BACKGROUNDWound dressings are divided into traditional and new types. The new dressings are thought to accelerate wound healing. The purpose of this study was to supplement the scanty data on the absorbency of the new dressings and their effects on evaporation from the burn surface.

METHODSThe water absorption rate of four dressings (carbon fiber dressing, hydrogel dressing, silver nanoparticle dressing, and vaseline gauze) were measured by the immersion-weight gain method. A total of 120 inpatients with 10% superficial partial-thickness burn wounds were randomly assigned to four groups, each with 30 participants. Carbon fiber dressing, hydrogel dressing, and silver nanoparticle dressing were used in groups A, B, and C as the primary dressing, and traditional vaseline gauze was used in group D as the control. Multi-spot evaporation from normal skin and naked wound, and from wounds covered with each of the four dressings was measured post-burn on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 by an EP-I evaporimeter under conditions of 21 degrees C - 22 degrees C ambient temperature and 74% - 78% humidity.

RESULTSThe absorption rates of the four dressings were 988% with carbon fiber dressing, 96% with silver nanoparticle, 41% with vaseline gauze, and 6% with hydrogel. Evaporation from the naked burn wounds was about 1/3 higher than from normal skin (P < 0.01). Compared with wounds without applied dressing, evaporation from dressed wounds decreased and was time-dependent (P < 0.01). The evaporation of wounds with carbon fiber dressing was the lowest ((13.40 +/- 2.82) mlxh(-1)xm(-2), P < 0.01) on day 1 post-burn, compared with the other groups.

CONCLUSIONAll four dressings have water retention capacity while carbon fiber dressing has the highest absorption rate and shows the best containment and evaporation from the burn wound.

Adult ; Bandages ; Burns ; therapy ; Carbon ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nanoparticles ; Petrolatum ; therapeutic use ; Silver ; therapeutic use ; Volatilization ; Wound Healing

Animals ; Anthraquinones ; therapeutic use ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Male ; Pyrazines ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo observe the prophylactic effect of curcumin on hepatic fibrosis and the number, location, apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in the livers and to discuss the relationship between the prophylactic effects and activated HSC.

METHODSA rat model of hepatic fibrosis was established by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride. Curcumin doses of 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg per 100 gram per 100g of body weight were given to three groups of the model rats. No curcumin was given to one group of the model rats and it served as the control. After eight weeks, all rats were sacrificed and their left liver lobes were examined histopathologically with H.E and Masson stainings. Grades of hepatic fibrosis were evaluated according to the SSS system. Activated HSC was detected by the alpha-SMA immunohistochemistry staining. HSC apoptosis was detected by double-stainings of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and desmin immunohistochemistry staining.

RESULTSDegrees (SSS system scores) of hepatic fibrosis in the curcumin groups were all less severe in comparison with those of the control group. Activated HSCs in the livers of the rats of the control group increased significantly compared with that of the treatment groups, and also fewer apoptotic HSCs were detected in the control group. On the contrary, fewer activated HSCs and more apoptotic HSCs were detected in the curcumin groups compared with those of the control group. The degrees of the effects were curcumin dose-dependent.

CONCLUSIONSCurcumin can prevent hepatic fibrosis. It can inhibit activation and proliferation of HSCs and induce HSCs apoptosis, which may be the mechanism(s) contributing to the prophylactic effects of curcumin on hepatic fibrosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Curcumin ; therapeutic use ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Hepatocytes ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

One month following carbon monoxide poisoning, a 39 year-old man developed incontinence, memory impairment, disorientation and emotional instability. He was hospitalized 7weeks later, and during hospitalization he exhibited myoclonic movements of the neck and lower limbs. He was given piracetam intravenously for 11 days. The myoclonus was significantly reduced by the third day of treatment and had disappeared by the seventh day. There was no recurrence following cessation of treatment.
Adult ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning/complications* ; Human ; Male ; Myoclonus/drug therapy ; Myoclonus/etiology* ; Piracetam/therapeutic use* ; Pyrrolidinones/therapeutic use*

