Military medicine
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Blast-induced mild traumatic brain injury was generated in a mouse model using a shock tube to investigate recovery and axonal injury from single blast. ⋯ Blast-induced mild traumatic brain injury in a mouse model follows a biphasic FA response within 12 days after a single blast similar to that reported for human subjects.
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The peripheral auditory system and various structures within the central auditory system are vulnerable to blast injuries, and even blast overpressure is at relatively mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) level. However, the extent of hearing loss in relation to blast number and time course of post-blast is not well understood. This study reports the progressive hearing damage measured in chinchillas after multiple blast exposures at mild TBI levels (103-138 kPa or 15-20 psi). ⋯ This study demonstrates that the number of blasts causing mild TBI critically affects hearing damage.
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Blood is a precious commodity, with storage limited to 42 days under refrigeration. Degradative changes in red blood cells (RBCs) begin as early as 11-21 days after collection, and compromise their function. Materials that extend the life of RBCs will improve blood utilization in the field, as well as in hospital settings. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) are widely used in the materials industry to counteract oxidative stress and improve oxygen storage. We have previously shown that CeONPs extended the lifespan of cells in culture and counteract oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. Here, we test the hypothesis that CeONPs extend the lifespan of RBCs in whole stored blood. ⋯ This work suggests that CeONPs may be a promising additive for extending storage and function of blood and blood products.
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Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that a magnetic resonance imaging method called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can differentiate between crush and complete transection peripheral nerve injuries in a rat model ex vivo. DTI measures the directionally dependent effect of tissue barriers on the random diffusion of water molecules. In ordered tissues such as nerves, this information can be used to reconstruct the primary direction of diffusion along fiber tracts, which may provide information on fiber tract continuity after nerve injury and surgical repair. ⋯ DTI tractography is a noninvasive tool that can yield a visual representation of a partial nerve transection as early as 1 week after surgical repair.