Effectiveness and evolution of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein titers after three doses of COVID-19 vaccination in people with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Real-world vaccine effectiveness following the third dose of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 remains less investigated among people with HIV (PWH). METHODS: PWH receiving the third dose of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 (either 50- or 100-µg) were enrolled. Participants were followed for 180 days until the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 infection, seroconversion of anti-nucleocapsid IgG, death, or loss to follow-up. Anti-spike IgG was determined every 1-3 months. RESULTS: Of 1427 participants undergoing the third-dose COVID-19 vaccination, 632 (44.3%) received 100-µg mRNA-1273, 467 (32.8%) 50-µg mRNA-1273, and 328 (23.0%) BNT162b2 vaccine and the respective rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection or seroconversion of anti-nucleocapsid IgG was 246.1, 280.8 and 245.2 per 1000 person-months of follow-up (log-rank test, p = 0.28). Factors associated with achieving anti-S IgG titers >1047 BAU/mL included CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.11; 95% CI, 0.04-0.31), plasma HIV RNA >200 copies/mL (aOR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.09-0.80), having achieved anti-spike IgG >141 BAU/mL within 3 months after primary vaccination (aOR, 3.69; 95% CI, 2.68-5.07), receiving BNT162b2 vaccine as the third dose (aOR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.10-0.41; reference, 100-µg mRNA-1273), and having previously received two doses of mRNA vaccine in primary vaccination (aOR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1,75-3.45; reference, no exposure to mRNA vaccine). CONCLUSIONS: PWH receiving different types of the third dose of COVID-19 vaccine showed similar vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection. An additional dose with 100-µg mRNA-1273 could generate a higher antibody response than with 50-µg mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 vaccine.

Subtotal Thigh Flap for Large Abdominal Wall Defect Reconstruction in Patient With Recurrent Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans: A Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Harvesting an adequate-sized flap is challenging for reconstructing large defects on the abdominal wall. A subtotal thigh flap would be one of the choices as it provides a well-vascularized large flap with muscle components. Moreover, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a low-grade dermal neoplasm with a high recurrence rate. There is still no consensus on the extent of resection to prevent a recurrence. OBJECTIVES: We present a case of a patient who underwent the reconstruction of a large abdominal wall defect with a subtotal thigh flap after the resection of recurrent DFSP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 59-year-old man killed from a recurrent huge mass in the lower abdomen with an invasion of the small intestine. His baseline characteristics and records of operations, medications, and outcomes were reviewed. RESULT: After tumor excision, a 28 × 30-cm subtotal thigh flap was harvested from his left thigh to reconstruct the abdominal defect. A microvascular anastomosis with left deep inferior epigastric vessels was made eventually. The flap was in good condition, and the donor site was covered with a split-thickness skin graft. CONCLUSIONS: Subtotal thigh flap may be considered for large abdominal wall defect reconstruction as it allows good perfusion of relatively large skin paddles compared with other free flaps. Also, patients with DFSP need definite margin-free resection and close follow-up to prevent a recurrence.

Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This paper presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1721 patients to assess the effects of hydrolyzed collagen (HC) supplementation on skin hydration and elasticity. The results showed that HC supplementation significantly improved skin hydration (test for overall effect: Z = 4.94, p < 0.00001) and elasticity (test for overall effect: Z = 4.49, p < 0.00001) compared to the placebo group. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that the effects of HC supplementation on skin hydration varied based on the source of collagen and the duration of supplementation. However, there were no significant differences in the effects of different sources (p = 0.21) of collagen or corresponding measurements (p = 0.06) on skin elasticity. The study also identified several biases in the included RCTs. Overall, the findings suggest that HC supplementation can have positive effects on skin health, but further large-scale randomized control trials are necessary to confirm these findings.

Improvement of wound healing by capsaicin through suppression of the inflammatory response and amelioration of the repair process.

