Area Closure Research Articles

Evaluating the impacts of area closure on soil properties in south central highland of Ethiopia

Soil degradation affects its quality and productivity of the land. To control soil degradation, various soil and water conservation (SWC) measures, including area closure are implemented. Understanding the impacts of SWC measures could support planning and implementation of land management practices. This study aimed to investigate impacts of area closure on soil properties in south central highland of Ethiopia. To acquire the necessary data, we conducted interviews with 80 households. Furthermore, nine years old area closure with physical soil and water conservation (AC-SWC), open grazing with physical SWC (OG-SWC), and open grazing without physical SWC (OG) were identified and each divided into upper, middle, and lower slope positions. In each slope position, 3 sample plots were established at 25–50 m intervals. A total of 27 composite samples and other 27 core samples for bulk density (3 treatments∗3 slope position∗3 replications) were collected and analyzed for soil properties. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA. The results showed that about 98 % of the respondents perceived that area closure would be an effective way to restore degraded land. Majority of the farmers (86 %) believed that area closure could reduce soil erosion and replenish soil fertility and thus, is beneficial in improving land productivity. Soil test results revealed that AC-SWC had significantly greater (P < 0.05) clay fractions, pH, available potassium, and available phosphorus than OG-SWC and OG. Variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) were more pronounced. The SOC in AC-SWC was 83 % and 314 % greater than OG-SWC and OG, respectively. In the AC-SWC, TN was three and seven times higher than that of OG-SWC and OG, respectively. This could be due to vegetation restoration that reduces erosion, and enhances organic matter, moisture, and nutrient. The SOC, TN, pH, available potassium, and clay were significantly greater (P < 0.05) at lower slope position than upper in all forms of land management, which could be due to deposition at downslope. About 12 % and 11 % variations of clay fractions and SOC were, respectively, observed in between upper and lower slope positions at AC-SWC, but they varied by 25 % and 57 %, respectively, in OG. These imply area closure has had a beneficial effect on soil properties even on sloping land. AC-SWC is an important option to integrate in land management for rehabilitation of degraded soil.

Systemic iodine levels increase with povidone-iodine irrigation, but does this affect thyroid functions? A case-control study.

Intraoperative irrigation with diluted povidone iodine (PI) can be used to reduce the incidence of infection-related complications in arthroplasty surgeries. Since PI is associated with many interventions, especially skin antisepsis, its systemic effects are being studied. The aim of our study is to evaluate the systemic effects of PI, which we use as an irrigation solution, by means of urine iodine and thyroid function tests. In this case-control study, 96 patients who underwent knee or hip arthroplasty were included and divided into two groups according to the irrigation solution. In the first group, PI was added to the standard irrigation. The second group was considered as the control group and only standard irrigation was applied. Urine iodine, thyroid stimulating hormone, free T3 and free T4 values were compared in the preoperative and postoperative periods of these two groups. In this way, the effect of absorbed iodine on thyroid functions was investigated. In the diluted PI group, urinary iodine levels were measured at maximum levels (450µg/L) in the early postoperative period in most of the patients. The statistically significant difference in urinary iodine levels between the PI group and the control group, which started in the early postoperative period, continued until the last follow-up on the 14th postoperative day. In terms of thyroid functions, the observed differences were not statistically significant. Studies to reduce periprosthetic infection show that PI can be preferred for irrigation before the closure of the joint area in total joint arthroplasty. Although the success of this treatment in periprosthetic infection has been investigated, its systemic examination has not been demonstrated. It was determined that PI treatment, which was seen to decrease in the systemic circulation within 14 days, did not show a statistically significant change in terms of thyroid functions when used at the determined concentration and duration. These results should be evaluated with larger and longer-term studies. Clinical trials ID no. NCT05599841.

Plant Extracellular Nanovesicle-Loaded Hydrogel for Topical Antibacterial Wound Healing In Vivo.

