Pain--An Objective Device to Measure

 

“[R]esearchers are now on a quest to find objective biological indicators of pain that will enable doctors to quantify it as they do heart rate and blood pressure,” according to the Washington Post which recently described the Nociometer.

Julia Finkel, a pediatric anesthesiologist at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, is developing the Nociometer, which would determine the type and intensity of pain and the impact of analgesics. 

The newspaper reported that, “[t]he Nociometer stimulates the patient’s three main sensory and pain nerve fibers — found in skin, muscles, joints and some organs — without actually causing pain. Instead, the device sends a tiny electrical current through a probe, usually attached to the patient’s finger or toe. The three fibers each transmit a different kind of sensation: temperature and slow-burning pain; sharp, localized pain; and touch and pressure.”

The handheld instrument by AlgometRx, Inc., would allow doctors to analyze pupil dilation in response to the electrical current.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025/03/23/pain-measure-precision-research/

[Accessed, 03-29-2025]

 

https://www.algometrx.com/

 

Puzzle February 25, 2025

 

Across

    2  Selection by vote (8)

    6  Large crowd, often taking illegal, riotous, and destructive action (3)

    8  With nays, a recorded roll-call vote (4)

    9  Country where the people elect the head of state and the legislature; opposite of a monarchy (8)

  10  Federal legislature (8)

 

Down

    1  To add or change a document, e.g. adding the 14^th Amendment to the US Constitution (5)

    3  One of a small number of people, controlling a government, e.g. wealthy (8)

    4  Form of government set out in the US Constitution (9)

    5  Henry Knox headed this cabinet position under the secretary of war title for George Washington (7)

    7  US government branch that rules on constitutionality of laws (6)

       The puzzle consists of a “main word” and other words. The main word in the puzzle will be the longest word, or one of the longest words, in the puzzle. The initial letters of all other words in the puzzle are from the letters of the main word.

For solution see:

            https://crosswordnuancessolutions.blogspot.com/ 

Let’s Teach American Civic History and Values

 

 

Beginning Again Now

 

Let’s Teach American Civic History and Values

 

For future presidential level success, I think, Democrats will have to win control of at least the US House of Representatives in 2026 and the US Senate if possible.

 

In practice, the “campaign,” beginning again now, however, has to be about invigorating democracy, not merely electing a president.

 

Separate from supporting candidates and issues, a new independent national civic institution should create a national public education campaign beginning again now to teach people about American civic history and values.  Celebrities, “influencers,” people from all walks of life, officeholders and office aspirants should be asked to participate because no other success is as important. 

 

2025 Semiquincentennial ceremonies and observances are timely opportunities.