The fluid handling performance of the curea P1 multipurpose dressing against superabsorbent and foam dressing technologies

Using a novel, automated robotic phantom system containing multiple wound simulants, we determined the fluid handling performance of the curea P1 multipurpose dressing vs market‐leading comparator superabsorbent and foam‐based dressings (FBDs). Specifically, we measured the retained, residual, evaporated, and (potentially occurring) spillover fluid shares for high‐ vs low‐viscosity exudate‐simulant test fluids, at 12, 24, and 30 hours postapplication of the dressings. These experiments were conducted for off‐loaded (‘prone’), non‐off‐loaded (‘supine’), and vertical (‘side‐lying’) simulated body positions. We found that the multipurpose dressing exhibited the best and most robust fluid handling performance across all the test configurations, for both the low‐ and high‐viscosity fluids. The FBD consistently showed the poorest performance compared to the other dressings, rendering it unlikely to be able to manage viscous exudates in ambulant patients (such as when applied to venous leg ulcers) as effectively as the other dressings. The superabsorbent dressing performed better than the foam dressing, but its fluid handling metrics were inferior to those of the multipurpose dressing. The current comparative quantification of the shares of retained, residual, evaporated, and spillover fluid, acquired through standardised laboratory tests, should help decision‐makers to select dressings that best meet their patient needs.     

Enhancement of Viability of Fat Grafts in Nude Mice by Endothelial Progenitor Cells

BACKGROUND: A recent discovery showed that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) could augment collateral vessel growth to ischemic tissues. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to demonstrate the effects of EPCs on the vasculogenesis and survival of free transplanted fat tissues in nude mice. METHODS: EPCs from human donors were cultured in vitro for 7 days. Human fat tissues were injected subcutaneously into the scalps of 20 6-week-old nude male mice. EPCs stained with CM-DiI were mixed with the transplanted fat tissues and injected into the mice. EBM-2 medium was used as control group. The animals were euthanized 15 weeks after the procedure. Graft volume were measured, and histologic evaluation was performed. The central part of fat tissues was histologically evaluated 15 weeks after the fat injection. RESULTS: The survival volume of the experimental group was significantly greater than that of the control group (p< .05). Less cyst formation and fibrosis was obtained in the experimental group. Histologic evaluation of the central part of fat tissues 15 weeks after the fat injection showed that capillary densities increased markedly in the experimental group mice. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that EPCs have the ability to enhance the survival and the quality of the transplanted fat tissues.     

Phosphorylation and Carbonylation of Placental Proteins in Normal Pregnancy and Gestosis

Study of posttranslational changes in placental proteins revealed disorders in the intensity of their phosphorylation and carbonylation in patients with placental failure. Phosphorylation was reduced for the majority of endogenous placental proteins, substrates for cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinases. An opposite dynamics was noted for oxidative modification of proteins. The content of carbonyl derivatives evaluated in spontaneous and metal-catalyzed oxidation of placental proteins was elevated in gestosis in comparison with the normal level.     

Breast feeding and the dietary habits of children in rural Somalia

Breast feeding and dietary habits were studied prospectively in a cohort of children under the age of five years in a rural Somali community. The median duration of breast feeding was 19.5 months. However, all the children also received cow's milk by cup from the first day of life and onwards. Energy supplements (mainly sugar and oil) as well as additional water were given daily from early infancy. Staples, protein-rich foods (beans and meat), vegetables and fruits were usually introduced when the children reached the age of 12-18 months. There was a seasonal variation with the lowest intake of protein-rich and vitamin-rich foods during the rains in May to June. Thus, there was a complete absence of exclusive breast feeding. Energy-reinforced cow's milk and human milk dominated the diet up to the age of one year. Staples were mixed with oil and supplemented with milk, thereby leading to a much higher energy density in the complementary food than is usually the case in African communities.     

Telemedicine and spaceflight

Medical assessment and treatment of crews during spaceflight is primarily perfomed by the Earth-based medical staff analyzing information received by telemetry and onboard preventive and medical treatment facilities. In the coming decades, the building of the International Space Station (ISS) will be the most important near-Earth space exploration project. Remote monitoring and distance support of the crewmembers by the Earth-based clinical medicine specialists will become increasely important. The international nature of the ISS will require integrating medical support systems of the participating countries. Consideration must also be given to biomedical ethics and the confidentiality of the medical information exchanged. In Russia, the construction of the telemedicine network for the Russian node of the ISS has been completed. It is evident that during interplanetary flight biomedical problems will be much more difficult than during orbital flights of the same duration. Such a long-duration flight will require development of a special telemedical support system, as well as onboard facilities, which will present many new challenges. This new system will involve the integration of information technologies with biology, as well as physics and chemistry, representing a new interdisciplinary technological breakthrough.     

Phenotypic variability in P. vivax with short- and long-term incubation period

The combined transmission of P. vivax phenotypes was studied. The phenotypes were determined by the duration of a latent parasitic development stage by comparing the intervals from first manifestations of malaria with short- and long-term incubations to its relapse. The study used data on 2493 patients treated with chloroquine (900 mg base for adults) alone at follow-ups in the North-Eastern Delhi (India) in 1988-1992. The combined transmission of P. vivax phenotypes was shown to differ in malaria with short- and long-term incubation. The P. vivax phenotype with manifestations on an average a year following infection in patients with mainly short-term incubation malaria and that with manifestations on an average year and a half after infection in a group of patients with primary long-term incubation malaria were significantly more frequently. Long-term incubation malaria shows simultaneously a larger number of phenotypes than does short-term incubation one. Patients with long-term incubation malaria display a combination of 2 phenotypes (6%) significantly less frequently than that of 3 different phenotypes or more (17%). The similar combinations were observed in the equal number of patients with short-term incubation malaria (7%).