Bacterial infections impede wound healing and pose significant challenges in clinical care. There is an immediate need for safe and targeted antivirulence agents to fight bacterial infections effectively. In this regard, bioderived nanovesicles have shown significant promise. This work demonstrated significant antibacterial properties of extracellular nanovesicles derived from plant (mint) leaf juice (MENV). A hydrogel (HG) was developed using oxidized alginate and chitosan and loaded with antibacterial MENVs (MENV-HG). This formulation was investigated for topical HG dressings to treat Gram-positive Micrococcus luteus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli-invasive wounds. The developed HG was injectable, biocompatible (>95% cell was viable), nonhemolytic (<5% hemolytic capacity), self-healing and exhibited strong physical and mechanical interactions with the bacteria cells (MENV-HG-treated bacteria were significantly more elastic compared to the control in both M. luteus (1.01 ± 0.3 MPa, p < 0.005 vs 5.03 ± 2.6) and E. coli (5.81 ± 2.1 MPa vs 10.81 ± 3.8, p < 0.005). MENV-HG was topically applied on wounds with a slow MENV release profile, ensuring effective healing. These in vivo results demonstrated decreased inflammation and expedited healing within 10 days of treatment (wound area closure was 99% with MENV-HG treatment and 87% for control). Taken together, MENV-HGs have the potential for a scalable and sustainable wound dressing strategy that works satisfactorily for bacteria-infected wound healing and to be validated in clinical trials.

Birthing Unit Closures: Impacts and Opportunities in Iowa

Objective and ApproachIowa, US has experienced the closure of 41 birthing units in local hospitals since 2000, which is nearly 50% of previously available units. Public health concern about access to prenatal care and birthing support in this predominately rural state has raised attention to the value of using integrated administrative data to understand impacts and direct needed resources. This presentation will showcase a series of analyses using vital statistics birth records, hospital closure records, and statewide home visiting records to understand (a) closure impacts on relevant subgroups and (b) opportunities to strengthen outcomes through service improvements. Results suggest indirect relationships between hospital closure and child/mother outcomes through impacts on prenatal care. Some mothers (e.g., mothers with low maternal education, older mothers, and mothers with previous children) were more susceptible to negative impacts on prenatal care. Data about mother connections with other public service systems (e.g., Medicaid or WIC) suggested buffering effects for some women who were at risk for birthing unit closure impacts. Subsequent phases of research have used integrated administrative data to highlight hospital closure areas where women differentially experienced more positive outcomes to inform community outreach and identification of effective intervention efforts. Conclusions and ImplicationsThis research highlights the value of longitudinal administrative data utilized to address policy-relevant topics in public health. Results suggest opportunities to expand and replicate rural health practices that are working to mitigate risk in geographic areas where women face challenging access to a birthing hospital.

Using vessel surveillance data to estimate spatiotemporal patterns in the short mackerel purse-seine fishery: Implications for time–area closure management in Thai waters

Mapping fishing effort and fish abundance across management areas is required to adjust and enforce time–area management measures. Seasonal closures are imposed in Thai waters to mitigate the overexploitation of short mackerel (Rastrelliger brachysoma), one of Southeast Asia’s most economically important pelagic species. This study applied machine learning to fishing vessel surveillance data to estimate spatiotemporal distributions of fishing effort and fish abundance in the Gulf of Thailand (GOT) and the Andaman Sea (ADS) to provide reliable and near real-time information to support seasonal closures. Data collected between 2018 and 2020 from Thai purse seiners targeting short mackerel included VMS data, fishing trip records, and landing information. Spatiotemporal patterns in fishing effort and catch per unit effort (CPUE) were then visualized in relation to the closures in different statistical management zones. The results show that fishing effort in the ADS increased in 2020 from 2018 and 2019, and peaked in 2019 in the GOT. No significant spatiotemporal trend in the distribution of CPUE was identified over the 3 years. Notably, the results reveal spatiotemporal adjustments to fishing effort and CPUE following the implementation of seasonal closures. This study is the first to present a practical approach to using vessel surveillance data to examine seasonal patterns in fishing effort and estimated fish distribution in Thai waters. The findings improve our understanding of fishing effort in response to area closures. The information generated here supports the time–area management of an intensively exploited migratory fish species, given timely and accurate information.

Predicting the distribution of red king crab bycatch in Bering Sea flatfish trawl fisheries

