The Regenerative Potential of Substance P

Wound healing is a highly coordinated process which leads to the repair and regeneration of damaged tissue. Still, numerous diseases such as diabetes, venous insufficiencies or autoimmune diseases could disturb proper wound healing and lead to chronic and non-healing wounds, which are still a great challenge for medicine. For many years, research has been carried out on finding new therapeutics which improve the healing of chronic wounds. One of the most extensively studied active substances that has been widely tested in the treatment of different types of wounds was Substance P (SP). SP is one of the main neuropeptides released by nervous fibers in responses to injury. This review provides a thorough overview of the application of SP in different types of wound models and assesses its efficacy in wound healing.

Synthesis and characterization of TEMPO-oxidized peptide-cellulose conjugate biosensors for detecting human neutrophil elastase

Here we describe the synthesis and characterization of a peptide-cellulose conjugate biosensor based on TEMPO-oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose (tNFC) for detecting elevated levels of human neutrophil elastase (HNE) in chronic wounds. The fluorescent peptide HNE substrate constructed from n-succinyl-Ala-Pro-Ala-7-amino-4-methyl-coumarin was attached to the TEMPO-oxidized cellulose surface via polyethylene glycol linker. The characterization of the biosensor conjugate shows a high degree of peptide incorporation onto the surface with the degree of substitution of 0.057. The relatively small crystallite size of 26.0 Å compared to other cellulose- and nanocellulose-based materials leads to a large specific surface area which can promote access of HNE to the enzyme substrates due to decreased steric interactions. Likewise, the porosity for tNFC was found to be higher than all other samples, including the nanocellulosic aerogel, lending to its hydrogel-like nature. The properties of tNFC were compared to other cellulose-based materials. The volume of each crystallite and volume ratio to the largest sample was calculated. tNFC was found to occupy the smallest space resulting in high amounts of sensors per crystallite unit volume. With a small crystallite volume and large number of sensors, the tNFC peptide-cellulose conjugate biosensor could provide a more sensitive system and is a good candidate for point of care diagnostic devices for detecting elevated protease levels in humans.

Development of a Textile Based Protein Sensor for Monitoring the Healing Progress of a Wound

This article focuses on the design and fabrication of flexible textile-based protein sensors to be embedded in wound dressings. Chronic wounds require continuous monitoring to prevent further complications and to determine the best course of treatment in the case of infection. As proteins are essential for the progression of wound healing, they can be used as an indicator of wound status. Through measuring protein concentrations, the sensor can assess and monitor the wound condition continuously as a function of time. The protein sensor consists of electrodes that are directly screen printed using both silver and carbon composite inks on polyester nonwoven fabric which was deliberately selected as this is one of the common backing fabrics currently used in wound dressings. Three sensor designs were investigated to determine if any were suitable for protein detection. These sensors were experimentally evaluated and compared to each other by using albumin protein in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). A comprehensive set of cyclic voltammetry measurements were used to determine the optimal sensor design to provide the measurement of protein in solution. The best sensor was comprised of only silver conductive ink present to form the tracks outside the interface zone and a carbon only layer in the working and counter electrodes at the interface zone. This design prevents the formation of silver dioxide and protects the sensor from rapid decay, which allows for the recording of consecutive measurements using the same sensor. The chosen printed protein sensor was able to detect BSA at varying concentrations ranging from 30-0.3 mg/ml with a sensitivity of 0.0026µA/M.

