Fundamental Physical Constants: Looking from Different Angles

We consider fundamental physical constants which are among a few of the most important pieces of information we have learned about Nature after its intensive centuries-long studies. We discuss their multifunctional role in modern physics including problems related to the art of measurement, natural and practical units, origin of the constants, their possible calculability and variability etc

Predicting at-risk opioid use three months after ed visit for trauma: Results from the AURORA study

OBJECTIVE: Whether short-term, low-potency opioid prescriptions for acute pain lead to future at-risk opioid use remains controversial and inadequately characterized. Our objective was to measure the association between emergency department (ED) opioid analgesic exposure after a physical, trauma-related event and subsequent opioid use. We hypothesized ED opioid analgesic exposure is associated with subsequent at-risk opioid use. METHODS: Participants were enrolled in AURORA, a prospective cohort study of adult patients in 29 U.S., urban EDs receiving care for a traumatic event. Exclusion criteria were hospital admission, persons reporting any non-medical opioid use (e.g., opioids without prescription or taking more than prescribed for euphoria) in the 30 days before enrollment, and missing or incomplete data regarding opioid exposure or pain. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the relationship between ED opioid exposure and at-risk opioid use, defined as any self-reported non-medical opioid use after initial ED encounter or prescription opioid use at 3-months. RESULTS: Of 1441 subjects completing 3-month follow-up, 872 participants were included for analysis. At-risk opioid use occurred within 3 months in 33/620 (5.3%, CI: 3.7,7.4) participants without ED opioid analgesic exposure; 4/16 (25.0%, CI: 8.3, 52.6) with ED opioid prescription only; 17/146 (11.6%, CI: 7.1, 18.3) with ED opioid administration only; 12/90 (13.3%, CI: 7.4, 22.5) with both. Controlling for clinical factors, adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for at-risk opioid use after ED opioid exposure were: ED prescription only: 4.9 (95% CI 1.4, 17.4); ED administration for analgesia only: 2.0 (CI 1.0, 3.8); both: 2.8 (CI 1.2, 6.5). CONCLUSIONS: ED opioids were associated with subsequent at-risk opioid use within three months in a geographically diverse cohort of adult trauma patients. This supports need for prospective studies focused on the long-term consequences of ED opioid analgesic exposure to estimate individual risk and guide therapeutic decision-making

The effectiveness of communication groups in day nurseries

This project, run by a speech and language therapist and a clinical psychologist, took place in three inner city day nurseries. A group of children over whose communication there was concern were assessed on both formal (verbal and non‐verbal) and informal (observational) measures. At each nursery these children were divided into two matched groups: intervention and control. The intervention consisted of communication groups run jointly with nursery staff. These small groups focused on promoting communication through play. On reassessment the children attending the communication groups had made significantly more improvement than the controls on both formal and informal measures. In particular, the number and quality of children's interactions, their underlying ability to focus on tasks and their knowledge of basic concepts appeared to benefit from the intervention. The study, therefore, provides strong evidence for the efficacy of such interventions in enhancing communication development in a real‐life setting. Cette étude, effectuée par un orthophoniste et un psychologue clinique, s'est déroulée dans trois crèches de jour urbaines. Un groupe d'enfants, dont la capacité à communiquer causait des inquiétudes, a été évalué a la fois selon des critères formels (verbaux at non verbaux) et informels (fondés sur l'observation). Dans chaque crèche ces enfants ont été divisés en deux groupes semblables: un groupe d'intervention et un de contrǒle. L'intervention consistait en l'établissement de petits groupes de communication gérés en association avec le personnel des crèches. Ces petits groupes avient pour but de promouvoir la communication à travers l'activité ludique. Une évaluation ultérieure a permis de voir des améliorations significativement plus importantes chez les enfants qui avaient pris part aux groupes de communication qu'au sein des groupes de contrǒle, en ce qui concernait tant les critères formels qu'informels. En particulier, le nombre et la qualité des interactions entre enfants, leur capacité intrinsèque de s'appliquer à des tǎches et leurs connaissances de concepts fondamentaux semblent avoir bénéficié de l'intervention. Par conséquent l'étude confirme nettement l'efficacité de ce type d'interventions pour le développement de la communication dans le cadre de la vie réelle. Dieses Projekt wurde von einem Sprachtherapeuten und einem klinischen Psychologen in drei Kindergarten des inneren Stadtbereiches durchgeführt. Eine Gruppe von Kindern, deren Kommunikationsvermögen zur Sorge Anlaß gab, wurde hinsichtlich formaler (verbal und nichtverbal) und informeller Kriterien (Beobachtungen) bewertet. In jeder Tagesstätte wurden die Kinder in gepaarte Gruppen eingeteilt: Kontrollgruppe und Behandlungsgruppe. Die Behandlungfand in Kommunikationsgruppen statt, die wir zusammen mit dem Kindergartenpersonal leiteten. Ziel dieser kleinen Gruppen war die Förderung der Kommunikation beim Spiel. Eine Folgeuntersuchung zeigte eine signifikant stärkere Besserung der Kommunikation hinsichtlich der formalen und der informellen Bewertungsmaße bei den Kindern in den Kommunikationsgruppen. Insbesondere wurden die Anzahl und die Qualität der Interaktionen, die Fähigkeit der Kinder, sich auf Aufgaben zu konzentrieren, und das Verständnis von grundlegenden Begriffen durch die Behandlung positiv beeinflußt. Die Untersuchung bietet daher positive Evidenz für die Wirksamkeit solcher Behandlungsmethoden bei der Förderung der Kommunikationsentwicklung im Alltag. 1993 Royal College of Speech & Language Therapist