Declining Bristol Bay red king crab (BBRKC) abundance has triggered recent closures of this iconic Bering Sea fishery and raised interest in bycatch in non-directed fisheries as a possible conservation concern. One particular concern is the effectiveness of static closed areas for bycatch fisheries in an era of climate warming and widespread distribution shifts. However, spatial data for supporting management decisions concerning bycatch is lacking, as fisheries-independent data are collected only in the summer, and the relationship to BBRKC distribution in the fall/winter/spring, when most bycatch occurs, is unknown. We filled this information gap by using fishery-dependent data to build predictive models of BBRKC bycatch distribution in non-pelagic trawl groundfish fisheries in the data-poor seasons. We trained Boosted Regression Tree models for bycatch occurrence and abundance of four BBRKC sex-size/maturity categories, and evaluation metrics indicated good to excellent predictive ability across all models. We found that flatfish directed-fishery CPUE, summer survey CPUE for BBRKC and flatfish, and depth were important predictors for bycatch occurrence and abundance. Physical variables (ice cover and temperature) were generally less important. We also found strong correlations between the mean latitude of observed bycatch and the summer survey for BBRKC, highlighting the ability of summer survey data to predict non-summer bycatch distributions. BBRKC bycatch prediction is a tractable problem, and our results are the first step towards operating models that may be used to evaluate proposed management actions. We also conclude that northward shifts in fishery-independent and -dependent data suggest the possible value of reassessing decades-old static closure areas for managing BBRKC bycatch.

Dynamics of resin yield in Pinus brutia: A quantitative analysis using bark streak tapping

The sustainable harvesting of resin yield from forests plays a crucial role in providing valuable renewable resources. Specifically, Pinus brutia forests in Türkiye are significant for their oleoresin, utilized in various industries. Yet, understanding how dendrometric and meteorological factors influence resin yield is essential for optimizing production while ensuring forest sustainability. This study aimed to estimate oleoresin yield in Pinus brutia plantations using dendrometric parameters (such as diameter at breast height and tree height, basal area, volume and canopy closure) and meteorological parameters (including monthly; minimum, maximum, and average temperature, precipitation, humidity, vapor pressure, and wind speed), to identify the key factors affecting resin production. Resin was collected from 389 Pinus brutia trees of varying diameters across 27 different plots using the bark streak tapping method, with data recorded every 15 days over a year. Weighted Leased Square regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between resin yield and the aforementioned dendrometric and meteorological parameters. The analysis revealed that diameter at breast height, monthly average temperature, wind speed, and precipitation significantly influence resin yield. The study underscores the intricate interplay between these factors and resin production, indicating that larger diameters and specific meteorological conditions—especially average temperature, wind speed, and precipitation—are positively correlated with increased resin output. The findings suggest that sustainable resin extraction practices in Pinus brutia forests should account for not only the physical characteristics of the trees but also the local meteorological conditions to maximize yield without compromising forest health. This research contributes to the development of more effective guidelines for oleoresin harvesting, ensuring both economic viability and ecological preservation.

Drought Stress Tolerance in Rice: Physiological and Biochemical Insights

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), an important food crop, necessitates more water to complete its life cycle than other crops. Therefore, there is a serious risk to rice output due to water-related stress. Drought stress results in morphological changes, including the inhibition of seed germination, reduced seeding growth, leaf area index, flag leaf area, increased leaf rolling, as well as the decrement of yield traits, such as plant height, plant biomass, number of tillers, and 1000-grain yield. Stress also causes the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as O2−, H2O2, and OH−, which promote oxidative stress in plants and cause oxidative damage. The process of oxidative degradation owing to water stress produces cell damage and a reduction in nutrient intake, photosynthetic rate, leaf area, RWC, WUE, and stomatal closure, which may be responsible for the decrement of the transpiration rate and plant dry matter under decreasing soil moisture. Plants have the ability to produce antioxidant species that can either be enzymatic (SOD, POD, CAT, GPX, APX) or non-enzymatic (AsA, GSH) in nature to overcome oxidative stress. During drought, several biochemical osmoprotectants, like proline, polyamines, and sugars, can be accumulated, which can enhance drought tolerance in rice. To meet the demands of an ever-growing population with diminishing water resources, it is necessary to have crop varieties that are highly adapted to dry environments, and it may also involve adopting some mitigation strategies. This study aims to assess the varying morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of the rice plant to drought, and the various methods for alleviating drought stress.

