Association of biofilm and microbial metrics with healing rate in older adults with chronic venous leg ulcers.

The presence of microbial biofilms in many human chronic wounds led to the hypothesis that biofilms delay healing of these wounds. We tested this hypothesis in a population of 117 older individuals with venous leg ulcers who were receiving standardised therapy, including frequent debridement. Debridement specimens were analysed for the amount of bacterial biomass by two independent methods: a microscopic approach that scored the relative size and number of bacterial aggregates, interpreted as a biofilm metric, and conventional enumeration by agar plating for viable bacteria.

Therapeutic Indices of Topical Antiseptics in Wound Care: A Systematic Review.

Chronic wounds place a heavy burden on healthcare systems and markedly reduce the ability of patients to engage in activities of daily living. One major factor contributing to impaired wound healing is bacterial bioburden. With the rise in antibiotic resistance and the slowdown in antibiotic development pipelines, alternative antimicrobial strategies are important.

Impact of continuous topical oxygen therapy on biofilm gene expression in a porcine tissue model.

Objective: The effect of continuous topical oxygen therapy (cTOT) on biofilm gene transcription profiles following inoculation onto porcine skin, using a customised molecular assay was determined.

Method: Sterilised porcine skin explants were inoculated with in triplicate: 0 hours as negative control; 24 hours cTOT device on; 24 hours cTOT device off. The oxygen delivery system of the cTOT device was applied to the inoculated tissue and covered with a semi-occlusive dressing.

Wound Bed Preparation 2024: Delphi Consensus on Foot Ulcer Management in Resource-Limited Settings.

General Purpose: To review a practical and scientifically sound application of the wound bed preparation model for communities without ideal resources.

Target Audience: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

Learning Objectives/outcomes: After participating in this educational activity, the participant will:1.

Treatment of infection and inflammation associated with COVID-19, multi-drug resistant pneumonia and fungal sinusitis by nebulizing a nanosilver solution.

Solutions containing Ag nanoclusters, Ag, and higher oxidation state silver, generated from nanocrystalline silver dressings, were anti-inflammatory against porcine skin inflammation. The dressings have clinically-demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, suggesting application of nanosilver solutions in treating pulmonary infection. Nanosilver solutions were tested for antimicrobial efficacy; against HSV-1 and SARS-CoV-2; and nebulized in rats with acute pneumonia.

IWII Wound Infection in Clinical Practice consensus document: 2022 update.

Wound infection is a major challenge for clinicians globally, with accurate and timely identification of wound infection being critical to achieving clinical and cost-effective management, and promotion of healing. This paper presents an overview of the development of the International Wound Infection Institute (IWII)'s 2022 Wound Infection in Clinical Practice consensus document. The updated document summarises current evidence and provides multidisciplinary healthcare providers with effective guidance and support on terminology, paradigms related to biofilm, identification of wound infection, wound cleansing, debridement and antimicrobial stewardship.

A desiccation compound as a biofilm- and necrosis-removing agent: a case series.

Objective: A new compound, Debrichem (DEBx Medical BV, the Netherlands), a topical desiccation agent (TDA), is an active gel that contains an acidic species with a potent hygroscopic action. When in contact with microorganisms and necrosis, rapid desiccation and carbonisation of the proteins in these microorganisms, as well as of the extracellular matrix of biofilms and necrosis, occurs. The resulting 'precipitate' rapidly dislodges from the wound bed, resulting in a clean wound which granulates, which is a prerequisite for healing by secondary intention.

Accrual and retention of diverse patients in psychosocial cancer clinical trials.

Background: Minority and older adult patients remain underrepresented in cancer clinical trials (CCTs). The current study sought to examine sociodemographic inequities in CCT interest, eligibility, enrollment, decline motivation, and attrition across two psychosocial CCTs for gynecologic, gastrointestinal, and thoracic cancers.

Methods: Patients were approached for recruitment to one of two interventions: (1) a randomized control trial (RCT) examining effects of a cognitive-behavioral intervention targeting sleep, pain, mood, cytokines, and cortisol following surgery, or (2) a yoga intervention to determine its feasibility, acceptability, and effects on mitigating distress.

Challenges in the diagnosis and management of wound infection.

Human epithelia are constantly exposed to microorganisms present in the environment or residing as part of commensal flora. Despite this exposure, infections involving the skin and subcutaneous tissue in healthy individuals are, fortunately, quite rare. Many of the wounds that afflict the human body occur in individuals of ill health and/or where the mechanism of wounding is impeded by host immunological, physiological or regenerative dysfunction.

Effect of Nanosulfur Against Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) has significantly increased in the past decades and the use of nanotechnology has opened new venues for novel treatments. Nanosulfur is a potent antimicrobial agent and a cheaper alternative to other nanomaterials. However, very few studies have been published on its activity against MDR organisms.

Chronic wounds: Treatment consensus.

The Wound Healing Foundation (WHF) recognised a need for an unbiased consensus on the best treatment of chronic wounds. A panel of 13 experts were invited to a virtual meeting which took place on 27 March 2021. The proceedings were organised in the sub-sections diagnosis, debridement, infection control, dressings, grafting, pain management, oxygen treatment, outcomes and future needs.

Therapeutic effects of equine amniotic membrane suspension on corneal re-epithelialization and haze in a modified lagomorph ex vivo wound healing model.