Wound healing is a complex biological process involving cytokines with four phases: Hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodeling. Understanding the molecular mechanism of the inflammation phase could improve wound healing in the clinic as excess inflammation is a critical point for dysregulation of normal wound healing. Capsaicin (CAP), a major component of chili peppers, is known to exhibit anti­inflammatory properties through a range of different pathways, such as the neurogenic inflammation and nociception pathways. To improve the understanding of the relationship between CAP and wound healing, it is crucial to elucidate the CAP­related molecular panel involved in regulating inflammation. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze the effects of CAP on wound healing using an in vitro cell model and an in vivo animal model. Cell migration, viability and inflammation were examined using fibroblasts, and wounds were evaluated in mice under CAP treatment. In the present study, it was found that 10 µM CAP increased cell migration and decreased interleukin 6 (IL­6) expression in in vitro cell assays. In the in vivo animal experiments, the CAP­treated wounds exhibited lower densities of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages, as well as lower IL­6 and C­X­C motif chemokine ligand 10 protein levels. Furthermore, in CAP­treated wounds, CD31­positive capillaries and collagen deposition at the late phase of wound healing were present at higher densities. In summary, an improvement in wound healing by CAP was shown through suppression of the inflammatory response and amelioration of the repair process. These findings suggest that CAP has potential as a natural therapeutic agent for the treatment of wound healing.

Evolution of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein titers after two-dose of COVID-19 vaccination among people living with HIV.

Background: A community COVID-19 outbreak caused by the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant occurred in Taiwan in May 2021. High-risk populations such as people living with HIV (PLWH) were recommended to receive two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. While SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have demonstrated promising results in general population, real-world information on the serological responses remains limited among PLWH. Methods: PLWH receiving the first dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine from 2020 to 2021 were enrolled. Determinations of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG titers were performed every one to three months, the third dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. All serum samples were tested for anti-nucleocapsid antibody and those tested positive were excluded from analysis. Results: A total of 1189 PLWH were enrolled: 829 (69.7%) receiving two doses of the AZD1222 vaccine, 232 (19.5%) of the mRNA-1273 vaccine, and 128 (10.8%) of the BNT162b2 vaccine. At all time-points, PLWH receiving two doses of mRNA vaccines had consistently higher antibody levels than those receiving the AZD1222 vaccine (p <0.001 for all time-point comparisons). Factors associated with failure to achieve an anti-spike IgG titer >141 BAU/mL within 12 weeks, included type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.24; 95% CI, 1.25-4), a CD4 T cell count <200 cells/mm3 upon receipt of the first dose of vaccination (aOR, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.31-9) and two homologous AZD1222 vaccinations (aOR, 16.85; 95%CI, 10.13-28). For those receiving two doses of mRNA vaccines, factors associated with failure to achieve an anti-spike IgG titer >899 BAU/mL within 12 weeks were a CD4 T cell count <200 cells/mm3 on first-dose vaccination (aOR, 3.95; 95% CI, 1.08-14.42) and dual BNT162b2 vaccination (aOR, 4.21; 95% CI, 2.57-6.89). Conclusions: Two doses of homologous mRNA vaccination achieved significantly higher serological responses than vaccination with AZD1222 among PLWH. Those with CD4 T cell counts <200 cells/mm3 and DM had consistently lower serological responses.

Critical Factors of Dose Distribution in Breast Cancer Tomotherapy With Metallic Port Breast Tissue Expander: Image Correction, Delivery Mode, and Volume Impact.

Objectives: Breast reconstruction helps patients enhance their body image after mastectomy. Metallic ports in tissue expanders lead to dose attenuation during radiotherapy. Tissue expander volume shifts the metallic port position, possibly causing various dose alterations. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the MAGNA-SITETM tissue expander volume on tomotherapy. Methods: Boluses and MAGNA-SITETM were placed on a Rando phantom to simulate the tissue expander under the pectoralis major. Computed tomography simulation images were transformed through replacing the electron density of (a) metallic artifact region only (Image metallic port) and (b) metallic port and artifact regions (Image Homo). Planning was calculated using fixed-beam and helical-mode techniques. Radiation was delivered with different volumes of the tissue expander. Results: Integrated 997 dose points were calculated. Planning with Image metallic port provided a calculated dose significantly closer to a realistic dose. The percentage of doses achieving the prescribed dose was significantly higher in the helical mode. In layer 2, the 100-mL tissue expander had a significantly lower measurement dose than all other volumes. Volume 150 mL had the highest increase in the measured dose difference from the plan dose at layer 2. Volume 250 mL had the highest percentage of measurement doses passing the 5% dose difference from plan dose. The coldest dose areas were noted in layers 1 and 2, especially in the metallic port-direct image mode. The average dose reduction of the measured cold areas was 6.03 ± 1.94%. Conclusion: Dose distribution was affected by the volume of the metallic port tissue expander. Tomotherapy with proper image heterogeneity correction and helical mode can reduce the attenuation from the metallic port. A tissue expander volume of 150 to 250 mL is suitable. Patients with high risk at the chest wall should be evaluated carefully to avoid underdosing. Radiation oncologists should closely cooperate with plastic surgeons to optimize treatment for each patient.

