Effects of Mesalamine Treatment on Gut Barrier Integrity After Burn Injury.

PubMed

Cannon, Abigail R; Akhtar, Suhail; Hammer, Adam M; Morris, Niya L; Javorski, Michael J; Li, Xiaoling; Kennedy, Richard H; Gamelli, Richard L; Choudhry, Mashkoor A

2016-01-01

Gut barrier disruption is often implicated in pathogenesis associated with burn and other traumatic injuries. In this study, the authors examined whether therapeutic intervention with mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid [5-ASA]), a common anti-inflammatory treatment for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, reduces intestinal inflammation and maintains normal barrier integrity after burn injury. Male C57BL/6 mice were administered an approximately 20% TBSA dorsal scald burn and resuscitated with either 1 ml normal saline or 100 mg/kg of 5-ASA dissolved in saline. The authors examined intestinal transit and permeability along with the levels of small intestine epithelial cell proinflammatory cytokines and tight junction protein expression 1 day after burn injury in the presence or absence of 5-ASA. A significant decrease in intestinal transit was observed 1 day after burn injury, which accompanied a significant increase in gut permeability. The authors found a substantial increase in the levels of interleukin (IL)-6 (by ~1.5-fold) and IL-18 (by ~2.5-fold) in the small intestine epithelial cells 1 day after injury. Furthermore, burn injury decreases the expression of the tight junction proteins claudin-4, claudin-8, and occludin. Treatment with 5-ASA after burn injury prevented the burn-induced increase in permeability, partially restored normal intestinal transit, normalized the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-18, and restored tight junction protein expression of claudin-4 and occludin compared with that of sham levels. Together these findings suggest that 5-ASA can potentially be used as treatment to decrease intestinal inflammation and normalize intestinal function after burn injury.

EXTENT AND MAGNITUDE OF CATECHOLAMINE SURGE IN PEDIATRIC BURNED PATIENTS

PubMed Central

Kulp, Gabriela A; Herndon, David N.; Lee, Jong O.; Suman, Oscar E.; Jeschke, Marc G

2009-01-01

Increased catecholamine (CA) levels after severe burn are associated with stress, inflammation, hypermetabolism and impaired immune function. The CA secretion profiles in burned patients are not well described. Mechanisms, duration and extent of CA surge are unknown. The purpose of this large unicenter study was to evaluate the extent and magnitude of CA surge following severe burn in pediatric patients. Patients admitted between 1996 and 2008 were enrolled in this study. Twenty-four-hour urine collections were performed during acute hospitalization and up to 2 years post burn. Results from the samples collected from 12 normal, healthy volunteers were compared with the data from the burned patients. Relevant demographic and clinical information was obtained from Medical Records. Student’s t-test and one way ANOVA were used to analyze the data where appropriate. Significance was accepted at p<0.05. Four-hundred thirteen patients were enrolled in this study, 17 patients died during acute hospitalization. Burn caused a marked stress and inflammatory response, indicated by massive tachycardia and elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines. In burned patients, CA levels are consistently and significantly modulated after burn when compared to the levels in normal, healthy volunteers. CA levels were significantly higher in males compared to females, correlated with burn size in burns over 40% and were increased in older children. There were differences over time in survivors vs. non-survivors, with CA levels significantly higher in non-survivors at 2 time points. Inflammatory cytokines show a similar profile during the study period. Our study gives clinicians a useful insight into the extent and magnitude of CA elevation to better design treatment strategies. PMID:20407405

[Role of phosphoinositide 3 kinase/protein kinase B signal pathway in monocyte-endothelial adhesion induced by serum of rats with electrical burn].

PubMed

Ruan, Qiongfang; Zhao, Chaoli; Ye, Ziqing; Zhang, Weidong; Xie, Qionghui; Xie, Weiguo

2014-06-01

To observe the change in phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signal pathway in monocytes as induced by serum of rats with electrical burn, and to explore the effects of PI3K/Akt pathway on monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion. Sixty-four SD rats of clean grade were inflicted with electrical burn for the collection of serum of rats with electrical burn; another group of twenty-four SD rats were used to obtain normal serum without treatment. (1) Human monocyte line THP-1 was routinely cultured. The THP-1 cells in logarithmic phase were divided into normal serum group (resuspended in RPMI 1640 medium with 20% normal rat serum) and burn serum group (resuspended with RPMI 1640 medium with 20% serum of rats with electrical burn) according to the random number table, with 6 wells in each group. Morphology of THP-1 cells in normal serum group was observed at post culture hour (PCH) 24, and that in burn serum group at PCH 3, 6, 24. The contents of TNF-α in culture supernatant were determined by double-antibody sandwich ELISA at the corresponding time point in each group. The state of Akt activation was determined by Western blotting at PCH 3, 6, 24. (2) Another portion of THP-1 cells were divided into 4 groups according to the random number table, with 6 wells in each group. Cells in normal serum group and burn serum group were given with the same culture condition as above; cells in normal serum+inhibitor group and burn serum+inhibitor group were cultured with the same culture conditions as in the former two groups correspondingly with addition of 100 nmol/L wortmannin in the nutrient solution. At PCH 3 and 6, THP-1 cells were added into the well with a monolayer of endothelial cell line EA.hy926 to observe the monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance and LSD- t test. (1) In normal serum group, THP-1 cells showed growth in suspension, with uniform shape at PCH 24. In burn serum group, the cell shape became irregular though the membrane was complete at PCH 3; cellular size became irregular and cell membrane and cytoplasm were swollen at PCH 6; cell membrane was disrupted with death of cells at PCH 24. The contents of TNF-α in culture supernatant in normal serum group at PCH 24 and in burn serum group at PCH 3, 6, 24 were respectively (38.5 ± 1.4), (75.1 ± 1.5), (91.5 ± 1.8), (117.0 ± 1.4) pg/mL (F = 1 415.306, P < 0.01). The contents of TNF-α in culture supernatant in burn serum group at PCH 3, 6, 24 were all significantly higher than the content of TNF-α in normal serum group at PCH 24 (with t values respectively 29.614, 42.852, 63.485, P values below 0.01). The ratio values of phosphorylated Akt to Akt in burn serum group at PCH 3, 6, 24 were respectively 2.66, 3.69, 1.17 times of those in normal serum group at the corresponding time point. (2) In normal serum group, normal serum+inhibitor group, burn serum group, and burn serum+inhibitor group at PCH 3 and 6, the numbers of THP-1 cells adherent to endothelial cells were respectively (231 ± 45), (280 ± 47), (703 ± 169), (335 ± 85) per 100-time field; (219 ± 49), (235 ± 21), (562 ± 123), (226 ± 29) per 100-time field (with F values respectively 25.630 and 18.975, P values below 0.01). The number of THP-1 cells adhered to EA.hy926 cells was significantly more in burn serum group than in normal serum group at PCH 3 and 6 (with t values respectively 6.189 and 6.601, P values below 0.01). The number of THP-1 cells adherent to EA.hy926 cells was significantly fewer in burn serum+inhibitor group than in burn serum group at PCH 3 and 6 (with t values respectively 6.821 and 6.465, P values below 0.01). The serum of rats suffering from electrical burn can induce the monocytes to secrete TNF-α, thus enhancing monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion, but it can be inhibited by blocking PI3K/Akt signal pathway.

[Clinical study on the postburn change in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal hormones in severely burned patients].

PubMed

Li, Hong-mian; Liang, Zi-qian; Luo, Zuo-jie

2003-06-01

To investigate the postburn dynamic changes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal hormones in severely burned patients. Fifty burn patients were enrolled in the study. The plasma contents of total GC (cortisol), ACTH and aldosterone (ALDO) and urinary contents of 17-OHO and 17-KS were determined with radio-immunological assay (RIA) method after burn injury to compare with the normal values which were well established clinically. The postburn plasma and urinary contents of the above indices were increased evidently with two peak values in shock and infectious stages, whilst the majority of he indices were lower than the normal values after 6 postburn weeks (PBWs). The values of these hormones were the lowest in dying patients. On the other hand, the values approached normal levels in those patients whose burn wounds were healing. Increases of the plasma and urinary levels of hypothalamus-pituitary -adrenal hormones in severely burned patients were constantly seen. Burn shock and infection seemed to be the two major factors in inducing postburn stress reaction in burn victims. Abrupt decrease of the hormone levels in plasma and or urine indicated adrenal failure predicting a poor prognosis of the burn patients.

Trace gas emissions from burning Florida wetlands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cofer, Wesley R., III; Levine, Joel S.; Lebel, Peter J.; Winstead, Edward L.; Koller, Albert M., Jr.; Hinkle, C. Ross

1990-01-01

Measurements of biomass burn-produced trace gases were obtained using a helicopter at low altitudes above burning Florida wetlands on November 9, 1987, and from both helicopter and light-aircraft samplings on November 7, 1988. Carbon dioxide normalized emission ratios for carbon monoxide, hydrogen, methane, total nonmethane hydrocarbons, and nitrous oxide were obtained over burning graminoid wetlands consisting primarily of Spartina bakeri and Juncus roemerianus. Some interspersed scrub oak and saw palmetto were also burned. No significant differences were observed in the emission ratios determined for these gases from samples collected over flaming, mixed, and smoldering phases of combustion during the 1987 fire. Combustion-categorized differences in emission ratios were small for the 1988 fire. Combustion efficiency was relatively good (low emission ratios for reduced gases) for both fires. It is believed that the consistently low emission ratios were a unique result of graminoid wetlands fires, in which the grasses and rushes burned rapidly down to standing water and were quickly extinguished. Consequently, the efficiency of the combustion was good and the amount and duration of smoldering combustion was greatly deminished.

Mechanism of acute depletion of plasma fibronectin following thermal injury in rats. Appearance of a gelatinlike ligand in plasma.

PubMed Central

Deno, D C; McCafferty, M H; Saba, T M; Blumenstock, F A

1984-01-01

Plasma fibronectin was depleted within 15 min following sublethal burn, followed by partial recovery at 8 h and complete restoration by 24 h in anesthetized rats. Radiolabeled 75Se-plasma fibronectin, injected intravenously before burn, was rapidly sequestered in burn skin as well as the liver. Fibronectin levels at 2 h postburn as detected by immunoassay vs. 75Se-plasma fibronectin indicated that more fibronectin was in the plasma than detected by electroimmunoassay. Crossed immunoelectrophoretic analysis of fibronectin in early postburn plasma demonstrated a reduced electrophoretic mobility of the fibronectin antigen. Addition of heparin or fibrin, both of which have affinity for fibronectin, to normal plasma was unable to reproduce this altered fibronectin electrophoretic pattern. In contrast, addition of gelatin or native collagen to normal plasma reproduced the abnormal electrophoretic pattern of fibronectin seen in burn plasma. Extracts of burned skin, but not extracts of normal skin, when added to normal plasma, elicited a similar altered electrophoretic pattern for fibronectin. By gel filtration, fibronectin in burn plasma had an apparent molecular weight approximately 40% greater than that observed in normal plasma. These data suggest the release into the blood of a gelatinlike ligand from burned skin, which complexes with plasma fibronectin. Thus, fibronectin deficiency acutely postburn appears mediated by (a) its accumulation at the site of burn injury; (b) its removal from the circulation by the liver; and (c) its presence in the plasma in a form that is less detectable by immunoassay. Images PMID:6690478

Measurement of elasticity and transepidermal water loss rate of burn scars with the Dermalab(®).

PubMed

Anthonissen, Mieke; Daly, Daniel; Fieuws, Steffen; Massagé, Patrick; Van Brussel, Michel; Vranckx, Jan; Van den Kerckhove, Eric

2013-05-01

This cross-sectional study investigated the reproducibility of repeated elasticity and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurements with the DermaLab(®) on 32 active burn scars and healthy skin. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility was examined by means of intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurements (SEM). Results showed good ICC values and rather high SEM values for inter- and intra-observer reproducibility of elasticity measurements. For TEWL measurements, ICC values were good and SEM values were high for inter- and intra-observer reproducibility. There was a significant difference between the estimated mean elasticity values of normal skin and grafted scars and between normal skin and spontaneously healed scars (p≤0.003). For the estimated mean TEWL values, there was a significant difference between normal skin and spontaneously healed scars (p=0.036). A significant negative relation was reported between mean TEWL and time after burn (p=0.008). In clinical trials it is necessary to interpret patient-specific changes in elasticity and TEWL with caution, since the SEMs of both modes are rather high. We therefore recommend the use of a mean of repeated measurements of elasticity and TEWL to decrease the SEM. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Determining relative contributions of vegetation and topography to burn severity from LANDSAT imagery.

PubMed

Wu, Zhiwei; He, Hong S; Liang, Yu; Cai, Longyan; Lewis, Bernard J

2013-10-01

Fire is a dominant process in boreal forest landscapes and creates a spatial patch mosaic with different burn severities and age classes. Quantifying effects of vegetation and topography on burn severity provides a scientific basis on which forest fire management plans are developed to reduce catastrophic fires. However, the relative contribution of vegetation and topography to burn severity is highly debated especially under extreme weather conditions. In this study, we hypothesized that relationships of vegetation and topography to burn severity vary with fire size. We examined this hypothesis in a boreal forest landscape of northeastern China by computing the burn severity of 24 fire patches as the difference between the pre- and post-fire Normalized Difference Vegetation Index obtained from two Landsat TM images. The vegetation and topography to burn severity relationships were evaluated at three fire-size levels of small (<100 ha, n = 12), moderate (100-1,000 ha, n = 9), and large (>1,000 ha, n = 3). Our results showed that vegetation and topography to burn severity relationships were fire-size-dependent. The burn severity of small fires was primary controlled by vegetation conditions (e.g., understory cover), and the burn severity of large fires was strongly influenced by topographic conditions (e.g., elevation). For moderate fires, the relationships were complex and indistinguishable. Our results also indicated that the pattern trends of relative importance for both vegetation and topography factors were not dependent on fire size. Our study can help managers to design fire management plans according to vegetation characteristics that are found important in controlling burn severity and prioritize management locations based on the relative importance of vegetation and topography.

Determining Relative Contributions of Vegetation and Topography to Burn Severity from LANDSAT Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Zhiwei; He, Hong S.; Liang, Yu; Cai, Longyan; Lewis, Bernard J.

2013-10-01

Fire is a dominant process in boreal forest landscapes and creates a spatial patch mosaic with different burn severities and age classes. Quantifying effects of vegetation and topography on burn severity provides a scientific basis on which forest fire management plans are developed to reduce catastrophic fires. However, the relative contribution of vegetation and topography to burn severity is highly debated especially under extreme weather conditions. In this study, we hypothesized that relationships of vegetation and topography to burn severity vary with fire size. We examined this hypothesis in a boreal forest landscape of northeastern China by computing the burn severity of 24 fire patches as the difference between the pre- and post-fire Normalized Difference Vegetation Index obtained from two Landsat TM images. The vegetation and topography to burn severity relationships were evaluated at three fire-size levels of small (<100 ha, n = 12), moderate (100-1,000 ha, n = 9), and large (>1,000 ha, n = 3). Our results showed that vegetation and topography to burn severity relationships were fire-size-dependent. The burn severity of small fires was primary controlled by vegetation conditions (e.g., understory cover), and the burn severity of large fires was strongly influenced by topographic conditions (e.g., elevation). For moderate fires, the relationships were complex and indistinguishable. Our results also indicated that the pattern trends of relative importance for both vegetation and topography factors were not dependent on fire size. Our study can help managers to design fire management plans according to vegetation characteristics that are found important in controlling burn severity and prioritize management locations based on the relative importance of vegetation and topography.

Chemical characterization and toxicity of particulate matter emissions from roadside trash combustion in urban India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vreeland, Heidi; Schauer, James J.; Russell, Armistead G.; Marshall, Julian D.; Fushimi, Akihiro; Jain, Grishma; Sethuraman, Karthik; Verma, Vishal; Tripathi, Sachi N.; Bergin, Michael H.

2016-12-01

Roadside trash burning is largely unexamined as a factor that influences air quality, radiative forcing, and human health even though it is ubiquitously practiced across many global regions, including throughout India. The objective of this research is to examine characteristics and redox activity of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) associated with roadside trash burning in Bangalore, India. Emissions from smoldering and flaming roadside trash piles (n = 24) were analyzed for organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC), brown carbon (BrC), and toxicity (i.e. redox activity, measured via the dithiothreitol "DTT" assay). A subset of samples (n = 8) were further assessed for toxicity by a cellular assay (macrophage assay) and also analyzed for trace organic compounds. Results show high variability of chemical composition and toxicity between trash-burning emissions, and characteristic differences from ambient samples. OC/EC ratios for trash-burning emissions range from 0.8 to 1500, while ambient OC/EC ratios were observed at 5.4 ± 1.8. Trace organic compound analyses indicate that emissions from trash-burning piles were frequently composed of aromatic di-acids (likely from burning plastics) and levoglucosan (an indicator of biomass burning), while the ambient sample showed high response from alkanes indicating notable representation from vehicular exhaust. Volume-normalized DTT results (i.e., redox activity normalized by the volume of air pulled through the filter during sampling) were, unsurprisingly, extremely elevated in all trash-burning samples. Interestingly, DTT results suggest that on a per-mass basis, fresh trash-burning emissions are an order of magnitude less redox-active than ambient air (13.4 ± 14.8 pmol/min/μgOC for trash burning; 107 ± 25 pmol/min/μgOC for ambient). However, overall results indicate that near trash-burning sources, exposure to redox-active PM can be extremely high.

Monitoring a boreal wildfire using multi-temporal Radarsat-1 intensity and coherence images

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rykhus, Russell P.; Lu, Zhong

2011-01-01

Twenty-five C-band Radarsat-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images acquired from the summer of 2002 to the summer of 2005 are used to map a 2003 boreal wildfire (B346) in the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska under conditions of near-persistent cloud cover. Our analysis is primarily based on the 15 SAR scenes acquired during arctic growing seasons. The Radarsat-1 intensity data are used to map the onset and progression of the fire, and interferometric coherence images are used to qualify burn severity and monitor post-fire recovery. We base our analysis of the fire on three test sites, two from within the fire and one unburned site. The B346 fire increased backscattered intensity values for the two burn study sites by approximately 5–6 dB and substantially reduced coherence from background levels of approximately 0.8 in unburned background forested areas to approximately 0.2 in the burned area. Using ancillary vegetation information from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and information on burn severity from Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) data, we conclude that burn site 2 was more severely burned than burn site 1 and that C-band interferometric coherence data are useful for mapping landscape changes due to fire. Differences in burn severity and topography are determined to be the likely reasons for the observed differences in post-fire intensity and coherence trends between burn sites.

Fires and Burns Involving Home Medical Oxygen

MedlinePlus

... nfpa.org Fires and Burns Involving Home Medical Oxygen The air is normally 21% oxygen. Oxygen is not flammable, but fire needs it to burn. ¾ When more oxygen is present, any fire that starts will burn ...

The assessment of erythema and thickness on burn related scars during pressure garment therapy as a preventive measure for hypertrophic scarring.

PubMed

Van den Kerckhove, Eric; Stappaerts, Karel; Fieuws, Steffen; Laperre, Jan; Massage, Patrick; Flour, Mieke; Boeckx, Willy

2005-09-01

The aim of this study was threefold: (1) Assess the pressure loss of two types of pressure garments that are used in the treatment of hypertrophic scars after burn injury, (2) investigate the influence of two different levels of compression on erythema and thickness of burn scars and (3) examine the association between erythema and thickness. The study was a prospective trial in which 76 burn scars in 60 patients were objectively assessed with the Minolta Chromameter CR-300 for erythema and with the Dermascan C for thickness of the scar over a period of 3 months. Each patient was randomly assigned to a "normal" or "lower" compression class treatment, with respectively mean values of 15 and 10 mmHg pressure after wearing the garment for 1 month. Measurements for both parameters were taken at 0, 1, 2 and 3 months of treatment. Pressure garments with "normal" compression did lose significantly more compression over 1 month (4.82 mmHg) than did the garments from the low compression class (2.57 mmHg). Scars that were treated with garments from a "normal" compression class did score significantly better for thickness compared to the "low" compression class. The difference in thickness was most evident at 1 month. Thereafter no further significant improvement between the two different treatments over time could be obtained. This difference was not found for erythema. Positive correlations could be found between erythema and thickness values at all of the three test points while changes in erythema and thickness only correlated significantly after the first month. The pattern of change of both parameters correlated at a high level of significance after 3 months of treatment. These data suggest that pressure garments that deliver a pressure of at least 15 mmHg pressure tend to accelerate scar maturation and that measurements of the pattern of change of the erythema can be used to predict changes in scar thickness and vice versa.

Blindness and vision loss

MedlinePlus

... eye ( chemical burns or sports injuries) Diabetes Glaucoma Macular degeneration The type of partial vision loss may differ, ... tunnel vision and missing areas of vision With macular degeneration, the side vision is normal but the central ...

Ten Years of Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery following the 2007 Zaca Fire using Landsat Satellite Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hallett, J. K. E.; Miller, D.; Roberts, D. A.

2017-12-01

Forest fires play a key role in shaping eco-systems. The risk to vegetation depends on the fire regime, fuel conditions (age and amount), fire temperature, and physiological characteristics such as bark thickness and stem diameter. The 2007 Zaca Fire (24 kilometers NE of Buellton, Santa Barbara County, California) burned 826.4 km2 over the course of 2 months. In this study, we used a time series of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager imagery, to evaluate plant burn severity and post fire recovery as defined into classes of above average recovery, normal recovery, and below average recovery. We spectrally unmixed the images into green vegetation (GV), non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), soil surface (SOIL), and ash with a spectral library developed using Constrained Reference Endmember Selection (CRES). We delineated the fire perimeter using the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) and evaluated changes in this index and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index through time. The results showed an immediate decline in GV and NPV fractions, with a rise in soil and ash fractions directly following the fire, with a slow recovery in GV fraction and a loss of bare soil cover. The was a sharp increase in the ash fraction following the fire and gradual decrease in the year after. Most areas have recovered as of 2017, with prominent recovery in the center of the burn scar and reduced recovery in areas to the south. These results indicate how post-fire vegetation varies based on initial burn severity and pre-fire GV and NPV fractions.

Post-fire Vegetation Regeneration Dynamics to Topography and Burn Severity in two contrasting ecosystems: the Case of the Montane Cordillera Ecozones of Western Canada & that of a Typical Mediterranean site in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireland, Gareth; Petropoulos, George P.; Kalivas, Dionissios; Griffirths, Hywel M.; Louka, Panagiota

2015-04-01

Altering land cover dynamics is currently regarded as the single most important variable of global change affecting ecological systems. Wildfires are an integral part of many terrestrial ecosystems and are considered to dramatically affect land cover dynamics at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. In this context, knowledge of the spatio-temporal distribution of post-fire vegetation recovery dynamics is of key importance. In this study, we explore the relationships between vegetation recovery dynamics to topography and burn severity for two different ecosystems using a chronosequence of Landsat TM data images analysis. One of our experimental sites is the Okanagan Mountain Park, located in the Montane Cordillera Ecozones of western Canada at which a fire occurred in 2003. The other is Mt. Parnitha, located in Greece, representing a typical Mediterranean setting. The spatio-temporal patterns of regrowth for 8 years following the fire events were quantified based on the analysis of 2 widely used indices, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Regeneration Index (RI). Burn severity was derived from the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) index computed from the Landsat TM images. Topographical information for the studied area was obtained from the ASTER global operational product. Relationships of vegetation regrowth to both topography and burn severity was quantified using a series of additional statistical metrics. In overall, results indicated noticeable differences in the recovery rates of both ecosystems to the pre-fire patterns. Re-growth rates appeared to be somewhat higher in north-facing slopes in comparison to south facing ones for both experimental sites, in common with other similar studies in different ecosystems. Lastly, areas of lower burn severity exhibited a higher recovery rate compared to areas of high severity burns. Results are presented in detail and an explanation of the main observation trends is also attempted to be provided. To our knowledge, this study is one of the few attempting to explore the relationships between post-fire vegetation regrowth and topography or burn severity, particularly so in such a comparative and systematic manner between two contrasting ecosystem types. It corroborates the significance of EO technology as a successful and cost-effective solution in providing information related to post-fire regeneration assessment. Keywords: post-fire vegetation regeneration, topography, burn severity, Landsat, remote sensing, Cordillera Ecozones, Canada, Mt. Parnitha, Greece

Structure analysis and size distribution of particulate matter from candles and kerosene combustion in burning chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baitimirova, M.; Osite, A.; Katkevics, J.; Viksna, A.

2012-08-01

Burning of candles generates particulate matter of fine dimensions that produces poor indoor air quality, so it may cause harmful impact on human health. In this study solid aerosol particles of burning of candles of different composition and kerosene combustion were collected in a closed laboratory system. Present work describes particulate matter collection for structure analysis and the relationship between source and size distribution of particulate matter. The formation mechanism of particulate matter and their tendency to agglomerate also are described. Particles obtained from kerosene combustion have normal size distribution. Whereas, particles generated from the burning of stearin candles have distribution shifted towards finer particle size range. If an additive of stearin to paraffin candle is used, particle size distribution is also observed in range of towards finer particles. A tendency to form agglomerates in a short time is observed in case of particles obtained from kerosene combustion, while in case of particles obtained from burning of candles of different composition such a tendency is not observed. Particles from candles and kerosene combustion are Aitken and accumulation mode particles

Trace gas emissions to the atmosphere by biomass burning in the west African savannas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frouin, Robert J.; Iacobellis, Samuel F.; Razafimpanilo, Herisoa; Somerville, Richard C. J.

1994-01-01

Savanna fires and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) detection and estimating burned area using Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer_(AVHRR) reflectance data are investigated in this two part research project. The first part involves carbon dioxide flux estimates and a three-dimensional transport model to quantify the effect of north African savanna fires on atmospheric CO2 concentration, including CO2 spatial and temporal variability patterns and their significance to global emissions. The second article describes two methods used to determine burned area from AVHRR data. The article discusses the relationship between the percentage of burned area and AVHRR channel 2 reflectance (the linear method) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (the nonlinear method). A comparative performance analysis of each method is described.

Cardiac troponin I: A potent biomarker for myocardial damage assessment following high voltage electric burn

PubMed Central

Bose, Arindam; Chhabra, Chandra B.; Chamania, Shobha; Hemvani, Nanda; Chitnis, Dhananjay S.

2016-01-01

Myocardial infarction (MI) following high voltage electric burn is very rare, and its pathogenesis remains controversial. Electrical burns represent only 4% of all burns. Hence, clinical managements have taken a slow pace in developing. The recent guidelines laid down by the cardiology societies include cardiac troponin I (cTnI) as the gold standard marker for the assessment of myocardial damage assessment. Two patients were admitted to our hospital at the different time with the same kind of high voltage electric burn. Both patients had complained with chest discomfort during admission, and cardiac parameter assessment was done for both the patients. cTnI was also measured for both patients, and marked increase in the values was seen within 5 h of onset of myocardial damage and got into normal range within 72 h. Myocardial damage following electric burn needs to be suspected and assessed as early as possible. Hence, cTnI should be the valuable tool to detect the severity of myocardial damage incurred in the electric burn cases. PMID:28216824

Vegetation burn severity mapping using Landsat-8 and WorldView-2

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wu, Zhuoting; Middleton, Barry R.; Hetzler, Robert; Vogel, John M.; Dye, Dennis G.

2015-01-01

We used remotely sensed data from the Landsat-8 and WorldView-2 satellites to estimate vegetation burn severity of the Creek Fire on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, where wildfire occurrences affect the Tribe's crucial livestock and logging industries. Accurate pre- and post-fire canopy maps at high (0.5-meter) resolution were created from World- View-2 data to generate canopy loss maps, and multiple indices from pre- and post-fire Landsat-8 images were used to evaluate vegetation burn severity. Normalized difference vegetation index based vegetation burn severity map had the highest correlation coefficients with canopy loss map from WorldView-2. Two distinct approaches - canopy loss mapping from WorldView-2 and spectral index differencing from Landsat-8 - agreed well with the field-based burn severity estimates and are both effective for vegetation burn severity mapping. Canopy loss maps created with WorldView-2 imagery add to a short list of accurate vegetation burn severity mapping techniques that can help guide effective management of forest resources on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, and the broader fire-prone regions of the Southwest.

Evaluating Material Flammability in Microgravity and Martian Gravity Compared to the NASA Standard Normal Gravity Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oslon, Sandra. L.; Ferkul, Paul

2012-01-01

Drop tower tests are conducted at Martian gravity to determine the flammability of three materials compared to previous tests in other normal gravity and reduced gravity environments. The comparison is made with consideration of a modified NASA standard test protocol. Material flammability limits in the different gravity and flow environments are tabulated to determine the factor of safety associated with normal gravity flammability screening. Previous testing at microgravity and Lunar gravity indicated that some materials burned to lower oxygen concentrations in low gravity than in normal gravity, although the low g extinction limit criteria are not the same as 1g due to time constraints in drop testing. Similarly, the data presented in this paper for Martian gravity suggest that there is a gravity level below Earth s at which materials burn more readily than on Earth. If proven for more materials, this may indicate the need to include a factor of safety on 1g flammability limits.

An analytical method for predicting postwildfire peak discharges

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moody, John A.

2012-01-01

An analytical method presented here that predicts postwildfire peak discharge was developed from analysis of paired rainfall and runoff measurements collected from selected burned basins. Data were collected from 19 mountainous basins burned by eight wildfires in different hydroclimatic regimes in the western United States (California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and South Dakota). Most of the data were collected for the year of the wildfire and for 3 to 4 years after the wildfire. These data provide some estimate of the changes with time of postwildfire peak discharges, which are known to be transient but have received little documentation. The only required inputs for the analytical method are the burned area and a quantitative measure of soil burn severity (change in the normalized burn ratio), which is derived from Landsat reflectance data and is available from either the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service or the U.S. Geological Survey. The method predicts the postwildfire peak discharge per unit burned area for the year of a wildfire, the first year after a wildfire, and the second year after a wildfire. It can be used at three levels of information depending on the data available to the user; each subsequent level requires either more data or more processing of the data. Level 1 requires only the burned area. Level 2 requires the burned area and the basin average value of the change in the normalized burn ratio. Level 3 requires the burned area and the calculation of the hydraulic functional connectivity, which is a variable that incorporates the sequence of soil burn severity along hillslope flow paths within the burned basin. Measurements indicate that the unit peak discharge response increases abruptly when the 30-minute maximum rainfall intensity is greater than about 5 millimeters per hour (0.2 inches per hour). This threshold may relate to a change in runoff generation from saturated-excess to infiltration-excess overland flow. The threshold value was about 7.6 millimeters per hour for the year of the wildfire and the first year after the wildfire, and it was about 11.1 millimeters per hour for the second year after the wildfire.

Effects of silicone gel on burn scars.

PubMed

Momeni, Mahnoush; Hafezi, Farhad; Rahbar, Hossein; Karimi, Hamid

2009-02-01

To study the efficacy of silicone gel applied to hypertrophic burn scars, in reducing scar interference with normal function and improving cosmesis. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 38 people with hypertrophic burn scars. Each scar was divided into two segments; silicone gel sheet was applied randomly to one of the two and placebo to the other. Participants were seen again after 1 and 4 months. Their data and wound characteristics were collected using the Vancouver scar scale. The median age of participants was 22 years (1.5-60 years) and 16 were male; 4 did not attend follow-up and were excluded from the study. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics. Although after 1 month all scar scale measures were lower in treated areas, only the vascularity scale was significantly different between the two areas. After 4 months, all scale measures were significantly lower in the silicone gel group than in the control group, except for the pain score. Silicone gel is an effective treatment for hypertrophic burn scars.

Responses of Understory Vegetation on Highly Erosive Louisiana Soils to Prescribed Burning in May

Treesearch

James D. Haywood; Alton Martin; John C. Novosad

1995-01-01

Prescribed burning is necessary to restore the herbaceous plant community normally associated with the fire-dependent longleaf pine, Pinus palustris Mill., ecosystem. Usually these burns are done in the winter months. However, burning during the early growing season may allow herbaceous plants to recover better than when burning is conducted during...

Wildfire risk in the wildland-urban interface: A simulation study in northwestern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Massada, Avi Bar; Radeloff, Volker C.; Stewart, Susan I.; Hawbaker, Todd J.

2009-01-01

The rapid growth of housing in and near the wildland–urban interface (WUI) increases wildfirerisk to lives and structures. To reduce fire risk, it is necessary to identify WUI housing areas that are more susceptible to wildfire. This is challenging, because wildfire patterns depend on fire behavior and spread, which in turn depend on ignition locations, weather conditions, the spatial arrangement of fuels, and topography. The goal of our study was to assess wildfirerisk to a 60,000 ha WUI area in northwesternWisconsin while accounting for all of these factors. We conducted 6000 simulations with two dynamic fire models: Fire Area Simulator (FARSITE) and Minimum Travel Time (MTT) in order to map the spatial pattern of burn probabilities. Simulations were run under normal and extreme weather conditions to assess the effect of weather on fire spread, burn probability, and risk to structures. The resulting burn probability maps were intersected with maps of structure locations and land cover types. The simulations revealed clear hotspots of wildfire activity and a large range of wildfirerisk to structures in the study area. As expected, the extreme weather conditions yielded higher burn probabilities over the entire landscape, as well as to different land cover classes and individual structures. Moreover, the spatial pattern of risk was significantly different between extreme and normal weather conditions. The results highlight the fact that extreme weather conditions not only produce higher fire risk than normal weather conditions, but also change the fine-scale locations of high risk areas in the landscape, which is of great importance for fire management in WUI areas. In addition, the choice of weather data may limit the potential for comparisons of risk maps for different areas and for extrapolating risk maps to future scenarios where weather conditions are unknown. Our approach to modeling wildfirerisk to structures can aid fire risk reduction management activities by identifying areas with elevated wildfirerisk and those most vulnerable under extreme weather conditions.

Burn wound sepsis may be promoted by a failure of local antibacterial host defenses.

PubMed Central

Deitch, E A; Bridges, R M; Dobke, M; McDonald, J C

1987-01-01

Little attention has been focused on the local burn wound environment, even though burn wound sepsis is a common cause of death in the burn victim. To characterize the effect of the local burn wound environment on neutrophil function and metabolism, the opsonic activity of blister fluid specimens against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was measured as was the effect of blister fluid on control neutrophil oxygen consumption using preopsonized zymosan and f-met-leu-phe (FMLP) as stimuli. Blister fluid did not support the killing of P. aeruginosa by normal neutrophils as well as normal serum. Additionally, blister fluid inhibited zymosan-stimulated, but not FMLP-stimulated, neutrophil oxygen consumption. The inhibitory effect of blister fluid on zymosan-stimulated oxygen consumption correlated with the extent of complement activation, measured as C3d or C3AI (p less than 0.01). That blister fluid did not inhibit the FMLP-mediated respiratory burst supports the concept that the blister fluid inhibitory effect on the zymosan-mediated respiratory burst was mediated through the complement receptor. These findings that blister fluid can affect the bactericidal and metabolic activity of normal neutrophils support the concept that cellular function can be altered by the microenvironment in which the cells are bathed. This potential impairment of host defenses within the burn wound could predispose the burn victim to burn wound sepsis. PMID:3115207

Impact of obesity on body image dissatisfaction and social integration difficulty in adolescent and young adult burn injury survivors

PubMed Central

Chondronikola, Maria; Sidossis, Labros S.; Richardson, Lisa M.; Temple, Jeff R.; van den Berg, Patricia A.; Herndon, David N.; Meyer, Walter J.

2012-01-01

Objective Burn injury deformities and obesity have been associated with social integration difficulty and body image dissatisfaction. However, the combined effects of obesity and burn injury in social integration difficulty and body image dissatisfaction are unknown. Methods Adolescent and young adults burn injury survivors were categorized as normal weight (n=47) or overweight and obese (n=21). Burn-related and anthropometric information was obtained from patients' medical records, while validated questionnaires were used to assess the main outcomes and possible confounders. Analysis of covariance and multiple linear regressions were performed to evaluate the objectives of this study. Results Obese and overweight burn injury survivors did not experience increased body image dissatisfaction (12 ± 4.3 vs 13.1 ± 4.4, p = 0.57) or social integration difficulty (17.5 ± 6.9 vs 15.5 ± 5.7, p=0.16) compared to normal weight burn injury survivors. Weight status was not a significant predictor of social integration difficulty or body image dissatisfaction (p=0.19 and p=0.24, respectively). However, mobility limitations predicted greater social integration difficulty (p=0.005) and body image dissatisfaction (p<0.001), while higher weight status at burn was a borderline significant predictor of body image dissatisfaction (p=0.05). Conclusions Obese and overweight adolescents and young adults, who sustained a major burn injury as children, do not experience greater social integration difficulty and body image dissatisfaction compared to normal weight burn injury survivors. Mobility limitations and higher weight status at burn are likely more important factors affecting the long-term social integration difficulty and body image dissatisfaction of these young people. PMID:23292577

Fire frequency, area burned, and severity: A quantitative approach to defining a normal fire year

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lutz, J.A.; Key, C.H.; Kolden, C.A.; Kane, J.T.; van Wagtendonk, J.W.

2011-01-01

Fire frequency, area burned, and fire severity are important attributes of a fire regime, but few studies have quantified the interrelationships among them in evaluating a fire year. Although area burned is often used to summarize a fire season, burned area may not be well correlated with either the number or ecological effect of fires. Using the Landsat data archive, we examined all 148 wildland fires (prescribed fires and wildfires) >40 ha from 1984 through 2009 for the portion of the Sierra Nevada centered on Yosemite National Park, California, USA. We calculated mean fire frequency and mean annual area burned from a combination of field- and satellite-derived data. We used the continuous probability distribution of the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) values to describe fire severity. For fires >40 ha, fire frequency, annual area burned, and cumulative severity were consistent in only 13 of 26 years (50 %), but all pair-wise comparisons among these fire regime attributes were significant. Borrowing from long-established practice in climate science, we defined "fire normals" to be the 26 year means of fire frequency, annual area burned, and the area under the cumulative probability distribution of dNBR. Fire severity normals were significantly lower when they were aggregated by year compared to aggregation by area. Cumulative severity distributions for each year were best modeled with Weibull functions (all 26 years, r2 ??? 0.99; P < 0.001). Explicit modeling of the cumulative severity distributions may allow more comprehensive modeling of climate-severity and area-severity relationships. Together, the three metrics of number of fires, size of fires, and severity of fires provide land managers with a more comprehensive summary of a given fire year than any single metric.

Adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy in severe burns: Experience in Taiwan Formosa Water Park dust explosion disaster.

PubMed

Chiang, I-Han; Chen, Shyi-Gen; Huang, Kun-Lun; Chou, Yu-Ching; Dai, Niann-Tzyy; Peng, Chung-Kan

2017-06-01

Despite major advances in therapeutic strategies for the management of patients with severe burns, significant morbidity and mortality is observed. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) increases the supply of oxygen to burn areas. The aim of this study was to determine whether HBOT is effective in the treatment of major thermal burns. On June 27, 2015 in New Taipei, Taiwan, a mass casualty disaster occurred as fire erupted over a large crowd, injuring 499 people. Fifty-three victims (20 women and 33 men) were admitted to Tri-Service General Hospital. Thirty-eight patients underwent adjunctive HBOT (HBOT group), and 15 patients received routine burn therapy (control group). Serum procalcitonin (PCT) level, a sepsis biomarker, was measured until it reached normal levels (<0.5μg/L). The records of all patients from June 2015 to March 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Outcome measures that were compared between the groups included the use of tracheostomy and hemodialysis, total body surface area (TBSA) and the number of skin graft operations, length of hospital stay, infection status, and mortality. The mean age of the patients was 22.4 years, and the mean TBSA was 43%. All the patients survived and were discharged without requiring limb amputation or being permanently disabled. Patient characteristics did not differ significantly between the groups. PCT levels returned to normal significantly faster (p=0.007) in the HBOT group. Multidisciplinary burn care combined with adjunctive HBOT improves sepsis control compared with standard treatment without HBOT. Prospective studies are required to define the role of HBOT in extensive burns. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Colloid normalizes resuscitation ratio in pediatric burns.

PubMed

Faraklas, Iris; Lam, Uyen; Cochran, Amalia; Stoddard, Gregory; Saffle, Jeffrey

2011-01-01

Fluid resuscitation of burned children is challenging because of their small size and intolerance to over- or underresuscitation. Our American Burn Association-verified regional burn center has used colloid "rescue" as part of our pediatric resuscitation protocol. With Institutional Review Board approval, the authors reviewed children with ≥15% TBSA burns admitted from January 1, 2004, to May 1, 2009. Resuscitation was based on the Parkland formula, which was adjusted to maintain urine output. Patients requiring progressive increases in crystalloid were placed on a colloid protocol. Results were expressed as an hourly resuscitation ratio (I/O ratio) of fluid infusion (ml/kg/%TBSA/hr) to urine output (ml/kg/hr). We reviewed 53 patients; 29 completed resuscitation using crystalloid alone (lactated Ringer's solution [LR]), and 24 received colloid supplementation albumin (ALB). Groups were comparable in age, gender, weight, and time from injury to admission. ALB patients had more inhalation injuries and larger total and full-thickness burns. LR patients maintained a median I/O of 0.17 (range, 0.08-0.31), whereas ALB patients demonstrated escalating ratios until the institution of albumin produced a precipitous return of I/O comparable with that of the LR group. Hospital stay was lower for LR patients than ALB patients (0.59 vs 1.06 days/%TBSA, P = .033). Twelve patients required extremity or torso escharotomy, but this did not differ between groups. There were no decompressive laparotomies. The median resuscitation volume for ALB group was greater than LR group (9.7 vs 6.2 ml/kg/%TBSA, P = .004). Measuring hourly I/O is a helpful means of evaluating fluid demands during burn shock resuscitation. The addition of colloid restores normal I/O in pediatric patients.

Sensitivity of Landsat image-derived burn severity indices to immediate post-fire effects

Treesearch

A. T. Hudak; S. Lewis; P. Robichaud; P. Morgan; M. Bobbitt; L. Lentile; A. Smith; Z. Holden; J. Clark; R. McKinley

2006-01-01

The USFS Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC) and the USGS Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) produce Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC) maps as a rapid, preliminary indication of burn severity on large wildfire events. Currently the preferred burn severity index is the delta Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR), which requires NBR values...

Trace gas emissions from burning Florida wetlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cofer, Wesley R.; Levine, Joel S.; Winstead, Edward L.; Lebel, Peter J.; Koller, Albert M.; Hinkle, C. Ross

1990-02-01

Measurements of biomass burn-produced trace gases are presented that were obtained using a helicopter at low altitudes above burning Florida wetlands on November 9, 1987, and from both helicopter and light-aircraft samplings on November 7, 1988. Carbon dioxide (CO2) normalized emission ratios (ΔX/ΔCO2; V/V; where X is trace gas) for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4), total nonmethane hydrocarbons (TNMHC), and nitrous oxide (N2O) were obtained over burning graminoid wetlands consisting primarily of Spartina bakeri and Juncus roemerianus. Some interspersed scrub oak (Quercus spp) and saw palmetto (Screnoa repens) were also burned. No significant differences were observed in the emission ratios determined for these gases from samples collected over flaming, mixed, and smoldering phases of combustion during the 1987 fire. Combustion-categorized differences in emission ratios were small for the 1988 fire. Combustion efficiency was relatively good (low emission ratios for reduced gases) for both fires. We believe that the consistently low emission ratios were a unique result of graminoid wetlands fires, in which the grasses and rushes (both small-size fuels) burned rapidly down to standing water and were quickly extinguished. Consequently, the efficiency of the combustion was good and the amount and duration of smoldering combustion was greatly diminished.

Trace gas emissions to the atmosphere by biomass burning in the west African savannas. Final report, 1 October 1991-31 March 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frouin, R.J.; Iacobellis, S.F.; Razafimpanilo, H.

1994-08-01

Savanna fires and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) detection and estimating burned area using Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) reflectance data are investigated in this two part research project. The first part involves carbon dioxide flux estimates and a three-dimensional transport model to quantify the effect of North African savanna fires on atmospheric CO2 concentration, including CO2 spatial and temporal variability patterns and their significance to global emissions. The second article describes two methods used to determine burned area from AVHRR data. The article discusses the relationship between the percentage of burned area and AVHRR channel 2 reflectance (the linearmore » method) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (the nonlinear method). A comparative performance analysis of each method is described.« less

Effects of ignition location models on the burn patterns of simulated wildfires

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bar-Massada, A.; Syphard, A.D.; Hawbaker, T.J.; Stewart, S.I.; Radeloff, V.C.

2011-01-01

Fire simulation studies that use models such as FARSITE often assume that ignition locations are distributed randomly, because spatially explicit information about actual ignition locations are difficult to obtain. However, many studies show that the spatial distribution of ignition locations, whether human-caused or natural, is non-random. Thus, predictions from fire simulations based on random ignitions may be unrealistic. However, the extent to which the assumption of ignition location affects the predictions of fire simulation models has never been systematically explored. Our goal was to assess the difference in fire simulations that are based on random versus non-random ignition location patterns. We conducted four sets of 6000 FARSITE simulations for the Santa Monica Mountains in California to quantify the influence of random and non-random ignition locations and normal and extreme weather conditions on fire size distributions and spatial patterns of burn probability. Under extreme weather conditions, fires were significantly larger for non-random ignitions compared to random ignitions (mean area of 344.5 ha and 230.1 ha, respectively), but burn probability maps were highly correlated (r = 0.83). Under normal weather, random ignitions produced significantly larger fires than non-random ignitions (17.5 ha and 13.3 ha, respectively), and the spatial correlations between burn probability maps were not high (r = 0.54), though the difference in the average burn probability was small. The results of the study suggest that the location of ignitions used in fire simulation models may substantially influence the spatial predictions of fire spread patterns. However, the spatial bias introduced by using a random ignition location model may be minimized if the fire simulations are conducted under extreme weather conditions when fire spread is greatest. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Factors that Affected Functional Outcome After a Delayed Excision and Split-Thickness Skin Graft on the Dorsal Side of Burned Hands.

PubMed

Shichinohe, Ryuji; Yamamoto, Yuhei; Kawashima, Kunihiro; Kimura, Chu; Ono, Kentaro; Horiuchi, Katsumi; Yoshida, Tetsunori; Murao, Naoki; Hayashi, Toshihiko; Funayama, Emi; Oyama, Akihiko; Furukawa, Hiroshi

Early excision and skin grafting is the principle treatment for a burned hand although there are occasions when it cannot be done such as severe general condition, delayed consultation, and the lack of a definitive assessment of burn depth. This study analyzes the factors that affected function after a delayed excision and skin graft for hands with a deep dermal burn. This study retrospectively evaluated 43 burned hands that required a delayed excision and split-thickness skin graft on the dorsal side. Cases were required to only have split-thickness skin grafting from the dorsum of the hand and fingers distally to at least the proximal interphalangeal joint at least 8 days after the injury. The hands were divided into two functional categories: Functional category A, normal or nearly normal joint movements, and functional category B, abnormal joint movements. Demographic data were assessed statistically by a univariate analysis following a multiple regression analysis by a stepwise selection. A significant difference was observed between the groups in the number of days from grafting to complete wound healing of the graft site and with or without an escharotomy in the analysis. These parameters were statistically significant predictors of functional category B. The functional outcome of a burned hand after a delayed excision and split-thickness skin graft on the dorsal side became degraded depending on the number of days from grafting to complete wound healing. Cases that underwent an escharotomy also showed deterioration in function.

[Identification of differential proteins of serum in the patients suffering from coal-burning arsenism].

PubMed

Han, Bing; Yang, Qin; Luo, Xin-hua; He, Xiao-fei; Wu, Jun; Cheng, Ming-liang

2009-06-02

To compare and analyze the differential expression of proteins between coal-burning arsenism serum and normal human serum and identify the proteins related with arseniasis caused by coal-burning. Serum samples were collected from 6 normal subjects and 6 patients suffering from coal-burning arsenism. 2-DE was performed to separate serum proteins. After silver staining, the differential expression of proteins was analyzed and then identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). There were an average of 779 +/- 35 spots and 865 +/- 30 spots on 2-DE matching of two groups and the matching rate was 90.1% between two groups. From these two groups, 60 different protein spots were identified. Up-regulated expression was observed in 25 proteins and down-regulated expression in 35 proteins in the patient serum group. Among which 35 with differential expression above three times were singled out and MALDI-TOF-MS analysis was carried out on them. Thirteen proteins were identified, including keratin 10, apolipoprotein A-V, transferrin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, human zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein, mitogen-activated protein kinase 3, vacuolar protein sorting 33A, O-linked GlcNAc transferase and etc. Up-regulated expression was observed in 5 proteins and down-regulated expression in 8 proteins in the patient serum group. The well-resolved and reproducible 2-DE serum patterns of patients suffering from coal-burning arsenism were established and some differentially expressed proteins characterized. These data will be used to screen the biomarker and to further study arseniasis caused by coal-burning.

Relationship between oxidative stress and "burning mouth syndrome" in female patients: a scientific hypothesis.

PubMed

Tatullo, M; Marrelli, M; Scacco, S; Lorusso, M; Doria, S; Sabatini, R; Auteri, P; Cagiano, R; Inchingolo, F

2012-09-01

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is characterized by burning sensation and pain in the mouth with or without inflammatory signs and specific lesions. Aim of the present study was to investigate about a possible correlation between the Burning Mouth Syndrome and oxidative stress. We recruited 18 healthy female patients between 54 and 68 years of age with a diagnosis of Burning Mouth Syndrome. Oxidative stress assessment was performed by means of an integrated analytical system composed of a photometer and a mini-centrifuge (FRAS4, H and D s.r.l., Parma, Italy). Samples of whole capillary blood were taken by a finger puncture in a heparinized tube and immediately centrifuged; a small amount of samples plasma (10 microL) were thereafter tested for total oxidant capacity (d-ROMs test) and biological antioxidant potential as iron-reducing activity (BAP test) (Diacron International s.r.l., Grosseto, Italy). Our results indicate that female patients affected by Burning Mouth Syndrome show significantly different d-ROMs and BAP levels, similar to those present in oxidative stress condition with respect to the general population. It was also emphasized that, after the most painful phase, the levels representing the present oxidative stress, progressively return to normal, even if still significantly higher 7 days after, with respect to the normal population. No similar study was performed up to now. This study confirms the effectiveness of antioxidant treatments in the patients affected by BMS, in order to prevent or decrease the onset of oxidative stress and the consequent increased risk of oxidative-related systemic diseases.

In vivo classification of human skin burns using machine learning and quantitative features captured by optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singla, Neeru; Srivastava, Vishal; Singh Mehta, Dalip

2018-02-01

We report the first fully automated detection of human skin burn injuries in vivo, with the goal of automatic surgical margin assessment based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. Our proposed automated procedure entails building a machine-learning-based classifier by extracting quantitative features from normal and burn tissue images recorded by OCT. In this study, 56 samples (28 normal, 28 burned) were imaged by OCT and eight features were extracted. A linear model classifier was trained using 34 samples and 22 samples were used to test the model. Sensitivity of 91.6% and specificity of 90% were obtained. Our results demonstrate the capability of a computer-aided technique for accurately and automatically identifying burn tissue resection margins during surgical treatment.

[The Nutrition Care of Severe Burn Patients].

PubMed

Hsieh, Yu-Hsiu

2016-02-01

In addition to recent advances in burn patient care techniques such as maintaining warm circumambient temperature, the early excision of wounds, and the use of closed dressing, providing nutrition support through early feeding has proven instrumental in greatly increasing the survival rate of burn patients. Severe burns complicated by many factors initiate tremendous physiological stress that leads to postburn hypermetabolism that includes enhanced tissue catabolism, the loss of muscle mass, and decreases in the body's reservoirs of protein and energy. These problems have become the focus of burn therapy. Treating severe burns aims not only to enhance survival rates but also to restore normal bodily functions as completely as possible. Recent research evaluating the application of anabolic agents and immune-enhance formula for severe burns therapy has generated significant controversy. Inadequate caloric intake is one of the main differences among the related studies, with the effect of many special nutrients such as bran acid amides not taken into consideration. Therefore, considering the sufficiency of caloric and protein intake is critical in assessing effectiveness. Only after patients receive adequate calories and protein may the effect of special nutrients such as glutamine and supplements be evaluated effectively.

Evaluating and monitoring forest fuel treatments using remote sensing applications in Arizona, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petrakis, Roy; Villarreal, Miguel; Wu, Zhuoting; Hetzler, Robert; Middleton, Barry R.; Norman, Laura M.

2018-01-01

The practice of fire suppression across the western United States over the past century has led to dense forests, and when coupled with drought has contributed to an increase in large and destructive wildfires. Forest management efforts aimed at reducing flammable fuels through various fuel treatments can help to restore frequent fire regimes and increase forest resilience. Our research examines how different fuel treatments influenced burn severity and post-fire vegetative stand dynamics on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, in east-central Arizona, U.S.A. Our methods included the use of multitemporal remote sensing data and cloud computing to evaluate burn severity and post-fire vegetation conditions as well as statistical analyses. We investigated how forest thinning, commercial harvesting, prescribed burning, and resource benefit burning (managed wildfire) related to satellite measured burn severity (the difference Normalized Burn Ratio – dNBR) following the 2013 Creek Fire and used spectral measures of post-fire stand dynamics to track changes in land surface characteristics (i.e., brightness, greenness and wetness). We found strong negative relationships between dNBR and post-fire greenness and wetness, and a positive non-linear relationship between dNBR and brightness, with greater variability at higher severities. Fire severity and post-fire surface changes also differed by treatment type. Our results showed harvested and thinned sites that were not treated with prescribed fire had the highest severity fire. When harvesting was followed by a prescribed burn, the sites experienced lower burn severity and reduced post-fire changes in vegetation greenness and wetness. Areas that had previously experienced resource benefit burns had the lowest burn severities and the highest post-fire greenness measurements compared to all other treatments, except for where the prescribed burn had occurred. These results suggest that fire treatments may be most effective at reducing the probability of hazardous fire and increasing post-fire recovery. This research demonstrates the utility of remote sensing and spatial data to inform forest management, and how various fuel treatments can influence burn severity and post-fire vegetation response within ponderosa pine forests across the southwestern U.S.

Burning Velocity Measurements in Aluminum-Air Suspensions using Bunsen Type Dust Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, John; Goroshin, Samuel; Kolbe, Massimiliano

2001-01-01

Laminar burning velocity (sometimes also referred in literature as fundamental or normal flame propagation speed) is probably the most important combustion characteristic of the premixed combustible mixture. The majority of experimental data on burning velocities in gaseous mixtures was obtained with the help of the Bunsen conical flame. The Bunsen cone method was found to be sufficiently accurate for gaseous mixtures with burning velocities higher than 10-15 cm/s at normal pressure. Hans Cassel was the first to demonstrate that suspensions of micron-size solid fuel particles in a gaseous oxidizer can also form self-sustained Bunsen flames. He was able to stabilize Bunsen flames in a number of suspensions of different nonvolatile solid fuels (aluminum, carbon, and boron). Using the Bunsen cone method he estimated burning velocities in the premixed aluminum-air mixtures (particle size less than 10 microns) to be in the range of 30-40 cm/s. Cassel also found, that the burning velocity in dust clouds is a function of the burner diameter. In our recent work, we have used the Bunsen cone method to investigate dependence of burning velocity on dust concentration in fuel-rich aluminum dust clouds. Burning velocities in stoichiometric and fuel-rich aluminum dust suspensions with average particle sizes of about 5 microns were found to be in the range of 20-25 cm/s and largely independent on dust concentration. These results raise the question to what degree burning velocities derived from Bunsen flame specifically and other dust flame configurations in general, are indeed fundamental characteristics of the mixture and to what degree are they apparatus dependent. Dust flames in comparison to gas combustion, are thicker, may be influenced by radiation heat transfer in the flame front, respond differently to heat losses, and are fundamentally influenced by the particular flow configuration due to the particles inertia. Since characteristic spatial scales of dust flames are larger, one can expect that they will also be more sensitive than homogeneous combustion to a particular experimental geometric configuration of the flame and the flow. With such sensitivity the introduction of the very concept of the fundamental flame speed may be problematic for dust combustion. With this in mind, the objective of the present work is to further investigate Bunsen dust flames and evaluate to what degree burning velocities derived from Bunsen cone depend on experimental conditions (i.e. flow rate and nozzle diameter).

Reasons, Motivational Factors, and Perceived Personal Barriers to Engagement in Physical Activity During Pregnancy Vary Within the BMI Classes: The Prenatal Prevention Project Germany.

PubMed

Bauer, Carina; Graf, Christine; Platschek, Anna M; Strüder, Heiko K; Ferrari, Nina

2018-03-01

International data indicate that approximately only 20.0% of pregnant women reach physical activity recommendations (≥150 min/wk). To find ways for increasing physical activity, the reasons for exercising, motivational factors, and barriers need to be determined. The aim of this pilot study was to identify these factors in respect to body mass index classification in German pregnant women. A total of 61 women [age: 32.7 (4.8) y; 13.3 (3.4) wk of gestation] participated in this study. Before pregnancy, 10.0% of women were underweight, 58.3% were normal weight, 18.3% were overweight, and 13.4% were obese. Standardized questionnaires were used to evaluate the abovementioned factors. "Fun" was one of the main reasons for being active in underweight/normal weight compared with overweight/obese women (53.7% vs 10.5%; P = .002), whereas "burning fat" was more important in overweight/obese women (9.8% vs 36.8%; P = .027). According to motivational factors, differences occurred in "calorie burning" (7.3% underweight/normal weight vs 31.6% overweight/obese; P = .025) and "fat burning" (7.3% underweight/normal weight vs 47.4% overweight/obese; P = .001). Regarding barriers for being active, "tiredness" was more often a barrier in overweight/obese (63.2%) compared with normal weight/underweight women (31.7%; P = .022). Pregnant women should be given tailored advice/motivation according to prepregnancy body mass index. However, larger studies are necessary to evaluate these factors on pregnant women's physical activity level.

A new metric for quantifying burn severity: The Relativized Burn Ratio

Treesearch

Sean A. Parks; Gregory K. Dillon; Carol Miller

2014-01-01

Satellite-inferred burn severity data have become increasingly popular over the last decade for management and research purposes. These data typically quantify spectral change between pre-and post-fire satellite images (usually Landsat). There is an active debate regarding which of the two main equations, the delta normalized burn ratio (dNBR) and its relativized form...

Lessons from the fires of 2000: Post-fire heterogeneity in ponderosa pine forests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kotliar, Natasha B.; Haire, Sandra L.; Key, Carl H.; Omni, Phillip N.; Joyce, Linda A.

2003-01-01

We evaluate burn-severity patterns for six burns that occurred in the southern Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau in 2000. We compare the results of two data sources: Burned Area Rehabilitations Teams (BAER) and a spatial burnseverity model derived from satellite imagery (the Normalized Burn Ratio; NBR). BAER maps tended to overestimate area of severe burns and underestimate area of moderate-severity burns relative to NBR maps. Low elevation and more southern ponderosa pine burns were predominantly understory burns, whereas burns at higher elevations and farther north had a greater component of high-severity burns. Thus, much, if not most, of the area covered by these burns appears to be consistent with historic burns and contributes to healthy functioning ecosystems.

A protocol for resuscitation of severe burn patients guided by transpulmonary thermodilution and lactate levels: a 3-year prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Sánchez, Manuel; García-de-Lorenzo, Abelardo; Herrero, Eva; Lopez, Teresa; Galvan, Beatriz; Asensio, María; Cachafeiro, Lucia; Casado, Cesar

2013-08-15

The use of urinary output and vital signs to guide initial burn resuscitation may lead to suboptimal resuscitation. Invasive hemodynamic monitoring may result in over-resuscitation. This study aimed to evaluate the results of a goal-directed burn resuscitation protocol that used standard measures of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and urine output, plus transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) and lactate levels to adjust fluid therapy to achieve a minimum level of preload to allow for sufficient vital organ perfusion. We conducted a three-year prospective cohort study of 132 consecutive critically burned patients. These patients underwent resuscitation guided by MAP (>65 mmHg), urinary output (0.5 to 1 ml/kg), TPTD and lactate levels. Fluid therapy was adjusted to achieve a cardiac index (CI) >2.5 L/minute/m² and an intrathoracic blood volume index (ITBVI) >600 ml/m2, and to optimize lactate levels. Statistical analysis was performed using mixed models. We also used Pearson or Spearman methods and the Mann-Whitney U-test. A total of 98 men and 34 women (mean age, 48 ± 18 years) was studied. The mean total body surface area (TBSA) burned was 35% ± 22%. During the early resuscitation phase, lactate levels were elevated (2.58 ± 2.05 mmol/L) and TPTD showed initial hypovolemia by the CI (2.68 ± 1.06 L/minute/m²) and the ITBVI (709 ± 254 mL/m²). At 24 to 32 hours, the CI and lactic levels were normalized, although the ITBVI remained below the normal range (744 ± 276 ml/m²). The mean fluid rate required to achieve protocol targets in the first 8 hours was 4.05 ml/kg/TBSA burned, which slightly increased in the next 16 hours. Patients with a urine output greater than or less than 0.5 ml/kg/hour did not show differences in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, CI, ITBVI or lactate levels. Initial hypovolemia may be detected by TPTD monitoring during the early resuscitation phase. This hypovolemia might not be reflected by blood pressure and hourly urine output. An adequate CI and tissue perfusion can be achieved with below-normal levels of preload. Early resuscitation guided by lactate levels and below-normal preload volume targets appears safe and avoids unnecessary fluid input.

Differences in resuscitation in morbidly obese burn patients may contribute to high mortality.

PubMed

Rae, Lisa; Pham, Tam N; Carrougher, Gretchen; Honari, Shari; Gibran, Nicole S; Arnoldo, Brett D; Gamelli, Richard L; Tompkins, Ronald G; Herndon, David N

2013-01-01

The rising number of obese patients poses new challenges for burn care. These may include adjustments in calculations of burn size, resuscitation, ventilator wean, nutritional goals as well as challenges in mobilization. The authors have focused this observational study on resuscitation in the obese patient population in the first 48 hours after burn injury. Previous trauma studies suggest a prolonged time to reach end points of resuscitation in the obese compared to nonobese injured patients. The authors hypothesize that obese patients have worse outcomes after thermal injury and that differences in the response to resuscitation contribute to this disparity. The authors retrospectively analyzed data prospectively collected in a multicenter trial to compare resuscitation and outcomes in patients stratified by National Institutes of Health/World Health Organization body mass index (BMI) classification (BMI: normal weight, 18.5-24.9; overweight, 25-29.9, obese, 30-39.9; morbidly obese, ≥40). Because of the distribution of body habitus in the obese, total burn size was recalculated for all patients by using the method proposed by Neaman and compared with Lund-Browder estimates. The authors analyzed patients by BMI class for fluids administered and end points of resuscitation at 24 and 48 hours. Multivariate analysis was used to compare morbidity and mortality across BMI groups. The authors identified 296 adult patients with a mean TBSA of 41%. Patient and injury characteristics were similar across BMI categories. No significant differences were observed in burn size calculations by using Neaman vs Lund-Browder formulas. Although resuscitation volumes exceeded the predicted formula in all BMI categories, higher BMI was associated with less fluid administered per actual body weight (P = .001). Base deficit on admission was highest in the morbidly obese group at 24 and 48 hours. Furthermore, the morbidly obese patients did not correct their metabolic acidosis to the extent of their lower BMI counterparts (P values .04 and .03). Complications and morbidities across BMI groups were similar, although examination of organ failure scores indicated more severe organ dysfunction in the morbidly obese group. Compared with being normal weight, being morbidly obese was an independent risk factor for death (odds ratio = 10.1; confidence interval, 1.94-52.5; P = .006). Morbidly obese patients with severe burns tend to receive closer to predicted fluid resuscitation volumes for their actual weight. However, this patient group has persistent metabolic acidosis during the resuscitation phase and is at risk of developing more severe multiple organ failure. These factors may contribute to higher mortality risk in the morbidly obese burn patient.

Differences in resuscitation in morbidly obese burn patients may contribute to high mortality

PubMed Central

Rae, Lisa; Pham, Tam N.; Carrougher, Gretchen; Honari, Shari; Gibran, Nicole S.; Arnoldo, Brett D.; Gamelli, Richard L.; Tompkins, Ronald G.; Herndon, David N.

2013-01-01

Objective The rising number of obese patients poses new challenges for burn care. These may include adjustments in calculations of burn size, resuscitation, ventilator wean, nutritional goals as well as challenges in mobilization. We have focused this observational study on resuscitation in the obese patient population in the first 48 hours after burn injury. Prior trauma studies suggest a prolonged time to reach end points of resuscitation in the obese compared to non-obese injured patients. We hypothesize that obese patients have worse outcomes after thermal injury and that differences in the response to resuscitation contribute to this disparity. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data prospectively collected in a multi-center trial to compare resuscitation and outcomes in patients stratified by NIH/WHO BMI classification (BMI: normal weight 18.5-24.9, overweight 25-29.9, Obese 30-39.9, morbidly obese ≥40). Due to distribution of body habitus in the obese, total burn size was recalculated for all patients using the method proposed by Neaman and compared to Lund-Browder estimates. We analyzed patients by BMI class for fluids administered and end points of resuscitation at 24 and 48 hours. Multivariate analysis was used to compare morbidity and mortality across BMI groups. Results We identified 296 adult patients with a mean TBSA of 41%. Patient and injury characteristics were similar across BMI categories. There were no significant differences in burn size calculations using Neaman vs. Lund-Browder formulas. Although resuscitation volumes exceeded the predicted formula in all BMI categories, higher BMI was associated with less fluid administered per actual body weight (p=0.001). Base deficit on admission was highest in the morbidly obese group at 24 and 48 hours. Furthermore, these patients did not correct their metabolic acidosis as well as lower BMI groups (p-values 0.04 and 0.03). Complications and morbidities across BMI groups were similar, although examination of organ failure scores indicated more severe organ dysfunction in the morbidly obese group. Compared to normal weight patients, being morbidly obese was an independent risk factor for death (OR = 10.1; CI 1.94-52.5, p= 0.006). Conclusions Morbidly obese patients with severe burns tend to receive closer to predicted fluid resuscitation volumes for their actual weight. However, this patient group has persistent metabolic acidosis during the resuscitation phase and is at-risk of developing more severe multiple organ failure. These factors may contribute to higher mortality risk in the morbidly obese burn patient. PMID:23966116

Selectivity of a bromelain based enzymatic debridement agent: a porcine study.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Lior; Krieger, Yuval; Silberstein, Eldad; Arnon, Ofer; Sinelnikov, Igor A; Bogdanov-Berezovsky, Alex; Singer, Adam J

2012-11-01

Debridement of the burn eschar is a cornerstone of burn wound care. Rapid enzymatic debridement with a bromelain-based agent (Debriding Gel Dressing-DGD) has recently been investigated. The current study was designed to further investigate the selectivity of DGD to burned eschar in a larger number and more varied types of wounds. A systematic animal experiment was conducted to determine the effects of DGD on normal, non-injured skin, burns, exposed dermis of donor sites, and skin punch biopsy wells. Partial thickness dermal burns and partial thickness skin graft donor sites were created on a pig and treated with a 4-h application of DGD or its control hydrating vehicle that does not have any activity except hydration. Punch biopsy samples were taken before and after treatment and microscopically assessed for evidence of tissue viability and its respective components thickness. Rapid dissolution of the burn eschar was noted in all DGD but not vehicle treated burns. There was no apparent damage to the underlying sub eschar dermis, donor sites, normal skin or punch biopsy wells after exposure to DGD. While the thickness of the treated tissues slightly increased due to edema, the increase in dermal thickness was similar after treatment with DGD or its vehicle. The increase in the cross section surface area of the treated punch biopsy wells was similar after treatment with DGD and its control vehicle. Exposure of the burn eschar to DGD results in its rapid dissolution. Exposure of normal skin or non-burned dermis to DGD has no effects demonstrating its selectivity to eschar. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Post-fire ecosystem recovery trajectories along burn severity gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newingham, B. A.; Hudak, A. T.; Bright, B. C.; Smith, A. G.; Henareh Khalyani, A.

2017-12-01

Burn severity is a term used to describe the longer-term, second-order effects of fire on ecosystems. Plant communities are assumed to recover more slowly at higher burn severities; however, this likely depends on plant community type and climate. We assessed vegetation recovery approximately a decade post-fire across North American forests (moist mixed conifer, dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine) and shrublands (mountain big sagebrush and Wyoming big sagebrush) distributed across climate and burn severity gradients. We assessed vegetation recovery across these ecosystems as indicated by the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio derived from 1984-2016 Landsat time series imagery (LandTrendr). Additionally, we used field vegetation measurements to examine local topographic controls on burn severity and post-fire vegetation recovery. Ecosystem responses were related to climate predictors derived from downscaled 1993-2011 climate normals. We hypothesized that drier and hotter ecosystems would take longer to recover. We also predicted areas with higher burn severity to have slower recovery. We found post-fire recovery to be strongly predicted by precipitation with the slowest recovery in shrublands and ponderosa pine forest, the driest vegetation types considered. We conclude that climate and burn severity interact to determine ecosystem recovery trajectories after fire, with burn severity having larger influence in the short term, and climate having larger influence in the long term.

Sibling experiences after a major childhood burn injury.

PubMed

Lehna, Carlee

2010-01-01

The purpose of this research project was to understand, primarily from the sibling perspective, the effect of a child's major burn injury on his or her sibling. A mixed method qualitative dominant design was implemented using the life story method for the qualitative portion. Additionally, the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire -Revised (SRQ-R) was used as a structured interview guide and for calculating scoring data to explore sibling relationship factors of warmth/closeness, rivalry, conflict, and relative status/power. Participants from 22 family cases (one or multiple family members) and 40 individuals were interviewed. To capture impact on the family over time, interviews began a minimum of two years post-burn. The central thematic pattern for the sibling relationship in families having a child with a major burn injury was that of normalization. Two components of normalization were described: areas of normalization and the process of adjustment. Areas of normalization were found in play and other activities, in school and work, and in family relations with siblings. The process of adjustment was varied and often gradual, involved school and work re-entry, and in some instances, seemed to change life perspective. Clinical implications in providing family-centered care can focus on promoting normalization by assessing and supporting siblings who may only be occasionally seen in the hospital or clinic.

Wildfire risk in the wildland-urban interface: A simulation study in northwestern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bar-Massada, A.; Radeloff, V.C.; Stewart, S.I.; Hawbaker, T.J.

2009-01-01

The rapid growth of housing in and near the wildland-urban interface (WUI) increases wildfire risk to lives and structures. To reduce fire risk, it is necessary to identify WUI housing areas that are more susceptible to wildfire. This is challenging, because wildfire patterns depend on fire behavior and spread, which in turn depend on ignition locations, weather conditions, the spatial arrangement of fuels, and topography. The goal of our study was to assess wildfire risk to a 60,000 ha WUI area in northwestern Wisconsin while accounting for all of these factors. We conducted 6000 simulations with two dynamic fire models: Fire Area Simulator (FARSITE) and Minimum Travel Time (MTT) in order to map the spatial pattern of burn probabilities. Simulations were run under normal and extreme weather conditions to assess the effect of weather on fire spread, burn probability, and risk to structures. The resulting burn probability maps were intersected with maps of structure locations and land cover types. The simulations revealed clear hotspots of wildfire activity and a large range of wildfire risk to structures in the study area. As expected, the extreme weather conditions yielded higher burn probabilities over the entire landscape, as well as to different land cover classes and individual structures. Moreover, the spatial pattern of risk was significantly different between extreme and normal weather conditions. The results highlight the fact that extreme weather conditions not only produce higher fire risk than normal weather conditions, but also change the fine-scale locations of high risk areas in the landscape, which is of great importance for fire management in WUI areas. In addition, the choice of weather data may limit the potential for comparisons of risk maps for different areas and for extrapolating risk maps to future scenarios where weather conditions are unknown. Our approach to modeling wildfire risk to structures can aid fire risk reduction management activities by identifying areas with elevated wildfire risk and those most vulnerable under extreme weather conditions. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

Vegetation Cover Change in Yosemite National Park (California) Detected using Landsat Satellite Image Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, Christopher

2015-01-01

Landsat image analysis over the past 20+ years showed that consistent increases in the satellite normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) during relatively dry years were confined to large wildfire areas that burned in the late 1980s and 1990s.

30 CFR 56.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... anticipated, will ignite, burn, support combustion, or release flammable vapors when subjected to fire or heat.... Flammable means capable of being easily ignited and of burning rapidly. Flammable gas means a gas that will burn in the normal concentrations of oxygen in the air. Flammable liquid means a liquid that has a...

Comparison of AVIRIS and Landsat ETM+ detection capabilities for burn severity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; Root, Ralph R.; Key, Carl H.

2004-01-01

Our study compares data on burn severity collected from multi-temporal Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) with similar data from the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) using the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR). Two AVIRIS and ETM+ data acquisitions recorded surface conditions immediately before the Hoover Fire began to spread rapidly and again the following year. Data were validated with 63 field plots using the Composite Burn Index (CBI). The relationship between spectral channels and burn severity was examined by comparing pre- and post-fire datasets. Based on the high burn severity comparison, AVIRIS channels 47 and 60 at wavelengths of 788 and 913 nm showed the greatest negative response to fire. Post-fire reflectance values decreased the most on average at those wavelengths, while channel 210 at 2370 nm showed the greatest positive response on average. Fire increased reflectance the most at that wavelength over the entire measured spectral range. Furthermore, channel 210 at 2370 nm exhibited the greatest variation in spectral response, suggesting potentially high information content for fire severity. Based on general remote sensing principles and the logic of variable spectral responses to fire, dNBR from both sensors should produce useful results in quantifying burn severity. The results verify the band–response relationships to burn severity as seen with ETM+ data and confirm the relationships by way of a distinctly different sensor system.

Imipenem in burn patients: pharmacokinetic profile and PK/PD target attainment.

PubMed

Gomez, David S; Sanches-Giraud, Cristina; Silva, Carlindo V; Oliveira, Amanda M Ribas Rosa; da Silva, Joao Manoel; Gemperli, Rolf; Santos, Silvia R C J

2015-03-01

Unpredictable pharmacokinetics (PK) in burn patients may result in plasma concentrations below concentrations that are effective against common pathogens. The present study evaluated the imipenem PK profile and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) correlation in burn patients. Fifty-one burn patients, 38.7 years of age (mean), 68.0 kg, 36.3% total burn surface area (TBSA), of whom 84% (43/51) exhibited thermal injury, 63% inhalation injury and 16% electrical injury (8/51), all of whom were receiving imipenem treatment were investigated. Drug plasma monitoring, PK study (120 sets of plasma levels) and PK/PD correlation were performed in a series of blood samples. Only 250 μl of plasma samples were required for drug plasma measurements using the ultra filtration technique for the purification of biological matrix and quantification using liquid chromatography. Probability of target attainment (PTA) was calculated using a PD target of 40% free drug concentrations above the minimum inhibitory concentration (40%fT>MIC). Significant differences in PK parameters (medians), such as biological half-life (2.2 vs 5.5 h), plasma clearance (16.2 vs 1.4 l h(-1)) and volume of distribution (0.86 vs 0.19 l kg(-1)), were registered in burn patients via comparisons of set periods with normal renal function against periods of renal failure. Correlations between creatinine clearance and total body plasma clearance were also obtained. In addition, the PK profile did not change according to TBSA during sets when renal function was preserved. PTA was >89% for MIC values up to 4 mg l(-1). In conclusion, imipenem efficacy for the control of hospital infection on the basis of PK/PD correlation was guaranteed for burn in patients at the recommended dose regimens for normal renal function (31.1±9.7 mg kg(-1) daily), but the daily dose must be reduced to 17.2±9.7 mg kg(-1) during renal failure to avoid neurotoxicity.

Calibration and validation of the relative differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (RdNBR) to three measures of fire severity in the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, J.D.; Knapp, E.E.; Key, C.H.; Skinner, C.N.; Isbell, C.J.; Creasy, R.M.; Sherlock, J.W.

2009-01-01

Multispectral satellite data have become a common tool used in the mapping of wildland fire effects. Fire severity, defined as the degree to which a site has been altered, is often the variable mapped. The Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) used in an absolute difference change detection protocol (dNBR), has become the remote sensing method of choice for US Federal land management agencies to map fire severity due to wildland fire. However, absolute differenced vegetation indices are correlated to the pre-fire chlorophyll content of the vegetation occurring within the fire perimeter. Normalizing dNBR to produce a relativized dNBR (RdNBR) removes the biasing effect of the pre-fire condition. Employing RdNBR hypothetically allows creating categorical classifications using the same thresholds for fires occurring in similar vegetation types without acquiring additional calibration field data on each fire. In this paper we tested this hypothesis by developing thresholds on random training datasets, and then comparing accuracies for (1) fires that occurred within the same geographic region as the training dataset and in similar vegetation, and (2) fires from a different geographic region that is climatically and floristically similar to the training dataset region but supports more complex vegetation structure. We additionally compared map accuracies for three measures of fire severity: the composite burn index (CBI), percent change in tree canopy cover, and percent change in tree basal area. User's and producer's accuracies were highest for the most severe categories, ranging from 70.7% to 89.1%. Accuracies of the moderate fire severity category for measures describing effects only to trees (percent change in canopy cover and basal area) indicated that the classifications were generally not much better than random. Accuracies of the moderate category for the CBI classifications were somewhat better, averaging in the 50%-60% range. These results underscore the difficulty in isolating fire effects to individual vegetation strata when fire effects are mixed. We conclude that the models presented here and in Miller and Thode ([Miller, J.D. & Thode, A.E., (2007). Quantifying burn severity in a heterogeneous landscape with a relative version of the delta Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR). Remote Sensing of Environment, 109, 66-80.]) can produce fire severity classifications (using either CBI, or percent change in canopy cover or basal area) that are of similar accuracy in fires not used in the original calibration process, at least in conifer dominated vegetation types in Mediterranean-climate California.

Burnscar analysis using normalized burning ratio (NBR) index during 2015 forest fire at Merang-Kepahyang peat forest, South Sumatra, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saputra, Agus Dwi; Setiabudidaya, Dedi; Setyawan, Dwi; Khakim, M. Yusup Nur; Iskandar, Iskhaq

2017-07-01

Forest fire, classified as a natural hazard or human-induced hazard, has negative impacts on humans. These negative impacts are including economic loss, health problems, transportation disruption and land degradation or even biodiversity loss. During 2015, forest fire had occurred at the Merang-Kepahyang peat forest that has a total area of about 69.837,00 ha. In order to set a rehabilitation plan for recovering the impact of forest fire, information on the total burnscar area and severity level is required. In this study, the total burnscar area and severity level is evaluated using a calculation on the Normalized Burning Ratio (NBR) Index. The calculation is based on the Near Infra Red (NIR) and Short Wave Infra Red (SWIR) of the satellite imageries from LANDSAT. The images of pre-and post-fire are used to evaluate the severity level, which is defined as a difference in NBR Index of pre- and post-fire. It is found that about 42.906,00 ha of the total area of Merang-Kepahyang peat area have been fired in 2015. These burned area are classified into four categories, i.e., unburned, low, extreme and moderate extreme. By overlying the spatial map of burning level with other thematic maps, it is expected that strategy for rehabilitation plan can be well developed.

Postwildfire measurement of soil physical and hydraulic properties at selected sampling sites in the 2011 Las Conchas wildfire burn scar, Jemez Mountains, north-central New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Romero, Orlando C.; Ebel, Brian A.; Martin, Deborah A.; Buchan, Katie W.; Jornigan, Alanna D.

