Healing Ratio Research Articles

Combined effect of internal and external factors on sintering kinetics of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings

Understanding the sintering kinetics of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings (PS-TBCs) is crucial to retard their performance degradation. However, under real service condition, the sintering kinetics is often affected by multiple factors. This study investigated the sintering kinetics, in a novel scale-progressive view, under the combined-effect of internal and external factors. Results show that the sintering kinetics of PS-TBCs was highly associated with their unique sintering process from nanoscale to microscale. Firstly, sintering leads to nanoscopic roughening of the pore surface. Subsequently, multiple contacts are formed between counter-surfaces. As a result, microscopic healing of pores can be finally observed. In terms of external factors, the temperature further affects the level and rate of nanoscopic roughening. This is responsible for the differences of the microscopic healing ratios, as well as the macroscopic elastic modulus.

The effect of alpha lipoic acid on uterine wound healing after primary cesarean section: a triple-blind placebo-controlled parallel-group randomized clinical trial.

To investigate the effect of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) on uterine wound healing after primary cesarean section (CS). A parallel-group, triple-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted in Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital, Cairo, Egypt, involving 102 women undergoing pre-labor primary CS. The participants were randomly assigned using a computer-generated list of random numbers to receive oral ALA or a placebo twice daily for 6weeks after CS. Allocation to either group was in a 1:1 ratio by an independent statistician (not involved in the treatment or data collection). The primary outcome was the presence of CS defect and measuring its depth and width. Secondary outcomes were measurements of the anterior myometrial and residual myometrium thicknesses, healing ratio and the presence of intrauterine adhesions. Assessment was done using saline contrast sonohysterography. Twenty (39.2%) women in the treatment group and ten (19.6%) controls had no niche (P value = 0.03, 95% CI - 0.388, - 0.0037). The absolute and relative risk reduction of forming a niche was 19.61% and 24.39%, respectively. The number of women needed to treat was five to avoid one niche formation. ALA use was associated with gastrointestinal upset in only three participants; however, none of the women withdrew during the study. In women undergoing primary CS, the administration of ALA for 6weeks postpartum improved uterine healing and decreased the incidence of scar niche.

A randomized trial of early endovenous ablation in venous ulceration: a critical appraisal: Original Article: Gohel MS, Heatly F, Liu X etal. A randomized trial of early endovenous ablation in venous ulceration. N Engl J Med 2018; 378:2105-114.

Gohel etal. aimed to compare early endovenous ablation vs. deferred endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux with regard to time to healing of venous leg ulcers, rate of healing at 24 weeks, recurrence rate, ulcer-free time and health-related quality of life. This multicentre, parallel-group (ratio 1:1), randomized controlled trial was conducted in a vascular surgery department setting at 20 participating centres across the U.K. A total of 450 patients with venous leg ulcers were randomly assigned to receive compression therapy and undergo early endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux within 2 weeks after randomization (early-intervention group) or to receive compression therapy alone, with consideration of endovenous ablation deferred until after the ulcer was healed or until 6 months after randomization if the ulcer was unhealed (deferred-intervention group). The primary outcome was the time to ulcer healing. Secondary outcomes were the rate of ulcer healing at 24 weeks, the rate of ulcer recurrence, the length of time free from ulcers (ulcer-free time) during the first year after randomization, and patient-reported health-related quality of life. Endovenous laser or radiofrequency ablation, ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, or nonthermal, nontumescent methods of treatment (such as cyanoacrylate glue or mechanochemical ablation) were performed either alone or in combination. The treating clinical team determined the method and strategy of endovenous treatment. The time to ulcer healing was shorter in the early-intervention group than in the deferred-intervention group. Furthermore, more patients had healed ulcers with early intervention [hazard ratio for ulcer healing 1·38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·13-1·68; P = 0·001]. The median time to ulcer healing was 56 days (95% CI 49-66) in the early-intervention group and 82 days (95% CI 69-92) in the deferred-intervention group. The rate of ulcer healing at 24 weeks was 85·6% in the early-intervention group and 76·3% in the deferred-intervention group. The median ulcer-free time during the first year after trial enrolment was 306 days (interquartile range 240-328) in the early-intervention group and 278 days (interquartile range 175-324) in the deferred-intervention group (P = 0·002). The most common complications were pain and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (early-intervention group: pain, six of 28; DVT, nine of 28; deferred-intervention group: pain, six of 24; DVT, three of 24). Gohel etal. conclude that early endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux results in faster healing of venous leg ulcers than deferred endovenous ablation. Patients assigned to the early-intervention group also had longer ulcer-free time during the first year after randomization.