Oil Cyst Formation after Lower Blepharoplasty with Fat Grafts.

BACKGROUND: Fat grafting is increasingly used as an adjuvant surgery to blepharoplasty to refill the volume loss of an aged face and promote cellular regeneration. Complications, such as hematoma, infection, seroma, and palpable mass, may occur. We collected the patients that underwent lower blepharoplasty combined with fat graft to evaluate the incidence of oil cyst formation in the lower eyelid and to identify risk factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent lower or total blepharoplasty combined with fat graft at the authors' institution between January 2018 and June 2020. Complication rates were observed, and associations between preoperative variables and outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients were included in the series (all bilateral, 238 eyelids). The average patient age was 54.88 ± 11.94 years, and the average grafted fat was 1.88 ± 1.0 mL. On a per-eyelid basis for all patients, the complication rate of oil cyst formation was 6.72% (16 of 238 eyelids). The occurrence of oil cyst formation was associated with hypertension (P = 0.012; adjusted odds ratio, 9.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.62-52.99) and diabetes mellitus (P = 0.005; adjusted odds ratio, 14.02; 95% confidence interval, 2.22-88.45), but not associated with anticoagulants use (P = 0.931), age (P = 0.784), sex (P = 0.317), or fat volume (P = 0.215). The mean interval between the fat graft procedure and oil cyst noted was 236.5 ± 118.9 days. CONCLUSIONS: Oil cyst in lower eyelid can be defined as a palpable, firm, and persistent subcutaneous cystic lesion found postoperatively in any size during physical examination. The complication rate of oil cyst formation occurring after lower blepharoplasty with autologous fat grafting is 6.72%. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus maybe are risk factors of oil cyst formation. Steroid injection, needle capsulotomy, liposuction, and excision are safe and effective treatments. Reduce surgical trauma by diminishing anterior lamina trauma and capsulopalpebral fascia repair might decrease the complication rate of oil cyst formation.Transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty with fat graft or 2-stage surgery may be a choice to prevent oil cyst formation.

Eccentric free muscular perforator flaps in the proximal lateral leg for hand and foot reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to introduce our modifications by using eccentrically located muscular perforators to shorten the distance between the recipient vessels and the flap pedicle for overcoming the "short pedicle" drawback of the proximal lateral leg perforator (PLLP) flap. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 12 cases undergoing free PLLP flap for hand and foot regions reconstruction during 2010 and 2019. The mean age was 43.3 years. Most defects resulted from burn and trauma injuries. The dimensions of defects ranged from 8 × 1.5 cm2 to 12 × 6.5 cm2 . Muscular perforators were designed eccentrically 1-3 cm away from the central point of the flap to shorten the distance between the recipient vessels and the pedicle. The flap was designed to be 0.5-1 cm larger than the defect. RESULTS: The flap size ranged from 9 × 2 cm2 to 15 × 6 cm2 . All pedicles were long enough to ensure an appropriate anastomosis without tension. The post-operative course in all cases was uneventful. All flaps survived without complications. Primary repair of the donor sites was performed in all patients. Donor leg function was not hampered by flap harvesting. All patients were satisfied with the scar after at least 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Based on our experience, selection of the eccentric locations of the musculo-cutaneous perforators were effective methods to overcome the short pedicle length of this flap type. Using our modifications, thin PLLP flaps can be used in foot and hand reconstruction with minimal donor site morbidity and a high success rate.

Quercetin inhibits histamine-induced calcium influx in human keratinocyte via histamine H4 receptors.