Novel Effects Associated with the Use of Probiotics, Synbiotics and Prebiotics

To maintain the wellbeing of the human gut, the role of its microflora and their metabolites is fundamental. Probiotics is a Greek term, which is used to define non-living microbes that are beneficial in nature and exert numerous advantages on the host body. The intestinal microflora’s function and activity may also be improved by administering some of the prebiotics (indigestible dietary fibers) independently or in a c combination with probiotics. The term “Synbiotics” is used to denote the combination of both prebiotics and probiotics. It should always be noted that numerous disorders are being associated with the abnormal function of microbiota/microflora that can be regulated and stabilized with the help of ingestion of probiotics, prebiotics or their combination. Multiple benefits are associated with the use of these probiotics, synbiotics and prebiotics including healthier digestive system, proper immune response of the gut and treatment of numerous GI tract disorders. All these issues are encountered because of treatments with new synthetic drugs that affect the digestive system as well as numerous organs in the body. Ulcerative colitis is a term that refers to chronic inflammation of the colon emerging as a result of improper immune response to intestinal microflora of the host. Researchers have studied the effects of synbiotics to treat this chronic condition1. As for the action mechanism of the synbiotics is concerned, it is assumed that they modulate the inflammatory response through expression of the cytokines, probiotic bacteria assisted modulation of the immune cells and prebiotics assisted production of certain short chain fatty acids. Jayanama and Theou studied the consequences of improper ingestion of probiotics and prebiotics in elderly patients. They revealed that physical inactivity, sarcopenia, and polypharmacy could be treated with the help of probiotics, prebiotics or a combination of both2. All the aforementioned disorders can lead to gut dysbiosis. The researchers have also revealed that the gut microbiota homeostasis can be improved with the help of probiotics and prebiotics and they can be a helping hand in the prevention of aging and frailty. It is evident that left and right prescriptions of antibiotics and their use caused antibiotic resistance in the pathogens. This issue can be best resolved with the ingestion of probiotics and prebiotics. The systematic evidence to treat infected chronic wounds has been provided by Brognara et al3. Similarly, chronic wounds and burns treatment is done widely with the use of Lactobacillus plantarum. Some other researchers have reviewed the available data associated with the use of numerous prebiotics in the treatment of idiopathic constipation, and highly prevalent GIT disorrderrs4-6. This is due to the capability of prebiotics to improve the consistency of the stool, bloating and number of bowel movements. A limited data is available regarding the efficacy of prebiotics in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and pouchitis. It is concluded that probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics have been imparting a role in treating GIT disorders including indigestion, traveler’s diarrhea, IBD etc. Scientific reports have revealed their role in the treatment of cancerous disease, obesity, kidney and brain disorders. Many tools for the research of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics are now available; therefore, the future bio-therapeutics are going to be changed with the passage of time.

Research progress on preparation, mechanism, and clinical application of nanofat

Autologous adipose tissue is an ideal soft tissue filling material in theory, which has the advantages of easy access, comprehensive source, and high biocompatibility and is now widely used in clinical practice. Based on the above benefits of autologous fat, autologous fat grafting is an essential technique in plastic surgery. Conventional macrofat is used to improve structural changes after soft tissue damage or loss caused by various causes such as disease, trauma, or aging. Due to the large diameter of particles and to avoid serious complications such as fat embolism, blunt needles with larger diameters (2mm) are required, making the macrofat grafting difficult to the deep dermis and sub-dermis. Nanofat grafting is a relatively new technology that has gained popularity in cosmetic surgery in recent years. Nanofat is produced by mechanical shuffling and filtration of microfat, which is harvested by liposuction. The harvesting and processing of nanofat are cost-effective as it does not require additional equipment or culture time. Unlike microfat, nanofat particles are too small to provide a notable volumizing effect. Studies have shown that nanofat contains abundant stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells and adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), which help reconstruct dermal support structures, such as collagen, and regenerate healthier, younger-looking skin. Moreover, the fluid consistency of nanofat allows application in tissue regeneration, such as scars, chronic wounds, and facial rejuvenation. This article reviews the current research progress on the preparation, mechanism, and clinical application of nanofat.

The chronic wound virome: phage diversity and associations with wounds and healing outcomes

Two leading impediments to chronic wound healing are polymicrobial infection and biofilm formation. Recent studies have characterized the bacterial fraction of these microbiomes and have begun to elucidate compositional correlations to healing outcomes. However, the factors that drive compositional shifts are still being uncovered. The virome may play an important role in shaping bacterial community structure and function. Previous work on the skin virome determined that it was dominated by bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria. To characterize the virome, we enrolled 20 chronic wound patients presenting at an outpatient wound care clinic in a microbiome survey, collecting swab samples from healthy skin and chronic wounds before and after a single, sharp debridement procedure. We investigated the virome using a virus-like particle enrichment procedure, shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and a k-mer-based, reference-dependent taxonomic classification method. Taxonomic composition, diversity, and associations to covariates are presented. We find that the wound virome is highly diverse, with many phages targeting known pathogens, and may influence bacterial community composition and functionality in ways that impact healing outcomes.

Validity of an instrument on Nursing care for people with chronic wounds

Objective: to build and validate the content of an instrument to investigate changes in the Nursing care provided to people with chronic wounds. Methods: methodological study, consisting of the stages of development and content validity, according to the criteria of clarity and relevance, by six judges, using the Delphi technique in two rounds. A Coefficient of Content Validity ≥ 0.8 was considered adequate. Results: the first version of the instrument contained 15 questions and after the judges’ evaluation it was reduced to 11, addressing the periods before and during the pandemic. In the second round of evaluation, it was verified that the instrument showed a total content validity coefficient equal to 0.96. Conclusion: the instrument showed evidence of content validity and can be used to investigate possible changes resulting from the pandemic of COVID-19 in the Nursing care of people with chronic wounds in Primary Care.