Effect of Single versus Double Layer Suturing on Healing of Uterine Scar after Cesarean Delivery

Background: Cesarean delivery is the one of the oldest procedures performed in the history of surgery. Nowadays closure of the uterine incision is a key step in CD, particularly given the increasing awareness of future scar dehiscence. Aim: to improve quality of cesarean delivery. Objective: to assess healing after single- and double-layer suturing of uterine scar. Patients and Method: Randomized clinical trial conducted at Obstetrics and Gynecology department, Suez Canal University Hospital. Eighty primigravida women with full term pregnancy undergoing first elective CS were equally randomized to either single-layer or double-layer unlocked suture. Six weeks after the operation, the integrity of the cesarean scar done by 2 operators was assessed by sonohysterography. The thickness of the residual myometrium covering the defect RMT, width of the triangular hypoechoic niche W”, depth of the triangular hypoechoic niche D and healing ratio D/RMT were calculated as markers of uterine scar healing. Results: There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of estimated blood loss, operation time, or additional hemostatic suture. However, frequency of appearance of niche in single layer patients was 65% compared to 30% in the double layer patients. The mean thickness of the residual myometrium covering the defect was significantly higher 9 ± 1.1 mm after double-layer than 7.9 ± 0.92 mm after a single-layer closure (P = 0.002). The mean healing ratio in double-layer was 0.2948 ± 0.05 versus 0.2969 ± 0.04; P =0.922 in the single-layer closure. Conclusions: Double unlocked layer closure was associated with higher residual myometrial thickness than locked single layer and better uterine scar healing

Vitamin A supplementation decreases disease activity index in patients with ulcerative colitis: A randomized controlled clinical trial

IntroductionConsidering the link between vitamin A deficiency and disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC) and also the association between dietary intake of vitamin A and gastrointestinal symptoms in these patients, this study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin A supplementation on disease activity in patients with UC. MethodIn the present double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, one hundred and fifty patients with Mayo score of 6–12 were randomly assigned to receive 25,000 IU/day vitamin A supplements or placebo for two months. The disease activity was calculated by the Mayo clinic score. Within groups and between groups comparisons were performed using paired sample t-test and one-way ANCOVA respectively. For measuring the treatment effect, the response ratio and number needed to treat (NNT) was calculated for the rate of clinical response and mucosal healing. ResultsOne hundred and forty three patients completed the study. After two months of supplementation, significant decreases in Mayo clinic score (p < 0.001) and subscores (p < 0.001) was observed in the intervention group. There were significant differences between the two groups regarding Mayo clinic score and subscores after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, disease duration and baseline values (P < 0.05). Moreover, there were significant differences between two groups regarding clinical response ratio (P < 0.001) and mucosal healing ratio (P < 0.001). The NNT [95%CI] values for the clinical response was 3 [2–40] and for the mucosal healing was 5 [2.90–10.4]. ConclusionAlthough according to the results, daily dose of 25,000 IU vitamin A had positive clinical and endoscopic effects, considering the limitations, further studies with longer duration and larger sample size and considering dietary intake are needed to confirm these preliminary results.

Mechanical dilatation of the cervix during elective caeserean section before the onset of labour for reducing postoperative morbidity.