2018-04-10

The generation of runoff and the resultant flash flooding can be substantially larger following wildfire than for similar rainstorms that precede wildfire disturbance. Flash flooding after the 2011 Las Conchas Fire in New Mexico provided the motivation for this investigation to assess postwildfire effects on soil-hydraulic properties (SHPs) and soil-physical properties (SPPs) as a function of remotely sensed burn severity 4 years following the wildfire. A secondary purpose of this report is to illustrate a methodology to determine SHPs that analyzes infiltrometer data by using three different analysis methods. The SPPs and SHPs are measured as a function of remotely sensed burn severity by using the difference in the Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) metric for seven sites. The dNBR metric was used to guide field sample collection across a full spectrum of burn severities that covered the range of Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) and Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC) thematic classes from low to high severity. The SPPs (initial and saturated soil-water content, bulk density, soil-organic matter, and soil-particle size) and SHPs (field-saturated hydraulic conductivity and sorptivity) were measured under controlled laboratory conditions for soil cores collected in the field. The SHPs were estimated by using tension infiltrometer measurements and three different data analysis methods. These measurements showed large effects of burn severity, focused in the top1 centimeter (cm) of soil, on some SPPs (bulk density, soil organic matter, and particle sizes). The threshold of these bulk density and soil organic matter effects was between 300 and 400 dNBR, which corresponds to a MTBS thematic class between moderate and high burn severity and a BARC4 thematic class of high severity. Gravel content and the content of fines in the top 1 cm of soil had a higher threshold value between 450 and 500 dNBR. Lesser effects on SPPs were observed at depths of 1–3 cm and 3–6 cm. In contrast, SHPs showed little effect from dNBR or from MTBS/BARC4 thematic class. Measurements suggested that 4 years of elapsed time after the wildfire may be sufficient for SHP recovery in this area. These measurements also indicated that SPP differences as a function of burn severity cannot be used as reliable indicators of SHP differences as a function of burn severity.

Fire effects in the northern Chihuahuan Desert derived from Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper spectral indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Joseph D.; Swint, Pamela

2014-01-01

Fire effects on desert ecosystems may be long-lasting based on ecological impact of fire in these environments which potentially is detected from multispectral sensors. To assess this, we analyzed changes in spectral characteristics from 1986 to 2010 of pixels associated with the location of fires that occurred between 1986 and 1999 in Big Bend National Park, USA, located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. Using Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) data, we derived spectral indices including the simple ratio (SR), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and normalized burn ratio (NBR) from 1989, 1999, and 2010 from the TM data and compared changes in spectral index values for sites with and without observed fire. We found that the NDVI and SAVI had significantly different values over the time for burned sites of different fire sizes. When differences of the spectral indices were calculated from each time period, time since fire was correlated with the SR and NBR indices. These results showed that large fires potentially had a persistent and long-term change in vegetation cover and soil characteristics which were detected by the extraordinary long-data collection period of the Landsat-5 TM sensor.

Vegetation shifts observed in arctic tundra 17 years after fire

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barrett, Kirsten; Rocha, Adrian V.; van de Weg, Martine Janet; Shaver, Gaius

2012-01-01

With anticipated climate change, tundra fires are expected to occur more frequently in the future, but data on the long-term effects of fire on tundra vegetation composition are scarce. This study addresses changes in vegetation structure that have persisted for 17 years after a tundra fire on the North Slope of Alaska. Fire-related shifts in vegetation composition were assessed from remote-sensing imagery and ground observations of the burn scar and an adjacent control site. Early-season remotely sensed imagery from the burn scar exhibits a low vegetation index compared with the control site, whereas the late-season signal is slightly higher. The range and maximum vegetation index are greater in the burn scar, although the mean annual values do not differ among the sites. Ground observations revealed a greater abundance of moss in the unburned site, which may account for the high early growing season normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) anomaly relative to the burn. The abundance of graminoid species and an absence of Betula nana in the post-fire tundra sites may also be responsible for the spectral differences observed in the remotely sensed imagery. The partial replacement of tundra by graminoid-dominated ecosystems has been predicted by the ALFRESCO model of disturbance, climate and vegetation succession.

TRPV3 Channel in Keratinocytes in Scars with Post-Burn Pruritus

PubMed Central

Park, Chun Wook; Kim, Hyun Ji; Choi, Yong Won; Chung, Bo Young; Woo, So-Youn; Song, Dong-Keun; Kim, Hye One

2017-01-01

Post-burn pruritus is a common and distressing sequela of burn scars. Empirical antipruritic treatments usually fail to have a satisfactory outcome because of their limited selectivity and possible side effects. Therefore, novel drug targets need to be identified. Here, we aimed to investigate the possible role of protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) and transient receptor potential vanniloid 3 (TRPV3), along with the relation of TRPV3 to thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). Specimens from normal (unscarred) or burn-scarred (with or without pruritus) tissue were obtained from burn patients for this study. In each sample, the keratinocytes were isolated and cultured, and the intracellular Ca2+ level at the time of stimulation of each factor was quantified and the interaction was screened. PAR2 function was reduced by antagonism of TRPV3. Inhibiting protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) reduced TRPV3 function. TSLP mRNA and protein, and TSLPR protein expressions, increased in scars with post-burn pruritus, compared to scars without it or to normal tissues. In addition, TRPV1 or TRPV3 activation induced increased TSLP expression. Conclusively, TRPV3 may contribute to pruritus in burn scars through TSLP, and can be considered a potential therapeutic target for post-burn pruritus. PMID:29140280

Sarcoidosis

MedlinePlus

... larger than normal spleen Anemia Burning, itchy, or dry eyes Fainting Heart palpitations Joint pain Muscle weakness Problems ... problems with the nervous system; burning, itching, or dry eyes; swollen salivary glands; swollen lymph nodes in the ...

Mapping burned areas and burn severity patterns across the Mediterranean region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalogeropoulos, Christos; Amatulli, Giuseppe; Kempeneers, Pieter; Sedano, Fernando; San Miguel-Ayanz, Jesus; Camia, Andrea

2010-05-01

The Mediterranean region is highly susceptible to wildfires. On average, about 60,000 fires take place in this region every year, burning on average half a million hectares of forests and natural vegetation. Wildfires cause environmental degradation and affect the lives of thousands of people in the region. In order to minimize the consequences of these catastrophic events, fire managers and national authorities need to have in their disposal accurate and updated spatial information concerning the size of the burned area as well as the burn severity patterns. Mapping burned areas and burn severity patterns is necessary to effectively support the decision-making process in what concerns strategic (long-term) planning with the definition of post-fire actions at European and national scales. Although a comprehensive archive of burnt areas exists at the European Forest Fire Information System, the analysis of the severity of the areas affected by forest fires in the region is not yet available. Fire severity is influenced by many variables, including fuel type, topography and meteorological conditions before and during the fire. The analysis of fire severity is essential to determine the socio-economic impact of forest fires, to assess fire impacts, and to determine the need of post-fire rehabilitation measures. Moreover, fire severity is linked to forest fire emissions and determines the rate of recovery of the vegetation after the fire. Satellite imagery can give important insights about the conditions of the live fuel moisture content and can be used to assess changes on vegetation structure and vitality after forest fires. Fire events occurred in Greece, Portugal and Spain during the fire season of 2009 were recorded and analyzed in a GIS environment. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) were calculated from 8-days composites MODIS/TERRA imagery from March to October 2009. In addition, subtracting a post-fire from a pre-fire image derived index produces a measure of absolute change of the vegetation condition, like the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio index (dNBR). The aim of this study was the assessment of fire severity across diverse ecological and environmental conditions in the Mediterranean region. The specific objectives were: • The analysis of the correlation between the fire severity and local site conditions, including topography, fuel type, land use, land cover. • The analysis of the correlation between fire severity and fire danger conditions during the fire, as estimated by the European Forest Fire Information System. • Assessing the performance of several vegetation indices derived from MODIS imagery in estimating fire severity. • Assessing the permanence of the burnt signal for large fires as an estimate of fire severity.

Erosive Augmentation of Solid Propellant Burning Rate: Motor Size Scaling Effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strand, L. D.; Cohen, Norman S.

1990-01-01

Two different independent variable forms, a difference form and a ratio form, were investigated for correlating the normalized magnitude of the measured erosive burning rate augmentation above the threshold in terms of the amount that the driving parameter (mass flux or Reynolds number) exceeds the threshold value for erosive augmentation at the test condition. The latter was calculated from the previously determined threshold correlation. Either variable form provided a correlation for each of the two motor size data bases individually. However, the data showed a motor size effect, supporting the general observation that the magnitude of erosive burning rate augmentation is reduced for larger rocket motors. For both independent variable forms, the required motor size scaling was attained by including the motor port radius raised to a power in the independent parameter. A boundary layer theory analysis confirmed the experimental finding, but showed that the magnitude of the scale effect is itself dependent upon scale, tending to diminish with increasing motor size.

Differential Diptera succession patterns onto partially burned and unburned pig carrion in southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Oliveira-Costa, J; Lamego, C M D; Couri, M S; Mello-Patiu, C A

2014-11-01

In the present contribution we compared the entomological succession pattern of a burned carcass with that of an unburned one. For that, we used domestic pig carcasses and focused on Calliphoridae, Muscidae and Sarcophagidae flies, because they are the ones most commonly used in Postmortem Interval estimates. Adult and immature flies were collected daily. A total of 27 species and 2,498 specimens were collected, 1,295 specimens of 26 species from the partially burned carcass and 1,203 specimens of 22 species from the control carcass (unburned). The species composition in the two samples differed, and the results of the similarity measures were 0.875 by Sorensen and 0.756 by Bray-Curtis index. The results obtained for both carcasses also differ with respect to the decomposition process, indicating that the post mortem interval would be underestimated if the entomological succession pattern observed for a carcass under normal conditions was applied to a carbonized carcass.

Resiliency characteristics and Rorschach variables in children and adolescents with severe burns.

PubMed

Holaday, M; Terrell, D

1994-01-01

Three raters classified 40 children and adolescents (ages 8 to 19 years) with severe burns who were placed in two groups designated as Resilient (N = 28) and Nonresilient (N = 12). Nine hypothesized differences in Rorschach responding between groups were developed through a review of the literature and operationalized through descriptive statements from a rating scale now being developed. The Resilient group gave more Cooperative Movement responses than the Nonresilient group (p = 0.0270), and they were more likely to have D scores that were within the normal range (p = 0.0700). The Nonresilient group had lower Egocentricity Index scores than the Resilient group (p = 0.0368) and more often had a positive Coping Deficit Index (p = 0.1285). Texture, Diffuse Shading, and Passive: Active responses appeared similar between groups. Differences found concerning Experience Actual and Z frequency were not statistically significant. Possible interventions addressing the emotional needs of burned children and adolescents such as strengthening certain personality characteristics are noted.

Tree-centered spot firing - a technique for prescribed burning beneath standing trees.

Treesearch

C. Phillip Weatherspoon; George A. Almond; Carl N. Skinner

1989-01-01

Prescribed burning beneath standing trees normally requires efforts to protect residual trees from excessive fire damage. Damage to both crowns and boles is strongly influenced by flame length, a fire characteristic functionally related to fireline intensity (Albini 1976). In a good prescribed burn, therefore, the prescription specifies desired or maximum flame lengths...

Speciated Chemical Composition of Biomass Burning Aerosol from Various Fuels during FIREX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jen, C.; Hatch, L. E.; Kreisberg, N. M.; Selimovic, V.; Yokelson, R. J.; Barsanti, K.; Goldstein, A. H.

2017-12-01

Biomass burning is the largest global source of atmospheric primary carbonaceous aerosols and the second largest global source of non-methane organic compounds, including volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds that are now understood to be major contributors to secondary particle formation in the atmosphere. As wildfires in forested regions such as the western United States become larger and more frequent, understanding the chemical composition of biomass burning organic aerosol is needed to better predict their increasing impact on human health, air quality, and climate. This study presents emission profiles of chemically speciated intermediate and semi-volatile organic compounds present in biomass burning aerosol particles ≤1.0 μm. Biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA) samples from a variety of fuel types and burning conditions were collected during the FIREX campaign at the USDA Fire Lab (Missoula, MT). Fuels were primarily selected from vegetation commonly found in the western United States, such as ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, ceanothus, and chaparral. Collected BBOA was thermally desorbed from the filters and analyzed using online derivatization and 2-dimensional gas chromatography with an electron impact (70 eV) and vacuum ultra violet light (10.5 eV) high resolution time of flight mass spectrometer for compound identification. Emission profiles for specific compounds (e.g., levoglucosan) and families of compounds (e.g., sugars and methoxyphenols) show distinct variations between different fuel types, with major differences between fresh and partially decomposed fuels. Results also illustrate the variability in chemical species between burns conducted under similar conditions. Furthermore, chemical fingerprints, representing ratios of normalized emissions for key chemical compounds, were measured for specific fuels/conditions and could be used in future field studies to help identify contributions of various vegetation to total BBOA and in models to estimate the chemical composition of BBOA emissions.

Evaluation of forest fire on Madeira Island using Sentinel-2A MSI imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarro, Gabriel; Caballero, Isabel; Silva, Gustavo; Parra, Pedro-Cecilio; Vázquez, Águeda; Caldeira, Rui

2017-06-01

A forest fire started on August 8th, 2016 in several places on Madeira Island causing damage and casualties. As of August 10th the local media had reported the death of three people, over 200 people injured, over 950 habitants evacuated, and 50 houses damaged. This study presents the preliminary results of the assessment of several spectral indices to evaluate the burn severity of Madeira fires during August 2016. These spectral indices were calculated using the new European satellite Sentinel-2A launched in June 2015. The study confirmed the advantages of several spectral indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI), Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVIreXn) using red-edge spectral bands to assess the post-fire conditions. Results showed high correlation between NDVI, GNDVI, NBR and NDVIre1n spectral indices and the analysis performed by Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMSR175), considered as the reference truth. Regarding the red-edge spectral indices, the NDVIre1n (using band B5, 705 nm) presented better results compared with B6 (740 nm) and B7 (783 nm) bands. These preliminary results allow us to assume that Sentinel-2 will be a valuable tool for post-fire monitoring. In the future, the two twin Sentinel-2 satellites will offer global coverage of the Madeira Archipelago every five days, therefore allowing the simultaneous study of the evolution of the burnt area and reforestation information with high spatial (up to 10 m) and temporal resolution (5 days).

Acute hand burns in children: management and long-term outcome based on a 10-year experience with 698 injured hands.

PubMed Central

Sheridan, R L; Baryza, M J; Pessina, M A; O'Neill, K M; Cipullo, H M; Donelan, M B; Ryan, C M; Schulz, J T; Schnitzer, J J; Tompkins, R G

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To document long-term results associated with an coordinated plan of care for acutely burned hands in children. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND DATA: Optimal hand function is a crucial component of a high-quality survival after burn injury. This can be achieved only with a coordinated approach to the injuries. Long-term outcomes associated with such a plan of care have not been previously reported. METHODS: Over a 10-year period, 495 children with 698 acutely burned hands were managed at a regional pediatric burn facility; 219 children with 395 injured hands were followed in the authors' outpatient clinic for at least 1 year and an average of >5 years. The authors' approach to the acutely burned hand emphasizes ranging and splinting throughout the hospital stay, prompt sheet autograft wound closure as soon as practical, and the selective use of axial pin fixation and flaps. Long-term follow-up, hand therapy, and reconstructive surgery are emphasized. RESULTS: Normal functional results were seen in 97% of second-degree and 85% of third-degree injuries; in children with burns involving underlying tendon and bone, 70% could perform activities of daily living and 20% had normal function. Reconstructive hand surgery was required in 4.4% of second-degree burns, 32% of third-degree burns, and 65% of those with injuries involving underlying bone and tendon. CONCLUSIONS: When managed in a coordinated long-term program, the large majority of children with serious hand burns can be expected to have excellent functional results. Images Figure 1. Figure 2. PMID:10203090

Improving satellite-based post-fire evapotranspiration estimates in semi-arid regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poon, P.; Kinoshita, A. M.

2017-12-01

Climate change and anthropogenic factors contribute to the increased frequency, duration, and size of wildfires, which can alter ecosystem and hydrological processes. The loss of vegetation canopy and ground cover reduces interception and alters evapotranspiration (ET) dynamics in riparian areas, which can impact rainfall-runoff partitioning. Previous research evaluated the spatial and temporal trends of ET based on burn severity and observed an annual decrease of 120 mm on average for three years after fire. Building upon these results, this research focuses on the Coyote Fire in San Diego, California (USA), which burned a total of 76 km2 in 2003 to calibrate and improve satellite-based ET estimates in semi-arid regions affected by wildfire. The current work utilizes satellite-based products and techniques such as the Google Earth Engine Application programming interface (API). Various ET models (ie. Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance Model (SSEBop)) are compared to the latent heat flux from two AmeriFlux eddy covariance towers, Sky Oaks Young (US-SO3), and Old Stand (US-SO2), from 2000 - 2015. The Old Stand tower has a low burn severity and the Young Stand tower has a moderate to high burn severity. Both towers are used to validate spatial ET estimates. Furthermore, variables and indices, such as Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), and the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) are utilized to evaluate satellite-based ET through a multivariate statistical analysis at both sites. This point-scale study will able to improve ET estimates in spatially diverse regions. Results from this research will contribute to the development of a post-wildfire ET model for semi-arid regions. Accurate estimates of post-fire ET will provide a better representation of vegetation and hydrologic recovery, which can be used to improve hydrologic models and predictions.

A decadal glimpse on climate and burn severity influences on ponderosa pine post-fire recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newingham, B. A.; Hudak, A. T.; Bright, B. C.; Smith, A.; Khalyani, A. H.

2016-12-01

Climate change is predicted to affect plants at the margins of their distribution. Thus, ecosystem recovery after fire is likely to vary with climate and may be slowest in drier and hotter areas. However, fire regime characteristics, including burn severity, may also affect vegetation recovery. We assessed vegetation recovery one and 9-15 years post-fire in North American ponderosa pine ecosystems distributed across climate and burn severity gradients. Using climate predictors derived from downscaled 1993-2011 climate normals, we predicted vegetation recovery as indicated by Normalized Burn Ratio derived from 1984-2012 Landsat time series imagery. Additionally, we collected field vegetation measurements to examine local topographic controls on burn severity and post-fire vegetation recovery. At a regional scale, we hypothesized a positive relationship between precipitation and recovery time and a negative relationship between temperature and recovery time. At the local scale, we hypothesized southern aspects to recovery slower than northern aspects. We also predicted higher burn severity to slow recovery. Field data found attenuated ponderosa pine recovery in hotter and drier regions across all burn severity classes. We concluded that downscaled climate data and Landsat imagery collected at commensurate scales may provide insight into climate effects on post-fire vegetation recovery relevant to ponderosa pine forest managers.

Size distributions of aerosol and water-soluble ions in Nanjing during a crop residual burning event.

PubMed

Wang, Honglei; Zhu, Bin; Shen, Lijuan; Kang, Hanqing

2012-01-01

To investigate the impact on urban air pollution by crop residual burning outside Nanjing, aerosol concentration, pollution gas concentration, mass concentration, and water-soluble ion size distribution were observed during one event of November 4-9, 2010. Results show that the size distribution of aerosol concentration is bimodal on pollution days and normal days, with peak values at 60-70 and 200-300 nm, respectively. Aerosol concentration is 10(4) cm(-3) x nm(-1) on pollution days. The peak value of spectrum distribution of aerosol concentration on pollution days is 1.5-3.3 times higher than that on a normal day. Crop residual burning has a great impact on the concentration of fine particles. Diurnal variation of aerosol concentration is trimodal on pollution days and normal days, with peak values at 03:00, 09:00 and 19:00 local standard time. The first peak is impacted by meteorological elements, while the second and third peaks are due to human activities, such as rush hour traffic. Crop residual burning has the greatest impact on SO2 concentration, followed by NO2, O3 is hardly affected. The impact of crop residual burning on fine particles (< 2.1 microm) is larger than on coarse particles (> 2.1 microm), thus ion concentration in fine particles is higher than that in coarse particles. Crop residual burning leads to similar increase in all ion components, thus it has a small impact on the water-soluble ions order. Crop residual burning has a strong impact on the size distribution of K+, Cl-, Na+, and F- and has a weak impact on the size distributions of NH4+, Ca2+, NO3- and SO4(2-).

Global Burned Area and Biomass Burning Emissions from Small Fires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Randerson, J. T.; Chen, Y.; vanderWerf, G. R.; Rogers, B. M.; Morton, D. C.

2012-01-01

In several biomes, including croplands, wooded savannas, and tropical forests, many small fires occur each year that are well below the detection limit of the current generation of global burned area products derived from moderate resolution surface reflectance imagery. Although these fires often generate thermal anomalies that can be detected by satellites, their contributions to burned area and carbon fluxes have not been systematically quantified across different regions and continents. Here we developed a preliminary method for combining 1-km thermal anomalies (active fires) and 500 m burned area observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to estimate the influence of these fires. In our approach, we calculated the number of active fires inside and outside of 500 m burn scars derived from reflectance data. We estimated small fire burned area by computing the difference normalized burn ratio (dNBR) for these two sets of active fires and then combining these observations with other information. In a final step, we used the Global Fire Emissions Database version 3 (GFED3) biogeochemical model to estimate the impact of these fires on biomass burning emissions. We found that the spatial distribution of active fires and 500 m burned areas were in close agreement in ecosystems that experience large fires, including savannas across southern Africa and Australia and boreal forests in North America and Eurasia. In other areas, however, we observed many active fires outside of burned area perimeters. Fire radiative power was lower for this class of active fires. Small fires substantially increased burned area in several continental-scale regions, including Equatorial Asia (157%), Central America (143%), and Southeast Asia (90%) during 2001-2010. Globally, accounting for small fires increased total burned area by approximately by 35%, from 345 Mha/yr to 464 Mha/yr. A formal quantification of uncertainties was not possible, but sensitivity analyses of key model parameters caused estimates of global burned area increases from small fires to vary between 24% and 54%. Biomass burning carbon emissions increased by 35% at a global scale when small fires were included in GFED3, from 1.9 Pg C/yr to 2.5 Pg C/yr. The contribution of tropical forest fires to year-to-year variability in carbon fluxes increased because small fires amplified emissions from Central America, South America and Southeast Asia-regions where drought stress and burned area varied considerably from year to year in response to El Nino-Southern Oscillation and other climate modes.

Five Patients With Burning Mouth Syndrome in Whom an Antidepressant (Serotonin-Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitor) Was Not Effective, but Pregabalin Markedly Relieved Pain.

PubMed

Ito, Mikiko; Tokura, Tatsuya; Yoshida, Keizo; Nagashima, Wataru; Kimura, Hiroyuki; Umemura, Eri; Tachibana, Masako; Miyauchi, Tomoya; Kobayashi, Yuka; Arao, Munetaka; Ozaki, Norio; Kurita, Kenichi

2015-01-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) causes idiopathic pain or a burning sensation in clinically normal oral mucosa. Burning mouth syndrome is a chronic disease with an unknown etiology. Burning mouth syndrome is also idiopathic, and a consensus regarding diagnosis/treatment has not been reached yet. Recent studies have supported the suggestion that BMS is a neuropathic pain disorder in which both the peripheral and central nervous systems are involved. Tricyclic antidepressants (nortriptyline and amitriptyline), serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) (duloxetine and milnacipran), and antiepileptic drugs, potential-dependent calcium channel α2δ subunit ligands (gabapentine and pregabalin), are currently recommended as the first-choice drugs for neuropathic pain. In this study, we report 5 patients with BMS in whom there was no response to SNRI (milnacipran or duloxetine), or administration was discontinued because of adverse reactions, but in whom pregabalin therapy markedly reduced or led to the disappearance of pain in a short period. Pregabalin, whose mechanism of action differs from that of SNRIs, may become a treatment option for BMS patients who are not responsive to or are resistant to SNRIs.

Burns, inflammation, and intestinal injury: protective effects of an anti-inflammatory resuscitation strategy.

PubMed

Costantini, Todd W; Peterson, Carrie Y; Kroll, Lauren; Loomis, William H; Putnam, James G; Wolf, Paul; Eliceiri, Brian P; Baird, Andrew; Bansal, Vishal; Coimbra, Raul

2009-12-01

Intestinal barrier breakdown after severe burn can lead to intestinal inflammation, which may act as the source of the systemic inflammatory response. In vitro intestinal cell studies have shown that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling is an important modulator of intestinal inflammation. We have previously observed that pentoxifylline (PTX) attenuates burn-induced intestinal permeability and tight junction breakdown. We hypothesized that PTX would limit intestinal barrier breakdown and attenuate inflammatory signaling via the MAPK pathway. Male balb/c mice underwent 30% total body surface area full-thickness steam burn. Immediately after burn, animals received an intraperitoneal injection of PTX (12.5 mg/kg) in normal saline or normal saline alone. In vivo intestinal permeability to 4 kDa fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran was measured. Intestinal extracts were obtained to measure interleukin-6 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and phosphorylated p38 MAPK, p38 MAPK, phosphorylated extracellular signal-related kinase (1/2) (ERK (1/2)), and ERK (1/2) by immunoblotting. Acute lung injury was assessed by histology at 24 hours after burn. Administration of PTX immediately after injury attenuated burn-induced intestinal permeability. PTX also decreased the burn-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and decreased phosphorylation of ERK (1/2) at 2 hours and 24 hours after injury. Animals given PTX had decreased intestinal interleukin-6 levels. A single dose of PTX also decreased histologic lung injury at 24 hours after burn. PTX attenuates burn-induced intestinal permeability and subsequent intestinal inflammation. Use of PTX after burn was also associated with decreased acute lung injury. Because of its compelling anti-inflammatory effects, PTX may be an ideal candidate for use as an immunomodulatory adjunct to resuscitation fluid.

Violent Mergers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakmor, Rüdiger

The progenitor systems and explosion scenarios of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are still heavily debated. The violent merger scenario is a recent addition to explosion scenarios for SNe Ia. Here, two white dwarfs (WDs) in a binary system approach each other owing to the emission of gravitational waves. The interaction between the two WDs preluding or during the merger creates a hotspot on the surface of the primary, more massive, WD that ignites a detonation. If the detonation is a carbon detonation, it completely burns the primary WD leading to a SN Ia. If instead the detonation is a helium detonation in the helium shell of a carbon-oxygen WD, it burns around the primary WD in its helium shell and sends a shock wave into its core that ignites a carbon detonation. Again the primary WD is fully burned. Synthetic observables for explosion models of SNe Ia in the violent merger scenario show good agreement with normal SNe Ia and the subclass of faint, slowly evolving 02es-like SNe Ia for different masses of the primary WD. The violent merger scenario can also explain the delay time distribution and brightness distribution of normal SNe Ia. This chapter discusses in detail the mechanism that leads to ignition in the violent merger scenario, summarizes the properties of explosions in the violent merger scenario and compares to observations. It ends with a summary of the main properties of the population of normal SNe Ia and discusses to which degree they can be explained in the violent merger scenario.

Health-related quality of life 6 months after burns among hospitalized patients: Predictive importance of mental disorders and burn severity.

PubMed

Palmu, Raimo; Partonen, Timo; Suominen, Kirsi; Saarni, Samuli I; Vuola, Jyrki; Isometsä, Erkki

2015-06-01

Major burns are likely to have a strong impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We investigated the level of and predictors for quality of life at 6 months after acute burn. Consecutive acute adult burn patients (n=107) admitted to the Helsinki Burn Centre were examined with a structured diagnostic interview (SCID) at baseline, and 92 patients (86%) were re-examined at 6 months after injury. During follow-up 55% (51/92) suffered from at least one mental disorder. The mean %TBSA was 9. TBSA of men did not differ from that of women. Three validated instruments (RAND-36, EQ-5, 15D) were used to evaluate the quality of life at 6 months. All the measures (RAND-36, EQ-5, 15D) consistently indicated mostly normal HRQoL at 6 months after burn. In the multivariate linear regression model, %TBSA predicted HRQoL in one dimension (role limitations caused by physical health problems, p=0.039) of RAND-36. In contrast, mental disorders overall and particularly major depressive disorder (MDD) during follow-up (p-values of 0.001-0.002) predicted poor HRQoL in all dimensions of RAND-36. HRQoL of women was worse than that of men. Self-perceived HRQoL among acute burn patients at 6 months after injury seems to be mostly as good as in general population studies in Finland. The high standard of acute treatment and the inclusion of small burns (%TBSA<5) in the cohort may partly explain the weak effect of burn itself on HRQoL. Mental disorders strongly predicted HRQoL at 6 months. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Secondary hyperalgesia phenotypes exhibit differences in brain activation during noxious stimulation.

PubMed

Asghar, Mohammad Sohail; Pereira, Manuel Pedro; Werner, Mads Utke; Mårtensson, Johan; Larsson, Henrik B W; Dahl, Jørgen Berg

2015-01-01

Noxious stimulation of the skin with either chemical, electrical or heat stimuli leads to the development of primary hyperalgesia at the site of injury, and to secondary hyperalgesia in normal skin surrounding the injury. Secondary hyperalgesia is inducible in most individuals and is attributed to central neuronal sensitization. Some individuals develop large areas of secondary hyperalgesia (high-sensitization responders), while others develop small areas (low-sensitization responders). The magnitude of each area is reproducible within individuals, and can be regarded as a phenotypic characteristic. To study differences in the propensity to develop central sensitization we examined differences in brain activity and anatomy according to individual phenotypical expression of secondary hyperalgesia by magnetic resonance imaging. Forty healthy volunteers received a first-degree burn-injury (47 °C, 7 min, 9 cm(2)) on the non-dominant lower-leg. Areas of secondary hyperalgesia were assessed 100 min after the injury. We measured neuronal activation by recording blood-oxygen-level-dependent-signals (BOLD-signals) during mechanical noxious stimulation before burn injury and in both primary and secondary hyperalgesia areas after burn-injury. In addition, T1-weighted images were used to measure differences in gray-matter density in cortical and subcortical regions of the brain. We found significant differences in neuronal activity between high- and low-sensitization responders at baseline (before application of the burn-injury) (p < 0.05). After the burn-injury, we found significant differences between responders during noxious stimulation of both primary (p < 0.01) and secondary hyperalgesia (p ≤ 0.04) skin areas. A decreased volume of the right (p = 0.001) and left caudate nucleus (p = 0.01) was detected in high-sensitization responders in comparison to low-sensitization responders. These findings suggest that brain-structure and neuronal activation to noxious stimulation differs according to secondary hyperalgesia phenotype. This indicates differences in central sensitization according to phenotype, which may have predictive value on the susceptibility to development of high-intensity acute and persistent pain.

Estimating post-fire organic soil depth in the Alaskan boreal forest using the Normalized Burn Ratio

Treesearch

D. Verbyla; R. Lord

2008-01-01

As part of a long-term moose browse/fire severity study, we used the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) with historic Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery to estimate fire severity from a 1983 wildfire in interior Alaska. Fire severity was estimated in the field by measuring the depth of the organic soil at 57 sites during the summer of 2006. Sites were selected for field...

Evaluation of salivary function in patients with burning mouth syndrome.

PubMed

Lee, Y C; Hong, I K; Na, S Y; Eun, Y G

2015-04-01

To investigate salivary function in patients with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS) compared with control and to evaluate salivary hypofunction using salivary gland scintigraphy (SGS). A total of 33 patients with primary BMS and 30 control subjects were enrolled in our study. The severity of the pain and the burning sensation on a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS) and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) were assessed. Unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates (SFRs) were measured. (99m) Tc pertechnetate SGS was used to evaluate salivary gland function. Unstimulated SFR in patients with BMS was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.11 ± 0.15 vs 0.21 ± 0.16 ml min(-1) , P = 0.014). There was no significant difference in stimulated SFR between the two groups. The VAS scores for oral pain and burning sensation, the total OHIP-14 score, and salivary gland function by salivary scintigraphy were not significantly different between BMS patients with normal flow rate and hyposalivation. Patients with primary BMS exhibited a significant decrease in unstimulated SFR compared with control group. In addition, we could not find any difference in salivary gland function between BMS patients with or without hyposalivation. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Post-burn scars and scar contractures

PubMed Central

Goel, Arun; Shrivastava, Prabhat

2010-01-01

The mortality and morbidity from burns have diminished tremendously over the last six to seven decades. However, these do not truly reflect whether the victim could go back to society as a useful person or not and lead a normal life because of the inevitable post-burn scars, contractures and other deformities which collectively have aesthetic and functional considerations. This article gives an overview of the post-burn scars and scar contractures, especially their prevention, minimisation and principles of management. PMID:21321660

Normalized burn ratios link fire severity with patterns of avian occurrence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rose, Eli T.; Simons, Theodore R.; Klein, Rob; McKerrow, Alexa

2016-01-01

ContextRemotely sensed differenced normalized burn ratios (DNBR) provide an index of fire severity across the footprint of a fire. We asked whether this index was useful for explaining patterns of bird occurrence within fire adapted xeric pine-oak forests of the southern Appalachian Mountains.ObjectivesWe evaluated the use of DNBR indices for linking ecosystem process with patterns of bird occurrence. We compared field-based and remotely sensed fire severity indices and used each to develop occupancy models for six bird species to identify patterns of bird occurrence following fire.MethodsWe identified and sampled 228 points within fires that recently burned within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We performed avian point counts and field-assessed fire severity at each bird census point. We also used Landsat™ imagery acquired before and after each fire to quantify fire severity using DNBR. We used non-parametric methods to quantify agreement between fire severity indices, and evaluated single season occupancy models incorporating fire severity summarized at different spatial scales.ResultsAgreement between field-derived and remotely sensed measures of fire severity was influenced by vegetation type. Although occurrence models using field-derived indices of fire severity outperformed those using DNBR, summarizing DNBR at multiple spatial scales provided additional insights into patterns of occurrence associated with different sized patches of high severity fire.ConclusionsDNBR is useful for linking the effects of fire severity to patterns of bird occurrence, and informing how high severity fire shapes patterns of bird species occurrence on the landscape.

1984–2010 trends in fire burn severity and area for the conterminous US

USGS Publications Warehouse

Picotte, Joshua J.; Peterson, Birgit E.; Meier, Gretchen; Howard, Stephen M.

2016-01-01

Burn severity products created by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) project were used to analyse historical trends in burn severity. Using a severity metric calculated by modelling the cumulative distribution of differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) and Relativized dNBR (RdNBR) data, we examined burn area and burn severity of 4893 historical fires (1984–2010) distributed across the conterminous US (CONUS) and mapped by MTBS. Yearly mean burn severity values (weighted by area), maximum burn severity metric values, mean area of burn, maximum burn area and total burn area were evaluated within 27 US National Vegetation Classification macrogroups. Time series assessments of burned area and severity were performed using Mann–Kendall tests. Burned area and severity varied by vegetation classification, but most vegetation groups showed no detectable change during the 1984–2010 period. Of the 27 analysed vegetation groups, trend analysis revealed burned area increased in eight, and burn severity has increased in seven. This study suggests that burned area and severity, as measured by the severity metric based on dNBR or RdNBR, have not changed substantially for most vegetation groups evaluated within CONUS.

Isolation and Characterization of Corynebacteria from Burned Children

PubMed Central

Smith, Rodney F.; Blasi, Dianna; Dayton, Sandra L.

1973-01-01

A total of 221 strains of corynebacteria were isolated and characterized by methods which included tests encompassing five schemes proposed for grouping cutaneous diphtheroids. Seventy-one strains (group I) were isolated from the hospital air in patient areas and from the normal skins of children admitted for reconstructive surgery of old healed burns and from the normal skins of nursing personnel. One hundred and fifty strains (group II) were isolated from various clinical specimens and from normal skins of a population of acutely burned children. The majority of the strains in group I were lipophilic and contained the largest number of fluorescent strains. Among the group II strains, there was a subgroup which was nonsusceptible to oxacillin, lincomycin, erythromycin, and kanamycin and also had in common the fermentation of glucose and galactose, reduction of both nitrate and nitrite, and growth on 40% bile agar. These strains were the most commonly recognized types isolated from acutely burned patients and possibly originated from the patient's intestinal tract. Data indicated that the air was not a means of transmission for these corynebacteria among acute patients. Corynebacteria were isolated from 11% of the burn wound cultures by using a selective medium but were found in 66% of the acute patients. Over 90% of the strains in groups I and II did not conform sufficiently with described characteristics of common human indigenous corynebacteria to be accurately speciated. PMID:4356469

Acute and Perioperative Care of the Burn-Injured Patient

PubMed Central

Bittner, Edward A.; Shank, Erik; Woodson, Lee; Martyn, J.A. Jeevendra

2016-01-01

Care of burn-injured patients requires knowledge of the pathophysiologic changes affecting virtually all organs from the onset of injury until wounds are healed. Massive airway and/or lung edema can occur rapidly and unpredictably after burn and/or inhalation injury. Hemodynamics in the early phase of severe burn injury are characterized by a reduction in cardiac output, increased systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance. Approximately 2–5 days after major burn injury, a hyperdynamic and hypermetabolic state develops. Electrical burns result in morbidity much higher than expected based on burn size alone. Formulae for fluid resuscitation should serve only as guideline; fluids should be titrated to physiologic end points. Burn injury is associated basal and procedural pain requiring higher than normal opioid and sedative doses. Operating room concerns for the burn-injured patient include airway abnormalities, impaired lung function, vascular access, deceptively large and rapid blood loss, hypothermia and altered pharmacology. PMID:25485468

The influence of burn severity on postfire vegetation recovery and albedo change during early succession in North American boreal forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Yufang; Randerson, James T.; Goetz, Scott J.; Beck, Pieter S. A.; Loranty, Michael M.; Goulden, Michael L.

2012-03-01

Severity of burning can influence multiple aspects of forest composition, carbon cycling, and climate forcing. We quantified how burn severity affected vegetation recovery and albedo change during early succession in Canadian boreal regions by combining satellite observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Canadian Large Fire Database. We used the MODIS-derived difference Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) and initial changes in spring albedo as measures of burn severity. We found that the most severe burns had the greatest reduction in summer MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) in the first year after fire, indicating greater loss of vegetation cover. By 5-8 years after fire, summer EVI for all severity classes had recovered to within 90%-108% of prefire levels. Spring and summer albedo progressively increased during the first 7 years after fire, with more severely burned areas showing considerably larger postfire albedo increases during spring and more rapid increases during summer as compared with moderate- and low-severity burns. After 5-7 years, increases in spring albedo above prefire levels were considerably larger in high-severity burns (0.20 ± 0.06; defined by dNBR percentiles greater than 75%) as compared to changes observed in moderate- (0.16 ± 0.06; for dNBR percentiles between 45% and 75%) or low-severity burns (0.13 ± 0.06; for dNBR percentiles between 20% and 45%). The sensitivity of spring albedo to dNBR was similar in all ecozones and for all vegetation types along gradients of burn severity. These results suggest carbon losses associated with increases in burn severity observed in some areas of boreal forests may be at least partly offset, in terms of climate impacts, by increases in negative forcing associated with changes in surface albedo.

Indoor Spatial Monitoring of Combustion Generated Pollutants (TSP, CO, and BaP) by Indian Cookstoves

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-01

various building materials and consumer products, and combustion appliances. People and pets normally emit C02 , moisture, odors, and microbes. Tobacco ...fuels Group II. Sources both indoor and outdoor: Nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide Fuel-burning, tobacco smoke Polycyclic hydrocarbons Fuel-burning, tobacco ...smoke Carbon monoxide Fuel-burning, tobacco smoke Carbon dioxide Metabolic activity, combustion Suspended particulate matter Resuspension

Experimental investigation of burning rates of pure ethanol and ethanol blended fuels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parag, Shintre; Raghavan, Vasudevan

2009-05-15

A fundamental experimental study to determine the burning rates of ethanol and ethanol-blended fossil fuels is presented. Pure liquid ethanol or its blends with liquid fossil fuels such as gasoline or diesel, has been transpired to the surface a porous sphere using an infusion pump. Burning of the fuel takes place on the surface of the porous sphere, which is placed in an air stream blowing upwards with a uniform velocity at atmospheric pressure and temperature under normal gravity conditions. At low air velocities, when ignited, a flame envelopes the sphere. For each sphere size, air stream velocity and fuelmore » type, the fuel feed rate will vary and the same is recorded as the burning rate for that configuration. The flame stand-off distances from the sphere surface are measured by post-processing the digital image of the flame photograph using suitable imaging software. The transition velocity at which the flame moves and establishes itself at the wake region of the sphere has been determined for different diameters and fuel types. Correlations of these parameters are also presented. (author)« less

El Niño and its impact on fire weather conditions in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hess, Jason C.; Scott, Carven A.; Hufford, Gary L.; Fleming, Michael D.

2001-01-01

Examining the relationship of El Niño to weather patterns in Alaska shows wide climate variances that depend on the teleconnection between the tropics and the northern latitudes. However, the weather patterns exhibited in Alaska during and just after moderate to strong El Niño episodes are generally consistent: above normal temperature and precipitation along the Alaskan coast, and above normal temperature and below normal precipitation in the interior, especially through the winter. The warm, dry conditions in the Alaskan interior increase summer wildfire potential. Statistics on the area burned since 1940 show that 15 out of 17 of the biggest fire years occurred during a moderate to strong El Niño episode. These 15 years account for nearly 63% of the total area burned over the last 58 years. Evidence points to increased dry thunderstorms and associated lightning activity during an El Niño episode; the percentage of total area burned by lightning caused fires during five episodes increased from a normal of less than 40% to a high of about 96%.

Bone markers during acute burn care: Relevance to clinical practice?

PubMed

Rousseau, Anne-Françoise; Damas, Pierre; Delanaye, Pierre; Cavalier, Etienne

2017-02-01

Bone changes are increasingly described after burn. How bone markers could help to detect early bone changes or to screen burn patients at higher risk of demineralization is still not made clear. We performed an observational study assessing the changes in serum bone markers after moderate burn. Adults admitted in the first 24h following burn extended on >10% body surface area were included. Serum levels of collagen type 1 cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRAP), type 1 procollagen N-terminal (P1NP) and bone alkaline phosphatase (b-ALP) were measured at admission and every week during the first month. Data are expressed as median [min-max]. Bone markers were measured in 20 patients: 18 men, 2 women (including one post-menopausal). Age was 46 [19-86] years old, burn surface area reached 15 [7-85] %. Twelve patients completed the study. All biomarkers mainly remained into normal ranges during evolution. A huge variability was observed regarding biomarkers evolution. Patient's evolution was not linear and could fluctuate from a decrease to an increase of blood concentrations. There was not necessarily a consistency between the two formation or the two resorption markers. Variations observed between two consecutive measurements were lesser than the accepted critical difference in almost one third of the cases. Considering available data, role and interest of bone markers in management of burn related bone disease remain unclear. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Landscape effects of wildfire on permafrost distribution in interior Alaska derived from remote sensing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Dana R. N.; Jorgenson, M. Torre; Kielland, Knut; Verbyla, David L.; Prakash, Anupma; Koch, Joshua C.

2016-01-01

Climate change coupled with an intensifying wildfire regime is becoming an important driver of permafrost loss and ecosystem change in the northern boreal forest. There is a growing need to understand the effects of fire on the spatial distribution of permafrost and its associated ecological consequences. We focus on the effects of fire a decade after disturbance in a rocky upland landscape in the interior Alaskan boreal forest. Our main objectives were to (1) map near-surface permafrost distribution and drainage classes and (2) analyze the controls over landscape-scale patterns of post-fire permafrost degradation. Relationships among remote sensing variables and field-based data on soil properties (temperature, moisture, organic layer thickness) and vegetation (plant community composition) were analyzed using correlation, regression, and ordination analyses. The remote sensing data we considered included spectral indices from optical datasets (Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI)), the principal components of a time series of radar backscatter (Advanced Land Observing Satellite—Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS-PALSAR)), and topographic variables from a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived digital elevation model (DEM). We found strong empirical relationships between the normalized difference infrared index (NDII) and post-fire vegetation, soil moisture, and soil temperature, enabling us to indirectly map permafrost status and drainage class using regression-based models. The thickness of the insulating surface organic layer after fire, a measure of burn severity, was an important control over the extent of permafrost degradation. According to our classifications, 90% of the area considered to have experienced high severity burn (using the difference normalized burn ratio (dNBR)) lacked permafrost after fire. Permafrost thaw, in turn, likely increased drainage and resulted in drier surface soils. Burn severity also influenced plant community composition, which was tightly linked to soil temperature and moisture. Overall, interactions between burn severity, topography, and vegetation appear to control the distribution of near-surface permafrost and associated drainage conditions after disturbance.

[Effect of cooling therapy on the heart rate and mean arterial pressure of rats with the second-degree scald burn in hot and humid environment].

PubMed

Li, Ya-jie; Zhang, Li-ying; Luo, Bing-de; Li, Yi-lei; Lin, Ni

2004-03-01

To observe the changes of heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure MAP after immediate cooling therapy (ICT) in rats with superficial second-degree scald burn in hot and humid environment, and assess the effect of the cooling dressing materials. Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomized equally into 4 groups including normal temperature control (NTC) group, normal temperature cooling therapy (NCT) group, hot and humid control (HHC) group and hot and humid cooling therapy (HCT) group. Different interventions were applied as indicated in the rats with superficial second-degree scald burn, with the dry bulb temperature Tdb at 26.33+/-1.29 degrees celsius; and relative humidity (rh) of 71.05%+/-4.57% for two normal temperature groups, and Tdb at 35.33+/-0.35 degrees Celsius; and rh of 70.81%+/-1.38% for the two hot and humid groups. The exposure time was 120 min in NCT and HCT groups, and the HR and MAP were measured every 20 min. MAP is not influenced by environmental temperature and the cooling therapy (P>0.05), whereas HR was higher in HHC than in NTC group and also in HCT than in NCT group (P=0.003), lower in HCT and NCT groups than in HHC and NTC groups (P=0.002), respectively. HR did not undergo any significant changes during the observation in the 4 groups (P>0.05). HR was higher in HHC and HCT than in NTC and NCT groups at 65, 85, 105 and 125 min after the burns, but compared with the two control groups, cooling therapy decreased HR at 5, 25, 45 and 85 min. Cooling therapy does not affect MAP but efficiently decreases HR, which may prevent further heat injury.

Experimental Investigation of Premixed Turbulent Hydrocarbon/Air Bunsen Flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamadonfar, Parsa

Through the influence of turbulence, the front of a premixed turbulent flame is subjected to the motions of eddies that leads to an increase in the flame surface area, and the term flame wrinkling is commonly used to describe it. If it is assumed that the flame front would continue to burn locally unaffected by the stretch, then the total turbulent burning velocity is expected to increase proportionally to the increase in the flame surface area caused by wrinkling. When the turbulence intensity is high enough such that the stretch due to hydrodynamics and flame curvature would influence the local premixed laminar burning velocity, then the actual laminar burning velocity (that is, flamelet consumption velocity) should reflect the influence of stretch. To address this issue, obtaining the knowledge of instantaneous flame front structures, flame brush characteristics, and burning velocities of premixed turbulent flames is necessary. Two axisymmetric Bunsen-type burners were used to produce premixed turbulent flames, and three optical measurement techniques were utilized: Particle image velocimetry to measure the turbulence statistics; Rayleigh scattering method to measure the temperature fields of premixed turbulent flames, and Mie scattering method to visualize the flame front contours of premixed turbulent flames. Three hydrocarbons (methane, ethane, and propane) were used as the fuel in the experiments. The turbulence was generated using different perforated plates mounted upstream of the burner exit. A series of comprehensive parameters including the thermal flame front thickness, characteristic flame height, mean flame brush thickness, mean volume of the turbulent flame region, two-dimensional flame front curvature, local flame front angle, two-dimensional flame surface density, wrinkled flame surface area, turbulent burning velocity, mean flamelet consumption velocity, mean turbulent flame stretch factor, mean turbulent Markstein length and number, and mean fuel consumption rate were systematically evaluated from the experimental data. The normalized preheat zone and reaction zone thicknesses decreased with increasing non-dimensional turbulence intensity in ultra-lean premixed turbulent flames under a constant equivalence ratio of 0.6, whereas they increased with increasing equivalence ratios from 0.6 to 1.0 under a constant bulk flow velocity. The normalized preheat zone and reaction zone thicknesses showed no overall trend with increasing non-dimensional longitudinal integral length scale. The normalized preheat zone and reaction zone thicknesses decreased by increasing the Karlovitz number, suggesting that increasing the total stretch rate is the controlling mechanism in the reduction of flame front thickness for the experimental conditions studied in this thesis. In general, the leading edge and half-burning surface turbulent burning velocities were enhanced with increasing equivalence ratio from lean to stoichiometric mixtures, whereas they decreased with increasing equivalence ratio for rich mixtures. These velocities were enhanced with increasing total turbulence intensity. The leading edge and half-burning surface turbulent burning velocities for lean/stoichiometric mixtures were observed to be smaller than that for rich mixtures. The mean turbulent flame stretch factor displayed a dependence on the equivalence ratio and turbulence intensity. Results show that the mean turbulent flame stretch factors for lean/stoichiometric and rich mixtures were not equal when the unstrained premixed laminar burning velocity, non-dimensional bulk flow velocity, non-dimensional turbulence intensity, and non-dimensional longitudinal integral length scale were kept constant.

Late-onset rhabdomyolysis in burn patients in the intensive care unit.

PubMed

Bache, Sarah E; Taggart, Ian; Gilhooly, Charlotte

2011-11-01

Rhabdomyolysis (RML), defined as creatine phosphokinase (CPK) >1000 U/L, is relatively common immediately after a significant burn. Late-onset RML, occurring a week or more after a burn, is less well understood and recognised. All patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following an acute burn between May 2006 and December 2009 were retrospectively identified. Patients with CPK>1000 U/L a week or more after their burn had a detailed notes review. Seventy-six patients were admitted during 43 months. Late-onset RML was demonstrated in 7/76 (9%) patients. They had a similar pattern of normal or mildly raised CPK on admission that resolved over the following days, but suddenly increased sharply to over 1000 U/L, a week or more after their burn, usually around day ten. A severe late-onset RML occurred in 5/76 (7%) patients, with a CPK rise of over 5000 U/L, and all required haemodialysis. Potential triggering factors for late-onset RML include sepsis, nephrotoxic drugs and hypophosphataemia. It is important to consider measuring CPK in all patients with the above complications, even after it has previously been observed to be normal, in order to initiate early treatment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Significant skin burns may occur with the use of a water balloon in HIFU treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritchie, Robert; Collin, Jamie; Wu, Feng; Coussios, Constantin; Leslie, Tom; Cranston, David

2012-10-01

HIFU is a minimally-invasive therapy suitable for treating selected intra-abdominal tumors. Treatment is safe although skin burns may occur due to pre-focal heating. HIFU treatment of a renal transplant tumor located in the left lower abdomen was undertaken in our centre. Treatment was performed prone, requiring displacement of the abdominal wall away from the treatment field using a water balloon, constructed of natural rubber latex and filled with degassed water. Intra-operatively, ultrasound imaging and physical examination of the skin directly over the focal region was normal. Immediately post-operative, a full-thickness skin burn was evident at the periphery of the balloon location, outside the expected HIFU path. Three possibilities may account for this complication. Firstly, the water balloon may have acted as a lens, focusing the HIFU to a neo-focus off axis. Secondly, air bubbles may have been entrapped between the balloon and the skin, causing heating at the interface. Finally, heating of the isolated water within the balloon may have been sufficient to cause burning. In this case, the placement of a water balloon caused a significant skin burn. Care should be taken in their use as burns, situated off axis, may occur even if the overlying skin appears normal.

Landscape Patterns of Burn Severity in the Soberanes Fire of 2016

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, Christopher

2016-01-01

The Soberanes Fire started on July 22, 2016 in Monterey County on the California Central Coast from an illegal campfire. This fire burned for 10 weeks at a record cost of more than $208 million for protection and control. A progressive analysis of the normalized burn ratio from the Landsat satellite showed that the final high burn severity (HBS) area for the Soberanes Fire comprised 22 percent of the total area burned, whereas final moderate burn severity (MBS) area comprised about 10 percent of the total area burned of approximately 53,470 ha (132,130 acres). The resulting landscape pattern of burn severity classes from the 2016 Soberanes Fire revealed that the majority of HBS area was located in the elevation zone between 500 and 1000 m, in the slope zone between 15 percent and 30 percent, or on south-facing aspects.

Burn severity mapping in Australia 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKinley, Randy; Clark, J.; Lecker, Jennifer

2012-01-01

In 2009, the Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment estimated approximately 430,000 hectares of Victoria Australia were burned by numerous bushfires. Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams from the United States were deployed to Victoria to assist local fire managers. The U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (USGS/EROS) and U.S. Forest Service Remote Sensing Applications Center (USFS/RSAC) aided the support effort by providing satellite-derived "soil burn severity " maps for over 280,000 burned hectares. In the United States, BAER teams are assembled to make rapid assessments of burned lands to identify potential hazards to public health and property. An early step in the assessment process is the creation of a soil burn severity map used to identify hazard areas and prioritize treatment locations. These maps are developed primarily using Landsat satellite imagery and the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) algorithm.

49 CFR 173.50 - Class 1-Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... insensitive that there is very little probability of initiation or of transition from burning to detonation under normal conditions of transport. 1 The probability of transition from burning to detonation is... contain only extremely insensitive detonating substances and which demonstrate a negligible probability of...

Kinetic calculations of explosives with slow-burning constituents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, W. Michael; Souers, P. Clark; Fried, Laurence E.

1998-07-01

The equilibrium thermochemical code CHEETAH V1.40 has been modified to detonate part of the explosive and binder. An Einstein thermal description of the unreacted constituents is used, and the Einstein temperature may be increased to reduce heat absorption. We study the effect of the reactivity and thermal transport on the detonation velocity. Hydroxy-terminated-polybutadiene binders have low energy and density and would degrade the detonation velocity if they burned. Runs with unburned binder are closer to the measured values. Aluminum and ammonium perchlorate are also largely unburned within the sonic reaction zone that determines the detonation velocity. All three materials appear not to fully absorb heat as well. The normal assumption of total reaction in a thermochemical code is clearly not true for these special cases, where the detonation velocities have widely different values for different combinations of processes.

Tropospheric O3 over Indonesia during biomass burning events measured with GOME (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment) and compared with backtrajectory calculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladstaetter-Weissenmayer, A.; Meyer-Arnek, J.; Burrows, J. P.

During the dry season, biomass burning is an important source of ozone precursors for the tropical troposphere, and ozone formation can occur in biomass burning plumes originating in Indonesia and northern Australia. Satellite based GOME (Global Ozone Measuring experiment) data are used to characterize the amount of tropospheric ozone production over this region during the El Niño event in September 1997 compared to a so called "normal" year 1998. Large scale biomass burning occurred over Kalimantan in 1997 caused by the absence of the northern monsoon rains, leading to significant increases in tropospheric ozone. Tropospheric ozone was determined from GOME data using the Tropospheric Excess Method (TEM). Backtrajectory calculations show that Indonesia is influenced every summer by the emissions of trace gases from biomass buring over northern Australia. But in 1997 over Indonesia an increasing of tropospheric ozone amounts can be observed caused by the fires over Indonesia itself as well as by northern Australia. The analysis of the measurements of BIBLE-A (Biomass Burning and Lightning Experiment) and using ATSR (Along the Track Scanning Radiometer) data show differences in the view to the intensity of fire counts and therefore in the amount of the emission of precursors of tropospheric ozone comparing September 1997 to September 1998.

Correcting for motion artifact in handheld laser speckle images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lertsakdadet, Ben; Yang, Bruce Y.; Dunn, Cody E.; Ponticorvo, Adrien; Crouzet, Christian; Bernal, Nicole; Durkin, Anthony J.; Choi, Bernard

2018-03-01

Laser speckle imaging (LSI) is a wide-field optical technique that enables superficial blood flow quantification. LSI is normally performed in a mounted configuration to decrease the likelihood of motion artifact. However, mounted LSI systems are cumbersome and difficult to transport quickly in a clinical setting for which portability is essential in providing bedside patient care. To address this issue, we created a handheld LSI device using scientific grade components. To account for motion artifact of the LSI device used in a handheld setup, we incorporated a fiducial marker (FM) into our imaging protocol and determined the difference between highest and lowest speckle contrast values for the FM within each data set (Kbest and Kworst). The difference between Kbest and Kworst in mounted and handheld setups was 8% and 52%, respectively, thereby reinforcing the need for motion artifact quantification. When using a threshold FM speckle contrast value (KFM) to identify a subset of images with an acceptable level of motion artifact, mounted and handheld LSI measurements of speckle contrast of a flow region (KFLOW) in in vitro flow phantom experiments differed by 8%. Without the use of the FM, mounted and handheld KFLOW values differed by 20%. To further validate our handheld LSI device, we compared mounted and handheld data from an in vivo porcine burn model of superficial and full thickness burns. The speckle contrast within the burn region (KBURN) of the mounted and handheld LSI data differed by <4 % when accounting for motion artifact using the FM, which is less than the speckle contrast difference between superficial and full thickness burns. Collectively, our results suggest the potential of handheld LSI with an FM as a suitable alternative to mounted LSI, especially in challenging clinical settings with space limitations such as the intensive care unit.

Tissue tonometry is a simple, objective measure for pliability of burn scar: is it reliable?

PubMed

Lye, Ian; Edgar, Dale W; Wood, Fiona M; Carroll, Sara

2006-01-01

Objective measurement of burn scar response to treatment is important to facilitate individual patient care, research, and service development. This work examines the validity and reliability of the tonometer as a means of quantifying scar pliability. Ten burn survivors were recruited into the study. Triplicate measures were taken for each of four scar and one normal skin point. The pliability score from the Vancouver Scar Scale also was used as a comparison. The tonometer demonstrated a high degree of reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.91-0.94). It also was shown to provide a valid measure of pliability by quantifying decreased tissue deformation for scar (2.04 +/- 0.45 mm) compared with normal tissue (3.02 +/- 0.92 mm; t = 4.28, P = .004) and a moderate correlation with Vancouver Scar Scale scores. The tissue tonometer provides a repeatable, objective index of burn scar pliability. Using the methods described, it is a simple, clinically useful technique for monitoring an individual's scar.

Organic aerosol evaporation and formation in biomass-burning plumes: The competition between dilution and chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, J. R.; Kreidenweis, S. M.; Bian, Q.; Jathar, S.; Kodros, J.; Barsanti, K.; Hatch, L. E.; May, A.

2017-12-01

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) has been shown to form in biomass-burning emissions in laboratory and field studies. However, there is significant variability among studies in mass enhancement, which could be due to differences in fuels, fire conditions, dilution, and/or limitations of laboratory experiments and observations. This study focuses on understanding processes affecting biomass-burning SOA formation in ambient plumes. The plume dilution rate impacts the organic partitioning between the gas and particle phases, which may impact the potential for SOA to form as well as the rate of SOA formation. We use an aerosol microphysics model that includes representations of volatility and oxidation chemistry to estimate SOA formation in the smoke emitted into the atmosphere. We add Gaussian dispersion to our aerosol microphysical model to estimate how SOA formation may vary under different ambient-plume conditions (e.g. fire size, emission mass flux, atmospheric stability). Smoke from small fires, such as typical prescribed burns, dilutes rapidly, which drives evaporation of organic vapor from the particle phase, leading to more effective SOA formation. Emissions from large fires, such as intense wildfires, dilute slowly, suppressing OA evaporation and subsequent SOA formation in the near field. We also demonstrate that different approaches to the calculation of OA enhancement in ambient plumes can lead to different conclusions regarding SOA formation. Normalized OA mass enhancement ratios of around 1 calculated using an inert tracer, such as black carbon or CO, have traditionally been interpreted as exhibiting little or no SOA formation; however, we show that SOA formation may have greatly contributed to the mass in these plumes.

[Estimating Biomass Burned Areas from Multispectral Dataset Detected by Multiple-Satellite].

PubMed

Yu, Chao; Chen, Liang-fu; Li, Shen-shen; Tao, Jin-hua; Su, Lin

2015-03-01

Biomass burning makes up an important part of both trace gases and particulate matter emissions, which can efficiently degrade air quality and reduce visibility, destabilize the global climate system at regional to global scales. Burned area is one of the primary parameters necessary to estimate emissions, and considered to be the largest source of error in the emission inventory. Satellite-based fire observations can offer a reliable source of fire occurrence data on regional and global scales, a variety of sensors have been used to detect and map fires in two general approaches: burn scar mapping and active fire detection. However, both of the two approaches have limitations. In this article, we explore the relationship between hotspot data and burned area for the Southeastern United States, where a significant amount of biomass burnings from both prescribed and wild fire took place. MODIS (Moderate resolution imaging spectrometer) data, which has high temporal-resolution, can be used to monitor ground biomass. burning in time and provided hot spot data in this study. However, pixel size of MODIS hot spot can't stand for the real ground burned area. Through analysis of the variation of vegetation band reflectance between pre- and post-burn, we extracted the burned area from Landsat-5 TM (Thematic Mapper) images by using the differential normalized burn ratio (dNBR) which is based on TM band4 (0.84 μm) and TM band 7(2.22 μm) data. We combined MODIS fire hot spot data and Landsat-5 TM burned scars data to build the burned area estimation model, results showed that the linear correlation coefficient is 0.63 and the relationships vary as a function of vegetation cover. Based on the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), we built burned area estimation model over different vegetation cover, and got effective burned area per fire pixel, values for forest, grassland, shrub, cropland and wetland are 0.69, 1.27, 0.86, 0.72 and 0.94 km2 respectively. We validated the burned area estimates by using the ground survey data from National interagency Fire Center (NIFC), our results are more close to the ground survey data than burned area from Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED) and MODIS burned area product (MCD45), which omitted many small prescribed fires. We concluded that our model can provide more accurate burned area parameters for developing fire emission inventory, and be better for estimating emissions from biomass burning.

Handling and Use of Fluorine and Fluorine - Oxygen Mixtures in Rocket Systems,

DTIC Science & Technology

1967-01-01

with nitroso rubber, which could normally be expected to burn when exposed to the flow of liquid fluorine. The materials tested included (1) Nitroso...the system free of contamination. Most common metals of construction are compatible for use in a fluorine environment. Metals can burn with fluorine...conditions of contact), fluorinated compounds in their highest state of oxidation, and a few fluorinated polymers. Even these polymers may burn in fluorine

The Management of Pemphigus Vulgaris in a Burn Intensive Care Unit: A Case Report and Treatment Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

phenobarbital, interferon, interleukin, propranolol, and nifedipine.5 As a result of the disruption in keratinocyte adhe- sion, afflicted patients develop...by a positive Nikolsky’s sign, mean- ing that lateral pressure applied to normal-appearing Copyright © 2014 by the American Burn Association 1559...severe pemphigus vulgaris who was admitted to the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center, to demonstrate the potential complications

Analysis of the microcirculation after soft tissue reconstruction of the outer ear with burns in patients with severe burn injuries.

PubMed

Medved, Fabian; Medesan, Raluca; Rothenberger, Jens Martin; Schaller, Hans-Eberhard; Schoeller, Thomas; Manoli, Theodora; Weitgasser, Lennart; Naumann, Aline; Weitgasser, Laurenz

2016-07-01

Reconstruction of soft tissue defects of the ear with burns remains one of the most difficult tasks for the reconstructive surgeon. Although numerous reconstructive options are available, the results are often unpredictable and worse than expected. Besides full and split skin grafting, local random pattern flaps and pedicled flaps are frequently utilized to cover soft tissue defects of the outer auricle. Because of the difficulty and unpredictable nature of outer ear reconstruction after burn injury, a case-control study was conducted to determine the best reconstructive approach. The microcirculatory properties of different types of soft tissue reconstruction of the outer ear with burns in six severely burned Caucasian patients (three men and three women; mean age, 46 years (range, 22-70)) were compared to those in the healthy tissue of the outer ear using the O2C device (Oxygen to See; LEA Medizintechnik, Gießen, Germany). The results of this study revealed that the investigated microcirculation parameters such as the median values of blood flow (control group: 126 AU), relative amount of hemoglobin (control group: 59.5 AU), and tissue oxygen saturation (control group: 73%) are most similar to those of normal ear tissue when pedicled flaps based on the superficial temporal artery were used. These findings suggest that this type of reconstruction is superior for soft tissue reconstruction of the outer ear with burns in contrast to random pattern flaps and full skin grafts regarding the microcirculatory aspects. These findings may improve the knowledge on soft tissue viability and facilitate the exceptional and delicate process of planning the reconstruction of the auricle with burns. Copyright © 2016 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of burn severity on post-fire vegetation recovery and albedo change during early succession in North American boreal forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Y.; Randerson, J. T.; Goetz, S. J.; Beck, P. S.; Loranty, M. M.; Goulden, M.

2011-12-01

Severity of burning can influence multiple aspects of forest composition, carbon cycling, and climate forcing. We quantified how burn severity affected vegetation recovery and albedo change during early succession in Canadian boreal regions by combining satellite observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Canadian Large Fire Data Base (LFDB). We used the difference Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) and changes in spring albedo derived from MODIS 500m albedo product as measures of burn severity. We found that the most severe burns had the greatest reduction in summer EVI in first year after fire, indicating greater loss of vegetation cover immediately following fire. By 5-7 years after fire, summer EVI for all severity classes had recovered to within 90-110% of pre-fire levels. Burn severity had a positive effect on the increase of post-fire spring albedo during the first 7 years after fire, and a shift from low to moderate or moderate to severe fires led to amplification of the post-fire albedo increase by approximately 30%. Fire-induced increases in both spring and summer albedo became progressively larger with stand age from years 1-7, with the trend in spring albedo likely driven by continued losses of needles and branches from trees killed by the fire (and concurrent losses of black carbon coatings on remaining debris), and the summer trend associated with increases in leaf area of short-stature herbs and shrubs. Our results suggest that increases in burn severity and carbon losses observed in some areas of boreal forests (e.g., Turetsky et al., 2011) may be at least partly offset by increases in negative forcing associated with changes in surface albedo.

Burning Mouth Syndrome.

PubMed

Kamala, K A; Sankethguddad, S; Sujith, S G; Tantradi, Praveena

2016-01-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is multifactorial in origin which is typically characterized by burning and painful sensation in an oral cavity demonstrating clinically normal mucosa. Although the cause of BMS is not known, a complex association of biological and psychological factors has been identified, suggesting the existence of a multifactorial etiology. As the symptom of oral burning is seen in various pathological conditions, it is essential for a clinician to be aware of how to differentiate between symptom of oral burning and BMS. An interdisciplinary and systematic approach is required for better patient management. The purpose of this study was to provide the practitioner with an understanding of the local, systemic, and psychosocial factors which may be responsible for oral burning associated with BMS, and review of treatment modalities, therefore providing a foundation for diagnosis and treatment of BMS.

Promoted Metals Combustion at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engel, Carl D.; Herald, Stephen D.; Davis, S. Eddie

2005-01-01

Promoted combustion testing of materials, Test 17 of NASA STD-6001, has been used to assess metal propensity to burn in oxygen rich environments. An igniter is used at the bottom end of a rod to promote ignition, and if combustion is sustained, the burning progresses from the bottom to the top of the rod. The physical mechanisms are very similar to the upward flammability test, Test 1 of NASA STD-6001. The differences are in the normal environmental range of pressures, oxygen content, and sample geometry. Upward flammability testing of organic materials can exhibit a significant transitional region between no burning to complete quasi-state burning. In this transitional region, the burn process exhibits a probabilistic nature. This transitional region has been identified for metals using the promoted combustion testing method at ambient initial temperatures. The work given here is focused on examining the transitional region and the quasi-steady burning region both at conventional ambient testing conditions and at elevated temperatures. A new heated promoted combustion facility and equipment at Marshall Space Flight Center have just been completed to provide the basic data regarding the metals operating temperature limits in contact with oxygen rich atmospheres at high pressures. Initial data have been obtained for Stainless Steel 304L, Stainless Steel 321, Haynes 214, and Inconel 718 at elevated temperatures in 100-percent oxygen atmospheres. These data along with an extended data set at ambient initial temperature test conditions are examined. The pressure boundaries of acceptable, non-burning usage is found to be lowered at elevated temperature.

On the terminology of the spectral vegetation index (NIR – SWIR)/(NIR + SWIR)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ji, Lel; Zhang, Li; Wylie, Bruce K.; Rover, Jennifer R.

2011-01-01

The spectral vegetation index (ρNIR – ρSWIR)/(ρNIR + ρSWIR), where ρNIR and ρSWIR are the near-infrared (NIR) and shortwave-infrared (SWIR) reflectances, respectively, has been widely used to indicate vegetation moisture condition. This index has multiple names in the literature, including infrared index (II), normalized difference infrared index (NDII), normalized difference water index (NDWI), normalized difference moisture index (NDMI), land surface water index (LSWI), and normalized burn ratio (NBR), etc. After reviewing each term’s definition, associated sensors, and channel specifications, we found that the index consists of three variants, differing only in the SWIR region (1.2–1.3 µm, 1.55–1.75 µm, or 2.05–2.45 µm). Thus, three terms are sufficient to represent these three SWIR variants; other names are redundant and therefore unnecessary. Considering the spectral representativeness, the term’s popularity, and the “rule of priority” in scientific nomenclature, NDWI, NDII, and NBR, each corresponding to the three SWIR regions, are more preferable terms.

The treatment effect of the burn wound healing by electrolytic-reduction ion water lotion combination therapy. Part 2: Two degree burn of forearm to the dorsum of the hand.

PubMed

Shu, Tetsuo; Okajima, Masahiro; Wada, Yuko; Shimokawa, Ken-ichi; Ishii, Fumiyoshi

2010-10-01

Patient 1: A 1-year-and-3-month-old boy suffered a burn injury extending from the left forearm to hand due to boiling water. An extensive skin defect from the left forearm to the dorsum of the hand was observed, and an IIb-III degree burn was diagnosed. Treatment of the burn was started with the application of electrolytic-reduction ion water (ERI) lotion, antibiotic/steroid combination ointment, and vitamin A/E ointment with wrap therapy. Two days after the initiation of therapy, redness and swelling were still observed despite a slight decrease in swelling. After 21 days, skin redness decreased, and there was no functional impairment. After 74 days, the skin color was almost normal, and no functional impairment was observed, showing a favorable course. Patient 2: An 8.5-month-old girl suffered a burn injury extending from the fingers to dorsum of the right hand and right wrist due to boiling water. There was an extensive skin defect accompanied by bulla formation extending from the fingers and dorsum of the right hand. An II-degree burn was diagnosed. Treatment of the burn was started treatment similar to the Patient 1. Bulla decreased, but redness and swelling were still present 2-8 days after the initiation of therapy. After 16-25 days, both skin redness and swelling decreased. After 30 days, the epithelialization of the dorsum of the hand had almost completed. After 60 days, the skin color was nearly normal, and there was no functional impairment, showing a favorable course. In these patients, burn wounds completely healed without hypertrophic or keloid scar formation or pigmentation. These results suggest that extensive II-III burns can be adequately treated by this topical therapy.

Emissions from forest fires near Mexico City.

Treesearch

R.J. Yokelson; S.P. Urbanski; E.L. Atlas; D.E. Toohey; E.C. Alvarado; J.D. Crounse; P.O. Wennberg; M.E. Fisher; C.E. Would; T.L. Campos; K. Adachi; P.T. Buseck; W.M. Hao

2007-01-01

The emissions of NOx (defined as NO (nitric oxide) + NO2 (nitrogen dioxide)) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN), per unit amount of fuel burned from fires in the pine forests that dominate the mountains surrounding Mexico City (MC) are about 2 times higher than normally observed for forest burning. The ammonia (NH3...

The effects of rapid enzymatic debridement of deep partial-thickness burns with Debrase on wound reepithelialization in swine.

PubMed

Singer, Adam J; Taira, Breena R; Anderson, Ryon; McClain, Steve A; Rosenberg, Lior

2010-01-01

Reepithelialization of deep burns requires spontaneous or active removal or debridement of the necrotic eschar, as recently defined by the American Burn Association. Debrase is a bromelain-derived enzymatic preparation that has been shown to result in rapid and selective debridement of human and animal burns. The authors hypothesized that rapid debridement of deep dermal burns with Debrase would result in earlier reepithelialization of the remaining dermis in a porcine model. Eighty deep dermal contact burns measuring 10 by 20 mm were created on the back and flanks of anesthetized domestic pigs (25 kg) using a brass template preheated in boiling water (100 degrees C) that was applied to the skin for a period of 30 seconds. The template was applied using a spring-loaded device designed to control the amount of pressure applied to the skin by the template. Burns were randomized to a 4-hour topical application of Debrase (lyophilized dry enzyme dissolved and activated in a hydrating vehicle) (n = 40) or its hydrating vehicle (n = 40) followed by daily application of a petrolatum-based antibiotic ointment. Wounds were visually assessed and photographed daily. Four-millimeter full-thickness punch biopsies were obtained for histological analysis using hematoxylin and eosin staining by a board-certified dermatopathologist masked to burn therapy at 7, 11, 13, and 15 days after injury. The primary outcome was the percentage of the burns that were completely reepithelialized at each time point. Secondary outcomes were time to complete reepithelialization and the mean percentage of reepithelialization on microscopic analysis. A sample of 40 burns in each group had 80% power to detect a 20% difference in the percentage of completely reepithelialized burns (two tailed, P < .05). The percentage of completely reepithelialized burns was higher for Debrase than control burns at days 11 (40.9% vs 3.1%; P = .002), 13 (87.5% vs 50%; P = .007), and 15 (97.5% vs 77.5%, P = .018). The mean (SD) percentage reepithelialization of Debrase-treated burns at 7 days was higher than of control burns (47.6% [3.2] vs 0% [0]; P < .001). A larger number of cells in the epidermis and dermis of debrided burns stained positive for the proliferation antigen Ki-67. There was no evidence of any adverse events in the normal skin adjacent to the Debrase-treated burns. Rapid enzymatic debridement of deep partial-thickness burns with Debrase results in earlier reepithelialization and cellular proliferation in swine, when compared with carrier and topical antibiotic dressings alone.

[Effects of the escharectomy during burn shock stage on expression of glucose translator-4 mRNA in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue].

PubMed

Shuai, Xiu-rong; Liu, Tong-fa; Guo, Zhen-rong; Yu, Shun-xian; He, Peng-fei; Yuan, Wen-zhou; Li, Feng; He, Li-xin

2004-04-07

To investigate the effect of the escharectomy during burn shock stage on expression of glucose translator-4 (GLUT4) mRNA in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. 30% TBSA scalded rats were employed. Escharectomy were conducted at 8 h, 24 h, 168 h after burns respectively. Insulin, glucagon, cortisol and glucose levels in serum were analyzed. RT-PCR were employed to analyze GLUT4 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Glucagon, cortisol and glucose levels in serum were declined in groups which escharectomy were conducted during burn shock stage. GLUT4 mRNA expression in both skeletal muscle and adipose tissue were downregulated after burns and escharectomy conducted during burn shock stage made it restored to near normal. GLUT4 mRNA expression will declined after major burns in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Escharectomy during shock stage could make it upregulated, which will be helpful to improve glucose metabolism and hypermetabolism after major burns.

Producing remote sensing-based emission estimates of prescribed burning in the contiguous United States for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2011 National Emissions Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarty, J. L.; Pouliot, G. A.; Soja, A. J.; Miller, M. E.; Rao, T.

2013-12-01

Prescribed fires in agricultural landscapes generally produce smaller burned areas than wildland fires but are important contributors to emissions impacting air quality and human health. Currently, there are a variety of available satellite-based estimates of crop residue burning, including the NOAA/NESDIS Hazard Mapping System (HMS) the Satellite Mapping Automated Reanalysis Tool for Fire Incident Reconciliation (SMARTFIRE 2), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Official Burned Area Product (MCD45A1)), the MODIS Direct Broadcast Burned Area Product (MCD64A1) the MODIS Active Fire Product (MCD14ML), and a regionally-tuned 8-day cropland differenced Normalized Burn Ratio product for the contiguous U.S. The purpose of this NASA-funded research was to refine the regionally-tuned product utilizing higher spatial resolution crop type data from the USDA NASS Cropland Data Layer and burned area training data from field work and high resolution commercial satellite data to improve the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Emissions Inventory (NEI). The final product delivered to the EPA included a detailed database of 25 different atmospheric emissions at the county level, emission distributions by crop type and seasonality, and GIS data. The resulting emission databases were shared with the U.S. EPA and regional offices, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWGC) Smoke Committee, and all 48 states in the contiguous U.S., with detailed error estimations for Wyoming and Indiana and detailed analyses of results for Florida, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Oregon. This work also provided opportunities in discovering the different needs of federal and state partners, including the various geospatial abilities and platforms across the many users and how to incorporate expert air quality, policy, and land management knowledge into quantitative earth observation-based estimations of prescribed fire emissions. Finally, this work created direct communication paths between federal and state partners to the scientists creating the remote sensing-based products, further improving the geospatial products and understanding of air quality impacts of prescribed burning at the state, regional, and national scales.

School reintegration.

PubMed

Blakeney, P

1995-01-01

School reintegration programs have been developed to enhance a positive sense of self-worth in a child who has been burned. The premise of these programs is that cognitive and affective education about children with burns will diminish the anxiety of the patient with burns, the patient's family, faculty and staff of the school, and the students. Five principles guide school reentry programs: (1) preparation begins as soon as possible; (2) planning includes the patient and family; (3) each program is individualized; (4) each patient is encouraged to return to school quickly after hospital discharge; and (5) burn team professionals remain available for consultation to the school. Reintegration programs can vary in format depending on patient and/or family need and capability of the burn team, thus allowing flexibility in assisting every child with burns make the transition from hospital patient to normal living.

Burning Mouth Syndrome

PubMed Central

Kamala, KA; Sankethguddad, S; Sujith, SG; Tantradi, Praveena

2016-01-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is multifactorial in origin which is typically characterized by burning and painful sensation in an oral cavity demonstrating clinically normal mucosa. Although the cause of BMS is not known, a complex association of biological and psychological factors has been identified, suggesting the existence of a multifactorial etiology. As the symptom of oral burning is seen in various pathological conditions, it is essential for a clinician to be aware of how to differentiate between symptom of oral burning and BMS. An interdisciplinary and systematic approach is required for better patient management. The purpose of this study was to provide the practitioner with an understanding of the local, systemic, and psychosocial factors which may be responsible for oral burning associated with BMS, and review of treatment modalities, therefore providing a foundation for diagnosis and treatment of BMS. PMID:26962284

Terre Haute and the Normal School Fire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, Allen

1974-01-01

This paper examines the short history of the Terre Haute Normal School before its tragic burning on April 9, 1888 and relates that story to the course of events immediately following the fire. (Author)

Alternative pathways to landscape transformation: Invasive grasses, burn severity and fire frequency in arid ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klinger, Robert C.; Brooks, Matthew L.

2017-01-01

Arid ecosystems are often vulnerable to transformation to invasive-dominated states following fire, but data on persistence of these states are sparse. The grass/fire cycle is a feedback process between invasive annual grasses and fire frequency that often leads to the formation of alternative vegetation states dominated by the invasive grasses. However, other components of fire regimes, such as burn severity, also have the potential to produce long-term vegetation transformations. Our goal was to evaluate the influence of both fire frequency and burn severity on the transformation of woody-dominated communities to communities dominated by invasive grasses in major elevation zones of the Mojave Desert of western North America.We used a chronosequence design to collect data on herbaceous and woody cover at 229 unburned reference plots and 578 plots that burned between 1972 and 2010. We stratified the plots by elevation zone (low, mid, high), fire frequency (1–3 times) and years post-fire (YPF; 1–5, 6–10, 11–20 and 21–40 YPF). Burn severity for each plot was estimated by the difference normalized burn ratio.We identified two broad post-fire successional pathways. One was an outcome of fire frequency, resulting in a strong potential transformation via the grass/fire cycle. The second pathway was driven by burn severity, the critical aspect being that long-term transformation of a community could occur from just one fire in areas that burned at high or sometimes moderate severity. Dominance by invasive grasses was most likely to occur in low-and high-elevation communities; cover of native herbaceous species was often greater than that of invasive grasses in the mid-elevation zone.Synthesis. Invasive grasses can dominate a site that burned only one time in many decades at high severity, or a site that burned at low severity but multiple times in the same time period. However, high burn severity may predispose areas to more frequent fire because they have relatively high cover of invasive annual grass, suggesting burn severity and fire frequency have both independent and synergistic effects. Resilience in vegetation structure following fire in many arid communities may be limited to a narrow window of low burn severity in areas that have not burned in many decades.

Desert fires fueled by native annual forbs: effects of fire on communities of plants and birds in the lower Sonoran Desert of Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Esque, Todd C.; Webb, Robert H.; Wallace, Cynthia S.A.; van Riper, Charles; McCreedy, Chris; Smythe, Lindsay A.

