#brain attack

BRAIN ATTACK Stringer

I’ve waited nine years for this moment…

For reasons unknown to us, Nex and Stringer would never see another release after 2012, despite two full waves of sets they could easily have been integrated into. With Bulk growing increasingly orange and Stringer’s lack of unified color scheme, my belief is that Nex and Stringer underperformed in BREAKOUT as the two cheaper sets of the second wave and were cut from the lineup for the remainder of Hero Factory’s run.

Until today…

With a helmet commissioned from @galva_nize_ I present BRAIN ATTACK Stringer. He is of the same height class as Stormer and Surge and is equipped with a customized electric guitar which emits powerful sound blasts when played. He has the Breakout speaker addons and a back-mounted speaker for maximum amplification. He also has a scanning apparatus affixed to his arm for performing sonar sweeps and picking up thermal signatures. I went for a more hefty build as Stringer deserves the extra muscle. I have also tried to combine his blue BREAKOUT color scheme and his orange 1.0 colors to create something that honors both.

I have taken great lengths to keep the design language of the other BRAIN ATTACK sets: - Melee weapons - Silver or Gunmetal secondary color - Transparent armor piece - Hero Core Clamp and Visor

This build uses a shoulder configuration first used by Beardly_Designs. I don’t think anything else draws inspiration from other MOCs but, if you feel it does, let me know!

Introduction to Stroke Awareness

Stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when there is an interruption of blood flow to the brain, causing brain cells to die. Recognizing the signs of stroke and taking immediate action can save lives and improve recovery outcomes. The importance of stroke awareness cannot be overstated, as timely intervention can mean the difference between life and death, or between full recovery and permanent disability. Read more....

What is it? (patho)

A brain attack, stroke, is a medical emergency caused by interrupted perfusion to the brain. Our brain cannot store oxygen or glucose, unlike a lot of our other important organs. Therefore, it has to have constant perfusion to function. Whenever we experience a loss of oxygen to the brain for more than a few minutes, cerebral tissue dies. According to WebMD, the estimated time is 4 minutes before brain cells begin to die. 

What causes it? (Causes/Risk Factors)

There are two types of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are caused by a blockage of perfusion to the brain by either a clot or dislodged clot. 

Ischemic Stroke Risk Factors:

Hypertension

Atherosclerosis

Dyslipidemia

History of TIA

Diabetes

Sepsis

Congenital Heart Defects

Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by, obviously, bleeding in the brain. This can be caused by trauma, cerebral aneurysm, cerebral arterial rupture.

Hemorrhagic Stroke Risk Factors:

Cerebral trauma

Chronic HTN

Chronic Cocaine Use

Contact Sports

What does a stroke look like?

Aphasia or dysarthria

One-sided or unilateral weakness

Occasionally hemiplegia or paralysis

Drooping face

Headache

Visual Disturbances

Heart Mumurs

High Blood Pressure

SO, now the question is.. left or right hemisphere stroke? Quick to pick, here we go. :) The right cerebral hemisphere is our visual and spatial side. We recognize what we’re seeing and our body position in relation to the world we see. Those having a right sided stroke are going to experience more visual deficits and will most likely be disoriented. The left cerebral hemisphere (dominant) is the side responsible for language, math, and critical thought process. I remember Left-L-Learning-Language. They are most likely going to have speech problems, slowness, and aggravation or depression when attempting critical thinking.

What do we do? (Treatment)

Before you start treating your patient for a stroke, you need to know what caused their stroke. You need to get a CT without dye to rule out hemorrhagic stroke. Keep the patient NPO until the doctor clears them to eat or drink. They will most likely have a weakened sensation to swallowing. The last thing they need now is aspirating. Unless the patient is having a hemorrhagic stroke, you’ll keep the patient supine with a low (25-25 degree) elevated head of bed. You need to provide oxygen therapy to patients saturating in the low 90s or below percentage. 

If your patient has a headache or photophobia, keep room lights low and maintain a calm environment. 

There is a specific medication you can give your patients, if the doctor prescribes it. Alteplase is given to patients who have had a stroke in the last 4.5 hours. It dissolves the clot and increases perfusion to the brain. This SHOULD NOT be given to patients who have an active bleed in their body. 

There are also surgical options. An embolectomy may be performed. This is the removal of the dastardly clot. This is a common treatment for patients who are not eligible to receive Alteplase. Patients may also have a stent put in place.

What else?

Depending on why your patient had a stroke, how long after the stroke they received treatment, and the success and preservation of their cerebral tissue, you may have to discuss a few things with your patients.

If they had a stroke due to embolus or iscemia, discuss with them lifestyle changes. Yes, they have already now had a stroke. Yes, they already have an extra risk because of that. However, you need to inform them (1) change your diet, (2) take your medications, and (3) quit smoking! Strokes have been successfully prevented by taking action and making lifestyle changes.

If they have impaired swallowing, you need to meet with their dietitian, occupational therapist, and the patient. Discuss with them why they have to change the consistency of their diet. If they aspirate due to eating the wrong consistency diet, they risk aspiration. Aspiration can be fatal. Stress that to your patient, not just because its your job, but because its a human life.

And always... Remind them that there are resources:

http://www.stroke.org/

BRAIN ATTACK Nex

I’ve waited nine years for this moment…

For reasons unknown to us, Nex and Stringer would never see another release after 2012, despite two full waves of sets they could easily have been integrated into. With Bulk growing increasingly orange and Stringer’s lack of unified color scheme, my belief is that Nex and Stringer underperformed in BREAKOUT as the two cheaper sets of the second wave and were cut from the lineup for the remainder of Hero Factory’s run.

Until today…

With a helmet commissioned from @galva_nize_ I present BRAIN ATTACK Nex. He is of the same height class as Stormer and Surge and is equipped with an Energy Sword for melee combat and a shoulder mounted missile launcher (inspired by @ems_mocs) to fend off the evil Brains invading Makuhero City and the galaxy beyond.

I have taken great lengths to keep the design language of the other BRAIN ATTACK sets: - Melee weapons - Silver or Gunmetal secondary color - Transparent armor piece - Hero Core Clamp and Visor

This build also emulates the arm seen on his 2.0 form, only this time in silver! The shoulder addon is a bootleg part.

BRAIN ATTACK Furno XL Revamp

Was never a big fan of Furno back in the day, though I’ve grown a finer appreciation for him in later years. I wasn’t a tremendous fan of his XL set since it was so much more fragile and awkward than Stormer XL.

Closing off this series of revamps is Brain Attack Evo. The final small scale Hero set to be released but definitely one of the more memorable releases from the wave. Evo carried over the gunmetal boot design seen in his BREAKOUT form to good effect and utilised trans-light blue as an accent color for the first time. It’s a combination that works surprisingly well with yellow!

I’m quite proud of the staff design, which retains the original functionality and has a harpoon tip in the middle for more dynamic action!