Continuous Wound Research Articles

A Spatio-Temporal Dynamic Visualization Method of Time-Varying Wind Fields Based on Particle System

The particle system is widely used in vector field feature visualization due to its dynamics and simulation. However, there are some defects of the vector field visualization method based on the Euler fields, such as unclear feature expression and discontinuous temporal expression, so the method cannot effectively express the characteristics of wind field on the temporal scale. We propose a Lagrangian visualization method based on spatio-temporal interpolation to solve these problems, which realizes the fusion and expression of the particle system and the time-varying wind data based on the WebGL shader. Firstly, the linear interpolation algorithm is used to interpolate to obtain continuous and dense wind field data according to the wind field data at adjacent moments. Then, we introduce the Lagrangian analysis method to study the structure of the wind field and optimize the visualization effect of the particle system based on Runge–Kutta algorithms. Finally, we adopt the nonlinear color mapping method with double standard deviation (2SD) to improve the expression effect of wind field features. The experimental results indicate that the wind visualization achieves a comprehensive visual effect and the rendering frame rate is greater than 45. The methods can render the particles smoothly with stable and outstanding uniformity when expressing continuous spatio-temporal dynamic visualization characteristics of the wind field.

Fluorapatite-Coated Percutaneous Devices Promote Wound Healing and Limit Epithelial Downgrowth at the Skin-Device Interface

A percutaneous osseointegrated device becomes deeply ingrown by endosteal bone and traverses the overlying soft tissues of the residual limb, providing a direct link to the bone-anchored artificial limb. Continuous wound healing around these devices can result in the formation of sinus tracts as “down-growing” epithelial cells are unable to recognize and adhere to the “nonbiological” implant surface. Such sinus tracts provide paths for bacterial colonization and deep infection. In order to limit adverse outcomes and provide a robust seal, it was hypothesized that by coating the titanium surface of the percutaneous post with the mineral component of dental enamel, down-growing epidermal cells might recognize the coating as “biological” and adhere to this nonliving surface. To test this hypothesis, sintered partially and fully fluoridated hydroxyapatite (HA) was chosen as coatings. Using an established surgical protocol, fluorapatite (FA), hydroxyfluorapatite (FHA), HA-coated percutaneous posts, and titanium controls were surgically placed under the dorsal skin in 20 CD hairless rats. The animals were sacrificed at four weeks, and implants and surrounding tissues were harvested and subjected to further analyses. Downgrowth and granulation tissue area data showed statistically significant reductions around the FA-coated devices. Moreover, compared to the control group, the FA- and HA-coated groups showed downregulation of mRNA for EGFr, EGF, and FGF-10. Interestingly, the FA-coated group had upregulation of TGF-α. These data suggest that FA could become an ideal coating material for preventing downgrowth, assuming the long-term stability of these coated surfaces can be verified in a clinically relevant animal model.

Clinical predictors of early surgical intervention in patients with venomous snakebites

BackgroundVenomous snakebites induce tissue destruction and secondary infection; however, the optimal timing of surgical intervention for these complications remains unknown. This study assessed the clinical predictors of early surgical intervention in patients with snakebites.MethodsThis retrospective study included 63 patients (45 men and 18 women) with venomous snakebites. In addition to the snake species, the demographics, affected body parts, clinical characteristics, and ultrasound findings of the patients in the surgical (32 patients) and nonsurgical (31 patients) groups were analyzed and compared.ResultsA higher incidence of acute compartment syndrome, local ecchymosis, skin necrosis, bullae, blisters, and fever was found in the surgical group than in the nonsurgical group, and ultrasound findings of the absence of Doppler flow were more frequently noted in the surgical group than in the nonsurgical group. After adjustment using a multivariate logistic regression model, only advanced age, Naja atra bite, local ecchymosis, and bulla or blister formation remained significant factors for surgical intervention. Furthermore, comparison of the outcomes of patients who received early (≤ 24 h) and late (> 24 h) surgical intervention revealed that the duration of continuous negative pressure wound therapy (6 vs. 15 days; P = 0.006), duration of hospital stay (13 vs. 26 days; P = 0.002), and duration of outpatient follow-up (15 vs. 36 days; P < 0.001) were significantly lower in patients who received early surgical intervention. The final reconstructive surgery was simple among the patients who received surgical intervention within 24 h of being bitten (P = 0.028).ConclusionIn patients with snakebites, advanced age, high-risk clinical manifestations (e.g., local ecchymosis and bulla or blister formation), and Naja atra envenomation are predictors of surgical intervention within 24 h.