Assessment of Soil Structural Quality Under Area Closure and Open Grazing Land in Hidabu Abote District, North Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

The experiment was conducted at Sire Morise kebele, Hidabu Abote district, to assess soil structural quality of different land management system (area closure and open grazing land). In this study, area closure land management practice was compared with open grazing land management practice in similar slope positions for soil structural quality build up. Soil samples were collected from both land management system at three slope position with three times replication. Totally 36 undisturbed soil blocks were collected from both land management system at 10 and 20 cm sampling depths. The finding of the study showed that the average value of volumetric moisture content and saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil were greater at area closure than open grazing land management system and also higher at bottom slope position than middle and upper slope position. The mean value of air-filled porosity and bulk density were lower at both area closure management practices and bottom slope position. Bulk density, volumetric soil moisture content and saturated hydraulic conductivity at 20 cm sampling depth were shows significantly different with respect to management practices. According to visual assessment in the field, soil physical quality was unfavourable in open grazing land management system and upper part of landscape position soils and the visual assessment scores showed that the soils under area closure had a good soil structural quality. There were strong relations among the three visual field assessment methods and also between visual assessment methods and laboratory determined soil properties of both land management system. In general, the result of the study showed that physical and structural quality of soil in area closure was improved due to good land management system. Based on the result of study it can be conclude that area closure improves soil physical and soil structural qualities and from the technical point of view, open grazing lands in hilly area should be changed to area closure before soil properties and soil nutrient contents are exhausted more.

Changes in Stemness Properties of Human Adenoid-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells by in Vitro Aging

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have significant therapeutic potential in gene therapy. In vitro replicative senescence causes slow proliferation capacity of MSCs and changes in stem cell properties. In this study, the stem cell properties and proliferation potential of MSCs obtained from adenoid tissue, a new source of MSC, were investigated after long-term in vitro replicative senescence. Adenoid-derived MSCs (A-MSCs) were cultured up to passage 20 and were analyzed for cell morphology, proliferative capacity, differentiation potential and surface marker expression. In addition, the expression profile of cell cycle, apoptosis and senescence-related genes were evaluated. After in vitro replicative senescence, A-MSCs did not show significant morphological differences. The proliferation potential of A-MSCs was rapid up to passage 16, and a reduction in the proliferation potential of senescent cells in vitro was observed depending on the passage number. The differentiation potential of late-passage A-MSCs was also reduced compared to early-passage cells. A-MSCs also provided significant closure at the 8th hour in early passages in terms of closure of the scratch area, while late passage A-MSCs exhibited a similar closure profile at the 24th hour. In conclusion, A-MSCs have significant potential for clinical use due to the sustainability of MSC properties and their ability to proliferate and migrate with long-term culture.

Farmers’ perception of area closure and its associated factors of participation in degraded grazing land restoration in Sedie-Muja Woreda, Northwest Ethiopia

In many parts of the world, degradation of grazing lands is one of the most important environmental issues. This study analyzed farmers’ perception of area closure and its associated factors of participation in degraded grazing land restoration in Sede-Muja Woreda, Northwest Ethiopia. A cross-sectional research design and a mixed research approach were applied in this study. The 384 sample respondents were randomly selected. Household surveys, interviews, focus groups, and field study techniques were used to acquire the data. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify the determinant elements that affect farmers' participation in the area closure of degraded grazing land restoration. All of the total respondent farmers (100%) have a positive attitude towards multi-functionality benefits of area closures for local farmers. The model results show that the grazing experience (AOR = 2.981,95% CI = (1.143-7.775), access to safety net program (AOR = 2.787,95% CI = (1.146-6.77), access to livestock forage (AOR = 4.493,95% CI = (1.149-14.028), access to extension service (AOR = 2.522,95% CI = (1.917-6.6397), livestock ownership (AOR = 0.026,95% CI = (0.008-0.087), improved cattle breeds (AOR = 4.955,95% CI = (1.944-12.630), access to training (AOR = 3.169,95% CI = (1.409-7.131), farmers’ perception (AOR = 0.085,95%CL = (0.023-0.310), and communities’ consensus (AOR = 4.230, 95% CI = (1.377-12.996) were determinant factors that affect farmers' participation in the area closure of degraded grazing land restoration. To address the current grazing land degradation issues, every one of the relevant authorities as well as communities needs to work together to create modern grazing land management mechanisms such as grazing land enclosures, reduce animal size through improved cattle breeds, implement zero-grazing systems, and ensure the sustainability of existing enclosures.