During elective (planned) caesarean sections, some obstetricians routinely dilate the cervix intraoperatively, using sponge forceps, a finger, or other instruments, because the cervix of women not in labour may not be dilated, and this may cause obstruction of blood or lochia drainage. However, mechanical cervical dilatation during caesarean section may result in contamination by vaginal micro-organisms during dilatation, and increase the risk of infection or cervical trauma. To determine the effects of mechanical dilatation of the cervix during elective caesarean section on postoperative morbidity. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and reference lists of retrieved studies on 20 September 2017. We included all randomised, quasi-randomised, and cluster-randomised controlled trials comparing intraoperative cervical dilatation using a finger, sponge forceps, or other instruments during elective caesarean section versus no mechanical dilatation. Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. We included eight studies with a total of 2227 women undergoing elective caesarean section. Of these, 1097 underwent intraoperative cervical dilatation with a double-gloved index finger or Hegar dilator inserted into the cervical canal to dilate, and 1130 did not undergo intraoperative cervical dilatation. Six of the eight included trials had high risk of bias for some of the risk of bias domains.Very low-quality evidence suggested it was unclear whether cervical dilatation had any impact on postpartum haemorrhage (estimated blood loss greater than 1000 mL; risk ratio (RR) 1.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48 to 8.13; 5/205 versus 3/242; one study, 447 women).Low- or very low-quality evidence showed no clear difference for the need for blood transfusion (RR 3.54, 95% CI 0.37 to 33.79; two studies, 847 women); postoperative haemoglobin (mean difference (MD -0.05, 95% CI -0.15 to 0.06; three studies, 749 women), or haematocrit (MD 0.01%, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.20; one study, 400 women); the incidence of drop from baseline haemoglobin above 0.5 g/dL (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.31; two studies, 722 women), or amount of haemoglobin drop (MD -0.01 g/dL, 95% -0.14 to 0.13; three studies, 796 women); the incidence of secondary postpartum haemorrhage within six weeks (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.07 to 18.76; one study, 447 women); febrile morbidity (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.85; seven studies, 2126 women); endometritis (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.35 to 2.52; four studies, 1536 women); or uterine subinvolution (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.36; two studies, 654 women); the results crossed the line of no effect for all of the outcomes. There were no data for cervical trauma.We found a slight improvement with mechanical dilatation for these secondary outcomes, not prespecified in the protocol: mean blood loss, endometrial cavity thickness, retained products of conception, distortion of uterine incision, and healing ratio. The evidence for these outcomes was based on one or two studies. Cervical dilatation did not have a clear effect on these secondary outcomes, not prespecified in the protocol: wound infection, urinary tract infection, operative time, infectious morbidity, and integrity of uterine scar. At this time, the evidence does not support or refute the use of mechanical dilatation of the cervix during elective caesarean section for reducing postoperative morbidity.Further large, well-designed studies are required to compare the effect of intraoperative mechanical dilatation of the cervix with no intraoperative mechanical cervical dilatation for reducing postoperative morbidity.

Self-Healing Property of Ultra-Thin Wearing Courses by Induction Heating.

Ultra-thin wearing course (UTWC) has been developed in pavement preventive maintenance for many years. However, how to prolong the service life of UTWC still requires further research. This study introduced AC-5 and SMA-5 asphalt mixtures, which can be induction heated. Steel fiber and steel slag were used in the mixtures as additives. Marshall Stability and induction heating property of mixtures were characterized. In addition, self-healing property of UTWC materials had been emphatically conducted. Adding steel fiber in mixtures led to higher Marshall Stability and lower flow value, while steel slag generally showed a negative effect. Induction heating property showed a positive relationship with the additives. Induction heating time was positively correlated to the healing ratio of the mixtures. Induction heating on the mixtures could recover the strength of mixtures to a certain degree. Mixtures with more steel fiber showed a higher healing ratio. Basalt-steel slag based mixtures showed better healing ratios than the basalt based mixtures. The healing ratios of mixtures illustrated a decreasing tendency as the healing cycle increased.