Histamine is released from mast cells when tissues are inflamed or stimulated by allergens. Activation of histamine receptors and calcium influx via TRPV1 could be related to histamine-induced itch and skin inflammation. Quercetin is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effects. This study aims to understand whether quercetin can directly affect histamine-induced calcium influx in human keratinocyte. In it, we investigated quercetin, which acts on histamine-induced intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) elevation in human keratinocyte. Changes in [Ca2+]i were measured using spectrofluorometry and confocal Imaging. We detected the expression of IL-8 after treatment of quercetin using qRT-PCR and evaluated its anti-itching effect in BALB/c mice. We also performed a docking study to estimate the binding affinity of quercetin to H4 receptors. We found that quercetin pretreatment decreased histamine-induced [Ca2+]i elevation in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of quercetin on histamine-induced [Ca2+]i elevation was blocked by JNJ7777120, a selective H4 antagonist, as well as by U73122, a PLC inhibitor, and by GF109203X, a PKC inhibitor. We also found that H4 agonist (4-methylhistamine)-induced [Ca2+]i elevation could be inhibited by quercetin. Moreover, the selective TRPV1 blocker capsazepine significantly suppressed the quercetin-mediated inhibition of histamine-induced [Ca2+]i elevation, whereas the TRPV4 blocker GSK2193874 had no effect. Last, quercetin decreased histamine and H4 agonist-induced IL-8 expression in keratinocyte and inhibited the scratching behavior-induced compound 48/80 in BALB/c mice. The molecular docking study also showed that quercetin exhibited high binding affinities with H4 receptors (autodock scores for H4 = -8.7 kcal/mol). These data suggest that quercetin could decrease histamine 4 receptor-induced calcium influx through the TRPV1 channel and could provide a molecular mechanism of quercetin in anti-itching, anti-inflammatory, and unpleasant sensations.

Conditioned medium from adipose-derived stem cells attenuates ischemia/reperfusion-induced cardiac injury through the microRNA-221/222/PUMA/ETS-1 pathway.

Rationale: Cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction (MI), are the leading causes of death worldwide. Reperfusion therapy is the common standard treatment for MI. However, myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) causes cardiomyocyte injury, including apoptosis and fibrosis. We aimed to investigate the effects of conditioned medium from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC-CM) on apoptosis and fibrosis in I/R-treated hearts and hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-treated cardiomyocytes and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: ADSC-CM was collected from ADSCs. The effects of intramuscular injection of ADSC-CM on cardiac function, cardiac apoptosis, and fibrosis examined by echocardiography, Evans blue/TTC staining, TUNEL assay, and Masson's trichrome staining in I/R-treated mice. We also examined the effects of ADSC-CM on apoptosis and fibrosis in H/R-treated H9c2 cells by annexin V/PI flow cytometry, TUNEL assay, and immunocytochemistry. Results: ADSC-CM treatment significantly reduced heart damage and fibrosis of I/R-treated mice and H/R-treated cardiomyocytes. In addition, the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, such as p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), p-p53 and B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), as well as the fibrosis-related proteins ETS-1, fibronectin and collagen 3, were significantly reduced by ADSC-CM treatment. Moreover, we demonstrated that ADSC-CM contains a large amount of miR-221/222, which can target and regulate PUMA or ETS-1 protein levels. Furthermore, the knockdown of PUMA and ETS-1 decreased the induction of apoptosis and fibrosis, respectively. MiR-221/222 overexpression achieved similar results. We also observed that cardiac I/R markedly increased apoptosis and fibrosis in miR-221/222 knockout (KO) mice, while ADSC-CM decreased these effects. The increased phosphorylation of p38 and NF-κB not only mediated myocardial apoptosis through the PUMA/p53/BCL2 pathway but also regulated fibrosis through the ETS-1/fibronectin/collagen 3 pathway. Conclusions: Overall, our results show that ADSC-CM attenuates cardiac apoptosis and fibrosis by reducing PUMA and ETS-1 expression, respectively. The protective effect is mediated via the miR-221/222/p38/NF-κB pathway.

MicroRNA-221/222 Mediates ADSC-Exosome-Induced Cardioprotection Against Ischemia/Reperfusion by Targeting PUMA and ETS-1.

