Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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To determine the prevalence of cocaine use in a population of elder patients presenting to an inner-city academic emergency department (ED). ⋯ Elder patients may have a higher prevalence of cocaine use than previously estimated by national registries.
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The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) surveyed the Council of Academic Societies (CAS) organizations to obtain useful information to project SAEM goals into the year 2010. The objective of this work was to understand common and varying organizational operations and identify opportunities. ⋯ The survey methodology was used to gain insight into modes of operation of CAS organizations and enable SAEM to review its own operations and identify potential organizational changes based on the experiences of others. Individual CAS organizations might similarly benefit by reviewing the results of the survey and comparing themselves with others.
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Comparative Study
Multiple episodes of mild traumatic brain injury result in impaired cognitive performance in mice.
Results from recent studies on animal models of concussion suggest that multiple, rather than single, episodes of mild traumatic brain injury result in impaired cognitive performance in mice. The objective of the present study was to administer multiple impacts to the heads of mice while directly measuring the force of the impacts to determine how these parameters are related to transient loss of consciousness, cognitive deficits, and potential neuropathologic effects. ⋯ This multiple-impact model, delivered within a specifiable force range, results in transient, reversible loss of consciousness, a contra-coup brain injury, and cognitive impairment.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A randomized, controlled trial comparing long-term cosmetic outcomes of traumatic pediatric lacerations repaired with absorbable plain gut versus nonabsorbable nylon sutures.
To show that the use of absorbable sutures in pediatric traumatic lacerations affords good long-term cosmesis and no increase in complications (infection, dehiscence rates, and need for surgical scar revision) when compared with wounds sutured with nonabsorbable sutures. ⋯ The use of plain catgut absorbable sutures in the repair of traumatic lacerations in children appears to be an acceptable alternative to nonabsorbable sutures because the long-term cosmetic outcome seems to be at least as good. In this study, plain gut suture material seemed to provide slightly better cosmesis. In addition, no difference was found in the rate of dehiscence or infection between the groups.