A collagen-based theranostic wound dressing with visual, long-lasting infection detection capability

Continuous wound monitoring is one strategy to minimise infection severity and inform prompt variations in therapeutic care following infection diagnosis. However, integration of this functionality in therapeutic wound dressings is still challenging. We hypothesised that a theranostic dressing could be realised by integrating a collagen-based wound contact layer with previously demonstrated wound healing capability, and a halochromic dye, i.e. bromothymol blue (BTB), undergoing colour change following infection-associated pH changes (pH: 5–6 ➔ >7). Two different BTB integration strategies, i.e. electrospinning and drop-casting, were pursued to introduce long-lasting visual infection detection capability through retention of BTB within the dressing. Both systems had an average BTB loading efficiency of 99 wt% and displayed a colour change within 1 min of contact with simulated wound fluid. Drop-cast samples retained up to 85 wt% of BTB after 96 h in a near-infected wound environment, in contrast to the fibre-bearing prototypes, which released over 80 wt% of BTB over the same time period. An increase in collagen denaturation temperature (DSC) and red shifts (ATR-FTIR) suggest the formation of secondary interactions between the collagen-based hydrogel and the BTB, which are attributed to count for the long-lasting dye confinement and durable dressing colour change. Given the high L929 fibroblast viability in drop-cast sample extracts (92 %, 7 days), the presented multiscale design is simple, cell- and regulatory-friendly, and compliant with industrial scale-up. This design, therefore, offers a new platform for the development of theranostic dressings enabling accelerated wound healing and prompt infection diagnosis.

Calculation of flow turbulence and analysis on screens setting-up in continuous and transonic wind tunnel

Turbulence intensity in test section is an important index to evaluate the flow-field performance of wind tunnel, and provide guarantee for model's dynamics and accurate test. The prediction model should be established to evaluate the effect of rectification design to ensure the turbulence-intensity index. Two methods are introduced and used to predict the turbulence-intensity of a continuous and transonic wind tunnel comparing with test results. It was found that the turbulence-intensity variation trend obtained from the two methods is basically same, turbulence-intensity attenuation is mainly concentrated in the first three screens, about 65%, the result calculated by model-one is 21% larger than the measured value and the model-two result is much closer. These two methods can be used to optimize the design of rectifying device effectively although the results obtained by two methods are slightly different form the measured value.

Comparing continuous wound infiltration with thoracic epidural analgesia for postoperative pain management in open nephrectomy

Comparing continuous wound infiltration with thoracic epidural analgesia for postoperative pain management in open nephrectomy

A study of peripheral nerve block for analgesia during caesarean section

In multimodal analgesia regimens for postcesarean delivery, peripheral nerve blocks play a special role. These peripheral nerve blocks, including transversus abdominis plane, quadratus lumborum, iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal, erector spinae, continuous wound infiltration and paravertebral blocks will be discussed in this review paper. Anatomy, data from the literature, and particular areas that require more study will all be evaluated. In the context of emergency caesarean births, considerations for local anaesthetic toxicity and informed consent for these modalities will be highlighted.

Study on characteristics and microscopic mechanism of composite environment-friendly dust suppressant for urban construction site soil fugitive dust based on response surface methodology optimization.

