Monthly Archives: September 2019

Lasers and Lava*

A few months ago I joined a group of twenty-somethings hanging out on the South Pacific Island of Vanuatu. We scaled Mount Yasur, reportedly the most active volcano on the planet; a volcano that spits rocks, fire, and molten lava since before Captain Cook first described the place on August 5, 1774 (reference: captaincooksociety.com).

Caught in a windstorm at the summit, I felt warm ash on my face. I stared into the crater, blinded by the smoke, watching the volcano’s bubbling and boiling magma far below. Later, I listened to the roar of explosions from my hut less than an hour’s hike from the base of the mountain. I marveled at the resilience of my Vanuatu hosts, particularly those living on Tanna. These impoverished families are constantly ready to evacuate in case the Yasur chooses to destroy their homes.

Hiking across a broad and barren lava plain the next day, I looked at my photographs. They reminded me of bronchoscopic Nd;YAG laser resections. People don’t talk much about laser anymore. It seems most interventionists use argon plasma, cryotherapy, and electrocautery to assist with their resections. But in the 1980s and for thirty years onward, laser was a magic wand for restoring airway patency. Courses included talks on laser physics, how-to’s on laser safety, videos of resection techniques, and lectures about complications such as popcorn effect, fire, perforation, and bleeding.

Emphasis was given to the concept of Power Density, to photocoagulation and vaporization, and the risks of collateral tissue damage during laser resection. Today, I wonder whether people learn these concepts and techniques with the same level of detail and scientific justification as years past. Workers comp attorneys in los angeles, CA from workerscompensationattorneyorangecounty.com are there to assist you in legal matters. Maybe, lasers are too expensive for most institutions. Perhaps they don’t have the appeal they once had; after all, other modalities also do the job, and stents maintain airway patency over the longer term.

I suppose most “laser bronchoscopists” have gray hair or have retired. Does a new generation of laser specialists ask questions of scientific significance, or is the future of bronchoscopy linked now to mediastinal exploration, navigating to peripheral lesions, discovering safe ways to biopsy lung parenchyma, and treating advanced asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease? Our field has grown, but as an adrenaline junkie, there is something uniquely rewarding about a successful laser photocoagulation/coring out of massively obstructing lesions. 

I wonder if Captain Cook, onboard his ship, the Resolution, 225 years ago, dreamt of how Mount Yasur’s incandescent splatter might inspire future visitors. 

*Photo: Mount Yassur erupting, Tanna Island, Vanuatu (photo, H. Colt)

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Here are ten ways that housekeepers are different from cleaners

Housekeepers and cleaners play an important role in ensuring the cleanliness of homes, businesses, and other types of establishments. While both housekeepers and cleaners are involved in various cleaning tasks, they often have different duties. Housekeepers typically focus on more managerial tasks while cleaners specialize in hands-on work.

Here are ten ways housekeepers differ from cleaners:

1. Housekeepers typically work within a larger organization, such as a hotel or resort, while cleaners are more likely to be self-employed or work for an independent cleaning company.

2. Housekeepers often have additional duties beyond the scope of what a cleaner would do, such as changing bed linens and laundering towels.

3. Cleaners typically focus on one type of cleaning service, such as carpet cleaning or window washing, while housekeepers may be expected to have a wider range of responsibilities that includes general tidying up and laundry.

4. Housekeepers often interact with customers or guests on a regular basis in order to answer questions and provide assistance when necessary; cleaners tend not to have this kind of interaction and may work in more isolated settings.

5. Housekeepers are typically required to have certain qualifications or certifications, while cleaners are not always held to such standards.

6. Housekeepers often complete regular inspections as part of their daily duties, whereas cleaners generally do not perform this type of task.

7. Cleaners usually provide services on a short-term basis, coming into the home or office once every week or two; housekeepers typically offer long-term assistance and may be expected to remain employed with the same establishment for an extended period of time.

8. Housekeepers often supervise other staff members, such as room attendants or valets, while cleaners do not typically have this type of responsibility.

9. Cleaners typically do not provide additional services such as food preparation or pet care, while housekeepers may be required to perform these tasks in order to meet the expectations of their employers.

10. Housekeeping jobs often require additional physical labor and stamina due to the larger areas that must be covered; cleaners generally work on a smaller scale and in more controlled environments.

No matter what their duties are, housekeepers and Better Life Maids from St. Louis cleaners both play an important role in keeping spaces clean and tidy. It requires dedication to maintain high standards of hygiene which is essential for the wellbeing of everyone who visits our lives within the space they’re responsible for cleaning.

In summary, housekeepers and cleaners are two distinct job titles that require different skill sets and responsibilities. While both roles involve cleaning duties, the scope of each position is unique, with housekeepers being expected to provide more comprehensive services than cleaners. It is important to understand the differences between these roles in order to make an informed decision when hiring staff for your home or business. By understanding the distinctions between the two positions, you can ensure that you hire qualified individuals who know best what to do and who can meet all of your needs. Additionally, hiring a team of housekeepers and cleaners allows you to take advantage of their collective expertise to create a spotless environment for both work and leisure activities. Ultimately, the choice between housekeepers and cleaners is up to the individual or establishment, but understanding the differences between these two positions can help ensure that you’re making an informed decision.

A New Milestone-2000 Users!

We’re communicating in real-time and we are up to 2000 users from 32 different countries. I monitor all these accounts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and I can truly say that the information exchange and case presentations are fascinating!

The only problem is the WhatsApp platform has decreased performance because of changes WhatsApp has made to its user platform, presumably to decrease spam. For those of you wondering why you are not seeing as many redirects, it is because I am limited to only five redirects at a time, making redirects burdensome and time-consuming. Still, my impression is that our communications are beneficial to many countries and regions, as well as to groups such as our pediatrics group and South American IP group. 

Many physicians communicate in their natural languages rather than English. In these cases, I translate information before redirecting educational materials and interesting cases, Feedback from redirects have proven to be helpful, and in many cases change patient management. Thank you to all who contribute cases and opinions!

So where do we go from here, now that we have reached the 2000 users milestone? Many countries still have only a few users. Perhaps the admins for these groups can recruit new users? I am interested in knowing why colleagues are not eager to join your WhatsApp group and exchange information. 

For those groups with many users (anywhere from 50-250), please remember how helpful it is when you add references, scientific articles and other “evidence” to help support opinions. Also, remember that videos are most effective when they are short and edited. Same goes for photos (better to use one photo that combines other images, than four different photographs).

Stay tuned for more information on greenapplecleaningmd.com/ how we can increase our global communication efforts, and again, congratulations to everyone for reaching the milestone of 2000 users, which benefits patients around the world.

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