscopy with significant morbidity and mortality. However, there are several recent studies that have described the technical feasibility and safety of a per‐oral transgastric approach to the peritoneal cavity using conventional endoscopes. Theoretically, this approach could reduce postoperative abdominal wall pain, wound infection, hernia formation, and adhesions. This article aims to summarize the current status of transgastric surgery, currently referred to as natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), and to address some of its future challenges.     

Littoral‐cell angioma as a rare cause of splenomegaly

We report the case of a littoral‐cell angioma of the spleen, a recently described benign vascular tumour, whose imaging and pathological characteristics have been discussed only by a few authors. The diagnosis was made after elective splenectomy. The CT images, scintigraphy and histological specimens are presented, and differential diagnoses discussed.     

Multi-day radon signals with a radioactive decay limb -- occurrence and geophysical significance.

Multi-day signals, generally with duration of 2-10 days, are a prominent temporal variation type of radon (Rn) in geogas in the unsaturated zone. Rare multi-day Rn signals have been found which are characterized by: (a) a declining limb lasting up to 10 days which conforms to the radioactive decay of Rn, (b) recurs at the same location and (c) is recorded in diverse situations-volcanic and seismogenic. It suggested that a Rn blob is injected at a lower level on a steady upward flow of geogas whereby the rise and final fall of the signal are attributed to the edges of the blob while the central Rn-decay segment records the passing of the decaying blob itself. Rn-decay signals are a small subset of multi-day Rn signals which are considered as highly irregular and unusable for the understanding of geophysical processes. In difference, it is concluded that multi-day Rn signals are probably proxies of subtle geodynamic processes at upper crustal levels and are therefore significant for studying such processes.     

History of Articulators: Henry L. "Harry" Page and the Transograph

The intention of this article is to introduce the reader to the Transograph from a historical perspective. The technical data presented are intended to help the reader understand the design of this unique instrument and how it was programmed, but will not provide the reader a thorough understanding of this philosophy. The article seeks neither to defend nor criticize the principles of Transographics.