Soil fugitive dust pollution caused by urban construction sites is a significant problem. To improve the dust suppression efficiency on the urban construction sites, hydroxypropyl guar (HPG), dodecyl dimethyl amine oxide (OB-2), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) were selected as individual components of the composite dust suppressant using a single-factor test. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimal mixing proportions. After preparation, the characteristics of the composite dust suppressant were tested. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the composite dust suppressant and explore its mechanism. The results showed that 0.327% HPG, 0.6% OB-2, and 0.5% HPMC were the best compound concentrations. Under optimum conditions, the viscosity of the composite dust suppressant was 151.1 [Formula: see text], penetration time was 61.4s, and water retention rate was 30.67%. Compared with traditional dust control by spraying water, it showed better resistance to evaporation at high temperatures and better wind erosion resistance. The antievaporation rate was 39.42% at 60°C. After 11 d of continuous wind erosion at level 7, the wind erosion resistance rate was as high as 98.24%. The reason for the excellent dust suppression effect of the composite dust suppressant is that the methyl and hydroxyl groups in the solution diffuse to the surface of the soil fugitive dust particles using Brownian motion and gradually approach the corresponding groups in the soil fugitive dust particles. When the distance between the two reaches 10 [Formula: see text], adsorption occurs, causing small dust particles to stick together. Because of the stability of the covalent bonds in the methyl and hydroxyl groups, a stable solidified layer is formed on the soil fugitive dust surface after the evaporation of the composite dust inhibitor solution, thereby avoiding secondary dust. In addition, the composite dust suppressant is noncorrosive and friendly to the construction site environment. Therefore, the composite dust suppressant can effectively reduce soil fugitive dust, alleviate environmental pollution, and provide a reference for preventing and controlling soil fugitive dust on urban construction sites and preparing composite environment-friendly dust suppressants.

Recent advancements in regional anaesthesia.

Patient safety, improved quality of care, and better patient satisfaction and functional outcomes are currently the topmost priorities in regional anaesthesia (RA) and all advancements in RA move in this direction. Ultrasonography-guided central neuraxial and peripheral nerve blocks, intracluster and intratruncal injections, fascial plane blocks, diaphragm-sparing blocks, use of continuous nerve block techniques, and continuous local anaesthetic wound infiltration catheters are now topics of popular clinical interest. The safety and efficacy of nerve blocks can be improved with the help of injection pressure monitoring and the incorporation of advanced technology in the ultrasound machine and needles. Novel procedure-specific and motor-sparing nerve blocks have come up. The anaesthesiologist of the current era, with a good understanding of the sonoanatomy of the target area and the microarchitecture of nerves, along with the backup of advanced technology, can be very successful in performing RA techniques. RA is rapidly evolving and revolutionising the practice of anaesthesia.

Complications Following Intraosseous Injections of Calcium Phosphate Bone Cement in Subchondroplasty.

An alternative approach to the major problem of osteoarthritis that has begun to pique the interest of researchers focuses on the pathology of the subchondral bone, its constant cross-talk with the articular cartilage, and its interaction with the joint. The presence of bone marrow lesions, detectable on MRI scans, has proven to be a cause of pain as well as a predictor of the progression of degenerative changes. Subchondroplasty is a relatively new surgical procedure for the treatment of these lesions, in which injectable calcium phosphate bone cement is infused into the affected area percutaneously, under fluoroscopic guidance. In its use as a synthetic scaffold, calcium phosphate bone cement exhibits considerable osteoconductivity, bioabsorbability, and low toxicity, thus showing great potential for restoring subchondral biomechanical properties through structural remodeling. Although published results appear quite promising, there are certain complications that the surgeon should be aware of. We reviewed the published data regarding complications of the procedure, highlighting possible causes according to these data, and suggesting safety measures. Avascular necrosis of the talus is the most reported concern. Postsurgical pain, infection, and continuous wound drainage due to bone substitute material extravasation to the joint or soft tissue are also mentioned, necessitating further standardization of the procedure. There are no reports of permanent postoperative disability or fatal outcomes.

Evaluation of continuous wound infusion with local analgesics in postoperative renal transplantation patients: A retrospective study.

