Using honey to heal diabetic foot ulcers

Diabetic ulcers seem to be arrested in the inflammatory/proliferative stage of the healing process, allowing infection and inflammation to preclude healing. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become a major cause of infections, including diabetic foot infections. It is proposed here that the modern developments of an ancient and traditional treatment for wounds, dressing them with honey, provide the solution to the problem of getting diabetic ulcers to move on from the arrested state of healing. Honeys selected to have a high level of antibacterial activity have been shown to be very effective against antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria in laboratory and clinical studies. The potent anti-inflammatory action of honey is also likely to play an important part in overcoming the impediment to healing that inflammation causes in diabetic ulcers, as is the antioxidant activity of honey. The action of honey in promotion of tissue regeneration through stimulation of angiogenesis and the growth of fibroblasts and epithelial cells, and its insulin-mimetic effect, would also be of benefit in stimulating the healing of diabetic ulcers. The availability of honey-impregnated dressings which conveniently hold honey in place on ulcers has provided a means of rapidly debriding ulcers and removing the bacterial burden so that good healing rates can be achieved with neuropathic ulcers. With ischemic ulcers, where healing cannot occur because of lack of tissue viability, these honey dressings keep the ulcers clean and prevent infection occurring

Studies of carbon metabolism by the facultative methylotroph Arthrobacter 2B2.

The research has involved a study of the enzymology of carbon assimilation in the facultative methylotroph Arthrobacter 2B2, utilising methylamine and choline as a sole source of carbon. When growing on methylamine the organism uses the ribulose monophosphate cycle of formaldehyde fixation as the carbon assimilating pathway. The variant of the cycle used is that involving Embden-Meyerhof cleavage, coupled with transaldolase/transketolase re-arrangement. It is the most energetically favourable of the 4 possible variants but is rare amongst methylotrophs, the only other organism in which it has been reported to be of physiological significance is Arthrobacter Pl (Levering et al. ,1982 ) Two key enzymes of the ribulose mono phosphate cycle, hexulose phosphate synthase and phosphohexuloisomerase were purified and characterised. Many of the properties of the purified hexulose phosphate synthase from Arthrobacter 2B2 resembled those of similar enzymes purified from other methylotrophs. However, it differs from previously purified enzymes in having a molecular weight of 155000, consisting of two identical subunits. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was very low compared to those reported for similar enzymes from other organisms. The phosphohexuloisomerase from Arthrobacter 2B2 was different to those previously studied in other organisms, in being a trimeric protein of total molecular weight 108000, constructed of three identical subunits. The final specific activity of the purified enzyme was very low compared to those reported for similar enzymes from other organisms. When growing on methylamine as a sole source of carbon, the organism synthesises hydroxypyruvate reductase. This enzyme was purified and found to be strictly NADPH specific, and therefore, different from hydroxypyruvate reductases reported in other organisms. IX When growing on choline as sole source of carbon the organism synthesisE;s enzymes of the ribulose monophosphate cycle and the serine pathway indicating the possibility that choline metabolism proceeds in a similar manner to that described in Arthrobacter P1 (Levering rt al., 19B1 b). However, crude extracts of choline-grown Arthrobacter 2B2 were shown to contain high specific activities of formaldehyde dehydrogenase, which were not detected in extracts of the organism grown on Methylamine or glucose. This suggests that formaldehyde produced by the metabolism of choline, is oxidised by formaldehyde dehydrogenase. Crude extracts of choline grown Arthrobacter 2B2 contained high activities of NADPH-linked and NADH/NADPH-linked hydroxypyruvate reductase. Both enzymes were purified and their characteristics tested. Batch cul til res of cho1 ine-grown cells produced the two enzymes at different stages of growth, the NADH/NADPH-linked enzyme being produced during early-to mid-exponential phases, and the NADPH-linked enzyme during late exponential and stationary phases. This effect was studied further in chemostat continuous culture. From these studies it has been proposed that the oxidation of choline is not completed in one uninterrupted sequence, but that an intermediate of the catabolic pathway is allowed to build up during the early stages of batch growth. If this intermediate repressed the production of the NADPH-linked enzyme, this could provide an explanation for its delayed appearance during the growth cycle. However, under conditions of strict carbon limitation, such as would be present at very low dilution rates in continuous culture, the intermediate would itself be degraded thus lifting the repression of the synthesis of the NADPH-linked enzyme. A study was also made of the formaldehyde dehydrogenase of Methylophilus methylotrophus. This enzyme was purified, and its activity was demonstrated to be thiol-dependent. The thiol specificity was not limited to GSH, as cysteine was also active in this capacity

Towards Secure and Legal E-Tendering

Tendering processes are considered to be a suitable mechanism for governments to fairly assign contracts for construction projects and procurement. The demand for efficiencies to be created in the process has resulted in a significant number of governments implementing e-tendering systems. E-tendering systems generally involve the submission of tender offer documents to a secure system hosted by the government (principal). An electronic environment presents obvious opportunities for collusion between principal and certain tenderers, fraud by tenderers and a minefield of legal uncertainties for fuelling protracted disputes. Critical examination of the security and legal requirements for e-tendering systems does not appear in the current literature. This paper identifies key security and legal issues to be addressed in the design of e-tendering systems, which may be included in e-procurement software, and proposes a new e-tendering architecture, using distributed trusted third parties which may be suitable for secure large scale operations such as the construction industry