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of topical equine amniotic membrane (eAM) suspension following corneal wounding in a controlled experimental setting.

Procedures: Equine amniotic membrane was collected, gamma irradiated, homogenized for topical suspension preparation, and cryopreserved. Corneoscleral rims harvested from fresh rabbit globes were wounded via keratectomy and were maintained in an air-liquid interface ex vivo corneal culture model.

Are Semi-Quantitative Clinical Cultures Inadequate? Comparison to Quantitative Analysis of 1053 Bacterial Isolates from 350 Wounds.

Early awareness and management of bacterial burden and biofilm is essential to wound healing. Semi-quantitative analysis of swab or biopsy samples is a relatively simple method for measuring wound microbial load. The accuracy of semi-quantitative culture analysis was compared to 'gold standard' quantitative culture analysis using 428 tissue biopsies from 350 chronic wounds.

Impacts of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia and Pain on Sleep in Women with Gynecologic Malignancies: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Insomnia is an adverse cancer outcome impacting mood, pain, quality of life, and mortality in cancer patients. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for diverse psychophysiological disorders, including pain and insomnia. Primarily studied in breast cancer, there is limited research on CBT within gynecology oncology.

Topical doxycycline monohydrate hydrogel 1% targeting proteases/PAR2 pathway is a novel therapeutic for atopic dermatitis.

Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is characterized by skin barrier disruption and an aberrant immune response. Doxycycline is tetracycline antibiotics broadly used systemically to treat inflammatory dermatologic conditions. Several studies have shown doxycycline has anti-inflammatory and pro-healing properties, mainly by blocking tissue proteolytic activity.

Detection of ultra-low field NMR signal with a commercial QuSpin single-beam atomic magnetometer.

We experimentally demonstrate the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection at 1.9 kHz using a detection system comprised of a high-sensitivity single-beam atomic magnetometer and a flux transformer. The single-beam atomic magnetometer has been commercialized by QuSpin for typical operation at low frequencies below 200 Hz with a bandwidth of 135 Hz [1].

A review of iodine-based compounds, with a focus on biofilms: results of an expert panel.

Biofilms play a central role in the chronicity of non-healing lesions such as venous leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers. Therefore, biofilm management and treatment is now considered an essential part of wound care. Many antimicrobial treatments, whether topical or systemic, have been shown to have limited efficacy in the treatment of biofilm phenotypes.

An cornea infection model.

In vitro screening and testing of drugs and devices is necessary, but in vitro conditions differ greatly from those found in vivo. These differences can lead to false promises of efficacy, or can hide problems of tissue compatibility. Models with tissues can be highly valuable bridges which provide relevant matrices for testing [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9].

Development and assessment of a novel ex vivo corneal culture technique involving an agarose-based dome scaffold for use as a model of in vivo corneal wound healing in dogs and rabbits.

Objective: To develop and assess a novel ex vivo corneal culture technique involving an agarose-based dome scaffold (ABDS) for use as a model of in vivo corneal wound healing in dogs and rabbits.

Sample: Corneas from clinically normal dogs (paired corneas from 8 dogs and 8 single corneas) and rabbits (21 single corneas).

Procedures: 8 single dog corneas (DCs), 1 DC from each pair, and 10 rabbit corneas (RCs) were wounded with an excimer laser; 1 DC from each pair and 11 RCs remained unwounded.

Rapid detection of biofilm by wound blotting following sharp debridement of chronic pressure ulcers predicts wound healing: A preliminary study.

For optimal wound bed preparation, wound debridement is essential to eliminate bacterial biofilms. However, it is challenging for clinicians to determine whether the biofilm is completely removed. A newly developed biofilm detection method based on wound blotting technology may be useful.

Modulating Ocular Scarring in Glaucoma Filtration Surgery Using the Epigenetic Adjunct Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid.

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDI) with a broad spectrum epigenetic activity, in improving filtration bleb survival as an adjunct therapy to glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS) in the rabbit model.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen New Zealand White rabbits underwent GFS in the left eye and were randomized to receive either a subconjunctival (SC) injection of 0.1 mL SAHA (9.

Interleukin-6 and body mass index, tobacco use, and sleep in gynecologic cancers.

Objective: Elevated body mass index (BMI), tobacco use, and sleep disturbance are common health concerns among women with gynecologic cancers. The extent to which these factors are associated with systemic inflammation in gynecologic cancers is unknown. This is a significant literature gap given that (a) chronic, systemic inflammation may mediate relationships between behavioral health factors and cancer outcomes; and (b) elevated BMI, tobacco use, and sleep disturbances can be modified via behavioral interventions.

Biobehavioral Mechanisms Associated With Nonhealing Wounds and Psychoneurologic Symptoms (Pain, Cognitive Dysfunction, Fatigue, Depression, and Anxiety) in Older Individuals With Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers.

The prevalence and incidence of chronic venous leg ulcers (CVLUs) are increasing worldwide, as are the associated financial costs. Although it has long been known that their underlying etiology is venous insufficiency, the molecular aspects of healing versus nonhealing, as well as the psychoneurologic symptoms (PNS; pain, cognitive dysfunction, fatigue, depression, and anxiety) associated with CVLUs remain understudied. In this biobehaviorally focused review, we aim to elucidate the complex mechanisms that link the biological and molecular aspects of CLVUs with their PNS.