Deceleration during 'real life' motor vehicle collisions – a sensitive predictor for the risk of sustaining a cervical spine injury?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The predictive value of trauma impact for the severity of whiplash injuries has mainly been investigated in sled- and crash-test studies. However, very little data exist for real-life accidents. Therefore, the predictive value of the trauma impact as assessed by the change in velocity of the car due to the collision (ΔV) for the resulting cervical spine injuries were investigated in 57 cases after real-life car accidents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>ΔV was determined for every car and clinical findings related to the cervical spine were assessed and classified according to the Quebec Task Force (QTF).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In our study, 32 (56%) subjects did not complain about symptoms and were therefore classified as QTF grade 0; 25 (44%) patients complained of neck pain: 8 (14%) were classified as QTF grade I, 6 (10%) as QTF grade II, and 11 (19%) as QTF grade IV. Only a slight correlation (r = 0.55) was found between the reported pain and ΔV. No relevant correlation was found between ΔV and the neck disability index (r = 0.46) and between ΔV and the QTF grade (r = 0.45) for any of the collision types. There was no ΔV threshold associated with acceptable sensitivity and specificity for the prognosis of a cervical spine injury.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study indicate that ΔV is not a conclusive predictor for cervical spine injury in real-life motor vehicle accidents. This is of importance for surgeons involved in medicolegal expertise jobs as well as patients who suffer from whiplash-associated disorders (WADs) after motor vehicle accidents.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>The study complied with applicable German law and with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the institutional ethics commission.</p

Synthetic multivalent antifungal peptides effective against fungi

10.1371/journal.pone.0087730PLoS ONE92-POLN

Neurotrophins and B-cell malignancies

Neurotrophins and their receptors act as important proliferative and pro-survival factors in a variety of cell types. Neurotrophins are produced by multiple cell types in both pro and mature forms, and can act in an autocrine or paracrine fashion. The p75NTR and Trk receptors can elicit signalling in response to the presence or absence of their corresponding neurotrophin ligands. This signalling, along with neurotrophin and receptor expression, varies between different cell types. Neurotrophins and their receptors have been shown to be expressed by and elicit signalling in B lymphocytes. In general, most neurotrophins are expressed by activated B cells and memory B cells. Likewise, the TrkB95 receptor is seen on activated B cells, while TrkA and p75NTR are expressed by both resting and active B cells as well as memory B cells. Nerve growth factor stimulates B cell proliferation, memory B cell survival, antibody production and CD40 expression. Brain derived neurotrophic factor is involved in B cell maturation in the bone marrow through TrkB95. Overall neurotrophins and their receptors have been shown to be involved in B cell proliferation, development, differentiation, antibody secretion and survival. As well as expression and activity in healthy B cells, the neurotrophins and their receptors can contribute to B cell malignancies including acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, Burkitt’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma. They are involved in B cell malignancy survival and potentially in drug resistance.Molecular Medicine Ireland as part of the Clinical & Translational Research Scholars Programme2016-09-2