Cardiovascular disease is a major health problem in industrialized and developing countries and is the leading cause of death and disability. Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) causes cardiomyocyte damage such as apoptosis and hypertrophy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC-Exo) on hearts from I/R mice and to explore the underlying mechanisms. ADSC-Exo significantly decreased I/R-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and hypertrophy, as detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining, respectively. In addition, the expression of apoptosis-related proteins p-p53 and PUMA and hypertrophy-related proteins ETS-1 and ANP were significantly reduced in the cardiomyocytes of ADSC-Exo-treated I/R mice compared to those of control mice. Both PUMA and ETS-1 are reported to be target genes for miR-221/222. I/R operation significantly reduced miR-221/222 expression, while ADSC-Exo treatment increased miR-221/222 expression, as detected by RT-qPCR. We also observed that cardiac I/R operation markedly increased cell apoptosis and hypertrophy in miR-221/222 knockout (KO) mice, while ADSC-Exo reduced the effects of I/R operation. Furthermore, ADSC-Exo protected H9c2 cardiomyocytes from H2O2-induced damage by reducing apoptosis and hypertrophy in vitro. H2O2 treatment significantly reduced miR-221/222 expression, while ADSC-Exo treatment reversed this effect in H9c2 cells. ADSC-Exo treatment decreased H2O2-induced PUMA and ETS-1 expression. Compared with control treatment, I/R treatment significantly reduced p-AKT and increased p-p65, while ADSC-Exo and miR-221/222 mimics attenuated these effects. The AKT activator SC79 and p65 inhibitor Bay 11-7082 reduced H2O2-induced cell apoptosis and hypertrophy. Based on these findings, ADSC-Exo prevents cardiac I/R injury through the miR-221/miR-222/PUMA/ETS-1 pathway. Therefore, ADSC-Exo is an effective inhibitor of I/R-induced heart injury.

A gut butyrate-producing bacterium Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum regulates short-chain fatty acid transporter and receptor to reduce the progression of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-associated colorectal cancer.

Gut microbes influence tumor development and progression in the intestines and may provide a novel paradigm for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Gut dysbiosis may be associated with the development and progression of CRC. Identifying the interactions between the colonic tract and gut microbiota may provide novel information relevant to CRC prevention. The present study examined the effects of butyrate-producing Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum (B. pullicaecorum) on mice with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced CRC and the microbial metabolite of B. pullicaecorum on CRC cells. Immunohistochemical staining of the mouse colon tissues and reverse transcription PCR of CRC cells were used to determine the protein and mRNA expression levels of the short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) transporter solute carrier family 5 member 8 (SLC5A8) and G-protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR43). In CRC-bearing mice fed B. pullicaecorum, DMH-induced CRC regressed, body weight increased and serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels decreased. Notably, SLC5A8 and GPR43 were diffusely and moderately to strongly expressed in the neoplastic epithelial cells and underlying muscularis propria in the colons of the mice. In conclusion, administration of B. pullicaecorum or its metabolites improved the clinical outcome of CRC by activating the SCFA transporter and/or receptor. These results indicated that B. pullicaecorum was a probiotic with anti-CRC potential.

Chrysin alleviates imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation and reduces the release of CCL20 and antimicrobial peptides.

Psoriasis is a common non-contagious chronic inflammatory skin lesion, with frequent recurrence. It mainly occurs due to aberrant regulation of the immune system leading to abnormal proliferation of skin cells. However, the pathogenic mechanisms of psoriasis are not fully understood. Although most of the current therapies are mostly efficient, the side effects can result in therapy stop, which makes the effectiveness of treatment strategies limited. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to develop novel therapeutics. Here, we investigated the efficacy of chrysin, a plant flavonoid, which we previously reported to possess strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, against psoriasis-like inflammation. Our results revealed that chrysin significantly attenuated imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin lesions in mice, and improved imiquimod-induced disruption of skin barrier. Moreover, the TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-22-induced phosphorylation of MAPK and JAK-STAT pathways, and activation of the NF-κB pathway were also attenuated by chrysin pretreatment of epidermal keratinocytes. Most importantly, chrysin reduced TNF-α-, IL-17A-, and IL-22-induced CCL20 and antimicrobial peptide release from epidermal keratinocytes. Thus, our findings indicate that chrysin may have therapeutic potential against inflammatory skin diseases. Our study provides a basis for further investigating chrysin as a novel pharmacologic agent and contributes to the academic advancement in the field of Chinese herbal medicine.

Curcumin-Loaded Self-Microemulsifying Gel for Enhancing Wound Closure.