Chlorogenic Acid: HPLC Quantification and In Vitro Assessment of Proliferative and Migration Effects on Human Dermal Fibroblast Cells

Chlorogenic acid (CA) exhibits diverse biological activities, including antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects. This research aims to develop, optimize, and validate an HPLC method to quantify CA in methanol and investigate its in vitro proliferative and cell migration effects on human-dermal-fibroblast (HDF) cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. The HPLC experimental conditions were optimized using the central composite design (CCD) method for determining CA. Chromatographic separation occurred at a wavelength of 330 nm. Under the optimized conditions, the method exhibited linearity across a concentration range of 0.1-100 µg/mL, demonstrating sensitivity (LOQ:0.1µg/mL), precision (RSD%≤3.32), and accuracy (RE%≤4.05). To evaluate the in vitro proliferative and cell migration effects on HDFs, we employed the XTT cell proliferation assay and TAS-TOS commercial kits. The XTT assay revealed that CA displayed a proliferative effect within the concentration range of 75-250 µM (P &amp;lt;0.01), and at a concentration of 125 µM, TAS levels increased significantly (P&amp;lt;0.05). The scratch assay demonstrated that HDF cell migration increased at 12 h, with substantial closure of the wound area at 24 h when treated with CA concentrations between 75-125 µM. The results demonstrate that pure chlorogenic acid extracted from plants exhibits dose-dependent effects on cell proliferation, antioxidant, and cell migration

Impacts of Integrated Watershed Management Interventions on Land Use/Land Cover of Yesir Watershed in Northwestern Ethiopia

Since 2002, numerous sustainable land management (SLM) interventions have been implemented in Ethiopia, such as agroforestry, area closure, forage development, gully rehabilitation, and conservation agriculture. In addition, watershed-based developments contributed comprehensively to a better use of existing natural resources. This study determined the impact of Integrated Watershed Management (IWM) on land use/land cover for the Yesir watershed in Northern Ethiopia. Supervised image classification algorithms were applied to a time series of Landsat 5 (2002) and Landsat 8 (2013 and 2022) images to produce land use/land cover maps. A Geographic Information System was applied to analyze and map changes in land use/land cover for settlements, agricultural land, grazing land, and land covered with other vegetation. In focus group discussions, the time series maps were analyzed and compared with the integrated watershed management practices to analyze their impacts. The results document that integrated watershed management practices have contributed to a significant change in land use/land cover in the study area over the past 20 years. The quantitative analysis of land use/land cover between the years 2002 and 2022 only revealed a downward trend in agricultural land. Considering the value of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) as a biophysical feature for the increase of green mass, this indicator also documents an improvement in land use/land cover with regard to sustainable land management and consequently poverty alleviation.

Wound Healing Activity of Topical Herbal Gels Containing Barringtonia acutangula Fruit Extract: In silico and In vivo Studies.

The current study describes the efficacy of B. acutangula fruit extract in wound healing via incorporation within topical gels. B. acutangula fruit extract was produced by solvent extraction method. The bioactive extract was incorporated within Carbopol 940-based topical gels, which were applied topically over the excision and incision wounds. The change in healing process was observed till 20 days. The percentages of closure of excision wound area were 92.89 % and 93.43 %, when treated with topical herbal gels containing B. acutangula fruit extract of 5 % and 10 %, respectively. The tensile strengths of incision area in rats treated with topical herbal gels containing 5 % and 10 % methanol extract of B. acutangula fruits were found to be 25±5.12 g and 30±4.10 g, respectively. The wound healing activity of topical herbal gels containing B. acutangula fruit extract in rats was found to be significant when compared with that of the reference standard and untreated groups. In addition, in silico studies suggested about good skin permeability and binding to the proteins responsible for delaying wound healing. It can be concluded that this topical herbal gels containing B. acutangula fruit extract could be used clinically for the treatment of wounds.

Impacts of locally managed periodic octopus fishery closures in Comoros and Madagascar: short-term benefits amidst long-term decline