2013-01-01

In 2005, fire ignited by humans swept from Yuma Proving Grounds into Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, burning ca. 9,255 ha of Wilderness Area. Fuels were predominantly the native forb Plantago ovata. Large fires at low elevations were rare in the 19th and 20th centuries, and fires fueled by native vegetation are undocumented in the southwestern deserts. We estimated the area damaged by fire using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, which are more accurate and reduce subjectivity of aerial surveys of perimeters of fires. Assemblages of upland and xeroriparian plants lost 91 and 81% of live cover, respectively, in fires. The trees Olneya tesota and Cercidium had high amounts of top-kill. King Valley was an important xeroriparian corridor for birds. Species richness of birds decreased significantly following the fire. Numbers of breeding birds were lower in burned areas of King Valley 3 years post-fire, compared to numbers in nearby but unburned Alamo Wash. Although birds function within a large geographic scale, the extent of this burn still influenced the relative abundance of local species of breeding birds. This suggests that breeding birds respond to conditions of localized burns and slow recovery of vegetation contributes to continued lower numbers of birds in the burned sites in King Valley.

Desert fires fueled by native annual forbs: Effects of fire on communities of plants and birds in the Lower Sonoran Desert of Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Esque, Todd C.; Webb, Robert H.; Wallace, Cynthia S.A.; van Riper, Charles; McCreedy, Chris; Smythe, Lindsay A.

2013-01-01

In 2005, fire ignited by humans swept from Yuma Proving Grounds into Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, burning ca. 9,255 ha of Wilderness Area. Fuels were predominantly the native forb Plantago ovata. Large fires at low elevations were rare in the 19th and 20th centuries, and fires fueled by native vegetation are undocumented in the southwestern deserts. We estimated the area damaged by fire using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, which are more accurate and reduce subjectivity of aerial surveys of perimeters of fires. Assemblages of upland and xeroriparian plants lost 91 and 81% of live cover, respectively, in fires. The trees Olneya tesota and Cercidium had high amounts of top-kill. King Valley was an important xeroriparian corridor for birds. Species richness of birds decreased significantly following the fire. Numbers of breeding birds were lower in burned areas of King Valley 3 years post-fire, compared to numbers in nearby but unburned Alamo Wash. Although birds function within a large geographic scale, the extent of this burn still influenced the relative abundance of local species of breeding birds. This suggests that breeding birds respond to conditions of localized burns and slow recovery of vegetation contributes to continued lower numbers of birds in the burned sites in King Valley.

[Improving myocardial mechanics parameters of severe burn rabbits with oral fluid resuscitation].

PubMed

Ruan, Jing; Zhang, Bing-qian; Wang, Guang; Luo, Zhong-hua; Zheng, Qing-yi; Zheng, Jian-sheng; Huang, Yue-sheng; Xiao, Rong

2008-08-01

To investigate the protective effect of oral fluid resuscitation on cardiac function in severe burn rabbits. One hundred and fifty rabbits were randomly divided into normal control group (NC group, n = 6, without treatment), burn group (B group, n = 42, without fluid therapy), immediate oral fluid resuscitation group (C group, n = 42), delayed oral fluid resuscitation group (D group, n = 30) and delayed and rapid oral fluid resuscitation group (E group, n = 30). The rabbits in B, C, D, E groups were subjected to 40% TBSA full-thickness burn, then were treated with fluid therapy immediately after burn (C group), at 6 hour after burn (D, E groups). The myocardial mechanics parameters including mean arterial pressure (MAP), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), LV +/- dp/dt max were observed at 2, 6, 8, 12, 24, 36 and 48 post burn hour (PBH). Urine output was also examined. The level of LVSP, LV +/- dp/dt max in B roup were significantly lower than those in NC group. The level of LVSP, LV +/- dp/dt max in the C and E group were singnificantly increased during 24 hour after burn. The level of LV + dp/dt max and LV-dp/dt max in C group peaked at 8 PBH (892 +/- 116 kPa/s) and at 6PBH (724 +/- 149 kPa/s) respectively. The levels of LV +/- dp/dt max, LVSP in D group at each time point were similar to B group (P > 0.05). Both the levels of LV +/- dp/dt max in E group peaked at 8 PBH. The level of LVEDP was no obvious difference between B and other groups at each time point (P > 0.05). The changes of MAP and urine output on 24 PBH in each group were similar to above indices. Effective oral fluid therapy in severe burn rabbits during 24 hours after burn can ameliorate myocardial mechanics parameters. The amount of fluid resuscitation can be estimated according to relevant formula for delayed fluid resuscitation in burn rabbits.

Comparing the reported burn conditions for different severity burns in porcine models: a systematic review.

PubMed

Andrews, Christine J; Cuttle, Leila

2017-12-01

There are many porcine burn models that create burns using different materials (e.g. metal, water) and different burn conditions (e.g. temperature and duration of exposure). This review aims to determine whether a pooled analysis of these studies can provide insight into the burn materials and conditions required to create burns of a specific severity. A systematic review of 42 porcine burn studies describing the depth of burn injury with histological evaluation is presented. Inclusion criteria included thermal burns, burns created with a novel method or material, histological evaluation within 7 days post-burn and method for depth of injury assessment specified. Conditions causing deep dermal scald burns compared to contact burns of equivalent severity were disparate, with lower temperatures and shorter durations reported for scald burns (83°C for 14 seconds) compared to contact burns (111°C for 23 seconds). A valuable archive of the different mechanisms and materials used for porcine burn models is presented to aid design and optimisation of future models. Significantly, this review demonstrates the effect of the mechanism of injury on burn severity and that caution is recommended when burn conditions established by porcine contact burn models are used by regulators to guide scald burn prevention strategies. © 2017 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exogenous peripheral blood mononuclear cells affect the healing process of deep-degree burns

PubMed Central

Yu, Guanying; Li, Yaonan; Ye, Lan; Wang, Xinglei; Zhang, Jixun; Dong, Zhengxue; Jiang, Duyin

2017-01-01

The regenerative repair of deep-degree (second degree) burned skin remains a notable challenge in the treatment of burn injury, despite improvements being made with regards to treatment modality and the emergence of novel therapies. Fetal skin constitutes an attractive target for investigating scarless healing of burned skin. To investigate the inflammatory response during scarless healing of burned fetal skin, the present study developed a nude mouse model, which was implanted with normal human fetal skin and burned fetal skin. Subsequently, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used to treat the nude mouse model carrying the burned fetal skin. The expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 were investigated during this process. In the present study, fetal skin was subcutaneously implanted into the nude mice to establish the murine model. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to detect alterations in the skin during the development of fetal skin and during the healing process of deep-degree burned fetal skin. The expression levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were determined using immunochemical staining, and their staining intensity was evaluated by mean optical density. The results demonstrated that fetal skin subcutaneously implanted into the dorsal skin flap of nude mice developed similarly to the normal growth process in the womb. In addition, the scarless healing process was clearly observed in the mice carrying the burned fetal skin. A total of 2 weeks was required to complete scarless healing. Following treatment with PBMCs, the burned fetal skin generated inflammatory factors and enhanced the inflammatory response, which consequently resulted in a reduction in the speed of healing and in the formation of scars. Therefore, exogenous PBMCs may alter the lowered immune response environment, which is required for scarless healing, resulting in scar formation. In conclusion, the present study indicated that the involvement of inflammatory cells is important during the healing process of deep-degree burned skin, and MMP-9 and TIMP-1 may serve important roles in the process of scar formation. PMID:28990101

A Burn Intensive Care Unit Nurse’s Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

graft, is a continuous layer of donor skin that is harvested from the donor site and secured to the patient with staples, sutures, or adhesive strips...sterile burn sponges soaked in a solution of 10 cc epinephrine 1:100,000 U in 1 L sterile normal saline irrigation) then compressed with an elastic bandage

In vitro cell-mediated immunity after thermal injury is not impaired. Density gradient purification of mononuclear cells is associated with spurious (artifactual) immunosuppression.

PubMed Central

Xu, D Z; Deitch, E A; Sittig, K; Qi, L; McDonald, J C

1988-01-01

Mononuclear cells isolated by density gradient centrifugation from the peripheral blood of burn patients, but not healthy volunteers, are contaminated with large numbers of nonmononuclear cells. These contaminating leukocytes could cause artifactual alterations in standard in vitro tests of lymphocyte function. Thus, we compared the in vitro blastogenic response of density gradient purified leukocytes and T-cell purified lymphocytes from 13 burn patients to mitogenic (PHA) and antigenic stimuli. The mitogenic and antigenic response of the patients' density gradient purified leukocytes were impaired compared to healthy volunteers (p less than 0.01). However, when the contaminating nonlymphocytes were removed, the patients' cells responded normally to both stimuli. Thus, density gradient purified mononuclear cells from burn patients are contaminated by leukocytes that are not phenotypically or functionally lymphocytes. Since the lymphocytes from burn patients respond normally to PHA and alloantigens after the contaminating nonlymphocyte cell population has been removed, it appears that in vitro assays of lymphocyte function using density gradient purified leukocytes may give spurious results. PMID:2973771

Convective Heat Transfer Scaling of Ignition Delay and Burning Rate with Heat Flux and Stretch Rate in the Equivalent Low Stretch Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olson, Sandra

2011-01-01

To better evaluate the buoyant contributions to the convective cooling (or heating) inherent in normal-gravity material flammability test methods, we derive a convective heat transfer correlation that can be used to account for the forced convective stretch effects on the net radiant heat flux for both ignition delay time and burning rate. The Equivalent Low Stretch Apparatus (ELSA) uses an inverted cone heater to minimize buoyant effects while at the same time providing a forced stagnation flow on the sample, which ignites and burns as a ceiling fire. Ignition delay and burning rate data is correlated with incident heat flux and convective heat transfer and compared to results from other test methods and fuel geometries using similarity to determine the equivalent stretch rates and thus convective cooling (or heating) rates for those geometries. With this correlation methodology, buoyant effects inherent in normal gravity material flammability test methods can be estimated, to better apply the test results to low stretch environments relevant to spacecraft material selection.

Linking runoff response to burn severity after a wildfire

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moody, J.A.; Martin, D.A.; Haire, S.L.; Kinner, D.A.

2008-01-01

Extreme floods often follow wildfire in mountainous watersheds. However, a quantitative relation between the runoff response and burn severity at the watershed scale has not been established. Runoff response was measured as the runoff coefficient C, which is equal to the peak discharge per unit drainage area divided by the average maximum 30 min rainfall intensity during each rain storm. The magnitude of the bum severity was expressed as the change in the normalized burn ratio. A new burn severity variable, hydraulic functional connectivity ?? was developed and incorporates both the magnitude of the burn severity and the spatial sequence of the bum severity along hillslope flow paths. The runoff response and the burn severity were measured in seven subwatersheds (0.24 to 0.85 km2) in the upper part of Rendija Canyon burned by the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire Dear Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA. A rainfall-discharge relation was determined for four of the subwatersheds with nearly the same bum severity. The peak discharge per unit drainage area Qupeak was a linear function of the maximum 30 min rainfall intensity I30. This function predicted a rainfall intensity threshold of 8.5 mm h-1 below which no runoff was generated. The runoff coefficient C = Qupeak/I30 was a linear function of the mean hydraulic functional connectivity of the subwatersheds. Moreover, the variability of the mean hydraulic functional connectivity was related to the variability of the mean runoff coefficient, and this relation provides physical insight into why the runoff response from the same subwatershed can vary for different rainstorms with the same rainfall intensity. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Outcomes important to burns patients during scar management and how they compare to the concepts captured in burn-specific patient reported outcome measures.

PubMed

Jones, Laura L; Calvert, Melanie; Moiemen, Naiem; Deeks, Jonathan J; Bishop, Jonathan; Kinghorn, Philip; Mathers, Jonathan

2017-12-01

Pressure garment therapy (PGT) is an established treatment for the prevention and treatment of hypertrophic scarring; however, there is limited evidence for its effectiveness. Burn survivors often experience multiple issues many of which are not adequately captured in current PGT trial measures. To assess the effectiveness of PGT it is important to understand what outcomes matter to patients and to consider whether patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) can be used to ascertain the effect of treatments on patients' health-related quality of life. This study aimed to (a) understand the priorities and perspectives of adult burns patients and the parents of burns patients who have experienced PGT via in-depth qualitative data, and (b) compare these with the concepts captured within burn-specific PROMs. We undertook 40 semi-structured interviews with adults and parents of paediatric and adolescent burns patients who had experienced PGT to explore their priorities and perspectives on scar management. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. The outcomes interpreted within the interview data were then mapped against the concepts captured within burn-specific PROMs currently in the literature. Eight core outcome domains were identified as important to adult patients and parents: (1) scar characteristics and appearance, (2) movement and function, (3) scar sensation, (4) psychological distress, adjustments and a sense of normality, (5) body image and confidence, (6) engagement in activities, (7) impact on relationships, and (8) treatment burden. The outcome domains presented reflect a complex holistic patient experience of scar management and treatments such as PGT. Some currently available PROMs do capture the concepts described here, although none assess psychological adjustments and attainment of a sense of normality following burn injury. The routine use of PROMs that represent patient experience and their relative contribution to trial outcome assessment versus clinical measures is now a matter for further research and debate. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human Performance: Psychological and Physiological Sex Differences (A Selected Bibliography)

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-01

1969. 8. Drummond, M. L. Effects of auditory distraction and hunger arousal on task performance of obese and normal weight mentally retarded adults...children on selected tests of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery (Doctoral dissertation, Rutgers University - The State University...741, 9. King, G. D., Hannay, p. J., Masek, B. J., & Burns, J. W. Effects of anxiety and sex on neuropsychological tests. Journal of Consulting and

An Experimental Examination of Combustion of Isolated Liquid Fuel Droplets with Polymeric and Nanoparticle Additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghamari, Mohsen

In spite of recent attention to renewable sources of energy, liquid hydrocarbon fuels are still the main source of energy for industrial and transportation systems. Manufactures and consumers are consistently looking for ways to optimize the efficiency of fuel combustion in terms of cost, emissions and consumer safety. In this regard, increasing burning rate of liquid fuels has been of special interest in both industrial and transportation systems. Recent studies have shown that adding combustible nano-particles could have promising effects on improving combustion performance of liquid fuels. Combustible nano-particles could enhance radiative and conductive heat transfer and also mixing within the droplet. Polymeric additive have also shown promising effect on improving fire safety by suppressing spreading behavior and splatter formation in case of crash scenario. Polymers are also known to have higher burning rate than regular hydrocarbon fuels. Therefore adding polymeric additive could have the potential to increase the burning rate. In this work, combustion dynamics of liquid fuel droplets with both polymeric and nanoparticle additives is studied in normal gravity. High speed photography is employed and the effect of additive concentration on droplet burning rate, burning time, extinction and soot morphology is investigated. Polymer added fuel was found to have a volatility controlled combustion with four distinct regimes. The first three zones are associated with combustion of base fuel while the polymer burns last and after a heating zone because of its higher boiling point. Polymer addition reduces the burning rate of the base fuel in the first zone by means of increasing viscosity and results in nucleate boiling and increased burning rates in the second and third stages. Overall, polymer addition resulted in a higher burning rate and shorter burning time in most of the scenarios. Colloidal suspensions of carbon-based nanomaterials in liquid fuels were also tested at different particle loadings. It was found that dispersing nanoparticles results in higher burning rate by means of enhanced radiative heat absorption and thermal conductivity. An optimum particle loading was found for each particle type at which the maximum burning rate was achieved. It was observed that the burning rate again starts to reduce after this optimum point most likely due to the formation of large aggregates that reduce thermal conductivity and suppress the diffusion of species.

The Role of Hyperglycemia in Burned Patients: Evidence-Based Studies

PubMed Central

Mecott, Gabriel A.; Al-Mousawi, Ahmed M.; Gauglitz, Gerd G.; Herndon, David N.; Jeschke, Marc G.

2013-01-01

Severely burned patients typically experience a systemic response expressed as increased metabolism, inflammation, alteration of cardiac and immune function, and associated hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia has been associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Until recently and for many years, hyperglycemia has been expectantly managed and considered a normal and desired response of an organism to stress. However, findings reported from recent studies now suggest beneficial effects of intensive insulin treatment for critically-ill patients. The literature on the management of hyperglycemia in severely burned patients is sparse, with most of the available studies involving only small numbers of burned patients. The purpose of this article is to describe the pathophysiology of hyperglycemia following severe burns and review the available literature on the outcome of intensive insulin treatment and other anti-hyperglycemic modalities in burned patients in an evidence-based-medicine approach. PMID:19503020

Combustion of solid carbon rods in zero and normal gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spuckler, C. M.; Kohl, F. J.; Miller, R. A.; Stearns, C. A.; Dewitt, K. J.

1979-01-01

In order to investigate the mechanism of carbon combustion, spectroscopic carbon rods were resistance ignited and burned in an oxygen environment in normal and zero gravity. Direct mass spectrometric sampling was used in the normal gravity tests to obtain concentration profiles of CO2, CO, and O2 as a function of distance from the carbon surface. The experimental concentrations were compared to those predicted by a stagnant film model. Zero gravity droptower tests were conducted in order to assess the effect of convection on the normal gravity combustion process. The ratio of flame diameter to rod diameter as a function of time for oxygen pressures of 5, 10, 15, and 20 psia was obtained for three different diameter rods. It was found that this ratio was inversely proportional to both the oxygen pressure and the rod diameter.

Comparison of chemical characteristics of 495 biomass burning plumes intercepted by the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the ARCTAS/CARB-2008 field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hecobian, A.; Liu, Z.; Hennigan, C. J.; Huey, L. G.; Jimenez, J. L.; Cubison, M. J.; Vay, S.; Diskin, G. S.; Sachse, G. W.; Wisthaler, A.; Mikoviny, T.; Weinheimer, A. J.; Liao, J.; Knapp, D. J.; Wennberg, P. O.; Kürten, A.; Crounse, J. D.; St. Clair, J.; Wang, Y.; Weber, R. J.

2011-12-01

This paper compares measurements of gaseous and particulate emissions from a wide range of biomass-burning plumes intercepted by the NASA DC-8 research aircraft during the three phases of the ARCTAS-2008 experiment: ARCTAS-A, based out of Fairbanks, Alaska, USA (3 April to 19 April 2008); ARCTAS-B based out of Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada (29 June to 13 July 2008); and ARCTAS-CARB, based out of Palmdale, California, USA (18 June to 24 June 2008). Approximately 500 smoke plumes from biomass burning emissions that varied in age from minutes to days were segregated by fire source region and urban emission influences. The normalized excess mixing ratios (NEMR) of gaseous (carbon dioxide, acetonitrile, hydrogen cyanide, toluene, benzene, methane, oxides of nitrogen and ozone) and fine aerosol particulate components (nitrate, sulfate, ammonium, chloride, organic aerosols and water soluble organic carbon) of these plumes were compared. A detailed statistical analysis of the different plume categories for different gaseous and aerosol species is presented in this paper. The comparison of NEMR values showed that CH4 concentrations were higher in air-masses that were influenced by urban emissions. Fresh biomass burning plumes mixed with urban emissions showed a higher degree of oxidative processing in comparison with fresh biomass burning only plumes. This was evident in higher concentrations of inorganic aerosol components such as sulfate, nitrate and ammonium, but not reflected in the organic components. Lower NOx NEMRs combined with high sulfate, nitrate and ammonium NEMRs in aerosols of plumes subject to long-range transport, when comparing all plume categories, provided evidence of advanced processing of these plumes.

[Effect of qinghuobaiduyin on the expression of high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 in macrophage].

PubMed

Li, Ping; Xu, Dan; Luo, Chengqun

2010-07-01

To observe the expression of high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1(HMGB1) in RAW264.7 macrophages after interfering with burning serum and qinghuobaidu-yin (QHBDY), and to find out the endogenous protection mechanism of QHBDY resisting inflammation reaction. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of HMGB1 in RAW264.7 macrophages after interfering RAW264.7 macrophages with normal SD rat serum, burning SD rat serum, and QHBDY feeding SD rat serum. Small quantity of HMGB1 mRNA was expressed in RAW264.7. The expression of HMGB1 mRNA fluctuated around the standard level after interfering with normal serum of SD rats. The expression of HMGB1 mRNA rose at 3 h, and then decreased to the standard level; at 18 h, it rose rapidly; at 36 h, it reached the peak; and at 48 h, it remained at the high level after interfering with burning serum. The expression of HMGB1 mRNA increased at 3 h, and then decreased to the standard level. At 24 h, it started to rise after interfering with herb serum, and was lower than that of; the burning serum group (P<0.05). Burning serum can increase the expression of HMGB1 mRNA in RAW264.7. QHBDY can decrease the high expression of HMGB1 mRNA in RAW264.7 caused by burning serum.

Effects of normal acceleration on transient burning rate augmentation of an aluminized solid propellant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Northam, G. B.

1972-01-01

Instantaneous burning rate data for a polybutadiene acrylic acid propellant, containing 16 weight percent aluminum, were calculated from the pressure histories of a test motor with 96.77 sq cm of burning area and a 5.08-cm-thick propellant web. Additional acceleration tests were conducted with reduced propellant web thicknesses of 3.81, 2.54, and 1.27 cm. The metallic residue collected from the various web thickness tests was characterized by weight and shape and correlated with the instantaneous burning rate measurements. Rapid depressurization extinction tests were conducted in order that surface pitting characteristics due to localized increased burning rate could be correlated with the residue analysis and the instantaneous burning rate data. The acceleration-induced burning rate augmentation was strongly dependent on propellant distance burned, or burning time, and thus was transient in nature. The results from the extinction tests and the residue analyses indicate that the transient rate augmentation was highly dependent on local enhancement of the combustion zone heat feedback to the surface by the growth of molten residue particles on or just above the burning surface. The size, shape, and number density of molten residue particles, rather than the total residue weight, determined the acceleration-induced burning rate augmentation.

In vitro and in vivo assessment of lactic acid-modified chitosan scaffolds for potential treatment of full-thickness burns.

PubMed

Velasquillo, Cristina; Silva-Bermudez, Phaedra; Vázquez, Nadia; Martínez, Alan; Espadín, Andres; García-López, Julieta; Medina-Vega, Antonio; Lecona, Hugo; Pichardo-Baena, Raúl; Ibarra, Clemente; Shirai, Keiko

2017-10-01

Autologous skin transplantation is today's "gold standard" treatment for full-thickness burns. However, when > 30% of total body surface area is damaged, there is an important shortage of autologous donor sites for skin grafting; then, treatment alternatives become crucial. Such alternatives can be based on polymeric scaffolds capable of functioning as protective covers and cells/factors carriers. Chitosan (CTS) is a natural-derived polymer with relevant biological-related properties but poor mechanical performance. Improved mechanical properties can be achieved through lactic acid grafting (LA-g); nevertheless, LA-g affects the biological response towards the CTS-based materials. In this work, CTS-LA scaffolds with different LA-g percentages were synthesized and evaluated to determine appropriate LA-g degrees for full-thickness burns treatment. In vitro results indicated that the higher the LA-g percentage, the lower the capability of the scaffolds to sustain fibroblasts culture. Scaffolds with LA-g around 28% (CTS-LA28) sustained cell culture and allowed normal cell functionality. Further evaluation of CTS-LA28 as acellular and cellular grafts in a full-thickness burn mouse model showed that at 28 days post-burn, macroscopic characteristic of the reparation tissue were closer to healthy skin when cellular grafts were used for treatment; histological evaluation also showed that dermis cellularity and collagenous fibers structure were similar to those in healthy skin when cellular grafts were used for burns treatment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2875-2891, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ultraviolet-C Light for Treatment of Candida albicans Burn Infection in Mice

PubMed Central

Dai, Tianhong; Kharkwal, Gitika B; Zhao, Jie; St. Denis, Tyler G; Wu, Qiuhe; Xia, Yumin; Huang, Liyi; Sharma, Sulbha K; d’Enfert, Christophe; Hamblin, Michael R

2011-01-01

Burn patients are at high risk of invasive fungal infections, which are a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and related expense exacerbated by the emergence of drug resistant fungal strains. In this study, we investigated the use of UVC light (254-nm) for the treatment of Candida albicans infection in mouse third degree burns. In-vitro studies demonstrated that UVC could selectively kill the pathogenic yeast C. albicans compared to a normal keratinocyte cell line in a light exposure dependent manner. A mouse model of chronic C. albicans infection in non-lethal 3rd degree burns was developed. The C. albicans strain was stably transformed with a version of the Gaussia princeps luciferase gene that allowed real-time bioluminescence imaging of the progression of C. albicans infection. UVC treatment with a single exposure carried out on day 0 (30 minutes post-infection) gave an average 2.16-log10-unit (99.2%) loss of fungal luminescence when 2.92 J/cm2 UVC had been delivered, while UVC 24-hours post-infection gave 1.94-log10-unit (95.8%) reduction of fungal luminescence after 6.48 J/cm2. Statistical analysis demonstrated that UVC treatment carried out both on both day 0 and day 1 significantly reduced the fungal bioburden of infected burns. UVC was found to be superior to a topical antifungal drug, nystatin cream. UVC was tested on normal mouse skin and no gross damage was observed 24 hours after 6.48 J/cm2. DNA lesions (cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers) were observed by immunofluorescence in normal mouse skin immediately after a 6.48 J/cm2 UVC exposure, but the lesions were extensively repaired at 24-hours after UVC exposure. PMID:21208209

Time-dependent morphological and biochemical changes following cutaneous thermal burn injury and their modulation by copper nicotinate complex: an animal model.

PubMed

Nassar, Muammar A Y; Eldien, Heba M Saad; Tawab, Hanem S Abdel; Saleem, Tahia H; Omar, Hossam M; Nassar, Ahmed Y; Hussein, Mahmoud Rezk Abdelwahed

2012-10-01

Thermal tissue injury is partly mediated by reactive oxygen metabolites. Oxygen free radicals are contributory to local tissue damage following thermal injury and accordingly an interventional therapy using antioxidants may be beneficial. Copper nicotinate complex can scavenge reactive oxygen species (i.e., has antioxidant activity). To examine time-related morphological and biochemical changes following skin thermal injury and their modulation by copper nicotinate complex. An animal model composed of 80 albino rats was established. Ten rats (nonburn group) served as a control group. Seventy rats (burn group) were anesthetized, given a 10% total body surface area, full-thickness burn. Ten rats (from the postburn group) were sacrificed after 24 h (without treatment, i.e., untreated-burn group). The remaining rats were divided into three subgroups (20 rats, each) and were treated topically either with soft paraffin, moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO, a standard therapeutic treatment for burns), or copper nicotinate complex. Five animals from each subgroup were sacrificed every week over a period of 4 weeks. The morphological and biochemical changes were evaluated and compared among the different groups. High levels of the plasma and skin nitiric oxide (marker of oxidative stress) were observed in the untreated-burn group. These levels were significantly low following the application of copper nicotinate complex. Low levels of plasma and skin superoxide dismutase (marker of oxidative stress) and plasma ceruloplasmin were observed in the untreated-burn group. These levels were significantly high following copper nicotinate complex treatment. The total and differential leukocyte counts were low following the onset of the thermal injury. They gradually returned to normal levels over a 4-week period following the application of MEBO or copper nicotinate complex. Compared to untreated-burn group, postburn-healing changes (resolution of the inflammatory reaction, reepithelization of the epidermis, angiogenesis, deposition of collagen fibers, and recovery of the subcellualr organelles) were significantly accelerated following the application of either MEBO or copper nicotinate complex. Application of copper nicotinate complex was associated with improved healing of the thermal burns of the skin. The underlying molecular changes underlying these effects await further investigations.

Remote sensing sensitivity to fire severity and fire recovery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Key, C.H.

2005-01-01

The paper examines fundamental ways that geospatial data on fire severity and recovery are influenced by conditions of the remote sensing. Remote sensing sensitivities are spatial, temporal and radiometric in origin. Those discussed include spatial resolution, the sampling time of year, and time since fire. For standard reference, sensitivities are demonstrated with examples drawn from an archive of burn assessments based on one radiometric index, the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio. Resolution determines the aggregation of fire effects within a pixel (alpha variation), hence defining the detected ecological response, and controlling the ability to determine patchiness and spatial distribution of responses throughout a burn (beta variation). As resolution decreases, alpha variation increases, extracting beta variation from the complexity of the whole burn. Seasonal timing impacts the radiometric quality of data in terms of transmittance, sun angle, and potential for enhanced contrast between responses within burns. Remote sensing sensitivity can degrade during many fire seasons when snow, incomplete burning, hazy conditions, low sun angles, or extended drought are common. Time since fire (lag timing) most notably shapes severity detection through the first-order fire effects evident in survivorship and delayed mortality that emerge by the growth period after fire. The former effects appear overly severe at first, but diminish, as burned vegetation remains viable. Conversely, the latter signals vegetation that appears healthy at first, but is damaged by heat to the extent that it soon dies. Both responses can lead to either over- or under-estimating severity, respectively, depending on fire behavior and pre-fire composition unique to each burned area. Based on implications of such sensitivities, three sampling intervals for short-term burn severity are identified; rapid, initial, and extended assessment, sampled within ca. two weeks, two months, and depending on the ecotype, from three months to one year after fire, respectively. Jointly, remote sensing conditions and the way burns are studied yield different tendencies for data quality and information content that impact the objectives and hypotheses that can be studied. Such considerations can be commonly overlooked, but need to be incorporated especially in comparative studies, and to build long-term reference databases on fire severity and recovery.

Role of autophagy and its molecular mechanisms in mice intestinal tract after severe burn.

PubMed

Zhang, Duan Y; Qiu, Wei; Jin, PeiS; Wang, Peng; Sun, Yong

2017-10-01

Severe burn can lead to hypoxia/ischemia of intestinal mucosa. Autophagy is the process of intracellular degradation, which is essential for cell survival under stresses, such as hypoxia/ischemia and nutrient deprivation. The present study was designed to investigate whether there were changes in intestinal autophagy after severe burn in mice and further to explore the effect and molecular mechanisms of autophagy on intestinal injury. This study includes three experiments. Kunming species mice were subjected to 30% total body surface area third-degree burn. First, we determined protein of LC3 (light chain 3), beclin-1, and cleaved-caspase3 by Western blotting and immunohistochemical (paraffin) staining to investigate whether there were changes in intestinal autophagy after severe burn in mice. Then, changes of the status of enteric damage postburn were measured by observing intestinal mucosa morphology under a magnifier, hematoxylin and eosin staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting under the condition that the intestinal autophagy was respectively activated by rapamycin and inhibited by 3-methyladenine. Finally, protein of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, LC3-II and beclin-1 were assayed, and mice were treated with compound C before burn. The protein of LC3 and beclin-1 were observed at 1 hour postburn and increased to peak-point at 24 hours, reaching the normal level at 96 hours. The cleaved caspase-3 expression increased at 1 hour postburn, but the peak point occurred at 12 hours and had dropped to normal level at 72 hours. In addition, rapamycin enhanced intestinal autophagy and alleviated burn-induced gut damage, while 3-methyladenine showed the against behavior. The AMPK/mTOR pathway which was inhibited decreased the expression of phosphorylated AMPK, LC3-II, and beclin-1, increasing the expression of phosphorylated mTOR. Intestinal autophagy is activated and response to intestinal apoptosis after serious burn, which alleviated burn-induced intestinal injury. The AMPK/mTOR pathway may involve in the activation of burn-induced autophagy. Therapeutic/care management, levels of evidence are not applicable to some studies, such as in vitro work, animal models, cadaver studies.

Correcting for motion artifact in handheld laser speckle images.

PubMed

Lertsakdadet, Ben; Yang, Bruce Y; Dunn, Cody E; Ponticorvo, Adrien; Crouzet, Christian; Bernal, Nicole; Durkin, Anthony J; Choi, Bernard

2018-03-01

Laser speckle imaging (LSI) is a wide-field optical technique that enables superficial blood flow quantification. LSI is normally performed in a mounted configuration to decrease the likelihood of motion artifact. However, mounted LSI systems are cumbersome and difficult to transport quickly in a clinical setting for which portability is essential in providing bedside patient care. To address this issue, we created a handheld LSI device using scientific grade components. To account for motion artifact of the LSI device used in a handheld setup, we incorporated a fiducial marker (FM) into our imaging protocol and determined the difference between highest and lowest speckle contrast values for the FM within each data set (Kbest and Kworst). The difference between Kbest and Kworst in mounted and handheld setups was 8% and 52%, respectively, thereby reinforcing the need for motion artifact quantification. When using a threshold FM speckle contrast value (KFM) to identify a subset of images with an acceptable level of motion artifact, mounted and handheld LSI measurements of speckle contrast of a flow region (KFLOW) in in vitro flow phantom experiments differed by 8%. Without the use of the FM, mounted and handheld KFLOW values differed by 20%. To further validate our handheld LSI device, we compared mounted and handheld data from an in vivo porcine burn model of superficial and full thickness burns. The speckle contrast within the burn region (KBURN) of the mounted and handheld LSI data differed by <4  %   when accounting for motion artifact using the FM, which is less than the speckle contrast difference between superficial and full thickness burns. Collectively, our results suggest the potential of handheld LSI with an FM as a suitable alternative to mounted LSI, especially in challenging clinical settings with space limitations such as the intensive care unit. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Ultralean low swirl burner

DOEpatents

Cheng, R.K.

1998-04-07

A novel burner and burner method has been invented which burns an ultra lean premixed fuel-air mixture with a stable flame. The inventive burning method results in efficient burning and much lower emissions of pollutants such as oxides of nitrogen than previous burners and burning methods. The inventive method imparts weak swirl (swirl numbers of between about 0.01 to 3.0) on a fuel-air flow stream. The swirl, too small to cause recirculation, causes an annulus region immediately inside the perimeter of the fuel-air flow to rotate in a plane normal to the axial flow. The rotation in turn causes the diameter of the fuel-air flow to increase with concomitant decrease in axial flow velocity. The flame stabilizes where the fuel-air mixture velocity equals the rate of burning resulting in a stable, turbulent flame. 11 figs.

A case report on a burned ear: Elastic memory of cartilage following temporary burial in a skin pocket.

PubMed

Visscher, D O; van Zuijlen, P P M

2017-05-01

Preserving exposed ear cartilage following a facial burn remains a major challenge. Normally, burned ear cartilage cannot be preserved in case of a full thickness burn of the overlying skin, and the cartilage has to be surgically removed. Sometimes, reconstructions can be performed at a later stage. We report a case where burned ear cartilage was directly surgically buried in a retroauricular skin pocket showing remarkable elastic memory: the buried ear cartilage, in this case the antihelix, regenerated over time and regained its original position protruding from the facial area. This case illustrates that ear cartilage is highly resilient, even when it has sustained significant thermal damage, and can be buried in a retroauricular skin pocket to avoid radical excision of the framework. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Ultralean low swirl burner

DOEpatents

Cheng, Robert K.

1998-01-01

A novel burner and burner method has been invented which burns an ultra lean premixed fuel-air mixture with a stable flame. The inventive burning method results in efficient burning and much lower emissions of pollutants such as oxides of nitrogen than previous burners and burning methods. The inventive method imparts weak swirl (swirl numbers of between about 0.01 to 3.0) on a fuel-air flow stream. The swirl, too small to cause recirculation, causes an annulus region immediately inside the perimeter of the fuel-air flow to rotate in a plane normal to the axial flow. The rotation in turn causes the diameter of the fuel-air flow to increase with concomitant decrease in axial flow velocity. The flame stabilizes where the fuel-air mixture velocity equals the rate of burning resulting in a stable, turbulent flame.

Remote sensing analysis of vegetation recovery following short-interval fires in Southern California shrublands.

PubMed

Meng, Ran; Dennison, Philip E; D'Antonio, Carla M; Moritz, Max A

2014-01-01

Increased fire frequency has been shown to promote alien plant invasions in the western United States, resulting in persistent vegetation type change. Short interval fires are widely considered to be detrimental to reestablishment of shrub species in southern California chaparral, facilitating the invasion of exotic annuals and producing "type conversion". However, supporting evidence for type conversion has largely been at local, site scales and over short post-fire time scales. Type conversion has not been shown to be persistent or widespread in chaparral, and past range improvement studies present evidence that chaparral type conversion may be difficult and a relatively rare phenomenon across the landscape. With the aid of remote sensing data covering coastal southern California and a historical wildfire dataset, the effects of short interval fires (<8 years) on chaparral recovery were evaluated by comparing areas that burned twice to adjacent areas burned only once. Twelve pairs of once- and twice-burned areas were compared using normalized burn ratio (NBR) distributions. Correlations between measures of recovery and explanatory factors (fire history, climate and elevation) were analyzed by linear regression. Reduced vegetation cover was found in some lower elevation areas that were burned twice in short interval fires, where non-sprouting species are more common. However, extensive type conversion of chaparral to grassland was not evident in this study. Most variables, with the exception of elevation, were moderately or poorly correlated with differences in vegetation recovery.

Remote Sensing Analysis of Vegetation Recovery following Short-Interval Fires in Southern California Shrublands

PubMed Central

Meng, Ran; Dennison, Philip E.; D’Antonio, Carla M.; Moritz, Max A.

2014-01-01

Increased fire frequency has been shown to promote alien plant invasions in the western United States, resulting in persistent vegetation type change. Short interval fires are widely considered to be detrimental to reestablishment of shrub species in southern California chaparral, facilitating the invasion of exotic annuals and producing “type conversion”. However, supporting evidence for type conversion has largely been at local, site scales and over short post-fire time scales. Type conversion has not been shown to be persistent or widespread in chaparral, and past range improvement studies present evidence that chaparral type conversion may be difficult and a relatively rare phenomenon across the landscape. With the aid of remote sensing data covering coastal southern California and a historical wildfire dataset, the effects of short interval fires (<8 years) on chaparral recovery were evaluated by comparing areas that burned twice to adjacent areas burned only once. Twelve pairs of once- and twice-burned areas were compared using normalized burn ratio (NBR) distributions. Correlations between measures of recovery and explanatory factors (fire history, climate and elevation) were analyzed by linear regression. Reduced vegetation cover was found in some lower elevation areas that were burned twice in short interval fires, where non-sprouting species are more common. However, extensive type conversion of chaparral to grassland was not evident in this study. Most variables, with the exception of elevation, were moderately or poorly correlated with differences in vegetation recovery. PMID:25337785

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the 2007 Ammo Fire, San Diego County, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Ammo Fire in San Diego County, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 1.75 inches (44.45 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the 2007 Ranch Fire, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Ranch Fire in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 2.25 inches (57.15 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Emergency assessment of debris-flow hazards from basins burned by the 2007 Harris Fire, San Diego County, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

IntroductionThe objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Harris Fire in San Diego County, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 1.75 inches (44.45 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the 2007 Rice Fire, San Diego County, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Rice Fire in San Diego County, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 1.75 inches (44.45 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the 2007 Poomacha Fire, San Diego County, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Poomacha Fire in San Diego County, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 2.25 inches (57.15 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the 2007 Witch Fire, San Diego County, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Witch Fire in San Diego County, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 2.25 inches (57.15 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the 2007 Slide and Grass Valley Fires, San Bernardino County, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Slide and Grass Valley Fires in San Bernardino County, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 3.50 inches (88.90 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the 2007 Buckweed Fire, Los Angeles County, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Buckweed Fire in Los Angeles County, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 2.25 inches (57.15 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the 2007 Canyon Fire, Los Angeles County, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Canyon Fire in Los Angeles County, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 2.25 inches (57.15 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the 2007 Santiago Fire, Orange County, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Michael, John A.; Bauer, Mark A.; Stitt, Susan C.; Knifong, Donna L.; McNamara, Bernard J.; Roque, Yvonne M.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to present a preliminary emergency assessment of the potential for debris-flow generation from basins burned by the Santiago Fire in Orange County, southern California in 2007. Debris flows are among the most hazardous geologic phenomena; debris flows that followed wildfires in southern California in 2003 killed 16 people and caused tens of millions of dollars of property damage. A short period of even moderate rainfall on a burned watershed can lead to debris flows. Rainfall that is normally absorbed into hillslope soils can run off almost instantly after vegetation has been removed by wildfire. This causes much greater and more rapid runoff than is normal from creeks and drainage areas. Highly erodible soils in a burn scar allow flood waters to entrain large amounts of ash, mud, boulders, and unburned vegetation. Within the burned area and downstream, the force of rushing water, soil, and rock can destroy culverts, bridges, roadways, and buildings, potentially causing injury or death. This emergency debris-flow hazard assessment is presented as relative ranking of the predicted median volume of debris flows that can issue from basin outlets in response to 1.75 inches (44.45 mm) of rainfall over a 3-hour period. Such a storm has a 10-year return period. The calculation of debris flow volume is based on a multiple-regression statistical model that describes the median volume of material that can be expected from a recently burned basin as a function of the area burned at high and moderate severity, the basin area with slopes greater than or equal to 30 percent, and triggering storm rainfall. Cannon and others (2007) describe the methods used to generate the hazard maps. Identification of potential debris-flow hazards from burned drainage basins is necessary to issue warnings for specific basins, to make effective mitigation decisions, and to help plan evacuation timing and routes.

Modeling of multi-strata forest fire severity using Landsat TM data

Treesearch

Q. Meng; R.K. Meentemeyer

2011-01-01

Most of fire severity studies use field measures of composite burn index (CBI) to represent forest fire severity and fit the relationships between CBI and Landsat imagery derived differenced normalized burn ratio (dNBR) to predict and map fire severity at unsampled locations. However, less attention has been paid on the multi-strata forest fire severity, which...

SU-E-J-273: Skin Temperature Recovery Rate as a Potential Predictor for Radiation-Induced Skin Reactions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biswal, N C; Wu, Z; Chu, J

Purpose: To assess the potential of dynamic infrared imaging to evaluate early skin reactions during radiation therapy in cancer patients. Methods: Thermal images were captured by our home-built system consisting of two flash lamps and an infrared (IR) camera. The surface temperature of the skin was first raised by ∼ 6 °C from ∼1 ms short flashes; the camera then captured a series of IR images for 10 seconds. For each image series, a basal temperature was recorded for 0.5 seconds before flash was triggered. The temperature gradients (ε) were calculated between a reference point (immediately after the flash) andmore » at a time point of 2sec, 4sec and 9sec after that. A 1.0 cm region of interest (ROI) on the skin was drawn; the mean and standard deviations of the ROIs were calculated. The standard ε values for normal human skins were evaluated by imaging 3 healthy subjects with different skin colors. All of them were imaged on 3 separate days for consistency checks. Results: The temperature gradient, which is the temperature recovery rate, depends on the thermal properties of underlying tissue, i.e. thermal conductivity. The average ε for three volunteers averaged over 3 measurements were 0.64±0.1, 0.72±0.2 and 0.80±0.3 at 2sec, 4sec and 9sec respectively. The standard deviations were within 1.5%–3.2%. One of the volunteers had a prior small skin burn on the left wrist and the ε values for the burned site were around 9% (at 4sec) and 13% (at 9sec) lower than that from the nearby normal skin. Conclusion: The temperature gradients from the healthy subjects were reproducible within 1.5%–3.2 % and that from a burned skin showed a significant difference (9%–13%) from the normal skin. We have an IRB approved protocol to image head and neck patients scheduled for radiation therapy.« less

Mixed Convection Blowoff Limits as a Function of Oxygen Concentration and Upward Forced Stretch Rate for Burning Pmma Rods of Various Sizes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcum, Jeremy W.; Ferkul, Paul V.; Olson, Sandra L.

2017-01-01

Normal gravity flame blowoff limits in an axisymmetric pmma rod geometry in upward axial stagnation flow are compared with microgravity Burning and Suppression of Solids II (BASS-II) results recently obtained aboard the International Space Station. This testing utilized the same BASS-II concurrent rod geometry, but with the addition of normal gravity buoyant flow. Cast polymethylmethacrylate (pmma) rods of diameters ranging from 0.635 cm to 3.81 cm were burned at oxygen concentrations ranging from 14 to 18 by volume. The forced flow velocity where blowoff occurred was determined for each rod size and oxygen concentration. These blowoff limits compare favorably with the BASS-II results when the buoyant stretch is included and the flow is corrected by considering the blockage factor of the fuel. From these results, the normal gravity blowoff boundary for this axisymmetric rod geometry is determined to be linear, with oxygen concentration directly proportional to flow speed. We describe a new normal gravity upward flame spread test method which extrapolates the linear blowoff boundary to the zero stretch limit to resolve microgravity flammability limits, something current methods cannot do. This new test method can improve spacecraft fire safety for future exploration missions by providing a tractable way to obtain good estimates of material flammability in low gravity.

Accuracy of Currently Used Paper Burn Diagram vs a Three-Dimensional Computerized Model.

PubMed

Benjamin, Nicole C; Lee, Jong O; Norbury, William B; Branski, Ludwik K; Wurzer, Paul; Jimenez, Carlos J; Benjamin, Debra A; Herndon, David N

Burn units have historically used paper diagrams to estimate percent burn; however, unintentional errors can occur. The use of a computer program that incorporates wound mapping from photographs onto a three-dimensional (3D) human diagram could decrease subjectivity in preparing burn diagrams and subsequent calculations of TBSA burned. Analyses were done on 19 burned patients who had an estimated TBSA burned of ≥20%. The patients were admitted to Shriners Hospitals for Children or the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, from July 2012 to September 2013 for treatment. Digital photographs were collected before the patient's first surgery. Using BurnCase 3D (RISC Software GmbH, Hagenberg, Austria), a burn mapping software, the user traced partial- and full-thickness burns from photographs. The program then superimposed tracings onto a 3D model and calculated percent burned. The results were compared with the Lund and Browder diagrams completed after the first operation. A two-tailed t-test was used to calculate statistical differences. For partial-thickness burns, burn sizes calculated using Lund and Browder diagrams were significantly larger than those calculated using BurnCase 3D (15% difference, P < .01). The opposite was found for full-thickness burns, with burn sizes being smaller when calculated using Lund and Browder diagrams (11% difference, P < .05). In conclusion, substantial differences exist in percent burn estimations derived from BurnCase 3D and paper diagrams. In our studied cohort, paper diagrams were associated with overestimation of partial-thickness burn size and underestimation of full-thickness burn size. Additional studies comparing BurnCase 3D with other commonly used methods are warranted.

Electroacupuncture improves burn-induced impairment in gastric motility mediated via the vagal mechanism in rats.

PubMed

Song, J; Yin, J; Sallam, H S; Bai, T; Chen, Y; Chen, J D Z

2013-10-01

Delayed gastric emptying (GE) is common in patients with severe burns. This study was designed to investigate effects and mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) on gastric motility in rats with burns. Male rats (intact and vagotomized) were implanted with gastric electrodes, chest and abdominal wall electrodes for investigating the effects of EA at ST-36 (stomach-36 or Zusanli) on GE, gastric slow waves, autonomic functions, and plasma interleukin 6 (IL-6) 6 and 24 h post severe burns. (i) Burn delayed GE (P < 0.001). Electroacupuncture improved GE 6 and 24 h post burn (P < 0.001). Vagotomy blocked the EA effect on GE. (ii) Electroacupuncture improved burn-induced gastric dysrhythmia. The percentage of normal slow waves was increased with EA 6 and 24 h post burn (P = 0.02). (iii) Electroacupuncture increased vagal activity assessed by the spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). The high-frequency component reflecting vagal component was increased with EA 6 (P = 0.004) and 24 h post burn (P = 0.03, vs sham-EA). (iv) Electroacupuncture attenuated burn-induced increase in plasma IL-6 at both 6 (P = 0.03) and 24 h post burn (P = 0.003). Electroacupuncture at ST-36 improves gastric dysrhythmia and accelerates GE in rats with burns. The improvement seems to be mediated via the vagal pathway involving the inflammatory cytokine IL-6. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keeping up with video game technology: objective analysis of Xbox Kinect™ and PlayStation 3 Move™ for use in burn rehabilitation.

PubMed

Parry, Ingrid; Carbullido, Clarissa; Kawada, Jason; Bagley, Anita; Sen, Soman; Greenhalgh, David; Palmieri, Tina

2014-08-01

Commercially available interactive video games are commonly used in rehabilitation to aide in physical recovery from a variety of conditions and injuries, including burns. Most video games were not originally designed for rehabilitation purposes and although some games have shown therapeutic potential in burn rehabilitation, the physical demands of more recently released video games, such as Microsoft Xbox Kinect™ (Kinect) and Sony PlayStation 3 Move™ (PS Move), have not been objectively evaluated. Video game technology is constantly evolving and demonstrating different immersive qualities and interactive demands that may or may not have therapeutic potential for patients recovering from burns. This study analyzed the upper extremity motion demands of Kinect and PS Move using three-dimensional motion analysis to determine their applicability in burn rehabilitation. Thirty normal children played each video game while real-time movement of their upper extremities was measured to determine maximal excursion and amount of elevation time. Maximal shoulder flexion, shoulder abduction and elbow flexion range of motion were significantly greater while playing Kinect than the PS Move (p≤0.01). Elevation time of the arms above 120° was also significantly longer with Kinect (p<0.05). The physical demands for shoulder and elbow range of motion while playing the Kinect, and to a lesser extent PS Move, are comparable to functional motion needed for daily tasks such as eating with a utensil and hair combing. Therefore, these more recently released commercially available video games show therapeutic potential in burn rehabilitation. Objectively quantifying the physical demands of video games commonly used in rehabilitation aides clinicians in the integration of them into practice and lays the framework for further research on their efficacy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Effect of Poloxamer 188 on deepening of deep second-degree burn wounds in the early stage.

PubMed

Yuhua, Shi; Ligen, Li; Jiake, Chai; Tongzhu, Sun

2012-02-01

To discuss the effect of Poloxamer 188 (P188) on deepening of deep second-degree burn wounds in the early stage after burn. We divided Wistar rats with deep second-degree burn wounds on the backs thereof into two groups, then intravenously injected P188 for the treatment group and intravenously injecting physiological saline for the control group, detecting the activity of Na(+)-K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase (Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the content of malonaldehyde (MDA) and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) in the burn wound, and showing the degree of necrosis in the wound by haematoxylin-eosin (HE) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemical staining. In the control group and treatment group, the activity of SDH and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase dropped to the lowest point 24 h after the burn took place, and then increased gradually, but was still far lower than the normal level at the furthest time point. At 24 h after burn, activity of SDH and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in the treatment group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05); the activity of MPO of the control group reached the highest point at 24 h while that of MPO of the treatment group reached the highest point after 48 h; later, that of MPO of both groups decreased, but was still higher than the normal level. Compared with the highest values of the activity of MPO of both groups, that of the control group was higher than that of the treatment group (p<0.05); the contents of MDA of both groups kept increasing after the burn; 72 h later, that of the control group was higher than that of the treatment group (p<0.05). HE and PCNA staining showed progressive damage of the wound in the treatment group, which was decreased with treatment, particularly at the early stages. Systemic application of P188 on deep second-degree burn wounds at the early stage may alleviate wound deepening, whose mechanism may be related to timely sealing up the damaged cell membrane and inhibiting the inflammatory reaction. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Combustion characteristics of nanoaluminum, liquid water, and hydrogen peroxide mixtures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sabourin, J.L.; Yetter, R.A.; Risha, G.A.

2008-08-15

An experimental investigation of the combustion characteristics of nanoaluminum (nAl), liquid water (H{sub 2}O{sub (l)}), and hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) mixtures has been conducted. Linear and mass-burning rates as functions of pressure, equivalence ratio ({phi}), and concentration of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} in H{sub 2}O{sub (l)} oxidizing solution are reported. Steady-state burning rates were obtained at room temperature using a windowed pressure vessel over an initial pressure range of 0.24 to 12.4 MPa in argon, using average nAl particle diameters of 38 nm, {phi} from 0.5 to 1.3, and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} concentrations between 0 and 32% by mass. Atmore » a nominal pressure of 3.65 MPa, under stoichiometric conditions, mass-burning rates per unit area ranged between 6.93 g/cm{sup 2} s (0% H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) and 37.04 g/cm{sup 2} s (32% H{sub 2}O{sub 2}), which corresponded to linear burning rates of 9.58 and 58.2 cm/s, respectively. Burning rate pressure exponents of 0.44 and 0.38 were found for stoichiometric mixtures at room temperature containing 10 and 25% H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, respectively, up to 5 MPa. Burning rates are reduced above {proportional_to}5 MPa due to the pressurization of interstitial spaces of the packed reactant mixture with argon gas, diluting the fuel and oxidizer mixture. Mass burning rates were not measured above {proportional_to}32% H{sub 2}O{sub 2} due to an anomalous burning phenomena, which caused overpressurization within the quartz sample holder, leading to tube rupture. High-speed imaging displayed fingering or jetting ahead of the normal flame front. Localized pressure measurements were taken along the sample length, determining that the combustion process proceeded as a normal deflagration prior to tube rupture, without significant pressure buildup within the tube. In addition to burning rates, chemical efficiencies of the combustion reaction were determined to be within approximately 10% of the theoretical maximum under all conditions studied. (author)« less

[Timing of bacterial colonization in severe burns: is strict isolation necessary?].

PubMed

Barret, Juan P

2003-12-01

Infection is still one of the main causes of mortality in severe burn patients. Strict isolation has been used for the prevention of infection, but the efficacy of this measure is debatable. The aim of this study was to determine the timing of bacterial colonization in these patients and to ascertain whether strict isolation is indicated. Thirty consecutive children with severe burns were studied. Patients were only barrier-nursed during dressing changes. On admission and twice weekly over the entire hospital stay, burn, sputum, gastric aspirates, feces, and blood samples were obtained for culture. All isolates were tested for specific biotypes. Results were studied with linear regression and repeated measures ANOVA to determine the timing of colonization and cross-colonization between patients. On admission, normal cutaneous flora were isolated from burn cultures of all patients. The remaining cultures were negative. After one week, gastric aspirates were found to be colonized by gram-negative bacteria and fungi. This was followed by colonization of feces, burn, and sputum cultures. Biotype identification showed unidirectional colonization from the gastrointestinal tract to burns and upper airway. There were no cross infections between patients. Microbial colonization in severe burn patients was endogenous in nature and there were no cross infections. Thus, strict isolation is not necessary in burn centers, except during outbreaks of multi-resistant microorganisms.

Vitamin E Supplementation in Burn Patients

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

consequences of this severe and rapid depletion are unknown because adipose tissue alpha- tocopherol normally takes years to deplete. Our long- term...proposal were to a) attenuate alpha- tocopherol depletion in burn patients by vitamin E supplementation, b) to prevent or reverse oxidative stress, c...hypothesis is that the administration of high doses of alpha- tocopherol will prevent or restore levels of vitamin E in adipose tissue and reverse

Vitamin E Supplementation in Burn Patients

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

The consequences of this severe and rapid depletion are unknown because adipose tissue alpha- tocopherol normally takes years to deplete. Our long...our proposal were to a) attenuate alpha- tocopherol depletion in burn patients by vitamin E supplementation, b) to prevent or reverse oxidative...central hypothesis is that the administration of high doses of alpha- tocopherol will prevent or restore levels of vitamin E in adipose tissue and

Determination of Resting Energy Expenditure After Severe Burn

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

increase in metab- olism after burn. However, the Society of Critical Care Medicine along with the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral... Nutrition recommended in their 2009 Guidelines that predictive equations to estimate nutritional requirements be used with cau- tion.3 Equations normally...Department of Nutritional Medicine at San Antonio Military Medical Center, the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston

MILD OBESITY IS PROTECTIVE AFTER SEVERE BURN INJURY

PubMed Central

Jeschke, Marc G.; Finnerty, Celeste C.; Emdad, Fatemeh; Rivero, Haidy G.; Kraft, Robert; Williams, Felicia N; Gamelli, Richard L.; Gibran, Nicole S.; Klein, Matthew B.; Arnoldo, Brett D.; Tompkins, Ronald G.; Herndon, David N.

2014-01-01

Objective To assess the impact of obesity on morbidity and mortality in severely burned patients. Background Despite the increasing number of people with obesity, little is known about the impact of obesity on postburn outcomes. Methods A total of 405 patients were prospectively enrolled as part of the multicenter trial Inflammation and the Host Response to Injury Glue Grant with the following inclusion criteria: 0 to 89 years of age, admitted within 96 hours after injury, and more than 20% total body surface area burn requiring at least 1 surgical intervention. Body mass index was used in adult patients to stratify according to World Health Organization definitions: less than 18.5 (underweight), 18.5 to 29.9 (normal weight), 30 to 34.9 (obese I), 35 to 39.9 (obese II), and body mass index more than 40 (obese III). Pediatric patients (2 to ≤18 years of age) were stratified by using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization body mass index-for-age growth charts to obtain a percentile ranking and then grouped as underweight (<5th percentile), normal weight (5th percentile to <95th percentile), and obese (≥95th percentile). The primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcomes were clinical markers of patient recovery, for example, multiorgan function, infections, sepsis, and length of stay. Results A total of 273 patients had normal weight, 116 were obese, and 16 were underweight; underweight patients were excluded from the analyses because of insufficient patient numbers. There were no differences in primary and secondary outcomes when normal weight patients were compared with obese patients. Further stratification in pediatric and adult patients showed similar results. However, when adult patients were stratified in obesity categories, log-rank analysis showed improved survival in the obese I group and higher mortality in the obese III group compared with obese I group (P < 0.05). Conclusions Overall, obesity was not associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with mild obesity have the best survival, whereas morbidly obese patients have the highest mortality. PMID:23877367

[Effects of application of pulse contour cardiac output monitoring technology in early treatment of patients with large area burns].

PubMed

Wang, D Y; Xie, W G; Xi, M M; Li, Z; Wang, B

2018-01-20

Objective: To analyze the changes and relationship of early hemodynamic indexes of patients with large area burns monitored by pulse contour cardiac output (PiCCO) monitoring technology, so as to assess the guiding value of this technology in the treatment of patients with large area burns during shock period. Methods: Eighteen patients with large area burns, confirming to the study criteria, were admitted to our unit from May 2016 to May 2017. Pulse contour cardiac output index (PCCI), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI), and extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) of patients were monitored by PiCCO instrument from admission to post injury day (PID) 7, and they were calibrated and recorded once every four hours. The fluid infusion coefficients of patients at the first and second 24 hours post injury were calculated. The blood lactic acid values of patients from PID 1 to 7 were also recorded. The correlations among PCCI, SVRI, and GEDVI as well as the correlation between SVRI and blood lactic acid of these 18 patients were analyzed. Prognosis of patients were recorded. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance, single sample t test and Bonferroni correction, Pearson correlation analysis, and Spearman rank correlation analysis. Results: (1) There was statistically significant difference in PCCI value of patients from post injury hour (PIH) 4 to 168 ( F =7.428, P <0.01). The PCCI values of patients at PIH 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 were (2.4±0.9), (2.6±1.2), (2.2±0.6), (2.6±0.7), (2.8±0.6), and (2.7±0.7) L·min(-1)·m(-2,) respectively, and they were significantly lower than the normal value 4 L·min(-1)·m(-2)( t =-3.143, -3.251, -11.511, -8.889, -6.735, -6.976, P <0.05 or P <0.01). At PIH 76, 80, 84, 88, 92, and 96, the PCCI values of patients were (4.9±1.5), (5.7±2.0), (5.9±1.7), (5.5±1.3), (5.3±1.1), and (4.9±1.4) L·min(-1)·m(-2,) respectively, and they were significantly higher than the normal value ( t =2.277, 3.142, 4.050, 4.111, 4.128, 2.423, P <0.05 or P <0.01). The PCCI values of patients at other time points were close to normal value ( P >0.05). (2) There was statistically significant difference in SVRI value of patients from PIH 4 to 168 ( F =7.863, P <0.01). The SVRI values of patients at PIH 12, 16, 20, 24, and 28 were (2 298±747), (2 581±498), (2 705±780), (2 773±669), and (3 109±1 215) dyn·s·cm(-5)·m(2,) respectively, and they were significantly higher than the normal value 2 050 dyn·s·cm(-5)·m(2)( t =0.878, 3.370, 2.519, 3.747, 3.144, P <0.05 or P <0.01). At PIH 4, 8, 72, 76, 80, 84, 88, 92, and 96, the SVRI values of patients were (1 632±129), (2 012±896), (1 381±503), (1 180±378), (1 259±400), (1 376±483), (1 329±385), (1 410±370), and (1 346±346) dyn·s·cm(-5)·m(2,) respectively, and they were significantly lower than the normal value ( t =-4.593, -0.112, -5.157, -8.905, -7.914, -5.226, -6.756, -6.233, -7.038, P <0.01). The SVRI values of patients at other time points were close to normal value ( P >0.05). (3) There was no statistically significant difference in the GEDVI values of patients from PIH 4 to 168 ( F =0.704, P >0.05). The GEDVI values of patients at PIH 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 were significantly lower than normal value ( t =-3.112, -3.554, -2.969, -2.450, -2.476, P <0.05). The GEDVI values of patients at other time points were close to normal value ( P >0.05). (4) There was statistically significant difference in EVLWI value of patients from PIH 4 to 168 ( F =1.859, P <0.01). The EVLWI values of patients at PIH 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, and 40 were significantly higher than normal value ( t =4.386, 3.335, 6.363, 4.391, 7.513, 5.392, 5.642, P <0.01). The EVLWI values of patients at other time points were close to normal value ( P >0.05). (5) The fluid infusion coefficients of patients at the first and second 24 hours post injury were 1.90 and 1.39, respectively. The blood lactic acid values of patients from PID 1 to 7 were 7.99, 5.21, 4.57, 4.26, 2.54, 3.13, and 3.20 mmol/L, respectively, showing a declined tendency. (6) There was obvious negative correlation between PCCI and SVRI ( r =-0.528, P <0.01). There was obvious positive correlation between GEDVI and PCCI ( r =0.577, P <0.01). There was no obvious correlation between GEDVI and SVRI ( r =0.081, P >0.05). There was obvious positive correlation between blood lactic acid and SVRI ( r =0.878, P <0.01). (7) All patients were cured except the one who abandoned treatment. Conclusions: PiCCO monitoring technology can monitor the changes of early hemodynamic indexes and volume of burn patients dynamically, continuously, and conveniently, and provide valuable reference for early-stage comprehensive treatment like anti-shock of patients with large area burns.

Potentials and limitations of remote fire monitoring in protected areas.

PubMed

Dos Santos, João Flávio Costa; Romeiro, Joyce Machado Nunes; de Assis, José Batuíra; Torres, Fillipe Tamiozzo Pereira; Gleriani, José Marinaldo

2018-03-01

Protected areas (PAs) play an important role in maintaining the biodiversity and ecological processes of the site. One of the greatest challenges for the PA management in several biomes in the world is wildfires. The objective of this work was to evaluate the potentialities and limitations of the use of data obtained by orbital remote sensing in the monitoring fire occurrence in PAs. Fire Occurrence Records (FORs) were analyzed in Serra do Brigadeiro State Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2007 to 2015, using photo interpreted data from TM, ETM + and OLI sensors of the Landsat series and the Hot Spot Database (HSD) from the Brazilian Institute of Space Research - INPE. It was also observed the time of permanence of the scar left by fire on the landscape, through the multitemporal analysis of the behavior of NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and NBR (Normalized Burn Ratio) indexes, before and after the occurrence. The greatest limitation found for the orbital remote monitoring was the presence of clouds in the passage of the sensor in dates close to the occurrence of the fires. The burned area identified by photo interpretation was 54.9% less than the area contained in the FOR. Although the HSD reported fire occurrences in the buffer zone (up to 10km from the Park), no FORs were found at a distance greater than 1100m from the boundaries of the PA. As the main potential of remote sensing, the possibility of identifying burned areas throughout the park and surroundings is highlighted, with low costs and greater accuracy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preliminary evidence of early bone resorption in a sheep model of acute burn injury: an observational study.

PubMed

Klein, Gordon L; Xie, Yixia; Qin, Yi-Xian; Lin, Liangjun; Hu, Minyi; Enkhbaatar, Perenlei; Bonewald, Lynda F

2014-03-01

Treatment with bisphosphonates within the first 10 days of severe burn injury completely prevents bone loss. We therefore postulated that bone resorption occurs early post burn and is the primary explanation for acute bone loss in these patients. Our objective was to assess bone for histological and biomechanical evidence of early resorption post burn. We designed a randomized controlled study utilizing a sheep model of burn injury. Three sheep received a 40 % total body surface area burn under isoflurane anesthesia, and three other sheep received cotton-smoke inhalation and served as control. Burned sheep were killed 5 days post procedure and controls were killed 2 days post procedure. Backscatter scanning electron microscopy was performed on iliac crests obtained immediately postmortem along with quantitative histomorphometry and compression testing to determine bone strength (Young's modulus). Blood ionized Ca was also determined in the first 24 h post procedure as was urinary CTx. Three of three sheep killed at 5 days had evidence of scalloping of the bone surface, an effect of bone resorption, whereas none of the three sheep killed at 2 days post procedure had scalloping. One of the three burned sheep killed at 5 days showed quantitative doubling of the eroded surface and halving of the bone volume compared to sham controls. Mean values of Young's modulus were approximately one third lower in the burned sheep killed at 5 days compared to controls, p = 0.08 by unpaired t test, suggesting weaker bone. These data suggest early post-burn bone resorption. Urine CTx normalized to creatinine did not differ between groups at 24 h post procedure because the large amounts of fluids received by the burned sheep may have diluted urine creatinine and CTx and because the urine volume produced by the burned sheep was threefold that of the controls. We calculated 24 h urinary CTx excretion, and with this calculation CTx excretion/24 h in the burned sheep was nearly twice that of the controls. Moreover, whole blood ionized Ca measured at 3- to 6-h intervals over the first 24 h in both burn and control sheep showed a 6 % reduction versus baseline in the burned sheep with <1 % reduction in the control animals. This sheep model was previously used to demonstrate upregulation of the parathyroid calcium-sensing receptor within the timeframe of the present study. Because both early bone resorption, supported by this study, and calcium-sensing receptor upregulation, consistent with the observed reduction in blood ionized Ca, are mediated by proinflammatory cytokines that are present as part of the post-burn systemic inflammatory response, we may postulate that post-burn upregulation of the parathyroid calcium-sensing receptor may be an adaptive response to clear the blood of excess calcium liberated by cytokine-mediated bone resorption.

New Onset Migraine Associated With a Civilian Burn Pit.

PubMed

Chalela, Julio A

2017-05-01

Deployed service members exposed to burn pit smoke can experience a multitude of symptoms. Respiratory symptoms after burn pit smoke exposure are well recognized, but neurologic symptoms are less well recognized. There are reports of migraines triggered by odors but no specific reports of new onset migraines triggered by exposure to burn pit smoke. Clinicians encountering patients with new onset migraines in the deployed setting face the dilemma of evacuating the patients to perform neuroimaging or keeping them in theatre. Retrospective case series study and review of the literature. Three patients with new onset headache after exposure to open burn pit smoke are described. The headaches met established criteria to be classified as migraine with aura in two patients and migraine without aura in one patient. The migraines were triggered by exposure to the burn pit smoke and relieved by avoidance of the smoke. The patients did not have history of migraine and had normal neurological examinations. Computed tomography performed in one patient and optic nerve insonation performed in all three patients were normal. The patients responded well to triptans and antiemetic medicines. Nociceptive odors can trigger classic migraines in adults without prior history of migraine. The temporal association between exposure to the odor and the development of the headache, the absence of abnormalities on neurologic examination, and the response to triptans help establish the diagnosis. Activation of the trigeminal system leading to release of pain-related neuropeptides may mediate the migrainous symptoms. Evacuation for advanced neuroimaging or specialized consultation can be avoided if the above-mentioned criteria are met. Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Effects of burn location and investigator on burn depth in a porcine model.

PubMed

Singer, Adam J; Toussaint, Jimmy; Chung, Won Taek; Thode, Henry C; McClain, Steve; Raut, Vivek

2016-02-01

In order to be useful, animal models should be reproducible and consistent regardless of sampling bias, investigator creating burn, and burn location. We determined the variability in burn depth based on biopsy location, burn location and investigator in a porcine model of partial thickness burns. 24 partial thickness burns (2.5 cm by 2.5 cm each) were created on the backs of 2 anesthetized pigs by 2 investigators (one experienced, one inexperienced) using a previously validated model. In one of the pigs, the necrotic epidermis covering each burn was removed. Five full thickness 4mm punch biopsies were obtained 1h after injury from the four corners and center of the burns and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin and Masson's trichrome for determination of burn depth by a board certified dermatopathologist blinded to burn location and investigator. Comparisons of burn depth by biopsy location, burn location and investigator were performed with t-tests and ANOVA as appropriate. The mean (SD) depth of injury to blood vessels (the main determinant of burn progression) in debrided and non-debrided pigs pooled together was 1.8 (0.3)mm, which included 75% of the dermal depth. Non-debrided burns were 0.24 mm deeper than debrided burns (P<0.001). Burn depth increased marginally from cephalic to caudal in non-debrided burns, but showed no statistical differences for these locations, in debrided burns. Additionally, there were also no statistical differences in burn depths from midline to lateral in either of these burn types. Burn depth was similar for both investigators and among biopsy locations. Burn depth was greater for caudal locations in non-debrided burns and overall non-debrided burns were deeper than debrided burns. However, burn depth did not differ based on investigator, biopsy site, and medial-lateral location. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Assessment of post forest fire reclamation in Algarve, Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrade, Rita; Panagopoulos, Thomas; Guerrero, Carlos; Martins, Fernando; Zdruli, Pandi; Ladisa, Gaetano

2014-05-01

Fire is a common phenomenon in Mediterranean landscapes and it plays a crucial role in its transformations, making the determination of its impact on the ecosystem essential for land management. During summer of 2012, a wildfire took place in Algarve, Portugal, on an area mainly covered by sclerophyllous vegetation (39.44%, 10080ha), broad-leaved forest (20.80%, 5300ha), agriculture land with significant areas of natural vegetation (17.40%, 4400ha) and transitional woodlands-shrubs (16.17%, 4100ha). The objective of the study was to determine fire severity in order to plan post-fire treatments and to aid vegetation recovery and land reclamation. Satellite imagery was used to estimate burn severity by detecting physical and ecological changes in the landscape caused by fire. Differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (DNBR) was used to measure burn severity with pre and post fire data of four Landsat images acquired in October 2011, February and August 2012 and April 2013. The initial and extended differenced normalized burn ratio (DiNBR and DeNBR) were calculated. The calculated burned area of 24291 ha was 552ha lower than the map data determined with field reports. The 19.5% of that area was burned with high severity, 45% with moderate severity and 28.3% with low severity. Comparing fire severity and regrowth with land use, it is shown in DiNBR that the most severely burned areas were predominantly sclerophyllous vegetation (37.6%) and broad-leaved forests (31.1%). From the DeNRB it was found that the reestablishment of vegetation was slower in mixed forests and higher in sclerophyllous vegetation and in land with significant areas of natural vegetation. Faster recovery was calculated for the land uses of sclerophyllous vegetation (46.7%) and significant regrowth in areas of natural vegetation and lands occupied by agriculture (25.4%). Next steps of the study are field validation and crossing with erosion risk maps before to take land reclamation decisions.

Relationship Between Palmer's Drought Severity Index and the Moisture Index of Woody Debris in the Southern Coastal Plain

Treesearch

James D. Haywood; Richard H. Stagg; Allan E. Tiarks

2004-01-01

After the 1998 through 2000 drought in Louisiana, some prescribed burns had uncommonly severe fire behavior. A significant portion of the consumed fuels most likely were larger material normally unavailable for burning. Therefore at sites in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, we studied the relationship between Palmer’s Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and the drying rate...

Trace gas emissions from a mid-latitude prescribed chaparral fire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cofer, Wesley R., III; Levine, Joel S.; Sebacher, Daniel I.; Riggan, Philip J.; Winstead, Edward L.; Shaw, Edwin F., Jr.; Brass, James A.; Ambrosia, Vincent G.

1988-01-01

Smoke-plume gas samples were collected at altitudes from 35-670 m above the ground over the San Dimas Experimental Forest during a 400-acre prescribed chaparral fire. Mean emission ratios relative to CO2 for CO, H2, CH4, and total nonmethane hydrocarbons were lower than previous values obtained for large biomass-burning field experiments. Comparison of samples from vigorously flaming and mixed stages of combustion revealed little differences in CO2 normalized emission ratios for these gases (except for N2O).

Gut microbiota trajectory in patients with severe burn: A time series study.

PubMed

Wang, Xinying; Yang, Jianbo; Tian, Feng; Zhang, Li; Lei, Qiucheng; Jiang, Tingting; Zhou, Jihong; Yuan, Siming; Wang, Jun; Feng, Zhijian; Li, Jieshou

2017-12-01

This time series experiments aimed to investigate the dynamic change of gut microbiomes after severe burn and its association with enteral nutrition (EN). Seven severely burned patients who suffered from a severe metal dust explosion injury were recruited in this study. The dynamic changes of gut microbiome of fecal samples at six time points (1-3days, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6weeks after severe burn) were detected using 16S ribosomal RNA pyrosequencing technology. Following the post-burn temporal order, gut microbiota dysbiosis was detected in the gut microbiome after severe burn, then it was gradually resolved. The bio-diversity of gut bacteria was initially decreased, and then returned to normal level. In addition, at the early stage (from 2 to 4weeks), the majority of those patients' gut microbiome were opportunistic pathogen genus, Enterococcus and Escherichia; while at the end of this study, the majority was a beneficial genus, Bacteroides. EN can promote the recovery of gut microbiota, especially in EN well-tolerated patients. Severe burn injury can cause a dramatic dysbiosis of gut microbiota. A trend of enriched beneficial bacteria and diminished opportunistic pathogen bacteria may serve as prognosis microbiome biomarkers of severe burn patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Analysis Framework Using Satellite Remote Sensing to Understand Landscape Patterns of High Severity Burns from Wildfires in Coastal Woodlands of California and Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potter, C. S.

2016-12-01

The central California coastal landscape has a history of frequent large wildfires that have threatened or destroyed many residential structures at the wildland interface. This study starts with the largest wildfires on the Central Coast over the past 30 years and analyzes the fraction and landscape patterns of high severity burned (HBS) areas from the Landsat-based Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) data base as a function of weather conditions and topographic variations. Results indicate that maximum temperatures at the time of fire and the previous 12 months of rainfall explained a significant portion of the variation in total area burned and the fraction of HBS area. Average patch size and aggregation metrics of HBS areas were included in the analysis framework. Within each burned area, the Landsat (30-meter resolution) differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR), a continuous index of vegetation burn severity, was correlated against slope, aspect, and elevation to better understand landscape level-controls over HBS patches. The Landsat dNBR analysis framework is being extended next to the island of Sardinia, Italy for a comparison of Mediterranean climates and wildfire patterns since the mid-1980s.

Post-fire vegetation recovery in Portugal based on spot/vegetation data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouveia, C.; Dacamara, C. C.; Trigo, R. M.

2010-04-01

A procedure is presented that allows identifying large burned scars and the monitoring of vegetation recovery in the years following major fire episodes. The procedure relies on 10-day fields of Maximum Value Composites of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (MVC-NDVI), with a 1 km×1 km spatial resolution obtained from the VEGETATION instrument. The identification of fire scars during the extremely severe 2003 fire season is performed based on cluster analysis of NDVI anomalies that persist during the vegetative cycle of the year following the fire event. Two regions containing very large burned scars were selected, located in Central and Southwestern Portugal, respectively, and time series of MVC-NDVI analysed before the fire events took place and throughout the post-fire period. It is shown that post-fire vegetation dynamics in the two selected regions may be characterised based on maps of recovery rates as estimated by fitting a monoparametric model of vegetation recovery to MVC-NDVI data over each burned scar. Results indicated that the recovery process in the region located in Central Portugal is mostly related to fire damage rather than to vegetation density before 2003, whereas the latter seems to have a more prominent role than vegetation conditions after the fire episode, e.g. in the case of the region in Southwestern Portugal. These differences are consistent with the respective predominant types of vegetation. The burned area located in Central Portugal is dominated by Pinus Pinaster whose natural regeneration crucially depends on the destruction of seeds present on the soil surface during the fire, whereas the burned scar in Southwestern Portugal was populated by Eucalyptus that may quickly re-sprout from buds after fire. Besides its simplicity, the monoparametric model of vegetation recovery has the advantage of being easily adapted to other low-resolution satellite data, as well as to other types of vegetation indices.

Effects of controlled fire and livestock grazing on bird communities in East African savannas.

PubMed

Gregory, Nathan C; Sensenig, Ryan L; Wilcove, David S

2010-12-01

In East Africa fire and grazing by wild and domestic ungulates maintain savannas, and pastoralists historically set fires and herded livestock through the use of temporary corrals called bomas. In recent decades traditional pastoral practices have declined, and this may be affecting biodiversity. We investigated the effects of prescribed fires and bomas on savanna bird communities in East Africa during the first and second dry seasons of the year (respectively before and after the rains that mark the onset of breeding for most birds). We compared abundance, richness, and community composition on 9-ha burned plots, recently abandoned bomas, and control plots in the undisturbed matrix habitat over a 3-year period. Generally, recently burned areas and abandoned bomas attracted greater densities of birds and had different community assemblages than the surrounding matrix. The effects of disturbances were influenced by interactions between primary productivity, represented by the normalized difference vegetation index, and time. Bird densities were highest and a greater proportion of species was observed on burned plots in the months following the fires. Drought conditions equalized bird densities across treatments within 1 year, and individuals from a greater proportion of species were more commonly observed on abandoned bomas. Yearly fluctuations in abundance were less pronounced on bomas than on burns, which indicate that although fire may benefit birds in the short term, bomas may have a more-lasting positive effect and provide resources during droughts. Several Palearctic migrants were attracted to burned plots regardless of rainfall, which indicates continued fire suppression may threaten their already-declining populations. Most notably, the paucity of birds observed on the controls suggests that the current structure of the matrix developed as a result of fire suppression. Traditional pastoralism appears critical to the maintenance of avian diversity in these savannas. © 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Role of epidermal stem cells in repair of partial-thickness burn injury after using Moist Exposed Burn Ointment (MEBO(®)) histological and immunohistochemical study.

PubMed

El-Hadidy, M R; El-Hadidy, A R; Bhaa, A; Asker, S A; Mazroa, S A

2014-04-01

Moist Exposed Burn Ointment (MEBO(®)) is widely used topical agent applied on skin burn. This study investigated the effect of MEBO topical application on activation and proliferation of epidermal stem cells through the immunohistochemical localization of cytokeratin 19 (CK19) as a known marker expressed in epidermal stem cells. Biopsies from normal skin and burn wounds were taken from 21 patients with partial thickness burn 1, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after treatment with MEBO. Tissue sections were prepared for histological study and for CK19 immunohistochemical localization. In control skin, only few cells showed a positive CK19 immune-reaction. Burned skin showed necrosis of full thickness epidermis that extended to dermis. Gradual regeneration of skin accompanied with an enhancement in CK19 immune-reactivity was noted 4, 7, 14 and 21 days after treatment with MEBO. On day 28, a complete regeneration of skin was observed with a return of CK19 immune-reactivity to the basal pattern again. In conclusion, the enhancement of epidermal stem cell marker CK19 after treatment of partial thickness burn injuries with MEBO suggested the role of MEBO in promoting epidermal stem cell activation and proliferation during burn wound healing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Results of Propellant Mixing Variable Study Using Precise Pressure-Based Burn Rate Calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefanski, Philip L.

2014-01-01

A designed experiment was conducted in which three mix processing variables (pre-curative addition mix temperature, pre-curative addition mixing time, and mixer speed) were varied to estimate their effects on within-mix propellant burn rate variability. The chosen discriminator for the experiment was the 2-inch diameter by 4-inch long (2x4) Center-Perforated (CP) ballistic evaluation motor. Motor nozzle throat diameters were sized to produce a common targeted chamber pressure. Initial data analysis did not show a statistically significant effect. Because propellant burn rate must be directly related to chamber pressure, a method was developed that showed statistically significant effects on chamber pressure (either maximum or average) by adjustments to the process settings. Burn rates were calculated from chamber pressures and these were then normalized to a common pressure for comparative purposes. The pressure-based method of burn rate determination showed significant reduction in error when compared to results obtained from the Brooks' modification of the propellant web-bisector burn rate determination method. Analysis of effects using burn rates calculated by the pressure-based method showed a significant correlation of within-mix burn rate dispersion to mixing duration and the quadratic of mixing duration. The findings were confirmed in a series of mixes that examined the effects of mixing time on burn rate variation, which yielded the same results.

