Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for wound healing in diabetic rats: Varying efficacy after a clinically-based protocol

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a clinical treatment in which a patient breathes pure oxygen for a limited period of time at an increased pressure. Although this therapy has been used for decades to assist wound healing, its efficacy for many conditions is unproven and its mechanism of action is not yet fully clarified. This study investigated the effects of HBOT on wound healing using a diabetes-impaired pressure ulcer rat model. Seven weeks after streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats (n = 55), a pressure ulcer was created on dorsal skin. Subsequently, animals received HBOT during 6 weeks following a standard clinical protocol (HBOT group with varying endpoints up to 42 days post-wounding) versus controls without HBOT. Capillary venous oxygen saturation (SO2) showed a significant increase in the HBOT group on day 24; however, this increase was significant at this time point only. The quantity of hemoglobin in the micro-blood vessels (rHB) showed a significant decrease in the HBOT group on days 21 and 42, and showed a trend to decrease on day 31. Blood flow in the microcirculation showed a significant increase on days 17, 21 and 31 but a significant decrease on days 24 and 28. Inflammation scoring showed significantly decreased CD68 counts in the HBOT group on day 42, but not in the early stages of wound healing. Animals in the HBOT group showed a trend for an increase in mean wound breaking strength on day 42

Physicochemical properties of potential cathode La 1-xBa xMn 1-yCryO 3 and Anode Sr 2NiMoO 6 materials for solid-oxide fuel cells

The homogeneity area boundaries of La 1-xBa xMn 1-yCryO 3 solid solutions possessing orthorhombic and rhombohedral structures were established. A state diagram at 1373 K in air in the quaternary oxide system LaMnO 3-BaMnO 3-BaCrO 4-LaCrO 3 was drawn for the first time. Partial substitution of Mn with Cr in La 1-xBa xMnO 3 stored the thermal compatibility of the cathode with the any traditionally used electrolyte but reduced the electric conductivity of the potential cathode. Based on the linear lengthening measurements of La 1-xBa xMn 1-yCryO 3 and Sr 2NiMoO 6 samples the values of the thermal expansion coefficients were calculated. It was established that the temperature of the structure transition from a tetragonal to a cubic phase in Sr 2NiMoO 6 occurred at 508 K. It was stated that double perovskite Sr 2NiMoO 6 in air did not react with (La 0.9Sr 0.1) 0.98Ga 0.8Mg 0.2O 3 up to 1073 K. © 2012 al-Farabi Kazakh National University

Effect of HBOT on wound tissue perfusion.

<p><b>A. Effect of HBOT on hemoglobin oxygen saturation at the venous end of the capillaries (SO</b>_<b>2</b><b>)</b> Oxygen saturation in the wounded and normal skin was measured in the HBOT and control animals (20 h post-HBOT). Oxygen saturation in the wound is expressed as a percentage of the flow in the normal skin of the same animal. <b>B. Effect of HBOT on quantity of hemoglobin.</b> Quantity of hemoglobin in the wounded and normal skin was measured in the HBOT and control animals (20 h post-HBOT). Quantity of hemoglobin in the wound is expressed as a percentage of the flow in the normal skin of the same animal. <b>C. Effect of HBOT on blood flow.</b> Blood flow in the wounded and normal skin was measured in the HBOT and control animals (20 h post-HBOT). Blood flow in the wound is expressed as a percentage of flow in the normal skin of the same animal. Data are shown as means ± SEM. *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01 and ***p ≤ 0.001 indicate significant differences between the HBOT and control group.</p

A Consensus-Driven Agenda for Emergency Medicine Firearm Injury Prevention Research

Study objectiveTo identify critical emergency medicine-focused firearm injury research questions and develop an evidence-based research agenda.MethodsNational content experts were recruited to a technical advisory group for the American College of Emergency Physicians Research Committee. Nominal group technique was used to identify research questions by consensus. The technical advisory group decided to focus on 5 widely accepted categorizations of firearm injury. Subgroups conducted literature reviews on each topic and developed preliminary lists of emergency medicine-relevant research questions. In-person meetings and conference calls were held to iteratively refine the extensive list of research questions, following nominal group technique guidelines. Feedback from external stakeholders was reviewed and integrated.ResultsFifty-nine final emergency medicine-relevant research questions were identified, including questions that cut across all firearm injury topics and questions specific to self-directed violence (suicide and attempted suicide), intimate partner violence, peer (nonpartner) violence, mass violence, and unintentional ("accidental") injury. Some questions could be addressed through research conducted in emergency departments; others would require work in other settings.ConclusionThe technical advisory group identified key emergency medicine-relevant firearm injury research questions. Emergency medicine-specific data are limited for most of these questions. Funders and researchers should consider increasing their attention to firearm injury prevention and control, particularly to the questions identified here and in other recently developed research agendas