Octopus fisheries face heightened demand driven by depleted fish stocks and escalating economic value, leading to overextraction of octopus populations and magnifying threats to coastal ecosystems and the livelihoods of fishers who depend on them. Implementation of management strategies such as periodic fishing closures can offer sanctuary for octopus, providing the necessary space and time for the growth and reproduction of this rapidly proliferating species. Despite evidence of positive management outcomes, the role of periodic closures in the long-term sustainability of octopus populations remains uncertain. Here, we examine trends in octopus landings over time and the effects of periodic closures along the Mozambique Channel from Comoros to Madagascar (12°-25°S). Long-term trends in octopus landings varied across three regions: generally stable over a 6-year period in Comoros, increasing over a 4-year period in the Barren Isles and declining over a 17-year period in Atsimo Andrefana, Madagascar. We observed a significant increase in mean catch per unit effort (CPUE, kilograms/fisher-day), and mean total catch (kilograms/day) following periodic closures across villages extracting octopus from closure areas. When evaluating each region independently, we observed this positive effect across Comoros and Atsimo Andrefana, Madagascar while trends in the Barren Isles showed no effect of octopus closures. We applied generalized linear mixed models to examine the influence of 10 covariates on mean daily total catch and CPUE within 7 days and 30 days post-closure. Baseline conditions (quantified by the pre-closure CPUE and daily total catch), closure duration and start month of closure had positive, statistically significant correlations with post-closure CPUE and daily total catch. Additionally, closure duration from 13 to 16 weeks and closure size of approximately 70 hectares were qualitatively associated with net gains in CPUE. Although periodic closures yield positive outcomes for octopus fisheries, the effects may be short-lived, as observed in Atsimo Andrefana, Madagascar, where catch declined over the long-term despite temporary improvements. Our findings underscore a need for a diverse portfolio of management strategies to restore and sustain populations over the long-term.

Repair of a “long and narrow” skin defect of the upper extremity with a modified design of a compound SCIP flap: a series of 12 cases

BackgroundLarge skin lesions of the upper extremity tend to be ‘‘long and narrow’’ in shape, and the currently used repair and reconstruction protocols still have some drawbacks, including difficulty in closure of the donor area, poor cosmetic appearance of the donor and recipient areas, and low flap survival rates. The ilioinguinal flap has been more widely used for repair and reconstruction of various complex conditions. In order to improve the versatility of the flap design and to achieve better aesthetic results, we report a study on the improved design of Compound SCIP flap for repairing "long and narrow" large skin defects of the upper extremity by using a modified design of the ilioinguinal flap for the procurement of perforating blood vessels and flap excision.MethodsFrom April 2005 to August 2015, a total of 12 patients underwent this modified design procedure, in which the anterior branch of the fourth lumbar artery or the posterior intercostal artery was selected to provide blood supply for the perforator flap together with the superficial branch of the superficial iliac artery to meet the blood supply needs of the flap for the one-time repair of a large "long and narrow" skin defect in the upper limb. Patient demographics, flap characteristics, and associated complications were retrospectively analyzed.Results3 females and 9 males were included in this study, the mean age of the patients was 31.7 years (range, 22–44 years), the mean follow-up period was 15.3 ± 5.6 months (range, 7–24 months), and all patients had complete closure of the defect site and donor area, and all flaps survived.ConclusionsThe Compound SCIP flap presents some advantages in repairing 'long and narrow' skin defects in the upper limb. While ensuring the survival rate of the elongated ilioinguinal flap, it amplifies the benefits of the ilioinguinal flap and enhances skin utilization. This can serve as a beneficial choice for repairing 'long and narrow' skin defects in the upper limb.

Burn Wound Healing Abilities of a Uronic Acid Containing Exopolysaccharide Produced by the Marine Bacterium Halomonas malpeensis YU-PRIM-29T.

Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are an emerging class of biopolymers with extensive applications in different fields due to their versatile physico-chemical and biological properties. The role of EPS in healing of different wound types is gaining interest in the tissue engineering sector. Burn is one of the devitalizing injuries that causes greater physical harm and can be fatal. Appropriate treatment modalities have to be followed for faster healing outcomes and to minimize the risk. In this study, a bacterial EPS (EPS-H29) from the marine bacterium Halomonas malpeensis YU-PRIM-29T was used to treat the burn wound in vivo. The biochemical and structural characterizations of EPS-H29 were carried out using standard methods. In addition, FE-SEM, conformational, rheological, and HP-GPC analyses were carried out. In vitro biocompatibility of EPS-H29 was studied in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and keratinocytes (HaCaT). Scratch assay was used to study the wound healing in vitro. For in vivo evaluation, burn wound (second-degree) was created on Wistar albino rats and treated with EPS-H29 along with appropriate control groups. The total sugar and protein contents of EPS-H29 were 72.0 ± 1.4% and 4.0 ± 0.5%, respectively, with a molecular weight of 5.2 × 105Da. The lyophilized samples exhibited porous surface features, and in solution, it showed triple helical conformation and shear thickening behavior. In vitro cell-based assays showed biocompatibility of EPS-H29 up to 200μg/mL concentration. At a concentration up to 50μg/mL, EPS-H29 promoted cell proliferation. Significant increase in the HDF cell migration was evident with EPS-H29 (15μg/mL) treatment in vitro and induced significantly higher (p ≤ 0.0001) closure of the scratch area (90.3 ± 1.1%), compared to the control (84.3 ± 1.3%) at 24h. Enhanced expression of Ki-67 was associated with the cell proliferative activities of EPS-H29. The animals treated with EPS-H29 showed improved healing of burn wounds with significantly higher wound contraction rate (80.6 ± 9.4%) compared to the positive control (54.6 ± 8.0%) and untreated group (49.2 ± 3.7%) with histopathological evidence of epidermal tissue formation at 15days of treatment. These results demonstrate the biocompatibility and burn wound healing capability of EPS-H29 and its potential as an effective topical agent for the burn wound care.

