Electrical injuries due to theft of copper.

This study shows that the theft of copper, mainly from electrical wires, is becoming a more frequent crime as the value of this metal rises. We have collected all the data from the Burn Centre of the Hospital of Palermo, Italy, from 1992 to 2007. Over the last two decades, we assisted to a dramatic increase of patients admitted to our hospital, reporting burn injuries while attempting to steal it in dangerous conditions.

Autofluorescence imaging of cystoid macular edema in diabetic retinopathy.

Aim: Our purpose was to assess fundus autofluorescence (FAF) images in patients with diabetic retinopathy and cystoid macular edema (CME) and their correlation with fluorescein angiography (FA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings.

Methods: Sixty-eight eyes of 34 consecutive patients with diabetic retinopathy were examined with autofluorescence imaging using a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope, FA and OCT. The eyes were divided into 2 groups, group 1 with CME and group 2 without.

Serum Levels of Cortisol, Immunoglobulin, and C-reactive Protein in Burn Patients.

Thermal injury is known to induce alterations in the immune system, but the precise mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. It has been shown that thermal injury in more than 20% of the total body surface area (TBSA) leads to disturbances in the cortisol metabolism and the equilibrium of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. We investigated the temporal relationship between serum cortisol levels, C-reactive protein, and immunoglobulin levels in the post-burn period.