A Randomized Trial of Early Endovenous Ablation in Venous Ulceration

BackgroundVenous disease is the most common cause of leg ulceration. Although compression therapy improves venous ulcer healing, it does not treat the underlying causes of venous hypertension. Treatment of superficial venous reflux has been shown to reduce the rate of ulcer recurrence, but the effect of early endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux on ulcer healing remains unclear.MethodsIn a trial conducted at 20 centers in the United Kingdom, we randomly assigned 450 patients with venous leg ulcers to receive compression therapy and undergo early endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux within 2 weeks after randomization (early-intervention group) or to receive compression therapy alone, with consideration of endovenous ablation deferred until after the ulcer was healed or until 6 months after randomization if the ulcer was unhealed (deferred-intervention group). The primary outcome was the time to ulcer healing. Secondary outcomes were the rate of ulcer healing at 24 weeks, the rate of ulcer recurrence, the length of time free from ulcers (ulcer-free time) during the first year after randomization, and patient-reported health-related quality of life.ResultsPatient and clinical characteristics at baseline were similar in the two treatment groups. The time to ulcer healing was shorter in the early-intervention group than in the deferred-intervention group; more patients had healed ulcers with early intervention (hazard ratio for ulcer healing, 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13 to 1.68; P=0.001). The median time to ulcer healing was 56 days (95% CI, 49 to 66) in the early-intervention group and 82 days (95% CI, 69 to 92) in the deferred-intervention group. The rate of ulcer healing at 24 weeks was 85.6% in the early-intervention group and 76.3% in the deferred-intervention group. The median ulcer-free time during the first year after trial enrollment was 306 days (interquartile range, 240 to 328) in the early-intervention group and 278 days (interquartile range, 175 to 324) in the deferred-intervention group (P=0.002). The most common procedural complications of endovenous ablation were pain and deep-vein thrombosis.ConclusionsEarly endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux resulted in faster healing of venous leg ulcers and more time free from ulcers than deferred endovenous ablation. (Funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Program; EVRA Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN02335796.)

Self-Healing Capacity of Asphalt Mixtures Including By-Products Both as Aggregates and Heating Inductors.

Major advances have been achieved in the field of self-healing by magnetic induction in which the addition of metallic particles into asphalt mixtures enables repairing their own cracks. This technology has already been proven to increase the life expectancy of roads. Nevertheless, its higher costs in comparison with conventional maintenance caused by the price of virgin metallic particles still makes it unattractive for investment. This research aimed at making this process economically accessible as well as environmentally efficient. To this end, an intense search for suitable industrial by-products to substitute both the virgin metal particles and the natural aggregates forming asphalt mixtures was conducted. The set of by-products used included sand blasting wastes, stainless shot wastes, and polished wastes as metallic particles and other inert by-products as aggregates. The results demonstrated that the by-products were adequately heated, which leads to satisfactory healing ratios in comparison with the reference mixture.

Effect of ultrasound-assisted debridement on wound healing and infection outcomes in diabetic foot

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of low-frequency ultrasound (LFU) in chronic wound healing and infection outcome in diabetic foot ulcers. Background Around 15% of patients with diabetes will develop foot ulcers at some point in their life, making them 30–40 times more likely to undergo amputation due to a nonhealing foot ulcer than the nondiabetic population. Debridement plays a significant role in the healing of diabetic foot ulcers. Patient and methods This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 46 patients with diabetes, recruited from the Diabetic Foot Clinic at Mansoura and Menoufia Universities, Egypt. All patients with diabetes (type I and type II) who had chronic diabetic foot ulcers without severe arterial insufficiency, with ankle brachial indices of at least 0.6, and without severe limb-threatening infections were included. Results Patients were divided into two groups – group 1 received ultrasound-assisted wound (UAW) therapy in conjunction with standard wound care (n = 23), and the other group received only standard wound care. Patients were followed-up for 3 months. The complete healing rate in the present study population was 30.34% (control group = 17.39%, UAW group = 43.47%). The mean wound size reduction was significantly higher in the UAW group only in the second-week and third-month follow-ups. The number of infected ulcers was reduced by ultrasound debridement more than surgical debridement (control group = 5, UAW group = 11) at the end of the study, but with no significant difference (P = 0.148). A significant difference in healing ratio was found in patients with ultrasound debridement and initial wound culture (P = 0.01). Conclusion In diabetic foot ulcers, LFU debridement accompanied by standard wound care has a beneficial effect on wound healing and wound infection. LFU debridement can initially accelerate ulcer healing; however, there was no significant difference between the two modalities in the healing rate after 3 months.