The divided full-thickness skin graft: A harvesting technique to optimize donor area normal skin sacrifice and closure

The divided full-thickness skin graft: A harvesting technique to optimize donor area normal skin sacrifice and closure

Mesenchymal stem cell-based adjunctive therapy for Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced keratitis: A proof-of-concept in-vitro study

PurposePseudomonas aeruginosa-induced keratitis is one of the most severe and challenging forms of corneal infection, owing to its associated intense inflammatory reactions leading to corneal necrosis and dense corneal scar with loss of vision. Since mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are reported to possess antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties, they can be tested as an adjuvant treatment along with the antibiotics which are the current standard of care. This study aims to investigate the anti-bacterial and immunomodulatory roles of human bone marrow MSC-derived conditioned medium (MSC-CM) in P. aeruginosa-infected human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) in vitro. MethodsThe effect of MSC-CM on the growth of clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa was evaluated by colony-forming unit assay. The expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) and an antimicrobial peptide (Lipocalin 2) in lipopolysaccharide-treated MSCs and HCECs was analyzed through ELISA. Corneal epithelial repair following infection with P. aeruginosa was studied through scratch assay. ResultsCompared to control (P. aeruginosa (5*105) incubated in DMEM (1 ml) at 37 °C for 16 h), MSC-CM significantly: i) inhibits the growth of P. aeruginosa (159*109 vs. 104*109 CFU/ml), ii) accelerates corneal epithelial repair following infection with P. aeruginosa (9% vs. 24% closure of the wounded area after 12 h of infection), and iii) downregulates the lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of IL-6, TNF-α and Lipocalin 2 in HCECs. A combination of MSC-CM with an antibiotic, Ciprofloxacin moderately regulated the expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and Lipocalin 2. ConclusionMSC-CM holds promise as an adjunctive therapeutic approach for P. aeruginosa-induced corneal epithelial damage.

Diosmin Enhances the Anti-migration Activity of Curcumin Analog PGV-1 on Colorectal Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND: Diosmin enhances the cytotoxicity of Pentagamavunone-1 (PGV-1) in cancer cells. PGV-1 and diosmin are predicted to target several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in metastatic cancer, including colorectal cancer, but the anti-migration potency of their combination has not established yet. This study evaluates the anti-migration effect of PGV-1 and diosmin combination in colorectal cancer.METHODS: The cytotoxicity assay using Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) method in WiDr colorectal cancer cells was carried out to determine the concentration for anti-migration experiments. The wound healing assay was used to observe the anti-migration activity by measuring the cell-free area. Gelatin zymography was employed to detect the MMP activity indicating by the clear band density. The interaction between PGV-1 or diosmin and MMP proteins was predicted by molecular dockings.RESULTS: PGV-1 was cytotoxic (IC50 17 mM), while diosmin up to 100 mM did not affect cell viability. Both 10 mM PGV-1 as well as 50 and 100 mM diosmin slowed down the closure of cell-free area. A 100 mM diosmin was significantly enhance the anti-migratory activity of 50 and 100 mM PGV-1. The activity of MMP-9 and MMP-2 was also lower in the presence of diosmin compared to than that of PGV-1 alone. PGV-1 or diosmin was also able to interact with MMP proteins with a lower energy compared to than that of the native ligands.CONCLUSION: Diosmin enhances the anti-migration activity of PGV-1 in WiDr cells, possibly by affecting MMPs’ activity. This study is an evidence that diosmin is a potential co-chemotherapy candidate for PGV-1, that can be utilized to overcome metastatis in colorectal cancer.KEYWORDS: cancer, citrus flavonoid, co-chemotherapy, diosmin, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), migration, Pentagamavunone-1, WiDr cancer cell