title: The evidence and the rationale for the use of honey as wound dressing

authors: Molan, Peter C.

subjects: honey

abstract: Although there are now several brands and types of honey wound-care products available as registered medical devices, there is little promotional advertising of honey products for wound care. The misconception that there is no evidence to support the use of honey, which seems to be quite common, may be due to this lack of advertising, and to the systematic reviews that have been published on honey concluding that the evidence is of low quality and/or there is a need for more evidence. However, the same lack of high-quality evidence exists with all the other options that clinicians have for dressing wounds. This places practitioners in a quandary. When clinical evidence of the highest level is not available, then decisions on modes of treatment need to be based on whatever evidence there is available. This review outlines the 16 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of honey in wound care published since Molan reviewed the previous 17 in 2006, which bring the total of participants in the trials up from 1,965 to 3,556 and broadens the range of types of wounds on which trials with honey have been conducted. Another important factor influencing the choice by clinicians of which product to use on a wound is scientific rationale. This review covers the evidence and explanation of mode of action for various bioactivities in honey which aid wound healing: a very broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity that is effective on antibiotic-resistant strains; activation of autolytic debridement; anti-inflammatory activity; antioxidant activity; stimulation of growth of cells for tissue repair; and an osmotic action. The need for standardisation of these bioactivities is discussed.

text: The evidence and the rationale for the use of honey as wound dressing Although there are now several brands and types of honey wound-care products available as registered medical devices, there is little promotional advertising of honey products for wound care. The misconception that there is no evidence to support the use of honey, which seems to be quite common, may be due to this lack of advertising, and to the systematic reviews that have been published on honey concluding that the evidence is of low quality and/or there is a need for more evidence. However, the same lack of high-quality evidence exists with all the other options that clinicians have for dressing wounds. This places practitioners in a quandary. When clinical evidence of the highest level is not available, then decisions on modes of treatment need to be based on whatever evidence there is available. This review outlines the 16 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of honey in wound care published since Molan reviewed the previous 17 in 2006, which bring the total of participants in the trials up from 1,965 to 3,556 and broadens the range of types of wounds on which trials with honey have been conducted. Another important factor influencing the choice by clinicians of which product to use on a wound is scientific rationale. This review covers the evidence and explanation of mode of action for various bioactivities in honey which aid wound healing: a very broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity that is effective on antibiotic-resistant strains; activation of autolytic debridement; anti-inflammatory activity; antioxidant activity; stimulation of growth of cells for tissue repair; and an osmotic action. The need for standardisation of these bioactivities is discussed.

year: 2011

title: Hantupeptin A, a cytotoxic cyclic depsipeptide from a Singapore collection of Lyngbya majuscula

authors: Tripathi, Ashootosh

subjects: chemistry

abstract: Chemical investigation of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula from Pulau Hantu Besar, Singapore, has led to the isolation of a cyclodepsipeptide, hantupeptin A (1). The planar structure of 1 was assigned on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic experiments. The absolute configuration of the amino and hydroxyl acid residues in the molecule was determined by application of the advanced Marfey method, chiral HPLC analysis, and Mosher’s method. Hantupeptin A showed cytotoxicity to MOLT-4 leukemia cells and MCF-7 breast cancer cells with IC50 values of 32 and 4.0 µM, respectively.

text: Hantupeptin A, a cytotoxic cyclic depsipeptide from a Singapore collection of Lyngbya majuscula Chemical investigation of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula from Pulau Hantu Besar, Singapore, has led to the isolation of a cyclodepsipeptide, hantupeptin A (1). The planar structure of 1 was assigned on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic experiments. The absolute configuration of the amino and hydroxyl acid residues in the molecule was determined by application of the advanced Marfey method, chiral HPLC analysis, and Mosher’s method. Hantupeptin A showed cytotoxicity to MOLT-4 leukemia cells and MCF-7 breast cancer cells with IC50 values of 32 and 4.0 µM, respectively.

year: 2009

title: Talk More: Student Learning Through Reciprocal Conversations

authors: Grant, Sarah

subjects: oral language

abstract: This research explored ways of improving the oral language development of Year 1 children in four low decile mainstream schools who were making limited progress in literacy. Over 82% of these students were Māori.  Due to the continued impact of past educational policies and the subsequent interruption of the intergenerational transmission of the mother tongue, many Māori children are not exposed to proficient and fluent models either of spoken English or of spoken Māori.  Such children struggle to make the English literacy progress expected of them by schools and communities. The central focus of the research was to evaluate a claim that Year 6 students (tuākana)  could make a substantial improvement in the oral language achievement of  Year 1 students (teina), through engaging with them in regular conversational contexts using the TALES (Talk, Ask, Listen, Encourage, and Say) procedures. This pedagogical approach is understood as one which was culturally responsive for these students. 