Sivelestat sodium hydrate attenuates acute lung injury by decreasing systemic inflammation in a rat model of severe burns.

PubMed

Xiao, X-G; Zu, H-G; Li, Q-G; Huang, P

2016-01-01

Patients with severe burns often develop acute lung injury (ALI), systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) often complicates with ALI. Sivelestat sodium hydrate is an effective drug against ALI. However, the mechanisms of this beneficial effect are still poorly understood. In the current study, we evaluate the effects of sivelestat sodium hydrate on systemic and local inflammatory parameters (neutrophil elastase [NE], interleukin [IL]-8, matrix metalloproteinase [MMP] 2 and 9) in a rat model of severe burns and ALI. And to analyze the correlations between expression of NE and IL-8 and acute lung injury. 48 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into 3 groups: normal control group, severe burns injury group and severe burns treated with sivelestat sodium hydrate group (SSI). The lung water content and PaO2 were detected in each group. Pathological manifestations in each group were observed for pathology scoring in SD rats with acute lung injury. ELISA was used for detecting expression of NE and IL-8 in serum and BAL specimens of SD rats in each group. RT-PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of NE and IL-8 in lung tissues of each group. Western blotting was used for detecting protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in lung tissues of each group. SPSS 18.0 was used for statistical analysis. The PaO2 was significantly increased after sivelestat sodium hydrate intravenous injection. Pathological score and water content of lung tissue were significantly decreased in SSI group compared with severe burns injury group, slightly higher than that normal control group. NE and IL-8 levels significantly decreased in serum, BAL and lung tissue specimens after sivelestat sodium hydrate intravenous injection; Expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly up-regulated in severe burns group and showed no significantly changed after sivelestat sodium hydrate intravenous injection. In a rat model of severe burns and ALI, administration of sivelestat sodium hydrate improved symptoms of ALI and significantly decreased inflammatory parameters NE and IL-8.

[Effects of hydrogen sulfide on the secretion of cytokines in macrophages of deep partial-thickness burn wound in rats].

PubMed

Li, Y; Xu, D B; Wang, H J

2016-07-20

To analyze the effects of exogenous hydrogen sulfide on the secretion of growth factors basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), as well as inflammatory mediators tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in macrophages of deep partial-thickness burn wound in rats. Seventy-eight SD rats were divided into normal control group (n=6), pure burn group, sodium hydrosulfide group, propargylglycine (PPG) group, and sodium hydrosulfide+ PPG group according to the random number table, with 18 rats in each of the latter four groups. Rats in normal control group did not receive any treatment, while rats in the other four groups were inflicted with 5% total burn surface area deep partial-thickness scald (hereinafter referred to as burn) on the back. Immediately after burn, rats in pure burn group, sodium hydrosulfide group, and group PPG were intraperitoneally injected with saline 2 mL/kg, sodium hydrosulfide 56 μmol/kg, and PPG 45 mg/kg respectively, while those in sodium hydrosulfide+ PPG group were intraperitoneally injected with sodium hydrosulfide 56 μmol/kg and PPG 45 mg/kg, once a day till the day before harvesting specimen. Six rats of normal control group fed for one week, and 6 rats from each of the rest four groups on post injury day (PID) 3, 7, 14 were collected respectively. Normal skin on the back of rats in normal control group and tissue in the base of wound of rats in the other four groups were harvested to isolate macrophages, and then the content of bFGF, TGF-β1, TNF-α, and IL-1β in culture supernatant of macrophages was detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance, analysis of variance of factorial design, and LSD test. Compared with that of normal control group [(42.6±2.5) and (18±4) pg/mL], the content of bFGF and TGF-β1 in culture supernatant of macrophages of rats in pure burn group was obviously increased at each time point (with P values below 0.01), peaking on PID 14 at (141.6±7.7) and (580±16) pg/mL respectively. Compared with that of pure burn group, the content of bFGF and TGF-β1 in culture supernatant of macrophages of rats in sodium hydrosulfide group was obviously increased at each time point (with P values below 0.01), peaking on PID 14 at (193.7±10.9) and (793±12) pg/mL respectively, while the content of bFGF and TGF-β1 in culture supernatant of macrophages of rats in group PPG was obviously decreased at each time point (with P values below 0.01), reaching the nadir on PID 3 at (62.0±7.1) and (170±10) pg/mL respectively. The content of bFGF and TGF-β1 in culture supernatant of macrophages of rats in sodium hydrosulfide+ PPG group was obviously lower than that of sodium hydrosulfide group but obviously higher than that of group PPG at each time point (with P values below 0.01), peaking on PID 14 at (151.3±9.0) and (579±9) pg/mL respectively. Compared with that of normal control group [(97±6) and (31±6) pg/mL], the content of TNF-α and IL-1β in culture supernatant of macrophages of rats in pure burn group was obviously increased at each time point (with P values below 0.01), peaking on PID 3 at (924±8) and (290±10) pg/mL respectively. Compared with that of pure burn group, the content of TNF-α and IL-1β in culture supernatant of macrophages of rats in sodium hydrosulfide group was obviously decreased at each time point (with P values below 0.01), reaching the nadir on PID 14 at (346±10) and (120±5) pg/mL respectively, while the content of TNF-α and IL-1β in culture supernatant of macrophages of rats in group PPG was obviously increased at each time point (with P values below 0.01), peaking on PID 3 at (1 232±13) and (410±10) pg/mL respectively. The content of TNF-α and IL-1β in culture supernatant of macrophages of rats in sodium hydrosulfide+ PPG group was obviously higher than that of sodium hydrosulfide group but obviously lower than that of group PPG at each time point (with P values below 0.01), reaching the nadir on PID 14 at (488±16) and (144±6) pg/mL respectively. Supplementation of exogenous hydrogen sulfide in small dosage can increase the secretion of growth factors bFGF and TGF-β1 in macrophages of wound in rats with deep partial-thickness burn in the early stage and reduce the release of inflammatory mediators TNF-α and IL-1β in the meantime, thus affecting the healing of wound.

Asymptotic expressions for turbulent burning velocity at the leading edge of a premixed flame brush and their validation by published measurement data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jaeseo; Lee, Gwang G.; Huh, Kang Y.

2014-12-01

This paper presents validation of new analytical expressions for the turbulent burning velocity, ST, based on asymptotic behavior at the leading edge (LE) in turbulent premixed combustion. Reaction and density variation are assumed to be negligible at the LE to avoid the cold boundary difficulty in the statistically steady state. Good agreement is shown for the slopes, dST/du', with respect to Lc/δf at low turbulence, with both normalized by those of the reference cases. δf is the inverse of the maximum gradient of reaction progress variable through an unstretched laminar flame, and Lc is the characteristic length scale given as burner diameter or measured integral length scale. Comparison is made for thirty-five datasets involving different fuels, equivalence ratios, H2 fractions in fuel, pressures, and integral length scales from eight references [R. C. Aldredge et al., "Premixed-flame propagation in turbulent Taylor-Couette flow," Combust. Flame 115, 395 (1998); M. Lawes et al., "The turbulent burning velocity of iso-octane/air mixtures," Combust. Flame 159, 1949 (2012); H. Kido et al., "Influence of local flame displacement velocity on turbulent burning velocity," Proc. Combust. Inst. 29, 1855 (2002); J. Wang et al., "Correlation of turbulent burning velocity for syngas/air mixtures at high pressure up to 1.0 MPa," Exp. Therm. Fluid Sci. 50, 90 (2013); H. Kobayashi et al., "Experimental study on general correlation of turbulent burning velocity at high pressure," Proc. Combust. Inst. 27, 941 (1998); C. W. Chiu et al., "High-pressure hydrogen/carbon monoxide syngas turbulent burning velocities measured at constant turbulent Reynolds numbers," Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 37, 10935 (2012); P. Venkateswaran et al., "Pressure and fuel effects on turbulent consumption speeds of H2/CO blends," Proc. Combust. Inst. 34, 1527 (2013); M. Fairweather et al., "Turbulent burning rates of methane and methane-hydrogen mixtures," Combust. Flame 156, 780 (2009)]. The turbulent burning velocity is shown to increase as the flamelet thickness, δf, decreases at a high pressure, for an equivalence ratio slightly rich or close to stoichiometric and for mixture of a high H2 fraction. Two constants involved are C to scale turbulent diffusivity as a product of turbulent intensity and characteristic length scale and Cs to relate δf with the mean effective Lm. L m = (D m u / SL u 0) is the scale of exponential decay at the LE of an unstretched laminar flame. The combined constant, KC/Cs, is adjusted to match measured turbulent burning velocities at low turbulence in each of the eight different experimental setups. All measured S T / SL u 0 values follow the line, KDtu/Dmu + 1, at low turbulent intensities and show bending below the line due to positive mean curvature and broadened flamelet thickness at high turbulent intensities. Further work is required to determine the constants, Cs and K, and the factor, (L m / Lm * - L m (∇ ṡ n) f), that is responsible for bending in different conditions of laminar flamelet and incoming turbulence.

Effect of pH, temperature and moisture content during composting of rice straw burning at different temperature with food waste and effective microorganisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azura Zakarya, Irnis; Baya Khalib, Siti Noor; Ramzi, Norhasykin Mohd

2018-03-01

Rice straw is considered as one of the most important agricultural residues and represented as one of the major by-products from rice production process. Normally, rice straw that produced after harvesting season been directly burned on-farm. Conversion of rice straw into value added compost will improve the productivity of plant, reduction of pollution towards environment and reduction of local pollution due to open burning activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of composting rice straw ash (RSA) with food waste (FW) and effective microorganisms (EM) in term of the compost quality (pH, temperature, moisture content). RSA was prepared by burning the raw rice straw at three different temperature of 300°C, 400°C and 500°C for one hour. EM used during the composting process was prepared by mixing of brown sugar, `tempe' and water that can be used after one week of fermentation process. There are four treatments of RSA-compost; RSA (300°C), RSA (400°C), RSA (500°C) and control (raw rice straw) with the same amount of compost medium; 1kg black soil, 0.5kg RSA, 3L EM and 1kg FW. The composting process happens for 30 days. During the composting process, all the parameters of RSA-compost obtained in a range like; pH value 8-10, temperature 20-50°C and moisture content 40-60%. The result showed that all compost quality of rice straw ash compost obtained in an acceptable range for final compost to establish.

Rapid and selective enzymatic debridement of porcine comb burns with bromelain-derived Debrase: acute-phase preservation of noninjured tissue and zone of stasis.

PubMed

Singer, Adam J; McClain, Steve A; Taira, Breena R; Rooney, Jean; Steinhauff, Nicole; Rosenberg, Lior

2010-01-01

Deep burns are associated with the formation of an eschar, which delays healing and increases the risk of infection. Surgical debridement of the eschar is, at present, the fastest means to achieve an eschar-free bed, but the process can not differentiate between the viable tissue and the eschar and follow the minute irregularities of the interface between the two. We evaluated the efficacy and selectivity of a novel enzymatic bromelain-based debriding agent, Debrase Gel Dressing (Debrase), in a porcine comb burn model. We hypothesized that Debrase would result in rapid debridement of the eschar without adverse effects on the surrounding uninjured skin. This is a prospective, controlled, animal experiment. Five domestic pigs (20-25 kg) were used in this study. Sixteen burns were created on each animal's dorsum using a brass comb with four rectangular prongs preheated in boiling water and applied for 30 seconds, resulting in four rectangular 10 x 20 mm full-thickness burns and separated by three 5 x 20 mm unburned interspaces representing the zone of stasis. The burned keratin layer (blisters) was removed, and the burns were treated with a single, topical, Debrase or control vehicle application for 4 hours. The Debrase/control was then wiped off using a metal forceps handle, and the burns were treated with a topical silver sulfadiazine (SSD). The wounds were observed, and full-thickness biopsies were obtained at 4 and 48 hours for evidence of dermal thickness, vascular thrombosis, and burn depth, both within the comb burns and the unburned interspaces in between them. Chi-square and t tests are used for data analysis. A single 4-hour topical application of Debrase resulted in rapid and complete eschar dissolution of all the burns in which the keratin layer was removed. The remaining dermis was thinner (1.1 +/- 0.7 mm) than in the control burns (2.1 +/- 0.3 mm; difference 0.9 mm [95% confidence interval: 0.3-1.4]) and was viable with no injury to the normal surrounding skin or to the unburned interspaces between the burns, which represents the zone of stasis. In control burns, the entire thickness of the dermis was necrotic. At 48 hours, Debrase-treated areas were found partially desiccated under SSD treatment. The unburned interspaces demonstrated partial-thickness necrosis in two third and full-thickness necrosis in one third of wounds. In contrast, full-thickness necrosis was noted in all control interspaces (P = .05). In a porcine comb burn model, a single, 4-hour topical application of Debrase resulted in rapid removal of the necrotic layer of the dermis with preservation of unburned tissues. At 48 hours, SSD treatment resulted in superficial tissue damage and partial preservation of the unburned interspaces.

The relationship between protease/anti-protease profile, angiogenesis and re-epithelialisation in acute burn wounds.

PubMed

Caulfield, Robert H; Tyler, Michael P H; Austyn, Jon M; Dziewulski, Peter; McGrouther, Duncan A

2008-06-01

In the management of partial thickness burns, it is difficult to balance between conservative management and surgical intervention. Our hypothesis was that a triangular relationship exists between protease/anti-protease profile at the burn wound surface, angiogenesis and re-epithelialisation. By manipulation of the biochemical profile at the wound level, we determined to affect the nature and extent of angiogenesis and resulting re-epithelialisation. We performed a randomised longitudinal observational study on partial thickness burns in adult patients presenting to two regional burns units. Our results demonstrated that a high-protease wound environment is associated with lower levels of the angiogenic factor VEGF, a lower more uniform change in wound bloodflow and a uniform well healed wound with an architecturally normal epidermis. In addition, we found that a low protease wound environment is associated with higher levels of the angiogenic factor VEGF, a higher wound bloodflow throughout the wound healing period and a more chaotic, hypercellular, overkeratinised, and chaotic thickened epidermis.

Timing constraints on remote sensing of wildland fire burned area in the southeastern US

USGS Publications Warehouse

Picotte, J.J.; Robertson, K.

2011-01-01

Remote sensing using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery is increasingly used for mapping wildland fire burned area and burn severity, owing to its frequency of collection, relatively high resolution, and availability free of charge. However, rapid response of vegetation following fire and frequent cloud cover pose challenges to this approach in the southeastern US. We assessed these timing constraints by using a series of Landsat TM images to determine how rapidly the remotely sensed burn scar signature fades following prescribed burns in wet flatwoods and depression swamp community types in the Apalachicola National Forest, Florida, USA during 2006. We used both the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) of reflectance bands sensitive to vegetation and exposed soil cover, as well as the change in NBR from before to after fire (dNBR), to estimate burned area. We also determined the average and maximum amount of time following fire required to obtain a cloud-free image for burns in each month of the year, as well as the predicted effect of this time lag on percent accuracy of burn scar estimates. Using both NBR and dNBR, the detectable area decreased linearly 9% per month on average over the first four months following fire. Our findings suggest that the NBR and dNBR methods for monitoring burned area in common southeastern US vegetation community types are limited to an average of 78-90% accuracy among months of the year, with individual burns having values as low as 38%, if restricted to use of Landsat 5 TM imagery. However, the majority of burns can still be mapped at accuracies similar to those in other regions of the US, and access to additional sources of satellite imagery would improve overall accuracy. ?? 2011 by the authors.

Timing constraints on remote sensing of wildland fire burned area in the southeastern US

USGS Publications Warehouse

Picotte, Joshua J.; Robertson, Kevin

2011-01-01

Remote sensing using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery is increasingly used for mapping wildland fire burned area and burn severity, owing to its frequency of collection, relatively high resolution, and availability free of charge. However, rapid response of vegetation following fire and frequent cloud cover pose challenges to this approach in the southeastern US. We assessed these timing constraints by using a series of Landsat TM images to determine how rapidly the remotely sensed burn scar signature fades following prescribed burns in wet flatwoods and depression swamp community types in the Apalachicola National Forest, Florida, USA during 2006. We used both the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) of reflectance bands sensitive to vegetation and exposed soil cover, as well as the change in NBR from before to after fire (dNBR), to estimate burned area. We also determined the average and maximum amount of time following fire required to obtain a cloud-free image for burns in each month of the year, as well as the predicted effect of this time lag on percent accuracy of burn scar estimates. Using both NBR and dNBR, the detectable area decreased linearly 9% per month on average over the first four months following fire. Our findings suggest that the NBR and dNBR methods for monitoring burned area in common southeastern US vegetation community types are limited to an average of 78–90% accuracy among months of the year, with individual burns having values as low as 38%, if restricted to use of Landsat 5 TM imagery. However, the majority of burns can still be mapped at accuracies similar to those in other regions of the US, and access to additional sources of satellite imagery would improve overall accuracy.

Decreased ocular blood flow after photocoagulation therapy in neonatal retinopathy of prematurity.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Tadashi; Itokawa, Takashi; Shiba, Tomoaki; Tomita, Masahiko; Hine, Kotaro; Mizukaki, Norio; Yoda, Hitoshi; Hori, Yuichi

2017-11-01

To evaluate the relationships between optic nerve head blood flow, expressed as mean blur rate (MBR) measured by laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG), and photocoagulation therapy in neonates with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Case series study. We studied 5 ROP neonates either during sleep or under sedation both before and after photocoagulation, and evaluated 8 eyes in which the circulation could be measured three times consecutively. Correlations between the MBR-A (mean of all values), MBR-V (vessel mean) and MBR-T (tissue mean) and postmenstrual age were evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. In addition, correlations between the relative MBR (-A, -V, -T) value and number of photocoagulation burns and the NV score were evaluated. Differences between post-treatment MBR in ROP subjects and normal neonates' MBR were estimated using analysis of covariance (ANCoVA), with adjustment for postmenstrual age. The relative MBR (-A, -V, -T) values after photocoagulation were 69.6 ± 16.0%, 66.7 ± 17.0% and 74.3 ± 14.6%, respectively. Postmenstrual age was significantly correlated with post-treatment MBR-A (r = 0.83, p = 0.0101), MBR-V (r = 0.85, p = 0.007) and MBR-T (r = 0.76, p = 0.0282). The relative MBR-T value was significantly correlated with the number of photocoagulation burns (r = -0.75, p = 0.033) and NV score (r = -0.72, p = 0.0437). The ANCoVA results showed no significant difference between post-treatment MBR and normal neonates' MBR. Photocoagulation improved the dilation of veins and tortuosity of arteries and reduced ocular blood flow in ROP subjects. Since the post-treatment MBR was not different from a normal neonate's MBR, it is suggested that the pre-treatment MBR was higher in severe ROP cases.

Studying the Infleunce of Burning Fireworks on Air Quality and Human Health in a Residential Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kota, S. H.; Garaga, R.

2016-12-01

India observes Diwali as the celebration of lights, which fully brightens the nation with its splendour, and amazes all with its happiness. To understand the impact of fireworks on air quality and human health, a ten-day short term study was conducted in one of the residential colleges in North-East India. The PM10 concentration during fireworks was 311µg/m3, which was 81% higher than a normal day. Additionally, ambient noise level measured during fireworks day was found to be 101 dB, which was 65% higher than a normal day's mean noise level. SO42-, NO3-, Cl-, F-, Na+, Ca2+, NH4+, K+, Zn, Fe, Cd, Co, Ni and Sr increased by 1.29, 0.51, 0.48, 1.08, 0.6, 0.54, 1.79, 1.43, 1.72, 0.34, 0.42, 0.82, 0.56, 0.17 times respectively, on fireworks compared to a normal day. Additionally, microorganisms decreased by 40% to the concentration of CFU/m3, on fireworks day. This implies that the fireworks burning inhibit the growth of microbial activity. The source apportionment studies carried out using principal component analysis revealed five factors related to fireworks, construction activities, biomass burning, vehicle emission and industries. The average number of patients in the hospital increased three folds, evidently signifying the negative impact of fireworks on human health. Patients suffering from cough, sneezing, headache and nasal congestion increased by 64, 69, 65 and 82%, respectively. This study stresses the importance of regulated and monitored practice of burning of fireworks in regions with high population density.

Gender differences in burns: A study from emergency centres in the Western Cape, South Africa.

PubMed

Blom, Lisa; Klingberg, Anders; Laflamme, Lucie; Wallis, Lee; Hasselberg, Marie

2016-11-01

Little is known about gender differences in aetiology and management of acute burns in resource-constrained settings in South Africa. This cross-sectional study is based on burn case reports (n=1915) from eight emergency centres in Western Cape, South Africa (June 2012-May 2013). Male/female rate ratios by age group and age-specific incidence rates were compiled for urban and rural areas along with gender differences in proportions between children and adults for injury aetiology, burn severity, length of stay and patient disposition. Children 0-4 years in urban areas had the highest burn incidence but only among adults did male rates surpass females, with fire burns more common among men 20-39 years and hot liquid burns among men 55+ years. Men had a higher proportion of burns during weekends, from interpersonal violence and suspected use of alcohol/other substances, with more pronounced differences for hot liquid burns. Despite similar Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores, men were more often transferred to higher levels of care and women more often treated and discharged. Burns were far more common among children although gender differences arose only among adults. Men sustained more injuries of somewhat different aetiology and were referred to higher levels of care more often for comparable wound severity. The results suggest different disposition between men and women despite similar AIS scores. However, further studies with more comprehensive information on severity level and other care- and patient-related factors are needed to explore these results further. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Flow Coupling Effects in Jet-in-Crossflow Flowfields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bain, D. B.; Smith, C. E.; Liscinsky, D. S.; Holdeman, J. D.

1996-01-01

The combustor designer is typically required to design liner orifices that effectively mix air jets with crossflow effluent. CFD combustor analysis is typically used in the design process; however the jets are usually assumed to enter the combustor with a uniform velocity and turbulence profile. The jet-mainstream flow coupling is usually neglected because of the computational expense. This CFD study was performed to understand the effect of jet-mainstream flow coupling, and to assess the accuracy of jet boundary conditions that are commonly used in combustor internal calculations. A case representative of a plenum-fed quick-mix section of a Rich Burn/Quick Mix/Lean Burn combustor (i.e. a jet-mainstream mass-flow ratio of about 3 and a jet-mainstream momentum-flux ratio of about 30) was investigated. This case showed that the jet velocity entering the combustor was very non-uniform, with a low normal velocity at the leading edge of the orifice and a high normal velocity at the trailing edge of the orifice. Three different combustor-only cases were analyzed with uniform inlet jet profile. None of the cases matched the plenum-fed calculations. To assess liner thickness effects, a thin-walled case was also analyzed. The CFD analysis showed the thin-walled jets had more penetration than the thick-walled jets.

[Comparison of occupational and home accidents as a cause of severe burns. The experience of a large burn center in an industrial city].

PubMed

Romano, C; Arturi, L; Rubino, G F; Magliacani, G

1989-01-01

Among acute "traumatisms", occupational and domestic accidents chiefly share burn. To compare these two causes of severe burns, we examined clinical records of patients hospitalized from January 1986 to February 1989 in the "Grand Burns Center" at the C.T.O. hospital in Turin. Data exclusively refer to patients over 12 years old. 61 out of 313 cases (19%) were due to occupational burns, 221 (71%) to domestic ones (left cases including burns occurred in different surroundings). Males predominance was very high (95%) in the occupational settings, lower though still relevant (60%) in the domestic ones. The topographic distribution of the burns did not show any relevant difference. Similarly, the two groups did not differ as the affected percent of the body surface area (BSA) is concerned: in both cases burns extended cases. Decreased patients were fairly more numerous among the domestic burns (33%) as compared to the occupational ones (18%). The overwhelming majority (90.5%) of domestic burns were caused by fire; such a predominance, though present, was lower (68.8%) among occupational accidents. More in detail, domestic burns were caused as follows: alcohol spraying to stir a fire (26%), gas burst (25%), flammable substances exposed to heat sources (18%), hot water or different liquid (8%), fall over heating devices (6%), fires from cigarettes in bed (5%), kitchen stoves (with or without clothing fire) (5%), brushwood burning (4%), other (3%). It is worth noting that in as many as 40% of the cases of domestic burns patients were affected by a pre-existing neuro-psychic disorder, namely: personality disorders (15%), psychiatric disorders (%), epilepsy (9%), mental debility (7%).

Frequency analysis of heart rate variability: a useful assessment tool of linearly polarized near-infrared irradiation to stellate ganglion area for burning mouth syndrome.

PubMed

Momota, Yukihiro; Takano, Hideyuki; Kani, Koichi; Matsumoto, Fumihiro; Motegi, Katsumi; Aota, Keiko; Yamamura, Yoshiko; Omori, Mayuko; Tomioka, Shigemasa; Azuma, Masayuki

2013-03-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is characterized by the following subjective complaints without distinct organic changes: burning sensation in mouth or chronic pain of tongue. BMS is also known as glossodynia; both terms are used equivalently in Japan. Although the real cause of BMS is still unknown, it has been pointed out that BMS is related to some autonomic abnormality, and that stellate ganglion near-infrared irradiation (SGR) corrects the autonomic abnormality. Frequency analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) is expected to be useful for assessing autonomic abnormality. This study investigated whether frequency analysis of HRV could reveal autonomic abnormality associated with BMS, and whether autonomic changes were corrected after SGR. Eight subjects received SGR; the response to SGR was assessed by frequency analysis of HRV. No significant difference of autonomic activity concerning low-frequency (LF) norm, high-frequency (HF) norm, and low-frequency/high-frequency (LF/HF) was found between SGR effective and ineffective groups. Therefore, we proposed new parameters: differential normalized low frequency (D LF norm), differential normalized high frequency (D HF norm), and differential low-frequency/high-frequency (D LF/HF), which were defined as differentials between original parameters just before and after SGR. These parameters as indexes of responsiveness of autonomic nervous system (ANS) revealed autonomic changes in BMS, and BMS seems to be related to autonomic instability rather than autonomic imbalance. Frequency analysis of HRV revealed the autonomic instability associated with BMS and enabled tracing of autonomic changes corrected with SGR. It is suggested that frequency analysis of HRV is very useful in follow up of BMS and for determination of the therapeutic efficacy of SGR. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of past burning frequency on plant species structure and composition in dry dipterocarp forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wanthongchai, Dr.; Bauhus, Prof.; Goldammer, Prof.

2009-04-01

Anthropogenic burning in dry dipterocarp forests (DDF) has become a common phenomenon throughout Thailand. It is feared that too frequent fires may affect vegetation structure and composition and thus impact on ecosystem productivity. The aim of this study was to quantify the effects of prescribed fires on sites with different past burning regimes on vegetation structure and composition in the Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (HKK), Thailand. Fire frequency was determined from satellite images and ranged from frequent, infrequent, rare and unburned with fire occurrences of 7, 2, 1 and 0 out of the past 10 years, respectively. The pre-burn fuel loads, the overstorey and understorey vegetation structure and composition were determined to investigate the effects of the contrasting past burning regimes. The burning experiment was carried out, applying a three-strip head-fire burning technique. The vegetation structure and composition were sampled again one year after the fire to assess the fire impacts. Aboveground fine fuel loads increased with the length of fire-free interval. The woody plant structures of the frequently burned stand differed from those of the other less frequently burned stands. The species composition of the overstorey on the frequently burned site, in particular that of small sized trees (4.5-10 cm dbh), also differed significantly from that of the other sites. Whilst the ground vegetation including shrubs and herbs did not differ between the past burning regimes, frequent burning obviously promoted the proliferation of graminoid vegetation. There was no clear evidence showing that the prescribed fires affected the mortality of trees (dbh> 4.5 cm) on the sites of the different past burning regimes. The effects of prescribed burning on the understorey vegetation structures varied between the past burning regimes and the understorey vegetation type. Therefore, it is recommended that the DDF at HKK should be subjected to a prescribed fire frequency not shorter than every 6-7 years, or 1-2 fires per decade, to maintain ecosystem structure and function. Variation in time and space in this way, the biodiversity of the landscape may be maintained for the long-term. Keywords: Prescribed burning, burning history, burning frequency, plant species, vegetation structure, dry dipterocarp forest, Huay Kha Khaeng wildlife Sanctuary

Effect of tank diameter on thermal behavior of gasoline and diesel storage tanks fires.

PubMed

Leite, Ricardo Machado; Centeno, Felipe Roman

2018-01-15

Studies on fire behavior are extremely important as they contribute in a firefighting situation or even to avoid such hazard. Experimental studies of fire in real scale are unfeasible, implying that reduced-scale experiments must be performed, and results extrapolated to the range of interest. This research aims to experimentally study the fire behavior in tanks of 0.04m, 0.20m, 0.40m, 0.80m and 4.28m diameter, burning regular gasoline or diesel oil S-500. The following parameters were here obtained: burning rates, burning velocities, heat release rates, flame heights, and temperature distributions adjacent to the tank. Such parameters were obtained for each tank diameter with the purpose of correlating the results and understanding the relationship of each parameter for the different geometrical scale of the tanks. Asymptotic results for larger tanks were found as (regular gasoline and diesel oil S-500, respectively): burning rates 0.050kg/(m 2 s) and 0.031kg/(m 2 s), burning velocities 4.0mm/min and 2.5mm/min, heat release rates per unit area 2200kW/m 2 and 1500kW/m 2 , normalized averaged flame heights (H i /D, where H i is the average flame height, D is the tank diameter) 0.9 and 0.8. Maximum temperatures for gasoline pools were higher than for diesel oil pools, and temperature gradients close to the tanks were also higher for the former fuel. The behavior of the maximum temperature was correlated as a function of the tank diameter, the heat release rate of each fuel and the dimensionless distance from the tank. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pattern and process of prescribed fires influence effectiveness at reducing wildfire severity in dry coniferous forests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arkle, Robert S.; Pilliod, David S.; Welty, Justin L.

2012-01-01

We examined the effects of three early season (spring) prescribed fires on burn severity patterns of summer wildfires that occurred 1–3 years post-treatment in a mixed conifer forest in central Idaho. Wildfire and prescribed fire burn severities were estimated as the difference in normalized burn ratio (dNBR) using Landsat imagery. We used GIS derived vegetation, topography, and treatment variables to generate models predicting the wildfire burn severity of 1286–5500 30-m pixels within and around treated areas. We found that wildfire severity was significantly lower in treated areas than in untreated areas and significantly lower than the potential wildfire severity of the treated areas had treatments not been implemented. At the pixel level, wildfire severity was best predicted by an interaction between prescribed fire severity, topographic moisture, heat load, and pre-fire vegetation volume. Prescribed fire severity and vegetation volume were the most influential predictors. Prescribed fire severity, and its influence on wildfire severity, was highest in relatively warm and dry locations, which were able to burn under spring conditions. In contrast, wildfire severity peaked in cooler, more mesic locations that dried later in the summer and supported greater vegetation volume. We found considerable evidence that prescribed fires have landscape-level influences within treatment boundaries; most notable was an interaction between distance from the prescribed fire perimeter and distance from treated patch edges, which explained up to 66% of the variation in wildfire severity. Early season prescribed fires may not directly target the locations most at risk of high severity wildfire, but proximity of these areas to treated patches and the discontinuity of fuels following treatment may influence wildfire severity and explain how even low severity treatments can be effective management tools in fire-prone landscapes.

Influence of high altitude on the burning behaviour of typical combustibles and the related responses of smoke detectors in compartments

PubMed Central

Zeng, Yi; Fang, Jun; Zhang, Yong-Ming

2018-01-01

The effect of altitude on typical combustible burning and related smoke detector response signals was investigated by comparison experiments at altitudes of 40 m and 3650 m based on EN54 standard tests. Point-type light scattering photoelectric smoke detectors and ionization smoke detectors were used for four kinds of EN54 fire tests, including two kinds of smouldering fires with wood (test fire no. 2 in EN54 standard or TF2) and cotton (TF3), and two kinds of flaming fires with polyurethane (TF4) and n-heptane (TF5). First, the influence of altitude or ambient pressure on mass loss for smouldering combustion (TF2 or TF3) was insignificant, while a significant decrease in the mass burning rate was found for flaming tests (TF4 and TF5) as reported in our previous studies. Second, for photoelectric smoke detectors in flaming fire tests, the effect of altitude was similar to that of the burning rate, whereas for the ionization smoke detectors, the response signal at high altitudes was shown to be ‘enhanced’ by the detection principle of the ionization chamber, leading to an even larger value than at normal altitude for smouldering conditions. Third, to provide a reference for smoke detector design in high-altitude areas, the differences between signal speed in rising and peak values at two locations are discussed. Also, relationship between ion chamber signals and smoke optical densities are presented by utilization of an ionization smoke detector and smoke concentration meter. Moreover, a hierarchical diagram is illustrated to provide a better understanding of the effects of altitude on combustible burning behaviour and the mechanisms of detector response. PMID:29765695

Influence of high altitude on the burning behaviour of typical combustibles and the related responses of smoke detectors in compartments.

PubMed

Tu, Ran; Zeng, Yi; Fang, Jun; Zhang, Yong-Ming

2018-04-01

The effect of altitude on typical combustible burning and related smoke detector response signals was investigated by comparison experiments at altitudes of 40 m and 3650 m based on EN54 standard tests. Point-type light scattering photoelectric smoke detectors and ionization smoke detectors were used for four kinds of EN54 fire tests, including two kinds of smouldering fires with wood (test fire no. 2 in EN54 standard or TF2) and cotton (TF3), and two kinds of flaming fires with polyurethane (TF4) and n -heptane (TF5). First, the influence of altitude or ambient pressure on mass loss for smouldering combustion (TF2 or TF3) was insignificant, while a significant decrease in the mass burning rate was found for flaming tests (TF4 and TF5) as reported in our previous studies. Second, for photoelectric smoke detectors in flaming fire tests, the effect of altitude was similar to that of the burning rate, whereas for the ionization smoke detectors, the response signal at high altitudes was shown to be 'enhanced' by the detection principle of the ionization chamber, leading to an even larger value than at normal altitude for smouldering conditions. Third, to provide a reference for smoke detector design in high-altitude areas, the differences between signal speed in rising and peak values at two locations are discussed. Also, relationship between ion chamber signals and smoke optical densities are presented by utilization of an ionization smoke detector and smoke concentration meter. Moreover, a hierarchical diagram is illustrated to provide a better understanding of the effects of altitude on combustible burning behaviour and the mechanisms of detector response.

Assessment of conjunctival epithelium after severe burns and surgical reconstruction with Tenon plasty by means of a modified impression cytology procedure.

PubMed

Reim, M; Becker, J; Genser, C; Salla, S

1998-07-01

Tenon plasty has been used to reconstruct the conjunctival surface in severe burns in which ischemic sclera was exposed or undergoing ulceration. A modified impression cytology procedure was applied to investigate the conjunctival epithelium. The quality of the regenerated epithelium on the advanced Tenon sheets was assessed. The 63 conjunctival samples of eye-burn patients were investigated. Among these, 41 patients had very severe bums. Conjunctival samples were collected from 6 weeks after surgery to 5 years after the accident. They were compared with conjunctival epithelia obtained from 53 normal eyes of healthy volunteers. A 25-mm2 Biopore membrane (Millipore Catalogue PICM 01250) was placed on the bulbar conjunctiva surface in the lower temporal quadrant, at a distance of 3-5 mm from the limbus, till it was soaked with fluid. The ablated cell sheets were stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS). In all cases, an intact conjunctival epithelium was observed. In healthy eyes, 2,338 epithelial cells/mm2 and 155 goblet cells/ mm2 were found. Eyes after a surgical reconstruction with Tenon plasty resulted only in 1,575 epithelial cells/mm2 and 72 goblet cells/mm2. The differences were highly significant. The ratio of epithelial to goblet cell counts revealed an increase of goblet cells during the postoperative period. Conjunctival epithelium as well as goblet cell densities were reduced after heat, lime, alkali, and acid burns. However, after concrete burns, cell densities were increased. Tenon plasty provided the regeneration of the fully intact conjunctival epithelium. Goblet cells were present from 6 weeks after the surgery on; their number increased gradually. The stimulation of the goblet cell mucous secretion is discussed.

Intensive insulin treatment increases donor site wound protein synthesis in burn patients

PubMed Central

Tuvdendorj, Demidmaa; Zhang, Xiao-Jun; Chinkes, David L.; Aarsland, Asle; Kulp, Gabriela A.; Jeschke, Marc G.; Herndon, David N.

2013-01-01

Background In the treatment of burns, patients’ own skin is the preferred material to cover burn wounds, resulting in the need to create a donor site wound. Enhancement of healing of the donor site wound would be beneficial in burn patients. Insulin, an anabolic agent, is routinely used to treat hyperglycemia after injury. We investigated whether intensive insulin treatment (INS) increases fractional synthesis rate (FSR) of the donor site wound protein and decreases the length of hospitalization normalized for total body surface area burned (LOS/TBSA). Methods FSR of the donor site wound protein was measured in pediatric patients randomized to control (CNT) (n = 13) and INS (n = 10) treatments. Depending on the postoperative day when the tracer study was done studies were divided into “Early” (days < 5) and “Late” (days >=5) periods. Results FSR of the donor site wound protein was greater in the INS group at the “Early” period of wound healing (CNT vs. INS, 8.2±3.8 vs. 13.1±6.9 %/day, p: < 0.05); but not at the “Late” (CNT vs. INS, 19.7±4.6 vs. 16.6±4.0 %/day, p > 0.05). Despite these differences LOS/TBSA was not decreased in the INS group. Correlation analyses demonstrated that independently of the treatment regimen FSR positively correlated (p < 0.05) with time post creation of the donor site and negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with LOS/TBSA. Conclusions Insulin treatment increased FSR of the donor site wound protein in the early period of wound healing; FSR correlated with LOS/TBSA independently of the treatment regimen. PMID:21236451

Tailorable Burning Behavior of Ti14 Alloy by Controlling Semi-Solid Forging Temperature.

PubMed

Chen, Yongnan; Yang, Wenqing; Zhan, Haifei; Zhang, Fengying; Huo, Yazhou; Zhao, Yongqing; Song, Xuding; Gu, Yuantong

2016-08-16

Semi-solid processing (SSP) is a popular near-net-shape forming technology for metals, while its application is still limited in titanium alloy mainly due to its low formability. Recent works showed that SSP could effectively enhance the formability and mechanical properties of titanium alloys. The processing parameters such as temperature and forging rate/ratio, are directly correlated with the microstructure, which endow the alloy with different chemical and physical properties. Specifically, as a key structural material for the advanced aero-engine, the burn resistant performance is a crucial requirement for the burn resistant titanium alloy. Thus, this work aims to assess the burning behavior of Ti14, a kind of burn resistant alloy, as forged at different semi-solid forging temperatures. The burning characteristics of the alloy are analyzed by a series of burning tests with different burning durations, velocities, and microstructures of burned sample. The results showed that the burning process is highly dependent on the forging temperature, due to the fact that higher temperatures would result in more Ti₂Cu precipitate within grain and along grain boundaries. Such a microstructure hinders the transport of oxygen in the stable burning stage through the formation of a kind of oxygen isolation Cu-enriched layer under the burn product zone. This work suggests that the burning resistance of the alloy can be effectively tuned by controlling the temperature during the semi-solid forging process.

Near Surface Vapor Bubble Layers in Buoyant Low Stretch Burning of Polymethylmethacrylate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olson, Sandra L.; Tien, J. S.

1999-01-01

Large-scale buoyant low stretch stagnation point diffusion flames over solid fuel (polymethylmethacrylate) were studied for a range of aerodynamic stretch rates of 2-12/ sec which are of the same order as spacecraft ventilation-induced stretch in a microgravity environment. An extensive layer of polymer material above the glass transition temperature is observed. Unique phenomena associated with this extensive glass layer included substantial swelling of the burning surface, in-depth bubble formation, and migration and/or elongation of the bubbles normal to the hot surface. The bubble layer acted to insulate the polymer surface by reducing the effective conductivity of the solid. The reduced in-depth conduction stabilized the flame for longer than expected from theory neglecting the bubble layer. While buoyancy acts to move the bubbles deeper into the molten polymer, thermocapillary forces and surface regression both act to bring the bubbles to the burning surface. Bubble layers may thus be very important in low gravity (low stretch) burning of materials. As bubbles reached the burning surface, monomer fuel vapors jetted from the surface, enhancing burning by entraining ambient air flow. Popping of these bubbles at the surface can expel burning droplets of the molten material, which may increase the fire propagation hazards at low stretch rates.

Influence of trans-boundary biomass burning impacted air masses on submicron particle number concentrations and size distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Betha, Raghu; Zhang, Zhe; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

2014-08-01

Submicron particle number concentration (PNC) and particle size distribution (PSD) in the size range of 5.6-560 nm were investigated in Singapore from 27 June 2009 through 6 September 2009. Slightly hazy conditions lasted in Singapore from 6 to 10 August. Backward air trajectories indicated that the haze was due to the transport of biomass burning impacted air masses originating from wild forest and peat fires in Sumatra, Indonesia. Three distinct peaks in the morning (08:00-10:00), afternoon (13:00-15:00) and evening (16:00-20:00) were observed on a typical normal day. However, during the haze period no distinct morning and afternoon peaks were observed and the PNC (39,775 ± 3741 cm-3) increased by 1.5 times when compared to that during non-haze periods (26,462 ± 6017). The morning and afternoon peaks on the normal day were associated with the local rush hour traffic while the afternoon peak was induced by new particle formation (NPF). Diurnal profiles of PNCs and PSDs showed that primary particle peak diameters were large during the haze (60 nm) period when compared to that during the non-haze period (45.3 nm). NPF events observed in the afternoon period on normal days were suppressed during the haze periods due to heavy particle loading in atmosphere caused by biomass burning impacted air masses.

Glycyrrhizin restores the impaired IL-12 production in thermally injured mice.

PubMed

Utsunomiya, T; Kobayashi, M; Ito, M; Herndon, D N; Pollard, R B; Suzuki, F

2001-04-07

Mice 6 days after thermal injury (TI-mice) did not respond to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation for production of serum interleukin 12 (IL-12; 2 h after LPS stimulation, <20 pg/ml in TI-mice; 1091+/-162 pg/ml in normal mice). However, 2 h after LPS stimulation, 1456+/-118 pg/ml of IL-12 were demonstrated in sera of TI-mice previously treated with a 10 mg/kg i.p. dose of glycyrrhizin (GR). IL-12 was not induced by LPS in sera of normal mice inoculated with burn-associated type 2 T cells (IL-4/IL-10-producing CD8+CD11b+TCRgamma/delta+T cells isolated from spleens of TI-mice). However, IL-12 production was induced by LPS in sera of these mice previously treated with GR or a mixture of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for type 2 cytokines. Also, IL-12 production was induced by LPS in TI-mice inoculated with CD4+T cells from spleens of GR-treated normal mice (GR-CD4+T cells, 5x10(6)cells/mouse). Since GR-CD4+T cells have been shown to be antagonistic cells against production of type 2 cytokines by burn-associated type 2 T cells, these results indicate that IL-12 unresponsiveness shown in TI-mice is recovered by GR through the regulation of burn-associated type 2 T cell responses. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Post-burn hypertrophic scars are characterized by high levels of IL-1β mRNA and protein and TNF-α type I receptors.

PubMed

Salgado, Rosa M; Alcántara, Luz; Mendoza-Rodríguez, C Adriana; Cerbón, Marco; Hidalgo-González, Christian; Mercadillo, Patricia; Moreno, Luis M; Alvarez-Jiménez, Ricardo; Krötzsch, Edgar

2012-08-01

Post-burn hypertrophic scars are characterized by increased collagen synthesis and hyperplasia, and may be associated with erythema, pain, dysesthesia, pruritus, and skin border elevation. Although the etiopathogenesis of hypertrophic scarring remains unclear, proinflammatory and profibrogenic cytokines are known to play an important role in general skin dysfunction. This study assessed mRNA expression, proteins, and type I receptors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β) in normal skin, normotrophic and post-burn hypertrophic scars. Skin biopsies were obtained from 10 hypertrophic and 9 normotrophic scars, and 4 normal skin sites. Only post-burn scars covering more than 10% of the body were included. Ex vivo histopathological analysis evaluated scar maturity, in situ hybridization assessed mRNA expression, and cytokine protein and cytokine/cell colocalization were performed using single- and double-label immunohistochemistry, respectively. IL-1β is overexpressed in hypertrophic scars at the post-transcriptional level, associated primarily with keratinocytes and CD1a(+) cells. Type I receptors for TNF-α are overexpressed in blood vessels of hypertrophic scars. The coordinated overexpression of IL-1β and TNF-α type I receptor may maintain the fibrogenic phenotypes of hypertrophic scars, even those in "remission". Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Clinical and demographic features of pediatric burns in the eastern provinces of Turkey

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The aim of this study is to perform a retrospective analysis of the causes of burns observed in children in the eastern provinces of Turkey. Method In this study, patients were studied retrospectively with regard to their age, sex, cause of burns, seasonal variations, social and economic factors, length of hospital stay, burned body surface area, medical history, site of injury, and mortality. Results A total of 125 patients undergoing inpatient treatment were male, (53.2%) and 110 were female (46.8%). The most common causes of burns in patients treated on an inpatient basis were scald burns (65.5%) and tandir burns (15.7%). The mean total body surface area of all the patients was 12.17+9.86%. When the patients were grouped according to tandir, cauldron, and others burn causes, a significant difference was seen between the in burn percentages caused by tandir and cauldron burns and other causes (p < 0.001). Higher burn percentages were seen for cauldron burns than for tandir burns (p < 0.05). The average length of hospital stay was 17.67+13.64 days. When the patients were grouped according to burn causes (tandir, cauldron, and others), a significant difference was determined between the hospitalization periods of patients with tandir burns and other burn causes (p = 0.001) The most commonly proliferating microorganism in burned areas was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.4%). Of the 235 patients, 61 were treated in operating rooms. During the 24-month period of the study, 2 of the 235 patients died (0.85%). Conclusion Pediatric burns in the eastern part of Turkey are different from those in other parts of Turkey, as well as in other countries. Due to the lifestyle of the region, tandir and cauldron burns, which cause extensive burn areas and high morbidity, are frequently seen in children. Therefore, precautions and educational programs related to the use of tandirs and cauldrons are needed in this region. PMID:21244683

Predicting gully rejuvenation after wildfire using remotely sensed burn severity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyde, Kevin; Woods, Scott W.; Donahue, Jack

2007-05-01

The loss of surface vegetation and reduced infiltration caused by wildfires can trigger gully rejuvenation, resulting in damage to downstream aquatic resources and risk to human life and property. We developed a spatially explicit metric of burn severity — the Burn Severity Distribution Index (BSDI) — and tested its ability to predict post-fire gully rejuvenation in 1st and 2nd order basins burned in the 2000 Valley Complex fires in the Sapphire Mountains of western Montana. The BSDI was derived from burn severity data interpreted from Landsat 7 satellite imagery using the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) method, and ranged from 0.0 for completely unburned basins to 4.0 for basins burned entirely at high severity. In July 2001 rainstorms with peak 30-minute intensities of up to 17 mm h - 1 triggered gully rejuvenation in 66 of the 171 basins examined. The frequency of gully rejuvenation was higher in basins with higher BSDI values, increasing from zero for basins with a BSDI less than 1.3 to 67% for basins with a BSDI greater than 3.0. Binary logistic regression indicated that BSDI was a more significant predictor of gully rejuvenation than basin morphometric variables. The absence of gully rejuvenation in several basins with a high BSDI was attributed to low gradient, dense riparian vegetation, or concentration of high burn severity at lower elevations in the basin. The presence of gully rejuvenation in several basins with a low BSDI was associated with false negative NBR classification errors in northwest aspects, and concentration of severe burn impacts in the drainage headslopes. BSDI is a useful metric for predicting gully rejuvenation after wildfire. The use of the BSDI in Burned Area Emergency Response team assessments could improve the planning, implementation, and monitoring of burned area recovery treatments.

Continuous 1985-2012 Landsat monitoring to assess fire effects on meadows in Yosemite National Park, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soulard, Christopher E.; Albano, Christine M.; Villarreal, Miguel; Walker, Jessica

2016-01-01

To assess how montane meadow vegetation recovered after a wildfire that occurred in Yosemite National Park, CA in 1996, Google Earth Engine image processing was applied to leverage the entire Landsat Thematic Mapper archive from 1985 to 2012. Vegetation greenness (normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]) was summarized every 16 days across the 28-year Landsat time series for 26 meadows. Disturbance event detection was hindered by the subtle influence of low-severity fire on meadow vegetation. A hard break (August 1996) was identified corresponding to the Ackerson Fire, and monthly composites were used to compare NDVI values and NDVI trends within burned and unburned meadows before, immediately after, and continuously for more than a decade following the fire date. Results indicate that NDVI values were significantly lower at 95% confidence level for burned meadows following the fire date, yet not significantly lower at 95% confidence level in the unburned meadows. Burned meadows continued to exhibit lower monthly NDVI in the dormant season through 2012. Over the entire monitoring period, the negative-trending, dormant season NDVI slopes in the burned meadows were also significantly lower than unburned meadows at 90% confidence level. Lower than average NDVI values and slopes in the dormant season compared to unburned meadows, coupled with photographic evidence, strongly suggest that evergreen vegetation was removed from the periphery of some meadows after the fire. These analyses provide insight into how satellite imagery can be used to monitor low-severity fire effects on meadow vegetation.

Reconstructing satellite images to quantify spatially explicit land surface change caused by fires and succession: A demonstration in the Yukon River Basin of interior Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huang, Shengli; Jin, Suming; Dahal, Devendra; Chen, Xuexia; Young, Claudia; Liu, Heping; Liu, Shuguang

2013-01-01

Land surface change caused by fires and succession is confounded by many site-specific factors and requires further study. The objective of this study was to reveal the spatially explicit land surface change by minimizing the confounding factors of weather variability, seasonal offset, topography, land cover, and drainage. In a pilot study of the Yukon River Basin of interior Alaska, we retrieved Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), albedo, and land surface temperature (LST) from a postfire Landsat image acquired on August 5th, 2004. With a Landsat reference image acquired on June 26th, 1986, we reconstructed NDVI, albedo, and LST of 1987–2004 fire scars for August 5th, 2004, assuming that these fires had not occurred. The difference between actual postfire and assuming-no-fire scenarios depicted the fires and succession impact. Our results demonstrated the following: (1) NDVI showed an immediate decrease after burning but gradually recovered to prefire levels in the following years, in which burn severity might play an important role during this process; (2) Albedo showed an immediate decrease after burning but then recovered and became higher than prefire levels; and (3) Most fires caused surface warming, but cooler surfaces did exist; time-since-fire affected the prefire and postfire LST difference but no absolute trend could be found. Our approach provided spatially explicit land surface change rather than average condition, enabling a better understanding of fires and succession impact on ecological consequences at the pixel level.

Pattern and profile of electric burn injury cases at a Burn centre.

PubMed

Cheema, Saeed Ashraf

2016-01-01

Electrical burns are quite different from thermal and chemical burns. This study is from a centre which deals with job related electric burn injuries alone and thus can give a pure account of the electric burns and discuss the related peculiarities. Study aims to highlight the differences in the mechanism of electric burn injury, its mode of presentation, morbidity, complications and thus the treatment strategies as compared to rest of the burn injuries. This is a descriptive case series study of first consecutive 61 electric burn victims treated at a Burn Unit and Plastic Surgery centre. Cases were admitted and resuscitated at the emergency, and further treated at burn unit. Thorough history, examination findings and operative procedures were recorded. Patients were photographed for record as well. Emergency operative procedures, wound management, soft tissue coverage procedures and complications during the hospital stay were recorded and studied. Twenty cases (33%) were in the fifth decade of life. High voltage electric burn injury was seen in 42 (69%) of the cases. Whereas only 9 cases were treated conservatively, other 52 cases had 24 fasciotomies and 71 debridements. Series witnessed 10 expiries, and 22 amputations and all these were result of high voltage electric burns. Twenty eight soft tissue coverage procedures were carried out. Electric burn injuries are altogether different from rest of the burn injuries and must be treated accordingly. These injuries are peculiar for ongoing damage, extensive trauma, complications and prolonged morbidity. Treatment requires a high degree of suspicion, more aggressive management to unfold and minimize the deep seated insult.

THz Medical Imaging: in vivo Hydration Sensing

PubMed Central

Taylor, Zachary D.; Singh, Rahul S.; Bennett, David B.; Tewari, Priyamvada; Kealey, Colin P.; Bajwa, Neha; Culjat, Martin O.; Stojadinovic, Alexander; Lee, Hua; Hubschman, Jean-Pierre; Brown, Elliott R.; Grundfest, Warren S.

2015-01-01

The application of THz to medical imaging is experiencing a surge in both interest and federal funding. A brief overview of the field is provided along with promising and emerging applications and ongoing research. THz imaging phenomenology is discussed and tradeoffs are identified. A THz medical imaging system, operating at ~525 GHz center frequency with ~125 GHz of response normalized bandwidth is introduced and details regarding principles of operation are provided. Two promising medical applications of THz imaging are presented: skin burns and cornea. For burns, images of second degree, partial thickness burns were obtained in rat models in vivo over an 8 hour period. These images clearly show the formation and progression of edema in and around the burn wound area. For cornea, experimental data measuring the hydration of ex vivo porcine cornea under drying is presented demonstrating utility in ophthalmologic applications. PMID:26085958

Stigma perspective of siblings of children with a major childhood burn injury.

PubMed

Lehna, Carlee

2013-10-01

To understand the stigma perspective of siblings of children with major burn injury. A mixed method, qualitative-dominant study was conducted. The life story method was used for the qualitative portion. Only narratives from those family members describing the sibling's appearance change were used (N = 18 participants). Stigma experienced by siblings was first described by parents or noninjured siblings; they described how the sibling with changed appearance was stared at, ridiculed, or teased when they entered a new social situation. Only when specifically asked did the children with burn injury talk about their problems, saying, "This always happens when I go somewhere new." Children with changed appearance focused on normalizing their lives in a positive way. Oftentimes, it was a parent or noninjured sibling who would describe manifestations of stigma and ways they tried to protect the child with burn injury. ©2013 The Author(s) ©2013 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Sun tanning-related burns--a 3-year experience.

PubMed

Piccolo-Lobo, M S; Piccolo, N S; Piccolo-Daher, M T; Cardoso, V M

1992-04-01

A retrospective study has analyzed 562 sun-related burns out of 19,643 patients treated at our institution from 1 March 1988 to 28 February 1991. These patients were analysed according to sex, age, burn area, mode and length of treatment and outcome. Females, mainly adults, represented 60.8 per cent of all patients presenting burned due to sun bathing. There is a marked seasonal incidence, proportionally constant throughout these 3 years. The main causes of injury were sun only (36.7 per cent), sun plus fig leaf 'tea' tanning lotion (17.7 per cent) and lemon juice (17.7 per cent). Healing to normal skin appearance was achieved in 99.1 per cent, 0.7 per cent healed with scarring and one patient died due to massive sepsis. The effect of sunlight on skin and the process of 'sunburn' when using homemade plant-derived tanning lotions containing substances which can induce a photodermatitis reaction is also discussed.

[Ischemic cholangiopathy induced by extended burns].

PubMed

Cohen, Laurence; Angot, Emilie; Goria, Odile; Koning, Edith; François, Arnaud; Sabourin, Jean-Christophe

2013-04-01

Ischemic cholangiopathy is a recently described entity occurring mainly after hepatic grafts. Very few cases after intensive care unit (ICU) for extended burn injury were reported. We report the case of a 73-year-old woman consulting in an hepatology unit, for a jaundice appearing during a hospitalisation in an intensive care unit and increasing from her leaving from ICU, where she was treated for an extended burn injury. She had no pre-existing biological features of biliary disease. Biological tests were normal. Magnetic resonance imaging acquisitions of biliary tracts pointed out severe stenosing lesions of diffuse cholangiopathy concerning intrahepatic biliary tract, mainly peri-hilar. Biopsie from the liver confirmed the diagnosis, showing a biliary cirrhosis with bile infarcts. This case is the fourth case of ischemic cholangiopathy after extended burn injury, concerning a patient without a prior history of hepatic or biliary illness and appearing after hospitalisation in intensive care unit. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Associations of Gender With Social Participation of Burn Survivors: A Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation Profile Study.

PubMed

Levi, Benjamin; Kraft, Casey T; Shapiro, Gabriel D; Trinh, Nhi-Ha T; Dore, Emily C; Jeng, James; Lee, Austin F; Acton, Amy; Marino, Molly; Jette, Alan; Armstrong, Elizabeth A; Schneider, Jeffrey C; Kazis, Lewis E; Ryan, Colleen M

2018-05-04

Burn injury can be debilitating and affect survivors' quality of life in a profound fashion. Burn injury may also lead to serious psychosocial challenges that have not been adequately studied and addressed. Specifically, there has been limited research into the associations of burn injury on community reintegration based on gender. This work analyzed data from 601 burn survivors who completed field testing of a new measure of social participation for burn survivors, the Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation (LIBRE) Profile. Differences in item responses between men and women were examined. Scores on the six LIBRE Profile scales were then compared between men and women using analysis of variance and adjusted linear multivariate regression modeling. Overall, men scored significantly better than women on four of the six LIBRE Profile scales: Sexual Relationships, Social Interactions, Work & Employment, and Romantic Relationships. Differences were not substantially reduced after adjustment for demographic characteristics and burn size. Men scored better than women in most of the areas measured by the LIBRE Profile. These gender differences are potentially important for managing burn patients during the post-injury recovery period.

Standardization of deep partial-thickness scald burns in C57BL/6 mice

PubMed Central

Medina, Jorge L; Fourcaudot, Andrea B; Sebastian, Eliza A; Shankar, Ravi; Brown, Ammon W; Leung, Kai P

2018-01-01

Mouse burn models are used to understand the wound healing process and having a reproducible model is important. The different protocols used by researchers can lead to differences in depth of partial-thickness burn wounds. Additionally, standardizing a protocol for mouse burns in the laboratory for one strain may result in substantially different results in other strains. In our current study we describe the model development of a deep partial-thickness burn in C57BL/6 mice using hot water scalding as the source of thermal injury. As part of our model development we designed a template with specifications to allow for even contact of bare mouse skin (2×3 cm) with hot water while protecting the rest of the mouse. Burn depth was evaluated with H&E, Masson’s trichrome, and TUNEL staining. Final results were validated with pathology analysis. A water temperature of 54°C with a scalding time of 20 seconds produced consistent deep partial-thickness burns with available equipment described. Other than temperature and time, factors such as template materials and cooling steps after the burn could affect the uniformity of the burns. These findings are useful to burn research by providing some key parameters essential for researchers to simplify the development of their own mouse burn models. PMID:29755839

A comparative analysis of potential impact area of common sugar cane burning methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiscox, A. L.; Flecher, S.; Wang, J. J.; Viator, H. P.

2015-04-01

The negative effects of agricultural burning are well-known, although the actual impact area of different activities has not previously been quantified. An elastic backscatter lidar system was used to examine the impact-area size and dispersion of smoke generated from different types of sugarcane burning activities; pre-harvest (standing) burning and post-harvest (ground) burning. Experiments were conducted in the sugarcane harvest season of 2010 and 2011 at two locations in Louisiana, USA. Current dispersion theory would suggest that the primary difference between burn types would be primarily in the initial plume rise, but that the overall plume shape would remain the same. However, remotely sensed lidar data with the capability to measure plume dispersion and the short time dynamics of plume location showed pre-harvest (standing) burning produced a larger plume with greater rise and more spread within the 300 m of the plume, but a decrease in dispersion, but not concentration further downwind. Post-harvest (ground) burning produced a more traditional plume shape, but still exceeded impact area predictions near the source. Moreover, large changes in plume size can occur with small increases in wind speed. These are the first instrumented measurements of the meteorological effects of the different types of sugarcane burning. These results indicate that ground burning is preferable, but should be avoided in lower wind speed conditions.

Combustion of Metals in Carbon Dioxide and Reduced-Gravity Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Branch, M. C.; Abbud-Madrid, A.; Modak, A.; Dreyer, C. B.; Daily, J. W.

2001-01-01

Ongoing exploration and future mission2001110444 s to Mars have given impetus to research on the use of natural resources of the planet. Since carbon dioxide (CO2) constitutes approximately 95% of the Mars atmosphere and since it reacts directly and vigorously with several metals, this investigation focuses on metal-CO2 reactions as a possible combination for rocket-propellant production and energy generation. Magnesium (Mg) has been initially selected as the metal fuel owing to its low ignition temperature and high specific impulse and burning rate in CO2. Our studies in this field started with low gravity (g) combustion tests of Mg in O2, CO2, and CO. Reduced gravity provided a clear picture of the burning phenomena by eliminating the intrusive buoyant flows in high-temperature metal reactions and by removing the destructive effect of gravity on the shape of molten metal samples. Suspended cylindrical metal samples of 2, 3, and 4-mm in diameter and length were radiatively ignited in low-g to generate free-floating samples exhibiting a spherically symmetric flame with increasing metal-oxide accumulation in an outer shell. For the Mg-CO2 combination, burning times twice as long as in normal-g and five times longer than in Mg-O2 flames were observed, revealing a diffusion-controlled reaction. The burning time is proportional to the square of the sample diameter. In tests conducted with pure CO, combustion was not possible without constant heating of the sample due to the formation of a thick carbon-containing coating around the Mg sample generated by surface reactions. The following work presents two new studies that attempt to explain some of the low-g experimental observations. First, a simplified one-dimensional, quasi-steady numerical model is developed to obtain temperature, species concentrations, and burning rates of the spherically symmetric diffusion flame around the Mg sample burning in O2 and CO2. Second, a Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) technique is implemented to provide spatially resolved measurements of magnesium oxide (MgO) in the reaction zone of Mg samples burning in O2 and CO2. These experiments reveal fundamental differences between the two combustion systems.

Tailorable Burning Behavior of Ti14 Alloy by Controlling Semi-Solid Forging Temperature

PubMed Central

Chen, Yongnan; Yang, Wenqing; Zhan, Haifei; Zhang, Fengying; Huo, Yazhou; Zhao, Yongqing; Song, Xuding; Gu, Yuantong

2016-01-01

Semi-solid processing (SSP) is a popular near-net-shape forming technology for metals, while its application is still limited in titanium alloy mainly due to its low formability. Recent works showed that SSP could effectively enhance the formability and mechanical properties of titanium alloys. The processing parameters such as temperature and forging rate/ratio, are directly correlated with the microstructure, which endow the alloy with different chemical and physical properties. Specifically, as a key structural material for the advanced aero-engine, the burn resistant performance is a crucial requirement for the burn resistant titanium alloy. Thus, this work aims to assess the burning behavior of Ti14, a kind of burn resistant alloy, as forged at different semi-solid forging temperatures. The burning characteristics of the alloy are analyzed by a series of burning tests with different burning durations, velocities, and microstructures of burned sample. The results showed that the burning process is highly dependent on the forging temperature, due to the fact that higher temperatures would result in more Ti2Cu precipitate within grain and along grain boundaries. Such a microstructure hinders the transport of oxygen in the stable burning stage through the formation of a kind of oxygen isolation Cu-enriched layer under the burn product zone. This work suggests that the burning resistance of the alloy can be effectively tuned by controlling the temperature during the semi-solid forging process. PMID:28773820

Cytotoxicity testing of silver-containing burn treatments using primary and immortal skin cells.

PubMed

Boonkaew, Benjawan; Kempf, Margit; Kimble, Roy; Cuttle, Leila

2014-12-01

A novel burn wound hydrogel dressing has been previously developed which is composed of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid sodium salt with silver nanoparticles (silver AMPS). This study compared the cytotoxicity of this dressing to the commercially available silver products; Acticoat™, PolyMem Silver(®) and Flamazine™ cream. Human keratinocytes (HaCaT and primary HEK) and normal human fibroblasts (NHF) were exposed to dressings incubated on Nunc™ polycarbonate inserts for 24, 48 and 72h. Four different cytotoxicity assays were performed including; Trypan Blue cell count, MTT, Celltiter-Blue™ and Toluidine Blue surface area assays. The results were expressed as relative cell viability compared to an untreated control. The cytotoxic effects of Acticoat™ and Flamazine™ cream were dependent on exposure time and cell type. After 24h exposure, Acticoat™ and Flamazine™ cream were toxic to all tested cell lines. Surprisingly, HaCaTs treated with Acticoat™ and Flamazine™ had an improved ability to survive at 48 and 72h while HEKs and NHFs had no improvement in survival with any treatment. The novel silver hydrogel and PolyMem Silver(®) showed low cytotoxicity to all tested cell lines at every time interval and these results support the possibility of using the novel silver hydrogel as a burn wound dressing. Researchers who rely on HaCaT cells as an accurate keratinocyte model should be aware that they can respond differently to primary skin cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Full-Scale Incineration System Trial Burns at the Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi. Volume 2, Part 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-07-01

The prime mover for the MWP-2000 is a single steam powered jet venturi scrubber that was manufactured by Hydrosonics, Inc. to develop a negative...orime mover for the MWP-2000 is a single steam powered jet venturi scrubber that was manufactured by Hydrosonics, inc. to develop a negative pressure...packed tower and the scrubber during the trial burn or opening of the TRV, you should include these AWISOs since these shut offs would normally be

Physical and psychologic rehabilitation outcomes for young adults burned as children.

PubMed

Baker, Christine P; Russell, William J; Meyer, Walter; Blakeney, Patricia

2007-12-01

To report physical and psychologic outcomes for young adult survivors of pediatric burns. Prospective, correlational study. Acute and rehabilitation pediatric burn care facility. Eighty-three young adult survivors of pediatric burns, who were 18 to 28 years of age, with total body surface area (TBSA) burns of 30% or greater, and were at least 2 years postburn. Not applicable. Physical outcomes were assessed by muscle strength tests, grip and pinch measurements, mobility levels, and self-care (activities of daily living) skills. Psychologic outcomes included behavioral problems, personality disorder, and incidence of psychiatric illness. An individually administered Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnosis, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, for psychiatric diagnosis, was used to assess mental health, and behavioral problems were assessed with the Young Adult Self-Report. Participants reported educational achievement, employment status, state of transition from family of origin (home) to independent living, and pair bonding. The Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey and the Quality of Life Questionnaire were used to assess each participant's self-reported general health and quality of life. The majority of subjects had physical and psychologic outcomes that were within the normal range when compared with age-mates who had not experienced burns. The areas that were most likely to be impaired involved peripheral strength (wrist and grip). These deficits affected some self-care skills and correlated with TBSA. Standardized diagnostic interviews showed that greater than 50% of subjects qualified for a psychiatric diagnosis, with anxiety disorders as the most frequently occurring diagnosis. There were few significant correlations of the physical measurements or self-care skills with the burn size, psychologic problems, or social outcomes, and none appeared to be clinically important. Most of the people in this sample were functioning physically and psychosocially within normal limits as they reached adulthood. Although they appeared to function well as measured by standardized assessments, there were indications of private suffering that suggested they may not be functioning at an optimal level. The findings suggest that rehabilitation professionals could improve outcomes by including programs to develop overall muscle strength in severely burned children and by addressing concerns related to anxiety and other symptoms of psychologic distress.

Rapid response of soil fungal communities to low and high intensity fire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Jane E.; Cowan, Ariel D.; Reazin, Chris; Jumpponen, Ari

2016-04-01

Contemporary fires have created high-severity burn areas exceeding historical distributions in forests in the western United States. Until recently, the response of soil ecosystems to high intensity burns has been largely unknown. In complementary studies, we investigated the environmental effect of extreme soil heating, such that occurs with the complete combustion of large down wood during wildfires, on soil fungi and nutrients. We used TRFLP and next generation sequencing (Illumina MiSeq) to investigate the fungal communities. During the burning of large down wood, temperatures lethal to fungi were detected at 0-cm, 5-cm, and 10-cm depths in soils compared to 0-cm depth in soils receiving low intensity broadcast burns. We compared the soil fungal diversity in ten high intensity burned plots paired with adjacent low intensity burned plots before and one week after at 0-10 cm soil depth. Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) ordinations and analyses of taxon frequencies reveal a substantial community turnover and corresponding near complete replacement of the dominant basidiomycetes by ascomycetes in high intensity burns. These coarse-level taxonomic responses were primarily attributable to a few fire-responsive (phoenicoid) fungi, particularly Pyronema sp. and Morchella sp., whose frequencies increased more than 100-fold following high intensity burns. Pinus ponderosa seedlings planted one week post-burn were harvested after four months for EMF root tip analysis. We found: a) greater differences in soil properties and nutrients in high intensity burned soils compared to low intensity burned and unburned soils; b) no differences in EMF richness and diversity; and c) weak differences in community composition based on relative abundance between unburned and either burn treatments. These results confirm the combustion of large downed wood can alter the soil environment directly beneath it. However, an EMF community similar to low burned soils recolonized high burned soils within one growing season. Community results from both burn treatments suggest an increase in patchy spatial distribution of EMF. The importance of incorporating mixed fire effects in fuel management practices will help to provide EMF refugia for dry forest regeneration. Our studies highlight the strong and rapid fungal community responses to fires and differences among fires of different severities. We theorize that quick initiation of EMF recolonization is possible depending on the size of high burn patches, proximity of low and unburned soil, and survival of nearby hosts.

Recovery of biological soil crust richness and cover 12-16 years after wildfires in Idaho, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Root, Heather T.; Brinda, John C.; Dodson, E. Kyle

2017-09-01

Changing fire regimes in western North America may impact biological soil crust (BSC) communities that influence many ecosystem functions, such as soil stability and C and N cycling. However, longer-term effects of wildfire on BSC abundance, species richness, functional groups, and ecosystem functions after wildfire (i.e., BSC resilience) are still poorly understood. We sampled BSC lichen and bryophyte communities at four sites in Idaho, USA, within foothill steppe communities that included wildfires from 12 to 16 years old. We established six plots outside each burn perimeter and compared them with six plots of varying severity within each fire perimeter at each site. BSC cover was most strongly negatively impacted by wildfire at sites that had well-developed BSC communities in adjacent unburned plots. BSC species richness was estimated to be 65 % greater in unburned plots compared with burned plots, and fire effects did not vary among sites. In contrast, there was no evidence that vascular plant functional groups or fire severity (as measured by satellite metrics differenced normalized burn ratio (dNBR) or relativized differenced normalized burn ratio (RdNBR)) significantly affected longer-term BSC responses. Three large-statured BSC functional groups that may be important in controlling wind and water erosion (squamulose lichens, vagrant lichens, and tall turf mosses) exhibited a significant decrease in abundance in burned areas relative to adjacent unburned areas. The decreases in BSC cover and richness along with decreased abundance of several functional groups suggest that wildfire can negatively impact ecosystem function in these semiarid ecosystems for at least 1 to 2 decades. This is a concern given that increased fire frequency is predicted for the region due to exotic grass invasion and climate change.

Working conditions, job strain and work engagement among Belgian radiation oncologists.

PubMed

Bragard, I; Hansez, I; Coucke, P

2014-12-01

This national survey has measured the working conditions, work engagement, job strain, burn out, and the negative work-home interaction among Belgian radiation oncologists with validated questionnaires. In fact, previous studies had in general shown an interest to burn out and its association with working conditions among oncology workers, but not focused on radiation oncologists in particular. Moreover, few studies concerned work engagement and its association with working conditions although this could be important in preventing burn out. We used the WOrking Conditions and Control Questionnaire, the Positive and Negative Occupational States Inventory, the Maslach Burn out Inventory, and the negative work-home interaction subscale of the Survey Work-home Interaction Nijmegen. One open question asked about problematic job situations. Sixty-six radiation oncologists participated (30% response rate). Median scores of most of working conditions corresponded to normal scores. Control over time management (45.8) was close to low score, while control over future (60.9) was high. Median score of job strain (48.9) was normal, whereas median score of work engagement (60) was high. Median score of burn out was low. The mean of negative work-home interactions (1.1) was higher than the mean of 0.84 in a reference sample (t=4.3; P<0.001). The most frequent problematic situations referred to work organization (e.g. time pressure) and specific resources (e.g. chief support). Radiation oncologists showed a very high level of work engagement and experienced several job resources. However, some resources (as supervisor support) were missing and needed to be developed. These results were discussed in the context of motivational process described in the Job Demands-Resources Model. Copyright © 2014 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

The impact of oil burning on kraft recovery furnace SO sub 2 emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Someshwar, A.V.; Pinkerton, J.E.; Caron, A.L.

1991-04-01

Auxiliary fossil fuel, either natural gas or fuel oil, is burned in kraft recovery furnaces during furnace startups and shutdowns, furnace upsets, and periods of substantially reduced rates of black liquor firing. The efficiency of sulfur capture and retention during normal operation of a kraft recovery furnace is inherently high. Consequently, not all the SO{sub 2} from occasional burning of sulfur-containing fuel oil in the furnace would be expected to end up in the stack gases. However, the extent to which such SO{sub 2} is captured by the alkali fume generation processes has not been well documented. In this paper,more » the authors examines the impact that burning oil in kraft recovery furnaces has on the SO{sub 2} emissions. The work included analyses of long-term SO{sub 2} data from a continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) obtained for four furnaces that burned medium sulfur fuel oil as auxiliary fuel. It also included tests conducted on four furnaces in which varying amounts of oil were co-fired with black liquor.« less

Automated mapping of burned areas in semi-arid ecosystems using modis time-series imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardtke, L. A.; Blanco, P. D.; del Valle, H. F.; Metternicht, G. I.; Sione, W. F.

2015-04-01

Understanding spatial and temporal patterns of burned areas at regional scales, provides a long-term perspective of fire processes and its effects on ecosystems and vegetation recovery patterns, and it is a key factor to design prevention and post-fire restoration plans and strategies. Standard satellite burned area and active fire products derived from the 500-m MODIS and SPOT are avail - able to this end. However, prior research caution on the use of these global-scale products for regional and sub-regional applica - tions. Consequently, we propose a novel algorithm for automated identification and mapping of burned areas at regional scale in semi-arid shrublands. The algorithm uses a set of the Normalized Burned Ratio Index products derived from MODIS time series; using a two-phased cycle, it firstly detects potentially burned pixels while keeping a low commission error (false detection of burned areas), and subsequently labels them as seed patches. Region growing image segmentation algorithms are applied to the seed patches in the second-phase, to define the perimeter of fire affected areas while decreasing omission errors (missing real burned areas). Independently-derived Landsat ETM+ burned-area reference data was used for validation purposes. The correlation between the size of burnt areas detected by the global fire products and independently-derived Landsat reference data ranged from R2 = 0.01 - 0.28, while our algorithm performed showed a stronger correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.96). Our findings confirm prior research calling for caution when using the global fire products locally or regionally.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Streets, D. G.; Yarber, K. F.; Woo, J.-H.

Estimates of biomass burning in Asia are developed to facilitate the modeling of Asian and global air quality. A survey of national, regional, and international publications on biomass burning is conducted to yield consensus estimates of 'typical' (i.e., non-year-specific) estimates of open burning (excluding biofuels). We conclude that 730 Tg of biomass are burned in a typical year from both anthropogenic and natural causes. Forest burning comprises 45% of the total, the burning of crop residues in the field comprises 34%, and 20% comes from the burning of grassland and savanna. China contributes 25% of the total, India 18%, Indonesiamore » 13%, and Myanmar 8%. Regionally, forest burning in Southeast Asia dominates. National, annual totals are converted to daily and monthly estimates at 1{sup o} x 1{sup o} spatial resolution using distributions based on AVHRR fire counts for 1999--2000. Several adjustment schemes are applied to correct for the deficiencies of AVHRR data, including the use of moving averages, normalization, TOMS Aerosol Index, and masks for dust, clouds, landcover, and other fire sources. Good agreement between the national estimates of biomass burning and adjusted fire counts is obtained (R{sup 2} = 0.71--0.78). Biomass burning amounts are converted to atmospheric emissions, yielding the following estimates: 0.37 Tg of SO{sub 2}, 2.8 Tg of NO{sub x}, 1100 Tg of CO{sub 2}, 67 Tg of CO, 3.1 Tg of CH{sub 4}, 12 Tg of NMVOC, 0.45 Tg of BC, 3.3 Tg of OC, and 0.92 Tg of NH{sub 3}. Uncertainties in the emission estimates, measured as 95% confidence intervals, range from a low of {+-}65% for CO{sub 2} emissions in Japan to a high of {+-}700% for BC emissions in India.« less

Ocular hydrofluoric acid burns: animal model, mechanism of injury and therapy.

PubMed Central

McCulley, J P

1990-01-01

A series of ocular HF burns was produced in rabbits in order to clarify the nature of the injury and to provide a description of the animal model. Burned eyes were evaluated clinically and allowed to progress for up to 65 days before histologic examination. The mechanism of HF toxicity was investigated through the study of burns produced by chemicals chosen to mimic its pH effects, osmotic effects, and effects of the free fluoride ion alone. The severe progressive caustic effect of HF on the eyes was found to depend on the combination of pH and the toxic effects of the free fluoride ion, together causing extensive dose-related damage to superficial and deep structures of the eye. Mild burns caused reversible ocular injury; whereas more severe burns lead to corneal stromal scarring, vascularization, edema, formation of calcific band keratopathy plus iris and ciliary body fibrosis. An investigation was made of potential treatments for experimental ocular HF burns in rabbits. Topical ointments containing MgO or MgSO4 and irrigations with or subconjunctival injections of H2O or solutions containing NaCl, MgCl2, CaCl2, LaCl3, hyamine, zephiran, calcium gluconate or a mixture of divalent metal ions were tested for toxicity and for therapeutic value in ocular HF burns. Immediate single irrigation with H2O, NaCl or MgCl2 solution was most effective. Other therapeutic agents commonly used in HF skin burn therapy were either too toxic in normal eyes or caused additive damage to burned eyes. Images FIGURE 1 FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7 FIGURE 8 PMID:2095035

The determination of total burn surface area: How much difference?

PubMed

Giretzlehner, M; Dirnberger, J; Owen, R; Haller, H L; Lumenta, D B; Kamolz, L-P

2013-09-01

Burn depth and burn size are crucial determinants for assessing patients suffering from burns. Therefore, a correct evaluation of these factors is optimal for adapting the appropriate treatment in modern burn care. Burn surface assessment is subject to considerable differences among clinicians. This work investigated the accuracy among experts based on conventional surface estimation methods (e.g. "Rule of Palm", "Rule of Nines" or "Lund-Browder Chart"). The estimation results were compared to a computer-based evaluation method. Survey data was collected during one national and one international burn conference. The poll confirmed deviations of burn depth/size estimates of up to 62% in relation to the mean value of all participants. In comparison to the computer-based method, overestimation of up to 161% was found. We suggest introducing improved methods for burn depth/size assessment in clinical routine in order to efficiently allocate and distribute the available resources for practicing burn care. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Turbulent Burning Velocities of Two-Component Fuel Mixtures of Methane, Propane and Hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kido, Hiroyuki; Nakahara, Masaya; Hashimoto, Jun; Barat, Dilmurat

In order to clarify the turbulent burning velocity of multi-component fuel mixtures, both lean and rich two-component fuel mixtures, in which methane, propane and hydrogen were used as fuels, were prepared while maintaining the laminar burning velocity approximately constant. A distinct difference in the measured turbulent burning velocity at the same turbulence intensity is observed for two-component fuel mixtures having different addition rates of fuel, even the laminar burning velocities are approximately the same. The burning velocities of lean mixtures change almost constantly as the rate of addition changes, whereas the burning velocities of the rich mixtures show no such tendency. This trend can be explained qualitatively based on the mean local burning velocity, which is estimated by taking into account the preferential diffusion effect for each fuel component. In addition, a model of turbulent burning velocity proposed for single-component fuel mixtures may be applied to two-component fuel mixtures by considering the estimated mean local burning velocity of each fuel.

