The Effects of Botulinum Toxin Type A on the Biological Behavior of Fibroblasts on Silicone Implants.

Background: Capsular contracture is one of the most severe complications following breast augmentation surgery. It has been reported that botulinum toxin Type A (BTX-A) can inhibit capsular contracture, but the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential mechanisms behind BTX-A's inhibition of capsular contracture by observing its effects on the biological behavior of fibroblasts and its impact on the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

Effects of substrate topography on the regulation of human fibroblasts and capsule formation via modulating macrophage polarization.

The host-material interface is critical in determining the successful integration of medical devices into human tissue. The surface topography can regulate the fibrous capsule formation around implants through macrophage polarization, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. In this study, four types of microgrooves (10 or 50 µm in groove depths and 50 or 200 µm in groove widths) were fabricated on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using lithography.

In Vivo and In Vitro Fibroblasts' Behavior and Capsular Formation in Correlation with Smooth and Textured Silicone Surfaces.

Background: As the most principal complication following breast augmentation with silicone breast implants, capsular contracture is greatly influenced by surface texture. However, there have long been widespread debates on the function of smooth or textured surface implants in reducing capsular contracture.

Materials And Methods: Three commercially available silicone breast implants with smooth and textured surfaces were subjected to surface characterization, and in vitro and in vivo assessments were then implemented to investigate the effect of these different surfaces on the biological behaviors of fibroblasts and capsular formation in rat models.

FoxO3a depletion accelerates cutaneous wound healing by regulating epithelial‑mesenchymal transition through β‑catenin activation.

The hysteresis of keratinocyte (KC) re‑epithelialization is an important factor resulting in chronic wounds; however, the molecular mechanisms involved in this cellular response remain yet to be completely elucidated. The present study demonstrated the function of transcription factor Forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) in KC growth and migration functional effects, resulting in restrained KC re‑epithelialization during wound healing. In chronic wound tissue samples, the expression of FoxO3a was significantly increased when compared with the acute wound healing group (P<0.

Autologous Vascularization: A Method to Enhance the Antibacterial Adhesion Properties of ePTFE.

Background: Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), an ideal bioimplant material, is commonly used in surgical repair to treat soft tissue defects and deformities. However, the main disadvantage of ePTFE is that its distinctive porous ultrastructure is prone to bacterial adhesion that gives rise to infection and chronic inflammation, resulting in functional failure. Herein, a potentially promising approach to ePTFE autologous vascularization (AV-ePTFE) in vivo was established and developed to enhance the material's antibacterial properties.

Negative pressure wound therapy and split thickness skin graft aided in the healing of extensive perineum necrotizing fasciitis without faecal diversion: a case report.

Background: Perineum necrotizing fasciitis, also known as Fournier gangrene (FG), is a rare but highly mortal infectious necrotizing fasciitis with or without involvement of the underlying muscle. Evidence exists that negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) combined with a split thickness skin graft (STSG) can help to heal wounds with FG. However, when the wound spreads to the anal area, it can easily be contaminated by faeces, causing a more extensive wounds; thus, faecal diversion is considered.

The role of postmastectomy radiation therapy in patients with immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction: A meta-analysis.

Objective: The controversy remains as to whether immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction with postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) is associated with acceptable complications and aesthetic outcomes. The aim of this meta-analysis was to provide a pooled analysis of comparative clinical studies that evaluated breast cancer patients who were treated with a mastectomy and an immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction to compare the complications and satisfaction of those who underwent or did not undergo PMRT.

Methods: According to the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration, we established a rigorous study protocol.

Biofunctionalization of silicone rubber with microgroove-patterned surface and carbon-ion implantation to enhance biocompatibility and reduce capsule formation.

Purpose: Silicone rubber implants have been widely used to repair soft tissue defects and deformities. However, poor biocompatibility can elicit capsule formation, usually resulting in prosthesis contracture and displacement in long-term usage. To overcome this problem, this study investigated the properties of silicone rubber materials with or without a microgroove-patterned surface and with or without carbon (C)-ion implantation.

Complications from Nasolabial Fold Injection of Calcium Hydroxylapatite for Facial Soft-Tissue Augmentation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Despite its increasing usage of facial applications, there is a paucity of objective data regarding calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA).

Objectives: To systematically evaluate the complications from CaHA injection for facial soft tissue augmentation.

Methods: Published studies on CaHA injection for facial soft tissue enhancement were identified through searches of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Controlled Trial databases.

Carbon Ion Implantation: A Good Method to Enhance the Biocompatibility of Silicone Rubber.

Background: Silicone rubber and silicone rubber-based materials have been used as medical tissue implants in the field of plastic surgery for many years, but there are still some reports of adverse reactions to long-term implants. Earlier studies have shown that ion implantation could enhance the biocompatibility of biomaterials. However, whether ion implantation has a good effect on silicone rubber is unknown.

Effect of microtubule-associated protein-4 on epidermal cell migration under different oxygen concentrations.

After skin trauma, regional epidermal cell migration mediates the re-epithelialization of the wound surface, which is an important step for wound healing, yet the underlying molecular regulatory mechanism is unclear. In the current study, HaCaT cells were maintained under different oxygen concentrations (1%, 21%, 40% and 65%). Technologies including immunofluorescence staining, wound scratch, transwell invasion, western blot and low-expression lentiviral vector were utilized to observe the changes in microtubule dynamics and the microtubule-associated protein (MAP)4 expression.