The objective is to evaluate the efficacy of the continuous wound infusion (CWI) with Ropivacaine (naropeine 2 mg/ml) on postoperative pain, analgesics consumption, and bowel function in renal transplantation patients. A retrospective study trial including 79 patients who underwent renal transplantation. Patients were separated into two groups (catheter or without catheter). We identified 52 (65.8%) patients who received catheter wound infusion during the first 48 h postoperatively. On the other hand, 27 (34.1%) patients received standard without catheter anesthetic technique. Catheter wound infusion was achieved through a 12 cm catheter, inserted subcutaneously after abdominal closure. The catheter was placed above the external oblique aponeurosis. All postoperative data were examined to evaluate the first postoperative 48 h. This study aims to assess three variables: postoperative pain analysis through a visual analog scale, analgesics consumption, and bowel function. The overall score of the three variables was studied. Regarding pain assessment, we have determined that the group of patients with catheter scored better than patients without catheter with borderline significance (66.3 vs. 61.2 consecutively; P = 0.0843). An early bowel function was noted in patients with catheters on the 2nd postoperative day (P = 0.0209). Moreover, patients without catheter consumed more painkillers with nonsignificant difference (P = 0.2499). Patients with catheter showed earlier bowel function than the noncatheter group on the 2nd postoperative day. The catheter group had better pain evaluation.

Balancing wind power deployment and sustainability objectives in Swedish planning and permitting

BackgroundWind power is a critical renewable energy technology in efforts to achieve the global climate targets. However, local impacts do occur, which demands careful consideration in planning and permitting. Sweden has set an ambition to triple land-based wind power by 2040, and municipalities play a key role in both the planning and permitting process, due to a planning monopoly and veto power in the permitting process. This calls for an investigation of Swedish wind power governance, with a particular focus on recent trends in municipal wind power planning, how wind power is balanced in relation to sustainability objectives in planning and permitting, and insights from practitioners regarding their capacities and drivers.ResultsThe results show that about two-thirds of Swedish municipalities have conducted wind power planning in some form, but this basis for decision-making has become outdated due to a lack of institutional capacity at the municipal level. Secondly, the study finds that many municipalities perceive that there are insufficient incentives for a continued wind power expansion. Lastly, the study sheds light on a large heterogeneity within wind power planning practice concerning how trade-offs between wind power deployment and other sustainability aspects are handled, as well as a lack of coherence between planning and permitting.ConclusionsIt is concluded that the current state of municipal wind power planning raises questions regarding the legitimacy of municipal decision-making in terms of perceived justice among local inhabitants and highlights the need for updated wind power plans. Moreover, to promote local acceptance in the future, formalised financial compensation and strategic initiatives that enable the localisation of electricity-intensive industry within municipalities with large-scale wind power production can be two key components. The results also highlight the need for additional support at the municipal level, including access to critical competence and relevant knowledge to enable trade-offs between the different sustainability considerations in an informed and balanced manner. Finally, regional dialogue with key actors, such as the military, Sami representatives and grid operators, would facilitate the handling of inter-municipal issues, in particular by fostering co-operation regarding inter-municipal wind sites.

Linear Parameter Varying Power Regulation of Variable Speed Pitch Manipulated Wind Turbine in the Full Load Regime

In a wind energy conversion system (WECS), changing the pitch angle of the wind turbine blades is a typical practice to regulate the electrical power generation in the full-load regime. Due to the turbulent nature of the wind and the large variations of the mean wind speed during the day, the rotary elements of the WECS are subjected to significant mechanical stresses and fatigue, resulting in conceivably mechanical failures and higher maintenance costs. Consequently, it is imperative to design a control system capable of handling continuous wind changes. In this work, Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) H∞ controller is used to cope with wind variations and turbulent winds with a turbulence intensity greater than ± 10%. The proposed controller is designed to regulate the rotational rotor speed and generator torque, thus, regulating the output power via pitch angle manipulations. In addition, a PI-Fuzzy control system is designed to be compared with the proposed control system. The closed-loop simulations of both controllers established the robustness and stability of the suggested LPV controller under large wind velocity variations, with minute power fluctuations compared to the PI-Fuzzy controller. The results show that in the presence of turbulent wind speed variations, the proposed LPV controller achieves improved transient and steady-state performance along with reduced mechanical loads in the above-rated wind speed region.

A time-dependent survival analysis for early prognosis of chronic wounds by monitoring wound alkalinity.