A quantitative, cross-sectional study of depression and self-esteem in teenage and young adult burn victims in rehabilitation.

PubMed

Teixeira Nicolosi, Júlia; Fernandes de Carvalho, Viviane; Llonch Sabatés, Ana

2013-09-01

Burns can have a negative physiological and emotional impact, particularly among teenage victims. To assess the presence of depression and level of self-esteem, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 63 teenage and young adult burn victims ages 12 to 20 years undergoing physical and psychological rehabilitation at the Outpatient Unit for Plastic Surgery and Burns at the Central Institute of the Clínicas Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Assessment instruments included Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). Internal consistency within and between the two scales was established via Cronbach's-α coefficient. All variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the statistical difference between means was compared using Student's t-test. The majority of participants were female (38, 60.3%) and unmarried (59, 93.7%) with a mean total body surface area (TBSA) burn of 23.84%. Most burns (58, 92.10%) were the result of accidents and were located on the trunk (47, 74.6%), head (43, 68%), arms (41, 65%), hands (38, 60%), neck (34, 54%), and forearm (29, 46%). Participants had received physical and psychological rehabilitation for an average of 124.74 months (SD 63.67) from a multidisciplinary team. The majority of participants (33, 52.4%) reported functional and aesthetic after-effects and appraised their scar as visible (51, 81.0%). BDI results showed low levels or absence of depression (mean = 7.63, SD 8.72; scale 0 = no depression to 63 = serious depression); the RSE showed adequate levels of self-esteem (mean = 8.41, SD 4.74; scale 0-30, where higher scores indicate worst levels of self-esteem). Burn location did not affect depression (BDI: P = 0.26) or self-esteem (RSE: P = 0.21). However, depression and self-esteem were more significant in participants who were not able to work and/or go to school than in those who were (BDI: P = 0.04 and self-esteem RSE: P = 0.03). Contrary to the initial hypothesis, this population of teenage burn victims did not experience depression and low self-esteem compared with the normal population described in the literature, which may demonstrate the importance of multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 and its correlation with basal membrane components laminin-5 and collagen type IV in paediatric burn patients measured with Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging (SPRI) biosensors.

PubMed

Weremijewicz, Artur; Matuszczak, Ewa; Sankiewicz, Anna; Tylicka, Marzena; Komarowska, Marta; Tokarzewicz, Anna; Debek, Wojciech; Gorodkiewicz, Ewa; Hermanowicz, Adam

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was the determination of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and its correlation with basal membrane components laminin-5 and collagen type IV in the blood plasma of burn patients measured with Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging (SPRI) biosensors. 31 children scalded by hot water who were managed at the Department of Paediatric Surgery between 2014-2015, after primarily presenting with burns in 4-20% TBSA were included into the study (age 9 months up to 14 years, mean age 2,5+1 years). There were 10 girls and 21 boys. Venous blood samples were drawn 2-6h, and 12-16h after the thermal injury, and on the subsequent days 3, 5 and 7. The matrix metalloproteinase-2, collagen type IV and laminin-5 concentrations were assessed using Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging by the investigators blinded to the other data. The MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV concentrations in the blood plasma of patients with burns, were highest 12-16h after thermal injury, the difference was statistically significant. The MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV concentrations measured 3 days, 5 days and 7 days after the thermal injury, slowly decreased over time, and on the 7th day reached the normal range, when compared with the concentration measured in controls. Current work is the first follow-up study regarding MMP-2 in burns. MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV levels were elevated early after burn injury in the plasma of studied patients, and were highest 12-16h after the injury. MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV levels were not proportional to the severity of the burn. We believe in the possibility that the gradual decrease of MMP-2, collagen type IV and laminin-5 concentrations could be connected with the process of healing, but to prove it, more investigation is needed in this area. The SPR imaging biosensor is a good diagnostic tool for determination of MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV in blood plasma of patients with burns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

A Comparative Study of the Wound Healing Properties of Moist Exposed Burn Ointment (MEBO) and Silver Sulphadiazine

PubMed Central

Jewo, P.I.; Fadeyibi, I.O.; Babalola, O.S.; Saalu, L.C.; Benebo, A.S.; Izegbu, M.C.; Ashiru, O.A.

2009-01-01

Summary Burns expose the deeper tissues of the skin or body to invasive microbes. Topical preparations for treating burn wounds, to be useful, should ideally have antibiotic power and promote healing. Silver compounds have been the mainstay of topical burn treatment for decades. However, most chemical substances retard wound healing. Several natural agents such as honey and moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) are believed to protect wounds from infection and promote healing without causing any of the adverse effects of purified chemicals. In this study, we compared the wound healing properties of MEBO, a herbal preparation of Chinese origin, with silver sulphadiazine (SSD), a long-standing conventional burn dressing. Ten adult Sprague Dawley rats were divided into two groups. They were housed in separate cages and received partial-thickness burn wounds on their dorsal skin. They were then treated with MEBO and SSD. The wounds were inspected daily until day 8, when all the animals were sacrificed, perfused with normal saline, and had their wounds excised and prepared for histology. It was found that animals in both groups were well preserved. No clinical infections occurred. Wound healing was at an advanced stage by day 8 in all the animals. Clinical and histological examination showed that the two agents gave the animals comparable protection and healing possibilities. It is concluded that MEBO is a suitable and efficacious alternative to conventional silver-based topical therapies for treating partial-thickness burn wounds. PMID:21991159

A Comparative Study of the Wound Healing Properties of Moist Exposed Burn Ointment (MEBO) and Silver Sulphadiazine.

PubMed

Jewo, P I; Fadeyibi, I O; Babalola, O S; Saalu, L C; Benebo, A S; Izegbu, M C; Ashiru, O A

2009-06-30

Burns expose the deeper tissues of the skin or body to invasive microbes. Topical preparations for treating burn wounds, to be useful, should ideally have antibiotic power and promote healing. Silver compounds have been the mainstay of topical burn treatment for decades. However, most chemical substances retard wound healing. Several natural agents such as honey and moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) are believed to protect wounds from infection and promote healing without causing any of the adverse effects of purified chemicals. In this study, we compared the wound healing properties of MEBO, a herbal preparation of Chinese origin, with silver sulphadiazine (SSD), a long-standing conventional burn dressing. Ten adult Sprague Dawley rats were divided into two groups. They were housed in separate cages and received partial-thickness burn wounds on their dorsal skin. They were then treated with MEBO and SSD. The wounds were inspected daily until day 8, when all the animals were sacrificed, perfused with normal saline, and had their wounds excised and prepared for histology. It was found that animals in both groups were well preserved. No clinical infections occurred. Wound healing was at an advanced stage by day 8 in all the animals. Clinical and histological examination showed that the two agents gave the animals comparable protection and healing possibilities. It is concluded that MEBO is a suitable and efficacious alternative to conventional silver-based topical therapies for treating partial-thickness burn wounds.

Burning mouth syndrome: Evaluation of clinical and laboratory findings.

PubMed

Halac, Gulistan; Tekturk, Pinar; Eroglu, Saliha; Cikrikcioglu, Mehmet Ali; Cimendur, Ozlem; Kilic, Elif; Asil, Talip

2016-07-30

Burning mouth syndrome is a chronic and persistent painful condition characterized by burning sensation in the oral mucosa. We investigated the etiological factors of patients presented with the history of burning in the mouth who admitted our outpatient clinics over the 8-years period and who had no underlying identifiable local factors. We also tried to determine their demographic and clinical characteristics. Our aim was to investigate the association between burning mouth and psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus (DM) and other laboratory studies in patients complaining of solely burning in the mouth. The study included patients with the history of burning in mouth who presented in our outpatient clinic between 2005 and 2012. They were evaluated by a neurologist, a psychiatrist, an internist, and a dentist. Complete blood counts, biochemical analysis and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed for all patients. A total of 26 (22 (84%) females, 4 (15%) males; mean age 55.9 years) patients were enrolled in this study. Five (19.2%) of the patients had depression, 2 (7.7%) had anxiety disorder, 2 (7.7%) had diabetes mellitus, 8 (30%) had B12 vitamin deficiency, 3 (11.5%) had decreased ferritin levels in blood, and 1 (3.8%) had folic acid deficiency. Cranial MRI of all patients were normal. Nine patients (34.6%) had no etiological causes. A multidisciplinary approach in the management of burning mouth and establishment of common criteria for the diagnosis would provide insight into the underlying pathophysiological mechanism.

Nutrient export from watersheds on Mt. Desert Island, maine, as a function of land use and fire history

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nielsen, M.G.; Kahl, J.S.

2007-01-01

A study of 13 small (less than 7.5 km2) watersheds on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, was conducted from January 1999 to September 2000 to determine nutrient export delivery to coastal waters around the island, and to determine whether a series of wildfires in 1947 have affected nutrient export in burned watersheds. Nutrient export (nitrate-nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus) was determined for each watershed during the study period, and was normalized by watershed area. The yield of nitrate-nitrogen (N) ranged from 10 to 140 kg/km2/year. Total N yield ranged from 42 to 250 kg/ km2/year. Total phosphorus (P) yield ranged from 1.4 to 7.9 kg/km2/year. Watersheds entirely within Acadia National Park (lacking human land-based nutrient sources) exported significantly less total N and total P than watersheds that were partly or entirely outside the park boundary. Nitrate-N export was not significantly different in these two groups of watersheds, perhaps because atmospheric deposition is a dominant source of nitrate in the study area. No relation was observed between burn history and nutrient export. Any effect of burn history may be masked by other landscape-level factors related to nutrient export. ?? Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2007.

Corneal abrasion and alkali burn secondary to automobile air bag inflation

PubMed Central

Scarlett, Angela; Gee, Paul

2007-01-01

A 59‐year‐old woman self presented to the emergency department with a painful right eye following a motor vehicle accident. She had reduced visual acuity and the eye had an alkaline pH with complete corneal uptake of fluorescein. Diagnosis of corneal abrasion and alkali burn to her right eye secondary to inflation of a driver's automobile airbag was made. The eye was irrigated with normal saline. Such injuries, although rare, can easily be identified within the emergency department by the history of exposure, evidence of facial injuries or burns, and an alkaline pH in the inferior cul‐de‐sac of the eye. Early detection and management with ophthalmology review is therefore imperative to prevent irreversible visual impairment. PMID:17901284

Burning Mouth Syndrome: Aetiopathogenesis and Principles of Management

PubMed Central

Fourie, J.; Bouckaert, M.; Ballyram, R.; Lemmer, J.

2017-01-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic debilitating oral condition characterised by a burning sensation of the oral mucosa in an otherwise apparently normal person. Its aetiology and pathogenesis are obscure, but both psychogenic factors and peripheral and central neuropathies appear to be implicated. There is no cure for BMS, and treatment with either local or systemic medications focuses on the relief of symptoms and on improving quality of life. In recalcitrant cases, psychological/psychiatric intervention may be helpful. In order to improve treatment outcomes, a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this syndrome might provide a basis for the development of more effective management strategies. In this short review, we discuss current knowledge of the diagnosis, aetiopathogenesis, and management of BMS. PMID:29180911

Burning Mouth Syndrome: Aetiopathogenesis and Principles of Management.

PubMed

Feller, L; Fourie, J; Bouckaert, M; Khammissa, R A G; Ballyram, R; Lemmer, J

2017-01-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic debilitating oral condition characterised by a burning sensation of the oral mucosa in an otherwise apparently normal person. Its aetiology and pathogenesis are obscure, but both psychogenic factors and peripheral and central neuropathies appear to be implicated. There is no cure for BMS, and treatment with either local or systemic medications focuses on the relief of symptoms and on improving quality of life. In recalcitrant cases, psychological/psychiatric intervention may be helpful. In order to improve treatment outcomes, a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this syndrome might provide a basis for the development of more effective management strategies. In this short review, we discuss current knowledge of the diagnosis, aetiopathogenesis, and management of BMS.

Muscle Contractile Properties in Severely Burned Rats

PubMed Central

Wu, Xiaowu; Wolf, Steven E.; Walters, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

Burn induces a sustained catabolic response which causes massive loss of muscle mass after injury. A better understanding of the dynamics of muscle wasting and its impact on muscle function is necessary for the development of effective treatments. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent either a 40% total body surface area (TBSA) scald burn or sham burn, and were further assigned to subgroups at four time points after injury (days 3, 7, 14 and 21). In situ isometric contractile properties were measured including twitch tension (Pt), tetanic tension (Po) and fatigue properties. Body weight decreased in burn and sham groups through day 3, however, body weight in the sham groups recovered and increased over time compared to burned groups, which progressively decreased until day 21 after injury. Significant differences in muscle wet weight and protein weight were found between sham and burn. Significant differences in muscle contractile properties were found at day 14 with lower absolute Po as well as specific Po in burned rats compared to sham. After burn, the muscle twitch tension was significantly higher than the sham at day 21. No significant difference in fatigue properties was found between the groups. This study demonstrates dynamics of muscle atrophy and muscle contractile properties after severe burn; this understanding will aid in the development of approaches designed to reduce the rate and extent of burn induced muscle loss and function. PMID:20381255

Skin graft - slideshow

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/presentations/100100.htm Skin graft - series—Normal anatomy To use the sharing features ... entire body, and acts as a protective barrier. Skin grafts may be recommended for: Extensive wounds Burns Specific ...

Invasive Vibrio cholerae Infection Following Burn Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

revealed no infiltrates. Labs were significant for normal renal and liver chemistries, normal white blood cell count, a mild normocytic anemia, and a...knee amputation, and was noted to have bilateral orbital compartment syndrome requiring cantholysis. Given that both blood and urine cul- tures...and airway pressure re- lease ventilation. Multiple admission blood cultures revealed growth of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus

Mechanisms of motor vehicle crashes related to burns--an analysis of the German In depth Accident Study (GIDAS) database.

PubMed

Brand, S; Otte, D; Stübig, T; Petri, M; Ettinger, M; Mueller, C W; Krettek, C; Haasper, C; Probst, C

2013-12-01

Patients of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) suffering burns are challenging for the rescue team and the admitting hospital. These patients often face worse outcomes than crash patients with trauma only. Our analysis of the German In-depth Accident Study (GIDAS) database researches the detailed crash mechanisms to identify potential prevention measures. We analyzed the 2011 GIDAS database comprising 14,072 MVC patients and compared individuals with (Burns) and without (NoBurns) burns. Only complete data sets were included. Patients with burns obviously resulting of air bag deployment only were not included in the Burns group. Data acquisition by an on call team of medical and technical researchers starts at the crash scene immediately after the crash and comprises technical data as well as medical information until discharge from the hospital. Statistical analysis was done by Mann-Whitney-U-test. Level of significance was p < 0.05. 14,072 MVC patients with complete data sets were included in the analysis. 99 individuals suffered burns (0.7%; group "Burns"). Demographic data and injury severity showed no statistical significant difference between the two groups of Burns and NoBurns. Injury severity was measured using the Injury Severity Score (ISS). Direct frontal impact (Burns: 48.5% vs. NoBurns: 33%; p < 0.05) and high-energy impacts as represented by delta-v (m/s) (Burns: 33.5 ± 21.4 vs. NoBurns: 25.2 ± 15.9; p < 0.05) were significantly different between groups as was mortality (Burns: 12.5% vs. NoBurns: 2.1%; p < 0.05). Type of patients' motor vehicles and type of crash opponent showed no differences. Our results show, that frontal and high-energy impacts are associated with a frequency of burns. This may serve automobile construction companies to improve the burn safety to prevent flames spreading from the motor compartment to the passenger compartment. Communities may impose speed limits in local crash hot spots. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

A multi-sensor burned area algorithm for crop residue burning in northwestern India: validation and sources of error

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, T.; Marlier, M. E.; Karambelas, A. N.; Jain, M.; DeFries, R. S.

2017-12-01

A leading source of outdoor emissions in northwestern India comes from crop residue burning after the annual monsoon (kharif) and winter (rabi) crop harvests. Agricultural burned area, from which agricultural fire emissions are often derived, can be poorly quantified due to the mismatch between moderate-resolution satellite sensors and the relatively small size and short burn period of the fires. Many previous studies use the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED), which is based on the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) burned area product MCD64A1, as an outdoor fires emissions dataset. Correction factors with MODIS active fire detections have previously attempted to account for small fires. We present a new burned area classification algorithm that leverages more frequent MODIS observations (500 m x 500 m) with higher spatial resolution Landsat (30 m x 30 m) observations. Our approach is based on two-tailed Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) thresholds, abbreviated as ModL2T NBR, and results in an estimated 104 ± 55% higher burned area than GFEDv4.1s (version 4, MCD64A1 + small fires correction) in northwestern India during the 2003-2014 winter (October to November) burning seasons. Regional transport of winter fire emissions affect approximately 63 million people downwind. The general increase in burned area (+37% from 2003-2007 to 2008-2014) over the study period also correlates with increased mechanization (+58% in combine harvester usage from 2001-2002 to 2011-2012). Further, we find strong correlation between ModL2T NBR-derived burned area and results of an independent survey (r = 0.68) and previous studies (r = 0.92). Sources of error arise from small median landholding sizes (1-3 ha), heterogeneous spatial distribution of two dominant burning practices (partial and whole field), coarse spatio-temporal satellite resolution, cloud and haze cover, and limited Landsat scene availability. The burned area estimates of this study can be used to build a new agricultural fire emissions inventory to re-evaluate the contributions of winter agricultural fires to rural and urban air quality degradation.

A new method for estimation of involved BSAs for obese and normal-weight patients with burn injury.

PubMed

Neaman, Keith C; Andres, L Albert; McClure, Amanda M; Burton, Michael E; Kemmeter, Paul R; Ford, Ronald D

2011-01-01

An accurate measurement of BSA involved in patients injured by burns is critical in determining initial fluid requirements, nutritional needs, and criteria for tertiary center admissions. The rule of nines and the Lund-Browder chart are commonly used to calculate the BSA involved. However, their accuracy in all patient populations, namely obese patients, remains to be proven. Detailed BSA measurements were obtained from 163 adult patients according to linear formulas defined previously for individual body segments. Patients were then grouped based on body mass index (BMI). The contribution of individual body segments to the TBSA was determined based on BMI, and the validity of existing measurement tools was examined. Significant errors were found when comparing all groups with the rule of nines, which overestimated the contribution of the head and arms to the TBSA while underestimating the trunk and legs for all BMI groups. A new rule is proposed to minimize error, assigning 5% of the TBSA to the head and 15% of the TBSA to the arms across all BMI groups, while alternating the contribution of the trunk/legs as follows: normal-weight 35/45%, obese 40/40%, and morbidly obese 45/35%. Current modalities used to determine BSA burned are subject to significant errors, which are magnified as BMI increases. This new method provides increased accuracy in estimating the BSA involved in patients with burn injury regardless of BMI.

Comparing the influence of wildfire and prescribed burns on watershed nitrogen biogeochemistry using 15N natural abundance in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem components.

PubMed

Stephan, Kirsten; Kavanagh, Kathleen L; Koyama, Akihiro

2015-01-01

We evaluated differences in the effects of three low-severity spring prescribed burns and four wildfires on nitrogen (N) biogeochemistry in Rocky Mountain headwater watersheds. We compared paired (burned/unburned) watersheds of four wildfires and three spring prescribed burns for three growing seasons post-fire. To better understand fire effects on the entire watershed ecosystem, we measured N concentrations and δ15N in both the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems components, i.e., soil, understory plants in upland and riparian areas, streamwater, and in-stream moss. In addition, we measured nitrate reductase activity in foliage of Spiraea betulifolia, a dominant understory species. We found increases of δ15N and N concentrations in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem N pools after wildfire, but responses were limited to terrestrial N pools after prescribed burns indicating that N transfer from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystem components did not occur in low-severity prescribed burns. Foliar δ15N differed between wildfire and prescribed burn sites; the δ15N of foliage of upland plants was enriched by 2.9 ‰ (difference between burned and unburned watersheds) in the first two years after wildfire, but only 1.3 ‰ after prescribed burns. In-stream moss δ15N in wildfire-burned watersheds was enriched by 1.3 ‰, but there was no response by moss in prescription-burned watersheds, mirroring patterns of streamwater nitrate concentrations. S. betulifolia showed significantly higher nitrate reductase activity two years after wildfires relative to corresponding unburned watersheds, but no such difference was found after prescribed burns. These responses are consistent with less altered N biogeochemistry after prescribed burns relative to wildfire. We concluded that δ15N values in terrestrial and aquatic plants and streamwater nitrate concentrations after fire can be useful indicators of the magnitude and duration of fire effects and the fate of post-fire available N.

Comparing the Influence of Wildfire and Prescribed Burns on Watershed Nitrogen Biogeochemistry Using 15N Natural Abundance in Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystem Components

PubMed Central

Stephan, Kirsten; Kavanagh, Kathleen L.; Koyama, Akihiro

2015-01-01

We evaluated differences in the effects of three low-severity spring prescribed burns and four wildfires on nitrogen (N) biogeochemistry in Rocky Mountain headwater watersheds. We compared paired (burned/unburned) watersheds of four wildfires and three spring prescribed burns for three growing seasons post-fire. To better understand fire effects on the entire watershed ecosystem, we measured N concentrations and δ15N in both the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems components, i.e., soil, understory plants in upland and riparian areas, streamwater, and in-stream moss. In addition, we measured nitrate reductase activity in foliage of Spiraea betulifolia, a dominant understory species. We found increases of δ15N and N concentrations in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem N pools after wildfire, but responses were limited to terrestrial N pools after prescribed burns indicating that N transfer from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystem components did not occur in low-severity prescribed burns. Foliar δ15N differed between wildfire and prescribed burn sites; the δ15N of foliage of upland plants was enriched by 2.9 ‰ (difference between burned and unburned watersheds) in the first two years after wildfire, but only 1.3 ‰ after prescribed burns. In-stream moss δ15N in wildfire-burned watersheds was enriched by 1.3 ‰, but there was no response by moss in prescription-burned watersheds, mirroring patterns of streamwater nitrate concentrations. S. betulifolia showed significantly higher nitrate reductase activity two years after wildfires relative to corresponding unburned watersheds, but no such difference was found after prescribed burns. These responses are consistent with less altered N biogeochemistry after prescribed burns relative to wildfire. We concluded that δ15N values in terrestrial and aquatic plants and streamwater nitrate concentrations after fire can be useful indicators of the magnitude and duration of fire effects and the fate of post-fire available N. PMID:25885257

Long-term post-fire effects on spatial ecology and reproductive output of female Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) at a wind energy facility near Palm Springs, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lovich, Jeffrey E.; Ennen, Joshua R.; Madrak, Sheila V.; Loughran, Caleb L.; Meyer, Katherin P.; Arundel, Terence R.; Bjurlin, Curtis D.

2011-01-01

We studied the long-term response of a cohort of eight female Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) during the first 15 years following a large fire at a wind energy generation facility near Palm Springs, California, USA. The fire burned a significant portion of the study site in 1995. Tortoise activity areas were mapped using minimum convex polygons for a proximate post-fire interval from 1997 to 2000, and a long-term post-fire interval from 2009 to 2010. In addition, we measured the annual reproductive output of eggs each year and monitored the body condition of tortoises over time. One adult female tortoise was killed by the fire and five tortoises bore exposure scars that were not fatal. Despite predictions that tortoises would make the short-distance movements from burned to nearby unburned habitats, most activity areas and their centroids remained in burned areas for the duration of the study. The percentage of activity area burned did not differ significantly between the two monitoring periods. Annual reproductive output and measures of body condition remained statistically similar throughout the monitoring period. Despite changes in plant composition, conditions at this site appeared to be suitable for survival of tortoises following a major fire. High productivity at the site may have buffered tortoises from the adverse impacts of fire if they were not killed outright. Tortoise populations at less productive desert sites may not have adequate resources to sustain normal activity areas, reproductive output, and body conditions following fire.

Moist Exposed Burn Ointment (MEBO) in partial thickness burns - a randomized, comparative open mono-center study on the efficacy of dermaheal (MEBO) ointment on thermal 2nd degree burns compared to conventional therapy.

PubMed

Hirsch, T; Ashkar, W; Schumacher, O; Steinstraesser, L; Ingianni, G; Cedidi, C C

2008-11-24

Wound healing in burn wounds presents a challenge in healthcare, and there is still a lack of alternatives in topical burn wound treatments. - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new therapeutic ointment (MEBO) in the treatment of partial thickness burns. 40 patients received either topical treatment with Moist Exposed Burn Ointment (MEBO) or standard Flammazine treatment. All patients suffered from partial-thickness burn injuries (< 20% TBSA). Wounds were evaluated for 60 up to days regarding wound healing, water loss, inflammation, and pain alleviation. For transepidermal water loss, there was a difference of 2.3 gr/m2/h between MEBO, and Flammazine, favoring MEBO. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.78). For all secondary efficacy parameter results were similar. - This study showed that MEBO ointment for topical treatment of burn injuries presents an attractive alternative for the topical treatment of limited partial thickness thermal burns.

Quantitative long term measurements of burns in a rat model using spatial frequency domain imaging and laser speckle imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponticorvo, Adrien; Rowland, Rebecca A.; Baldado, Melissa L.; Kennedy, Gordon T.; Saager, Rolf B.; Choi, Bernard; Durkin, Anthony J.

2016-04-01

The ability to accurately assess burn wound severity in a timely manner is a critical component of wound management as it dictates the course of treatment. While full thickness and superficial burns can be easily diagnosed through visual inspection, burns that fall in between these categories are difficult to classify. Additionally, the ability to better quantify different stages of wound healing from a burn of any severity would be important for evaluating the efficacy of different treatment options. Here we present a longitudinal (28 day) study that employs spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) and laser speckle imaging (LSI) as non-invasive technologies to characterize in-vivo burn wounds and healing in a murine model. Burn wounds were created using an established technique of a brass comb heated to a given temperature and applied for a set amount of time. They were imaged immediately after the initial injury and then at 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days following the injury. Biopsies were taken on the day of the injury in order to verify the extent of the burn damage as well as at different time points after the injury in order to visualize different stages of inflammation and healing. The results of this study suggest that the reduced scattering coefficient measured using SFDI and blood flow as measured using LSI have the potential to provide useful metrics for quantifying the severity of burn injuries as well as track the different stages associated with wound healing progression.

Pediatric burns: Kids' Inpatient Database vs the National Burn Repository.

PubMed

Soleimani, Tahereh; Evans, Tyler A; Sood, Rajiv; Hartman, Brett C; Hadad, Ivan; Tholpady, Sunil S

2016-04-01

Burn injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in young children. The Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) and National Burn Repository (NBR) are two large national databases that can be used to evaluate outcomes and help quality improvement in burn care. Differences in the design of the KID and NBR could lead to differing results affecting resultant conclusions and quality improvement programs. This study was designed to validate the use of KID for burn epidemiologic studies, as an adjunct to the NBR. Using the KID (2003, 2006, and 2009), a total of 17,300 nonelective burn patients younger than 20 y old were identified. Data from 13,828 similar patients were collected from the NBR. Outcome variables were compared between the two databases. Comparisons revealed similar patient distribution by gender, race, and burn size. Inhalation injury was more common among the NBR patients and was associated with increased mortality. The rates of respiratory failure, wound infection, cellulitis, sepsis, and urinary tract infection were higher in the KID. Multiple regression analysis adjusting for potential confounders demonstrated similar mortality rate but significantly longer length of stay for patients in the NBR. Despite differences in the design and sampling of the KID and NBR, the overall demographic and mortality results are similar. The differences in complication rate and length of stay should be explored by further studies to clarify underlying causes. Investigations into these differences should also better inform strategies to improve burn prevention and treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of traditional burn wound mapping with a computerized program.

PubMed

Williams, James F; King, Booker T; Aden, James K; Serio-Melvin, Maria; Chung, Kevin K; Fenrich, Craig A; Salinas, José; Renz, Evan M; Wolf, Steven E; Blackbourne, Lorne H; Cancio, Leopoldo C

2013-01-01

Accurate burn estimation affects the use of burn resuscitation formulas and treatment strategies, and thus can affect patient outcomes. The objective of this process-improvement project was to compare the accuracy of a computer-based burn mapping program, WoundFlow (WF), with the widely used hand-mapped Lund-Browder (LB) diagram. Manikins with various burn representations (from 1% to more than 60% TBSA) were used for comparison of the WF system and LB diagrams. Burns were depicted on the manikins using red vinyl adhesive. Healthcare providers responsible for mapping of burn patients were asked to perform burn mapping of the manikins. Providers were randomized to either an LB or a WF group. Differences in the total map area between groups were analyzed. Also, direct measurements of the burn representations were taken and compared with LB and WF results. The results of 100 samples, compared using Bland-Altman analysis, showed no difference between the two methods. WF was as accurate as LB mapping for all burn surface areas. WF may be additionally beneficial in that it can track daily progress until complete wound closure, and can automatically calculate burn size, thus decreasing the chances of mathematical errors.

Valproic acid treatment attenuates caspase-3 activation and improves survival after lethal burn injury in a rodent model.

PubMed

Luo, Hong-Min; Hu, Sen; Bai, Hui-Ying; Wang, Hai-Bin; Du, Ming-Hua; Lin, Zhi-Long; Ma, Li; Wang, Huan; Lv, Yi; Sheng, Zhi-Yong

2014-01-01

Burn injury may result in multiple organ dysfunction partially because of apoptotic cell death. The authors have previously shown that valproic acid (VPA) improves survival in a dog burn model. The aim of this study is to examine whether a VPA improves survival in a rodent burn model and whether this was because of inhibition of cell apoptosis. Rats were subjected to third-degree 55% TBSA burns and randomized to treatment with a VPA (300 mg/kg) or normal saline. One group of animals was monitored for 12 hours for survival analysis; another group was killed at 6 hours after injury, and brains, hearts, and blood samples were harvested for examination. Plasma creatine kinase (CK)-MB activities and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels were measured to evaluate the cardiac and brain damages. The effects of a VPA on acetylation of histone H3 and caspase-3 activation were also evaluated. Major burn injury resulted in a significant decrease in the acetylation of histone H3, and there was an increase in plasma CK-MB activities, NSE concentrations, and tissue levels of activated caspase-3. A VPA treatment significantly increased the acetylation of histone H3 and survival of the animals after major burn injury. In addition, a VPA treatment significantly attenuated the plasma CK-MB activities, an NSE concentrations, and inhibited caspase-3 activation after major burn injury. These results indicate that a VPA can attenuate cardiac and brain injury, and can improve survival in a rodent model of lethal burn injury. These protective effects may be mediated in part through the inhibition of caspase-3 activation.

Combustion of Interacting Droplet Arrays in a Microgravity Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dietrich, D. L.; Struk, P. M.; Kitano, K.; Ikegami, M.

1999-01-01

Investigations into droplet interactions date back to Rex et al. Recently, Annamalai and Ryan and Annamalai published extensive reviews of droplet array and cloud combustion studies. The authors studied the change in the burning rate constant, k, (relative to that of the single droplet) that results from interactions. Under certain conditions, there exists a separation distance where the droplet lifetime reaches a minimum, or average burning rate constant is a maximum . Additionally, since inter-droplet separation distance, L, increases relative to the droplet size, D, as the burning proceeds, the burning rate is not constant throughout the burn, but changes continuously with time. Only Law and co-workers and Mikami et al. studied interactions under conditions where buoyant forces were negligible. Comparing their results with existing theory, Law and co-workers found that theory over predicted the persistency and intensity of droplet interactions. The droplet interactions also depended on the initial array configuration as well as the instantaneous array configuration. They also concluded that droplet heating was retarded due to interactions and that the burning process did not follow the "D-squared" law. Mikami et al. studied the combustion of a two-droplet array of heptane burning in air at one atm pressure in microgravity. They showed that the instantaneous burning rate constant increases throughout the droplet lifetime, even for a single droplet. Also, the burn time of the array reached a minimum at a critical inter-droplet spacing. In this article, we examine droplet interactions in normal and microgravity environments. The microgravity experiments were in the NASA GRC 2.2 and 5.2 second drop towers, and the JAMIC (Japan Microgravity Center) 10 second drop tower. Special emphasis is directed to combustion under conditions that yield finite extinction diameters, and to determine how droplet interactions affect the extinction process.

A protocol guided by transpulmonary thermodilution and lactate levels for resuscitation of patients with severe burns.

PubMed

Berger, Mette M; Que, Yok Ai

2013-11-11

Over-resuscitation is deleterious in many critically ill conditions, including major burns. For more than 15 years, several strategies to reduce fluid administration in burns during the initial resuscitation phase have been proposed, but no single or simple parameter has shown superiority. Fluid administration guided by invasive hemodynamic parameters usually resulted in over-resuscitation. As reported in the previous issue of Critical Care, Sánchez-Sánchez and colleagues analyzed the performance of a 'permissive hypovolemia' protocol guided by invasive hemodynamic parameters (PiCCO, Pulsion Medical Systems, Munich, Germany) and vital signs in a prospective cohort over a 3-year period. The authors' results confirm that resuscitation can be achieved with below-normal levels of preload but at the price of a fluid administration greater than predicted by the Parkland formula (2 to 4 mL/kg per% burn). The classic approach based on an adapted Parkland equation may still be the simplest until further studies identify the optimal bundle of resuscitation goals.

Operative management of acute pavement burns: a case series.

PubMed

Silver, A G; Zamboni, W A; Baynosa, R C

2014-11-01

Acute burns suffered from contact with environmentally heated roadways and walkways are a rare entity. The aim of this report is to assess the information gained from the treatment of a series of patients. A retrospective review of a consecutive series of cases, where operative treatment was necessary, that occurred during July 2010 in southern Arizona. Seven patients were included, with an average total body surface area burn of 10.2%. Direct fascial excision and tangential excision were carried out on three and four patients, respectively. Although tangential excision was carried out to normal endpoints, there was commonly a need for repetitive debridement. The total hospital costs were over $4,400,000 (£2,730,000). Burns suffered from contact with roadways/walkways are often deeper than suggested by their appearance. Direct fascial excision minimises the number of debridement sessions. We hypothesise that the failure to offload pressure on these wounds may be a causative factor in their observed deepening.

In the media: Burns as a method of assault.

PubMed

O'Halloran, E; Duke, J; Rea, S; Wood, F

2013-09-01

The aims of this study were to determine whether a change occurred in the pattern of assault burn injury cases hospitalised to the adult state burns unit, Western Australia, from 2004 to mid-year of 2012, and to compare patient and burn characteristics of adult assault burns with those admitted for unintentional burns. Study data were obtained from the Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) Burns Minimum Dataset (BMDS). Aggregated data of unintentional burn admissions during the same period were provided by the BMDS data manager to enable comparisons with assault burn patients. Assault burn admissions during 2004-2012 accounted for approximately 1% of all adult burn hospitalisations. All assault victims were burned by either thermal or scald agents. A high rate of intubation (24%) and ICU admission (1 in 3 cases) was observed in the fire assault group. The six assault cases undergoing intubation were severe burns, median TBSA 50%, most commonly affecting the face, head and torso, half of these cases had inhalational injuries and also required escharotomies. Comparison of admissions by calendar period showed no statistically significant differences in demographic, burn cause or TBSA%. However, statistically significant differences were found for pre-morbid psychiatric history (15% vs. 58%, p=0.025) and concomitant fractures or dislocations (46% vs. 2%), p=0.011). While the proportion of assault burn admissions per total burn admissions steadily increased from 0.4% in 2009 to 1.5% in mid-2012, this proportion did not exceed that peak level observed of 2.1% for 2004. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knocking in the Otto-cycle Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinhart, H

1939-01-01

Engine knock is, as is known, preceded by normal burning of the first part of the charge, and only the part burned last (residual charge), knocks. The aim of the present measurements was, first, to reexamine the combustion form in this residual charge, because of the absence of uniform and frequently contradictory results in the very extensive literature on the subject. On top of that, an attempt was to be made to gain a deeper insight into the mechanism accompanying the combustion process, by means of the electrical test equipment perfected in recent years.

Effects of glutamine treatment on myocardial damage and cardiac function in rats after severe burn injury.

PubMed

Yan, Hong; Zhang, Yong; Lv, Shang-jun; Wang, Lin; Liang, Guang-ping; Wan, Qian-xue; Peng, Xi

2012-01-01

Treatment with glutamine has been shown to reduce myocardial damage associated with ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, the cardioprotective effect of glutamine specifically after burn injury remains unclear. The present study explores the ability of glutamine to protect against myocardial damage in rats that have been severely burned. Seventy-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal controls (C), burned controls (B) and a glutamine-treated group (G). Groups B and G were subjected to full thickness burns comprising 30% of total body surface area. Group G was administered 1.5 g/ (kg•d) glutamine and group B was given the same dose of alanine via intragastric administration for 3 days. Levels of serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate transaminase (AST) and blood lactic acid were measured, as well as myocardial ATP and glutathione (GSH) contents. Cardiac function indices and histopathological changes were analyzed at 12, 24, 48 and 72 post-burn hours. In both burned groups, levels of serum CK, LDH, AST and blood lactic acid increased significantly, while myocardial ATP and GSH contents decreased. Compared with group B, CK, LDH, and AST levels were lower and blood lactic acid, myocardial ATP and GSH levels were higher in group G. Moreover, cardiac contractile function inhibition and myocardial histopathological damage were significantly reduced in group G compared to B. Taken together, these results show that glutamine supplementation protects myocardial structure and function after burn injury by improving energy metabolism and by promoted the synthesis of ATP and GSH in cardiac myocytes.

Effects of glycyl-glutamine dipeptide supplementation on myocardial damage and cardiac function in rats after severe burn injury

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yong; Yan, Hong; Lv, Shang-Gun; Wang, Lin; Liang, Guang-Ping; Wan, Qian-Xue; Peng, Xi

2013-01-01

Glutamine decreases myocardial damage in ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, the cardioprotective effect of glutamine after burn injury remains unclear. Present study was to explore the protective effect of glycyl-glutamine dipeptide on myocardial damage in severe burn rats. Seventy-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control (C), burned control (B) and glycyl-glutamine dipeptide-treated (GG) groups. B and GG groups were inflicted with 30% total body surface area of full thickness burn. The GG group was given 1.5 g/kg glycyl-glutamine dipeptide per day and the B group was given the same dose of alanine via intraperitoneal injection for 3 days. The serum CK, LDH, AST, and, blood lactic acid levels, as well as the myocardium ATP and GSH contents, were measured. The indices of cardiac contractile function and histopathological change were analyzed at 12, 24, 48, and 72 post-burn hours (PBH). The serum CK, LDH, AST and blood lactic acid levels increased, and the myocardium ATP and GSH content decreased in both burned groups. Compared with B group, the CK, LDH, AST and blood lactic acid levels reduced, myocardium ATP and GSH content increased in GG group. Moreover, the inhibition of cardiac contractile function and myocardial histopathological damage were reduced significantly in GG group. We conclude that myocardial histological structure and function were damaged significantly after burn injury, glycyl-glutamine dipeptide supplementation is beneficial to myocardial preservation by improving cardiocyte energy metabolism, increasing ATP and glutathione synthesis. PMID:23638213

Effects of glutamine treatment on myocardial damage and cardiac function in rats after severe burn injury

PubMed Central

Yan, Hong; Zhang, Yong; Lv, Shang-jun; Wang, Lin; Liang, Guang-ping; Wan, Qian-xue; Peng, Xi

2012-01-01

Treatment with glutamine has been shown to reduce myocardial damage associated with ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, the cardioprotective effect of glutamine specifically after burn injury remains unclear. The present study explores the ability of glutamine to protect against myocardial damage in rats that have been severely burned. Seventy-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal controls (C), burned controls (B) and a glutamine-treated group (G). Groups B and G were subjected to full thickness burns comprising 30% of total body surface area. Group G was administered 1.5 g/ (kg•d) glutamine and group B was given the same dose of alanine via intragastric administration for 3 days. Levels of serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate transaminase (AST) and blood lactic acid were measured, as well as myocardial ATP and glutathione (GSH) contents. Cardiac function indices and histopathological changes were analyzed at 12, 24, 48 and 72 post-burn hours. In both burned groups, levels of serum CK, LDH, AST and blood lactic acid increased significantly, while myocardial ATP and GSH contents decreased. Compared with group B, CK, LDH, and AST levels were lower and blood lactic acid, myocardial ATP and GSH levels were higher in group G. Moreover, cardiac contractile function inhibition and myocardial histopathological damage were significantly reduced in group G compared to B. Taken together, these results show that glutamine supplementation protects myocardial structure and function after burn injury by improving energy metabolism and by promotedthe synthesis of ATP and GSH in cardiac myocytes. PMID:22977661

Characterization of skin allograft use in thermal injury.

PubMed

Fletcher, John L; Caterson, E J; Hale, Robert G; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Renz, Evan M; Chan, Rodney K

2013-01-01

This study provides objective data on the practice of allograft usage in severely burned patients. Furthermore, gaps in our knowledge are identified, and areas for further research are delineated. Using an institutional review board-approved protocol, active duty military patients injured while deployed in support of overseas contingency operations and treated at our burn center between March 2003 and December 2010 were identified. Their electronic medical records were reviewed for allograft use, TBSA burned, injury severity score, anatomic distribution of burns, operative burden, length of stay, transfusions, and outcome. Among 844 patients, 112 (13.3%) received allograft and 732 (86.7%) did not. The amount of allograft used per patient varied and was not normally distributed (median, 23.5; interquartile range, 69.5). Patients received allograft skin an average of 12.75 times during their admission. Allografted patients sustained severe burns (μ, 53.8% TBSA); most were transfused (71.2%) and grafted frequently, averaging every 7.45 days. Most commonly, allograft was placed on the extremities (66.5%) followed by the trunk (44.2%); however, the vast majority of allografted patients also had concomitant burns of the head (91.1%) and hands (87.5%). All-cause mortality among the allografted patients was 19.1%. In conclusion, allograft is commonly used in the surgical treatment of severe burns. Although there are no anatomic limitations to allograft placement, there are distinct patterns of use. Given the role of allograft in the acute management of large burns, there is need for further investigation of its effect on mortality, morbidity, and antigenicity.

The use of geographic information for fire management planning in Yosemite National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; van Wagtendonk, Kent A.; Meyer, Joseph B.; Paintner, Kara J.

2002-01-01

Fire has played a critical role in the ecosystems of Yosemite National park for millennia. Before the advent of Euro-Americans, lightning fires and fires set by Native Americans burned freely across the landscape. These fires burned periodically, with the interval between fires dependent on the availability of ignition sources, adequate fuels, and weather conducive to burning. As a result, different vegetation types burned at different intervals.

Satisfaction with life after burn: A Burn Model System National Database Study.

PubMed

Goverman, J; Mathews, K; Nadler, D; Henderson, E; McMullen, K; Herndon, D; Meyer, W; Fauerbach, J A; Wiechman, S; Carrougher, G; Ryan, C M; Schneider, J C

2016-08-01

While mortality rates after burn are low, physical and psychosocial impairments are common. Clinical research is focusing on reducing morbidity and optimizing quality of life. This study examines self-reported Satisfaction With Life Scale scores in a longitudinal, multicenter cohort of survivors of major burns. Risk factors associated with Satisfaction With Life Scale scores are identified. Data from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Burn Model System (BMS) database for burn survivors greater than 9 years of age, from 1994 to 2014, were analyzed. Demographic and medical data were collected on each subject. The primary outcome measures were the individual items and total Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) scores at time of hospital discharge (pre-burn recall period) and 6, 12, and 24 months after burn. The SWLS is a validated 5-item instrument with items rated on a 1-7 Likert scale. The differences in scores over time were determined and scores for burn survivors were also compared to a non-burn, healthy population. Step-wise regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of SWLS scores at different time intervals. The SWLS was completed at time of discharge (1129 patients), 6 months after burn (1231 patients), 12 months after burn (1123 patients), and 24 months after burn (959 patients). There were no statistically significant differences between these groups in terms of medical or injury demographics. The majority of the population was Caucasian (62.9%) and male (72.6%), with a mean TBSA burned of 22.3%. Mean total SWLS scores for burn survivors were unchanged and significantly below that of a non-burn population at all examined time points after burn. Although the mean SWLS score was unchanged over time, a large number of subjects demonstrated improvement or decrement of at least one SWLS category. Gender, TBSA burned, LOS, and school status were associated with SWLS scores at 6 months; scores at 12 months were associated with LOS, school status, and amputation; scores at 24 months were associated with LOS, school status, and drug abuse. In this large, longitudinal, multicenter cohort of burn survivors, satisfaction with life after burn was consistently lower than that of non-burn norms. Furthermore mean SWLS scores did not improve over the two-year follow-up period. This study demonstrates the need for continued efforts to improve patient-centered long term satisfaction with life after burn. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Gender differences in resilience and psychological distress of patients with burns.

PubMed

Masood, Afsheen; Masud, Yusra; Mazahir, Shama

2016-03-01

This research explored the gender differences in resilience and psychological distress of patients with burns. In Pakistan, psychological states of patients with burns have not been widely studied, women making up as the neglected section of society lag far behind in availing the needful health facilities. It was hypothesized that there would be significant gender differences in resilience and psychological distress of patients with burns. The sample of the study consisted of 50 patients with burns, obtained from four different hospitals of Lahore. In order to investigate resilience and psychological distress, the State Trait Resilience Scales (Hiew, 2007) and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (Kessler, 2001) were used. In addition to these, self-constructed demographic questionnaire was administered. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Independent sample t-test was conducted to find gender differences in resilience and psychological distress. The findings from the current research revealed that there were significant gender differences in resilience and psychological distress of patients with burns. The insightful findings from the current research carry strong implications for the clinicians, psychologists and policy makers who can help to develop and implement the rehabilitation programs for the affected population and can launch resilience promoting programs that would help them in coping with burns in effective manner. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Combining ground-based measurements and satellite-based spectral vegetation indices to track biomass accumulation in post-fire chaparral

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uyeda, K. A.; Stow, D. A.; Roberts, D. A.; Riggan, P. J.

2015-12-01

Multi-temporal satellite imagery can provide valuable information on patterns of vegetation growth over large spatial extents and long time periods, but corresponding ground-referenced biomass information is often difficult to acquire, especially at an annual scale. In this study, I test the relationship between annual biomass estimated using shrub growth rings and metrics of seasonal growth derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) for a small area of southern California chaparral to evaluate the potential for mapping biomass at larger spatial extents. The site had most recently burned in 2002, and annual biomass accumulation measurements were available from years 5 - 11 post-fire. I tested metrics of seasonal growth using six SVIs (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Enhanced Vegetation Index, Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Water Index, Normalized Difference Infrared Index 6, and Vegetation Atmospherically Resistant Index). While additional research would be required to determine which of these metrics and SVIs are most promising over larger spatial extents, several of the seasonal growth metrics/ SVI combinations have a very strong relationship with annual biomass, and all SVIs have a strong relationship with annual biomass for at least one of the seasonal growth metrics.

Cultivation and grafting of human keratinocytes on a poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) support to the wound bed: a clinical study.

PubMed

Dvoránková, B; Smetana, K; Königová, R; Singerová, H; Vacík, J; Jelínková, M; Kapounková, Z; Zahradník, M

1998-01-01

Cultured epithelial sheets on a textile support are used for the treatment of seriously burned patients. In this study we demonstrate a new procedure for the grafting of keratinocytes directly on a polymer cultivation support. This procedure is much easier in comparison with classical techniques, and encouraging results of clinical trials demonstrate the improved healing of the wound bed after the use of this procedure. There is no difference in the cytokeratine pattern (LP-34, cytokeratin-10) of the reconstructed epidermis and normal human skin.

Altered structural connectivity of pain-related brain network in burning mouth syndrome-investigation by graph analysis of probabilistic tractography.

PubMed

Wada, Akihiko; Shizukuishi, Takashi; Kikuta, Junko; Yamada, Haruyasu; Watanabe, Yusuke; Imamura, Yoshiki; Shinozaki, Takahiro; Dezawa, Ko; Haradome, Hiroki; Abe, Osamu

2017-05-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic intraoral pain syndrome featuring idiopathic oral pain and burning discomfort despite clinically normal oral mucosa. The etiology of chronic pain syndrome is unclear, but preliminary neuroimaging research has suggested the alteration of volume, metabolism, blood flow, and diffusion at multiple brain regions. According to the neuromatrix theory of Melzack, pain sense is generated in the brain by the network of multiple pain-related brain regions. Therefore, the alteration of pain-related network is also assumed as an etiology of chronic pain. In this study, we investigated the brain network of BMS brain by using probabilistic tractography and graph analysis. Fourteen BMS patients and 14 age-matched healthy controls underwent 1.5T MRI. Structural connectivity was calculated in 83 anatomically defined regions with probabilistic tractography of 60-axis diffusion tensor imaging and 3D T1-weighted imaging. Graph theory network analysis was used to evaluate the brain network at local and global connectivity. In BMS brain, a significant difference of local brain connectivity was recognized at the bilateral rostral anterior cingulate cortex, right medial orbitofrontal cortex, and left pars orbitalis which belong to the medial pain system; however, no significant difference was recognized at the lateral system including the somatic sensory cortex. A strengthened connection of the anterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex with the basal ganglia, thalamus, and brain stem was revealed. Structural brain network analysis revealed the alteration of the medial system of the pain-related brain network in chronic pain syndrome.

Temporal Cytokine Profiles in Severely Burned Patients: A Comparison of Adults and Children

PubMed Central

Finnerty, Celeste C; Jeschke, Marc G; Herndon, David N; Gamelli, Richard; Gibran, Nicole; Klein, Matthew; Silver, Geoff; Arnoldo, Brett; Remick, Daniel; Tompkins, Ronald G

2008-01-01

A severe burn leads to hypermetabolism and catabolism resulting in compromised function and structural changes of essential organs. The release of cytokines has been implicated in this hypermetabolic response. The severity of the hypermetabolic response following burn injury increases with age, as does the mortality rate. Due to the relationship between the hypermetabolic and inflammatory responses, we sought to compare the plasma cytokine profiles following a severe burn in adults and in children. We enrolled 25 adults and 24 children who survived a flame burn covering more than 20% of total body surface area (TBSA). The concentrations of 22 cytokines were measured using the Linco multiplex array system (St. Charles, MO, USA). Large perturbations in the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were seen following thermal injury. During the first week following burn injury, IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-17, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8 were detected at significantly higher levels in adults compared with children, P < 0.05. Significant differences were measured during the second week post-burn for IL-1β (higher in children) and IL-5 (higher in adults), P < 0.05. IL-18 was more abundant in children compared with adults during the third week post-burn, P < 0.05. Between post-burn d 21 and d 66, IL-1α was detected at higher concentrations in pediatric compared with adult patients, P < 0.05. Only GM-CSF expression was significantly different at all time points; it was detected at lower levels in pediatric patients, P < 0.05. Eotaxin, G-CSF, IL-13, IL-15, IP-10, MCP-1, and MIP-1α were detected at significantly different concentrations in adult compared with pediatric patients at multiple time points, P < 0.05. There were no differences in IL-12, IL-2, IL-7, or TNF levels in adult compared with pediatric burn patients at any of these time points. Following severe flame burns, the cytokine profiles in pediatric patients differ compared with those in adult patients, which may provide insight with respect to the higher morbidity rate in adults. Furthermore, the dramatic discrepancies observed in plasma cytokine detection between children and adults suggest that these two patient populations may benefit from different therapeutic interventions to achieve attenuation of the post-burn inflammatory response. PMID:18548133

Correlation of Normal Gravity Mixed Convection Blowoff Limits with Microgravity Forced Flow Blowoff Limits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcum, Jeremy W.; Olson, Sandra L.; Ferkul, Paul V.

2016-01-01

The axisymmetric rod geometry in upward axial stagnation flow provides a simple way to measure normal gravity blowoff limits to compare with microgravity Burning and Suppression of Solids - II (BASS-II) results recently obtained aboard the International Space Station. This testing utilized the same BASS-II concurrent rod geometry, but with the addition of normal gravity buoyant flow. Cast polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) rods of diameters ranging from 0.635 cm to 3.81 cm were burned at oxygen concentrations ranging from 14 to 18% by volume. The forced flow velocity where blowoff occurred was determined for each rod size and oxygen concentration. These blowoff limits compare favorably with the BASS-II results when the buoyant stretch is included and the flow is corrected by considering the blockage factor of the fuel. From these results, the normal gravity blowoff boundary for this axisymmetric rod geometry is determined to be linear, with oxygen concentration directly proportional to flow speed. We describe a new normal gravity 'upward flame spread test' method which extrapolates the linear blowoff boundary to the zero stretch limit in order to resolve microgravity flammability limits-something current methods cannot do. This new test method can improve spacecraft fire safety for future exploration missions by providing a tractable way to obtain good estimates of material flammability in low gravity.

Immunosuppression and temporary skin transplantation in the treatment of massive third degree burns.

PubMed Central

Burke, J F; Quinby, W C; Bondoc, C C; Cosimi, A B; Russell, P S; Szyfelbein, S K

1975-01-01

A method of burn treatment (immunosuppression and temporary skin transplantation) for patients suffering from massive third degree burns is evaluated. The method is based on the prompt excision of all dead tissue (burn eschar) and immediate closure of the wound by skin grafts. Total wound closure is achieved before bacterial infection or organ failure takes place by carrying out all initial excision and grafting procedures within the first ten days post burn and supplementing the limited amount of autograft with allograft. Continuous wound closure is maintained for up to 50 days through immunosuppression. Both azathioprine and ATG have been used but ATG is preferred. During the period of immunosuppression, allograft is stepwise excised and replaced with autograft donor sites regenerate for recropping. Bacterial complications are minimized by housing the patient in the protected environment of the Bacteria Controlled Nursing Unit. Intensive protein and calorie alimentation are provided, and 0.5% aqueous AgNO3 dressings are used. A swinging febrile illness has been associated with large areas of allograft rejection. Eleven children have been treated and seven have been returned to normal, productive schooling. Images Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. PMID:809014

Postfire soil burn severity mapping with hyperspectral image unmixing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robichaud, P.R.; Lewis, S.A.; Laes, D.Y.M.; Hudak, A.T.; Kokaly, R.F.; Zamudio, J.A.

2007-01-01

Burn severity is mapped after wildfires to evaluate immediate and long-term fire effects on the landscape. Remotely sensed hyperspectral imagery has the potential to provide important information about fine-scale ground cover components that are indicative of burn severity after large wildland fires. Airborne hyperspectral imagery and ground data were collected after the 2002 Hayman Fire in Colorado to assess the application of high resolution imagery for burn severity mapping and to compare it to standard burn severity mapping methods. Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF), a partial spectral unmixing algorithm, was used to identify the spectral abundance of ash, soil, and scorched and green vegetation in the burned area. The overall performance of the MTMF for predicting the ground cover components was satisfactory (r2 = 0.21 to 0.48) based on a comparison to fractional ash, soil, and vegetation cover measured on ground validation plots. The relationship between Landsat-derived differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) values and the ground data was also evaluated (r2 = 0.20 to 0.58) and found to be comparable to the MTMF. However, the quantitative information provided by the fine-scale hyperspectral imagery makes it possible to more accurately assess the effects of the fire on the soil surface by identifying discrete ground cover characteristics. These surface effects, especially soil and ash cover and the lack of any remaining vegetative cover, directly relate to potential postfire watershed response processes. ?? 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ponderosa pine snag densities following multiple fires in the Gila Wilderness, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holden, Z.A.; Morgan, P.; Rollins, M.G.; Wright, R.G.

2006-01-01

Fires create and consume snags (standing dead trees), an important structural and ecological component of ponderosa pine forests. The effects of repeated fires on snag densities in ponderosa pine forests of the southwestern USA have not been studied. Line intercept sampling was used to estimate snag densities in areas of the Gila Wilderness that had burned one to three times under Wildland Fire Use for Resource Benefit (WFU), a fire management policy implemented since 1974 aimed at restoring natural fire regimes. Twenty randomly located transects were measured in areas burned since 1946; six in once-burned areas, six in twice-burned areas and eight in thrice-burned areas. The mean density ?? standard errors of large (>47.5 cm dbh) snags for areas that burned once, twice and thrice was 7.0 ?? 2.7, 4.4 ?? 1.1 and 4.1 ?? 1.3 snags/ha, respectively. Differences in snag densities between once- and multiple-burned areas were significant (F-test; p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in density of large snags between twice- and thrice-burned areas. Proportions of type 1 snags (recently created) were higher in once- and twice-burned areas than in areas that burned three times, likely reflecting high tree mortality and snag recruitment resulting from an initial entry fire. Type 3 snags (charred by previous fire) were more abundant in areas that burned multiple times. The lack of differences in snag densities between areas that burned two and three times suggests that repeated fires leave many snags standing. The increasing proportion of type 3 snags with repeated fires supports this conclusion. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

miR-27b Represses Migration of Mouse MSCs to Burned Margins and Prolongs Wound Repair through Silencing SDF-1a

PubMed Central

Chen, Ling; Peng, Xi; Chen, Jian; Hu, Jiong-Yu; Teng, Miao; Liang, Guang-Ping

2013-01-01

Background Interactions between stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) and its cognate receptor CXCR4 are crucial for the recruitment of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow (BM) reservoirs to damaged tissues for repair during alarm situations. MicroRNAs are differentially expressed in stem cell niches, suggesting a specialized role in stem cell regulation. Here, we gain insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in regulating SDF-1α. Methods MSCs from green fluorescent protein transgenic male mice were transfused to irradiated recipient female C57BL/6 mice, and skin burn model of bone marrow-chimeric mice were constructed. Six miRNAs with differential expression in burned murine skin tissue compared to normal skin tissue were identified using microarrays and bioinformatics. The expression of miR-27b and SDF-1α was examined in burned murine skin tissue using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The Correlation of miR-27b and SDF-1α expression was analyzed by Pearson analysis Correlation. miRNAs suppressed SDF-1α protein expression by binding directly to its 3′UTR using western blot and luciferase reporter assay. The importance of miRNAs in MSCs chemotaxis was further estimated by decreasing SDF-1α in vivo and in vitro. Results miR-23a, miR-27a and miR-27b expression was significantly lower in the burned skin than in the normal skin (p<0.05). We also found that several miRNAs suppressed SDF-1α protein expression, while just miR-27a and miR-27b directly bound to the SDF-1α 3′UTR. Moreover, the forced over-expression of miR-27a and miR-27b significantly reduced the directional migration of mMSCs in vitro. However, only miR-27b in burn wound margins significantly inhibited the mobilization of MSCs to the epidermis. Conclusion miR-27b may be a unique signature of the stem cell niche in burned mouse skin and can suppress the directional migration of mMSCs by targeting SDF-1α by binding directly to its 3′UTR. PMID:23894385

Temporal effects of prescribed burning on terpene production in Mediterranean pines.

PubMed

Valor, Teresa; Ormeño, Elena; Casals, Pere

2017-12-01

Prescribed burning is used to reduce fuel hazard but underburning can damage standing trees. The effect of burning on needle terpene storage, a proxy for secondary metabolism, in fire-damaged pines is poorly understood despite the protection terpenes confer against biotic and abiotic stressors. We investigated variation in needle terpene storage after burning in three Mediterranean pine species featuring different adaptations to fire regimes. In two pure-stands of Pinus halepensis Mill. and two mixed-stands of Pinus sylvestris L. and Pinus nigra ssp. salzmanni (Dunal) Franco, we compared 24 h and 1 year post-burning concentrations with pre-burning concentrations in 20 trees per species, and evaluated the relative contribution of tree fire severity and physiological condition (δ13C and N concentration) on temporal terpene dynamics (for mono- sesqui- and diterpenes). Twenty-four hours post-burning, monoterpene concentrations were slightly higher in P. halepensis than at pre-burning, while values were similar in P. sylvestris. Differently, in the more fire-resistant P. nigra monoterpene concentrations were lower at 24 h, compared with pre-burning. One year post-burning, concentrations were always lower compared with pre- or 24 h post-burning, regardless of the terpene group. Mono- and sesquiterpene variations were negatively related to pre-burning δ13C, while diterpene variations were associated with fire-induced changes in needle δ13C and N concentration. At both post-burning times, mono- and diterpene concentrations increased significantly with crown scorch volume in all species. Differences in post-burning terpene contents as a function of the pine species' sensitivity to fire suggest that terpenic metabolites could have adaptive importance in fire-prone ecosystems in terms of flammability or defence against biotic agents post-burning. One year post-burning, our results suggest that in a context of fire-induced resource availability, pines likely prioritize primary rather than secondary metabolism. Overall, this study contributes to the assessment of the direct and indirect effects of fire on pine terpene storage, providing valuable information about their vulnerability to biotic and abiotic stressors throughout time. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Low magnesium level

MedlinePlus

... in the body that convert or use energy ( metabolism ). When the level of magnesium in the body drops below normal, symptoms of low magnesium may develop. Common causes of low magnesium include: Alcohol use Burns that affect a large area of ...

Ecological Consequences of Shifting the Timing of Burning Tallgrass Prairie

PubMed Central

Towne, E. Gene; Craine, Joseph M.

2014-01-01

In the Kansas Flint Hills, grassland burning is conducted during a relatively narrow window because management recommendations for the past 40 years have been to burn only in late spring. Widespread prescribed burning within this restricted time frame frequently creates smoke management issues downwind. A potential remedy for the concentrated smoke production in late spring is to expand burning to times earlier in the year. Yet, previous research suggested that burning in winter or early spring reduces plant productivity and cattle weight gain while increasing the proportion of undesirable plant species. In order to better understand the ecological consequences of burning at different times of the year, plant production and species abundance were measured for 20 years on ungrazed watersheds burned annually in autumn, winter, or spring. We found that there were no significant differences in total grass production among the burns on either upland or lowland topographic positions, although spring burned watersheds had higher grass culm production and lower forb biomass than autumn and winter burned watersheds. Burning in autumn or winter broadened the window of grass productivity response to precipitation, which reduces susceptibility to mid-season drought. Burning in autumn or winter also increased the phenological range of species by promoting cool-season graminoids without a concomitant decrease in warm-season grasses, potentially widening the seasonal window of high-quality forage. Incorporating autumn and winter burns into the overall portfolio of tallgrass prairie management should increase the flexibility in managing grasslands, promote biodiversity, and minimize air quality issues caused by en masse late-spring burning with little negative consequences for cattle production. PMID:25077487

Ecological consequences of shifting the timing of burning tallgrass prairie.

PubMed

Towne, E Gene; Craine, Joseph M

2014-01-01

In the Kansas Flint Hills, grassland burning is conducted during a relatively narrow window because management recommendations for the past 40 years have been to burn only in late spring. Widespread prescribed burning within this restricted time frame frequently creates smoke management issues downwind. A potential remedy for the concentrated smoke production in late spring is to expand burning to times earlier in the year. Yet, previous research suggested that burning in winter or early spring reduces plant productivity and cattle weight gain while increasing the proportion of undesirable plant species. In order to better understand the ecological consequences of burning at different times of the year, plant production and species abundance were measured for 20 years on ungrazed watersheds burned annually in autumn, winter, or spring. We found that there were no significant differences in total grass production among the burns on either upland or lowland topographic positions, although spring burned watersheds had higher grass culm production and lower forb biomass than autumn and winter burned watersheds. Burning in autumn or winter broadened the window of grass productivity response to precipitation, which reduces susceptibility to mid-season drought. Burning in autumn or winter also increased the phenological range of species by promoting cool-season graminoids without a concomitant decrease in warm-season grasses, potentially widening the seasonal window of high-quality forage. Incorporating autumn and winter burns into the overall portfolio of tallgrass prairie management should increase the flexibility in managing grasslands, promote biodiversity, and minimize air quality issues caused by en masse late-spring burning with little negative consequences for cattle production.

Emerging drugs for the treatment of wound healing.

PubMed

Zielins, Elizabeth R; Brett, Elizabeth A; Luan, Anna; Hu, Michael S; Walmsley, Graham G; Paik, Kevin; Senarath-Yapa, Kshemendra; Atashroo, David A; Wearda, Taylor; Lorenz, H Peter; Wan, Derrick C; Longaker, Michael T

2015-06-01

Wound healing can be characterized as underhealing, as in the setting of chronic wounds, or overhealing, occurring with hypertrophic scar formation after burn injury. Topical therapies targeting specific biochemical and molecular pathways represent a promising avenue for improving and, in some cases normalizing, the healing process. A brief overview of both normal and pathological wound healing has been provided, along with a review of the current clinical guidelines and treatment modalities for chronic wounds, burn wounds and scar formation. Next, the major avenues for wound healing drugs, along with drugs currently in development, are discussed. Finally, potential challenges to further drug development, and future research directions are discussed. The large body of research concerning wound healing pathophysiology has provided multiple targets for topical therapies. Growth factor therapies with the ability to be targeted for localized release in the wound microenvironment are most promising, particularly when they modulate processes in the proliferative phase of wound healing.

Relationship between Slivering Point and Gas Generation Rules of 19-Perforation TEGDN Propellants with Different Length/Outside Diameter Ratios and Perforation Diameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Zhenggang; Xu, Fuming

2018-04-01

In order to investigate the relationship between the slivering point and burning progressivity, a set of 19-perforation propellants containing triethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGDN) with different lengths/outside diameter ratios and perforation diameters was prepared and tested in a closed vessel. The mass fraction of burnt propellant was derived from the recorded pressure-time history of 19-perforation TEGDN propellants in the closed vessel according to the gas state equation and the form function of tested propellants. Based on the form function calculation and the mass fraction of burnt propellant, instantaneous burning surface area and the burning rate were obtained. The influence of length/outside diameter ratios and perforation diameters on the progressive combustion performance is studied through the dynamic vivacity method. With an increase in the length/outsider diameter, the slivering point occurs earlier and the slivering process lasts longer. Further, the burning progressivity of surface area can be improved. For propellants with same length/outside diameter ratio, with a decreasing of perforation diameter, the slivering point lags behind and the burning progressivity becomes greater. The slivering point corresponds to the instantaneous burning area, which is related to the form function and total burning process as well. However, the total burning progressivity of propellant is a very comprehensive result of propellant under multiple actions, including the mass fraction of burnt propellant, grain size and burning rate at different pressure regions. The correlation between them can boost a better understanding on the interaction between grain size, slivering burning process and burning progressivity.

[Application of a hydrosurgery system in debridement of various types of burn wounds].

PubMed

Li, M Y; Mao, Y G; Guo, G H; Liu, D W

2016-09-20

Burn wound healing is closely associated with the depth of wound and early debridement. The traditional ways of debridement have certain limitations and often result in poor appearance and function of repaired area. At present, the hydrosurgery system has been applied clinically in burn field. This paper summarizes advantages and disadvantages of application of the hydrosurgery system in debridement of burn wound with different depths, different periods, extraordinary region, and uncommon agent.

Clinical outcome of patients with self-inflicted burns.

PubMed

Cornet, P A; Niemeijer, A S; Figaroa, G D; van Daalen, M A; Broersma, T W; van Baar, M E; Beerthuizen, G I J M; Nieuwenhuis, M K

2017-06-01

Patients with self-inflicted burns (SIB) are thought to have a longer length of stay compared to patients with accidental burns. However, other predictors for a longer length of stay are often not taken into account, e.g. percentage of the body surface area burned, age or comorbidities. Therefore, we wanted to study the outcome of patients with SIB at our burn center. A retrospective, observational study was conducted. All adult patients with acute burns admitted to the burn center of the Martini Hospital Groningen, between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013 were included. Data on characteristics of the patient, injury, and outcome (LOS, mortality, discharge destination) were collected. In patients with SIB, suicide attempts (SA) were distinguished from self-harm without the intention to die (non-suicidal self-injury, NSSI). To evaluate differences in outcome, each patient with SIB was matched on variables and total score of the Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI) to a patient with accidental burns (AB). In total 29 admissions (21 SA and 8 NSSI) were due to SIB and 528 due to accidents. Overall, when compared to AB, there were significant differences with respect to mortality and LOS for SA and/or NSSI. Mortality was higher in the SA group, while the LOS was higher in both the SA and NSSI groups compared to the AB group. However, after matching on ABSI, no statistical significant differences between the SA and SA-match or the NSSI and NSSI-match group were found. With the right and timely treatment, differences in mortality rate or length of stay in hospital could all be explained by the severity of the burn and the intention of the patient. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of infrastructure, equipment and training of 28 burn units/burn centers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

PubMed

Vogt, Peter M; Busche, Marc N

2011-03-01

Treatment of burn patients requires special training and skills, and an adequate infrastructure. In the United States, burn center referral criteria and requirements of burn centers are defined by the American Burn Association (ABA) in the Guidelines for the Operation of Burn Centers, and in Germany, by the German Society for Burn Treatment (DGV). The European Burn centers in Austria and the German-speaking part of Switzerland share the standards in the setting of the German-speaking Association for Burn Therapy (DAV) with some modifications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the current infrastructure of burn centers in the three German-speaking countries with respect to the existing guidelines. Therefore, guidelines for burn center referral criteria and burn center requirements were compared between the USA (ABA) and Germany (DGV). In addition, a questionnaire was sent to all burn centers in Germany, Austria and the German-speaking part of Switzerland, in order to collect current information regarding the architectural and medical infrastructure, available equipment and care-providing personnel. The comparison of guidelines for the USA and Germany revealed similar burn center referral criteria for both countries. With respect to burn center requirements, both the USA and Germany have similar requirements, albeit with different focus points. In Germany, the main focus lies on the infrastructural requirements for burn centers, while in the US, the main focus lies on the requirements for medical and nursing personnel. Critical review of the responses from the burn centers of German-speaking countries revealed that the biggest infrastructural differences among centers were observed in burn units providing pediatric care, as compared to adult burn centers. In summary, the DGV guidelines for German-speaking countries reflect an overall adoption of the ABA guidelines, and the burn centers included in this study met those requirements. As a result of the positive experience and effective treatment of burn patients in German-speaking countries, we recommend an adoption of the ABA guidelines to those countries and societies that are in need of appropriate standards of burn care. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

[Effects of group psychological counseling on self-confidence and social adaptation of burn patients].

PubMed

Dang, Rui; Wang, Yishen; Li, Na; He, Ting; Shi, Mengna; Liang, Yanyan; Zhu, Chan; Zhou, Yongbo; Qi, Zongshi; Hu, Dahai

2014-12-01

To explore the effects of group psychological counseling on the self-confidence and social adaptation of burn patients during the course of rehabilitation. Sixty-four burn patients conforming to the inclusion criteria and hospitalized from January 2012 to January 2014 in Xijing Hospital were divided into trial group and control group according to the method of rehabilitation, with 32 cases in each group. Patients in the two groups were given ordinary rehabilitation training for 8 weeks, and the patients in trial group were given a course of group psychological counseling in addition. The Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale was used to evaluate the changes in self-confidence levels, and the number of patients with inferiority complex, normal feeling, self-confidence, and over self-confidence were counted before and after treatment. The Abbreviated Burn-Specific Health Scale was used to evaluate physical function, psychological function, social relationship, health condition, and general condition before and after treatment to evaluate the social adaptation of patients. Data were processed with t test, chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon test. (1) After treatment, the self-confidence levels of patients in trial group were significantly higher than those in control group (Z = -2.573, P < 0.05). Among trial group, the number of patients with inferiority complex was 17 (53.1%) before treatment, which was decreased to 6 (18.8%) after treatment; the number of patients with normal feeling and that of self-confidence were 8 (25.0%) and 4 (12.5%) before treatment, which were respectively increased to 13 (40.6%) and 10 (31.3%) after treatment. The overall difference in trial group was obvious between before and after treatment (Z = -4.123, P < 0.01) . There was no obvious difference in self-confidence level of patients in control group between before and after treatment (Z = -1.000, P > 0.05). (2) After treatment, the scores of psychological function, social relationship, health condition, and general condition were (87 ± 3), (47.8 ± 3.6), (49 ± 3), and (239 ± 10) points in trial group, which were significantly higher than those in control group [(79 ± 4), (38.3 ± 5.6), (46 ± 4), and (231 ± 9) points, with t values respectively -8.635, -8.125, -3.352, -3.609, P values below 0.01]. After treatment, the scores of physical function, psychological function, social relationship, health condition, and general condition in trial group were significantly higher than those before treatment (with t values from -33.282 to -19.515, P values below 0.05). The scores of physical function, psychological function, health condition, and general condition in control group after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment (with t values from -27.137 to -17.790, P values below 0.05). Group psychological counseling combined with ordinary rehabilitation training give rise to significant effects on self-confidence level and social adaptation for burn patients.

Comparison of heat transfer and soil impacts of air curtain burner burning and slash pile burning

Treesearch

Woongsoon Jang; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Han-Sup Han

2017-01-01

We measured soil heating and subsequent changes in soil properties between two forest residue disposal methods: slash pile burning (SPB) and air curtain burner (ACB). The ACB consumes fuels more efficiently and safely via blowing air into a burning container. Five burning trials with different fuel sizes were implemented in northern California, USA. Soil temperature...

Accuracy of real time radiography burning rate measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olaniyi, Bisola

The design of a solid propellant rocket motor requires the determination of a propellant's burning-rate and its dependency upon environmental parameters. The requirement that the burning-rate be physically measured, establishes the need for methods and equipment to obtain such data. A literature review reveals that no measurement has provided the desired burning rate accuracy. In the current study, flash x-ray modeling and digitized film-density data were employed to predict motor-port area to length ratio. The pre-fired port-areas and base burning rate were within 2.5% and 1.2% of their known values, respectively. To verify the accuracy of the method, a continuous x-ray and a solid propellant rocket motor model (Plexiglas cylinder) were used. The solid propellant motor model was translated laterally through a real-time radiography system at different speeds simulating different burning rates. X-ray images were captured and the burning-rate was then determined. The measured burning rate was within 1.65% of the known values.

Evaluation of biomass burning across North West Europe and its impact on air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cordell, R. L.; Mazet, M.; Dechoux, C.; Hama, S. M. L.; Staelens, J.; Hofman, J.; Stroobants, C.; Roekens, E.; Kos, G. P. A.; Weijers, E. P.; Frumau, K. F. A.; Panteliadis, P.; Delaunay, T.; Wyche, K. P.; Monks, P. S.

2016-09-01

Atmospheric particulate pollution is a significant problem across the EU and there is concern that there may be an increasing contribution from biomass burning, driven by rising fuel prices and an increased interest in the use of renewable energy sources. This study was carried out to assess current levels of biomass burning and the contribution to total PM10 across five sites in North-West Europe; an area which is frequently affected by poor air quality. Biomass burning was quantified by the determination of levoglucosan concentrations from PM10 aerosol filters collected over a 14 month period in 2013/2014 and continued for a further 12 months at the UK site in Leicester. Levoglucosan levels indicated a distinct period of increased biomass combustion between November and March. Within this period monthly average concentrations ranged between 23 ± 9.7 and 283 ± 163 ng/m3, with Lille showing consistently higher levels than the sites in Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. The estimated contribution to PM10 was, as expected, highest in the winter season where the season average percentage contribution was lowest in Wijk aan Zee at 2.7 ± 1.4% and again highest in Lille at 11.6 ± 3.8%, with a PM10 mass concentration from biomass that ranged from 0.56 μg/m3 in Leicester to 2.08 μg/m3 in Lille. Overall there was poor correlation between the levoglucosan concentrations measured at the different sites indicating that normally biomass burning would only affect atmospheric particulate pollution in the local area; however, there was evidence that extreme burning events such as the Easter fires traditionally held in parts of North-West Europe can have far wider ranging effects on air quality. Network validation measurements were also taken using a mobile monitoring station which visited the fixed sites to carry out concurrent collections of aerosol filters; the result of which demonstrated the reliability of both PM10 and levoglucosan measurements.

Henslow's sparrow winter-survival estimates and response to prescribed burning

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thatcher, B.S.; Krementz, D.G.; Woodrey, M.S.

2006-01-01

Wintering Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) populations rely on lands managed with prescribed burning, but the effects of various burn regimes on their overwinter survival are unknown. We studied wintering Henslow's sparrows in coastal pine savannas at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, Jackson County, Mississippi, USA, during January and February 2001 and 2002. We used the known-fate modeling procedure in program MARK to evaluate the effects of burn age (1 or 2 growing seasons elapsed), burn season (growing, dormant), and calendar year on the survival rates of 83 radiomarked Henslow's sparrows. We found strong evidence that Henslow's sparrow survival rates differed by burn age (with higher survival in recently burned sites) and by year (with lower survival rates in 2001 likely because of drought conditions). We found some evidence that survival rates also differed by bum season (with higher survival in growing-season sites), although the effects of burn season were only apparent in recently burned sites. Avian predation was the suspected major cause of mortality (causing 6 of 14 deaths) with 1 confirmed loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) depredation. Our results indicated that recently burned savannas provide high-quality wintering habitats and suggested that managers can improve conditions for wintering Henslow's sparrows by burning a large percentage of savannas each year.

Basidiomycete fungal communities in Australian sclerophyll forest soil are altered by repeated prescribed burning.

PubMed

Anderson, Ian C; Bastias, Brigitte A; Genney, David R; Parkin, Pamela I; Cairney, John W G

2007-04-01

Soil basidiomycetes play key roles in forest nutrient and carbon cycling processes, yet the diversity and structure of below ground basidiomycete communities remain poorly understood. Prescribed burning is a commonly used forest management practice and there is evidence that single fire events can have an impact on soil fungal communities but little is known about the effects of repeated prescribed burning. We have used internal transcribed spacer (ITS) terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis to investigate the impacts of repeated prescribed burning every two or four years over a period of 30 years on soil basidiomycete communities in an Australian wet sclerophyll forest. Detrended correspondence analysis of ITS T-RFLP profiles separated basidiomycete communities in unburned control plots from those in burned plots, with those burned every two years being the most different from controls. Burning had no effect on basidiomycete species richness, thus these differences appear to be due to changes in community structure. Basidiomycete communities in the unburned control plots were vertically stratified in the upper 20 cm of soil, but no evidence was found for stratification in the burned plots, suggesting that repeated prescribed burning results in more uniform basidiomycete communities. Overall, the results demonstrate that repeated prescribed burning alters soil basidiomycete communities, with the effect being greater with more frequent burning.

[Clinical observation of the effects of FE combined enzymes on the infection of the granulation burn wound during late post burns stage].

PubMed

Zheng, Ji; Liu, Xu-sheng; Huang, Yue-sheng; Liu, Chun-yu

2006-02-01

To observe the effects of combined FE enzymes on the infection of the granulation burn wound during late postburn stage in controlling burn wound infection caused by common antibiotic resistant bacteria. Thirty patients in our burn ward were enrolled and were randomly divided into A [treated with combined FE enzymes (50 ml dissolved in 0-150 ml normal saline to reach the final concentration of 1-3 U/ml)] and B (treated with gentamicin) groups, with 15 patients in each group. Several layers of gauze, either soaked with combined FE enzyme in A or gentamicin in B group, were used to cover the burn wounds once to twice a day. Bacterial culture from the burn wound exudation before and after drug administration was done before the application of the agents. The bacteria in the burn wounds and their susceptibility to antibiotics were identified. The healing time of the burn wounds was recorded. Furthermore, the healing rate of the burn wound was recorded on the 3rd, 5th, 8th, 10th and 12th post skin grafting days (PSGD). The dominating bacteria in the burn wounds in both groups were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae and MRSA. The susceptibility rate of bacteria ( MRSA, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyte, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae) to combined FE enzyme was 93.8%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 100.0% and 95.0% respectively, which were much higher than those in B group (17.6%, 31.3%, 28.6%, 44.0%, 33.3%, 28.0% respectively, P < 0.1. The wound healing time after skin grafting in A group (10.6 +/- 1.5 days) was significantly shorter than that in B group (15.3 +/- 1.7 days, P < 0.01). The wound healing rate on 10 PSGD in A group was (85.4 +/- 2.4)%, and which was only (51.3 +/- 1.5% in B group (P < 0.01) Combined FE enzyme can effectively control burn wound infection, so that the interval between skin grafting and wound healing can be shortened and success rate of skin grafting be improved.

