Topical Honey for Scalp Defects: An Alternative to Surgical Scalp Reconstruction.

This case report discusses the use of medical-grade honey as solitary treatment for a large scalp defect due to surgical excision of necrotizing fasciitis. Honey promoted granulation and epithelialization over bare bone, which has been previously undocumented in the literature. We discuss the proposed mechanisms of honey as a wound-healing agent and the evidence for its use, and we propose that honey may be considered a therapeutic option for scalp wounds-especially in patients who are poor surgical candidates.

Development of a cost-effective torsional unit for rodent long bone assessment.

Thorough mechanical testing of rodent bones requires an understanding of bone behavior in a variety of loading modes including tension, compression, bending and shear. While these tests are easily conducted with single axis mechanical testing machines, it may also be desirable to determine torsional properties of bone. Although higher-end materials testing machines will enable torsional and/or rotational testing, simpler, less expensive systems rarely offer these capabilities.