Chronic and infectious wound healing has always been an issue of concern in clinical and scientific research, in which bacterial infection and oxidative damage are the key factors hindering wound healing. Carbon dots, as a new material, has attracted much attention because of its unique physical and chemical properties and good biological safety. In recent years, the researches on the antibacterial property, antioxidant, and photoluminescence properties of carbon dots are more and more extensive and carbon dots have great potential in the treatment of chronic and infectious wounds. This paper reviews the research progress of carbon dots in three aspects: antibacterial, anti-oxidation and monitoring of wound infection are reviewed, and further discusses its specific mechanism, potential research direction, and application prospect.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Bacterial Infections/drug therapy* ; Carbon/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Wound Healing ; Wound Infection/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVE: The study was aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of pressure and duration of carbon dioxide and saline in the neck of rabbits on metabolic, hemodynamic, serum sodium concentrations and hematocrit changes. METHOD: Twenty-one New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 7 groups according to the following pressure of CO2 or saline: 0 kPa, 0.67 kPa CO2, 1.33 kPa CO2, 2.00 kPa CO2, 0.67 kPa saline, 1.33 kPa saline, and 2.00 kPa saline. In order to make a space for the endoscopic thyroidectomy, we filled the neck of rabbits with carbon dioxide and saline. Arterial partial pressure of CO2 (PaCO2), pH, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), serum sodium concentration and hematocrit were measured at baseline, 45 min and 90 min after filling with gas or saline and 30 min post-filling. RESULT: Insufflation of CO2 at 0.67 kPa did not have any significant effect on the parameters, PaCO2 increased significantly 45 min and 90 min after insufflation of 1.33 kPa CO2 (P < 0.01). Marked changes in PaCO2, pH and CVP occurred 45 min and 90 min after insufflation of 2.00 kPa CO2 (P < 0.01), and the parameters did not return to baseline in 30 min after desufflation (P < 0.05). In animals receiving saline irrigation no significant changes occurred in PaCO2, pH and serum sodium concentrations at any time point. There was a tendency of decrease in HCT, but no statistically significant changes were found (P > 0.05). CVP increased significantly 90 min after saline irrigation at 1.33 kPa (P < 0.05). A significant increase in CVP occurred 45 min and 90 min after saline irrigation at 2.00 kPa (P < 0.05). No significant changes in HR and MAP occurred in all animals. CONCLUSION Filling with saline which does not cause hypercapnia, acidosis or dilutional hyponatremia can be used in endoscopic neck surgery to create and maintain a working space.
Animals ; Carbon Dioxide ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Endoscopy ; Insufflation ; Rabbits ; Sodium Chloride ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Thyroidectomy ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the dose- and time-dependent protective effects and the synergistic effects of nimodipine (NMDP) and fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP) against cerebral damage induced by acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in mice.

METHODSMale mice were exposed to CO 170 mL/kg, i.p. After CO intraperitonealy exposure, mortality of mice, change in memory function estimated by passive avoidance test, the pathomorphologic observation of brain tissue slices, as well as changes of activities of monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase in cerebral tissue were studied. In dose-dependent protective effect study, NMDP (10.6, 5.3, 2.7 mg/kg) and FDP (2.6, 1.3, 0.67 g/kg) was injected ip, respectively 15 min after CO exposure. To study the time-effect relationship of drugs, NMDP (5.3 mg/kg) and FDP (1.3 g/kg) were administered ip respectively 15 minutes, 45 minutes and 120 minutes after CO exposure. The combination of NMDP (2.7 mg/kg) and FDP (0.67 g/kg) was administered ip15 minutes, 45 min and 120 minutes after CO exposure to study the synergism of the two drugs.

RESULTSEither NMDP (10.6, 5.3 mg/kg) or FDP (2.6, 1.3 g/kg) administered ip within 15 minutes after CO exposure significantly decreased the impairment of memory function and mortality rate induced by CO, inhibited the decrease of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase activity, blunted the rising of MAO-B activity and prevented the delayed hippocampal neuronal death in poisoning mice. To our surprise, the combined use of NMDP (2.7 mg/kg) and FDP (0.67 g/kg) within 15 minutes after CO exposure had similar effects to that in NMDP (10.6, 5.3 mg/kg) and FDP (2.6, 1.3 g/kg).

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that the impairment of CO on brain can be attenuated if NMDP or FDP are administered sufficiently and quickly as soon as possible after CO exposure and there exists a synergism of FDP and NMDP against CO poisoning damage.

Animals ; Brain Damage, Chronic ; prevention & control ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ; prevention & control ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Synergism ; Fructosediphosphates ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mice ; Neuroprotective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Nimodipine ; therapeutic use ; Time Factors

Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Fatty Liver ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; therapeutic use ; Ligands ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic changes of the hepatic proteome during the formation and resolution of rat liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride and the effect of Fuzheng Huayu Decoction on it.

METHODSLiver fibrosis in Wistar rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of 40% CCl4 in olive oil while the rats in the treatment group received Fuzheng Huayu Decoction. Pathological examination, hydroxyproline content determination and protein extraction of the rats livers were performed at four time points, i.e. at the end of 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. After 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), the gels were analyzed using the PDQUEST 2-DE image analysis software and differentially expressed proteins were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS).

RESULTS(1) The 2-DE examination showed that the model group-specific proteins and differentially expressed proteins presented started at 4 weeks and reached their peaks at 12 weeks, and this was conformed by MALD-TOF-MS identification. (2) In addition, 18 proteins were present at all time points and another 19 proteins were absent in the model group among those identified by MALD-TOF-MS. (3) Fuzheng Huayu Decoction down-regulated proteins and their expressions increased at 4 and 8 weeks, whereas it up-regulated those which decreased at 8, 12 and 16 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS(1) The changes in protein expressions, which effect metabolism, neuroendocrine function and cell proliferation, are the basis of liver fibrosis. (2) The anti-fibrotic effect of Fuzheng Huayu Decoction is holistic, specifically because it can decrease the abnormal cell proliferation and can increase the synthesis of normal proteins.

Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Liver ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Proteome ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Cell Wall Skeleton ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; therapy ; Male ; Mice