Enhanced healing of full-thickness burn wounds using di-rhamnolipid

PubMed Central

Stipcevic, Tamara; Piljac, Ante; Piljac, Goran

2006-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the properties of di-rhamnolipid [α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1–2)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-3-hydroxydecanoyl-3-hydroxydecanoic acid, also referred to as di-rhamnolipid BAC-3] relating to the process of cutaneous wound healing. Di-rhamnolipid was prepared in a eucerin ointment and applied topically on full-thickness burn wounds in normal Sprague–Dawley rats covering 5% of the total body surface area. The rate of wound closure was measured over the period of 45 days. The collagen content was evaluated microscopically, by performing densitometric analysis on Verhoeff’s stained histopathological slides of wound biopsies taken at the end of 45th day of di-rhamnolipid treatment. Di-rhamnolipid toxicity was assessed with the subcutaneous multi-dose study in Swiss–Webster mice. The treatment of full-thickness-burn wounds with topical 0.1% di-rhamnolipid accelerated the closure of wounds on day 21 of the treatment by 32% compared to the control ( p < 0.05). On day 35, the wounds closed in all animals-treated with 0.1% di-rhamnolipid ointment while some rats in the control group had open wounds on days 35 and even 45. Histologic comparisons have shown that di-rhamnolipid significantly decreased collagen content in burn wounds (47.5%, p < 0.05) as compared to the vehicle-treated (control) wounds. Di-rhamnolipid was well-tolerated. The results of this study raise the possibility of potential efficacy of di-rhamnolipid in accelerating normal wound healing and perhaps in overcoming defects associated with healing failure in chronic wounds. PMID:16380213

Applications for General Purpose Command Buffers: The Emergency Conjunction Avoidance Maneuver

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scheid, Robert J; England, Martin

2016-01-01

A case study is presented for the use of Relative Operation Sequence (ROS) command buffers to quickly execute a propulsive maneuver to avoid a collision with space debris. In this process, a ROS is custom-built with a burn time and magnitude, uplinked to the spacecraft, and executed in 15 percent of the time of the previous method. This new process provides three primary benefits. First, the planning cycle can be delayed until it is certain a burn must be performed, reducing team workload. Second, changes can be made to the burn parameters almost up to the point of execution while still allowing the normal uplink product review process, reducing the risk of leaving the operational orbit because of outdated burn parameters, and minimizing the chance of accidents from human error, such as missed commands, in a high-stress situation. Third, the science impacts can be customized and minimized around the burn, and in the event of an abort can be eliminated entirely in some circumstances. The result is a compact burn process that can be executed in as few as four hours and can be aborted seconds before execution. Operational, engineering, planning, and flight dynamics perspectives are presented, as well as a functional overview of the code and workflow required to implement the process. Future expansions and capabilities are also discussed.

Burning mouth syndrome: Clinical description, pathophysiological approach, and a new therapeutic option.

PubMed

Cárcamo Fonfría, A; Gómez-Vicente, L; Pedraza, M I; Cuadrado-Pérez, M L; Guerrero Peral, A L; Porta-Etessam, J

2017-05-01

Burning mouth syndrome is defined as scorching sensation in the mouth in the absence of any local lesions or systemic disease that would explain that complaint. The condition responds poorly to commonly used treatments and it may become very disabling. We prospectively analysed the clinical and demographic characteristics and response to treatment in 6 cases of burning mouth syndrome, diagnosed at 2 tertiary hospital headache units. Six female patients between the ages of 34 and 82 years reported symptoms compatible with burning mouth syndrome. In 5 of them, burning worsened at the end of the day; 4 reported symptom relief with tongue movements. Neurological examinations and laboratory findings were normal in all patients and their dental examinations revealed no buccal lesions. Each patient had previously received conventional treatments without amelioration. Pramipexol was initiated in doses between 0.36mg and 1.05mg per day, resulting in clear improvement of symptoms in all cases, a situation which continues after a 4-year follow up period. Burning mouth syndrome is a condition of unknown aetiology that shares certain clinical patterns and treatment responses with restless leg syndrome. Dopamine agonists should be regarded as first line treatment for this entity. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Biotechnological Management of Skin Burn Injuries: Challenges and Perspectives in Wound Healing and Sensory Recovery.

PubMed

Girard, Dorothée; Laverdet, Betty; Buhé, Virginie; Trouillas, Marina; Ghazi, Kamélia; Alexaline, Maïa M; Egles, Christophe; Misery, Laurent; Coulomb, Bernard; Lataillade, Jean-Jacques; Berthod, François; Desmoulière, Alexis

2017-02-01

Many wound management protocols have been developed to improve wound healing after burn with the primordial aim to restore the barrier function of the skin and also provide a better esthetic outcome. Autologous skin grafts remain the gold standard in the treatment of skin burn, but this treatment has its limitation especially for patients presenting limited donor sites due to extensive burn areas. Deep burn injuries also alter the integrity of skin-sensitive innervation and have an impact on patient's quality of life by compromising perceptions of touch, temperature, and pain. Thus, patients can suffer from long-term disabilities ranging from cutaneous sensibility loss to chronic pain. The cellular mechanisms involved in skin reinnervation following injury are not elucidated yet. Depending on the depth of the burn, nerve sprouting can occur from the wound bed or the surrounding healthy tissue, but somehow this process fails to provide correct reinnervation of the wound during scarring. In addition, several clinical observations indicate that damage to the peripheral nervous system influences wound healing, resulting in delayed wound healing or chronic wounds, underlining the role of innervation and neuromediators for normal cutaneous tissue repair development. Promising tissue engineering strategies, including the use of biomaterials, skin substitutes, and stem cells, could provide novel alternative treatments in wound healing and help in improving patient's sensory recovery.

Comparison of combat and non-combat burns from ongoing U.S. military operations.

PubMed

Kauvar, David S; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Wolf, Steven E; Wade, Charles E; Holcomb, John B

2006-05-15

Military burns result from either combat or non-combat causes. We compared these etiologies from patients involved in ongoing conflicts to evaluate their impact and provide prevention recommendations. All military patients with significant burns treated at the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research from April 2003 to May 2005 were reviewed. Injuries were categorized as having resulted from combat or non-combat causes. Demographics, burn severity and pattern, mortality, and early outcomes were compared. There were 273 burn patients seen with 63% injured in combat. A high early rate of non-combat injuries was noted. Feedback on non-combat burn prevention was provided to the combat theater, and the incidence of non-combat burns decreased. Mean age and time from injury to admission did not differ. The majority of combat injuries resulted from explosive device detonation. Waste burning, ammunition handling, and gasoline caused most non-combat injuries. Combat casualties had more associated and inhalation injuries and greater full-thickness burn size; total body surface area burned was equivalent. The hands and the face were the most frequently burned body areas. Mortality was 5% in combat and 2% in non-combat patients. The majority of survivors in both groups returned to military duty. The disparity in full-thickness burn size and incidence of inhalation and associated injuries resulted from differing mechanisms of injury, with explosions and penetrating trauma more common in combat wounds. Despite the severity of combat burns, mortality was low and outcomes generally good. Non-combat burns are preventable and have decreased in incidence.

Prescribed Burning and Direct-Seeding Old Clearcuts in the Piedmont

Treesearch

W. Henry McNab

1976-01-01

Logging slash 14 to 26 months old was burned at different seasons of the year in the Georgia Piedmont.The following winter, loblolly pine seeds were broadcast 1 to 13 months after burning. Burning 1 -year-old slash during early- or mid-growing season resulted in better stocking, greater height growth, and more effective hardwood control than burning during the dorm ant...

Ethnicity and etiology in burn trauma.

PubMed

Papp, Anthony; Haythornthwaite, Jordan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to retrieve data from the British Columbia Professional Firefighters Burn Unit registry, with a focus on ethnicity and how it is involved in burn trauma. It is hypothesized that mechanism, severity, and other patient characteristics are significantly different among different ethnic groups. Furthermore, it is believed that these data can be used to augment burn prevention strategies. Data for burn patients admitted from 1979 to 2009 were reviewed from the burn registry. The main focus was with differences seen among the four main ethnicities throughout the analysis, Caucasian, Aboriginal, Asian, and Indoasian, reflecting the population distribution of the region. Age and sex were also considered when looking at burn mechanism, severity, contributing and copresenting factors. Caucasians were the largest group (79.1%) and included the largest male:female ratio (3.3:1), with high numbers of flame injury (53.9%). Caucasians presented with the highest mortality (6.6% compared with 4.1% for all other ethnicities; P < .006). Asian patients (8.1%) showed significantly higher occurrences of urban (64%) and workplace (28.9%) injuries with a larger proportion of scald injury (38.9%). Indoasian patients included larger numbers of women (36.4%) and household scald injuries (33.9%) whereas Aboriginals suffered the most flame injuries (60.1%) in rural areas with more frequent contributing factors such as alcohol. The study found multiple significant differences in the burn injury population when segmented by ethnicity. Though the exact reasons for these differences are difficult to say with certainty, it allows a unique opportunity to focus communication and prevention efforts to specific communities.

The effect of burn rehabilitation massage therapy on hypertrophic scar after burn: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Cho, Yoon Soo; Jeon, Jong Hyun; Hong, Aram; Yang, Hyeong Tae; Yim, Haejun; Cho, Yong Suk; Kim, Do-Hern; Hur, Jun; Kim, Jong Hyun; Chun, Wook; Lee, Boung Chul; Seo, Cheong Hoon

2014-12-01

To evaluate the effect of burn rehabilitation massage therapy on hypertrophic scar after burn. One hundred and forty-six burn patients with hypertrophic scar(s) were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. All patients received standard rehabilitation therapy for hypertrophic scars and 76 patients (massage group) additionally received burn scar rehabilitation massage therapy. Both before and after the treatment, we determined the scores of visual analog scale (VAS) and itching scale and assessed the scar characteristics of thickness, melanin, erythema, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), sebum, and elasticity by using ultrasonography, Mexameter(®), Tewameter(®), Sebumeter(®), and Cutometer(®), respectively. The scores of both VAS and itching scale decreased significantly in both groups, indicating a significant intragroup difference. With regard to the scar characteristics, the massage group showed a significant decrease after treatment in scar thickness, melanin, erythema, TEWL and a significant intergroup difference. In terms of scar elasticity, a significant intergroup difference was noted in immediate distension and gross skin elasticity, while the massage group significant improvement in skin distensibility, immediate distension, immediate retraction, and delayed distension. Our results suggest that burn rehabilitation massage therapy is effective in improving pain, pruritus, and scar characteristics in hypertrophic scars after burn. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Stable isotope compositions of gases and vegetation near naturally burning coal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gleason, J.D.; Kyser, T.K.

1984-01-01

Our measurements of stable isotope compositions of CO2 issuing from vents produced by naturally burning coal indicate that the coal is oxidized through a kinetic process in which groundwater is the oxidizing agent. The CO2 produced by the oxidation of the coal is extremely depleted in 13C relative to normal atmospheric CO2. The change in the ??13C value of atmospheric CO2 near the vents resulting from the burning coal was not recorded in tree rings from red cedars, but the ??13C values of some C3 and C4 type plants collected from within the area were greatly affected. Our results indicate that the ??13C values of some species of plants may be sensitive indicators of changes in the carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric CO2. ?? 1984 Nature Publishing Group.

[Advances in the research of effects of glutamine on immune function of burn patients].

PubMed

Liu, Y H; Guo, P F; Chen, G Y; Bo, Y C; Ma, Y; Cui, Z J

2018-04-20

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in plasma and cells. It is the preferred fuel for enterocytes in the small intestine, macrophages, and lymphocytes. After serious burn, increased requirement of glutamine by the gastrointestinal tract, kidney and lymphocytes, and relatively insufficient self synthesis likely contribute to the rapid decline of glutamine in circulation and cells. Glutamine supplementation can not only protect intestinal mucosa, maintain normal intestinal barrier function, reduce bacterial translocation, and enhance the intestinal immune function, but also increase the number of lymphocytes, enhance the phagocytic function of macrophage, promote the synthesis of immunoglobulin, and reduce the body's inflammatory response, so as to enhance the immune function. Therefore, glutamine supplementation can improve and enhance the immune function, reduce complications and promote the prognosis of severely burned patients.

Combination of Landsat and Sentinel-2 MSI data for initial assessing of burn severity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quintano, C.; Fernández-Manso, A.; Fernández-Manso, O.

2018-02-01

Nowadays Earth observation satellites, in particular Landsat, provide a valuable help to forest managers in post-fire operations; being the base of post-fire damage maps that enable to analyze fire impacts and to develop vegetation recovery plans. Sentinel-2A MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) records data in similar spectral wavelengths that Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), and has higher spatial and temporal resolutions. This work compares two types of satellite-based maps for evaluating fire damage in a large wildfire (around 8000 ha) located in Sierra de Gata (central-western Spain) on 6-11 August 2015. 1) burn severity maps based exclusively on Landsat data; specifically, on differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) and on its relative versions (Relative dNBR, RdNBR, and Relativized Burn Ratio, RBR) and 2) burn severity maps based on the same indexes but combining pre-fire data from Landsat 8 OLI with post-fire data from Sentinel-2A MSI data. Combination of both Landsat and Sentinel-2 data might reduce the time elapsed since forest fire to the availability of an initial fire damage map. Interpretation of ortho-photograph Pléiades 1 B data (1:10,000) provided us the ground reference data to measure the accuracy of both burn severity maps. Results showed that Landsat based burn severity maps presented an adequate assessment of the damage grade (κ statistic = 0.80) and its spatial distribution in wildfire emergency response. Further using both Landsat and Sentinel-2 MSI data the accuracy of burn severity maps, though slightly lower (κ statistic = 0.70) showed an adequate level for be used by forest managers.

Exploring social and infrastructural factors affecting open burning of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Indian cities: A comparative case study of three neighborhoods of Delhi.

PubMed

Ramaswami, Anu; Baidwan, Navneet Kaur; Nagpure, Ajay Singh

2016-11-01

Open municipal solid waste (MSW)-burning is a major source of particulate matter emissions in developing world cities. Despite a legal ban, MSW-burning is observed ubiquitously in Indian cities with little being known about the factors shaping it. This study seeks to uncover social and infrastructural factors that affect MSW-burning at the neighborhood level. We couple physical assessments of the infrastructure provision and the MSW-burning incidences in three different neighborhoods of varying socio-economic status in Delhi, with an accompanying study of the social actors (interviews of waste handlers and households) to explore the extent to which, and potential reasons why, MSW-burning occurs. The observed differences in MSW-burning incidences range from 130 km -2  day -1 in low-income to 30 km -2  day -1 in the high-income areas. However, two high-income areas neighborhoods with functional infrastructure service also showed statistical differences in MSW-burning incidences. Our interviews revealed that, while the waste handlers were aware of the health risks associated with MSW-burning, it was not a high priority in the context of the other difficulties they faced. The awareness of the legal ban on MSW-burning was low among both waste handlers and households. In addition to providing infrastructure for waste pickup, informal restrictions from residents and neighborhood associations can play a significant role in restricting MSW-burning at the neighborhood scale. A more efficient management of MSW requires a combined effort that involves interplay of both social and infrastructural systems. © The Author(s) 2016.

Women experience greater heat pain adaptation and habituation than men.

PubMed

Hashmi, Javeria A; Davis, Karen D

2009-10-01

It is not clear how males and females cope with pain over time and how sensory and emotional qualities fluctuate from moment to moment, although studies of pain at discrete time points suggest that women are more pain sensitive than men. Therefore, we developed a new broader-based pain model that incorporates a temporally continuous assessment of multiple pain dimensions across sensory and affective dimensions, and normalized peak pain intensity to unmask sex differences that may otherwise be confounded by inter-individual variability in pain sensitivity. We obtained continuous ratings of pain, burning, sharp, stinging, cutting, and annoyance evoked by repeated prolonged noxious heat stimuli in 32 subjects. Strikingly, females reported more pain than males at the outset of the first exposure to pain, but then experienced less pain and annoyance than males as a painful stimulus was sustained and with repeated stimulation. Patterns of pain and annoyance attenuation in women resembled the attenuation of sharp, stinging and cutting sensations, whereas patterns of pain and annoyance in men resembled burning sensations. Taken together, these data demonstrate a prominent sex difference in the time course of pain. Notably only females demonstrate adaptation and habituation that allow them to experience less pain over time. These findings suggest a sexual dichotomy in mechanisms underlying pain intensity and annoyance that could involve specific quality-linked mechanisms. Importantly, temporal processing of pain differs between males and females when adjusted for sex differences in pain sensitivity. Our findings provide insight into sex differences in tonic and possibly chronic pains.

Analysis of the burns profile and the admission rate of severely burned adult patient to the National Burn Center of Chile after the 2010 earthquake.

PubMed

Albornoz, Claudia; Villegas, Jorge; Sylvester, Marilu; Peña, Veronica; Bravo, Iside

2011-06-01

Chile is located in the Ring of Fire, in South America. An earthquake 8.8° affected 80% of the population in February 27th, 2010. This study was conducted to assess any change in burns profile caused by the earthquake. This was an ecologic study. We compared the 4 months following the earthquake in 2009 and 2010. age, TBSA, deep TBSA, agent, specific mortality rate and rate of admissions to the National burn Center of Chile. Mann-Whitney test and a Poisson regression were performed. Age, agent, TBSA and deep TBSA percentages did not show any difference. Mortality rate was lower in 2010 (0.52 versus 1.22 per 1,000,000 habitants) but no meaningful difference was found (Poisson regression p = 0.06). Admission rate was lower in 2010, 4.6 versus 5.6 per 1,000,000 habitants, but no differences were found (p = 0.26). There was not any admissions directly related to the earthquake. As we do not have incidence registries in Chile, we propose to use the rate of admission to the National Burn Reference Center as an incidence estimator. There was not any significant difference in the burn profile, probably because of the time of the earthquake (3 am). We conclude the earthquake did not affect the way the Chilean people get burned. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Proinflammatory effects of cookstove emissions on human bronchial epithelial cells.

PubMed

Hawley, B; Volckens, J

2013-02-01

Approximately half of the world's population uses biomass fuel for indoor cooking and heating. This form of combustion typically occurs in open fires or primitive stoves. Human exposure to emissions from indoor biomass combustion is a global health concern, causing an estimated 1.5 million premature deaths each year. Many 'improved' stoves have been developed to address this concern; however, studies that examine exposure-response with cleaner-burning, more efficient stoves are few. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of traditional and cleaner-burning stove emissions on an established model of the bronchial epithelium. We exposed well-differentiated, normal human bronchial epithelial cells to emissions from a single biomass combustion event using either a traditional three-stone fire or one of two energy-efficient stoves. Air-liquid interface cultures were exposed using a novel, aerosol-to-cell deposition system. Cellular expression of a panel of three pro-inflammatory markers was evaluated at 1 and 24 h following exposure. Cells exposed to emissions from the cleaner-burning stoves generated significantly fewer amounts of pro-inflammatory markers than cells exposed to emissions from a traditional three-stone fire. Particulate matter emissions from each cookstove were substantially different, with the three-stone fire producing the largest concentrations of particles (by both number and mass). This study supports emerging evidence that more efficient cookstoves have the potential to reduce respiratory inflammation in settings where solid fuel combustion is used to meet basic domestic needs. Emissions from more efficient, cleaner-burning cookstoves produced less inflammation in well-differentiated bronchial lung cells. The results support evidence that more efficient cookstoves can reduce the health burden associated with exposure to indoor pollution from the combustion of biomass. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Haptoglobin Reduces Inflammatory Cytokine INF-γ and Facilitates Clot Formation in Acute Severe Burn Rat Model.

PubMed

Koami, Hiroyuki; Sakamoto, Yuichiro; Miyasho, Taku; Noguchi, Ryo; Sato, Norio; Kai, Keita; Chris Yamada, Kosuke; Inoue, Satoshi

2017-01-01

Haptoglobin exerts renal protective function by scavenging free hemoglobin from the urine and blood stream in patients with hemolytic disorders. Recent studies elucidate the relationships between haptoglobin and inflammation. In addition, coagulopathy is often induced by systemic inflammation characterized by the presence of vascular endothelial damage. We hypothesize that haptoglobin might have an anti-inflammatory effect and affect hypercoagulability using rat burn model. Thirty anesthetized rats of six-weeks of age received over 30% full-thickness scald burn on the dorsal skin surface. All rats were injected with either haptoglobin (Hpt) or normal saline (NS) intraperitoneally. The rats were divided into three groups: 1) control group (NS 20 mL/kg); 2) low concentration of Hpt group, L-Hpt, (Hpt 4 mL (80 U) /kg+NS 16 mL/kg); and 3) high concentration of Hpt group, H-Hpt, (Hpt 20 mL (400 U) /kg). While under anesthesia, all rats were euthanized by exsanguination at 6 hours (N=5) and 24 hours (N=5). Inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were measured and whole-blood viscoelastic tests were performed by thromboelastometry (ROTEM). Haptoglobin significantly reduced free hemoglobin 24 hours after the injury. Improvement of hematuria was confirmed in the H-Hpt group. There were no differences in thrombin-antithrombin complex and plasmin-α2 plasmin inhibitor complex. The haptoglobin tended to decrease interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in H-Hpt group. ROTEM findings of the L-Hpt group showed significantly higher clot firmness and shorter time to maximum clot formation velocity than the control group. Haptoglobin reduced INF-γ, and accelerated speed of clot formation in acute phase of severe burn.

Noninvasive measurement of burn wound depth applying infrared thermal imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaspers, Mariëlle E.; Maltha, Ilse M.; Klaessens, John H.; Vet, Henrica C.; Verdaasdonk, Rudolf M.; Zuijlen, Paul P.

2016-02-01

In burn wounds early discrimination between the different depths plays an important role in the treatment strategy. The remaining vasculature in the wound determines its healing potential. Non-invasive measurement tools that can identify the vascularization are therefore considered to be of high diagnostic importance. Thermography is a non-invasive technique that can accurately measure the temperature distribution over a large skin or tissue area, the temperature is a measure of the perfusion of that area. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinimetric properties (i.e. reliability and validity) of thermography for measuring burn wound depth. In a cross-sectional study with 50 burn wounds of 35 patients, the inter-observer reliability and the validity between thermography and Laser Doppler Imaging were studied. With ROC curve analyses the ΔT cut-off point for different burn wound depths were determined. The inter-observer reliability, expressed by an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.99, was found to be excellent. In terms of validity, a ΔT cut-off point of 0.96°C (sensitivity 71%; specificity 79%) differentiates between a superficial partial-thickness and deep partial-thickness burn. A ΔT cut-off point of -0.80°C (sensitivity 70%; specificity 74%) could differentiate between a deep partial-thickness and a full-thickness burn wound. This study demonstrates that thermography is a reliable method in the assessment of burn wound depths. In addition, thermography was reasonably able to discriminate among different burn wound depths, indicating its potential use as a diagnostic tool in clinical burn practice.

Burn Wound Healing and Treatment: Review and Advancements

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-12

different days post burn. Burns. 2009;35:36–45. 176. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United...invasive imaging modalities into the routine treatment of burn wounds. Obese patients As the obese population continues to grow [176], new treatment...approaches will be required. Obese burn pa- tients present with a variety of unique characteristics that include: increased rates of diabetes

Burn Enhances Toll-Like Receptor Induced Responses by Circulating Leukocytes

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-30

Introduction Major burn is associated with a local and sys- temic activation of the innate immune system resulting in a profound inflammatory...plications. Previous studies have shown that responses after burn differ between fixed-tissue immune cells and circulating immune cells [15]. In the current...Abstract: Burn and toll-like receptors (TLR) are associated with innate immune system activation, but the impact of burn on TLR-induced inflammation

[Fluid management and cause of death during shock period in patients with severe burns or burns complicated by inhalation injury].

PubMed

Zhang, Ming-liang; Li, Chi; Ma, Chun-xu

2003-11-01

To explore fluid management and cause of death during shock period in severe burns or burns with inhalation injury. One hundred and twelve patients with severe burns or burn complicated by inhalation injury admitted to our hospital from 1991 to 2000 were analyzed. The fluid management and death conditions during shock period were discussed. The fluid volume for resuscitation could be described as follows: the total fluid volume was 2.2 ml/(%TBSA.kg) including colloid fluid 0.5 ml/(%TBSA.kg), crystalloid fluid 1 ml/(%TBSA.kg)and water 0.7 ml/(%TBSA.kg) during first 24 hours. The total fluid volume was 1.8 ml/(%TBSA.kg) including colloid fluid 0.4 ml/(%TBSA.kg), crystalloid fluid 0.7 ml/(%TBSA.kg) and water 0.7 ml/(%TBSA.kg) during second 24 hours. There were no difference in fluid management between burns and burns with inhalation injury. Seven patients died due to respiratory failure during shock period. Many fluid formula can provide guidance for resuscitation and it is very important that early fluid therapy should accord with concrete clinical conditions of patients in order to pass smoothly through shock period. Early fluid management is not different between burns and burns with inhalation injury.

The validation study on a three-dimensional burn estimation smart-phone application: accurate, free and fast?

PubMed

Cheah, A K W; Kangkorn, T; Tan, E H; Loo, M L; Chong, S J

2018-01-01

Accurate total body surface area burned (TBSAB) estimation is a crucial aspect of early burn management. It helps guide resuscitation and is essential in the calculation of fluid requirements. Conventional methods of estimation can often lead to large discrepancies in burn percentage estimation. We aim to compare a new method of TBSAB estimation using a three-dimensional smart-phone application named 3D Burn Resuscitation (3D Burn) against conventional methods of estimation-Rule of Palm, Rule of Nines and the Lund and Browder chart. Three volunteer subjects were moulaged with simulated burn injuries of 25%, 30% and 35% total body surface area (TBSA), respectively. Various healthcare workers were invited to use both the 3D Burn application as well as the conventional methods stated above to estimate the volunteer subjects' burn percentages. Collective relative estimations across the groups showed that when used, the Rule of Palm, Rule of Nines and the Lund and Browder chart all over-estimated burns area by an average of 10.6%, 19.7%, and 8.3% TBSA, respectively, while the 3D Burn application under-estimated burns by an average of 1.9%. There was a statistically significant difference between the 3D Burn application estimations versus all three other modalities ( p  < 0.05). Time of using the application was found to be significantly longer than traditional methods of estimation. The 3D Burn application, although slower, allowed more accurate TBSAB measurements when compared to conventional methods. The validation study has shown that the 3D Burn application is useful in improving the accuracy of TBSAB measurement. Further studies are warranted, and there are plans to repeat the above study in a different centre overseas as part of a multi-centre study, with a view of progressing to a prospective study that compares the accuracy of the 3D Burn application against conventional methods on actual burn patients.

Evaluating an Automated Approach for Monitoring Forest Disturbances in the Pacific Northwest from Logging, Fire and Insect Outbreaks with Landsat Time Series Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

R.Neigh, Christopher S.; Bolton, Douglas K.; Williams, Jennifer J.; Diabate, Mouhamad

2014-01-01

Forests are the largest aboveground sink for atmospheric carbon (C), and understanding how they change through time is critical to reduce our C-cycle uncertainties. We investigated a strong decline in Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from 1982 to 1991 in Pacific Northwest forests, observed with the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) series of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometers (AVHRRs). To understand the causal factors of this decline, we evaluated an automated classification method developed for Landsat time series stacks (LTSS) to map forest change. This method included: (1) multiple disturbance index thresholds; and (2) a spectral trajectory-based image analysis with multiple confidence thresholds. We produced 48 maps and verified their accuracy with air photos, monitoring trends in burn severity data and insect aerial detection survey data. Area-based accuracy estimates for change in forest cover resulted in producer's and user's accuracies of 0.21 +/- 0.06 to 0.38 +/- 0.05 for insect disturbance, 0.23 +/- 0.07 to 1 +/- 0 for burned area and 0.74 +/- 0.03 to 0.76 +/- 0.03 for logging. We believe that accuracy was low for insect disturbance because air photo reference data were temporally sparse, hence missing some outbreaks, and the annual anniversary time step is not dense enough to track defoliation and progressive stand mortality. Producer's and user's accuracy for burned area was low due to the temporally abrupt nature of fire and harvest with a similar response of spectral indices between the disturbance index and normalized burn ratio. We conclude that the spectral trajectory approach also captures multi-year stress that could be caused by climate, acid deposition, pathogens, partial harvest, thinning, etc. Our study focused on understanding the transferability of previously successful methods to new ecosystems and found that this automated method does not perform with the same accuracy in Pacific Northwest forests. Using a robust accuracy assessment, we demonstrate the difficulty of transferring change attribution methods to other ecosystems, which has implications for the development of automated detection/attribution approaches. Widespread disturbance was found within AVHRR-negative anomalies, but identifying causal factors in LTSS with adequate mapping accuracy for fire and insects proved to be elusive. Our results provide a background framework for future studies to improve methods for the accuracy assessment of automated LTSS classifications.

Integrated guidance, navigation and control verification plan primary flight system. [space shuttle avionics integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The verification process and requirements for the ascent guidance interfaces and the ascent integrated guidance, navigation and control system for the space shuttle orbiter are defined as well as portions of supporting systems which directly interface with the system. The ascent phase of verification covers the normal and ATO ascent through the final OMS-2 circularization burn (all of OPS-1), the AOA ascent through the OMS-1 burn, and the RTLS ascent through ET separation (all of MM 601). In addition, OPS translation verification is defined. Verification trees and roadmaps are given.

The overall patterns of burns

PubMed Central

Almoghrabi, A.; Abu Shaban, N.

2011-01-01

Summary Burn patterns differ across the whole world and not only in relation to lack of education, overcrowding, and poverty. Cultures, habits, traditions, psychiatric illness, and epilepsy are strongly correlated to burn patterns. However, burns may also occur because of specific religious beliefs and activities, social events and festivals, traditional medical practices, occupational activities, and war. PMID:22639565

Scheduling prescribed burns for hazard reduction in the southeast

Treesearch

Stephen S. Sackett

1975-01-01

Twelve-year studies in the southeastern Coastal Plain revealed that pine stands should be burned every three years to reduce natural fuels and thus forestall damage from possible wildfires. Rates of overstory growth were not significantly different in burned and unburned stands. Guidelines for prescribed burning of pine stands in this region are presented.

Cognition in patients with burn injury in the inpatient rehabilitation population.

PubMed

Purohit, Maulik; Goldstein, Richard; Nadler, Deborah; Mathews, Katie; Slocum, Chloe; Gerrard, Paul; DiVita, Margaret A; Ryan, Colleen M; Zafonte, Ross; Kowalske, Karen; Schneider, Jeffrey C

2014-07-01

To analyze potential cognitive impairment in patients with burn injury in the inpatient rehabilitation population. Rehabilitation patients with burn injury were compared with the following impairment groups: spinal cord injury, amputation, polytrauma and multiple fractures, and hip replacement. Differences between the groups were calculated for each cognitive subscale item and total cognitive FIM. Patients with burn injury were compared with the other groups using a bivariate linear regression model. A multivariable linear regression model was used to determine whether differences in cognition existed after adjusting for covariates (eg, sociodemographic factors, facility factors, medical complications) based on previous studies. Inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Data from Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation from 2002 to 2011 for adults with burn injury (N=5347) were compared with other rehabilitation populations (N=668,816). Not applicable. Comparison of total cognitive FIM scores and subscales (memory, verbal comprehension, verbal expression, social interaction, problem solving) for patients with burn injury versus other rehabilitation populations. Adults with burn injuries had an average total cognitive FIM score ± SD of 26.8±7.0 compared with an average FIM score ± SD of 28.7±6.0 for the other groups combined (P<.001). The subscale with the greatest difference between those with burn injury and the other groups was memory (5.1±1.7 compared with 5.6±1.5, P<.001). These differences persisted after adjustment for covariates. Adults with burn injury have worse cognitive FIM scores than other rehabilitation populations. Future research is needed to determine the impact of this comorbidity on patient outcomes and potential interventions for these deficits. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The evaluation of physical exam findings in patients assessed for suspected burn inhalation injury.

PubMed

Ching, Jessica A; Shah, Jehan L; Doran, Cody J; Chen, Henian; Payne, Wyatt G; Smith, David J

2015-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the utility of singed nasal hair (SN), carbonaceous sputum (CS), and facial burns (FB) as indicators of burn inhalation injury, when compared to the accepted standard of bronchoscopic diagnosis of inhalation injury. An institutional review board approved, retrospective review was conducted. All patients were suspected to have burn inhalation injury and subsequently underwent bronchoscopic evaluation. Data collected included: percent burn TBSA, burn injury mechanism, admission physical exam findings (SN, CS, FB), and bronchoscopy findings. Thirty-five males and twelve females met inclusion criteria (n = 47). Bronchoscopy was normal in 31 patients (66%). Data were analyzed as all patients and in subgroups according to burn TBSA and an enclosed space mechanism of injury. Physical exam findings (SN, CS, FB) were evaluated individually and in combination. Overall, the sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values calculated were poor and inconsistent, and they did not improve within subgroup analysis or when physical findings were combined. Further statistical analysis suggested the physical findings, whether in isolation or in combination, have poor discrimination between patients that have and do not have inhalation injury (AUC < 0.7, P > .05) and poor agreement with the diagnosis made by bronchoscopy (κ < 0.4, P > .05). This remained true in the subgroup analysis as well. Our data demonstrated the findings of SN, CS, and FB are unreliable evidence for inhalation injury, even in the context of an enclosed space mechanism of injury. Thus, these physical findings are not absolute indicators for intubation and should be interpreted as one component of the history and physical.

The Healing Effect of Arnebia Euchroma Ointment versus Silver Sulfadiazine on Burn Wounds in Rat

PubMed Central

Nasiri, Ebrahim; Hosseinimehr, Seyed Jalal; Azadbakht, Mohammad; Akbari, Jafar; Enayati-Fard, Reza; Azizi, Sohail; Azadbakht, Masoud

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Burn is still a majordevastating condition in emergency medicine departments among both genders and all age groups in all developed and developing countries, leading to physical, psychological scars and economical burden. The present study aimed to determine the healing effect of topical treatment with Arnebia euchroma on second-degree burn wound in rats. METHODS Fifty rats were divided into 4 equal groups receiving the ointment base, normal saline (NS), standard 1% silver sulfadiazine (SSD), and 5% and 10% Arnebia euchroma ointments (AEO). The mean of burn area, percentage of wound contraction, histopathological and bacteriological assessments in the injured area were dtermined during the study. RESULTS Average area of wound on the 10th day was 10.2±2.3, 8.4±2.6, 12.4±2.5, 5.9±2.2 and 5.7±2 cm2 for ointment base, NS, 1% SSD, and 5% and 10% AEO, respectively. Wound size was significantly lower in 10% AEO than 1% SSD and control groups on the 10th day post-burn injury. On day 11, the percentage of wound contraction in 5% and 10% AEO was 53.9%±14.7% and 55.9±10.5% which was more than 1% SSD (15.3±10.8%). The collagen fibers were well formed and horizontally-oriented in 5% and 10% AEO groups when compared with other groups. CONCLUSION Arnebia euchroma ointment was an effective treatment for healing of burn wounds in comparison with SSD and can be regarded as an alternative topical treatment for burn wounds. PMID:26284182

[Atmospheric pollution characteristic during fireworks burning time in spring festival in Quanzhou suburb].

PubMed

Zhao, Jin-ping; Xu, Ya; Zhang, Fu-wang; Chen, Jin-sheng

2011-05-01

Atmospheric pollution characteristics during fireworks burning time in 2009 Spring Festival in Quangzhou suburb were studied. Particulate aerosol has been monitored and collected using real-time monitor and middle-volume sampler during fireworks burning time. The objectives of this study were to identify the contents and distributing characteristics of particles, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) and water-soluble ions and to discuss sources of these pollutants. The results showed that PM2.5 and PM10 were increased significantly during fireworks burning time. The highest concentration of particles presented time of 00:57-01:27 on New Year's Eve, which the average concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 were reached 1102.43 microm(-3) and 1610.22 microg x m(-3) in 30 min. The concentration of particle- and gas-PAHs were 54.18 ng x m(-1) and 47.10 ng x m(-3), respectively, during fireworks burning time in New Year's Eve, which were higher than that in the normal day. It can be judged by the diagnostic ratios that the primary source of PAHs in Quanzhou suburb were the combustion of coal, biomass and the exhaust emission from diesel vehicles in this region. Results of water-soluble ions indicated that fireworks burning were the main reason to lead to higher concentration of these ions during Spring Festival. Moreover, pollution gases of NOx and SO2 that were origined from fireworks burning, coal combustion and exhaust emission from motor vehicle were supplied precursors to form secondary pollutants, such as NO3- and SO4(2-).

Thermal protective uniforms and hoods: impact of design modifications and water content on burn prevention in New York City firefighters: laboratory and field results

PubMed Central

Prezant, D; Malley, K; Barker, R; Guerth, C; Kelly, K

2001-01-01

Objectives—To determine (1) the effectiveness of hoods in reducing head burns, (2) the impact of clothes worn under the protective outer uniform (modern = long sleeve shirt and long pants; modified modern = short sleeve T-shirt and short pants) on burns, and (3) whether water content (dry, damp or saturated) affects the level of thermal protection. Setting—Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY). Methods—Laboratory tests (fully dressed manikin) evaluated the different uniform and water conditions when exposed to an average 24 cal/cm2 heat flux, approximately 2250°F air temperature. FDNY field results compared (1) head burns during winters wearing the hood to winters without hood and (2) upper and lower extremity burns during summers wearing traditional, modern, and modified modern uniforms. Results—Laboratory tests showed that thermal protection was: (1) dramatically improved by the hood with protection increasing as water content increased and (2) not significantly different between modern and modified modern uniforms, regardless of water content. FDNY field results confirmed these tests showing (1) significant decreases in neck burns (by 54%), ear burns (by 60%), and head burn totals (by 46%) wearing the hood and (2) no significant differences in upper or lower extremity burns wearing modern compared with modified modern uniforms. Conclusions—Based on combined laboratory and field results, we strongly recommend the use of modern thermal protective hoods and the modified modern uniform. PMID:11565971

Investigating resonances above and below the threshold in nuclear reactions of astrophysical interest and beyond

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

La Cognata, M., E-mail: lacognata@lns.infn.it; Kiss, G. G.; Mukhamedzhanov, A. M.

2015-10-15

Resonances in nuclear cross sections dramatically change their trends. Therefore, the presence of unexpected resonances might lead to unpredicted consequences on astrophysics and nuclear physics. In nuclear physics, resonances allow one to study states in the intermediate compound systems, to evaluate their cluster structure, for instance, especially in the energy regions approaching particle decay thresholds. In astrophysics, resonances might lead to changes in the nucleosynthesis flow, determining different isotopic compositions of the nuclear burning ashes. For these reasons, the Trojan Horse method has been modified to investigate resonant reactions. Thanks to this novel approach, for the first time normalization tomore » direct data might be avoided. Moreover, in the case of sub threshold resonances, the Trojan Horse method modified to investigate resonances allows one to deduce the asymptotic normalization coefficient, showing the close connection between the two indirect approaches.« less

β-adrenergic blockade does not impair the skin blood flow sensitivity to local heating in burned and non-burned skin under neutral and hot environments in children

PubMed Central

Rivas, Eric; McEntire, Serina J.; Herndon, David N.; Mlcak, Ronald P.; Suman, Oscar E.

2017-01-01

Objective Tested the hypothesis that propranolol, a drug given to burn patients to reduce hypermetabolism/cardiac stress, may inhibit heat dissipation by changing the sensitivity of skin blood flow (SkBF) to local heating under neutral and hot conditions. Methods In a randomized double-blind study, a placebo was given to 8 burned children while propranolol was given to 13 burned children with similar characteristics (mean ± SD: 11.9±3y, 147±20cm, 45±23kg, 56±12% TBSA). Non-burned children (n=13, 11.4±3y, 152±15cm, 52±13kg) served as healthy controls. A progressive local heating protocol characterized SkBF responses in burned and unburned skin and non-burned control skin under the two environmental conditions (23°C and 34°C) via laser-Doppler flowmetry. Results Resting SkBF was greater in burned and unburned skin compared to the non-burned control (main effect: skin, P<0.0001; 57±32 burned; 38±36 unburned vs 9±8 control %SkBFmax). No difference was found for maximal SkBF capacity to local heating between groups. Additionally, dose response curves for the sensitivity of SkBF to local heating were not different among burned or unburned skin, and non-burned control skin (EC50, P>0.05) under either condition. Conclusion Therapeutic propranolol does not negatively affect SkBF under neutral or hot environmental conditions and further compromise temperature regulation in burned children. PMID:28071840

An examination of scale of assessment, logging and ENSO-induced fires on butterfly diversity in Borneo.

PubMed

Cleary, Daniel F R

2003-04-01

The impact of disturbance on species diversity may be related to the spatial scales over which it occurs. Here I assess the impact of logging and ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) -induced burning and forest isolation on the species richness (477 species out of more than 28,000 individuals) and community composition of butterflies and butterfly guilds using small (0.9 ha) plots nested within large (450 ha) landscapes. The landscapes were located in three habitat classes: (1) continuous, unburned forest; (2) unburned isolates surrounded by burned forest; and (3) burned forest. Plots with different logging histories were sampled within the two unburned habitat classes, allowing for independent assessment of the two disturbance factors (logging and burning). Disturbance within habitat classes (logging) had a very different impact on butterfly diversity than disturbance among habitat classes (due to ENSO-induced burning and isolation). Logging increased species richness, increased evenness, and lowered dominance. Among guilds based on larval food plants, the species richness of tree and herb specialists was higher in logged areas but their abundance was lower. Both generalist species richness and abundance was higher in logged areas. Among habitat classes, species richness was lower in burned forest and isolates than continuous forest but there was no overall difference in evenness or dominance. Among guilds, generalist species richness was significantly lower in burned forest and isolates than continuous forest. Generalist abundance was also very low in the isolates. There was no difference among disturbance classes in herb specialist species richness but abundance was significantly higher in the isolates and burned forest than in continuous forest. Tree specialist species richness was lower in burned forest than continuous forest but did not differ between continuous forest and isolates. The scale of assessment proved important in estimating the impact of disturbance on species richness. Within disturbance classes, the difference in species richness between primary and logged forest was more pronounced at the smaller spatial scale. Among disturbance classes, the difference in species richness between continuous forest and isolates or burned forest was more pronounced at the larger spatial scale. The lower levels of species richness in ENSO-affected areas and at the larger (landscape) spatial scale indicate that future severe ENSO events may prove one of the most serious threats to extant biodiversity.

Investigation of the burning configuration of a coaxial injector in a combustion chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohara, J.

1978-01-01

An analytical investigation was made into the stability of the burning configuration of a single coaxial injector surrounded by similar injectors. The stability criteria was based on an average pressure difference along the boundaries of the adjacent stream tubes as calculated using Spaulding's numerical method. The results indicate qualitatively that there is a tendency for the injectors to have different burning configurations. It is believed that the configuration achieved is random, however once the burning configuration is established, it is believed to persist.

A Computer Program to Evaluate Experimental Therapies for Treating Burned Patients

PubMed Central

Flora, Jairus D.; Flora, Sharyl Ann

1980-01-01

Determining the worth of new therapies for burn patients has been difficult because of the rarity of the burn injury and the disparate survival chances associated with different sizes of burns. Recently a burn survival model has been developed that estimates the risk of death from a burn as a function of the patient's age, sex, area of full thickness (third degree) burn, area of partial thickness burn, involvement of the perineum, and time from burn to admission. An alternative risk model uses the total area burned in place of the areas of partial thickness burn and full thickness burn, and is appropriate if the amount of full thickness burn is not determined accurately. This paper describes a program that uses these risk models to correct or standardize for demographic and severity factors, then, after that adjustment, tests whether a group of burn patients who received a new or experimental therapy shows a significantly better survival rate than that predicted by a baseline model. The program is a simple one written in Fortran for easy adaptation to other computer systems.

Research on ignition and flame spread of solid materials in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ito, Kenichi; Fujita, Osamu

1995-01-01

Fire safety is one of the main concerns for crewed missions such as the space station. Materials used in spacecraft may burn even if metalic. There are severe restrictions on the materials used in spacecraft from the view of fire safety. However, such restrictions or safety standards are usually determined based on experimental results under normal gravity, despite large differences between the phenomena under normal and microgravity. To evaluate the appropriateness of materials for use in space, large amount of microgravity fire-safety combustion data is urgently needed. Solid material combustion under microgravity, such as ignition and flame spread, is a relatively new research field in Japan. As the other reports in this workshop describe, most of microgravity combustion research in Japan is droplet combustion as well as some research on gas phase combustion. Since JAMIC, the Japan Microgravity Center, (which offers 10 seconds microgravity time) opened in 1992, microgravity combustion research is robust, and many drop tests relating to solid combustion (paper combustion, cotton string combustion, metal combustion with Aluminium or Magnesium) have been performed. These tests proved that the 10 seconds of microgravity time at JAMIC is useful for solid combustion research. Some experiments were performed before JAMIC opened. For example, latticed paper was burned under microgravity by using a 50 m drop tower to simulate porous material combustion under microgravity. A 50 m tower provides only 2 seconds microgravity time however, and it was not long enough to investigate the solid combustion phenomena.

Burnt wives in Tehran: a warm tragedy of self-injury

PubMed Central

Ramim, Tayeb; Mobayen, Mohammadreza; Shoar, Nasrin; Naderan, Mohammad; Shoar, Saeed

2013-01-01

Objective: To investigate the characteristics and causes of self burning among married women in the capital of Iran. Methods: Thirty five victims of self immolation were enrolled in our study during the 4 years of study period. All patients were married attempting suicide by burning themselves. Of these, no one was diagnosed to suffer from a mental or psychological disorder. Results: A statistically significant difference was observed between age groups in terms of education, occupation, and income (p<0.05). In 42.9% of the cases, burning has occurred between 12:00 and 18:00 significantly different from other times (p<0.05). 45.7% of the incidents took place in the courtyard of the house followed by 8% in bathroom, 8% in the kitchen, 2% in dining room, and 1% at the outdoor which revealed a statistically significant difference (p< 0.05). 91.4% of the women had used petroleum as a substance for burning which was significantly different with other substances (p<0.05). 60% of the victims put their spouse in charge of the main cause for their attempts to self- burning with a statistically significant difference with other causes (p<0.05). Conclusion: Married women who attempted to burn their lives were young wives from low socioeconomic status living in a traditional environment. Time and place of the burning showed that they attempt suicide more likely while they are doing daily routines. PMID:23386987

Towards a better understanding of critical gradients and near-marginal turbulence in burning plasma conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holland, C.; Candy, J.; Howard, N. T.

2017-10-01

Developing accurate predictive transport models of burning plasma conditions is essential for confident prediction and optimization of next step experiments such as ITER and DEMO. Core transport in these plasmas is expected to be very small in gyroBohm-normalized units, such that the plasma should lie close to the critical gradients for onset of microturbulence instabilities. We present recent results investigating the scaling of linear critical gradients of ITG, TEM, and ETG modes as a function of parameters such as safety factor, magnetic shear, and collisionality for nominal conditions and geometry expected in ITER H-mode plasmas. A subset of these results is then compared against predictions from nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations, to quantify differences between linear and nonlinear thresholds. As part of this study, linear and nonlinear results from both GYRO and CGYRO codes will be compared against each other, as well as to predictions from the quasilinear TGLF model. Challenges arising from near-marginal turbulence dynamics are addressed. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy under US DE-SC0006957.

Toll like receptors gene expression of human keratinocytes cultured of severe burn injury.

PubMed

Cornick, Sarita Mac; Noronha, Silvana Aparecida Alves Corrêa de; Noronha, Samuel Marcos Ribeiro de; Cezillo, Marcus V B; Ferreira, Lydia Masako; Gragnani, Alfredo

2014-01-01

To evaluate the expression profile of genes related to Toll Like Receptors (TLR) pathways of human Primary Epidermal keratinocytes of patients with severe burns. After obtaining viable fragments of skin with and without burning, culture hKEP was initiated by the enzymatic method using Dispase (Sigma-Aldrich). These cells were treated with Trizol(r) (Life Technologies) for extraction of total RNA. This was quantified and analyzed for purity for obtaining cDNA for the analysis of gene expression using specific TLR pathways PCR Arrays plates (SA Biosciences). After the analysis of gene expression we found that 21% of these genes were differentially expressed, of which 100% were repressed or hyporegulated. Among these, the following genes (fold decrease): HSPA1A (-58), HRAS (-36), MAP2K3 (-23), TOLLIP (-23), RELA (-18), FOS (-16), and TLR1 (-6.0). This study contributes to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms related to TLR pathways and underlying wound infection caused by the burn. Furthermore, it may provide new strategies to restore normal expression of these genes and thereby change the healing process and improve clinical outcome.

A protocol guided by transpulmonary thermodilution and lactate levels for resuscitation of patients with severe burns

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Over-resuscitation is deleterious in many critically ill conditions, including major burns. For more than 15 years, several strategies to reduce fluid administration in burns during the initial resuscitation phase have been proposed, but no single or simple parameter has shown superiority. Fluid administration guided by invasive hemodynamic parameters usually resulted in over-resuscitation. As reported in the previous issue of Critical Care, Sánchez-Sánchez and colleagues analyzed the performance of a ‘permissive hypovolemia’ protocol guided by invasive hemodynamic parameters (PiCCO, Pulsion Medical Systems, Munich, Germany) and vital signs in a prospective cohort over a 3-year period. The authors’ results confirm that resuscitation can be achieved with below-normal levels of preload but at the price of a fluid administration greater than predicted by the Parkland formula (2 to 4 mL/kg per% burn). The classic approach based on an adapted Parkland equation may still be the simplest until further studies identify the optimal bundle of resuscitation goals. PMID:24229466

Comparing ambient, air-convection, and fluid-convection heating techniques in treating hypothermic burn patients, a clinical RCT

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Hypothermia in burns is common and increases morbidity and mortality. Several methods are available to reach and maintain normal core body temperature, but have not yet been evaluated in critical care for burned patients. Our unit's ordinary technique for controlling body temperature (Bair Hugger®+ radiator ceiling + bed warmer + Hotline®) has many drawbacks e.g.; slow and the working environment is hampered. The aim of this study was to compare our ordinary heating technique with newly-developed methods: the Allon™2001 Thermowrap (a temperature regulating water-mattress), and Warmcloud (a temperature regulating air-mattress). Methods Ten consecutive burned patients (> 20% total burned surface area and a core temperature < 36.0°C) were included in this prospective, randomised, comparative study. Patients were randomly exposed to 3 heating methods. Each treatment/measuring-cycle lasted for 6 hours. Each heating method was assessed for 2 hours according to a randomised timetable. Core temperature was measured using an indwelling (bladder) thermistor. Paired t-tests were used to assess the significance of differences between the treatments within the patients. ANOVA was used to assess the differences in temperature from the first to the last measurement among all treatments. Three-way ANOVA with the Tukey HSD post hoc test and a repeated measures ANOVA was used in the same manner, but included information about patients and treatment/measuring-cycles to control for potential confounding. Data are presented as mean (SD) and (range). Probabilities of less than 0.05 were accepted as significant. Results The mean increase, 1.4 (SD 0.6°C; range 0.6-2.6°C) in core temperature/treatment/measuring-cycle highly significantly favoured the Allon™2001 Thermowrap in contrast to the conventional method 0.2 (0.6)°C (range -1.2 to 1.5°C) and the Warmcloud 0.3 (0.4)°C (range -0.4 to 0.9°C). The procedures for using the Allon™2001 Thermowrap were experienced to be more comfortable and straightforward than the conventional method or the Warmcloud. Conclusions The Allon™2001 Thermowrap was more effective than the Warmcloud or the conventional method in controlling patients' temperatures. PMID:21736717

The effect of prescribed burning on plant rarity in a temperate forest.

PubMed

Patykowski, John; Holland, Greg J; Dell, Matt; Wevill, Tricia; Callister, Kate; Bennett, Andrew F; Gibson, Maria

2018-02-01

Rare species can play important functional roles, but human-induced changes to disturbance regimes, such as fire, can inadvertently affect these species. We examined the influence of prescribed burns on the recruitment and diversity of plant species within a temperate forest in southeastern Australia, with a focus on species that were rare prior to burning. Floristic composition was compared among plots in landscapes before and after treatment with prescribed burns differing in the extent of area burnt and season of burn (before-after, control-impact design). Floristic surveys were conducted before burns, at the end of a decade of drought, and 3 years postburn. We quantified the effect of prescribed burns on species grouped by their frequency within the landscape before burning (common, less common, and rare) and their life-form attributes (woody perennials, perennial herbs or geophytes, and annual herbs). Burn treatment influenced the response of rare species. In spring-burn plots, the recruitment of rare annual herbs was promoted, differentiating this treatment from both autumn-burn and unburnt plots. In autumn-burn plots, richness of rare species increased across all life-form groups, although composition remained statistically similar to control plots. Richness of rare woody perennials increased in control plots. For all other life-form and frequency groups, the floristic composition of landscapes changed between survey years, but there was no effect of burn treatment, suggesting a likely effect of rainfall on species recruitment. A prescribed burn can increase the occurrence of rare species in a landscape, but burn characteristics can affect the promotion of different life-form groups and thus affect functional diversity. Drought-breaking rain likely had an overarching effect on floristic composition during our study, highlighting that weather can play a greater role in influencing recruitment and diversity in plant communities than a prescribed burn.

Treatment of burn scars in Fitzpatrick phototype III patients with a combination of pulsed dye laser and non-ablative fractional resurfacing 1550 nm erbium:glass/1927 nm thulium laser devices.

PubMed

Tao, Joy; Champlain, Amanda; Weddington, Charles; Moy, Lauren; Tung, Rebecca

2018-01-01

Burn scars cause cosmetic disfigurement and psychosocial distress. We present two Fitzpatrick phototype (FP) III patients with burn scars successfully treated with combination pulsed dye laser (PDL) and non-ablative fractional lasers (NAFL). A 30-year-old, FP III woman with a history of a second-degree burn injury to the bilateral arms and legs affecting 30% body surface area (BSA) presented for cosmetic treatment. The patient received three treatments with 595 nm PDL (7 mm, 8 J, 6 ms), six with the 1550 nm erbium:glass laser (30 mJ, 14% density, 4-8 passes) and five with the 1927 nm thulium laser (10 mJ, 30% density, 4-8 passes). Treated burn scars improved significantly in thickness, texture and colour. A 33-year-old, FP III man with a history of a second-degree burn injury of the left neck and arm affecting 7% BSA presented for cosmetic treatment. The patient received two treatments with 595 nm PDL (5 mm, 7.5 J, 6 ms), four with the 1550 nm erbium:glass laser (30 mJ, 14% density, 4-8 passes) and two with the 1927 nm thulium laser (10 mJ, 30% density, 4-8 passes). The burn scars became thinner, smoother and more normal in pigmentation and appearance. Our patients' burn scars were treated with a combination of PDL and NAFL (two wavelengths). The PDL targets scar hypervascularity, the 1550 nm erbium:glass stimulates collagen remodelling and the 1927 nm thulium targets epidermal processes, particularly hyperpigmentation. This combination addresses scar thickness, texture and colour with a low side effect profile and is particularly advantageous in patients at higher risk of post-procedure hyperpigmentation. Our cases suggest the combination of 595nm PDL plus NAFL 1550 nm erbium:glass/1927 nm thulium device is effective and well-tolerated for burn scar treatment in skin of colour.

Barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) behaviour after recent fire events; integrating caribou telemetry data with Landsat fire detection techniques.

PubMed

Rickbeil, Gregory J M; Hermosilla, Txomin; Coops, Nicholas C; White, Joanne C; Wulder, Michael A

2017-03-01

Fire regimes are changing throughout the North American boreal forest in complex ways. Fire is also a major factor governing access to high-quality forage such as terricholous lichens for barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus). Additionally, fire alters forest structure which can affect barren-ground caribou's ability to navigate in a landscape. Here, we characterize how the size and severity of fires are changing across five barren-ground caribou herd ranges in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada. Additionally, we demonstrate how time since fire, fire severity, and season result in complex changes in caribou behavioural metrics estimated using telemetry data. Fire disturbances were identified using novel gap-free Landsat surface reflectance composites from 1985 to 2011 across all herd ranges. Burn severity was estimated using the differenced normalized burn ratio. Annual area burned and burn severity were assessed through time for each herd and related to two behavioural metrics: velocity and relative turning angle. Neither annual area burned nor burn severity displayed any temporal trend within the study period. However, certain herds, such as the Ahiak/Beverly, have more exposure to fire than other herds (i.e. Cape Bathurst had a maximum forested area burned of less than 4 km 2 ). Time since fire and burn severity both significantly affected velocity and relative turning angles. During fall, winter, and spring, fire virtually eliminated foraging-focused behaviour for all 26 years of analysis while more severe fires resulted in a marked increase in movement-focused behaviour compared to unburnt patches. Between seasons, caribou used burned areas as early as 1-year postfire, demonstrating complex, nonlinear reactions to time since fire, fire severity, and season. In all cases, increases in movement-focused behaviour were detected postfire. We conclude that changes in caribou behaviour immediately postfire are primarily driven by changes in forest structure rather than changes in terricholous lichen availability. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chapter 11. Vegetative manipulation with prescribed burning

Treesearch

Steven G. Whisenant

2004-01-01

Plant responses to fire differ because of phenological variations at the time of burning, inherently different susceptibilities to heat damage, differing regenerative abilities, and different responses to the postfire environment. Individual plants of the same or different species may have different responses to fire because of local variations in fire temperature or...

Tree mortality from fire and bark beetles following early and late season prescribed fires in a Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schwilk, Dylan W.; Knapp, Eric E.; Ferrenberg, Scott; Keeley, Jon E.; Caprio, Anthony C.

2006-01-01

Over the last century, fire exclusion in the forests of the Sierra Nevada has allowed surface fuels to accumulate and has led to increased tree density. Stand composition has also been altered as shade tolerant tree species crowd out shade intolerant species. To restore forest structure and reduce the risk of large, intense fires, managers have increasingly used prescription burning. Most fires prior to EuroAmerican settlement occurred during the late summer and early fall and most prescribed burning has taken place during the latter part of this period. Poor air quality and lack of suitable burn windows during the fall, however, have resulted in a need to conduct more prescription burning earlier in the season. Previous reports have suggested that burning during the time when trees are actively growing may increase mortality rates due to fine root damage and/or bark beetle activity. This study examines the effects of fire on tree mortality and bark beetle attacks under prescription burning during early and late season. Replicated early season burn, late season burn and unburned control plots were established in an old-growth mixed conifer forest in the Sierra Nevada that had not experienced a fire in over 120 years. Although prescribed burns resulted in significant mortality of particularly the smallest tree size classes, no difference between early and late season burns was detected. Direct mortality due to fire was associated with fire intensity. Secondary mortality due to bark beetles was not significantly correlated with fire intensity. The probability of bark beetle attack on pines did not differ between early and late season burns, while the probability of bark beetle attack on firs was greater following early season burns. Overall tree mortality appeared to be primarily the result of fire intensity rather than tree phenology at the time of the burns. Early season burns are generally conducted under higher fuel moisture conditions, leading to less fuel consumption and potentially less injury to trees. This reduction in fire severity may compensate for relatively modest increases in bark beetle attack probabilities on some tree species, ultimately resulting in a forest structure that differs little between early and late season prescribed burning treatments.

Lightning Forcing in Global Fire Models: The Importance of Temporal Resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felsberg, A.; Kloster, S.; Wilkenskjeld, S.; Krause, A.; Lasslop, G.

2018-01-01

In global fire models, lightning is typically prescribed from observational data with monthly mean temporal resolution while meteorological forcings, such as precipitation or temperature, are prescribed in a daily resolution. In this study, we investigate the importance of the temporal resolution of the lightning forcing for the simulation of burned area by varying from daily to monthly and annual mean forcing. For this, we utilize the vegetation fire model JSBACH-SPITFIRE to simulate burned area, forced with meteorological and lightning data derived from the general circulation model ECHAM6. On a global scale, differences in burned area caused by lightning forcing applied in coarser temporal resolution stay below 0.55% compared to the use of daily mean forcing. Regionally, however, differences reach up to 100%, depending on the region and season. Monthly averaged lightning forcing as well as the monthly lightning climatology cause differences through an interaction between lightning ignitions and fire prone weather conditions, accounted for by the fire danger index. This interaction leads to decreased burned area in the boreal zone and increased burned area in the Tropics and Subtropics under the coarser temporal resolution. The exclusion of interannual variability, when forced with the lightning climatology, has only a minor impact on the simulated burned area. Annually averaged lightning forcing causes differences as a direct result of the eliminated seasonal characteristics of lightning. Burned area is decreased in summer and increased in winter where fuel is available. Regions with little seasonality, such as the Tropics and Subtropics, experience an increase in burned area.

New technique for calibrating hydrocarbon gas flowmeters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, J. J.; Puster, R. L.

1984-01-01

A technique for measuring calibration correction factors for hydrocarbon mass flowmeters is described. It is based on the Nernst theorem for matching the partial pressure of oxygen in the combustion products of the test hydrocarbon, burned in oxygen-enriched air, with that in normal air. It is applied to a widely used type of commercial thermal mass flowmeter for a number of hydrocarbons. The calibration correction factors measured using this technique are in good agreement with the values obtained by other independent procedures. The technique is successfully applied to the measurement of differences as low as one percent of the effective hydrocarbon content of the natural gas test samples.

Burns in a major burns center in East China from 2005 to 2014: Incidence and outcome.

PubMed

Fan, Xiaoming; Ma, Bing; Zeng, Ding; Fang, Xiao; Li, Haihang; Xiao, Shichu; Wang, Guangyi; Tang, Hongtai; Xia, Zhaofan

2017-11-01

Information about epidemiology on burns is rare in China. The aim of this article is to describe the pattern of burns in East China during a 10-year time period. A retrospective data analysis was performed on all hospitalized patients to the burn center at the Changhai hospital, one of major burn centers in East China, from 2005 to 2014. We included 3376 patients in this study. Among them, 48.1% were from 27 provinces out of Shanghai and nearly 90% were from East China. August saw the most admissions and November saw the fewest. Spring and summer separately dominated in number of female and male patients. Children aged 2-5 and working-age adult were the most commonly treated. Home was the commonest place of injury, followed by industrial-related places, outdoors, public buildings, and vehicles or roads. Scalds remained the primary reason, followed by fire, contact burns, electricity, and chemicals. The average %TBSA of male patients was 14.2±21.3, significantly different from that of female patients (10.4±16.9). Extremities were the most vulnerable body region burned, followed by the trunk, face and hands. The average hospital length of stay in male patients was 25.4±72.4 days, significantly different from that of females' 19.9±27.6 days. The total mortality was 1.8% and the lethal area burned resulting in 50% mortality was 96.5% TBSA. Compared with published data, these result are encouraging, which demonstrate that burn care and treatment has made significant progress. Burn clinicians should bear not only the responsibility to treat and cure burns, but also the popularization of knowledge about burn precautions and emergency treatments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

[Effect of prescribed burning on grassland nitrogen gross mineralization and nitrification].

PubMed

Li, Yuzhong; Zhu, Tingcheng; Li, Jiandong; Zhou, Daowei

2003-02-01

The seasonal dynamics of nitrogen gross mineralization, nitrification, and mineral nitrogen consumption rates in burned and unburned Leymus chinensis grasslands were studied with 15N pool dilution technique. The results indicated that the gross mineralization and nitrification rates in burned area were higher than those in unburned area in April and May, and lower than those in unburned area in September. NH4(+)-N consumption rates were higher than unburned area in April and May, and lower in September. NO3(-)-N consumption rates were higher than control in April and May, and lower than control in July and September. The NH4(+)-N concentrations were higher in burned area in April, May and July, and no difference in September. NO3(-)-N concentrations were no difference between burned and unburned areas in April and May, and higher in burned areas in July and September.

Examining the Correlation between Objective Injury Parameters, Personality Traits, and Adjustment Measures among Burn Victims

PubMed Central

Weissman, Oren; Domniz, Noam; Petashnick, Yoel R.; Gilboa, Dalia; Raviv, Tal; Barzilai, Liran; Farber, Nimrod; Harats, Moti; Winkler, Eyal; Haik, Josef

2015-01-01

Background: Burn victims experience immense physical and mental hardship during their process of rehabilitation and regaining functionality. We examined different objective burn-related factors as well as psychological ones, in the form of personality traits that may affect the rehabilitation process and its outcome. Objective: To assess the influence and correlation of specific personality traits and objective injury-related parameters on the adjustment of burn victims post-injury. Methods: Sixty-two male patients admitted to our burn unit due to burn injuries were compared with 36 healthy male individuals by use of questionnaires to assess each group’s psychological adjustment parameters. Multivariate and hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to identify differences between the groups. Results: A significant negative correlation was found between the objective burn injury severity (e.g., total body surface area and burn depth) and the adjustment of burn victims (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, Table 3). Moreover, patients more severely injured tend to be more neurotic (p < 0.001), and less extroverted and agreeable (p < 0.01, Table 4). Conclusion: Extroverted burn victims tend to adjust better to their post-injury life while the neurotic patients tend to have difficulties adjusting. This finding may suggest new tools for early identification of maladjustment-prone patients and therefore provide them with better psychological support in a more dedicated manner. PMID:25874193

Effect of Permeability of Tipping Paper on Cigarette Burning Temperature and the Property of Mainstream Smoke

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Zhen-Yu; Shen, Yan; Huang, Hai-Qun; Xu, Ji-Cang

2016-05-01

Cigarette smoke analysis of tipping paper with different permeability was carried out. The infrared thermal imager was used to measure burning temperature of cigarette with different permeability tipping paper. The results indicated that with the increase of tipping paper permeability, Tar, CO and nicotine in cigarette mainstream were significantly linear decreased, puff count was increased. Tipping paper permeability had a great influence on cigarette burning temperature. With the increase of tipping paper permeability, the third puff burning temperature and the average peak temperature values were dropped obviously, but the changes of smoldering temperature were not obvious. In addition, smoldering average temperature was significantly lower than the third puff burning temperature and peak temperature.

Burns inflicted by self or by others--an 11 year snapshot.

PubMed

Malic, C C; Karoo, R O S; Austin, O; Phipps, A

2007-02-01

In the United Kingdom, the incidence of assault by burning and of self inflicted burns increased significantly over the last decade. This has major implications both for service providers and society as a whole. Our aim was to investigate the differences in patients' characteristics, management and outcome following a burn sustained by either an assault or self immolation. Acute admissions to a tertiary Burn Centre were retrospectively reviewed over an 11 year period (1994-2005). Demographic data and information regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident, burn severity, treatment and outcomes of the patients were collected. Over an 11 year period, 1745 patients were admitted to the tertiary Burn Centre. Of this total, 41 patients (mean age 29 years+/-16) sustained burns following an assault, a further 86 patients (mean age of 37 years+/-12) had self inflicted burn injuries; males were preponderant in both groups. In this series, a history of alcohol or substance abuse was present in 25% of both cohorts, 63% of the patients with self inflicted injuries having a previously diagnosed psychiatric disorder. Petrol, accelerants and other flammable liquids were the main agents chosen to inflict injury in both the assault and self inflicted groups. The burn depth and surface area distribution was greater in the self inflicted group compared to those assaulted (29% versus 21%). A difference was also noted in the pattern of distribution of burns between the two groups, as well as between genders although this difference was not significant. Two-thirds (67.4%) of the self immolated patients and 56% of the assaulted group required surgery. The length of hospital stay was similar for both groups, averaging 20 days. The crude mortality for the self inflicted group was 29%, whereas in the assaulted patients, the overall mortality was 4.9%. Although the incidence of burns caused either by assault or attempted suicide is low, the affected patients require a multidisciplinary approach. Their management requires significant medical, psychological occupational and social support. Increased awareness and education of those vulnerable individuals maybe of benefit to help prevent self inflicted injuries by burning.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Melody, M.

Waste Technologies Industries (WTI; East Liverpool, Ohio) is trying to wing what it hopes will be its final battle in a 13-year, $160 million war with the government, and community and environmental groups. The company since 1980 has sought EPA approval to operate a hazardous waste incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio. WTI late last year conducted a pre-test burn, or shakedown, during which the incinerator burned certain types of hazardous waste. The test demonstrates the incinerator's performance under normal operating conditions, Regulatory authorities, including EPA and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), monitored activity during the shakedown, which was limitedmore » to 720 hours of operation. In accordance with RCRA requirements, the company in March conducted a trial burn to demonstrate that the incinerator meets permit standards. WTI's permit specifies three performance parameters the incinerator must meet -- particulate and hydrogen chloride emissions limits, and destruction removal efficiencies (DREs).« less

Carbon Nanostructure of Diesel Soot Particles Emitted from 2 and 4 Stroke Marine Engines Burning Different Fuels.

PubMed

Lee, Won-Ju; Park, Seul-Hyun; Jang, Se-Hyun; Kim, Hwajin; Choi, Sung Kuk; Cho, Kwon-Hae; Cho, Ik-Soon; Lee, Sang-Min; Choi, Jae-Hyuk

2018-03-01

Diesel soot particles were sampled from 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines that burned two different fuels (Bunker A and C, respectively), and the effects of the engine and fuel types on the structural characteristics of the soot particle were analyzed. The carbon nanostructures of the sampled particles were characterized using various techniques. The results showed that the soot sample collected from the 4-stroke engine, which burned Bunker C, has a higher degree of order of the carbon nanostructure than the sample collected from the 2-stroke engine, which burned Bunker A. Furthermore, the difference in the exhaust gas temperatures originating from the different engine and fuel types can affect the nanostructure of the soot emitted from marine diesel engines.

Stability of bacteriophages in burn wound care products

PubMed Central

Monserez, Riet; van Belleghem, Jonas; Rose, Thomas; Jennes, Serge; De Vos, Daniel; Verbeken, Gilbert; Vaneechoutte, Mario; Pirnay, Jean-Paul

2017-01-01

Bacteriophages could be used along with burn wound care products to enhance antimicrobial pressure during treatment. However, some of the components of the topical antimicrobials that are traditionally used for the prevention and treatment of burn wound infection might affect the activity of phages. Therefore, it is imperative to determine the counteraction of therapeutic phage preparations by burn wound care products before application in patients. Five phages, representatives of two morphological families (Myoviridae and Podoviridae) and active against 3 common bacterial burn wound pathogens (Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus) were tested against 13 different products commonly used in the treatment of burn wounds. The inactivation of the phages was quite variable for different phages and different products. Majority of the anti-infective products affected phage activity negatively either immediately or in the course of time, although impact was not always significant. Products with high acidity had the most adverse effect on phages. Our findings demonstrate that during combined treatment the choice of phages and wound care products must be carefully defined in advance. PMID:28750102

Satellite Image-based Estimates of Snow Water Equivalence in Restored Ponderosa Pine Forests in Northern Arizona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankey, T.; Springer, A. E.; O'Donnell, F. C.; Donald, J.; McVay, J.; Masek Lopez, S.

2014-12-01

The U.S. Forest Service plans to conduct forest restoration treatments through the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) on hundreds of thousands of acres of ponderosa pine forest in northern Arizona over the next 20 years with the goals of reducing wildfire hazard and improving forest health. The 4FRI's key objective is to thin and burn the forests to create within-stand openings that "promote snowpack accumulation and retention which benefit groundwater recharge and watershed processes at the fine (1 to 10 acres) scale". However, little is known about how these openings created by restoration treatments affect snow water equivalence (SWE) and soil moisture, which are key parts of the water balance that greatly influence water availability for healthy trees and for downstream water users in the Sonoran Desert. We have examined forest canopy cover by calculating a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a key indicator of green vegetation cover, using Landsat satellite data. We have then compared NDVI between treatments at our study sites in northern Arizona and have found statistically significant differences in tree canopy cover between treatments. The control units have significantly greater forest canopy cover than the treated units. The thinned units also have significantly greater tree canopy cover than the thin-and-burn units. Winter season Landsat images have also been analyzed to calculate Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI), a key indicator of snow water equivalence and snow accumulation at the treated and untreated forests. The NDSI values from these dates are examined to determine if snow accumulation and snow water equivalence vary between treatments at our study sites. NDSI is significantly greater at the treated units than the control units. In particular, the thinned forest units have significantly greater snow cover than the control units. Our results indicate that forest restoration treatments result in increased snow pack accumulation and this increase can be efficiently estimated at a landscape scale using satellite data.

Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlson, Amanda R.; Sibold, Jason S.; Assal, Timothy J.; Negrón, José F.

2017-01-01

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks are rapidly spreading throughout subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains, raising concerns that altered fuel structures may increase the ecological severity of wildfires. Although many recent studies have found no conclusive link between beetle outbreaks and increased fire size or canopy mortality, few studies have addressed whether these combined disturbances produce compounded effects on short-term vegetation recovery. We tested for an effect of spruce beetle outbreak severity on vegetation recovery in the West Fork Complex fire in southwestern Colorado, USA, where much of the burn area had been affected by severe spruce beetle outbreaks in the decade prior to the fire. Vegetation recovery was assessed using the Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) two years after the fire, which occurred in 2013. Beetle outbreak severity, defined as the basal area of beetle-killed trees within Landsat pixels, was estimated using vegetation index differences (dVIs) derived from pre-outbreak and post-outbreak Landsat images. Of the seven dVIs tested, the change in Normalized Difference Moisture Index (dNDMI) was most strongly correlated with field measurements of beetle-killed basal area (R2 = 0.66). dNDMI was included as an explanatory variable in sequential autoregressive (SAR) models of NDVI2015. Models also included pre-disturbance NDVI, topography, and weather conditions at the time of burning as covariates. SAR results showed a significant correlation between NDVI2015 and dNDMI, with more severe spruce beetle outbreaks corresponding to reduced post-fire vegetation cover. The correlation was stronger for models which were limited to locations in the red stage of outbreak (outbreak ≤ 5 years old at the time of fire) than for models of gray-stage locations (outbreak > 5 years old at the time of fire). These results indicate that vegetation recovery processes may be negatively impacted by severe spruce beetle outbreaks occurring within a decade of stand-replacing wildfire.

Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak

PubMed Central

Carlson, Amanda R.; Sibold, Jason S.; Assal, Timothy J.; Negrón, Jose F.

2017-01-01

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks are rapidly spreading throughout subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains, raising concerns that altered fuel structures may increase the ecological severity of wildfires. Although many recent studies have found no conclusive link between beetle outbreaks and increased fire size or canopy mortality, few studies have addressed whether these combined disturbances produce compounded effects on short-term vegetation recovery. We tested for an effect of spruce beetle outbreak severity on vegetation recovery in the West Fork Complex fire in southwestern Colorado, USA, where much of the burn area had been affected by severe spruce beetle outbreaks in the decade prior to the fire. Vegetation recovery was assessed using the Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) two years after the fire, which occurred in 2013. Beetle outbreak severity, defined as the basal area of beetle-killed trees within Landsat pixels, was estimated using vegetation index differences (dVIs) derived from pre-outbreak and post-outbreak Landsat images. Of the seven dVIs tested, the change in Normalized Difference Moisture Index (dNDMI) was most strongly correlated with field measurements of beetle-killed basal area (R2 = 0.66). dNDMI was included as an explanatory variable in sequential autoregressive (SAR) models of NDVI2015. Models also included pre-disturbance NDVI, topography, and weather conditions at the time of burning as covariates. SAR results showed a significant correlation between NDVI2015 and dNDMI, with more severe spruce beetle outbreaks corresponding to reduced post-fire vegetation cover. The correlation was stronger for models which were limited to locations in the red stage of outbreak (outbreak ≤ 5 years old at the time of fire) than for models of gray-stage locations (outbreak > 5 years old at the time of fire). These results indicate that vegetation recovery processes may be negatively impacted by severe spruce beetle outbreaks occurring within a decade of stand-replacing wildfire. PMID:28777802

Miniature Rocket Motor for Aircraft Stall/Spin Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucy, M. H.

1985-01-01

Design accommodates different thrust levels and burn times with minimum weight. Different thrust levels achieved by substituting other propellants of different diameter and burn-rate characteristics. Different burn times achieved by simply changing length of grain/tube assembly. Grain bond material also acts as insulator for fiberglass tube. Rocket motor attached to aircraft model and ignited from radio-controlled 4.8-volt power source. Device provides more than twice energy available in previous designs at only 60 percent of weight. Rocket motor used to identify energy requirements for aircraft stall/spin recovery positive propulsion system.

Burned bodies: post-mortem computed tomography, an essential tool for modern forensic medicine.

PubMed

Coty, J-B; Nedelcu, C; Yahya, S; Dupont, V; Rougé-Maillart, C; Verschoore, M; Ridereau Zins, C; Aubé, C

2018-06-07

Currently, post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) has become an accessible and contemporary tool for forensic investigations. In the case of burn victims, it provides specific semiologies requiring a prudent understanding to differentiate between the normal post-mortem changes from heat-related changes. The aim of this pictorial essay is to provide to the radiologist the keys to establish complete and focused reports in cases of PMCT of burn victims. Thus, the radiologist must discern all the contextual divergences with the forensic history, and must be able to report all the relevant elements to answer to the forensic pathologist the following questions: Are there tomographic features that could help to identify the victim? Is there evidence of remains of biological fluids in liquid form available for toxicological analysis and DNA sampling? Is there another obvious cause of death than heat-related lesions, especially metallic foreign bodies of ballistic origin? Finally, what are the characteristic burn-related injuries seen on the corpse that should be sought during the autopsy? • CT is highly useful to find features permitting the identification of a severely burned body. • PMCT is a major asset in gunshot injuries to depict ballistic foreign bodies in the burned cadavers. • CT is able to recognise accessible blood for tests versus heat clot (air-crescent sign). • Heat-related fractures are easily differentiated from traumatic fractures. • Epidural collections with a subdural appearance are typical heat-related head lesions.

Commercially available interactive video games in burn rehabilitation: therapeutic potential.

PubMed

Parry, Ingrid S; Bagley, Anita; Kawada, Jason; Sen, Soman; Greenhalgh, David G; Palmieri, Tina L

2012-06-01

Commercially available interactive video games (IVG) like the Nintendo Wii™ (NW) and PlayStation™II Eye Toy (PE) are increasingly used in the rehabilitation of patients with burn. Such games have gained popularity in burn rehabilitation because they encourage range of motion (ROM) while distracting from pain. However, IVGs were not originally designed for rehabilitation purposes but rather for entertainment and may lack specificity for achieving rehabilitative goals. Objectively evaluating the specific demands of IVGs in relation to common burn therapy goals will determine their true therapeutic benefit and guide their use in burn rehabilitation. Upper extremity (UE) motion of 24 normal children was measured using 3D motion analysis during play with the two types of IVGs most commonly described for use after burn: NW and PE. Data was analyzed using t-tests and One-way Analysis of Variance. Active range of motion for shoulder flexion and abduction during play with both PE and NW was within functional range, thus supporting the idea that IVGs offer activities with therapeutic potential to improve ROM. PE resulted in higher demands and longer duration of UE motion than NW, and therefore may be the preferred tool when UE ROM or muscular endurance are the goals of rehabilitation. When choosing a suitable IVG for application in rehabilitation, the user's impairment together with the therapeutic attributes of the IVG should be considered to optimize outcome. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Fire and Emission Characterization in the Northern Sub-Saharan Africa (NSSA) Region and their Potential Effects on the Regional Climate System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellison, L.; Ichoku, C. M.

2013-12-01

Northern Sub-Saharan Africa (NSSA) is known for its consistent vast amounts of seasonal biomass burning each year. These mostly anthropogenic slash-and-burn fires typically used for farming and grazing purposes contributes to a significant proportion of the total global emissions of particulate matter (PM). The consequences of such severe burning could potentially have a noticeable influence on local climate patterns, such as the frequent severe droughts over the past century or the drying of Lake Chad, through both direct and indirect causes. This research therefore focuses on: 1) characterizing the burning patterns and extent within NSSA, 2) accurately quantifying PM emissions that have a direct impact on climate, and 3) exploring potential indirect impacts of burning on climate through evaluation of correlations with various environmental and meteorological parameters. In this study, the NSSA region was first split into nine distinct sub-regions to better analyze the burning patters and climatological changes. The diurnal cycle of fire radiative power (FRP, a quantifiable way of measuring fire radiant heat output) within these different regions differ in amplitude and shape, though the basic shape is the same with months of maximum FRP being between November and January and with practically no fires during the rainy season. Corresponding changes in other climatological variables were studied against changes seen in FRP on a monthly scale, including precipitation, soil moisture, surface evaporation, evapotranspiration (ET), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and aerosol optical depth (AOD). This study includes an analysis of the distinct change in FRP signal that occurred in 2006 for the middle of the NSSA region, which is the area with the highest concentration of fires. A decrease in maximum monthly FRP has been observed since 2006 in this region. Regional changes in PM emissions have also been observed since then, including a large region of decreasing emissions southwest of Lake Chad. These emissions are taken from the new Fire Energetics and Emissions Research (FEER) emissions product that was developed as part of this NSSA research and is based on a global coefficient of emission (Ce) map with high spatial resolution. The FEER algorithm is a top-down approach in an effort to properly account for all emitted PM, which is especially important in the NSSA region because of its high concentration of fire events. When the FEER Ce v1.0 product is combined with the global FRP dataset from the Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS) v1.0 product to generate PM emissions, estimates of total particulate matter (TPM) are generated. The FEER product estimates average annual TPM emissions in the NSSA region to be around 14 Tg between 2004-2010, which is greater than GFAS v1.0 by a factor of 1.8, and greater than the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED) v3.1 by a factor of 1.6. Future work will plug these new emission estimates into regional models to gain a better understanding of the impacts of biomass burning on climate in NSSA.