INTRODUCTION: Wound healing is a process in which damaged cutaneous tissues are repaired and is a dynamic physiological interaction involving several types of cells, tissues, and proteins. Compared with typical treatments, specifically in terms of multifunctional properties, bioactive drug-loaded wound dressing in a controlled and sustained delivery system is an advanced tool that significantly improves wound healing. Curcumin substantially enhances wound healing and prevents oxidative damage. However, the effects of this compound on improving wound healing are limited by its aqueous solubility, poor tissue absorption, and rapid metabolism. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of curcumin-loaded self-microemulsifying gel on wound healing. METHODS: Ex vivo permeation studies of the skin of BALB/c mice were performed using a diffusion cell sampling system. The in vivo therapeutic effect was investigated with a full-thickness wound model. Two 6-mm full-thickness circular wounds were created on the back of the mice via punch biopsy. Then, they received different topical gels for 12 days to enhance wound closure. RESULTS: The curcumin-loaded self-microemulsifying gel had higher skin flux, cumulative amount, and permeability coefficient than the commercial gels. In addition, it enhanced wound healing. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that utilized self-microemulsifying gel loaded with curcumin as a delivery system for wound healing. However, the effect of this delivery system on wound healing or skin disease treatment should be further investigated.

Interleukin-6 from Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Promotes Tissue Repair by the Increase of Cell Proliferation and Hair Follicles in Ischemia/Reperfusion-Treated Skin Flaps.

The most common postoperative complication after reconstructive surgery is flap necrosis. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and their secretomes are reported to mediate skin repair. This study was designed to investigate whether conditioned media from ADSCs (ADSC-CM) protects ischemia/reperfusion- (I/R-) induced injury in skin flaps by promoting cell proliferation and increasing the number of hair follicles. The mouse flap model of ischemia was ligating the long thoracic vessels for 3 h, followed by blood reperfusion. ADSC-CM was administered to the flaps, and their survival was observed on postoperative day 5. ADSC-CM treatment led to a significant increase in cell proliferation and the number of hair follicles. IL-6 levels in the lysate and CM from ADSCs were significantly higher than those from Hs68 fibroblasts. Furthermore, a strong decrease in cell proliferation and the number of hair follicles was observed after treatment with IL-6-neutralizing antibodies or si-IL-6-ADSC. In addition, ADSC transplantation increased flap repair, cell proliferation, and hair follicle number in I/R injury of IL-6-knockout mice. In conclusion, IL-6 secreted from ADSCs promotes the survival of I/R-induced flaps by increasing cell proliferation and the number of hair follicles. ADSCs represent a promising therapy for preventing skin flap necrosis following reconstructive and plastic surgery.

Energy scale-up and mode-quality enhancement of the LED-pumped Nd:YAG Q-switched laser achieving a millijoule green pulse.

An efficient LED pumping module is explored for the demonstration of energy scaling of passively Q-switched output to millijoule high-pulse-energy level. For the free-running operation at fundamental wavelength, the highest optical conversion efficiency of 23.7% is reached. By using a Cr4+:YAG crystal as the saturable absorber, the passively Q-switched output energy is up to 14.5 mJ in a compact setup. The laser resonator is further optimized to shorten the output pulse width and to obtain better mode quality. The pulse width of the Q-switched emission is as short as 25 ns, and the peak power is up to 0.7 MW. With such a highly efficient configuration, the extracavity second-harmonic generation at 532 nm can be achieved with 4.5 mJ pulse energy.

The effects of wild bitter gourd fruit extracts on ICAM-1 expression in pulmonary epithelial cells of C57BL/6J mice and microRNA-221/222 knockout mice: Involvement of the miR-221/-222/PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway.

BACKGROUND: The extracts from wild bitter gourd fruit (WBGE) were reported to possess numerous pharmacological activities. However, the anti-inflammatory effects of WBGE on human lung epithelial cells and the underlying mechanisms have not been determined. PURPOSE: To evaluate the molecular basis of the effects of WBGE on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression in alveolar epithelial (A549) cells, C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) mice and microRNA (miR)-221/-222 knockout (KO) mice with or without tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α; 3 ng/ml) treatment. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: WT mice and miR-221/-222 KO mice were fed a control diet and divided into four groups (C: control mice; T: treated with TNF-α alone; WBGE/T: pretreated with WBGE and then stimulated with TNF-α; WBGE: treated with WBGE alone). The effects of WBGE on ICAM-1 expression and the related signals in A549 cells and mice with or without TNF-α treatment were examined by Western blot and immunofluorescent staining. RESULTS: WBGE significantly decreased the TNF-α-induced ICAM-1 expression in A549 cells through the inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (AKT)/ nuclear factor- kappa B (NF-κB)/ inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB) phosphorylation and decreased leukocyte adhesion. In addition, WBGE reduced endogenous ICAM-1 expression and upregulated miR-221/-222 expression. The overexpression of miR-222 decreased PI3K/AKT/NF-κB/IκB and ICAM-1 expression, which resulted in reducing monocyte adhesion. Moreover, WBGE reduced ICAM-1 expression in lung tissues of WT mice with or without TNF-α treatment and upregulated miR-221/222. WBGE did not affect the miR-221/-222 level and had little effect on ICAM-1 expression in miR-221/-222 KO mice. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that WBGE reduced ICAM-1 expression both under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The protective effects were mediated partly through the miR-221/-222/PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway.

