ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBEREsp), Spain; PHAGEX Research Group, Blanquerna School of Health Science, Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:
Published: June 2023
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
As the world becomes more urbanized, more people become exposed to traffic and the risks associated with a higher exposure to road traffic noise increase. Excessive exposure to environmental noise could potentially interfere with functional maturation of the auditory brain in developing individuals. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between exposure to annual average road traffic noise (LAeq) in schools and functional connectivity of key elements of the central auditory pathway in schoolchildren. A total of 229 children from 34 representative schools in the city of Barcelona with ages between 8 and 12 years (49.2% girls) were evaluated. LAeq was obtained as the mean of 2-consecutive day measurements inside classrooms before lessons started following standard procedures to obtain an indicator of long-term road traffic noise levels. A region-of-interest functional connectivity Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) approach was adopted. Functional connectivity maps were generated for the inferior colliculus, medial geniculate body of the thalamus and primary auditory cortex as key levels of the central auditory pathway. Road traffic noise in schools was significantly associated with stronger connectivity between the inferior colliculus and a bilateral thalamic region adjacent to the medial geniculate body, and with stronger connectivity between the medial geniculate body and a bilateral brainstem region adjacent to the inferior colliculus. Such a functional connectivity strengthening effect did not extend to the cerebral cortex. The anatomy of the association implicating subcortical relays suggests that prolonged road traffic noise exposure in developing individuals may accelerate maturation in the basic elements of the auditory pathway. Future research is warranted to establish whether such a faster maturation in early pathway levels may ultimately reduce the developing potential in the whole auditory system.
In an environment increasingly dominated by roads, wildlife crossing structures (WCS) have been installed to decrease wildlife mortality and improve habitat linkages. In South Texas, vehicle collisions have been a major mortality source for the endangered ocelot (). To mitigate threats to this species, eight WCS, along with associated fencing, were strategically placed along Farm-to-Market Road 106 (FM106), which passes through ocelot habitat.
Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are common after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), but their biological drivers are uncertain. We therefore explored whether polygenic risk scores (PRS) derived for PTSD and major depressive disorder (MDD) are associated with the development of cognate TBI-related phenotypes.
Methods: Meta-analyses were conducted using data from two multicenter, prospective observational cohort studies of patients with mTBI: the CENTER-TBI study (ClinicalTrials.
Complex limb injuries are combination injuries that involve all components of a limb's tissue, such as skin, bone with its surrounding soft tissue cover, and neurovascular elements. Complex limb trauma often has a background of a significant mechanism of injuries such as high-velocity road traffic accidents, ballistic injuries, industrial accidents, and other major mechanisms of injuries which involve high amounts of energy transfer through these tissue layers. These injuries pose a major challenge to trauma and orthopaedic surgeons.
Introduction: Clavicle fractures are routinely encountered in orthopedic clinical practice and have often been the subject of debate when it comes to optimal treatment. Clavicle fracture surgery has come a long way with excellent pre-contoured superior locking plates available for fixation. This study aimed to evaluate a cohort of patients operated for displaced mid-shaft clavicle fractures by open reduction and internal fixation using superior clavicle locking plates.
Traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) is a rare but serious condition resulting from blunt abdominal trauma, characterized by the herniation of bowel or abdominal organs through a disrupted musculature and fascia without skin penetration. This report describes a unique case of a 24-year-old man who sustained a high-velocity blunt abdominal injury from a motorcycle handlebar during a road traffic accident. The clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, surgical intervention, and postoperative recovery are discussed to emphasize the importance of the early recognition and management of TAWH in trauma patients.