Comparison of the Effects of Vonoprazan and Lansoprazole for Treating Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection-Induced Artificial Ulcers

Vonoprazan exhibits a more potent, rapid, and longer-lasting inhibitory effect on gastric acid secretion than proton pump inhibitors; however, whether it is more effective than PPI for treating endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)-induced artificial ulcers remains controversial. This study aimed to assess and compare the effects of vonoprazan and lansoprazole for treating ESD-induced artificial ulcers. This prospective, randomized controlled trial enrolled 149 patients who underwent ESD for the treatment of early gastric neoplasms from April 2015 to May 2017. They were randomly treated with either 20mg/day vonoprazan (V group) or 30mg/day lansoprazole (L group) orally. The primary end points were the area and shrinkage ratio of the ulcers at 4 and 8weeks post-ESD. Data from 127 patients were analyzed, which showed that the 4- and 8-week healing ratios were not significantly different between the V and L groups (4weeks, 16.3 vs. 25.8%; 8weeks, 86.9 vs. 90.9%, respectively). Similarly, the shrinkage ratio, categorized as less than 90%, 90% or more but less than 100%, or 100% at 4weeks and as less than 100% or 100% at 8weeks were not statistically different between the V and L groups (4weeks: 12, 41, 8 vs. 13, 41, 12, p=0.7246; 8weeks: 9, 52 vs. 9, 57, p=0.8568). Delayed bleeding was also not significantly different between both the groups (5.4 vs. 5.3%; p=0.9844). Vonoprazan is as effective as lansoprazole in treating ESD-induced ulcers.

Uterine caesarean closure techniques affect ultrasound findings and maternal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Caesarean section (CS) rates are rising globally. Long-term adverse outcomes after CS might be reduced when the optimal uterine closure technique becomes evident. To determine the effect of uterine closure techniques after CS on maternal and ultrasound outcomes. Literature search in electronic databases. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or prospective cohort studies that evaluated uterine closure techniques and reported on ultrasound findings, perioperative or long-term outcomes. Twenty studies (15 053 women) were included in our meta-analyses for various outcomes. We calculated pooled risk ratios (RR) and weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% CI through random-effect analysis. Residual myometrium thickness (RMT), reported in eight studies (508 women), decreased by 1.26 mm after single- compared with double-layer closure (95% CI -1.93 to -0.58), particularly when locked sutures were used. Healing ratio [RMT/adjacent myometrium thickness (AMT)] decreased after single-layer closure (WMD -7.74%, 95% CI -13.31 to -2.17), particularly in the case of locked sutures. Niche prevalence increased (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.11-2.62) when the decidua was excluded. Dysmenorrhea occurred more often in the single-layer group (RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.01-1.48), whereas incidence of uterine rupture was similar (RR 1.91, 95% CI 0.63-5.74). Double-layer unlocked sutures are preferable to single-layer locked sutures regarding RMT, healing ratio and dysmenorrhoea. Excluding the decidua seems to result in higher niche prevalence. As thin residual myometrium or niches may serve as intermediates for gynaecological and reproductive outcomes, future studies should focus on these outcomes. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: #Uterineclosuretechniques after #caesarean affect #longtermoutcomes.

Self‐Healing of Concrete Cracks by Ceramsite‐Loaded Microorganisms

Protective carrier is essential for the self‐healing of concrete cracks by microbially induced CaCO3 precipitation, owing to the harsh conditions in concrete. In this paper, porous ceramsite particles are used as microbial carrier. Heat treatment and NaOH soaking are first employed to improve the loading content of the ceramsite. The viability of bacterial spores is assessed by urea decomposition measurements. Then, the self‐healing efficiency of concrete cracks by spores is evaluated by a series of tests including compressive strength regain, water uptake, and visual inspection of cracks. Results indicate that heat treatment can improve the loading content of ceramsite while not leading to a reduction of concrete strength by the ceramsite addition. The optimal heating temperature is 750°C. Ceramsite particles act as a shelter and protect spores from high‐pH environment in concrete. When nutrients and spores are incorporated in ceramsite particles at the same time, nutrients are well accessible to the cells. The regain ratio of the compressive strength increases over 20%, and the water absorption ratio decreases about 30% compared with the control. The healing ratio of cracks reaches 86%, and the maximum crack width healed is near 0.3 mm.