Determining the Uncertainties in Prescribed Burn Emissions Through Comparison of Satellite Estimates to Ground-based Estimates and Air Quality Model Evaluations in Southeastern US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odman, M. T.; Hu, Y.; Russell, A. G.

2016-12-01

Prescribed burning is practiced throughout the US, and most widely in the Southeast, for the purpose of maintaining and improving the ecosystem, and reducing the wildfire risk. However, prescribed burn emissions contribute significantly to the of trace gas and particulate matter loads in the atmosphere. In places where air quality is already stressed by other anthropogenic emissions, prescribed burns can lead to major health and environmental problems. Air quality modeling efforts are under way to assess the impacts of prescribed burn emissions. Operational forecasts of the impacts are also emerging for use in dynamic management of air quality as well as the burns. Unfortunately, large uncertainties exist in the process of estimating prescribed burn emissions and these uncertainties limit the accuracy of the burn impact predictions. Prescribed burn emissions are estimated by using either ground-based information or satellite observations. When there is sufficient local information about the burn area, the types of fuels, their consumption amounts, and the progression of the fire, ground-based estimates are more accurate. In the absence of such information satellites remain as the only reliable source for emission estimation. To determine the level of uncertainty in prescribed burn emissions, we compared estimates derived from a burn permit database and other ground-based information to the estimates by the Biomass Burning Emissions Product derived from a constellation of NOAA and NASA satellites. Using these emissions estimates we conducted simulations with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model and predicted trace gas and particulate matter concentrations throughout the Southeast for two consecutive burn seasons (2015 and 2016). In this presentation, we will compare model predicted concentrations to measurements at monitoring stations and evaluate if the differences are commensurate with our emission uncertainty estimates. We will also investigate if spatial and temporal patterns in the differences reveal the sources of the uncertainty in the prescribed burn emission estimates.

Recovery Curves for Pediatric Burn Survivors: Advances in Patient-Oriented Outcomes.

PubMed

Kazis, Lewis E; Lee, Austin F; Rose, Mary; Liang, Matthew H; Li, Nien-Chen; Ren, Xinhua S; Sheridan, Robert; Gilroy-Lewis, Janet; Stoddard, Fred; Hinson, Michelle; Warden, Glenn; Stubbs, Kim; Blakeney, Patricia; Meyer, Walter; McCauley, Robert; Herndon, David; Palmieri, Tina; Mooney, Kate; Wood, David; Pidcock, Frank; Reilly, Debra; Cullen, Marc; Calvert, Catherine; Ryan, Colleen M; Schneider, Jeffrey C; Soley-Bori, Marina; Tompkins, Ronald G

2016-06-01

Patient-reported outcomes serving as benchmarks for recovery of pediatric burn survivors are lacking, and new approaches using longitudinal cohorts for monitoring their expected recovery based on statistical models are needed for patient management during the early years following the burn. To describe multidimensional patient-reported outcomes among pediatric burn survivors younger than 5 years to establish benchmarks using recovery curve methods. Prospective cohort study of pediatric burn survivors younger than 5 years at 12 burn centers. Age-matched nonburned reference groups were studied to define expected results in normal growth and development. The Burn Outcomes Questionnaire for children aged 0 to 5 years (BOQ0-5) was administered to parents of children who had burns and were younger than 5 years. Mixed models were used to generate 48-month recovery curves for each of the 10 BOQ0-5 domains. The study was conducted between January 1999 and December 2008. The 10 BOQ0-5 domains including play, language, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, emotional behavior, family functioning, pain/itching, appearance, satisfaction with care, and worry/concern up to 48 months after burn injury. A total of 336 pediatric burn survivors younger than 5 years (mean [SD] age, 2.0 [1.2] years; 58.4% male; 60.2% white, 18.6% black, and 12.0% Hispanic) and 285 age-matched nonburned controls (mean [SD] age, 2.4 [1.3] years; 51.1% male; 67.1% white, 8.9% black, and 15.0% Hispanic) completed the study. Predicted scores improved exponentially over time for 5 of the BOQ0-5 domains (predicted scores at 1 month vs 24 months: play, 48.6 vs 52.1 [P = .03]; language, 49.2 vs 54.4 [P < .001]; gross motor skills, 48.7 vs 53.0 [P = .002]; pain/itching, 15.8 vs 33.5 [P < .001]; and worry/concern, 31.6 vs 44.9 [P < .001]). Pediatric burn survivors had higher scores in language, emotional behavior, and family functioning domains compared with healthy children in later months. This study demonstrates significant deficits in multiple functional domains across pediatric burn survivors compared with controls. Recovery curves can be used to recognize deviation from the expected course and tailor care to patient needs.

A comparison of posttraumatic stress disorder between combat casualties and civilians treated at a military burn center.

PubMed

Gaylord, Kathryn M; Holcomb, John B; Zolezzi, Maria E

2009-04-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been identified in 12% to 20% of noninjured veterans and in 32% of combat casualties. Eight percent of the US general population experience PTSD symptoms, whereas 25.5% of civilians with major burns have PTSD. Known predictors of physical outcomes of patients with burn are age, total body surface area (TBSA) burned, and Injury Severity Score (ISS). The United States Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center provides burn care for combat casualties and civilians. We hypothesized that we would find no difference in PTSD incidence between these two populations and that age, TBSA, and ISS are associated with PTSD. We retrospectively examined the clinical records of 1,792 patients admitted between October 2003 and May 2008. Records were stratified by PTSD, age, TBSA, and ISS. PTSD scores were compared. Descriptive analyses were used. Four hundred ninety-nine patients (372 military [74.5%]; 127 civilians [25.5%]) were assessed for PTSD using PTSD checklist military and civilian versions. PTSD was defined as >or=44 on the PTSD checklist instruments. We found no significant difference in PTSD between combat casualties and civilians (25% vs. 17.32%, p = 0.761). TBSA and ISS were significantly associated with PTSD; however, no association between age and PTSD was found. The incidence of PTSD is not significantly different in burned combat casualties and civilians treated at the same burn unit. These findings suggest that PTSD is related to the burn trauma and not to the circumstances surrounding the injury.

Burns education for non-burn specialist clinicians in Western Australia.

PubMed

McWilliams, Tania; Hendricks, Joyce; Twigg, Di; Wood, Fiona

2015-03-01

Burn patients often receive their initial care by non-burn specialist clinicians, with increasingly collaborative burn models of care. The provision of relevant and accessible education for these clinicians is therefore vital for optimal patient care. A two phase design was used. A state-wide survey of multidisciplinary non-burn specialist clinicians throughout Western Australia identified learning needs related to paediatric burn care. A targeted education programme was developed and delivered live via videoconference. Pre-post-test analysis evaluated changes in knowledge as a result of attendance at each education session. Non-burn specialist clinicians identified numerous areas of burn care relevant to their practice. Statistically significant differences between perceived relevance of care and confidence in care provision were reported for aspects of acute burn care. Following attendance at the education sessions, statistically significant increases in knowledge were noted for most areas of acute burn care. Identification of learning needs facilitated the development of a targeted education programme for non-burn specialist clinicians. Increased non-burn specialist clinician knowledge following attendance at most education sessions supports the use of videoconferencing as an acceptable and effective method of delivering burns education in Western Australia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic technique for characterizing skin burns

DOEpatents

Goans, Ronald E.; Cantrell, Jr., John H.; Meyers, F. Bradford; Stambaugh, Harry D.

1978-01-01

This invention, a method for ultrasonically determining the depth of a skin burn, is based on the finding that the acoustical impedance of burned tissue differs sufficiently from that of live tissue to permit ultrasonic detection of the interface between the burn and the underlying unburned tissue. The method is simple, rapid, and accurate. As compared with conventional practice, it provides the important advantage of permitting much earlier determination of whether a burn is of the first, second, or third degree. In the case of severe burns, the usual two - to three-week delay before surgery may be reduced to about 3 days or less.

Electrical burns in sports fishing: a case report.

PubMed

Valença-Filipe, R; Egipto, P; Horta, R; Braga, J M; Costa, J; Silva, A

2014-11-01

Electrical burns are among the most devastating types of burns, with wide-ranging injuries. They can sometimes occur in the context of fishing, usually involving high voltages. The authors present the case of a 59-year-old-man who suffered a sports accident during a fishing competition, with the formation of an electrical arc due to proximity of the fishing rod and high voltage cables. He presented burns affecting 3% of TBSA, third degree deep burns on trunk and left hand; no signs of cardiac injury. He was admitted to our Burn Unit for monitoring, care dressing and surgical treatment; complete wound healing was achieved after 24 days. Due to its relatively small share among burns, published data on electrical injuries and fishing remain scarce, and differ in patient collectives due to infrastructural or environmental differences. The authors are not aware of published specific reports on electrical burns in sports fishing practice, like the case here presented. The authors want to alert for potential medical, social and economic consequences of this type of sports accidents that could be entirely avoidable with some preventive measures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Development of Erosive Burning Models for CFD Predictions of Solid Rocket Motor Internal Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Qun-Zhen

2003-01-01

Four erosive burning models, equations (11) to (14). are developed in this work by using a power law relationship to correlate (1) the erosive burning ratio and the local velocity gradient at propellant surfaces; (2) the erosive burning ratio and the velocity gradient divided by centerline velocity; (3) the erosive burning difference and the local velocity gradient at propellant surfaces; and (4) the erosive burning difference and the velocity gradient divided by centerline velocity. These models depend on the local velocity gradient at the propellant surface (or the velocity gradient divided by centerline velocity) only and, unlike other empirical models, are independent of the motor size. It was argued that, since the erosive burning is a local phenomenon occurring near the surface of the solid propellant, the erosive burning ratio should be independent of the bore diameter if it is correlated with some local flow parameters such as the velocity gradient at the propellant surface. This seems to be true considering the good results obtained by applying these models, which are developed from the small size 5 inch CP tandem motor testing, to CFD simulations of much bigger motors.

Outcome after burns: an observational study on burn scar maturation and predictors for severe scarring.

PubMed

van der Wal, Martijn B A; Vloemans, Jos F P M; Tuinebreijer, Wim E; van de Ven, Peter; van Unen, Ella; van Zuijlen, Paul P M; Middelkoop, Esther

2012-01-01

Long-term outcome of burn scars as well as the relation with clinically relevant parameters has not been studied quantitatively. Therefore, we conducted a detailed analysis on the clinical changes of burn scars in a longitudinal setup. In addition, we focused on the differences in scar quality in relation to the depth, etiology of the burn wound and age of the patient. Burn scars of 474 patients were subjected to a scar assessment protocol 3, 6, and 12 months postburn. Three different age groups were defined (≤5, 5-18, and ≥18 years). The observer part of the patient and observer scar assessment scale revealed a significant (p < 0.001) improvement in scar quality at 12 months compared with the 3- and 6-month data. Predictors for severe scarring are depth of the wound (p < 0.001) and total body surface area burned (p < 0.001). Etiology (p = 0.753) and age (p > 0.230) have no significant influence on scar quality when corrected for sex, total body surface area burned, time, and age or etiology, respectively. © 2012 by the Wound Healing Society.

Improved rice residue burning emissions estimates: Accounting for practice-specific emission factors in air pollution assessments of Vietnam.

PubMed

Lasko, Kristofer; Vadrevu, Krishna

2018-05-01

In Southeast Asia and Vietnam, rice residues are routinely burned after the harvest to prepare fields for the next season. Specific to Vietnam, the two prevalent burning practices include: a). piling the residues after hand harvesting; b). burning the residues without piling, after machine harvesting. In this study, we synthesized field and laboratory studies from the literature on rice residue burning emission factors for PM 2.5 . We found significant differences in the resulting burning-practice specific emission factors, with 16.9 g kg -2 (±6.9) for pile burning and 8.8 g kg -2 (±3.5) for non-pile burning. We calculated burning-practice specific emissions based on rice area data, region-specific fuel-loading factors, combined emission factors, and estimates of burning from the literature. Our results for year 2015 estimate 180 Gg of PM 2.5 result from the pile burning method and 130 Gg result from non-pile burning method, with the most-likely current emission scenario of 150 Gg PM 2.5 emissions for Vietnam. For comparison purposes, we calculated emissions using generalized agricultural emission factors employed in global biomass burning studies. These results estimate 80 Gg PM 2.5 , which is only 44% of the pile burning-based estimates, suggesting underestimation in previous studies. We compare our emissions to an existing all-combustion sources inventory, results show emissions account for 14-18% of Vietnam's total PM 2.5 depending on burning practice. Within the highly-urbanized and cloud-covered Hanoi Capital region (HCR), we use rice area from Sentinel-1A to derive spatially-explicit emissions and indirectly estimate residue burning dates. Results from HYSPLIT back-trajectory analysis stratified by season show autumn has most emission trajectories originating in the North, while spring has most originating in the South, suggesting the latter may have bigger impact on air quality. From these results, we highlight locations where emission mitigation efforts could be focused and suggest measures for pollutant mitigation. Our study demonstrates the need to account for emissions variation due to different burning practices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Traditional Herbal Remedies for Burn Wound Healing in Canon of Avicenna

PubMed Central

Aliasl, Jale; Khoshzaban, Fariba

2013-01-01

Burns are a worldwide problem. The incidence of severe burns has been higher than the combined incidence of tuberculosis and HIV infections. Throughout history there have been many different treatments prescribed for burns. The Canon is the masterpiece of Avicenna’s medical books. The Canon includes a description of 785 simple drugs. Avicenna believed in burn treatment, which follows two goals. The first goal is prevention of blistering and the second goal is treatment of the burn wound after it has created blisters, cold drugs are suitable for the first goal and dry drugs with moderate in cold and hot qualities are better for second goal, this study reviewed remedies for burn wounds in Canon.

Comparison of native porcine skin and a dermal substitute using tensiometry and digital image speckle correlation.

PubMed

Fritz, Jason R; Phillips, Brett T; Conkling, Nicole; Fourman, Mitchell; Melendez, Mark M; Bhatnagar, Divya; Simon, Marcia; Rafailovich, Miriam; Dagum, Alexander B

2012-10-01

Dermal substitutes are currently used in plastic surgery to cover various soft tissue defects caused by trauma, burns, or ablative cancer surgery. Little information is available on the biomechanical properties of these dermal substitutes after adequate incorporation as compared to normal skin. Determining parameters such as tensile strength in these skin substitutes will help us further understand their wound healing properties and potential in developing artificial tissue constructs. We hypothesize that a dermal substitute has a lower stress-strain curve and altered stress-induced deformation quantified with tensiometry and digital image speckle correlation (DISC) analysis. Two separate 5×10-cm full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsum of 3 female swine. Fibrin glue was applied before either a full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) or application of artificial dermal matrix. On day 42, cultured autologous keratinocytes were applied as a cell sheet to the wound covered with Integra. On day 56, the wounds were fully excised and fresh tissue specimens, including normal skin, were stored in a physiological solution and prepared for analysis. Rectangular samples were excised from the center of each specimen measuring 4×4×30 mm. Using a tensiometer and DISC analysis, we evaluated the tensile strength of 3 different groups of skin, namely, normal, FTSG, and Integra. There is a significant difference between the Integra specimen when compared to normal skin and FTSG. We found a minimal difference in the stress-strain curves of the latter two. Integra alone shows plastic deformation with continued stretching before ultimate midline fracture. There is significant change between the Young's moduli of the normal skin and the Integra, whereas there is little difference between the FTSG and the normal skin; DISC confirms this analysis. The normal skin and FTSG show a convergence of vectors to a linear plane, whereas Integra shows very little organization. Using 2 different methods of analysis, we have shown a dermal substitute does not display similar biomechanical properties after adequate incorporation. These major tensile strength differences are shown between normal, grafted, and Integra constructs under physiological conditions. These properties will lead to further understanding of artificial tissue and engineered constructs in laboratory and clinical applications.

A project for monitoring trends in burn severity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eidenshink, Jeffery C.; Schwind, Brian; Brewer, Ken; Zhu, Zhu-Liang; Quayle, Brad; Howard, Stephen M.

2007-01-01

Jeff Eidenshink, Brian Schwind, Ken Brewer, Zhi-Liang Zhu, Brad Quayle, and Elected officials and leaders of environmental agencies need information about the effects of large wildfires in order to set policy and make management decisions. Recently, the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC), which implements and coordinates the National Fire Plan (NFP) and Federal Wildland Fire Management Policies (National Fire Plan 2004), adopted a strategy to monitor the effectiveness of the National Fire Plan and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA). One component of this strategy is to assess the environmental impacts of large wildland fires and identify the trends of burn severity on all lands across the United States. To that end, WFLC has sponsored a six-year project, Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS), which requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA-FS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to map and assess the burn severity for all large current and historical fires. Using Landsat data and the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) algorithm, the USGS Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) and USDA-FS Remote Sensing Applications Center will map burn severity of all fires since 1984 greater than 202 ha (500ac) in the east, and 404 ha (1,000 ac) in the west. The number of historical fires from this period combined with current fires occurring during the course of the project will exceed 9,000. The MTBS project will generate burn severity data, maps, and reports, which will be available for use at local, state, and national levels to evaluate trends in burn severity and help develop and assess the effectiveness of land management decisions. Additionally, the information developed will provide a baseline from which to monitor the recovery and health of fire-affected landscapes over time. Spatial and tabular data quantifying burn severity will augment existing information used to estimate risk associated with a range of current and future resource threats. The annual report of 2004 fires has been completed. All data and results will be distributed to the public on a Web site. A Project for Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity

Comparison of Mixing Calculations for Reacting and Non-Reacting Flows in a Cylindrical Duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oechsle, V. L.; Mongia, H. C.; Holdeman, J. D.

1994-01-01

A production 3-D elliptic flow code has been used to calculate non-reacting and reacting flow fields in an experimental mixing section relevant to a rich burn/quick mix/lean burn (RQL) combustion system. A number of test cases have been run to assess the effects of the variation in the number of orifices, mass flow ratio, and rich-zone equivalence ratio on the flow field and mixing rates. The calculated normalized temperature profiles for the non-reacting flow field agree qualitatively well with the normalized conserved variable isopleths for the reacting flow field indicating that non-reacting mixing experiments are appropriate for screening and ranking potential rapid mixing concepts. For a given set of jet momentum-flux ratio, mass flow ratio, and density ratio (J, MR, and DR), the reacting flow calculations show a reduced level of mixing compared to the non-reacting cases. In addition, the rich-zone equivalence ratio has noticeable effect on the mixing flow characteristics for reacting flows.

Frequency and distribution of forest, savanna, and crop fires over tropical regions during PEM-Tropics A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, Jennifer R.; Baum, Bryan A.; Cahoon, Donald R.; Crawford, James H.

1999-03-01

Advanced very high resolution radiometer 1.1 km resolution satellite radiance data were used to locate active fires throughout much of the tropical region during NASA's Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) Pacific Exploratory Mission-Tropics (PEM-Tropics A) aircraft campaign, held in September and October 1996. The spatial and temporal distributions of the fires in Australia, southern Africa, and South America are presented here. The number of fires over northern Australia, central Africa, and South America appeared to decrease toward the end of the mission period. Fire over eastern Australia was widespread, and temporal patterns showed a somewhat consistent amount of burning with periodic episodes of enhanced fire counts observed. At least one episode of enhanced fire counts corresponded to the passage of a frontal system which brought conditions conducive to fire to the region, with strong westerlies originating over the hot, dry interior continent. Regions that were affected by lower than normal rainfall during the previous wet season (e.g., northern Australia and southwestern Africa) showed relatively few fires during this period. This is consistent with a drought-induced decrease in vegetation and therefore a decreased availability of fuel for burning. Alternatively, a heavier than normal previous wet season along the southeastern coast of South Africa may have contributed to high fuel loading and an associated relatively heavy amount of burning compared to data from previous years.

Emissions from open burning of simulated military waste from forward operating bases.

PubMed

Aurell, Johanna; Gullett, Brian K; Yamamoto, Dirk

2012-10-16

Emissions from open burning of simulated military waste from forward operating bases (FOBs) were extensively characterized as an initial step in assessing potential inhalation exposure of FOB personnel and future disposal alternatives. Emissions from two different burning scenarios, so-called "burn piles/pits" and an air curtain burner/"burn box", were compared using simulated FOB waste from municipal and commercial sources. A comprehensive array of emissions was quantified, including CO(2), PM(2.5), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and -furans (PCDDs/PCDFs), polybrominated dibenzodioxins and -furans (PBDDs/PBDFs), and metals. In general, smoldering conditions in the burn box and the burn pile led to similar emissions. However, when the burn box underwent periodic waste charging to maintain sustained combustion, PM(2.5), VOCs, and PAH emissions dropped considerably compared to smoldering conditions and the overall burn pile results. The PCDD/PCDF and PBDD/PBDF emission factors for the burn piles were 50 times higher than those from the burn box likely due to the dominance of smoldering combustion in the burn piles.

Fuel reduction and coarse woody debris dynamics with early season and late season prescribed fire in a Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knapp, E.E.; Keeley, J.E.; Ballenger, E.A.; Brennan, T.J.

2005-01-01

Fire exclusion has led to an unnatural accumulation and greater spatial continuity of organic material on the ground in many forests. This material serves both as potential fuel for forest fires and habitat for a large array of forest species. Managers must balance fuel reduction to reduce wildfire hazard with fuel retention targets to maintain other forest functions. This study reports fuel consumption and changes to coarse woody debris attributes with prescribed burns ignited under different fuel moisture conditions. Replicated early season burn, late season burn, and unburned control plots were established in old-growth mixed conifer forest in Sequoia National Park that had not experienced fire for more than 120 years. Early season burns were ignited during June 2002 when fuels were relatively moist, and late season burns were ignited during September/October 2001 when fuels were dry. Fuel loading and coarse woody debris abundance, cover, volume, and mass were evaluated prior to and after the burns. While both types of burns reduced fuel loading, early season burns consumed significantly less of the total dead and down organic matter than late season burns (67% versus 88%). This difference in fuel consumption between burning treatments was significant for most all woody fuel components evaluated, plus the litter and duff layers. Many logs were not entirely consumed - therefore the number of logs was not significantly changed by fire - but burning did reduce log length, cover, volume, and mass. Log cover, volume, and mass were reduced to a lesser extent by early season burns than late season burns, as a result of higher wood moisture levels. Early season burns also spread over less of the ground surface within the burn perimeter (73%) than late season burns (88%), and were significantly patchier. Organic material remaining after a fire can dam sediments and reduce erosion, while unburned patches may help mitigate the impact of fire on fire-sensitive species by creating refugia from which these species can recolonize burned areas. Early season burns may be an effective means of moderating potential ecosystem damage when treating heavy and/or continuous fuels resulting from long periods of fire exclusion, if burning during this season is not detrimental to other forest functions. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emissions from prescribed burning of agricultural fields in the Pacific Northwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holder, A. L.; Gullett, B. K.; Urbanski, S. P.; Elleman, R.; O'Neill, S.; Tabor, D.; Mitchell, W.; Baker, K. R.

2017-10-01

Prescribed burns of winter wheat stubble and Kentucky bluegrass fields in northern Idaho and eastern Washington states (U.S.A.) were sampled using ground-, aerostat-, airplane-, and laboratory-based measurement platforms to determine emission factors, compare methods, and provide a current and comprehensive set of emissions data for air quality models, climate models, and emission inventories. Batch measurements of PM2.5, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDDs/PCDFs), and continuous measurements of black carbon (BC), particle mass by size, CO, CO2, CH4, and aerosol characteristics were taken at ground level, on an aerostat-lofted instrument package, and from an airplane. Biomass samples gathered from the field were burned in a laboratory combustion facility for comparison with these ground and aerial field measurements. Emission factors for PM2.5, organic carbon (OC), CH4, and CO measured in the field study platforms were typically higher than those measured in the laboratory combustion facility. Field data for Kentucky bluegrass suggest that biomass residue loading is directly proportional to the PM2.5 emission factor; no such relationship was found with the limited wheat data. CO2 and BC emissions were higher in laboratory burn tests than in the field, reflecting greater carbon oxidation and flaming combustion conditions. These distinctions between field and laboratory results can be explained by measurements of the modified combustion efficiency (MCE). Higher MCEs were recorded in the laboratory burns than from the airplane platform. These MCE/emission factor trends are supported by 1-2 min grab samples from the ground and aerostat platforms. Emission factors measured here are similar to other studies measuring comparable fuels, pollutants, and combustion conditions. The size distribution of refractory BC (rBC) was single modal with a log-normal shape, which was consistent among fuel types when normalized by total rBC mass. The field and laboratory measurements of the Angstrom exponent (α) and single scattering albedo (ω) exhibit a strong decreasing trend with increasing MCEs in the range of 0.9-0.99. Field measurements of α and ω were consistently higher than laboratory burns, which is likely due to less complete combustion. When VOC emissions are compared with MCE, the results are consistent for both fuel types: emission factors increase as MCE decreases.

Drought in the Rockies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This image shows the difference between the amount of vegetation in July 2000 and the average July vegetation for North America. Of particular interest are the dry conditions in the western United States. This spring and summer the Rocky Mountains have been relatively dry, and the brown regions stretching from the Canadian to the Mexican border, indicate the effect on the regions' forests. Western Montana and eastern Idaho are particularly parched, and appear darker brown. The dry conditions have contributed to this year's devastating fire season, during which millions of acres have burned in the west. Scientists find that during the growing season, land plants can be used to measure drought. Healthy, thriving plants reflect and absorb visible and near-infrared light differently than plants under stress. These variations in reflectance and absorption can be measured by satellites to produce maps of healthy and stressed vegetation. This image shows Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) anomaly, which indicates where vegetation growth was above average (green pixels), below average (brown pixels), or normal (white pixels). For more images and information about measuring vegetation and drought from space visit: Drought and Vegetation Monitoring. Image courtesy NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Biospheric Sciences Branch, based on data from NOAA.

Thermal injury to the hand: review of the literature

PubMed Central

Abu-Sittah, G.S.; El Khatib, A.M.; Dibo, S.A.

2011-01-01

Summary This paper is a comprehensive review of hand burn injuries. The different classifications of thermal burns, out- and inpatient care, indications for escharotomies as well as surgical management, skin substitutes, and paediatric hand burns are thoroughly reviewed. PMID:22639560

[Qualitative research on pain experiences of adult burn patients].

PubMed

Li, L; Pan, Q; Xu, L; Lin, R Q; Dai, J X; Chen, Z H

2018-03-20

Objective: To explore the pain experiences of adult burn patients so as to lay foundation for practical analgesic measures. Methods: Using phenomenological method in qualitative research, semi-structured interviews were conducted on 12 adult burn patients hospitalized in our burn units from May to November 2015, aiming at pain experiences from immediately after burns to 3 to 7 months after being discharged from hospital. Then the Colaizzi's analysis method was applied to analyze, induce, and refine themes of interview data. Results: After analysis, pain experiences of adult burn patients were generalized into 6 themes: deep pain experiences, heavy psychological burden, limited daily life, poor assessment and treatment of pain, different attributions of pain, and different ways of coping of pain. Conclusions: Burn pain brings harm to the patients' physiology, mentality, and daily life. Nevertheless, pain processing modes of medical staff and patients themselves are the key factors affecting patients' pain experiences. Therefore, according to the deficiency of current situation of pain management, the targeted analgesic intervention measures should be carried out from the perspectives of medical staff and patients.

Applying Quality Function Deployment Model in Burn Unit Service Improvement.

PubMed

Keshtkaran, Ali; Hashemi, Neda; Kharazmi, Erfan; Abbasi, Mehdi

2016-01-01

Quality function deployment (QFD) is one of the most effective quality design tools. This study applies QFD technique to improve the quality of the burn unit services in Ghotbedin Hospital in Shiraz, Iran. First, the patients' expectations of burn unit services and their priorities were determined through Delphi method. Thereafter, burn unit service specifications were determined through Delphi method. Further, the relationships between the patients' expectations and service specifications and also the relationships between service specifications were determined through an expert group's opinion. Last, the final importance scores of service specifications were calculated through simple additive weighting method. The findings show that burn unit patients have 40 expectations in six different areas. These expectations are in 16 priority levels. Burn units also have 45 service specifications in six different areas. There are four-level relationships between the patients' expectations and service specifications and four-level relationships between service specifications. The most important burn unit service specifications have been identified in this study. The QFD model developed in the study can be a general guideline for QFD planners and executives.

Space Shuttle propulsion performance reconstruction from flight data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Robert M.

1989-01-01

The aplication of extended Kalman filtering to estimating Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) performance, specific impulse, from flight data in a post-flight processing computer program. The flight data used includes inertial platform acceleration, SRB head pressure, and ground based radar tracking data. The key feature in this application is the model used for the SRBs, which represents a reference quasi-static internal ballistics model normalized to the propellant burn depth. Dynamic states of mass overboard and propellant burn depth are included in the filter model to account for real-time deviations from the reference model used. Aerodynamic, plume, wind and main engine uncertainties are included.

Trace gas emissions from chaparral and boreal forest fires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cofer, Wesley R., III; Levine, Joel S.; Sebacher, Daniel I.; Winstead, Edward L.; Riggan, Philip J.; Stocks, Brian J.; Brass, James A.; Ambrosia, Vincent G.

1989-01-01

Using smoke samples collected during low-level helicopter flights, the mixing ratios of CO2, CO, CH4, total nonmethane hydrocarbons, H2, and N2O over burning chaparral in southern California and over a burning boreal forest site in northern Ontario, Canada, were determined. Carbon dioxide-normalized emission ratios were determined for each trace gas for conditions of flaming, mixed, and smoldering combustion. The emission ratios for these trace gases were found to be highest for the smoldering combustion, generally thought to be the least efficient combustion stage. However, high emission ratios for these gases could be also produced during very vigorous flaming combustion.

How Much Global Burned Area Can Be Forecast on Seasonal Time Scales Using Sea Surface Temperatures?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Yang; Morton, Douglas C.; Andela, Niels; Giglio, Louis; Randerson, James T.

2016-01-01

Large-scale sea surface temperature (SST) patterns influence the interannual variability of burned area in many regions by means of climate controls on fuel continuity, amount, and moisture content. Some of the variability in burned area is predictable on seasonal timescales because fuel characteristics respond to the cumulative effects of climate prior to the onset of the fire season. Here we systematically evaluated the degree to which annual burned area from the Global Fire Emissions Database version 4 with small fires (GFED4s) can be predicted using SSTs from 14 different ocean regions. We found that about 48 of global burned area can be forecast with a correlation coefficient that is significant at a p < 0.01 level using a single ocean climate index (OCI) 3 or more months prior to the month of peak burning. Continental regions where burned area had a higher degree of predictability included equatorial Asia, where 92% of the burned area exceeded the correlation threshold, and Central America, where 86% of the burned area exceeded this threshold. Pacific Ocean indices describing the El Nino-Southern Oscillation were more important than indices from other ocean basins, accounting for about 1/3 of the total predictable global burned area. A model that combined two indices from different oceans considerably improved model performance, suggesting that fires in many regions respond to forcing from more than one ocean basin. Using OCI-burned area relationships and a clustering algorithm, we identified 12 hotspot regions in which fires had a consistent response to SST patterns. Annual burned area in these regions can be predicted with moderate confidence levels, suggesting operational forecasts may be possible with the aim of improving ecosystem management.

Global burned-land estimation in Latin America using MODIS composite data.

PubMed

Chuvieco, Emilio; Opazo, Sergio; Sione, Walter; Del Valle, Hector; Anaya, Jesús; Di Bella, Carlos; Cruz, Isabel; Manzo, Lilia; López, Gerardo; Mari, Nicolas; González-Alonso, Federico; Morelli, Fabiano; Setzer, Alberto; Csiszar, Ivan; Kanpandegi, Jon Ander; Bastarrika, Aitor; Libonati, Renata

2008-01-01

This paper presents results of the AQL2004 project, which has been develope within the GOFC-GOLD Latin American network of remote sensing and forest fires (RedLatif). The project intended to obtain monthly burned-land maps of the entire region, from Mexico to Patagonia, using MODIS (moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer) reflectance data. The project has been organized in three different phases: acquisition and preprocessing of satellite data; discrimination of burned pixels; and validation of results. In the first phase, input data consisting of 32-day composites of MODIS 500-m reflectance data generated by the Global Land Cover Facility (GLCF) of the University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland, U.S.A.) were collected and processed. The discrimination of burned areas was addressed in two steps: searching for "burned core" pixels using postfire spectral indices and multitemporal change detection and mapping of burned scars using contextual techniques. The validation phase was based on visual analysis of Landsat and CBERS (China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite) images. Validation of the burned-land category showed an agreement ranging from 30% to 60%, depending on the ecosystem and vegetation species present. The total burned area for the entire year was estimated to be 153 215 km2. The most affected countries in relation to their territory were Cuba, Colombia, Bolivia, and Venezuela. Burned areas were found in most land covers; herbaceous vegetation (savannas and grasslands) presented the highest proportions of burned area, while perennial forest had the lowest proportions. The importance of croplands in the total burned area should be taken with reserve, since this cover presented the highest commission errors. The importance of generating systematic products of burned land areas for different ecological processes is emphasized.

Fire decreases arthropod abundance but increases diversity: Early and late season prescribed fire effects in a Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrenberg, Scott; Schwilk, Dylan W.; Knapp, Eric E.; Groth, Eric; Keeley, Jon E.

2006-01-01

Prior to fire suppression in the 20th century, the mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A., historically burned in frequent fires that typically occurred during the late summer and early fall. Fire managers have been attempting to restore natural ecosystem processes through prescription burning, and have often favored burning during the fall in order to mimic historical fire regimes. Increasingly, however, prescription burning is also being done during the late spring and early summer in order to expand the window of opportunity for needed fuel reduction burning. The effect of prescribed fires outside of the historical fire season on forest arthropods is not known. The objective of this study was to compare the short-term effects of prescribed fires ignited in the early and late fire season on forest floor arthropods. Arthropod abundance and diversity were assessed using pitfall trapping in replicated burn units in Sequoia National Park, California. Overall, abundance of arthropods was lower in the burn treatments than in the unburned control. However, diversity tended to be greater in the burn treatments. Fire also altered the relative abundances of arthropod feeding guilds. No significant differences in arthropod community structure were found between early and late season burn treatments. Instead, changes in the arthropod community appeared to be driven largely by changes in fuel loading, vegetation, and habitat heterogeneity, all of which differed more between the burned and unburned treatments than between early and late season burn treatments.

Impact of Work-Related Burn Injury on Social Reintegration Outcomes: A Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation (LIBRE) Study.

PubMed

Schneider, Jeffrey C; Shie, Vivian L; Espinoza, Leda F; Shapiro, Gabriel D; Lee, Austin; Acton, Amy; Marino, Molly; Jette, Alan; Kazis, Lewis E; Ryan, Colleen M

2017-11-26

To examine differences in long-term social reintegration outcomes for burn survivors with and without work-related injuries. Cross-sectional survey. Community-dwelling burn survivors. Burn survivors (N=601) aged ≥18 years with injuries to ≥5% total body surface area or burns to critical areas (hands, feet, face, or genitals). Not applicable. The Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation Profile was used to examine the following previously validated 6 scale scores of social participation: Family and Friends, Social Interactions, Social Activities, Work and Employment, Romantic Relationships, and Sexual Relationships. Older participants, those who were married, and men were more likely to be burned at work (P<.01). Burn survivors who were injured at work scored significantly lower on the Work and Employment scale score after adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics (P=.01). All other domain scale scores demonstrated no significant differences between groups. Individuals with work-related injuries scored significantly worse on 6 of the 19 items within the Work and Employment scale (P<.05). These individuals were more likely to report that they were afraid to go to work and felt limited in their ability to perform at work. Burn survivors with work-related injuries report worse work reintegration outcomes than those without work-related injuries. Identification of those at higher risk for work reintegration challenges after burn injury may enable survivors, providers, employers, and insurers to better use appropriate resources to promote and target optimal employment outcomes. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Carbon stocks and carbon fluxes from a 10 year prescribed burning chronosequence on a UK blanket peat.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clay, G. D.; Worrall, F.

2012-04-01

Prescribed burning is a common land management technique in many areas of the UK uplands. However, concern has been expressed at the impact of this management practice on carbon stocks and fluxes found in the carbon rich peat soils that underlie many of these areas. Existing data shows a range of results at differing spatial and temporal scales for a range of carbon pathways e.g. dissolved organic carbon (DOC), yet there are limited studies that monitor a suite of parameters under burning management. This study measured both carbon stocks and carbon fluxes from a chronosequence of prescribed burn sites in northern England. A range of carbon parameters were measured including: above-ground biomass and carbon stocks; net ecosystem exchange (NEE); ecosystem respiration (Reco); photosynthesis (Pg); and particulate organic carbon (POC). CO2 data was analysed using ANOVA to investigate any significant differences between burn years. Carbon budgets were also calculated using measured and modelled data. Analysis of the CO2 data showed that burning was a significant factor in measured CO2 readings but that other factors such as month of sampling explained a greater proportion of the variation in the data. Carbon budget results show that whilst all the sites were net sources of carbon, the most recent burns were smaller sources of carbon compared to the older burns (Burn year 2009: 85 ± 29 gC/m2/yr; Burn year 1999: 152 ± 12 gC/m2/yr). Additionally, the most recent burns were net sinks of gaseous CO2.

Forest edge burning in the Brazilian Amazon promoted by escaping fires from managed pastures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cano-Crespo, Ana; Oliveira, Paulo J. C.; Boit, Alice; Cardoso, Manoel; Thonicke, Kirsten

2015-10-01

Understanding to what extent different land uses influence fire occurrence in the Amazonian forest is particularly relevant for its conservation. We evaluate the relationship between forest fires and different anthropogenic activities linked to a variety of land uses in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso, Pará, and Rondônia. We combine the new high-resolution (30 m) TerraClass land use database with Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer burned area data for 2008 and the extreme dry year of 2010. Excluding the non-forest class, most of the burned area was found in pastures, primary and secondary forests, and agricultural lands across all three states, while only around 1% of the total was located in deforested areas. The trend in burned area did not follow the declining deforestation rates from 2001 to 2010, and the spatial overlap between deforested and burned areas was only 8% on average. This supports the claim of deforestation being disconnected from burning since 2005. Forest degradation showed an even lower correlation with burned area. We found that fires used in managing pastoral and agricultural lands that escape into the neighboring forests largely contribute to forest fires. Such escaping fires are responsible for up to 52% of the burned forest edges adjacent to burned pastures and up to 22% of the burned forest edges adjacent to burned agricultural fields, respectively. Our findings call for the development of control and monitoring plans to prevent fires from escaping from managed lands into forests to support effective land use and ecosystem management.

Effect of Periodic Burning on Soil Nitrogen Concentrations in Ponderosa Pine

Treesearch

W. W. Covington; S. S. Sackett

1986-01-01

To determine the effects of different burning intervals on soil N status in substands of sapling-, pole-, and sawtimber-sized ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) we sampled plots burned at 1-, 2-, and 4-yr intervals by three strata at two depths (0-5 and 5-15 cm). Generally, NH4 +; and NO3 - concentrations were higher on plots repeatedly burned than on unburned...

Low basal salivary flow and burning mouth syndrome: new evidence in this enigmatic pathology.

PubMed

Spadari, Francesco; Venesia, Paolo; Azzi, Lorenzo; Veronesi, Giovanni; Costantino, Dario; Croveri, Fabio; Farronato, Davide; Tagliabue, Angelo; Tettamanti, Lucia

2015-03-01

Burning mouth syndrome remains a puzzling condition. One symptom commonly associated with the burning sensation is xerostomia. The current study measured basal and stimulated salivary flow in a group of burning mouth syndrome patients. Three groups of patients were recruited: 44 burning mouth syndrome patients, 27 oral lichen planus patients and 40 healthy patients. We chose to measure basal salivary flow and stimulated salivary flow in the three groups of patients using the 'spitting' method. Thus, the patients were asked to spit every minute for 5 min. Afterwards, they were asked to repeat the procedure a second time, but a drop of citric acid was positioned on their tongue every minute to stimulate salivary secretion. After 14 days, the same procedure was repeated for 15 min. Although there was no significant difference between the burning mouth syndrome group and the other two groups regarding the stimulated volumes, an important difference was found in the basal volumes, with the burning mouth syndrome patients showing lower values. The outcomes of our research demonstrate the presence of very low basal salivary flow in burning mouth syndrome patients compared with the other two groups, but the stimulated salivary flow was equal, if not higher, in the burning mouth syndrome patients. This study contributes new topics for further investigation of a solution to the very mysterious pathology represented by burning mouth syndrome. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Emissions from Open Burning of Simulated Military Waste from Forward Operating Bases

EPA Science Inventory

Emissions from open burning of simulated military waste from forward operating bases (FOBs) were extensively characterized as an initial step in assessing potential inhalation exposure of FOB personnel and future disposal alternatives. Emissions from two different burning scenar...

Single particle size and fluorescence spectra from emissions of burning materials in a tube furnace to simulate burn pits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Yong-Le; Houck, Joshua D. T.; Clark, Pamela A.; Pinnick, Ronald G.

2013-08-01

A single-particle fluorescence spectrometer (SPFS) and an aerodynamic particle sizer were used to measure the fluorescence spectra and particle size distribution from the particulate emissions of 12 different burning materials in a tube furnace to simulate open-air burning of garbage. Although the particulate emissions are likely dominated by particles <1 μm diameter, only the spectra of supermicron particles were measured here. The overall fluorescence spectral profiles exhibit either one or two broad bands peaked around 300-450 nm within the 280-650 nm spectral range, when the particles are illuminated with a 263-nm laser. Different burning materials have different profiles, some of them (cigarette, hair, uniform, paper, and plastics) show small changes during the burning process, and while others (beef, bread, carrot, Styrofoam, and wood) show big variations, which initially exhibit a single UV peak (around 310-340 nm) and a long shoulder in visible, and then gradually evolve into a bimodal spectrum with another visible peak (around 430-450 nm) having increasing intensity during the burning process. These spectral profiles could mainly derive from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with the combinations of tyrosine-like, tryptophan-like, and other humic-like substances. About 68 % of these single-particle fluorescence spectra can be grouped into 10 clustered spectral templates that are derived from the spectra of millions of atmospheric aerosol particles observed in three locations; while the others, particularly these bimodal spectra, do not fall into any of the 10 templates. Therefore, the spectra from particulate emissions of burning materials can be easily discriminated from that of common atmospheric aerosol particles. The SFFS technology could be a good tool for monitoring burning pit emissions and possibly for distinguishing them from atmospheric aerosol particles.

A prospective observational study investigating all children presenting to a specialty paediatric burns centre.

PubMed

Stockton, K A; Harvey, J; Kimble, R M

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to describe the mechanism of injury and outcome of all children who presented to The Stuart Pegg Paediatric Burns Centre (SPPBC) with a burn injury in the year 2013. A detailed proforma was completed prospectively at time of presentation to hospital. During the one year period, 758 children with a median age of 2 years 3 months presented with a burn injury. Overall, 12.7% of patients (n=96) were initially treated as inpatients. Similarities existed between in and outpatients. Over half the children admitted had a scald injury (53.1%). Whilst slightly higher than the outpatient scald rate of 43.1% there was no statistical significant difference. However, there was a significant difference between inpatients and outpatients with respect to other mechanisms of injury. Contact burns were under represented in inpatients (27.1%) compared to outpatients (44.5%), p<0.05. In contrast, flame burns were over represented in inpatients, 11.5% compared to outpatients, 2.9% (p<0.05). Paediatric burns are a common cause of childhood injury. The majority of children present with small to medium sized partial thickness injuries and are managed as outpatients. In order to understand the true impact of paediatric burn injury and to develop appropriate targeted injury prevention campaigns, data repositories must include detailed information regarding outpatient paediatric burns. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Comparison Between Civilian Burns and Combat Burns From Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom

PubMed Central

Wolf, Steven E.; Kauvar, David S.; Wade, Charles E.; Cancio, Leopoldo C.; Renz, Evan P.; Horvath, Edward E.; White, Christopher E.; Park, Myung S.; Wanek, Sandra; Albrecht, Michael A.; Blackbourne, Lorne H.; Barillo, David J.; Holcomb, John B.

2006-01-01

Objective: To assess outcome differences between locally burned civilians and military personnel burned in a distant combat zone treated in the same facility. Summary Background Data: The United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) Burn Center serves as a referral center for civilians and is the sole center for significant burns in military personnel. We made the hypothesis that outcomes for military personnel burned in the current conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan would be poorer because of delays to definitive treatment, other associated injury, and distance of evacuation. Methods: We reviewed the civilian and military records of patients treated at the USAISR from the outset of hostilities in Iraq in April 2003 to May 2005. Demographics, injury data, mortality, and clinical outcomes were compared. Results: We cared for 751 patients during this time period, 273 of whom were military (36%). Military injuries occurred in a younger population (41 ± 19 vs. 26 ± 7 years for civilian and military respectively, P < 0.0001) with a longer time from injury to burn center arrival (1 ± 5 days vs. 6 ± 5, P < 0.0001), a higher Injury Severity Score (ISS 5 ± 8 vs. 9 ± 11, P < 0.0001), and a higher incidence of inhalation injury (8% vs. 13%, P = 0.024). Total burn size did not differ. Mortality was 7.1% in the civilian and 3.8% in the military group (P = 0.076). When civilians outside the age range of the military cohort were excluded, civilian mortality was 5.0%, which did not differ from the military group (P = 0.57). Total body surface area (TBSA) burned, age ≥40 years, presence of inhalation injury, and ventilator days were found to be important predictors of mortality by stepwise regression, and were used in a final predictive model with the area under receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.97 for both populations considered together. No significant effect of either group was identified during development. Conclusions: Mortality does not differ between civilians evacuated locally and military personnel injured in distant austere environments treated at the same center. PMID:16772782

Comparison between civilian burns and combat burns from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

PubMed

Wolf, Steven E; Kauvar, David S; Wade, Charles E; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Renz, Evan P; Horvath, Edward E; White, Christopher E; Park, Myung S; Wanek, Sandra; Albrecht, Michael A; Blackbourne, Lorne H; Barillo, David J; Holcomb, John B

2006-06-01

To assess outcome differences between locally burned civilians and military personnel burned in a distant combat zone treated in the same facility. The United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) Burn Center serves as a referral center for civilians and is the sole center for significant burns in military personnel. We made the hypothesis that outcomes for military personnel burned in the current conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan would be poorer because of delays to definitive treatment, other associated injury, and distance of evacuation. We reviewed the civilian and military records of patients treated at the USAISR from the outset of hostilities in Iraq in April 2003 to May 2005. Demographics, injury data, mortality, and clinical outcomes were compared. : We cared for 751 patients during this time period, 273 of whom were military (36%). Military injuries occurred in a younger population (41 +/- 19 vs. 26 +/- 7 years for civilian and military respectively, P < 0.0001) with a longer time from injury to burn center arrival (1 +/- 5 days vs. 6 +/- 5, P < 0.0001), a higher Injury Severity Score (ISS 5 +/- 8 vs. 9 +/- 11, P < 0.0001), and a higher incidence of inhalation injury (8% vs. 13%, P = 0.024). Total burn size did not differ. Mortality was 7.1% in the civilian and 3.8% in the military group (P = 0.076). When civilians outside the age range of the military cohort were excluded, civilian mortality was 5.0%, which did not differ from the military group (P = 0.57). Total body surface area (TBSA) burned, age > or =40 years, presence of inhalation injury, and ventilator days were found to be important predictors of mortality by stepwise regression, and were used in a final predictive model with the area under receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.97 for both populations considered together. No significant effect of either group was identified during development. Mortality does not differ between civilians evacuated locally and military personnel injured in distant austere environments treated at the same center.

Transient Diabetes Insipidus Following Thermal Burn; A Case Report and Literature Review.

PubMed

Dash, Suvashis; Ghosh, Shibajyoti

2017-10-01

Diabetes insipidus is a disease charaterised by increased urine production and thrist. Neurogenic diabetes insipidus following head trauma,autoimmune disease and infection is quite common but diabetes insipidus following thermal burn injury is a rare complication.We should know about this complication as its management need a comprehensive approach for satisfactory outcome. Thermal burn can cause different complications in early post burn period like electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, acute renal failure, but diabetes insipidus is a very rare and unusual complication that may come across in thermal burn. We should be aware about this condition to prevent and treat mortality and morbidity in burn patients. We have reported a case of transient diabetes insipidus in a patient of thermal burn in early post burn period. Patient was treated accordingly, leading to complete recovery.

Revised (Mixed-Effects) Estimation for Forest Burning Emissions of Gases and Smoke, Fire/Emission Factor Typologies, and Potential Remote Sensing Classification of Types for Use in Ozone and Absorbing-Carbon Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatfield, R. B.; Segal-Rosenhaimer, M.

2014-12-01

We summarize recent progress (a) in correcting biomass burning emissions factors deduced from airborne sampling of forest fire plumes, (b) in understanding the variability in reactivity of the fresh plumes sampled in ARCTAS (2008), DC3 (2012), and SEAC4RS (2013) airborne missions, and (c) in a consequent search for remotely sensed quantities that help classify forest-fire plumes. Particle properties, chemical speciation, and smoke radiative properties are related and mutually informative, as pictures below suggest (slopes of lines of same color are similar). (a) Mixed-effects (random-effects) statistical modeling provides estimates of both emission factors and a reasonable description of carbon-burned simultaneously. Different fire plumes will have very different contributions to volatile organic carbon reactivity; this may help explain differences of free NOx(both gas- and particle-phase), and also of ozone production, that have been noted for forest-fire plumes in California. Our evalualations check or correct emission factors based on sequential measurements (e.g., the Normalized Ratio Enhancement and similar methods). We stress the dangers of methods relying on emission-ratios to CO. (b) This work confirms and extends many reports of great situational variability in emissions factors. VOCs vary in OH reactivity and NOx-binding. Reasons for variability are not only fuel composition, fuel condition, etc, but are confused somewhat by rapid transformation and mixing of emissions. We use "unmixing" (distinct from mixed-effects) statistics and compare briefly to approaches like neural nets. We focus on one particularly intense fire the notorious Yosemite Rim Fire of 2013. In some samples, NOx activity was not so surpressed by binding into nitrates as in other fires. While our fire-typing is evolving and subject to debate, the carbon-burned Δ(CO2+CO) estimates that arise from mixed effects models, free of confusion by background-CO2 variation, should provide a solid base for discussion. (c) We report progress using promising links we find between emissions-related "fire types" and promising features deducible from remote observations of plumes, e.g., single scatter albedo, Ångström exponent of scattering, Ångström exponent of absorption, (CO column density)/(aerosol optical depth).

Revised (Mixed-Effects) Estimation for Forest Burning Emissions of Gases and Smoke, Fire/Emission Factor Typology, and Potential Remote Sensing Classification of Types for Ozone and Black-Carbon Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chatfield, Robert B.; Segal Rozenhaimer, M.

2014-01-01

We summarize recent progress (a) in correcting biomass burning emissions factors deduced from airborne sampling of forest fire plumes, (b) in understanding the variability in reactivity of the fresh plumes sampled in ARCTAS (2008), DC3 (2012), and SEAC4RS (2013) airborne missions, and (c) in a consequent search for remotely sensed quantities that help classify forest-fire plumes. Particle properties, chemical speciation, and smoke radiative properties are related and mutually informative, as pictures below suggest (slopes of lines of same color are similar). (a) Mixed-effects (random-effects) statistical modeling provides estimates of both emission factors and a reasonable description of carbon-burned simultaneously. Different fire plumes will have very different contributions to volatile organic carbon reactivity; this may help explain differences of free NOx(both gas- and particle-phase), and also of ozone production, that have been noted for forest-fire plumes in California. Our evaluations check or correct emission factors based on sequential measurements (e.g., the Normalized Ratio Enhancement and similar methods). We stress the dangers of methods relying on emission-ratios to CO. (b) This work confirms and extends many reports of great situational variability in emissions factors. VOCs vary in OH reactivity and NOx-binding. Reasons for variability are not only fuel composition, fuel condition, etc., but are confused somewhat by rapid transformation and mixing of emissions. We use "unmixing" (distinct from mixed-effects) statistics and compare briefly to approaches like neural nets. We focus on one particularly intense fire the notorious Yosemite Rim Fire of 2013. In some samples, NOx activity was not so suppressed by binding into nitrates as in other fires. While our fire-typing is evolving and subject to debate, the carbon-burned delta(CO2+CO) estimates that arise from mixed effects models, free of confusion by background-CO2 variation, should provide a solid base for discussion. (c) We report progress using promising links we find between emissions-related "fire types" and promising features deducible from remote observations of plumes, e.g., single scatter albedo, Angstrom exponent of scattering, Angstrom exponent of absorption, (CO column density)/(aerosol optical depth).

Semi-automated mapping of burned areas in semi-arid ecosystems using MODIS time-series imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardtke, Leonardo A.; Blanco, Paula D.; Valle, Héctor F. del; Metternicht, Graciela I.; Sione, Walter F.

2015-06-01

Understanding spatial and temporal patterns of burned areas at regional scales, provides a long-term perspective of fire processes and its effects on ecosystems and vegetation recovery patterns, and it is a key factor to design prevention and post-fire restoration plans and strategies. Remote sensing has become the most widely used tool to detect fire affected areas over large tracts of land (e.g., ecosystem, regional and global levels). Standard satellite burned area and active fire products derived from the 500-m Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) are available to this end. However, prior research caution on the use of these global-scale products for regional and sub-regional applications. Consequently, we propose a novel semi-automated algorithm for identification and mapping of burned areas at regional scale. The semi-arid Monte shrublands, a biome covering 240,000 km2 in the western part of Argentina, and exposed to seasonal bushfires was selected as the test area. The algorithm uses a set of the normalized burned ratio index products derived from MODIS time series; using a two-phased cycle, it firstly detects potentially burned pixels while keeping a low commission error (false detection of burned areas), and subsequently labels them as seed patches. Region growing image segmentation algorithms are applied to the seed patches in the second-phase, to define the perimeter of fire affected areas while decreasing omission errors (missing real burned areas). Independently-derived Landsat ETM+ burned-area reference data was used for validation purposes. Additionally, the performance of the adaptive algorithm was assessed against standard global fire products derived from MODIS Aqua and Terra satellites, total burned area (MCD45A1), the active fire algorithm (MOD14); and the L3JRC SPOT VEGETATION 1 km GLOBCARBON products. The correlation between the size of burned areas detected by the global fire products and independently-derived Landsat reference data ranged from R2 = 0.01-0.28, while our algorithm performed showed a stronger correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.96). Our findings confirm prior research calling for caution when using the global fire products locally or regionally.

Spatial frequency domain imaging of burn wounds in a preclinical model of graded burn severity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, John Quan; Crouzet, Christian; Mai, Tuan; Riola, Kathleen; Uchitel, Daniel; Liaw, Lih-Huei; Bernal, Nicole; Ponticorvo, Adrien; Choi, Bernard; Durkin, Anthony J.

2013-06-01

Frequent monitoring of early-stage burns is necessary for deciding optimal treatment and management. Both superficial and full thickness burns are relatively easy to diagnose based on clinical observation. In between these two extremes are superficial-partial thickness and deep-partial thickness burns. These burns, while visually similar, differ dramatically in terms of clinical treatment and are known to progress in severity over time. The objective of this study was to determine the potential of spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) for noninvasively mapping quantitative changes in chromophore and optical properties that may be an indicative of burn wound severity. A controlled protocol of graded burn severity was developed and applied to 17 rats. SFDI data was acquired at multiple near-infrared wavelengths over a course of 3 h. Burn severity was verified using hematoxylin and eosin histology. From this study, we found that changes in water concentration (edema), deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration, and optical scattering (tissue denaturation) to be statistically significant at differentiating superficial partial-thickness burns from deep-partial thickness burns.

Accuracy of burn size estimation in patients transferred to adult Burn Units in Sydney, Australia: an audit of 698 patients.

PubMed

Harish, Varun; Raymond, Andrew P; Issler, Andrea C; Lajevardi, Sepehr S; Chang, Ling-Yun; Maitz, Peter K M; Kennedy, Peter

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to compare burn size estimation between referring centres and Burn Units in adult patients transferred to Burn Units in Sydney, Australia. A review of all adults transferred to Burn Units in Sydney, Australia between January 2009 and August 2013 was performed. The TBSA estimated by the referring institution was compared with the TBSA measured at the Burns Unit. There were 698 adults transferred to a Burns Unit. Equivalent TBSA estimation between the referring hospital and Burns Unit occurred in 30% of patients. Overestimation occurred at a ratio exceeding 3:1 with respect to underestimation, with the difference between the referring institutions and Burns Unit estimation being statistically significant (P<0.001). Significant overestimation occurs in the early transfer of burn-injured patients as well as in patients transferred more than 48h after the burn (P<0.005). Underestimation occurs with less frequency but rises with increasing time after the burn (P<0.005) and with increasing TBSA. Throughout the temporal spectrum of transferred patients, severe burns (≥20% TBSA) were found to have more satisfactory burn size estimations compared with less severe injuries (<20% TBSA; P<0.005). There are significant inaccuracies in burn size assessment by referring centres. The systemic tendency for overestimation occurs throughout the entire TBSA spectrum, and persists with increasing time after the burn. Underestimation occurs less frequently but rises with increasing time after the burn and with increasing TBSA. Severe burns (≥20% TBSA) are more accurately estimated by the referring hospital. The inaccuracies in burn size assessment have the potential to result in suboptimal treatment and inappropriate referral to specialised Burn Units. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Developing Nations’ Municipal Waste Composition on PCDD/PCDF Emissions from Open Burning

EPA Science Inventory

Open burning tests of municipal waste from two developing nations, Mexico and China, showed composition-related differences in emissions of polychlorinated dibenzodioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/PCDF). 26 burn tests were conducted, comparing results from two laboratory combustion ...

INFLUENCE OF INHALATION INJURY ON ENERGY EXPENDITURE IN SEVERELY BURNED CHILDREN

PubMed Central

Przkora, Rene; Fram, Ricki Y.; Herndon, David N.; Suman, Oscar E.; Mlcak, Ronald P.

2014-01-01

Objective Determine the effect of inhalation injury on burn-induced hypermetabolism in children. Design Prospective study comparing hypermetabolism (i.e., resting energy expenditure and oxygen consumption) in burned children with and without inhalation injury during acute hospitalization. Setting Single pediatric burn center. Patients Eighty-six children (1–18 years) with ≥ 40% total body surface area burns were stratified to two groups: no inhalation injury and inhalation injury. Interventions None. Main Measurements and Results Inhalation injury was diagnosed based on bronchoscopic evaluation. At admission, PaO2:FiO2 ratios (an index of respiratory distress) were significantly higher in patients with no inhalation injury than in patient with inhalation injury. No differences were detected in resting energy expenditure or percent of the predicted basal metabolic rate between groups. Additionally, oxygen consumption did not significantly differ between groups. Conclusions Inhalation injury does not augment the burn-induced hypermetabolic stress response in children, as reflected by resting energy expenditure and oxygen consumption. PMID:24893760

Model of ASTM Flammability Test in Microgravity: Iron Rods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, Theodore A; Stoltzfus, Joel M.; Fries, Joseph (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

There is extensive qualitative results from burning metallic materials in a NASA/ASTM flammability test system in normal gravity. However, this data was shown to be inconclusive for applications involving oxygen-enriched atmospheres under microgravity conditions by conducting tests using the 2.2-second Lewis Research Center (LeRC) Drop Tower. Data from neither type of test has been reduced to fundamental kinetic and dynamic systems parameters. This paper reports the initial model analysis for burning iron rods under microgravity conditions using data obtained at the LERC tower and modeling the burning system after ignition. Under the conditions of the test the burning mass regresses up the rod to be detached upon deceleration at the end of the drop. The model describes the burning system as a semi-batch, well-mixed reactor with product accumulation only. This model is consistent with the 2.0-second duration of the test. Transient temperature and pressure measurements are made on the chamber volume. The rod solid-liquid interface melting rate is obtained from film records. The model consists of a set of 17 non-linear, first-order differential equations which are solved using MATLAB. This analysis confirms that a first-order rate, in oxygen concentration, is consistent for the iron-oxygen kinetic reaction. An apparent activation energy of 246.8 kJ/mol is consistent for this model.

[New exploration on clinical treatment of injuries caused by uncommon agents or in extraordinary regions].

PubMed

Liu, Y

2018-05-20

Burns caused by uncommon agents means those caused by other agents except heating power, with special characteristics existing in traumatogenesis, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestation. With the development of social economy, various new techniques and new equipments are springing up. In the practical use, improper operations would become traumatogenic agents and cause various special types of trauma. In addition, some special injuries emerged with the changes in people's lifestyle. For battle injury, some new war wounds, which are different from fire-arm injuries in the past, appeared with the emergence of acoustic wave, light wave, electrical and magnetic weapons. Extraordinary regions are those located on body surface with anatomic and physiological particularity. Injuries caused by uncommon traumatogenic agent or in extraordinary region are different from those ordinary burns and trauma, and their clinical treatments have special characteristics. Clinical treatments were studied aiming at these special characteristics, and some achievements in treatment of high-voltage electrical burn, hydrofluoric acid burn, wounds on special regions, and new types of burns and trauma have been made. However, a doctor's duty is not only to cure the diseases and save the patients' lives, but also to prevent the diseases. The suitable treatment and precautionary measures for the new types of burns and trauma that differ from ordinary burns and trauma in the past remain to be explored.

The importance of illumination in a non-contact photoplethysmography imaging system for burn wound assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Weirong; Mohan, Rachit; Li, Weizhi; Zhang, Xu; Sellke, Eric W.; Fan, Wensheng; DiMaio, J. Michael; Thatcher, Jeffery E.

2015-02-01

We present a non-contact, reflective photoplethysmogram (PPG) imaging method and a prototype system for identifying the presence of dermal burn wounds during a burn debridement surgery. This system aims to provide assistance to clinicians and surgeons in the process of dermal wound management and wound triage decisions. We examined the system variables of illumination uniformity and intensity and present our findings. An LED array, a tungsten light source, and eventually high-power LED emitters were studied as illumination methods for our PPG imaging device. These three different illumination sources were tested in a controlled tissue phantom model and an animal burn model. We found that the low heat and even illumination pattern using high power LED emitters provided a substantial improvement to the collected PPG signal in our animal burn model. These improvements allow the PPG signal from different pixels to be comparable in both time-domain and frequency-domain, simplify the illumination subsystem complexity, and remove the necessity of using high dynamic range cameras. Through the burn model output comparison, such as the blood volume in animal burn data and controlled tissue phantom model, our optical improvements have led to more clinically applicable images to aid in burn assessment.

The influence of weather and fuel type on the fuel composition of the area burned by forest fires in Ontario, 1996-2006.

PubMed

Podur, Justin J; Martell, David L

2009-07-01

Forest fires are influenced by weather, fuels, and topography, but the relative influence of these factors may vary in different forest types. Compositional analysis can be used to assess the relative importance of fuels and weather in the boreal forest. Do forest or wild land fires burn more flammable fuels preferentially or, because most large fires burn in extreme weather conditions, do fires burn fuels in the proportions they are available despite differences in flammability? In the Canadian boreal forest, aspen (Populus tremuloides) has been found to burn in less than the proportion in which it is available. We used the province of Ontario's Provincial Fuels Database and fire records provided by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources to compare the fuel composition of area burned by 594 large (>40 ha) fires that occurred in Ontario's boreal forest region, a study area some 430,000 km2 in size, between 1996 and 2006 with the fuel composition of the neighborhoods around the fires. We found that, over the range of fire weather conditions in which large fires burned and in a study area with 8% aspen, fires burn fuels in the proportions that they are available, results which are consistent with the dominance of weather in controlling large fires.

Innate and adaptive immunity gene expression of human keratinocytes cultured of severe burn injury.

PubMed

Noronha, Silvana Aparecida Alves Corrêa de; Noronha, Samuel Marcos Ribeiro de; Lanziani, Larissa Elias; Ferreira, Lydia Masako; Gragnani, Alfredo

2014-01-01

Evaluate the expression profile of genes related to Innate and Adaptive Immune System (IAIS) of human Primary Epidermal keratinocytes (hPEKP) of patients with severe burns. After obtaining viable fragments of skin with and without burning, culture hKEP was initiated by the enzymatic method using Dispase (Sigma-Aldrich). These cells were treated with Trizol(r) (Life Technologies) for extraction of total RNA. This was quantified and analyzed for purity for obtaining cDNA for the analysis of gene expression using specific IAIS PCR Arrays plates (SA Biosciences). After the analysis of gene expression we found that 63% of these genes were differentially expressed, of which 77% were repressed and 23% were hyper-regulated. Among these, the following genes (fold increase or decrease): IL8 (41), IL6 (32), TNF (-92), HLA-E (-86), LYS (-74), CCR6 (- 73), CD86 (-41) and HLA-A (-35). This study contributes to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying wound infection caused by the burn. Furthermore, it may provide new strategies to restore normal expression of these genes and thereby change the healing process and improve clinical outcome.

Modeling Candle Flame Behavior In Variable Gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alsairafi, A.; Tien, J. S.; Lee, S. T.; Dietrich, D. L.; Ross, H. D.

2003-01-01

The burning of a candle, as typical non-propagating diffusion flame, has been used by a number of researchers to study the effects of electric fields on flame, spontaneous flame oscillation and flickering phenomena, and flame extinction. In normal gravity, the heat released from combustion creates buoyant convection that draws oxygen into the flame. The strength of the buoyant flow depends on the gravitational level and it is expected that the flame shape, size and candle burning rate will vary with gravity. Experimentally, there exist studies of candle burning in enhanced gravity (i.e. higher than normal earth gravity, g(sub e)), and in microgravity in drop towers and space-based facilities. There are, however, no reported experimental data on candle burning in partial gravity (g < g(sub e)). In a previous numerical model of the candle flame, buoyant forces were neglected. The treatment of momentum equation was simplified using a potential flow approximation. Although the predicted flame characteristics agreed well with the experimental results, the model cannot be extended to cases with buoyant flows. In addition, because of the use of potential flow, no-slip boundary condition is not satisfied on the wick surface. So there is some uncertainty on the accuracy of the predicted flow field. In the present modeling effort, the full Navier-Stokes momentum equations with body force term is included. This enables us to study the effect of gravity on candle flames (with zero gravity as the limiting case). In addition, we consider radiation effects in more detail by solving the radiation transfer equation. In the previous study, flame radiation is treated as a simple loss term in the energy equation. Emphasis of the present model is on the gas-phase processes. Therefore, the detailed heat and mass transfer phenomena inside the porous wick are not treated. Instead, it is assumed that a thin layer of liquid fuel coated the entire wick surface during the burning process. This is the limiting case that the mass transfer process in the wick is much faster than the evaporation process at the wick surface.

Teenager male with burning pain in extremities--suspect Fabry disease, 2 case reports.

PubMed

Patil, Rajesh B; Joglekar, V K

2014-01-01

We present 2 cases of teenager males presented with burning pain in extremities and turned out to be cases of Fabry disease.The purpose of presenting this case is to highlight the fact that suspicion of Fabry disease in patients presenting with these symptoms will lead to early diagnosis and treatment of this condition before occurrences of complications. A 14-year-old male presented with severe burning pain in both hands and feet since last 4 yrs which persisted despite consumption of painkillers and becoming more disabling and without having any family history for such condition. On general examination patient had small reddish coloured lesions around the umbilicus, appearing like angiokeratomas. Skin biopsy confirmed the lesion. On enzyme assay his alpha galactosidase activity found to be '0' nmol/hr/mg of protein, confirming his diagnosis. Patient's creatinine and 2 D ECHO were normal and urine had 1+ proteinuria. Patient started on carbamazepine tablets for pain and referred to higher centre for genetic diagnosis and enzyme replacement therapy. CASE REPORT 2: An 18-year-old male referred to our hospital by general practitioner for fatigue and pedal oedema with deranged renal function tests. On history taking patient gave history of severe burning pain in both hands and feet since age of 9 yrs. Patient's general examination revealed hypertension with pallor, pedal oedema along with angiokeratomas in bathing suit distribution. Patient's ultrasonography of kidney revealed bilaterally normal sized kidneys with altered echotexture and urine examination showed fine granular foamy cells with sub nephrotic range proteinuria. 2 D ECHO revealed concentric left ventricular hypertrophy. Skin biopsy report supported the diagnosis of Fabry disease. Patient advised to undergo renal biopsy to confirm Fabry nephropathy but patient denied any further diagnostic workup for nephropathy or Fabry disease. Patient started on conservative treatment and carbamazepine in renal dose given for acroparaesthesias. On discharge patient has been advised to visit higher centre for further diagnostic work up and enzyme replacement therapy. Suspicion of Fabry disease in teenager males presenting with symptoms of burning pain in extremities may lead to early diagnosis and treatment of this condition before occurrences of complications.

TSG-6 secreted by human umbilical cord-MSCs attenuates severe burn-induced excessive inflammation via inhibiting activations of P38 and JNK signaling.

PubMed

Liu, Lingying; Song, Huifeng; Duan, Hongjie; Chai, Jiake; Yang, Jing; Li, Xiao; Yu, Yonghui; Zhang, Xulong; Hu, Xiaohong; Xiao, Mengjing; Feng, Rui; Yin, Huinan; Hu, Quan; Yang, Longlong; Du, Jundong; Li, Tianran

2016-07-22

The hMSCs have become a promising approach for inflammation treatment in acute phase. Our previous study has demonstrated that human umbilical cord-MSCs could alleviate the inflammatory reaction of severely burned wound. In this study, we further investigated the potential role and mechanism of the MSCs on severe burn-induced excessive inflammation. Wistar rats were randomly divided into following groups: Sham, Burn, Burn+MSCs, Burn+MAPKs inhibitors, and Burn, Burn+MSCs, Burn+Vehicle, Burn+siTSG-6, Burn+rhTSG-6 in the both experiments. It was found that MSCs could only down-regulate P38 and JNK signaling, but had no effect on ERK in peritoneal macrophages of severe burn rats. Furthermore, suppression of P38 and JNK activations significantly reduced the excessive inflammation induced by severe burn. TSG-6 was secreted by MSCs using different inflammatory mediators. TSG-6 from MSCs and recombinant human (rh)TSG-6 all significantly reduced activations of P38 and JNK signaling induced by severe burn and then attenuated excessive inflammations. On the contrary, knockdown TSG-6 in the cells significantly increased phosphorylation of P38 and JNK signaling and reduced therapeutic effect of the MSCs on excessive inflammation. Taken together, this study suggested TSG-6 from MSCs attenuated severe burn-induced excessive inflammation via inhibiting activation of P38 and JNK signaling.

Functional Characterization of Cultured Keratinocytes after Acute Cutaneous Burn Injury

PubMed Central

Gauglitz, Gerd G.; Zedler, Siegfried; v. Spiegel, Felix; Fuhr, Jasmin; v. Donnersmarck, Guido Henkel; Faist, Eugen

2012-01-01

Background In addition to forming the epithelial barrier against the outside environment keratinocytes are immunologically active cells. In the treatment of severely burned skin, cryoconserved keratinocyte allografts gain in importance. It has been proposed that these allografts accelerate wound healing also due to the expression of a favourable - keratinocyte-derived - cytokine and growth factor milieu. Methods In this study the morphology and cytokine expression profile of keratinocytes from skin after acute burn injury was compared to non-burned skin. Skin samples were obtained from patients after severe burn injury and healthy controls. Cells were cultured and secretion of selected inflammatory mediators was quantified using Bioplex Immunoassays. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyse further functional and morphologic parameters. Results Histology revealed increased terminal differentiation of keratinocytes (CK10, CK11) in allografts from non-burned skin compared to a higher portion of proliferative cells (CK5, vimentin) in acute burn injury. Increased levels of IL-1α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IFN-γ and TNFα could be detected in culture media of burn injury skin cultures. Both culture groups contained large amounts of IL-1RA. IL-6 and GM-CSF were increased during the first 15 days of culture of burned skin compared to control skin. Levels of VEGF, FGF-basic, TGF-ß und G-CSF were high in both but not significantly different. Cryoconservation led to a diminished mediator synthesis except for higher levels of intracellular IL-1α and IL-1ß. Conclusion Skin allografts from non-burned skin show a different secretion pattern of keratinocyte-derived cytokines and inflammatory mediators compared to keratinocytes after burn injury. As these secreted molecules exert auto- and paracrine effects and subsequently contribute to healing and barrier restoration after acute burn injury therapies affecting this specific cytokine/growth factor micromilieu could be beneficial in burned patients. PMID:22359539

Anxiety and depression in burn patients.

PubMed

Alvi, Tabassum; Assad, Fatima; Aurangzeb; Malik, M A Nasir

2009-01-01

The psychological aspects of burn injury have been researched in different parts of world producing different outcomes. Therefore objective of this research is to determine the frequency of Anxiety and Depression in burn patients. To assess the socio-demographic distribution of patients developing Anxiety and Depression and to determine the effects of burn related factors on development of Anxiety and Depression. A Case series was conducted at the Department of Burn, Pakistan Ordinance Factory Hospital, Wah Cantt. for a duration of 12 months commencing from June 2007 and concluded in May 2008. The study population comprised of hospitalized patients with 1% to 50%, selected through non probable sampling technique who were assessed for Anxiety and Depression on fifteen day after burn injury. Testing protocol comprised of questionnaire having socio-demographic variables and burn related variables. Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory was applied to evaluate Anxiety and Depression in Burn patients. Descriptive statistics like mean with Standard Deviation was calculated for age. Frequencies along with percentages were calculated for socio-demographic variables. The frequencies and proportions were also calculated for presence and extent of severity of depression and anxiety in burn patients. Fifty patients were included in the study, thirty patients (60%) were male and 20 (40%) were females. The mean age of participants was 33.64 +/- 19 years. Majority of participants, 38 (76%) had sustained burn injury up to 25%. Flame was found to be most common agent of burn injuries affecting 19 (38%) patients. Depression was seen amongst 29 (58%) patients. Thirteen (26 %) patients had mild, 7 (14%) had moderate and 9 (18%) had severe Depressive symptoms. Anxiety was seen among 41 (82%) patients, thirteen (26%) patients had mild, 11 (22%) had moderate and 17 (34%) had severe Anxiety symptoms. Anxiety was present in 41 (82%) and Depression was present in 29 (58%) patients following burn injury. This study highlights the importance of the simultaneous evaluation and management of Anxiety and Depression in burn injured patients.

Healing of partial thickness porcine skin wounds in a liquid environment.

PubMed

Breuing, K; Eriksson, E; Liu, P; Miller, D R

1992-01-01

This study employs a liquid-tight vinyl chamber for the topical fluid-phase treatment of experimental wounds in pigs. Continuous treatment with normal saline significantly reduced the early progression of tissue destruction in partial thickness burns. Uncovered burns formed a deep layer of necrosis (0.49 +/- 0.004 mm, mean +/- SD) although burn wounds covered with empty chambers demonstrated less necrosis (0.14 +/- 0.01 mm), fluid-treated wounds formed no eschar, and little tissue necrosis could be detected (less than 0.005 mm). Topical treatment with hypertonic dextran increased water flux across burn wounds by 0.24 ml/cm2/24 hr (mean, n = 95) over saline-treated wounds during the first 5 days after wounding. When partial thickness burn and excisional wounds were immersed in isotonic saline until healed, the daily efflux of water, protein, electrolytes, and glucose across the wound surface declined during healing to baseline values found in controls (saline-covered unwounded skin). The declining protein permeability was used as a reproducible, noninvasive, endogenous marker for the return of epithelial barrier function. Saline-treated excisional wounds healed within 8.6 +/- 0.6 days (mean +/- SD, n = 27) and burn wounds within 12.1 +/- 1.4 days (mean +/- SD, n = 15). Healing of fluid-treated wounds occurred without tissue maceration and showed less inflammation and less scar formation than healing of air exposed wounds (no attempt was made to compare rates of healing between air- and fluid-exposed wounds). We consider the fluid-filled chamber a potentially very useful diagnostic, monitoring, and delivery system for wound-healing research and for human wound therapy.

A Pilot Study of the Efficacy of Active Leptospermum Honey for the Treatment of Partial-Thickness Facial Burns.

PubMed

Duncan, Christina L; Enlow, Paul T; Szabo, Margo M; Tolchin, Eric; Kelly, Robert W; Castanon, Lourdes; Aballay, Ariel M

2016-08-01

Research suggests that active Leptospermum honey (ALH) improves outcomes in patients with partial-thickness burns by enhancing healing and reepithelialization rates, as well as by protecting against antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. This study assessed the effectiveness of ALH gel on healing time, bacterial growth, patient satisfaction, and cost of treatment. Single-arm, prospective case series. Seven patients (aged 7-64 years) with partial-thickness facial burns were recruited from a northeastern US burn center. All patients cleansed their wounds daily with soap and water, after which they applied ALH gel. Three physicians independently rated healing using wound photography and daily tests for the presence of exudate. Wound cultures on days 1 and 7 (±2 days) assessed bacterial growth. Patients completed a satisfaction survey at the end of treatment, and cost of treatment was calculated. Healing time ranged from 3 to 14 days (mean, 8.1 days). Wound cultures revealed normal bacterial growth on days 1 and 7 for all patients. Patients rated ALH gel favorably, with the most common complaint of stickiness in 5 patients. One patient experienced transient burning on application that did not interrupt treatment. Average hospital-based cost of treatment was $26.15 per patient. Healing time was congruent with or better than what would have been expected with standard treatment. Furthermore, despite no antibiotic treatment, wound culture results yielded no abnormal bacterial growth. Finally, patients overall reported satisfaction with treatment. The findings of this study suggest that ALH is a clinically and economically valuable treatment for partial-thickness facial burns.

Atmospheric tar balls from biomass burning in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adachi, K.; Buseck, P. R.

2009-12-01

Tar balls are spherical, organic aerosol particles that result from biofuel or biomass burning. They absorb sunlight and cause warming of the atmosphere. Although distinctive when viewed with a transmission electron microscope (TEM) because of their spherical shape, much remains to be determined about details of their compositions, occurrences, and generation. Here we aim to characterize the occurrences of tar balls using individual-particle analyses with a TEM and to study their formation in young biomass-burning smoke. The samples were collected using the U.S. Forest Service Twin Otter aircraft during the MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations) campaign conducted in March 2006. We analyzed 84 TEM grid samples from ~30 biomass-burning events near Mexico City and over Yucatan. Sixty samples were from young smoke (less than an hour old), and others were from haze that mainly occurred from biomass burning. Tar balls have neither an evident nucleus nor are they normally attached to other particles. They are almost perfectly spherical on TEM grids, indicating that they were solid when collected. It appears as if tar balls consist of lower volatility organic matter than many other organic aerosol particles. On average, 9% by number of biomass-burning aerosol particles were tar balls in samples collected between a few minutes to an hour after emission. On the other hand, samples collected within a few minutes after emission included few or no tar balls. The occurrences and abundances of atmospheric tar balls are important when evaluating the effects of smoke on local and regional climate.

Scalding in Turkish children: comparison of burns caused by hot water and hot milk.