Curcumin accelerates cutaneous wound healing via multiple biological actions: The involvement of TNF-α, MMP-9, α-SMA, and collagen.

Curcumin, a constituent of the turmeric plant, has antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects, but its effects on wound healing are unclear. We created back wounds in 72 mice and treated them with or without topical curcumin (0.2 mg/mL) in Pluronic F127 gel (20%) daily for 3, 5, 7, 9, and 12 days. Healing in wounds was evaluated from gross appearance, microscopically by haematoxylin and eosin staining, by immunohistochemistry for tumour necrosis factor alpha and alpha smooth muscle actin, and by polymerase chain reaction amplification of mRNA expression levels. Treatment caused fast wound closure with well-formed granulation tissue dominated by collagen deposition and regenerating epithelium. Curcumin increased the levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha mRNA and protein in the early phase of healing, which then decreased significantly. However, these levels remained high in controls. Levels of collagen were significantly higher in curcumin-treated wounds. Immunohistochemical staining for alpha smooth muscle actin was increased in curcumin-treated mice on days 7 and 12. Curcumin treatment significantly suppressed matrix metallopeptidase-9 and stimulated alpha smooth muscle levels in tumour necrosis factor alpha-treated fibroblasts via nuclear factor kappa B signalling. Thus, topical curcumin accelerated wound healing in mice by regulating the levels of various cytokines.

LED-side-pumped Nd:YAG laser with >20% optical efficiency and the demonstration of an efficient passively Q-switched LED-pumped solid-state laser.

A LED-array-pumped Nd:YAG laser with optical conversion efficiency up to 20.2% is demonstrated by direct side-pumping without a coupling lens. The 810-nm LED array with a full-width-half-maximum of 30 nm and an area fill factor of 50% is designed to attain high spectral absorption efficiency with a pump density of 151.8 W/cm2. Furthermore, higher than 45% overall coupling efficiency is achieved by placing the LED array as close as possible to the side of the gain medium for overcoming the large pumped divergence. More importantly, by using the efficient pump scheme, the demonstration of a passively Q-switched LED-pumped laser is successfully realized with a pulsed energy of 1.42 mJ.

Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Protect Skin Flaps against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via IL-6 Expression.

Flap necrosis is the most frequent postoperative complication encountered in reconstructive surgery. We elucidated whether adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and their derivatives might induce neovascularization and protect skin flaps during ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Flaps were subjected to 3 hours of ischemia by ligating long thoracic vessels and then to blood reperfusion. Qtracker-labeled ADSCs, ADSCs in conditioned medium (ADSC-CM), or ADSC exosomes (ADSC-Exo) were injected into the flaps. These treatments led to significantly increased flap survival and capillary density compared with I/R on postoperative day 5. IL-6 levels in the cell lysates or in conditioned medium were significantly higher in ADSCs than in Hs68 fibroblasts. ADSC-CM and ADSC-Exo increased tube formation. This result was corroborated by a strong decrease in skin repair after adding IL-6-neutralizing antibodies or small interfering RNA for IL-6 ADSCs. ADSC transplantation also increased flap recovery in I/R injury of IL-6-knockout mice. IL-6 was secreted from ADSCs through signal transducer and activator of transcription phosphorylation, and then IL-6 stimulated angiogenesis and enhanced recovery after I/R injury by the classic signaling pathway. The mechanism of skin recovery includes the direct differentiation of ADSCs into endothelial cells and the indirect effect of IL-6 released from ADSCs. ADSC-CM and ADSC-Exo could be used as off-the-shelf products for this therapy.