The objective is to determine whether monitoring wound alkalinity between visits may help prognosticate chronic wound healing. The alkalinity of 167 wounds during the first 3 visits was assessed using disposable DETEC® pH. Wounds grouped by frequency of alkaline results were compared by % wound size reduction during each visit and 120-day healing probability. The Cox proportional hazards model for time-dependent variables was used to generate non-healing probability curves, where variables are binary (alkaline/non-alkaline, infection/no infection), categorical (wound type), and continuous (wound area); the response is time to complete wound healing; and the event of interest is complete wound healing in 120 days. Results show that wounds with frequent alkaline results have significantly smaller % size reduction per visit. Logistic regression shows an increase in 120-day healing probability with fewer alkaline results. Survival analysis shows that the instantaneous healing rate of non-alkaline or non-alkaline transitioning wounds is 1.785, 2.925, and 5.908 times that of alkaline or alkaline-transitioning wounds for 1, 2, and 3 alkalinity measurements, respectively. Furthermore, the concordance statistic of each survival model shows that goodness of fit increases with more alkalinity measurements. Overall, frequent wound alkalinity assessments may serve as a novel way to prognosticate wound healing outcomes.

High Resolution Coherent Doppler Wind Lidar Incorporating Phase-Shift Keying

A coherent Doppler wind lidar (CDWL) with spatial/temporal resolution of meter and sub-second scale is reported. Phase-shift keying (PSK) is introduced into the pulse pair to enhance the measurement efficiency, and the pulse shaping and perfect binary PSK modulation are both realized by a single Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM). The identical intensity envelope of the paired pulses reduces the influence of amplifier's gain profile and provides a monitoring parameter for bias control, which improves the system stability in practice. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation are conducted to illustrate the principle of the proposed method. In experiments, the bias drift of the MZM is monitored in real time. Continuous radial wind profile measurement over 800 m is demonstrated with spatial and temporal resolution of 3 m and 0.1 s, respectively.

Study Phenomenology Of Wound Care In Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) Patients With Theory Of Planned Behavior Approach

Background: Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) is one of the most common complications in patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, so it is necessary to carry out continuous wound care. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a theory of behavior that can be implemented in wound care in the study of attitudes and beliefs, subjective norms, and perceived control. Objective: This study aims to determine the behavior of wound care in DFU patients based on the Theory Of Planned Behavior (TPB). Method: Qualitative study with a phenomenological approach with a total of 14 participants obtained through purposive sampling. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Results: The results of the study found that wound care was carried out because they had a positive attitude and belief in wound healing if they were treated regularly according to the program, received emotional support, motivation for healing for the family, family support, and control, as well as convenience and quick treatment in health services. Conclusion: This finding recommends for health professionals that a positive attitude and belief in recovery in patients, support and motivation to recover, family control, and professional health services can change the behavior of patients to carry out DFU treatment regularly.

A hybrid thread-based temperature and humidity sensor for continuous wound monitoring

Textile humidity and temperature sensors have a wide range of applications in clothing, management of wounds, and monitoring of patient health. Here, we present a multi-step roll to roll dip-coating method to produce meters of nano-particle infused cotton threads with fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) coating. The FEP coating deconvolutes the dependency of temperature readings on humidity. A hybrid temperature and humidity sensor was then constructed by integrating FEP-coated threads and non-coated threads into a sensing substrate. The developed sensing platform enables rapid measurement of RH in the range of 30–80% and temperature changes in the range of 20–90 °C with a shelf life of up to six months. To showcase the feasibility of using the sensor in wound monitoring, the RH and temperature sensors were integrated into custom-made silicone-based wound dressings. The thread-based sensors do not have any negative impacts on cells indicating suitability for application in wound healing. • A multi-step roll to roll dip-coating method is presented to produce meters of nano-particle infused cotton threads for temperature and humidity sensing. • Sensors rapidly measured relative humidity in the range of 30–80 % and temperature changes in the range of 20–90 °C with a shelf life of up to six months. • The sensors integrated into custom-made silicone-based wound dressings did not exhibit any negative impacts on cells or on the wound healing process.

Successful use of minimal invasive debridement plus negative pressure wound therapy under skin flap and axillary region for refractory postmastectomy seroma: A STROBE-compliant retrospective study.

