To increase healing rate of tympanic membrane (TM) perforations, patching procedure has been commonly conducted. Biocompatible, biodegradable patching materials which is not limited across cultures is needed. The authors evaluated the effectiveness of novel transparent duck's feet collagen film (DCF) patch in acute traumatic TM perforation. This procedure was compared with spontaneous healing and paper patching. Cell proliferation features were observed in paper and DCF patches. Forty-eight TMs of 24 rats were used for animal experiment, perforations were made on each TMs, and divided into three groups according to treatment modality. Sixteen were spontaneously healed, 16 were paper patched and 16 were DCF patched. The gross and histological healing results were analyzed. Both paper and DCF patch showed no cytotoxicity, but cell proliferations were more active in DCF than paper in early stage. In animal study, the healing of TM perforations were completed within 14 days in all three groups, but found to be faster in DCF patch group than paper patch or spontaneous healing group. The DCF patches were transparent and size of DCF patches were gradually decreased, so there were no need to remove the DCF patches to check the wound status or after the completion of healing. According to this result, authors concluded that DCF patch is transparent, biocompatible and biodegradable material, and can induce fast healing in acute traumatic TM perforations.

To determine whether avian species are susceptible to infection with Gymnophalloides seoi (a human-infecting intestinal trematode), we exposed 7 species of birds with metacercariae obtained from oysters. The birds were necropsied at days 2, 4, and 6 postinfection (PI). The highest worm recovery at day 6 PI was obtained from the Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus; mean = 56.0%), followed by the Mongolian plover (C. mongolus; 49.3%), and the grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola; 32.3%). In contrast, no mature worms were recovered from the great knot (Calidris tenuirostris), dunlin (C. alpina), black-tailed gull (Larus crassirostris), and mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). Among the plovers, the worms attained the greatest size at day 6 PI (254.1 x 190.4 microm) in the Kentish plover, with a significantly higher number of eggs in the uterus. The 3 species of plovers are highly susceptible to experimental G. seoi infection, suggesting that they could play a role as definitive hosts for these worms in nature.