Voltage-gated calcium flux mediates mechanosensation.

Electrically excitable cells harness voltage-coupled calcium influx to transmit intracellular signals, typically studied in neurons and cardiomyocytes. Despite intense study in higher organisms, investigations of voltage and calcium signaling in bacteria have lagged due to their small size and a lack of sensitive tools. Only recently were bacteria shown to modulate their membrane potential on the timescale of seconds, and little is known about the downstream effects from this modulation.

The economic effect of child abuse in the burn unit.

The financial burden imposed on society by abusing children through burn injury is unknown. This study retrospectively evaluates the economic impact and demographics of such abuse on patients and their families treated at Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron (CHMCA) from four counties over a 5 year period. The inclusive group consisted of all children evaluated during the stated period referred to Social Services for possible child abuse.

Clinical nursing experience with cultured epidermal autografts.

In 1989, the Regional Burn Center of the Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron, Ohio, switched to use of commercially produced cultured epidermal autograft (CEA) from cultured cells that had been grown in the institution's own laboratories. CEA has the advantage of producing the quantity of grafts that are needed from the original biopsy specimen. Clinical experience with 10 patients has demonstrated an average of 72% "take" with approximately 1309 grafts.