Traumatic injuries in pregnant women: a case of motor vehicle accident for "Ground Round" discussion

The main objective for introducing this case study is to create a platform from which the importance of road traffic related injuries and traumas can be emphasized and discussed within and across various fields of investigation. The long term goal is to entice public campaign around unmet needs for higher road safety measures to reduce primary, secondary, and tertiary risks of injuries and traumas. CASE: a 28-year-old pregnant woman with a 16-week gestational age fetus was involved in a road car crash resulting in multiple traumas. Evaluation and treatment was initiated in the local Urgent Care Unit and continued in the emergency department and operation room. Patient underwent the following procedures: laparotomy, diverting colostomy, terminating pregnancy, right calcaneal traction and long leg splint, as well as multiple irrigation-debridements. Finally, the wound was left open and the patient was admitted to Intensive Care Unit. We hope that the introduction of this case for a "Ground Round" discussion will stir up a comprehensive discussion regarding the injury and trauma related preventive measures as well as treatment approaches in cases involving pregnant women in car accidents, and will bring about a holistic overview of this issue by the experts in various fields. ?     

Model of age estimation based on dental factors of unknown cadavers among Iranians

Two hundred and ten cadavers ranging in age from 25 to 60 were studied. Thirty subjects from each five-year interval were selected, and data were collected using the mandibular anterior and premolar teeth after extraction. Sections ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 mm were measured by a stereo microscope with a precision of 0.1 mm. The following factors were determined: attrition, periodontosis, root resorption, secondary dentine apposition, cementum apposition, and translucency of the root. Statistical analysis used the sum of ranks of the dental factors as an independent variable in a linear regression model to estimate the age of the cadaver. Among the different mandibular teeth, the sum of ranks of the first premolar factors had the best correlation coefficient with age. The sum of the dental factors presented a better model than each of the factors alone. The first premolar is recommended as the first step in the estimation of age.     

South Africa’s inflation persistence: a quantile regression framework

We study inflation persistence in South Africa using a quantile regression approach (We would like to thank two anonymous referees for many helpful comments. However, any remaining errors are solely ours). We control for structural breaks using a quantile structural break test on a long span of inflation data. Our study includes persistence estimates for headline and core inflation—thus controlling for possible biases emanating from extremely volatile periods. South Africa’s inflation persistence is lowest during the inflation targeting period regardless of the inflation measure. Inflation persistence is also constant over all quantiles during the inflation targeting regime for core inflation. There is a difference between the estimates from headline and core—headline persistence increases in relation to higher quantiles. Thus energy and food price shocks might de-stabilise inflation altogether.