Seroma is the most common wound complication due to dead space remaining after mastectomy and axillary dissection. Seroma formation, which causes pain and tension, together with the limitations of shoulder and arm movements, can cause wound healing problems that can progress to wound dehiscence and flap necrosis. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of continuous drainage and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in breast cancer patients with refractory postmastectomy seroma. This retrospectively designed study was conducted with 27 patients who were referred to our center between 2018 and 2021 due to refractory seroma after mastectomy. The inclusion criteria of the study were the cases who were planned minimally invasive debridement and NPWT due to having refractory seroma formation with at least 200 cc and having interventions more than 1 month after modified radical mastectomy (MRM), despite conventional treatment methods. All patients' demographics, disease stage, history of possible neoadjuvant therapy, comorbidities, body mass index (BMI), number of wound dressings with NPWT, and total amount of NPWT accumulation were enrolled and compared statistically. Twenty-seven patients included in the study underwent continuous drainage after debridement, and 5 (3-9) dressings were treated with NPWT. None of the patients experienced complications after debridement and NPWT administration. In refractory seroma cases seen after postmastectomy, NPWT especially for the management of debridement and dead space can be evaluated as an appropriate treatment method in patients with high flow rate seroma.

First Observations From a New Meteor Radar at McMurdo Station Antarctica (77.8°S, 166.7°E)

AbstractA new 36.17 MHz all‐sky meteor radar was installed at McMurdo Station Antarctica (77.8°S, 166.7°E) in February 2018 to provide wind measurements in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region (70–120 km). This instrument is the highest latitude meteor radar currently in operation in the southern hemisphere; it joins two other meteor radars within the Antarctic Circle. The radar will provide long‐term continuous wind measurements of the polar region, and contribute to a greater understanding of MLT dynamics. This work describes the radar hardware and its context with other instruments in the region. The paper provides an overview of the spatial and temporal variation in meteor echoes over the observation period of March 2018 through October 2021. It also provides an analysis of the mean winds and solar tides over the first three years of operation; including a description of an observed 12 hr summertime wind oscillation consistent with previously documented observations of a westward propagating 12 hr non‐migrating tide of zonal wavenumber 1.

Integrating the Spatial Autocorrelation Structure of Irregularly Distributed Wind Measurement Stations to Model Wind Patterns Using R

Wind behavior in Sri Lanka, mainly exposed to two major monsoon seasons, is complex to model spatially. The acute changes in the topography further make it difficult to map the wind patterns. Irregularly distributed wind measurements are the main source of data available to interpret and model this dynamic geographic phenomenon. Sri Lanka is in need of an accurate and timely wind map in order to support wind energy resource planning and to enable weather prediction systems to be more accurate. Strong and continuous winds in the southern part of the island encourage wind harvesting for energy. Wind energy is arguably the most affordable per megawatt-hour renewable energy source, and it is growing nearly as quickly as conventional energy generation techniques in the country. The objective of this paper is twofold. First is to use the spatial autocorrelation structure of 23 data points using diurnal data measured every 10 minutes on an irregularly distributed grid to construct continuous wind speed fields for the 4 monsoon seasons. This has been done for the year 2015 as a reference year, where a complete set of data was acquired. Secondly, it was intended to provide the reader how R opensource with advanced statistical modelling capabilities and graphics could be utilized conveniently for vague geographic phenomena analysis. The spatial autocorrelation of the wind speed and the direction was determined in the beginning by using the semi-variograms. Candidate semi-variogram models, especially spherical and exponential models, were tested to be more suitable for the observations. Ordinary Kriging, which uses the samples in the local neighborhood to avoid the mean estimation, was used to perform the spatial interpolations Kriging. For each month of the year 2015, four weekly wind maps were generated, both for the direction and speed. These 48 wind maps were further analyzed for the wind patterns. The changes in the morning and evening wind patterns, and the significant wind pattern changes along the coastal areas and the central highlands are extracted and presented in the study. The generated maps could be useful in identifying potential areas for wind farming. By feeding the data in a time series to the presented model, it would be possible to deduce wind pattern changes in Sri Lanka on a yearly basis. As a whole, the paper presents a reasonable model that could be used to model a diverse set of vague phenomena with an understanding of the uncertainties involved.