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Seat Cushions
Published in J G Webster, Prevention of Pressure Sores, 2019
In addition to temperature, the humidity at the interface can also cause skin maceration and discomfort. However, humidity is quite difficult to measure even with electrical devices. Cochran tried to conduct experiments using sensors made by Humidial Corp. (Colton, CA) which ultimately indicated humidity by color changes on a piece of blotting paper. The sensor can measure relative humidity from 20 to 90%. The results showed that humidity was lowest (15%) for the foam cushions and highest for the gel, water, and air cushions (36.5% average). The evidence indicates that all cushions employing waterimpermeable surfaces create greater humidity because moisture is trapped at the interface, whereas porous substances such as foam allow the skin to “breathe.” Foam does not encourage humidity increase but does allow higher skin temperatures at the interface.
Antimicrobial silicone skin adhesives facilitated by controlled octenidine release from glycerol compartments
Published in International Journal of Smart and Nano Materials, 2023
V. Chiaula, J. Jeppe Madsen, F.B. Madsen, P. Mazurek, A. C. Nielsen, A. L. Skov
Chronic wounds, such as those often found in elderly and diabetic patients, result from anomalies in cellular and molecular wound repair mechanisms [1]. Specially designed materials are required to promote correct wound healing and closure in these patients, among which skin adhesives are of significant current research interest. Broadly, a skin adhesive must allow moisture transport to avoid skin maceration due to the presence of excess liquids (mainly sweat and exudate) while still maintaining a humid environment in the wound [2,3]. In addition, the ability to reduce or prevent bacterial infections would be a valuable feature in skin adhesives for chronic wounds. There are several reasons why bacteria and fungi are particularly unwanted in healing wounds: Bacterial or fungal infections lead to the formation of biofilm. Biofilm consists of dormant bacteria that act as a protective layer around the bacteria, making them less receptible to antibiotics and the immune response. This makes it extremely difficult for the body to heal the wound when an infection occurs [4]. Furthermore, the presence of bacteria and fungi triggers the immune system and may thus lead to inflammation. Continued inflammation caused by infection may interrupt tissue regeneration. Infections can furthermore lead to delayed granulation tissue formation and impaired collagen synthesis, which delays wound closure and healing. Moreover, several specific bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa [5], and fungi, such as the candida species [6], may cause chronic wounds, which are wounds that fail to heal within a certain time frame and may last for years due to the infection and accompanying inflammation that prevents the wound from healing. Chronic wounds are currently a billion-dollar health problem that affects up to 45 million people worldwide, especially the elderly and diabetic patients [7].