MgO-enhanced ß-TCP promotes osteogenesis in both in vitro and in vivo rat models.

Allogeneic bone grafts are used to treat bone defects in orthopedic surgery, but the osteogenic potential of artificial bones remains a challenge. In this study, we developed a ß-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) formulation containing MgO, ZnO, SrO, and SiO2 and compared its bone-forming ability with that of ß-TCP without biological elements. We prepared ß-TCP discs with 60% porosity containing 1.0 wt% of these biological elements. ß-TCP scaffolds were loaded with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) from 7-week-old male rats and cultured for 2 weeks. ALP activity and mRNA expression of osteogenic markers were evaluated. In addition, scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously in rats and analyzed after 7 weeks. In vitro, the MgO group showed lower Ca concentrations and higher osteogenic marker expression compared to controls. In vivo, the MgO group showed higher ALP activity compared to controls, and RT-qPCR analysis showed significant expression of BMP2 and VEGF. Histopathology, fluorescent immunostaining, and micro-CT also showed relatively better bone formation in the MgO group. ß-TCP with MgO may enhance bone morphology in vitro and in vivo and improve the prognosis of patients with substantial and refractory bone defects.

Ankle Skin Defects with Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes Treated by Posterior Tibial Artery Perforator Flap: A Case Report.

CASE: A 46-year-old man with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) had an open ankle fracture with a 10 × 5-cm skin defect on the medial side of the ankle. The patient underwent open reduction and internal fixation, as well as coverage of the skin defect with a posterior tibial artery perforator flap, which led to successful outcomes. CONCLUSION: We present the successful implementation of a posterior tibial artery perforator flap for the reconstruction of skin defects in a patient with vascular EDS. Despite the fragility of soft tissues, favorable surgical outcomes were observed.

Generating Silicon Nanofiber Clusters from Grinding Sludge by Millisecond Pulsed Laser Irradiation.

Silicon nanofiber clusters were successfully generated by the irradiation of millisecond pulsed laser light on silicon sludge disposed from wafer back-grinding processes. It was found that the size, intensity, and growing speed of the laser-induced plume varied with the gas pressure, while the size and morphology of the nanofibers were dependent on the laser pulse duration. The generated nanofibers were mainly amorphous with crystalline nanoparticles on their tips. The crystallinity and oxidation degree of the nanofibers depended on the preheating conditions of the silicon sludge. This study demonstrated the possibility of changing silicon waste into functional nanomaterials, which are possibly useful for fabricating high-performance lithium-ion battery electrodes.

A Cost Effective Easy Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Suitable for Monitoring Protective Immunity against the Rabies Virus in the Serum of Humans and Dogs.

The coverage of rabies vaccinations has been reported at 70-80% of dogs in annual reports. However, there are still outbreaks of rabies among humans and dogs in Thailand, thus indicating the necessity of ensuring seroprevalence in vaccinated dogs and efficacy of human immunization. A cost effective easy competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CEE-cELISA) was developed here for monitoring protective immunity against the rabies virus in human and dog serum samples using monoclonal antibody clone 1-46-12, which recognizes a conformational epitope of the rabies G protein. The ELISA plate is coated with the whole viral antigen from a commercial vaccine. The serotiter measured by the CEE-cELISA and by the gold standard assay (rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test), detecting the neutralizing antibody, showed a strong correlation, with an R value of 0.958 and 0.931 in humans and dogs, respectively. These correlations were detected in the serum samples from humans and dogs at antibody concentrations up to 100 and 10 IU/ml, respectively. This CEE-cELISA could be an alternative assay for evaluating mass rabies vaccination rapidly at a low cost as well as for detecting antirabies antibodies in the serum of not only humans but also other animal species.