Self-Healing of Dense Asphalt Concrete by Two Different Approaches: Electromagnetic Induction and Infrared Radiation

Abstract Self-healing of cracks in asphalt mixtures is a phenomenon that can be accelerated by reducing the viscosity of bitumen as it increases the capillarity flow through the cracks. One method to achieve this is by increasing temperature, which also produces a thermal expansion that contributes to the circulation of the bitumen through cracks. In the present paper, the healing performance of asphalt mixture heated using infrared heating to simulate the natural solar radiation, and induction heating, a new method to increase the temperature of asphalt pavements, were compared in terms of time and healing temperature. Healing was defined as the relationship between the 3-point bending strength of an asphalt beam before and after healing. The results show that both methods reach similar and satisfactory healing ratios at around 90 %. However, induction heating is more energy efficient because the effect is concentrated on the binder, instead of heating the whole mix. This can be translated into much shorter heating times to reach the same healing level. Finally, an optimum radiation energy was found, after which higher amounts of infrared radiation damage the properties of the healed material.

Research on the Mechanical, Thermal, Induction Heating and Healing Properties of Steel Slag/Steel Fibers Composite Asphalt Mixture

In this paper, steel slag/steel fiber composite asphalt mixture were prepared. The effects of the addition of steel slag and/or steel fibers on the mechanical, thermal, induction heating and healing properties of asphalt mixture were investigated. The results showed that adding steel slag and/or steel fibers improves the water stability, particle loss resistance and fracture energy of asphalt mixtures. The addition of steel fibers increased the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusion of the asphalt mixture, and steel slag showed a reverse effect. Steel slag asphalt mixture cooled more slowly than steel fiber asphalt mixture, which is beneficial to crack healing of asphalt mixture. The composite of steel fibers and steel slag can enhance the induction heating speed, heating homogeneity and thus enhance the induction healing ratio of asphalt mixture. It is concluded that steel slag/steel fibers composite asphalt mixture achieves good mechanical and induction healing properties.

Preparation of chitosan-collagen-alginate composite dressing and its promoting effects on wound healing

The present study aimed to prepare a composite dressing composed of collagen, chitosan, and alginate, which may promote wound healing and prevent from seawater immersion. Chitosan-collagen-alginate (CCA) cushion was prepared by paintcoat and freeze-drying, and it was attached to a polyurethane to compose CCA composite dressing. The swelling, porosity, degradation, and mechanical properties of CCA cushion were evaluated. The effects on wound healing and seawater prevention of CCA composite dressing were tested by rat wound model. Preliminary biosecurity was tested by cytotoxicity and hemocompatibility. The results revealed that CCA cushion had good water absorption and mechanical properties. A higher wound healing ratio was observed in CCA composite dressing treated rats than in gauze or chitosan treated ones. On the fifth day, the healing rates of CCA composite dressing, gauze, and chitosan were 48.49%±1.07%, 28.02%±6.4%, and 38.97%±8.53%, respectively. More fibroblast and intact re-epithelialization were observed in histological images of CCA composite dressing treated rats, and the expressions of EGF, bFGF, TGF-β, and CD31 increased significantly. CCA composite dressing showed no significant cytotoxicity, and favorable hemocompatibility. These results suggested that CCA composite dressing could prevent against seawater immersion and promote wound healing while having a good biosecurity.

Dorso-ventral skin characterization of the farmed fish gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata).

The skin is the first barrier of defence in fish, protecting against any external stressor and preserving the integrity and homeostasis of the fish body. The aim of this study was to characterise gilthead seabream skin by isolating cells and studying the cell cycle by flow cytometry, to study the skin histology by scanning electron microscopy and the transcription level of some immune-relevant genes by RT-PCR. Furthermore, the results obtained from samples taken from the dorsal and the ventral part of the specimens are compared. No differences were observed in the cell cycle of cells isolated from the dorsal and ventral zones of the skin or in the gene expression of the genes studied in both epidermal zones. However, the epidermis thickness of the ventral skin was higher than that of the dorsal skin, as demonstrated by image analysis using light microscopy. Besides, scanning electron microscopy pointed to a greater cell size and area of microridges in the apical part of the dorsal epidermal cells compared with ventral skin epidermal cells. This study represents a step forward in our knowledge of the skin structure of an important farmed teleost, gilthead seabream, one of the most commonly farmed fish worldwide. Furthermore, for functional characterization, experimental wounds were carried out comparing the wound healing rate between the dorsal and ventral regions of skin over the time. The results showed higher ratio of wound healing in the ventral region, whose wounds were closed after 15 days, compared to dorsal region of skin. Taking into account all together, this study represents a step forward in our knowledge of the skin structure and skin regeneration of an important farmed teleost, gilthead seabream, one of the most commonly farmed fish worldwide.

