The Next Big Thing After laser...?
After almost half a century since discovery of laser, researchers at Lawrence Livermore  Laboratory and the MIT, both in the USA have just figured out how to produce coherent optical radiation that is distinct from lasers and free electron lasers.

Extracts: Applications from this research are numerous, but the most immediate result may be a new diagnostic tool to determine the properties of shock waves, said Evan Reed, an E.O. Lawrence postdoctoral fellow at Lawrence Livermore and lead author of a paper that appears in the Jan. 13 edition of Physical Review Letters.

Through a series of theoretical calculations and experimental simulations, scientists generated a mechanical shock wave inside a dielectric crystalline material, in this case kitchen salt (NaCl). One might expect to see only incoherent photons and sparks from the shocked crystal.

But what they found was so much more. Weak yet measurable coherent light was seen emerging from the crystal. The emission frequencies are determined by the shock speed and the lattice make-up of the crystal.

The team found that measurable coherent light can be observed emerging from the crystal in the range of 1 to 100 terahertz (THz).. ..
For more of this story, click HERE
 

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Coming Events of Importance to Otolaryngologists in Africa...
 

1. 7th International Congress of the Egyptian ORL Society  25  - 27 Jan 2006. Meridien Pyramids Hotel ,  Haram ,  Giza. Egypt. For More information, Click HERE

2. BRITISH ACADEMIC CONFERENCE IN OTOLARYNGOLOGY - Humanitarian Award, 2006. For Details click HERE

3. Annual West Africa College of Surgeons Conference, Accra, Ghana, Feb 2006.
4. Association of Paediatric Otolaryngologists of India 12th Annual Conference and CME in Paediatric Otolaryngology
   February 25-26, 2006; New Delhi, India
5. 8th International Otology Course of the Jean Causse Ear Clinic
   June 22-24, 2006; Béziers, France
6. 110th American Academy of ORL,Head & Neck Surgery Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO
   September 17-20, 2006;
   Toronto, Canada.
7. 42nd South African ENT Congress joint meeting with the British Association of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
   October 29-November 1, 2006;
   Cape Town, South Africa.

         For more Worldwide otolaryngological events and conferences....Click Here

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Looking Deeper into Subglottic stenosis.....?       

To examine the cellular process underlying the difficult-to-treat subglottic stenosis, a recent animal study from Pittsburg (Sandulache VC et al, Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2005 Dec;131(12):1090-6.)demonstrated successful transplantation of exogenous fibroblasts from the dermis and subglottic mucosa into the injured subglottis of experimental rabbits.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Because subglottic stenosis (SGS) represents one of the most challenging pathologies confronting the pediatric otolaryngologist, our laboratory is investigating the role fibroblasts play in mucosal scar formation in the course of SGS development. Our objective is to establish cell transplantation into the subglottic mucosal wound bed as a viable tool for examining the cellular processes that underlie the development of SGS. DESIGN: A series of 2 animal experiments, with animals assigned to a control, vehicle-only, or cell-treated group. SETTING: John G. Rangos Sr Research Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. SUBJECTS: Twenty-six New Zealand white rabbits. This animal model has been well established in the study of SGS formation. INTERVENTIONS: Fluorescently labeled exogenous fibroblasts were transplanted into the injured subglottis of the rabbits. RESULTS: Exogenous fibroblasts derived from fetal and adult dermis and subglottic mucosa were successfully transplanted into the injured subglottic mucosa of adult rabbits. Transplanted fibroblasts survived into the latter stages of wound healing (at 14 and 21 days) and appeared to be associated with a mild inflammatory cell influx and active remodeling of the mucosal wound bed. CONCLUSION: Cell transplantation is a viable tool for the study of fibroblast activity in the mucosal wound bed.

 

 

What is the diagnosis?

• Parting Shot...
  If you have an interesting case to discuss or share with other Otolaryngologists all over Africa, feel free to email Me or at best go to otolaryngology in Africa blogsite and post your case
• Also, if you are among those who requested for a copy of DODA at the last ORLSON Meeting @ Port Harcourt, please take time to view the DODA - FAQ page, and expect your copy anytime now. The program is being shipped to you.
• An online video demonstration of doda is available at http://www.otolaryngologyinafrica.net/doda_video.htm  This video takes about 30 - 45 minutes to fully load on a broad band network the first time, but once fully loaded could be viewed over and over again
• It appears as if the website of ORLSON - http://www.orlson.org/  is no longer active or visible on the web! Please For a list of active web sites of otolaryngological societies in Africa, click HERE
• If you have anything you want to communicate with other Otolaryngologists - news, request, etc, feel free to email your communication to orl-mailer@ otolaryngologyinafrica.net. Your request will appear in member's page soon to be created.
• Reviewers wanted for otolaryngology news journals watch page. If you are an Otolaryngologist in Africa and will like to be our journal reviewer, please feel free to email orl-mailer@otolaryngologyinafrica.net

Till Next Week,

Biodun

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