Quantitative analysis of data from three quantitative outcome measures (Record of Oral Language, Junior Oral Screening Tool, and Auditory-Vocal Association Assessment of Verbal Attainments) demonstrated that there were substantial oral language gains for the 72 teina students involved in the study. The quantitative analysis also demonstrated that these gains occurred most strongly during the phases in which the TALES procedures were being implemented by the 72 tuākana students, in accord with the multiple baseline design. Detailed qualitative analysis of a random sample of six of the 72 pairs illustrated both the effectiveness of the tuākana language interaction with the teina, and the different ways that the tuākana were able to implement the TALES procedure. Analysis of five minute probes of transcripts over six weeks from these six tuākana - teina pairs indicated that a wide range of literacy activities and conversations took place. The unique learning needs and personal learning intentions of each tuakana and teina were successfully monitored using this five minute probe procedure. Powerful reciprocal learning processes were evident in transcripts of conversations between the tuākana and the teina, and also within feedback and feed-forward meetings between the tuākana and key teachers.  

The substantial oral language gains for the teina students in this study  were achieved within learning contexts that were social and  interactive, and that embodied the principles of ako (learning and teaching roles were shared) and whakawhanaungatanga (building caring and  supportive relationships). These principles are among those that underpin pedagogies that are culturally responsive (Bishop  Glynn, 1999; Glynn, Wearmouth,  Berryman, 2006; Ladson-Billings, 1995, 2006) and transformative. The results of this research study give a clear message to mainstream non-Māori teachers, that they can make a positive and substantial difference to the learning outcomes of their Māori students.

text: Talk More: Student Learning Through Reciprocal Conversations This research explored ways of improving the oral language development of Year 1 children in four low decile mainstream schools who were making limited progress in literacy. Over 82% of these students were Māori.  Due to the continued impact of past educational policies and the subsequent interruption of the intergenerational transmission of the mother tongue, many Māori children are not exposed to proficient and fluent models either of spoken English or of spoken Māori.  Such children struggle to make the English literacy progress expected of them by schools and communities. The central focus of the research was to evaluate a claim that Year 6 students (tuākana)  could make a substantial improvement in the oral language achievement of  Year 1 students (teina), through engaging with them in regular conversational contexts using the TALES (Talk, Ask, Listen, Encourage, and Say) procedures. This pedagogical approach is understood as one which was culturally responsive for these students. 

Quantitative analysis of data from three quantitative outcome measures (Record of Oral Language, Junior Oral Screening Tool, and Auditory-Vocal Association Assessment of Verbal Attainments) demonstrated that there were substantial oral language gains for the 72 teina students involved in the study. The quantitative analysis also demonstrated that these gains occurred most strongly during the phases in which the TALES procedures were being implemented by the 72 tuākana students, in accord with the multiple baseline design. Detailed qualitative analysis of a random sample of six of the 72 pairs illustrated both the effectiveness of the tuākana language interaction with the teina, and the different ways that the tuākana were able to implement the TALES procedure. Analysis of five minute probes of transcripts over six weeks from these six tuākana - teina pairs indicated that a wide range of literacy activities and conversations took place. The unique learning needs and personal learning intentions of each tuakana and teina were successfully monitored using this five minute probe procedure. Powerful reciprocal learning processes were evident in transcripts of conversations between the tuākana and the teina, and also within feedback and feed-forward meetings between the tuākana and key teachers.  

The substantial oral language gains for the teina students in this study  were achieved within learning contexts that were social and  interactive, and that embodied the principles of ako (learning and teaching roles were shared) and whakawhanaungatanga (building caring and  supportive relationships). These principles are among those that underpin pedagogies that are culturally responsive (Bishop  Glynn, 1999; Glynn, Wearmouth,  Berryman, 2006; Ladson-Billings, 1995, 2006) and transformative. The results of this research study give a clear message to mainstream non-Māori teachers, that they can make a positive and substantial difference to the learning outcomes of their Māori students.

year: 2009