[China's rice field greenhouse gas emission under climate change based on DNDC model simulation].

In contrast to a large body of literature assessing the impact of agriculture greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on climate change, there is a lack of research examining the impact of climate change on agricultural GHG emissions. This study employed the DNDC v9.5, a state-of-art biogeochemical model, to simulate greenhouse gas emissions in China' s rice-growing fields during 1971-2010.

Brilliant blue FCF is a nontoxic dye for saphenous vein graft marking that abrogates response to injury.

Background: Injury to saphenous vein grafts during surgical preparation may contribute to the subsequent development of intimal hyperplasia, the primary cause of graft failure. Surgical skin markers currently used for vascular marking contain gentian violet and isopropanol, which damage tissue and impair physiologic functions. Brilliant blue FCF (FCF) is a nontoxic dye alternative that may also ameliorate preparation-induced injury.

Efficacy and safety of topical ALA-PDT in the treatment of EMPD.

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a successful treatment for non-melanoma skin cancers in clinical practice. More and more doctors use PDT to cure the patients with skin cancer, especially in the elder. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical PDT using aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) in the treatment of Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) and its role in surgical improvements.

Hydroxyapatite-coated sillicone rubber enhanced cell adhesion and it may be through the interaction of EF1β and γ-actin.

Silicone rubber (SR) is a common soft tissue filler material used in plastic surgery. However, it presents a poor surface for cellular adhesion and suffers from poor biocompatibility. In contrast, hydroxyapatite (HA), a prominent component of animal bone and teeth, can promote improved cell compatibility, but HA is an unsuitable filler material because of the brittleness in mechanism.

Brilliant blue FCF as an alternative dye for saphenous vein graft marking: effect on conduit function.

Importance: Surgical skin markers are used off-label to mark human saphenous veins (HSVs) to maintain orientation before implantation as aortocoronary or peripheral arterial bypass grafts. These surgical skin markers impair functional responses of the HSV tissue.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of brilliant blue dye 1 (brilliant blue FCF [for food coloring]; hereinafter, FCF) as a nontoxic alternative marking dye and to determine whether FCF has pharmacological properties.

Requirement of Gαi1/3-Gab1 signaling complex for keratinocyte growth factor-induced PI3K-AKT-mTORC1 activation.

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), also termed as fibroblast growth factor-7, promotes proliferation, migration, and adhesion of skin keratinocytes via binding to keratinocyte growth factor receptor (KGFR) and subsequent activation of downstream signaling including the PI3K-AKT-mTORC1 pathway. Here, we found that the α-subunits of the G proteins (Gαi1/3) and growth factor receptor binding 2-associated binding protein 1 (Gab1) are required for this activation process. With KGF stimulation, Gαi1/3 formed a complex with KGFR and was required for subsequent Gab1 recruitment, phosphorylation, and following PI3K-p85 activation.

Osteopontin (OPN) is an important protein to mediate improvements in the biocompatibility of C ion-implanted silicone rubber.

Medical device implants are drawing increasing amounts of interest from modern medical practitioners. However, this attention is not evenly spread across all such devices; most of these implantable devices can cause adverse reactions such as inflammation, fibrosis, thrombosis, and infection. In this work, the biocompatibility of silicone rubber (SR) was improved through carbon (C) ion implantation.

Surgical vein graft preparation promotes cellular dysfunction, oxidative stress, and intimal hyperplasia in human saphenous vein.

Introduction: Human saphenous vein (HSV) is the most widely used bypass conduit for peripheral and coronary vascular reconstructions. However, outcomes are limited by a high rate of intimal hyperplasia (IH). HSV undergoes a series of ex vivo surgical manipulations prior to implantation, including hydrostatic distension, marking, and warm ischemia in solution.

Intimal thickness associated with endothelial dysfunction in human vein grafts.

Background: Intimal hyperplasia is a complex process thought to be initiated by injury and is the leading cause of vein graft failure. In the present investigation, we hypothesized that the basal intimal thickness in the human saphenous vein is a predictor of endothelial dysfunction and, potentially, intimal hyperplasia.

Methods: Human saphenous veins were obtained during coronary artery bypass surgery.

Three-dimensional C-arm computed tomography reformation combined with fluoroscopic-guided sacroplasty for sacral metastases.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate a sacroplasty technique, using three-dimensional C-arm CT reformation combined with fluoroscopic guidance for patients with severe painful sacral metastases. We studied the data of seven patients (average age 55.7 years) treated through trans-sacroiliac joint approach with the technique.

Height restoration and wedge angle correction effects of percutaneous vertebroplasty: association with intraosseous clefts.

Objective: To evaluate effects of vertebroplasty on restoration of vertebral body height and wedge angle and relief from pain in patients with osteoporotic compression fractures.

Methods: A retrospective study of 156 patients (232 levels) who had undergone vertebroplasty was conducted. Treated vertebrae with cleft included 49 patients (49 levels) and that without cleft 107 patients (183 levels).

Role of serum amyloid P in skin graft survival and wound healing in burned patients receiving skin grafts.

Background: Recent studies in animal models suggest that serum amyloid P (SAP) can affect burn wound healing. However, the role of SAP in a clinical setting remains unknown.

Methods: We enrolled 88 patients with third degree burn wounds.