PubMed

Tarim, Akin; Nursal, Tarik Zafer; Basaran, Ozgür; Yildirim, Sedat; Türk, Emin; Moray, Gökhan; Haberal, Mehmet

2006-06-01

Our aim in this study was to compare the clinical differences and etiologic risk factors for hot water and hot milk scald burns in Turkish children. The retrospective study examined the cases of 140 children aged 0.1-7 years who had scald burns treated in three burn units of a Turkish hospital network between March 2000 and December 2004. The patients were categorized in two groups: hot water burns or hot milk burns. Ninety-five (67.9%) patients had hot water burns and 45 (47.1%) had hot milk burns. The proportion of patients with hot milk burns who lived in rural areas was significantly higher than the corresponding proportion for the hot water cases (75.6% versus 52.6%, respectively; p<0.01). In 20 (44%) of the hot milk cases, the burn was caused by milk being boiled in large pots outdoors for cheese production. The other 25 hot milk cases were caused by milk being boiled in the kitchen. The mean (+/-S.D.) percentage total body surface area burned in the hot milk cases was higher than that in the hot water cases (33.6+/-2.24% versus 21.42+/-1.43%, respectively; p<0.001), and the corresponding mean percentages of TBSA with full-thickness burns were 9.2+/-2.52% versus 3.13+/-0.83%, respectively; (p=0.083). The mean percentages of TBSA with second-degree burns showed the same trend (29.0+/-12.39% versus 18.8+/-1.47%, respectively; p<0.001) higher percentage of the children with hot milk burns required antibiotics (78% versus 52.8%, respectively; p<0.006). Seven (7.4%) of the hot water burn patients and 15 (33.3%) of the hot milk burn patients died during the study period (p=0.025; overall mortality rate 15.7%). Children scalded with hot milk tend to have more extensive burns, and thus have higher mortality, than those scalded with hot water. To create effective programs for preventing scald injuries in Turkey and elsewhere, it is essential to consider ethnic and cultural issues based on these characteristics. Simple precautions should be explained and methods of using liquids such as hot milk should be researched in different geographic locations in order to formulate good prevention strategies.

Heparin Reduced Mortality and Sepsis in Severely Burned Children

PubMed Central

Zayas, G.J.; Bonilla, A.M.; Saliba, M.J

2007-01-01

Summary Objectives. In El Salvador, before 1999, morbidity and mortality in severely burned children were high. In 1998, all children with burns of 40% or larger size died and sepsis was found. With heparin use in 1999, some similarly burned children survived, and sepsis, pain, procedures, and scars were noted to be less. This retrospective study presents the details. Methods. A study was conducted at the National Children's Hospital in El Salvador of all children with burns over 20% size treated in 1998, when no heparin was used, and in 1999, when heparin was added to burns treatment, using an ethics committee approved protocol in use in twelve other countries. Sodium aqueous heparin solution USP from an intestinal source was infused intravenously and applied topically onto burn surfaces and within blisters for the first 1-3 days post-burn. Then heparin, in diminishing doses, was continued only topically until healing. The treatments in 1998 and 1999 were otherwise the same, except that fewer procedures were needed in 1999. Results. There were no significant differences in gender, age, weight, burn aetiology, or burn size between the burned children in 1998 and those in 1999. Burn pain was relieved and pain medicine was not needed in children treated with heparin in 1999. In 1998, one child survived who had a 35% size burn, and the eight children died who had burns of 40% and over. The survival rate was one out of nine (11%). The average burn size was 51.7%. With heparin use in 1999, six of the ten children survived burns of 50.7% average size. The increase in survival with heparin from 11% to 60% and, therefore, the decrease in mortality from 89% to 40% were significant (p < 0.04). Clinical symptoms and positive blood cultures documented bacterial sepsis in the nine children in 1998. In 1999, the blood cultures for sepsis were positive in the four children who died and negative in the six who survived. The nine versus four differences in the incidence of sepsis between 1998 and 1999 was significant (p < 0.008). The survivors had notably smooth skin. Conclusions. The use of heparin in this study relieved burn pain, significantly reduced mortality and sepsis with fewer procedures, and discernibly improved cosmetic results. PMID:21991064

Improved Rice Residue Burning Emissions Estimates: Accounting for Practice-Specific Emission Factors in Air Pollution Assessments of Vietnam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lasko, Kristofer; Vadrevu, Krishna

2018-01-01

In Southeast Asia and Vietnam, rice residues are routinely burned after the harvest to prepare fields for the next season. Specific to Vietnam, the two prevalent burning practices include: a). piling the residues after hand harvesting; b). burning the residues without piling, after machine harvesting. In this study, we synthesized field and laboratory studies from the literature on rice residue burning emission factors for Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5). We found significant differences in the resulting burning-practice specific emission factors, with 16.9 grams per square kilogram (plus or minus 6.9) for pile burning and 8.8 grams per square kilogram (plus or minus 3.5) for non-pile burning. We calculated burning practice specific emissions based on rice area data, region-specific fuel-loading factors, combined emission factors, and estimates of burning from the literature. Our results for year 2015 estimate 180 gigagrams of PM2.5 result from the pile burning method and 130 gigagrams result from non-pile burning method, with the most-likely current emission scenario of 150 gigagrams PM2.5 emissions for Vietnam. For comparison purposes, we calculated emissions using generalized agricultural emission factors employed in global biomass burning studies. These results estimate 80 gigagrams PM2.5, which is only 44 percent of the pile burning-based estimates, suggesting underestimation in previous studies. We compare our emissions to an existing all-combustion sources inventory, results show emissions account for 14-18 percent of Vietnam's total PM2.5 depending on burning practice. Within the highly-urbanized and cloud-covered Hanoi Capital region (HCR), we use rice area from Sentinel-1A to derive spatially-explicit emissions and indirectly estimate residue burning dates. Results from HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) back-trajectory analysis stratified by season show autumn has most emission trajectories originating in the North, while spring has most originating in the South, suggesting the latter may have bigger impact on air quality. From these results, we highlight locations where emission mitigation efforts could be focused and suggest measures for pollutant mitigation. Our study demonstrates the need to account for emissions variation due to different burning practices.

Intracellular Ca(2+) and K(+) concentration in Brassica oleracea leaf induces differential expression of transporter and stress-related genes.

PubMed

Lee, Jeongyeo; Kim, Jungeun; Choi, Jae-Pil; Lee, MiYe; Kim, Min Keun; Lee, Young Han; Hur, Yoonkang; Nou, Ill-Sup; Park, Sang Un; Min, Sung Ran; Kim, HyeRan

2016-03-09

One of the most important members of the genus Brassica, cabbage, requires a relatively high level of calcium for normal growth (Plant Cell Environ 7: 397-405, 1984; Plant Physiol 60: 854-856, 1977). Localized Ca(2+) deficiency in cabbage leaves causes tip-burn, bringing about serious economic losses (Euphytica 9:203-208, 1960; Ann Bot 43:363-372, 1979; Sci Hortic 14:131-138, 1981). Although it has been known that the occurrence of tip-burn is related to Ca(2+) deficiency, there is limited information on the underlying mechanisms of tip-burn or the relationship between Ca(2+) and tip-burn incidence. To obtain more information on the genetic control of tip-burn symptoms, we focused on the identification of genes differentially expressed in response to increasing intracellular Ca(2+) and K(+) concentrations in B. oleracea lines derived from tip-burn susceptible, tip-burn resistant cabbages (B. oleracea var. capitata), and kale (B. oleracea var. acephala). We compared the levels of major macronutrient cations, including Ca(2+) and K(+), in three leaf segments, the leaf apex (LA), middle of leaf (LM), and leaf base (LB), of tip-burn susceptible, tip-burn resistant cabbages, and kale. Ca(2+) and K(+) concentrations were highest in kale, followed by tip-burn resistant and then tip-burn susceptible cabbages. These cations generally accumulated to a greater extent in the LB than in the LA. Transcriptome analysis identified 58,096 loci as putative non-redundant genes in the three leaf segments of the three B. oleracea lines and showed significant changes in expression of 27,876 loci based on Ca(2+) and K(+) levels. Among these, 1844 loci were identified as tip-burn related phenotype-specific genes. Tip-burn resistant cabbage and kale-specific genes were largely related to stress and transport activity based on GO annotation. Tip-burn resistant cabbage and kale plants showed phenotypes clearly indicative of heat-shock, freezing, and drought stress tolerance compared to tip-burn susceptible cabbages, demonstrating a correlation between intracellular Ca(2+) and K(+) concentrations and tolerance of abiotic stress with differential gene expression. We selected 165 genes that were up- or down-regulated in response to increasing Ca(2+) and K(+) concentrations in the three leaf segments of the three plant lines. Gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that these genes participated in regulatory metabolic processes or stress responses. Our results indicate that the genes involved in regulatory metabolic processes or stress responses were differentially expressed in response to increasing Ca(2+) and K(+) concentrations in the B. oleracea leaf. Our transcriptome data and the genes identified may serve as a starting point for understanding the mechanisms underlying essential macronutrient deficiencies in plants, as well as the features of tip-burn in cabbage and other Brassica species.

In view of standardization: comparison and analysis of initial management of severely burned patients in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

PubMed

Münzberg, Matthias; Ziegler, Benjamin; Fischer, Sebastian; Wölfl, Christoph Georg; Grützner, Paul Alfred; Kremer, Thomas; Kneser, Ulrich; Hirche, Christoph

2015-02-01

Initial treatment of severely injured patients in German speaking trauma centers follows precise sequences. Several guidelines and training courses ensure a constant quality in providing evidence-based treatment for these patients. Similar standards, algorithms and guidelines for the treatment of severely burned patients are lacking. This raises the question about the current standard of care for burn victims in German speaking burn centers. In order to achieve standardization, as a first step this study surveys principles of burn room organization and management in these burn centers. A questionnaire including 40 questions regarding burn room organization, personnel structure and qualification, infrastructural conditions and quality management was developed and sent to 21 level one burn centers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The rate of returned questionnaires was 81%. The analysis revealed varying personnel and infrastructural conditions in participating burn centers. Indications for admission to the burn room and admission procedures itself are different throughout surveyed hospitals. Individual standard operating procedure (SOP) for burn trauma admissions was available in most burn centers and nearly all participants register their burn trauma cases using an in-house burn register. The survey suggests a lack of standardization in personnel structure, infrastructure and treatment approach for the initial clinical care of severely burned patients in burn centers across the German speaking countries. Further evaluation of existing protocols and international standards in burn care is inevitable to develop standardized guidelines for burn care and to improve quality of care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

An analysis of surgical and anaesthetic factors affecting skin graft viability in patients admitted to a Burns Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Isitt, Catherine E; McCloskey, Kayleigh A; Caballo, Alvaro; Sharma, Pranev; Williams, Andrew; Leon-Villapalos, Jorge; Vizcaychipi, Marcela P

2016-01-01

Skin graft failure is a recognised complication in the treatment of major burns. Little research to date has analysed the impact of the complex physiological management of burns patients on the success of skin grafting. We analysed surgical and anaesthetic variables to identify factors contributing to graft failure. Inclusion criteria were admission to our Burns Intensive Care Unit (BICU) between January 2009 and October 2013 with a major burn. After exclusion for death before hospital discharge or prior skin graft at a different hospital, 35 patients remained and were divided into those with successful autografts (n=16) and those with a failed autograft (n=19). For the purposes of this study, we defined poor autograft viability as requiring at least one additional skin graft to the same site. Logistic regression of variables was performed using SPSS (Version 22.0 IBMTM). Age, Sex, %Total Burn Surface Area or Belgian Outcome Burns Injury score did not significantly differ between groups. No differences were found in any surgical factor at logistic regression (graft site, harvest site, infection etc.). When all operations were analysed, the use of colloids was found to be significantly associated with graft failure (p=0.035, CI 95%) and this remained significant when only split thickness skin grafts (STSGs) and debridement operations were included (p=0.034, CI 95%). No differences were found in crystalloid use, intraoperative temperature, pre-operative haemoglobin and blood products or vasopressor use. This analysis highlights an independent association between colloids and graft failure which has not been previously documented.

ASSESSMENT OF TOXICITY OF OIL COMBUSTION EMISSION EXPOSURE IN NORMAL AND HYPERTENSIVE RATS

EPA Science Inventory

It has been suggested that the increased morbidity and mortality associated with exposure to airborne particulates (PM) is related to materials derived from combustion sources such as gasoline, diesel, oil, wood and coal. In these studies heavy oil # 5 was burned in a residual oi...

Elevated voltage level I.sub.DDQ failure testing of integrated circuits

DOEpatents

Righter, Alan W.

1996-01-01

Burn in testing of static CMOS IC's is eliminated by I.sub.DDQ testing at elevated voltage levels. These voltage levels are at least 25% higher than the normal operating voltage for the IC but are below voltage levels that would cause damage to the chip.

21 CFR 700.35 - Cosmetics containing sunscreen ingredients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... scattering the harmful, burning rays of the sun, thereby altering the normal physiological response to solar... premature skin aging, skin cancer, and other harmful effects due to the sun when used in conjunction with limiting sun exposure and wearing protective clothing. When consumers see the term “sunscreen” or similar...

21 CFR 700.35 - Cosmetics containing sunscreen ingredients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... scattering the harmful, burning rays of the sun, thereby altering the normal physiological response to solar... premature skin aging, skin cancer, and other harmful effects due to the sun when used in conjunction with limiting sun exposure and wearing protective clothing. When consumers see the term “sunscreen” or similar...

21 CFR 700.35 - Cosmetics containing sunscreen ingredients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... scattering the harmful, burning rays of the sun, thereby altering the normal physiological response to solar... premature skin aging, skin cancer, and other harmful effects due to the sun when used in conjunction with limiting sun exposure and wearing protective clothing. When consumers see the term “sunscreen” or similar...

21 CFR 700.35 - Cosmetics containing sunscreen ingredients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... scattering the harmful, burning rays of the sun, thereby altering the normal physiological response to solar... premature skin aging, skin cancer, and other harmful effects due to the sun when used in conjunction with limiting sun exposure and wearing protective clothing. When consumers see the term “sunscreen” or similar...

Preliminary results in single-step wound closure procedure of full-thickness facial burns in children by using the collagen-elastin matrix and review of pediatric facial burns.

PubMed

Demircan, Mehmet; Cicek, Tugrul; Yetis, Muhammed Ikbal

2015-09-01

Management of full-thickness facial burns remains one of the greatest challenges. Controversy exists among surgeons regarding the use of early excision for facial burns. Unfortunately, delayed excision of deeper burns often results in more scarring and subsequent reconstruction becomes more difficult. A collagen-elastin matrix is used to improve the quality of the reconstructed skin, to reduce scarring and to prevent wound contraction. It serves as a foundation for split thickness skin graft and enhances short and long-term results. We report the usage of a collagen-elastin matrix during single-step wound closure technique of severe full-thickness facial burns in 15 children with large burned body surface area, and also we review the literature about pediatric facial burns. There were 15 pediatric patients with severe facial burns, 8 girls and 7 boys ranging in age from 10 months to 12 years, mean age 7 years and 6 months old. The facial burn surface area (FBSA) among the patients includes seven patients with 100%, five with 75%, and three with 50%. The average total body surface area (TBSA) for the patients was 72%, ranging between 50 and 90%. 5 of the patients' admissions were late, more than four days after burns while the rest of the patients were admitted within the first four days (acute admission time). The burns were caused by flame in eight of the patients, bomb blast in four, and scalding in three. All patients were treated by the simultaneous application of the collagen-elastin matrix and an unmeshed split thickness skin graft at Turgut Özal Medical Center, Pediatric Burn Center, Malatya, Turkey. After the treatment only two patients needed a second operation for revision of the grafts. All grafts transplanted to the face survived. The average Vancouver scar scales (VSS) were 2.55±1.42, ranging between one and six, in the first 10 of 15 patients at the end of 6 months postoperatively. VSS measurements of the last 5 patients were not taken since the 6 months postoperative period was not over. In regard to early results, graft quality was close to normal skin in terms of vascularity, elasticity, pliability, texture and color. Esthetic and functional results have been encouraging. This study shows us that the collagen-elastin matrix as a dermal substitute is a useful adjunct, which may result in quick healing with satisfying esthetic and functional results. It also may enhance short and long-term results in after burn facial wound closure in children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Outpatient presentations to burn centers: data from the Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand outpatient pilot project.

PubMed

Gabbe, Belinda J; Watterson, Dina M; Singer, Yvonne; Darton, Anne

2015-05-01

Most studies about burn injury focus on admitted cases. To compare outpatient and inpatient presentations at burn centers in Australia to inform the establishment of a repository for outpatient burn injury. Data for sequential outpatient presentations were collected at seven burn centers in Australia between December 2010 and May 2011 and compared with inpatient admissions from these centers recorded by the Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand for the corresponding period. There were 788 outpatient and 360 inpatient presentations. Pediatric outpatients included more children <3 years of age (64% vs 33%), scald (52% vs 35%) and contact burns (39% vs 24%). Adult outpatients included fewer males (58% vs 73%) and intentional injuries (3.3% vs 10%), and more scald (46% vs 30%) and contact burns (24% vs 13%). All pediatric, and 98% of adult, outpatient presentations involved a %TBSA<10. The pattern of outpatient presentations was consistent between centers. Outpatient presentations outnumbered inpatient admissions by 2.2:1. The pattern of outpatient burns presenting to burn centers differed to inpatient admission data, particularly with respect to etiology and burn severity, highlighting the importance of the need for outpatient data to enhance burn injury surveillance and inform prevention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Combined effects of radiation and trauma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messerschmidt, Otfried

Injuries, caused by both whole-body irradiation and wounds or burns, have been relatively little studied. Possibly because many investigators think that these injuries are just modified radiation-induced diseases for which the same treatment principles are valid. Other authors had the impression that, for instance, the radiation burn trauma is a new kind of disease which differs significantly from either radiation syndrome alone or from burn disease. There are many experimental data on animals which suggest that the pathology of combined injuries differs significantly from that of radiation-induced disease or of thermal or mechanical traumas. Wounds or burns which, in general, do not cause septicaemia could become entrance ports for bacteria when animals are exposed to whole-body irradiation. Thrombocytopenia is the reason for hemorrhages in wounds. The susceptibility to shock is increased considerably in combined injuries and the formation of callus in the bone fractures is significantly delayed. The healing of wounds and burns in the initial phase of the radiation syndrome does not always differ from healing in the non-irradiated organism. However, a few days or weeks later very serious wound infections and hemorrhages can occur. The additional injuries almost always worsen the development and prognosis of radiation-induced disease. The recommended treatment for combined injuries will differ in many respects from the treatment of wounds and burns or the radiation syndrome.

Butterfly responses to prairie restoration through fire and grazing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vogel, Jennifer A.; Debinski, Diane M.; Koford, Rolf R.; Miller, J.R.

2007-01-01

The development of land for modern agriculture has resulted in losses of native prairie habitat. The small, isolated patches of prairie habitat that remain are threatened by fire suppression, overgrazing, and invasion by non-native species. We evaluated the effects of three restoration practices (grazing only, burning only, and burning and grazing) on the vegetation characteristics and butterfly communities of remnant prairies. Total butterfly abundance was highest on prairies that were managed with burning and grazing and lowest on those that were only burned. Butterfly species richness did not differ among any of the restoration practices. Butterfly species diversity was highest on sites that were only burned. Responses of individual butterfly species to restoration practices were highly variable. In the best predictive regression model, total butterfly abundance was negatively associated with the percent cover of bare ground and positively associated with the percent cover of forbs. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that sites with burned only and grazed only practices could be separated based on their butterfly community composition. Butterfly communities in each of the three restoration practices are equally species rich but different practices yield compositionally different butterfly communities. Because of this variation in butterfly species responses to different restoration practices, there is no single practice that will benefit all species or even all species within habitat-specialist or habitat-generalist habitat guilds. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metals combustion in normal gravity and microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, Theodore A.; Wilson, D. Bruce; Benz, Frank J.

1993-01-01

The study of the combustion characteristics of metallic materials has been an ongoing area of research at the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF). This research has been in support of both government and industrial operations and deals not only with the combustion of specific metallic materials but also with the relative flammabilities of these materials under similar conditions. Since many of the metallic materials that are characterized at WSTF for aerospace applications are to be used in microgravity environments, it was apparent that the testing of these materials needed to proceed in a microgravity environment. It was believed that burning metallic materials in a microgravity environment would allow the evaluation of the validity of applying normal gravity combustion tests to characterize metallic materials to be used in microgravity environments. It was also anticipated that microgravity testing would provide insight into the general combustion process of metallic materials. The availability of the NASA Lewis Research Center's (LeRC) 2.2-second drop tower provided the necessary facility to accomplish the microgravity portion of the testing while the normal gravity testing was conducted at NASA WSTF. The tests, both at LeRC and WSTF, were conducted in the same instrumented system and utilized the standard metal flammability test of upward propagation burning of cylindrical rod samples.

AmeriFlux US-An2 Anaktuvuk River Moderate Burn

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hobbie, John; Rocha, Adrian; Shaver, Gaius

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-An2 Anaktuvuk River Moderate Burn. Site Description - The Anaktuvuk River fire on the North Slope of Alaska started on July 16, 2007 by lightning. It continued until the end of September when nearby lakes had already frozen over and burned >256,000 acres, creating a mosaic of patches that differed in burn severity. The Anaktuvuk River Severe Burn, Moderate Burn, and Unburned sites are 40 km to the west of the nearest road and were selected in late May 2008 to determine the effects of the firemore » on carbon, water, and energy exchanges during the growing season. Because the fire had burned through September of the previous year, initial deployment of flux towers occurred prior to any significant vegetative regrowth, and our sampling campaign captured the full growing season in 2008. The Moderate Burn site consisted of a large area with small patches of completely and partially burned tundra intermixed across the landscape.« less

Willingness-to-pay function for two fuel treatments to reduce wildfire acreage burned: A scope test and comparison of white and hispanic households

Treesearch

John B. Loomis; Hung Le Trong; Armando González-Cabán

2009-01-01

We estimate a marginal benefit function for using prescribed burning and mechanical fuel reduction programs to reduce acres burned by wildfire in three states. Since each state had different acre reductions, a statistically significant coefficient on the reduction in acres burned is also a split sample scope test frequently used as an indicator of the internal validity...

Photographic handbook for comparing burned and unburned sites within a dry forested and grassland mosiac: a tool for communication, calibration, and monitoring post-fire effects

Treesearch

Theresa Jain; Molly Juillerat; Jonathan Sandquist; Mike Ford; Brad Sauer; Robert Mitchell; Scott McAvoy; Justin Hanley; Jon David

2007-01-01

This photograph handbook describes characteristics and burn severity of a dry forested and grassland mosaic that burned within the last decade. We show photographs of different burned and unburned sites to help compare fire occurrence in similar stands. The handbook provides local land managers with a quick, inexpensive, and efficient way to evaluate effects of...

Intercomparison of Near-Real-Time Biomass Burning Emissions Estimates Constrained by Satellite Fire Data

EPA Science Inventory

We compare biomass burning emissions estimates from four different techniques that use satellite based fire products to determine area burned over regional to global domains. Three of the techniques use active fire detections from polar-orbiting MODIS sensors and one uses detec...

MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF SMOKE FROM CAMPFIRE BURNING OF PINE WOOD (PINUS ELLIOTTII). (R823990)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract

Although campfires are typically enjoyable events, people are exposed to high concentrations of gaseous and particulate pollutants. The combustion conditions of wood burned in campfires are different from those of indoor wood burning in stoves or fireplaces. T...

[Clinical effect of three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc in the evaluation of burn wound area].

PubMed

Lu, J; Wang, L; Zhang, Y C; Tang, H T; Xia, Z F

2017-10-20

Objective: To validate the clinical effect of three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc developed by our research team in the evaluation of burn wound area. Methods: A total of 48 burn patients treated in the outpatient department of our unit from January to June 2015, conforming to the study criteria, were enrolled in. For the first 12 patients, one wound on the limbs or torso was selected from each patient. The stability of the system was tested by 3 attending physicians using three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc to measure the area of wounds individually. For the following 36 patients, one wound was selected from each patient, including 12 wounds on limbs, front torso, and side torso, respectively. The area of wounds was measured by the same attending physician using transparency tracing method, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc, respectively. The time for getting information of 36 wounds by three methods was recorded by stopwatch. The stability among the testers was evaluated by the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Data were processed with randomized blocks analysis of variance and Bonferroni test. Results: (1) Wound area of patients measured by three physicians using three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was (122±95), (121±95), and (123±96) cm(2,) respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference among them ( F =1.55, P >0.05). The ICC among 3 physicians was 0.999. (2) The wound area of limbs of patients measured by transparency tracing method, NIH Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was (84±50), (76±46), and (84±49) cm(2,) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the wound area of limbs of patients measured by transparency tracing method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc ( P >0.05). The wound area of limbs of patients measured by NIH Image J method was smaller than that measured by transparency tracing method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc (with P values below 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the wound area of front torso of patients measured by transparency tracing method, NIH Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc ( F =0.33, P >0.05). The wound area of side torso of patients measured by transparency tracing method, NIH Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was (169±88), (150±80), and (169±86) cm(2,) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the wound area of side torso of patients measured by transparency tracing method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc ( P >0.05). The wound area of side torso of patients measured by NIH Image J method was smaller than that measured by transparency tracing method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc (with P values below 0.05). (3) The time for getting information of wounds of patients by transparency tracing method, NIH Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was (77±14), (10±3), and (9±3) s, respectively. The time for getting information of wounds of patients by transparency tracing method was longer than that by NIH Image J method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc (with P values below 0.05). The time for getting information of wounds of patients by three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was close to that by NIH Image J method ( P >0.05). Conclusions: The three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc is stable and can accurately evaluate the wound area on limbs and torso of burn patients.

Assessment of burn-specific health-related quality of life and patient scar status following burn.

PubMed

Oh, Hyunjin; Boo, Sunjoo

2017-11-01

This study assessed patient-perceived levels of scar assessment and burn-specific quality of life (QOL) in Korean burn patients admitted to burn care centers and identified differences in scar assessment and QOL based on various patient characteristics. A cross-sectional descriptive study using anonymous paper-based survey methods was conducted with 100 burn patients from three burn centers specializing in burn care in South Korea. Mean subject age was 44.5 years old, and 69% of the subjects were men. The overall mean QOL was 2.91 out of 5. QOL was lowest for the work subdomain (2.25±1.45) followed by the treatment regimen subdomain (2.32±1.16). The subjects' mean total scar assessment score was 35.51 out of 60, and subjects were most unsatisfied with scar color. Subjects with low income, flame-source burns, severe burns, visible scars, and scars on face or hand reported significantly lower QOL. Subjects with severe burn degree and burn range perceived their burn scar condition to be worse than that of others. The results show that burn subjects experience the most difficulties with their work and the treatment regimen. Subjects with severe burn and visible scarring have a reduced QOL and a poor scar status. Scar management intervention may improve QOL of burn patients especially those with severe burn and visible scars. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the relationship between scar assessment and QOL. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Burn hazards of the deployed environment in wartime: epidemiology of noncombat burns from ongoing United States military operations.

PubMed

Kauvar, David S; Wade, Charles E; Baer, David G

2009-10-01

Service in the deployed military environment carries risks for accidental (noncombat-related) burns. Examining these risks can assist in the development of military burn prevention measures. This study endeavored to examine noncombat burn epidemiology in the context of similar civilian data. We performed a retrospective cohort study of consecutive casualties evacuated from operational military theaters in Iraq and Afghanistan to the sole tertiary military burn center in the US. Military data were compared with database samples of the US population from the American Burn Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The main causes of the 180 noncombat burns seen from March 2003 to June 2008 were waste burning, fuel mishaps, and unintentional ordinance detonations. Overall prevalence of noncombat burns was 19.5 burns/100,000 person-years lived. If causes specific to military operations are removed, military prevalence was 13.0/100,000. More than one-third of noncombat burns occurred in the first year of the study; a period of stability followed. A similar US population had an accidental burn prevalence of 7.1/100,000 from 2003 to 2007. Burn size, presence of inhalation injury, and burn center mortality were not different from those in a similar civilian cohort. Deployed service members have a greater risk of unintentional burns than a similar civilian cohort does. This is in part because of the specific dangers of military activities. More attention to deployed military burn prevention is needed, especially early in combat support operations.

ISBI Practice Guidelines for Burn Care.

PubMed

2016-08-01

Practice guidelines (PGs) are recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries, and are designed to define optimal evaluation and management. The first PGs for burn care addressed the issues encountered in developed countries, lacking consideration for circumstances in resource-limited settings (RLS). Thus, the mission of the 2014-2016 committee established by the International Society for Burn Injury (ISBI) was to create PGs for burn care to improve the care of burn patients in both RLS and resource-abundant settings. An important component of this effort is to communicate a consensus opinion on recommendations for burn care for different aspects of burn management. An additional goal is to reduce costs by outlining effective and efficient recommendations for management of medical problems specific to burn care. These recommendations are supported by the best research evidence, as well as by expert opinion. Although our vision was the creation of clinical guidelines that could be applicable in RLS, the ISBI PGs for Burn Care have been written to address the needs of burn specialists everywhere in the world. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Monitoring Shuttle Burns and Rocket Launches with GPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coster, A. J.; Bhatt, A.; O'Hanlon, B.; Rideout, W.

2009-12-01

We report on different GPS analysis techniques that can be used to examine the effects of rocket exhaust on the upper atmosphere. GPS observations of artificially produced electron density holes created by chemical releases from Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engine burns will be discussed. The percentage drop in total electron content (TEC) and the temporal and spatial scales observed in the electron density hole for different Shuttle burn experiments will be compared. We will also report on observations of TEC depletions associated with Titan rocket launches on 8 April 2003 and on 19 October 2005. Finally we will discuss the use of GPS measurements of precipitable water vapor from time periods before, during, and after Shuttle burns.

Upon admission coagulation and platelet function in patients with thermal and electrical injuries.

PubMed

Wade, Charles E; Baer, Lisa A; Cardenas, Jessica C; Folkerson, Lindley E; Nutall-Aurora, Kisha; Cotton, Bryan A; Matijevic, Nena; Holcomb, John B; Cross, James M; Huzar, Todd

2016-12-01

There has been increased focus on hemostatic potential and function in the initial assessment of the patient with traumatic injuries, that not been extensively studied in patients with burns. We proposed to determine the hemostatic potential of patients with burns upon admission to the emergency department and contrasted their condition with that of healthy controls and patients with other traumatic injuries. In addition we assessed differences due to thermal versus electrical injury and evaluated the effect of burn size. This is a patient based prospective observational study conducted with delayed consented. Subjects at the highest level of trauma activation upon admission to the ED had a blood sample collected for research purposes and were subsequently consented. Hemostatic potential was measured by rapid thromelastography (r-TEG ® ), thrombin generation by calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) and platelet function by Multiplate ® using five activators. Burn subjects were compared to subjects with other traumatic injuries and controls. Within the burn subjects additional analysis compared mechanism (thermal vs. electrical) and burn size. Values are medians (IQR). Two hundred and eighty two trauma patients (with burns n=40, 14%) and 27 controls were enrolled. Upon admission, compared to controls, subjects with burns or trauma were hyper-coagulable based on r-TEG and CAT, with increased rates of clot formation and thrombin generation. There were no differences in burns compared to other traumatic injuries. The presence of hyper-coagulation did not appear to be related to the type of burn or the percentage of total body surface area involved. Employing previous defined cut points for R-TEG driven therapeutic interventions burn patients had similar rates of hyper- and hypo-coagulation noted in patients with traumatic injuries. Upon admission patients with burns are in a hyper-coagulable state similar to that of other trauma patients. Employing demonstrated cut points of hemostatic potential in trauma patients associated with increased risk of poor outcomes demonstrated the incidence in burn patients to be similar, suggesting that these values could be used in the early assessment of the patient with burns to guide treatment interventions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

The effects of fire severity on black carbon additions to forest soils - 10 years post fire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poore, R.; Wessman, C. A.; Buma, B.

2013-12-01

Wildfires play an active role in the global carbon cycle. While large amounts of carbon dioxide are released, a small fraction of the biomass consumed by the fire is only partially combusted, yielding soot and charcoal. These products, also called black carbon (BC) make up only 1-5% of the biomass burnt, yet they can have a disproportionate effect on both the atmosphere and fluxes in long-term carbon pools. This project specifically considers the fraction that is sequestered in forest soils. Black carbon is not a specific compound, and exists along a continuum ranging from partially burned biomass to pure carbon or graphite. Increasing aromaticity as the result of partial combustion means charcoal is highly resistant to oxidation. Although debated, most studies indicate a turnover time on the order of 500-1,000 years in warm, wet, aerobic soils. Charcoal may function as a long-term carbon sink, however its overall significance depends on its rate of formation and loss. At the landscape level, fire characteristics are one of the major factors controlling charcoal production. A few studies suggest that charcoal production increases with cooler, less-severe fires. However, there are many factors to tease apart, partly because of a lack of specificity in how fire severity is defined. Within this greater context, our lab has been working on a landscape-level study within Routt National Forest, north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. In 2002, a large fire swept through a subalpine spruce, fir and lodgepole pine forest. In 2011-2013 we sampled BC pools in 44 plots across a range of fire severities from unburned to severe crown We hypothesized that charcoal stocks will be higher in areas of low severity fire as compared to high severity because of decreased re-combustion of charcoal in the organic soil and increased overall charcoal production due to lower temperatures. In each of our plots we measured charcoal on snags and coarse woody debris, sampled the entire organic horizon and the top 10cm mineral horizon. The soils were sieved to 2mm and their BC content measured using the Kurth-MacKenzie-DeLuca method of digesting labile carbon using nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide at 95C for 20hrs. We integrated both remotely sensed data and field observations. We used the Relative Difference Normalized Burn Ratio (RdNBR) calculated by Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS). This index used Landsat images from July in the years before and after the fire and is based on differences in bands 4 and 7, with the aim of assessing coarse scale changes in soil and vegetation post fire. For each plot we also collected data on tree mortality and organic soil depth. These metrics were chosen from the Composite Burn Index as those that were most reliable even 10 years after the fire. We observed no significant differences in BC totals between high severity fire and unburned plots, although BC increased slightly on burned plots. Early results for low severity sites (analysis still in progress) suggest that BC increased in plots experiencing lower severity fires compared to unburned and high severity plots. Comparing carbon and BC totals on unburned and severely burned plots, and assuming no loss of BC from mineral soil during the fire, we observed a 1.2% conversion of burned biomass to BC, which corresponds with literature estimates of 1-4%.

Computational and Experimental Study of Energetic Materials in a Counterflow Microgravity Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takahashi, Fumiaki (Technical Monitor); Urban, David (Technical Monitor); Smooke, M. D.; Parr, T. P.; Hanson-Parr, D. M.; Yetter, R. A.; Risha, G.

2004-01-01

Counterflow diffusion flames are studied for various fuels flowing against decomposition products from solid ammonium perchlorate (AP) pellets in order to obtain fundamental understanding of composite propellant flame structure and chemistry. We illustrate this approach through a combined experimental and numerical study of a fuel mixture consisting of C2H4 CO + H2, and C2H2 + C2H4 flowing against solid AP. For these particular AP-fuel systems, the resulting flame zone simulates the various flame structures that are ex+ to exist between reaction products from Ap crystals and a hydrocarbon binder. As in all our experimental studies, quantitative species and temperature profiles have been measured between the fuel exit and AP surface. Species measured included CN, NH, NO, OH, N2, CO2, CO, H2, CO, HCl, and H2O. Temperature was measured using a thermocouple at the exit, spontaneous Raman scattering measurements throughout the flame, OH rotational population distributions, and NO vibrational population distributions. The burning rate of AP was also measured as a function of strain rate, given by the separation distance between the AP surface and the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel tube exit plane. This distance was nominally set at 5 mm, although studies have been performed for variations in separation distance. The measured 12 scalars are compared with predictions from a detailed gas-phase kinetics model consisting of 86 species and 531 reactions. Model predictions are found to be in good agreement with experiment and illustrate the type of kinetic features that may be expected to occur in propellants when AP particle size distributions are varied. Furthermore, the results constitute the continued development of a necessary database and validation of a comprehensive model for studying more complex AP-solid fuel systems in microgravity. Exploratory studies have also been performed with liquid and solid fuels at normal gravity. Because of melting (and hence dripping) and deep thermal wave penetration into the liquid, these experiments were found feasible, but not used for obtaining quantitative data. Microgravity experiments are needed to eliminate the dripping and boiling phenomena of these systems at normal gravity. Microgravity tests in the NASA Glenn 2.2 second drop tower were performed (1) to demonstrate the feasibility of performing propellant experiments using the NASA Glenn microgravity facilities, (2) to develop the operational procedures for safe handing of the energetic materials and disposal of their toxic combustion by-products and (3) to obtain initial measurements of the AP burning rate and flame structure under microgravity conditions. Experiments were conducted on the CH4/AP system previously studied at normal gravity using a modified design of the counterflow burner and a NASA Glenn Pig Rig, i.e., one of the existing drop rigs for general-purpose usage. In these experiments, the AP burning rate was measured directly with a linear variable differential transducer (LVDT) and video imaging of the flame structure was recorded ignition was achieved by hot wires stretched across the AP surfaces. Initial drop tower combustion data show that with the same burner separation distance and flow conditions of the normal gravity experiments, the AP burning rate is approximately a factor of two lower. This difference is likely a result of radiation effects, but further tests with longer test times need to be conducted to verify that steady state conditions were achieved under microgravity conditions.

Long-term survival after burns in a Swedish population.

PubMed

Pompermaier, Laura; Steinvall, Ingrid; Fredrikson, Mats; Thorfinn, Johan; Sjöberg, Folke

2017-02-01

As widely reported, the progress in burn care during recent decades has reduced the hospital mortality. The effect of the burns on long-term outcome has not received so much attention, and more study is indicated. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the long-time survival among patients who had been treated for burns. We studied 1487 patients who were discharged alive from the Linköping University Hospital Burn Centre during the period 1993 until the end of December 2012. We used Cox's regression analysis to study the effect of burns on long-term survival after adjustment for different factors. Age and a full-thickness burn were significantly associated with mortality after discharge (p<0.001), whereas percentage of total body surface area burned (TBSA %), need for mechanical ventilation, and gender were not. Less than 1% of the patients with burns (13/1487) died within 30 days of discharge and a total of 176/1487 (12%) died during follow-up. Age and full-thickness burns reduce the long-time survival after discharge from the Burn Centre, whereas the effect of TBSA% and need for artificial ventilation ends with discharge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive biomass burning emission inventory with high spatial and temporal resolution in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ying; Xing, Xiaofan; Lang, Jianlei; Chen, Dongsheng; Cheng, Shuiyuan; Wei, Lin; Wei, Xiao; Liu, Chao

2017-02-01

Biomass burning injects many different gases and aerosols into the atmosphere that could have a harmful effect on air quality, climate, and human health. In this study, a comprehensive biomass burning emission inventory including domestic and in-field straw burning, firewood burning, livestock excrement burning, and forest and grassland fires is presented, which was developed for mainland China in 2012 based on county-level activity data, satellite data, and updated source-specific emission factors (EFs). The emission inventory within a 1 × 1 km2 grid was generated using geographical information system (GIS) technology according to source-based spatial surrogates. A range of key information related to emission estimation (e.g. province-specific proportion of domestic and in-field straw burning, detailed firewood burning quantities, uneven temporal distribution coefficient) was obtained from field investigation, systematic combing of the latest research, and regression analysis of statistical data. The established emission inventory includes the major precursors of complex pollution, greenhouse gases, and heavy metal released from biomass burning. The results show that the emissions of SO2, NOx, PM10, PM2.5, NMVOC, NH3, CO, EC, OC, CO2, CH4, and Hg in 2012 are 336.8 Gg, 990.7 Gg, 3728.3 Gg, 3526.7 Gg, 3474.2 Gg, 401.2 Gg, 34 380.4 Gg, 369.7 Gg, 1189.5 Gg, 675 299.0 Gg, 2092.4 Gg, and 4.12 Mg, respectively. Domestic straw burning, in-field straw burning, and firewood burning are identified as the dominant biomass burning sources. The largest contributing source is different for various pollutants. Domestic straw burning is the largest source of biomass burning emissions for all the pollutants considered, except for NH3, EC (firewood), and NOx (in-field straw). Corn, rice, and wheat represent the major crop straws. The combined emission of these three straw types accounts for 80 % of the total straw-burned emissions for each specific pollutant mentioned in this study. As for the straw burning emission of various crops, corn straw burning has the largest contribution to all of the pollutants considered, except for CH4; rice straw burning has highest contribution to CH4 and the second largest contribution to other pollutants, except for SO2, OC, and Hg; wheat straw burning is the second largest contributor to SO2, OC, and Hg and the third largest contributor to other pollutants. Heilongjiang, Shandong, and Henan provinces located in the north-eastern and central-southern regions of China have higher emissions compared to other provinces in China. Gridded emissions, which were obtained through spatial allocation based on the gridded rural population and fire point data from emission inventories at county resolution, could better represent the actual situation. High biomass burning emissions are concentrated in the areas with more agricultural and rural activity. The months of April, May, June, and October account for 65 % of emissions from in-field crop residue burning, while, regarding EC, the emissions in January, February, October, November, and December are relatively higher than other months due to biomass domestic burning in heating season. There are regional differences in the monthly variations of emissions due to the diversity of main planted crops and climatic conditions. Furthermore, PM2.5 component results showed that OC, Cl-, EC, K+, NH4+, elemental K, and SO42- are the main PM2.5 species, accounting for 80 % of the total emissions. The species with relatively high contribution to NMVOC emission include ethylene, propylene, toluene, mp-xylene, and ethyl benzene, which are key species for the formation of secondary air pollution. The detailed biomass burning emission inventory developed by this study could provide useful information for air-quality modelling and could support the development of appropriate pollution-control strategies.

Improved Survival of Patients With Extensive Burns: Trends in Patient Characteristics and Mortality Among Burn Patients in a Tertiary Care Burn Facility, 2004-2013.

PubMed

Strassle, Paula D; Williams, Felicia N; Napravnik, Sonia; van Duin, David; Weber, David J; Charles, Anthony; Cairns, Bruce A; Jones, Samuel W

Classic determinants of burn mortality are age, burn size, and the presence of inhalation injury. Our objective was to describe temporal trends in patient and burn characteristics, inpatient mortality, and the relationship between these characteristics and inpatient mortality over time. All patients aged 18 years or older and admitted with burn injury, including inhalation injury only, between 2004 and 2013 were included. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the relationship between admit year and inpatient mortality. A total of 5540 patients were admitted between 2004 and 2013. Significant differences in sex, race/ethnicity, burn mechanisms, TBSA, inhalation injury, and inpatient mortality were observed across calendar years. Patients admitted between 2011 and 2013 were more likely to be women, non-Hispanic Caucasian, with smaller burn size, and less likely to have an inhalation injury, in comparison with patients admitted from 2004 to 2010. After controlling for patient demographics, burn mechanisms, and differential lengths of stay, no calendar year trends in inpatient mortality were detected. However, a significant decrease in inpatient mortality was observed among patients with extensive burns (≥75% TBSA) in more recent calendar years. This large, tertiary care referral burn center has maintained low inpatient mortality rates among burn patients over the past 10 years. While observed decreases in mortality during this time are largely due to changes in patient and burn characteristics, survival among patients with extensive burns has improved.

Dynamic leaching studies of 48 MWd/kgU UO2 commercial spent nuclear fuel under oxic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serrano-Purroy, D.; Casas, I.; González-Robles, E.; Glatz, J. P.; Wegen, D. H.; Clarens, F.; Giménez, J.; de Pablo, J.; Martínez-Esparza, A.

2013-03-01

The leaching of a high-burn-up spent nuclear fuel (48 MWd/KgU) has been studied in a carbonate-containing solution and under oxic conditions using a Continuously Stirred Tank Flow-Through Reactor (CSTR). Two samples of the fuel, one prepared from the centre of the pellet (labelled CORE) and another one from the fuel pellet periphery, enriched with the so-called High Burn-Up Structure (HBS, labelled OUT) have been used.For uranium and actinides, the results showed that U, Np, Am and Cm gave very similar normalized dissolution rates, while Pu showed slower dissolution rates for both samples. In addition, dissolution rates were consistently two to four times lower for OUT sample compared to CORE sample.Considering the fission products release the main results are that Y, Tc, La and Nd dissolved very similar to uranium; while Cs, Sr, Mo and Rb have up to 10 times higher dissolution rates. Rh, Ru and Zr seemed to have lower dissolution rates than uranium. The lowest dissolution rates were found for OUT sample.Three different contributions were detected on uranium release, modelled and attributed to oxidation layer, fines and matrix release.

MODIS-informed greenness responsesto daytime land surface temperaturefluctuations and wildfire disturbancesin the Alaskan Yukon River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tan, Zhengxi; Liu, Shu-Guang; Jenkerson, Calli B.; Oeding, Jennifer; Wylie, Bruce K.; Rover, Jennifer R.; Young, Claudia J.

2012-01-01

Pronounced climate warming and increased wildfire disturbances are known to modify forest composition and control the evolution of the boreal ecosystem over the Yukon River Basin (YRB) in interior Alaska. In this study, we evaluate the post-fire green-up rate using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from 250 m 7 day eMODIS (an alternative and application-ready type of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data) acquired between 2000 and 2009. Our analyses indicate measureable effects on NDVI values from vegetation type, burn severity, post-fire time, and climatic variables. The NDVI observations from both fire scars and unburned areas across the Alaskan YRB showed a tendency of an earlier start to the growing season (GS); the annual variations in NDVI were significantly correlated to daytime land surface temperature (LST) fluctuations; and the rate of post-fire green-up depended mainly on burn severity and the time of post-fire succession. The higher average NDVI values for the study period in the fire scars than in the unburned areas between 1950 and 2000 suggest that wildfires enhance post-fire greenness due to an increase in post-fire evergreen and deciduous species components

An Outcomes Study on the Effects of the Singapore General Hospital Burns Protocol.

PubMed

Liang, Weihao; Kok, Yee Onn; Tan, Bien Keem; Chong, Si Jack

2018-01-01

The Singapore General Hospital Burns Protocol was implemented in May 2014 to standardize treatment for all burns patients, incorporate new techniques and materials, and streamline the processes and workflow of burns management. This study aims to analyze the effects of the Burns Protocol 2 years after its implementation. Using a REDCap electronic database, all burns patients admitted from May 2013 to April 2016 were included in the study. The historical preimplementation control group composed of patients admitted from May 2013 to April 2014 (n = 96). The postimplementation prospective study cohort consisted of patients admitted from May 2014 to April 2016 (n = 243). Details of the patients collected included age, sex, comorbidities, total body surface area (TBSA) burns, time until surgery, number of surgeries, number of positive tissue and blood cultures, and length of hospital stay. There was no statistically significant difference in the demographics of both groups. The study group had a statistically significant shorter time to surgery compared with the control group (20.8 vs 38.1, P < 0.0001). The study group also averaged fewer surgeries performed (1.96 vs 2.29, P = 0.285), which, after accounting for the extent of burns, was statistically significant (number of surgeries/TBSA, 0.324 vs 0.506; P = 0.0499). The study group also had significantly shorter length of stay (12.5 vs 16.8, P = 0.0273), a shorter length of stay/TBSA burns (0.874 vs 1.342, P = 0.0101), and fewer positive tissue cultures (0.6 vs 1.3, P = 0.0003). The study group also trended toward fewer positive blood culture results (0.09 vs 0.35, P = 0.0593), although the difference was just shy of statistical significance. The new Singapore General Hospital Burns Protocol had revolutionized Singapore burns care by introducing a streamlined, multidisciplinary burns management, resulting in improved patient outcomes, lowered health care costs, and improved system resource use.

The effects of complex chemistry on triple flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Echekki, T.; Chen, J. H.

1996-01-01

The structure, ignition, and stabilization mechanisms for a methanol (CH3OH)-air triple flame are studied using Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS). The methanol (CH3OH)-air triple flame is found to burn with an asymmetric shape due to the different chemical and transport processes characterizing the mixture. The excess fuel, methanol (CH3OH), on the rich premixed flame branch is replaced by more stable fuels CO and H2, which burn at the diffusion flame. On the lean premixed flame side, a higher concentration of O2 leaks through to the diffusion flame. The general structure of the triple point features the contribution of both differential diffusion of radicals and heat. A mixture fraction-temperature phase plane description of the triple flame structure is proposed to highlight some interesting features in partially premixed combustion. The effects of differential diffusion at the triple point add to the contribution of hydrodynamic effects in the stabilization of the triple flame. Differential diffusion effects are measured using two methods: a direct computation using diffusion velocities and an indirect computation based on the difference between the normalized mixture fractions of C and H. The mixture fraction approach does not clearly identify the effects of differential diffusion, in particular at the curved triple point, because of ambiguities in the contribution of carbon and hydrogen atoms' carrying species.

Preventing Scars after Injury with Partial Irreversible Electroporation

PubMed Central

Golberg, Alexander; Villiger, Martin; Khan, Saiqa; Quinn, Kyle P.; Lo, William C. Y.; Bouma, Brett E.; Mihm, Martin C.; Austen, William G.; Yarmush, Martin L.

2017-01-01

Preventing the formation of hypertrophic scars, especially those that are a result of major trauma or burns, would have enormous impact in the fields of regenerative and trauma medicine. In this report, we introduce a non-invasive method to prevent scarring based on non-thermal partial irreversible electroporation. Contact burn injuries in rats were treated with varying treatment parameters to optimize the treatment protocol. Scar surface area and structural properties of the scar were assessed with histology and non-invasive, longitudinal imaging with polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. We found that partial irreversible electroporation using 200 pulses of 250 V and 70 μs duration, delivered at 3 Hz every 20 days during a total of five therapy sessions after the initial burn injury resulted in a 57.9% reduction of the scar area in comparison with untreated scars and structural features approaching those of normal skin. Noteworthy, unlike humans, rats do not develop hypertrophic scars. Therefore, the use of a rat animal model is the limiting factor of this work. PMID:27393126

[Clinical evaluation of the postburn retention and the metabolism of Imipenem in the third space].

PubMed

Rong, Xin-Zhou; Bei, Chun-Hua; Huang, Xiao-Hua; Li, Qing-Hui

2003-04-01

To explore the half life and retention of Imipenem in the third space. Eight severely burned patients and eight healthy volunteers were enrolled as the burn group (B) and normal control group (C), respectively. HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) was employed to determine the contents of Imipenem in the plasma, subeschar tissue fluid (STF) and the changes in its pharmacokinetics. Furthermore, the Imipenem content in the third space was calculated according to the systemic edema degree. The half life of Imipenem in STF (2.53 h) was longer than that in plasma (1.73 h), P < 0.05). The Imipenem content in STF increased gradually along with the lapse of time after repeated intravenous infusion of Imipenem, and at the same the total content of imipenem was increased significantly in the third space. There was antibiotic retention in the third space after severe burn injury, and a prolonged action of the drug could be expected when the drug re-entered the blood stream.

Development of a tissue-engineered human oral mucosa equivalent based on an acellular allogeneic dermal matrix: a preliminary report of clinical application to burn wounds.

PubMed

Iida, Takuya; Takami, Yoshihiro; Yamaguchi, Ryo; Shimazaki, Shuji; Harii, Kiyonori

2005-01-01

Tissue-engineered skin equivalents composed of epidermal and dermal components have been widely investigated for coverage of full-thickness skin defects. We developed a tissue-engineered oral mucosa equivalent based on an acellular allogeneic dermal matrix and investigated its characteristics. We also tried and assessed its preliminary clinical application. Human oral mucosal keratinocytes were separated from a piece of oral mucosa and cultured in a chemically-defined medium. The keratinocytes were seeded on to the acellular allogeneic dermal matrix and cultured. Histologically, the mucosa equivalent had a well-stratified epithelial layer. Immunohistochemical study showed that it was similar to normal oral mucosa. We applied this equivalent in one case with an extensive burn wound. The equivalent was transplanted three weeks after the harvest of the patient's oral mucosa and about 30% of the graft finally survived. We conclude that this new oral mucosa equivalent could become a therapeutic option for the treatment of extensive burns.

[Rehabilitation of burn victims. A difficult path back to normality].

PubMed

Butz, M; Conrady, D; Baumgärtler, H; Mentzel, H E

2002-06-13

The most important aims of rehabilitation in burn victims is the restitution and improvement of joint mobility, mimicry and pulmonary function, as well as of muscular endurance and strength. In addition to the management of scars, therefore, patient instruction in unsupervised training and scar care, as well as promotion of re-integration into day-to-day life are essential. Depending on the parts of the body affected, measures may include manual therapy, active exercise, treatment with ultrasound, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation in the case of facial burns, respiratory therapy and ergotherapy and, finally coordination training. Treatment of the scars themselves requires a combination of a number of measures, all of which should be of an "active" nature. Of proven value are manual massage of scar tissue, stretching exercises, the use of silicone, special splints and compression clothing, as well as laser therapy. Rehabilitation measures should be applied for not less than 4 weeks. Where indicated, further surgical measures should be discussed with the patient.

The Healing Effect of Nettle Extract on Second Degree Burn Wounds

PubMed Central

Akbari, Hosein; Fatemi, Mohammad Javad; Iranpour, Maryam; Khodarahmi, Ali; Baghaee, Mehrdad; Pedram, Mir Sepehr; Saleh, Sahar; Araghi, Shirin

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Numerous studies were carried out to develop more sophisticated dressings to expedite healing processes and diminish the bacterial burden in burn wounds. This study assessed the healing effect of nettle extract on second degree burns wound in rats in comparison with silver sulfadiazine and vaseline. METHODS Forty rats were randomly assigned to four equal groups. A deep second-degree burn was created on the back of each rat using a standard burning procedure. The burns were dressed daily with nettle extract in group 1, silver sulfadiazine in group 2, vaseline in group 3 and without any medication in group 4 as control group. The response to treatment was assessed by digital photography during the treatment until day 42. Histological scoring was undertaken for scar tissue samples on days 10 and 42. RESULTS A statistically significant difference was observed in group 1 compared with other groups regarding 4 scoring parameters after 10 days. A statistically significant difference was seen for fibrosis parameter after 42 days. In terms of difference of wound surface area, maximal healing was noticed at the same time in nettle group and minimal repair in the control group. CONCLUSION Our findings showed maximal rate of healing in the nettle group. So it may be a suitable substitute for silver sulfadiazine and vaseline when available. PMID:25606473

Fire impacts on the cryosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kehrwald, N. M.; Zennaro, P.; Skiles, M.; Barbante, C.

2015-12-01

Continental-scale smog clouds and massive boreal smoke plumes deposit dark particles on glaciers, darkening their surfaces and altering surface albedo. These atmospheric brown clouds are primarily comprised of both fossil fuel and biomass burning combustion products. Here, we examine the biomass burning contribution to aerosols trapped in the cryosphere through investigating the specific molecular marker levoglucosan (1,6-anhydro-β-D-glucopyranose) in ice cores. Levoglucosan is only produced by cellulose combustion, and therefore is an ideal comparison for multi-proxy investigations incorporating other markers with multiple sources. Wildfire combustion products are a major component of dark aerosols deposited on the Greenland ice sheet during the 2012 melt event. Levoglucosan concentrations that demonstrate the biomass burning contribution are similar to black carbon concentrations that record both fossil fuel and biomass burning during this same event. This similarity is especially important as levoglucosan and black carbon trends differ during the industrial era in the NEEM, Greenland ice core, demonstrating different contributions of fossil fuel and biomass burning to the Greenland ice sheet. These differences are also present in the EPICA Dome C Antarctic ice core. Low-latitude ice cores such as Kilimanjaro, Tanzania and Muztag, Tibet demonstrate that climate is still the primary control over fire activity in these regions, even with increased modern biomass burning and the possible impacts of atmospheric brown clouds.

Role of burning season on initial understory vegetation response to prescribed fire in a mixed conifer forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knapp, E.E.; Schwilk, D.W.; Kane, J.M.; Keeley, J.E.

2007-01-01

Although the majority of fires in the western United States historically occurred during the late summer or early fall when fuels were dry and plants were dormant or nearly so, early-season prescribed burns are often ignited when fuels are still moist and plants are actively growing. The purpose of this study was to determine if burn season influences postfire vegetation recovery. Replicated early-season burn, late-season burn, and unburned control units were established in a mixed conifer forest, and understory vegetation was evaluated before and after treatment. Vegetation generally recovered rapidly after prescribed burning. However, late-season burns resulted in a temporary but significant drop in cover and a decline in species richness at the 1 m 2 scale in the following year. For two of the several taxa that were negatively affected by burning, the reduction in frequency was greater after late-season than early-season burns. Early-season burns may have moderated the effect of fire by consuming less fuel and lessening the amount of soil heating. Our results suggest that, when burned under high fuel loading conditions, many plant species respond more strongly to differences in fire intensity and severity than to timing of the burn relative to stage of plant growth. ?? 2007 NRC.

Differences between intentional and non-intentional burns in India: implications for prevention.

PubMed

Natarajan, Mangai

2014-08-01

Non-intentional and deliberate burns in India and other developing countries present particular challenges of prevention and treatment. This exploratory study sought improved understanding of burns in order to inform treatment and prevention. It gathered data in 2011/2012 on burns from the hospital registry (N=768) of a government hospital in India and from interviews with women patients (N=60) admitted to the burns ward. Analysis indicated that: (1) the conditions that facilitate intentional and non-intentional burns are similar, but intentional burns involve additional contributory factors; (2) a high proportion of patients subjected to burns are young women in domestic situations; and (3) a higher proportion of their TBSA was burned, with consequent higher mortality than for men. It was concluded that: (1) Haddon's matrix and the situational crime prevention framework of criminology assist in understanding the etiology of intentional burns and in identifying preventive measures; (2) social service and criminal justice agencies have important roles in dealing with victims of intentional burns during and after treatment; (3) full account should be taken of gender-related physical, psychological and family factors in planning treatment; and (4) maintaining careful records of burns cases is vital for estimating the prevalence and incidence of intentional injuries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Biomass Combustions and Burning Emissions Inferred from GOES Fire Radiative Power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.; Kondragunta, S.; Schmidt, C.

2007-12-01

Biomass burning significantly affects air quality and climate changes. Current estimates of burning emissions are rather imprecise and vary markedly with different methodologies. This paper investigates biomass burning consumption and emissions using GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites) WF_ABBA (Wildfire Automated Biomass Burning Algorithm) fire product. In doing this, we establish a set of representatives in diurnal patterns of half-hourly GOES Fire Radiative Power (FRP) for various ecosystems. The representative patterns are used to fill the missed and poor observations of half hourly FRP in GOES fire data for individual fire pixels. The simulated FRP is directly applied to the calculation of the biomass combusted during fire activities. The FRP-based biomass combustion is evaluated using the estimates using a traditional model which integrates burned area, fuel loading, and combustion factor. In the traditional model calculation, we derive burned areas from GOES WF_ABBA fire size. Fuel loading includes three different types (1) MODIS Vegetation Property-based Fuel System (MVPFS), (2) National Dangerous Rating Systems (NFDRS), and (3) the Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS). By comparing the biomass combustions across the Contiguous United States (CONUS) from 2003-2005, we conclude that FRP is an effective tool to estimate the biomass burning emissions. Finally, we examine the temporal and spatial patterns in biomass combustions and emissions (PM2.5, CO, NH3) across the CONUS.

An in vitro biofilm model to examine the effect of antibiotic ointments on biofilms produced by burn wound bacterial isolates.

PubMed

Hammond, Adrienne A; Miller, Kyle G; Kruczek, Cassandra J; Dertien, Janet; Colmer-Hamood, Jane A; Griswold, John A; Horswill, Alexander R; Hamood, Abdul N

2011-03-01

Topical treatment of burn wounds is essential as reduced blood supply in the burned tissues restricts the effect of systemic antibiotics. On the burn surface, microorganisms exist within a complex structure termed a biofilm, which enhances bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents significantly. Since bacteria differ in their ability to develop biofilms, the susceptibility of these biofilms to topically applied antibiotics varies, making it essential to identify which topical antibiotics efficiently disrupt or prevent biofilms produced by these pathogens. Yet, a simple in vitro assay to compare the susceptibility of biofilms produced by burn wound isolates to different topical antibiotics has not been reported. Biofilms were developed by inoculating cellulose disks on agar plates with burn wound isolates and incubating for 24h. The biofilms were then covered for 24h with untreated gauze or gauze coated with antibiotic ointment and remaining microorganisms were quantified and visualized microscopically. Mupirocin and triple antibiotic ointments significantly reduced biofilms produced by the Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa burn wound isolates tested, as did gentamicin ointment, with the exception of one P. aeruginosa clinical isolate. The described assay is a practical and reproducible approach to identify topical antibiotics most effective in eliminating biofilms produced by burn wound isolates. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

OX62+OX6+OX35+ rat dendritic cells are unable to prime CD4+ T cells for an effective immune response following acute burn injury.

PubMed

Fazal, Nadeem

2013-01-01

Co-stimulatory molecules expressed on Dendritic Cells (DCs) function to coordinate an efficient immune response by T cells in the peripheral lymph nodes. We hypothesized that CD4+ T cell-mediated immune suppression following burn injury may be related to dysfunctional DCs residing in gut associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), such as Mesenteric Lymph Nodes (MLN). Therefore, we studied co-stimulatory molecules expressed on burn rat MLN DCs as an index of functional DCs that would mount an effective normal CD4+ T cell immune response. In a rat model of 30% Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) scald burn, OX62+OX6+OX35+ DCs and CD4+ T cells were isolated from MLN of day 3 post-burn and sham control rats. DCs were tested for their expression of co-stimulatory molecules, and prime CD4+ T cell (DC:CD4+T cell co-culture assays) to determine an effector immune response such as CD4+ T cell proliferation. The surface receptor expressions of MLN DCs co-stimulatory molecules, i.e., MHC-II, CD40, CD80 (B7-1), and CD86 (B7-2) were determined by Flow cytometry (quantitatively) and confocal microscopy (qualitatively). Tritiated thymidine and CFDA-SE determined CD4+ T cell proliferation following co-incubation with DCs. Cytokine milieu of MLN (IL-12 and IL-10) was assessed by mRNA determination by RT-PCR. The results showed down-regulated expressions of co-stimulatory markers (CD80, CD86, CD40 and MHC-II) of MLN DCs obtained from burn-injured rats, as well as lack of ability of these burn-induced DCs to stimulate CD4+ T cell proliferation in co-culture assays, as compared to the sham rats. Moreover, anti-CD40 stimulation of affected burn MLN DCs did not reverse this alteration. Furthermore, a marked up-regulation of mRNA IL-10 and down-regulation of mRNA IL-12 in burn MLN as compared to sham animals was also observed. To surmise, the data indicated that dysfunctional OX62+OX6+OX35+ rat MLN DCs may contribute to CD4+ T-cell-mediated immune suppression observed following acute burn injury.

OX62+OX6+OX35+ rat dendritic cells are unable to prime CD4+ T cells for an effective immune response following acute burn injury☆

PubMed Central

Fazal, Nadeem

2013-01-01

Co-stimulatory molecules expressed on Dendritic Cells (DCs) function to coordinate an efficient immune response by T cells in the peripheral lymph nodes. We hypothesized that CD4+ T cell-mediated immune suppression following burn injury may be related to dysfunctional DCs residing in gut associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), such as Mesenteric Lymph Nodes (MLN). Therefore, we studied co-stimulatory molecules expressed on burn rat MLN DCs as an index of functional DCs that would mount an effective normal CD4+ T cell immune response. In a rat model of 30% Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) scald burn, OX62+OX6+OX35+ DCs and CD4+ T cells were isolated from MLN of day 3 post-burn and sham control rats. DCs were tested for their expression of co-stimulatory molecules, and prime CD4+ T cell (DC:CD4+T cell co-culture assays) to determine an effector immune response such as CD4+ T cell proliferation. The surface receptor expressions of MLN DCs co-stimulatory molecules, i.e., MHC-II, CD40, CD80 (B7-1), and CD86 (B7-2) were determined by Flow cytometry (quantitatively) and confocal microscopy (qualitatively). Tritiated thymidine and CFDA-SE determined CD4+ T cell proliferation following co-incubation with DCs. Cytokine milieu of MLN (IL-12 and IL-10) was assessed by mRNA determination by RT-PCR. The results showed down-regulated expressions of co-stimulatory markers (CD80, CD86, CD40 and MHC-II) of MLN DCs obtained from burn-injured rats, as well as lack of ability of these burn-induced DCs to stimulate CD4+ T cell proliferation in co-culture assays, as compared to the sham rats. Moreover, anti-CD40 stimulation of affected burn MLN DCs did not reverse this alteration. Furthermore, a marked up-regulation of mRNA IL-10 and down-regulation of mRNA IL-12 in burn MLN as compared to sham animals was also observed. To surmise, the data indicated that dysfunctional OX62+OX6+OX35+ rat MLN DCs may contribute to CD4+ T-cell-mediated immune suppression observed following acute burn injury. PMID:24600560

Factors associated with mortality and length of stay in the Oporto burn unit (2006-2009).

PubMed

Bartosch, Isabel; Bartosch, Carla; Egipto, Paula; Silva, Alvaro

2013-05-01

Retrospective studies are essential to evaluate and improve the efficiency of care of burned patients. This study analyses the work done in the burn unit of Hospital de S. João in the north of Portugal. A retrospective review was performed in patients admitted from 2006 to 2009. The study population was characterised regarding patient demographics, admissions profile, burn aetiology, burn site, extension and treatment. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were done in order to elucidate which of these factors influenced the mortality and length of stay. The characteristics before and after the creation of the burn unit, as well as the similarities and differences with the published data of other national and international burn units, are analysed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Perceptual and Affective Responses to Sampled Capsaicin Differ by Reported Intake

PubMed Central

Nolden, Alissa A.; Hayes, John E.

2016-01-01

The present study was conducted to a) generate suprathresold dose-response functions for multiple qualities evoked by capsaicin across a wide range of concentrations, and b) revisit how intensity ratings and liking may differ as a function of self reported intake. Individuals rated eight samples of capsaicin for perceived burn and bitterness, as well as disliking/liking. Measures of reported preference for chili peppers, chili intake frequency, prior experience and personality measures were also assessed. Here, we confirm prior findings showing that burn in the laboratory differs with reported chili intake, with infrequent consumers reporting more burn. We extend these findings by exploring how capsaicin perception varies by reported liking, and measures of variety seeking. We also address the question of whether differences in burn ratings may potentially be an artifact of differential scale usage across groups due to prior experience, and not chronic desensitization, as is typically assumed. By using generalized scaling methods and recalled sensations, we conclude the differences observed here and elsewhere are not likely due to differences in how participants use rating scales. PMID:28392628

Flame spread over thick polymethylmethacrylate samples in a simulated and actual microgravity environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Tirthesh Jayesh

The NASA Burning and Suppression of Solids-II (BASS II) experiment examines the combustion of different solid materials and material geometries in microgravity. While flames in microgravity are driven by diffusion and weak advection due to crew movements and ventilation, the current NASA spacecraft material selection test method (NASA-STD- 6001 Test 1) is driven by buoyant forces as gravity is present. The overall goal of this project is to understand the burning of intermediate and thick fuels in microgravity, and devise a normal gravity test to apply to future materials. Clear cast polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) samples 10 cm long by 1 or 2 cm wide with thicknesses ranging from 1-5 mm were investigated. PMMA is the ideal choice since it is widely used and we know its stoichiometric chemistry. Tests included both one sided and two sided burns. Samples are ignited by heating a wire behind the sample. The samples are burned in a flow duct within the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on the International Space Station (ISS) to ensure true microgravity conditions. The experiment takes place in opposed flow with varying Oxygen concentrations and flow velocities. Flames are recorded on two cameras and later tracked to determine spread rate. Currently we are modeling combustion of PMMA using Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS 5.5.3) and Smokeview. The entire modelling for BASS-II is done in DNS mode because of the laminar conditions and small domain. In DNS mode the Navier Stokes equations are solved without the Turbulence model. The model employs the same test sample and MSG geometry as the experiment; but in 2D. The experimental data gave upstream velocity at several points using an anemometer. A flow profile for the inlet velocity is obtained using Matlab and input into the model. The flame spread rates obtained after tracking are then compared with the experimental data and the results follow the trends but the spread rates are higher.

Bird response to fire severity and repeated burning in upland hardwood forest

Treesearch

Cathryn H. Greenberg; Thomas A. Waldrop; Joseph Tomcho; Ross J. Phillips; Dean Simon

2012-01-01

Prescribed burning is a common management tool for upland hardwood forests, with wildlife habitat improvement an often cited goal. Fire management for wildlife conservation requires understanding how species respond to burning at different frequencies, severities, and over time. In an earlier study, we experimentally assessed how breeding bird communities and species...

A review of ecological consequences of shifting the timing of burning tallgrass prairie

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Prescribed burning is widely accepted as a critical management tool in the tallgrass prairie, however, the ecological effects of burning at different times of the season are poorly understood. In the Kansas Fleet Hills, timing of fire is an important management issue that carries socio-economic as w...

Special considerations in paediatric burn patients

PubMed Central

Sharma, Ramesh Kumar; Parashar, Atul

2010-01-01

Burn injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. In India, the figure constitutes about one-fourth of the total burn accidents. The management of paediatric burns can be a major challenge for the treating unit. One has to keep in mind that “children are not merely small adults”; there are certain features in this age group that warrant special attention. The peculiarities in the physiology of fluid and electrolyte handling, the uniqueness of the energy requirement and the differences in the various body proportions in children dictate that the paediatric burn management should be taken with a different perspective than for adults. This review article would deal with the special situations that need to be addressed while treating this special class of thermal injuries. We must ensure that not only the children survive the initial injury, but also the morbidity and complications are minimized. If special care is taken during the initial management of paediatric burn injuries, these children can be effectively integrated into the society as very useful and productive members. PMID:21321657

Monitoring the extent and occurence of fire in the different veld types of South Africa with particular reference to it's ecological role

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, D. (Principal Investigator)

1976-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Imagery showed the highest amount of burned area to be in the western, southern, and eastern Transvaal and in one scene of the Transkei coast region. The percentage of burned area per image in all instances exceeded 1.4% reaching a maximum of 8.24% equivalent to 121,758 ha out of 1,476,540 ha of one image in the eastern Transvaal lowveld. There was a consistent increase in the amount of burnt area on images from July through to the end of October. From October onwards, there was a decrease in burned area so that during December there was none or very little burning evident. Four scenes comprising nine images showed burning according to the twelve veld types. Considerable variation was evident in the burning between different veld types: between 10 and 19% of the mixed, sourish-mixed, and sour bushveld types was burnt, but in other veld types the percentage of burnt area was less than 1%.

Effects of Different Types of Burn Wounds and its Dressings on Millimeter-Wave Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, Oppelt; Patrick, Korf; Julian, Adametz; Jannis, Groh; Martin, Vossiek; Kristina, Zhuravleva; Ole, Goertz

2018-03-01

Millimeter-wave imaging is a promising technology for diagnosing skin burns, that may make it easier to assess and determine the burn depth in the near future. However, up to now, it has not yet been brought to clinical use due to the lack of clinical trails on patients and a millimeter-wave-aided classification of skin burns. In this paper, in a preliminary step, ex-vivo burned porcine skin is utilized to visualize and quantify skin that has been burned in different ways, and to access its effect on millimeter-wave images. For the first time, a 24 hour study of in-vivo human skin visualizes the effect of wound dressings using a fast imaging system operating at frequencies from 70 to 80 GHz. For validation, the effective relative permittivity of the skin and the dressings are measured using a open-ended coaxial probe. An analytical model is applied to calculate the reflection coefficient which are compared to the intensity of the millimeter-wave images to validate the model.

Influence of long-term repeated prescribed burning on mycelial communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi.

PubMed

Bastias, Brigitte A; Xu, Zhihong; Cairney, John W G

2006-01-01

To demonstrate the efficacy of direct DNA extraction from hyphal ingrowth bags for community profiling of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) mycelia in soil, we applied the method to investigate the influence of long-term repeated prescribed burning on an ECM fungal community. DNA was extracted from hyphal ingrowth bags buried in forest plots that received different prescribed burning treatments for 30 yr, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles of partial fungal rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were compared. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequence analyses were also used to compare clone assemblages between the treatments. The majority of sequences derived from the ingrowth bags were apparently those of ECM fungi. DGGE profiles for biennially burned plots were significantly different from those of quadrennially burned and unburned control plots. Analysis of clone assemblages indicated that this reflected altered ECM fungal community composition. The results indicate that hyphal ingrowth bags represent a useful method for investigation of ECM mycelial communities, and that frequent long-term prescribed burning can influence below-ground ECM fungal communities.

[Investigation and analysis of the cognition degree of parents of 150 pediatric burn patients on scar rehabilitation].

PubMed

Han, Da-wei; Fu, Jin-feng; Yan, Gang; Jiang, He; Liu, Wen-jun

2013-02-01

To analyze the cognition degree of parents of pediatric burn patients on hyperplasia of scar and its prevention and rehabilitation, so as to provide a guidance for preventing deformity and dysfunction caused by scar hyperplasia. Questionnaire survey was carried out among parents of 150 pediatric burn patients hospitalized from October 2010 to November 2011 to analyze the cognition degree of patients on the formation of scar after burns, the demand degree for scar treatment between parents of different genders of patients and among parents of patients with burn injury occurred in different body sites, the relationship between the literacy level of parents and their degree of willingness of undergoing scar treatment, and the degree of comprehension and acceptance on the part of parents regarding the methods of prevention and treatment of scar. Data were processed with chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. (1) Only the parents of 19 pediatric burn patients (accounting for 12.7%) realized the possibility of scar formation before admission. After admission, more than half of the parents were told that their children would bear scar and need regular follow-up, while only parents of 52 patients (34.7%) were instructed the methods of preventing and treating scar. (2) One hundred and forty parents (93.3%) considered their children need prevention and treatment of scar after burns. There was no statistically significant difference between parents of male patients and female patients in the demand for scar treatment (χ(2) = 0.825, P > 0.05). The demand degree of parents for rehabilitation treatment for the upper limbs after burns surpassed those of the other sites of body, and altogether there were 85 parents accounting for 97.7% of all. (3) The difference among parents with different levels of literacy was not obvious in the willingness of receiving treatment for scar hyperplasia (P > 0.05). (4) Eight methods were chosen by parents to prevent and treat scars of patients. Eighty-five parents (56.7%) chose the topical agents; 26 parents (17.3%) chose the pressure therapy; and 18 parents (12.0%) preferred oral drug treatment. Parents of pediatric burn patients do not have enough understanding on the formation and prevention and treatment of postburn scars. Medical staff should enhance the awareness of parents on scar rehabilitation, improve the treatment technology, and promulgate the importance of prevention and treatment of scar formation after a burn injury in the society.

Two-Year Gender Differences in Satisfaction With Appearance After Burn Injury and Prediction of Five-Year Depression: A Latent Growth Curve Approach.

PubMed

Al Ghriwati, Nour; Sutter, Megan; Pierce, Bradford S; Perrin, Paul B; Wiechman, Shelley A; Schneider, Jeffrey C

2017-11-01

To use latent growth curve and longitudinal structural equation modeling to examine the 2-year trajectory of satisfaction with appearance in adults with burn injury, and that trajectory's effect on depression 5 years after burn injury. Data were collected at discharge after burn injury hospitalization and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years postdischarge. The Burn Model Systems (BMS) program consisted of a data center and 5 participating burn centers. The sample consisted of adults (N=720) who were hospitalized for a burn injury, enrolled in the BMS database, and completed measures at least once throughout the 5-year study duration. Not applicable. Satisfaction With Appearance Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (depression). Women with burn injury reported higher levels of dissatisfaction with their appearance in comparison to their male counterparts over the 2 years after discharge. Individuals with a larger total body surface area (TBSA) affected by a burn also reported greater body dissatisfaction across the postdischarge 2-year period. Results did not support significant gender or TBSA differences in the rate of change of body dissatisfaction trajectories across these 2 years. Individuals with greater body dissatisfaction at 6 months postdischarge tended to have higher depressive symptoms at 5 years. Six month postdischarge, body dissatisfaction scores also mediated the effects of gender and TBSA on depressive symptoms 5 years later. It is recommended that individuals with heightened body image dissatisfaction after a burn, particularly women and those with larger TBSA, participate in evidence-based psychosocial interventions to improve long-term adjustment. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

β-Adrenergic blockade does not impair the skin blood flow sensitivity to local heating in burned and nonburned skin under neutral and hot environments in children.

PubMed

Rivas, Eric; McEntire, Serina J; Herndon, David N; Mlcak, Ronald P; Suman, Oscar E

2017-05-01

We tested the hypothesis that propranolol, a drug given to burn patients to reduce hypermetabolism/cardiac stress, may inhibit heat dissipation by changing the sensitivity of skin blood flow (SkBF) to local heating under neutral and hot conditions. In a randomized double-blind study, a placebo was given to eight burned children, while propranolol was given to 13 burned children with similar characteristics (mean±SD: 11.9±3 years, 147±20 cm, 45±23 kg, 56±12% Total body surface area burned). Nonburned children (n=13, 11.4±3 years, 152±15 cm, 52±13 kg) served as healthy controls. A progressive local heating protocol characterized SkBF responses in burned and unburned skin and nonburned control skin under the two environmental conditions (23 and 34°C) via laser Doppler flowmetry. Resting SkBF was greater in burned and unburned skin compared to the nonburned control (main effect: skin, P<.0001; 57±32 burned; 38±36 unburned vs 9±8 control %SkBF max ). No difference was found for maximal SkBF capacity to local heating between groups. Additionally, dose-response curves for the sensitivity of SkBF to local heating were not different among burned or unburned skin, and nonburned control skin (EC 50 , P>.05) under either condition. Therapeutic propranolol does not negatively affect SkBF under neutral or hot environmental conditions and further compromise temperature regulation in burned children. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Anticipating the severity of the fire season in Northern Portugal using statistical models based on meteorological indices of fire danger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunes, Sílvia A.; DaCamara, Carlos C.; Turkman, Kamil F.; Ermida, Sofia L.; Calado, Teresa J.

2017-04-01

Like in other regions of Mediterranean Europe, climate and weather are major drivers of fire activity in Portugal. The aim of the present study is to assess the role played by meteorological factors on inter-annual variability of burned area over a region of Portugal characterized by large fire activity. Monthly cumulated values of burned area in August are obtained from the fire database of ICNF, the Portuguese authority for forests. The role of meteorological factors is characterized by means of Daily Severity Rating, DSR, an index of meteorological fire danger, which is derived from meteorological fields as obtained from ECMWF Interim Reanalysis. The study area is characterized by the predominance of forest, with high percentages of maritime pine and eucalyptus, two species with high flammability in summer. The time series of recorded burned area in August during 1980-2011 is highly correlated (correlation coefficient of 0.93) with the one for whole Portugal. First, a normal distribution model is fitted to the 32-year sample of decimal logarithms of monthly burned area. The model is improved by introducing two covariates:(1) the top-down meteorological factor (DSRtd) which consists of daily cumulated values of DSR since April 1 to July 31 and may be viewed as the cumulated stress on vegetation due to meteorological conditions during the pre-fire season; (2) the bottom-up factor (DSRbu) which consists of the square root of the mean of the squared daily deviations (restricted to days with positive departures of DSR from the corresponding long term mean) and may be viewed as the contribution of days characterized by extreme weather conditions favoring the onset and spreading of wildfires. Three different statistical models are then developed: the "climate anomaly" model, using DSRtd as covariate, the "weather anomaly", using DSRbu as covariate, and the "combined" model using both variables as covariates. These models are used to define background fire danger, fire weather danger and combined fire danger, respectively quantifying the contribution of DSRtd, DSRbu and both covariates to increasing or decreasing the probability of having extremely high/low values of burned area in August. Using the information obtained by the "combined" model it is possible to calculate the minimum/ maximum value of DSRbu for a given year to be modelled as severe/weak. The probability is then made using a normal distribution of the data series of DSRbu, if the probability is below 20% than the year will be considered as not belonging to that classification. This classification is able to correctly identify 34 out of the 36 years studied. This results can be of extreme use to forest managers and firefighters when deciding which the best fire preventing measures are and where to allocate the resources.