Underrepresentation of African Americans in Plastic Surgery: Examining Demographics, Specialty Factors, and Medical School Experiences.

Background: Racial representation among medical trainees translates into physicians that are able to communicate with diverse patient populations and are perceptive to health disparities. This is important within plastic surgery where an optimal physicianpatient relationship is essential to health outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to address underrepresentation of African Americans (AA) in plastic surgery through improving understanding of factors that may contribute to AA medical student interest in plastic surgery.

Use of Absorbable Dermal Stapler in Reduction Mammoplasty: Assessing Technical, Quality-of-Life, and Aesthetics Outcomes.

Introduction: Reduction mammaplasty is a mainstay in the treatment of symptomatic macromastia, with a well-described positive impact on patient quality-of-life (QoL). Absorbable dermal staplers have the potential to improve the efficiency of skin closure in reduction mammoplasties, but a more comprehensive assessment of its impact on key outcomes has not been fully elucidated.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing reduction mammoplasty between November 2018 and December 2020 was conducted.

Soft Tissue Anchoring Performance, Biomechanical Properties, and Tissue Reaction of a New Hernia Mesh Engineered to Address Hernia Occurrence and Recurrence.

One opportunity to reduce hernia occurrence and recurrence rates (currently estimated to be 30% at 10 years postoperatively) is by enhancing the ability of hernia meshes to anchor into tissue to prevent mesh migration, mesh contraction, and mesh tearing away from tissue. To address this, we developed a novel moderate-weight, macroporous, polypropylene mesh (termed the T-line mesh) with mesh extensions to optimize anchoring. We examined the physical properties, biomechanical performance, and biocompatibility of this novel mesh versus a predicate mesh anchored with #0-suture.

Application of a novel suture anchor to abdominal wall closure.

Background: Mesh suture used in high-tension wound closures produces large knots susceptible to increased palpability, infection, and foreign body response; yet has superior tensile strength and increased resistance to cutting through tissue compared to standard suture. This study investigates mesh suture fixation in abdominal tissue with a knotless novel, low-profile anchor-clip.

Methods: Single and double end fixation of mesh suture in swine rectus abdominus fascia with an anchor-clip, a knot, and predicate device fixation underwent cyclic testing followed by pull-to-failure testing.

The Utilization of Video Technology in Surgical Education: A Systematic Review.

Background: The use of surgical video has great potential to enhance surgical education, but there exists limited information about how to effectively use surgical videos. We performed a systematic review of video technology in surgical training and provided evidence-based recommendations for its effective use.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review of literature on surgical video in residency education was conducted.

Transdifferentiation and reprogramming: Overview of the processes, their similarities and differences.

Reprogramming, or generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (functionally similar to embryonic stem cells or ES cells) by the use of transcription factors (typically: Oct3/4, Sox2, c-Myc, Klf4) called "Yamanaka factors" (OSKM), has revolutionized regenerative medicine. However, factors used to induce stemness are also overexpressed in cancer. Both, ES cells and iPS cells cause teratoma formation when injected to tissues.