Gastric Ulcer Healing Effect of Bangle (Zingiber cassumunar (Roxb.)) Rhizome Extract in Aspirin-induced Rats Model

In the gastrointestinal system, gastric ulcers are one of the common serious diseases. The pathophysiology of gastric ulcer is an imbalance between aggressive and mucosal defense factor. Imbalance between aggressive and mucosal defense factor have contribution against developed of gastric ulcer disease. The objective of the research was to evaluate gastric ulcer healing effect of Bangle ( Zingiber cassumunar (Roxb.) rhizome extract in aspirin-induced rats model. Antiulcer activity of Bangle rhizome extract was evaluated by several parameters involving gastric acidity, number of ulcers, diameters of ulcers, ulcer index, and healing ratio. Doses level of Bangle rhizome extract which used in this study such as 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively. Histopathological of the stomach was performed using hematoxylin-eosin stained. The results of study showed that groups which given Bangle rhizome extract have signi cant effect in gastric acidity, number of ulcers, diameters of ulcers, ulcer index, and healing ratio compared to the control group. Histopathological study of the stomach ulcers showed tissues regeneration in group were treated by Bangle rhizome extract compared to the control group. It can be concluded that from the experimental study of Bangle ( Zingiber cassumunar (Roxb.) ) rhizome extract have potential antiulcer activity in aspirin-induced rats model. Keywords : Zingiber cassumunar (Roxb.) , Extract, Ulcer, Aspirin.

A comparative study of the induction healing behaviors of hot and warm mix asphalt

In this paper, the induction healing behaviors of both warm mix asphalt and hot mix asphalt were investigated and compared through damage-healing-damage test. The steel fibers used for making asphalt mixture conductive were first optimized according to the thermal conductivity and induction heating speed of the mixture. Then, the gradient induction heating characteristics, cracking and fatigue resistance, and self-healing ratios of both warm mix asphalt and hot mix asphalt were studied. It is found that warm mix asphalt and hot mix asphalt have similar induction heating speed. The Aspha-Min based warm mix asphalt shows slightly higher fatigue resistance but slightly lower self-healing ratios than hot mix asphalt mixture. Both warm and hot mix asphalt mixtures have very high fatigue life ratios with induction heating, which means that induction heating can improve the durability of WMA. The optimal induction heating temperature of warm mix asphalt is slight lower than that of hot mix asphalt due to the remaining active ingredient, which also deceases the healing ratio slightly. It is also found that the healing ratios of both warm and hot mix asphalt mixtures are highly strain-dependent and the mixtures obtained best healing behaviors at medium microstrain amplitudes.

Thermally Activated Healing of Fatigue Damage in Asphalt Binders

Abstract Asphalt binder is a self-healing material and it has a potential to heal faster with increased temperatures. This paper investigates the thermally activated healing of fatigue damage in three asphalt binders, trying to answer the question: At what temperatures do asphalt binders heal? After fatiguing the sample, a heating treatment was applied and the sample was fatigued for the second time. The recovered fatigue life and the recovered accumulated dissipated energy are used to quantify the thermally activated healing rates of asphalt binders. It is found that these two healing indexes coincide well with each other in different healing conditions. Base asphalt binders can heal the fatigue damage completely after heating for 20 min at the softening-point temperatures. Styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt binder can achieve full healing at a temperature 20°C below its softening point, where the elastic recovery of the SBS chain segment may play an important role in healing. It is also found that healing of fatigue damage in asphalt binder is highly strain dependent: the healing ratio is higher at high strain amplitude. It proved that thermally activated healing can be repeated when damage returns in asphalt binder. It is concluded that thermally activated healing of fatigue damage is definitely useful to increase the fatigue life of asphalt binders and different asphalt binders should be heated to certain temperatures related to their specific softening points.