Effect of oxandrolone and timing of pubertal induction on final height in Turner’s syndrome: randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial

Objective To examine the effect of oxandrolone and the timing of pubertal induction on final height in girls with Turner’s syndrome receiving a standard dose of growth hormone

Lithospheric Structure and Extensional Style of the Red Sea Rift Segments

The Red Sea provides an opportunity to study the processes during the transition from continental rifting to early-stage seafloor spreading during ocean initiation. We delineate variations of lithospheric architecture and the nature of extension along the Red Sea region through joint interpretation of gravity and geoid anomalies and gravity-topography transfer functions. We use lithospheric-scale models to compare stretching factors with upper mantle gravity anomaly, residual mantle Bouguer anomaly, and effective elastic thickness. Based on our observations, the Red Sea is divided into four segments; each having distinct lithospheric characteristics and stretching styles. These are: (i) southernmost Red Sea and Danakil having regionally weak and stretched lithosphere, (ii) southern Red Sea with fully developed seafloor spreading and asymmetric lithospheric architecture, (iii) central Red Sea having discontinuous magma accretion with newly formed seafloor spreading, and (iv) northern Red sea with a stronger lithosphere and limited stretching revealing a stage of continental rifting. In these segments, lithospheric stretching correlates with regions of weak lithosphere, including a regime of sublithospheric plume channel beneath the southern Red Sea. The Zabargad fracture zone between the central and northern segments is revealed as a major lithosphere-scale boundary that may act as a barrier to the propagation of seafloor spreading into the northern Red Sea. The weak and highly stretched lithosphere in this region may indicate the onset of a new spreading cell. Our results conclude that the evolution of the Red Sea is more complex than the previously suggested kinematic models of simple “unzipping” and illustrate that several extensional styles can exist within different segments during the initial stages of ocean formation

Physiological responses to maximal eating in men

This study investigated metabolic, endocrine, appetite and mood responses to a maximal eating occasion in fourteen men (mean: age 28 (sd 5) years, body mass 77·2 (sd 6·6) kg and BMI 24·2 (sd 2·2) kg/m2) who completed two trials in a randomised crossover design. On each occasion, participants ate a homogenous mixed-macronutrient meal (pizza). On one occasion, they ate until 'comfortably full' (ad libitum) and on the other, until they 'could not eat another bite' (maximal). Mean energy intake was double in the maximal (13 024 (95 % CI 10 964, 15 084) kJ; 3113 (95 % CI 2620, 3605) kcal) compared with the ad libitum trial (6627 (95 % CI 5708, 7547) kJ; 1584 (95 % CI 1364, 1804) kcal). Serum insulin incremental AUC (iAUC) increased approximately 1·5-fold in the maximal compared with ad libitum trial (mean: ad libitum 43·8 (95 % CI 28·3, 59·3) nmol/l × 240 min and maximal 67·7 (95 % CI 47·0, 88·5) nmol/l × 240 min, P &lt; 0·01), but glucose iAUC did not differ between trials (ad libitum 94·3 (95 % CI 30·3, 158·2) mmol/l × 240 min and maximal 126·5 (95 % CI 76·9, 176·0) mmol/l × 240 min, P = 0·19). TAG iAUC was approximately 1·5-fold greater in the maximal v. ad libitum trial (ad libitum 98·6 (95 % CI 69·9, 127·2) mmol/l × 240 min and maximal 146·4 (95 % CI 88·6, 204·1) mmol/l × 240 min, P &lt; 0·01). Total glucagon-like peptide-1, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine iAUC were greater in the maximal compared with ad libitum trial (P &lt; 0·05). Total ghrelin concentrations decreased to a similar extent, but AUC was slightly lower in the maximal v. ad libitum trial (P = 0·02). There were marked differences on appetite and mood between trials, most notably maximal eating caused a prolonged increase in lethargy. Healthy men have the capacity to eat twice the energy content required to achieve comfortable fullness at a single meal. Postprandial glycaemia is well regulated following initial overeating, with elevated postprandial insulinaemia probably contributing.</p

Delivering agile marketing projects: a view from practice

Successful marketing projects are vital to most organisations to ensure their survival. The paper advocates an 'agile approach' in creating effective marketing initiatives. It underscores the necessity of clearly defined objectives and internal efficiency, addressing power issues for optimal resource allocation. Brand definition, understanding the customer base through profiling, and implementing a differentiated, segmented approach are crucial aspects. The paper recommends data gathering for analysis and leveraging technology to support these projects, all encapsulated within the 'agile approach.' The research methodology involved a survey of literature, complemented by a semi-structured group interview with experienced UK-based marketing professionals. Inductive analysis was applied to the gathered data, extracting principal themes. The outcome of this research proposes a framework for delivering 'Agile marketing projects' based on a project management 'learning' model. This structured approach contributes valuable insights for organizations seeking success in their marketing endeavors