Genital ulcer caused by human bite to the penis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Human bite injuries, while less frequent than cat or dog bites, usually stem from aggressive behavior, sports, or sexual activity. It has been thought that human bites have a higher rate of infection than animal bites, but this view is likely skewed because of the frequency of closed fist injuries presenting to emergency rooms. Human bites to the genitalia also occur, but are not often reported because of embarrassment. GOAL OF THE STUDY: We report a genital ulceration after a human bite to the penis and review appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers. STUDY DESIGN: This article reports the development of a severe genital ulcer associated with a human bite to the penis secondarily infected, as verified by culture, with an oral flora organism Eikenella corrodens. RESULTS: The genital ulceration healed after appropriate antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of human bites focuses on obtaining an accurate history and performing a salient physical examination, as well as early irrigation and debridement. Transmission of communicable disease should be considered as a possible consequence. Prophylactic antibiotic treatment and primary closure of wounds continue to be areas of controversy.     

Hypofrontal Symptoms from Olanzapine: A Case Report

Olanzapine acutely induced disabling hypofrontal symptoms in a 31-year-old male. This occurred after 13 years of exposure to typical neuroleptics without such symptoms. Presumably, hypofrontal symptoms should limit the dose of atypical neuroleptics in some patients. Milder expressions of hypofrontal symptoms should be more common.     

The Culture of Academic Medicine: Faculty Perceptions of the Lack of Alignment Between Individual and Institutional Values

BACKGROUND  

Energized, talented faculty are essential to achieving the missions of academic medical centers (AMCs) in education, research and health care. The alignment of individuals’ values with workplace experiences are linked to meaningfulness of work and productivity.     

An In Vivo Study of the Effect of Distal Femoral Resection on Passive Knee Extension

A previous study showed that 1 mm of distal femoral resection restored knee extension 4.5°. We determined the relationship with a more accurate measurement technique. Twenty-six subjects treated with total knee arthroplasty were studied. Digital photographs of the extended knee with and without 1.5 and 3.0 mm thick augments placed between the femoral component and distal femur were analyzed, and knee extension was measured. One millimeter of distal femoral resection restored 1.8° of extension that is less correction than the previous study reported. Because an attempt to correct a 10° extension deficit by resecting the distal femur could require 5 mm or more of bone removal that moves the joint line too proximal, we recommend exploring other techniques before resecting the femur.     

Kinder-Umwelt-Survey (KUS) im Rahmen des Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitssurveys (KiGGS)

The German Environmental Survey for Children (GerES IV) is the environment-related module of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) of the Robert Koch Institute and the fourth GerES of the Federal Environment Agency. The main objective of GerESs is to analyse and document the extent, distribution and determinants of exposure to environmental pollutants of the German general population. GerES IV was performed from 2003 to 2006. A total of 1.790 children aged 3-14 years from 150 sampling locations participated in GerES IV. Samples of blood, urine, tap water, house dust and indoor air were analysed. Hearing tests, measurements of traffic noise and interviews to get exposure-related information were conducted. First results indicate a clear decrease of the exposure to arsenic, lead and mercury. Cotinine concentrations in urine can be used to classify the exposure of children to environmental tobacco smoke. The examination of the tap water used in the subjects' households indicates that in some households the guideline values of the German Drinking Water Ordinance were not always met. This is the case for nickel, copper and lead which are used as pipe material for domestic plumbing.     

The Balanced Scorecard as a management tool in a public health organization

OBJECTIVE: The Balanced Scorecard is a tool for strategic planning in business. We present our experience after introducing this instrument in a public health agency to align daily management practice with strategic objectives. METHODS: Our management team required deep discussions with external support to clarify the concepts behind the Balanced Scorecard, adapt them to a public organization in the health field distinct from the business sector in which the Balanced Scorecard was designed, and adopt this instrument as a management tool. This process led to definition of the Balanced Scorecard by our Management Committee in 2002, the subsequent evaluation of the degree to which its objectives had been reached, and its periodic redefinition. In addition, second-level Balanced Scorecards were defined for different divisions and services within the agency. The adoption of the Balanced Scorecard by the management team required prior effort to clarify who are the stockholders and who are the clients of a public health organization. The agency's activity and production were also analyzed and a key processes model was defined. Although it is hard to attribute specific changes to a single cause, we believe several improvements in management can be ascribed, at least in part, to the use of the Balanced Scorecard. CONCLUSION: The systematic use of the Balanced Scorecard produced greater cohesion in the management team and the entire organization and brought the strategic objectives closer to daily management operations. The organization is more attentive to its clients, has taken steps to improve its most complex cross-sectional processes, and has developed further actions for the development and growth of its officers and its entire personnel. At the same time, its management team is more in tune with the needs of the agency's administrative bodies that compose its governing board.     

Transcatheter mitral valve therapies: State of the art

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is one of the most prevalent valvular pathologies in the developed world. There continues to be a growing population of aging patients with MR who may be too high risk for surgical management. The rapid adoption and remarkable success of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) generated enthusiasm for transcatheter mitral valve therapies; however, the complex anatomy and pathophysiology of the mitral valve confers several unique challenges for a fully percutaneous approach. Nevertheless, several devices are under development and in various phases of preclinical or clinical testing, both for transcatheter mitral valve replacement and repair. MitraClip (Abbott Vascular), which has received FDA approval, is the most established percutaneous repair strategy and has been performed in over 80,000 patients as of 2019. The following article serves as a review of the available and upcoming devices for the various etiologies of mitral valvular disease, as well as the unique challenges and potential complications of transcatheter mitral valve intervention.