Communicating with Citizens in Emergency Management: "Popularizing" Technical Content and/or Bonding?

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Injection Treatment of Trigger Finger in Patients with Previous Injection Resistant Trigger Finger

HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this retrospective chart review was to quantify the effectiveness of steroid injections have in treating new trigger fingers in patients with a history of injection resistant trigger finger. METHODS: 43 study subjects were defined as those patients who presented with trigger finger, underwent at least one steroid injection followed by surgical release of the A1 pulley, and subsequently represented with another trigger finger in a distinct digit and compared to a group of 40 control subjects presenting with first trigger fingers. Demographic data, PMH, and treatments for trigger finger were recorded. Subjects were surveyed to assess any residual symptoms and level of satisfaction with injection treatment. The control and study groups were then compared by students T test for any statistically significant differences in measured outcomes. Decision Tree Analysis of cost for treatment of repeat trigger finger was employed using Precision Tree Software. RESULTS: The study group had higher proportion of injection resistant trigger finger than control group with 49% (21/43) of patients and 38% (35/91) of digits proceeding to surgery vs 23% (9/31) of patients and 22% (11/38) of digits in the control group (p values 0.01 and 0.05 respectively). There were no significant differences in number of injections before surgery or resolution of symptoms, the duration of symptoms before first injection or before surgery, patient satisfaction with injection treatment, or patient willingness for future injection treatment. 87% (26/30) study group digits had complete resolution of symptoms on survey vs 57% (16/39) digits in the control group (p value 0.011) with the most common side effect being stiffness. There were no significant differences in gender, age, and medical comorbidites between the two groups including diabetes. The study group had statistically significant higher incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (p value 0.0001), Dupuytrens disease (p value 0.026) and occupational exposure (p value 0.012).The distribution of affected fingers differed with trigger thumbs being more prevalent in the control group (p value 0.0044). Precision Tree Software revealed that injection treatment was a cost efficient method of treating trigger digits in patients with previous injection resistant trigger finger. SUMMARY POINTS: Patients returning for with a new trigger finger after having required surgery for another finger can still respond to non operative treatment, specifically a steroid injection. It is our clinical recommendation that steroid injection treatment should be considered for initial or repeat presentation of trigger finger

Retrieving time-dependent Green's functions in optics with low-coherence interferometry

We report on the passive measurement of time-dependent Green's functions in the optical frequency domain with low-coherence interferometry. Inspired by previous studies in acoustics and seismology, we show how the correlations of a broadband and incoherent wave-field can directly yield the Green's functions between scatterers of a complex medium. Both the ballistic and multiple scattering components of the Green's function are retrieved. This approach opens important perspectives for optical imaging and characterization in complex scattering media.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Salivary pH, calcium, phosphorus and selected enzymes in healthy dogs: A pilot study

Abstract Background Saliva in dogs, as in humans, is a complex fluid secreted by different salivary glands in the oral cavity to protect the oral mucosa and teeth. The use of saliva as a substitute for blood in diagnosing and prognosticating disease in humans is widely accepted. Salivary biochemistry has also been used as a marker for periodontal disease in humans. No studies have as yet investigated the relation between salivary biochemistry and periodontal disease in dogs, however; neither has the salivary composition of healthy dogs with no oral disease been assessed. The purpose of this study was to obtain an overview on pH distribution and a set of salivary biochemical analytes (calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, lysozyme and amylase) commonly related to oral health in humans in a subset population of healthy young dogs with no periodontal disease or previous oral disease. Data were analyzed to gather salivary reference ranges for pH and each parameter and to assess a possible correlation between salivary and serum analytes. Results Twenty-nine adult client-owned dogs were recruited for the study. Lactate dehydrogenase and lysozyme showed higher concentrations in saliva than in serum, whereas amylase showed the contrary. Salivary biochemistry values did not differ between males and females or between non-neutered and neutered individuals. No significant correlations between salivary and serum calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, amylase and lysozyme were identified in this study. Data allowed intervals for the salivary pH and other analytes investigated to be obtained from healthy dogs with healthy oral conditions. Conclusions These preliminary data can contribute to enlarge our understanding of the functional role of saliva and its relation to oral health in dogs

Effect of ELF e.m. fields on metalloprotein redox-active sites

The peculiarity of the distribution and geometry of metallic ions in enzymes pushed us to set the hypothesis that metallic ions in active-site act like tiny antennas able to pick up very feeble e.m. signals. Enzymatic activity of Cu2+, Zn2+ Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1) and Fe2+ Xanthine Oxidase (XO) has been studied, following in vitro generation and removal of free radicals. We observed that Superoxide radicals generation by XO is increased by a weak field having the Larmor frequency fL of Fe2+ while the SOD1 kinetics is sensibly reduced by exposure to a weak field having the frequency fL of Cu2+ ion.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure

Memorie di un Paese scomparso

The article deals with the issues of recovering the past and collective memory through film, with particular regards to the case of the former Yugoslavia. It examines two recent Balkan documentaries which approach the common Yugoslav past in different ways, two interesting interpretations of the same past, intertwining both private and shared dimensions through the filmic language. While Cinema Komunisto by Mila Turajlić depicts a nostalgic portrait of the vanished country, on the other hand in Goli by Tiha Gudac the recovery of the past becomes a way for the re-elaboration of a wounded family memory

S04RS SGB No. 32 (Africa Initiative)

A BILL To appropriate four thousand dollars ($4000.00) to the Africa Initiative at LSU to defray the cost of transportation to a mission in Ghana