Three-Dimensional Printed Customized Scaffolds Covered with Decellularized Bone Extracellular Matrix for Open-Wedge High-Tibial Osteotomy.

Void fillers are required for osseous gaps generated after orthopedic procedures as medial open-wedge high-tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) to provide sufficient structural support and a rapid osteosynthesis. We developed a novel three-dimensional (3D) printing-based platform technology using the customized 3D scaffolds covered with polycaprolactone (PCL)/β-tri-calcium phosphates (β-TCP)/bone decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) for use as bone substitute scaffold, which can be effectively exploited to estimate the calculated correction angle with preoperative simulations. PCL/β-TCP/bone dECM scaffolds demonstrated significantly higher cell contain levels in cell seeding efficiency, excellent proliferation capacity, and promotion of early osteogenic differentiation compared with PCL/β-TCP scaffolds.

Microneedle patch casting using a micromachined carbon master for enhanced drug delivery.

For successful treatment of diseases, sufficient therapeutics must be provided to the body. Microneedle applications in therapeutic delivery and analytics sampling are restricted because of various issues, including smaller area for drug loading and analytics sampling. To achieve sufficient drug loading and analytics sampling and improve drug penetration while maintaining painless administration, patch-type microneedle arrays were designed and fabricated using polymer casting from a conical cavity mold.

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Increases Facial Adipogenesis in a Swine Model via Modulation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Cilia.

Decreased medial cheek fat volume during aging leads to loss of a youthful facial shape. Increasing facial volume by methods such as adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) injection can produce facial rejuvenation. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can increase adipogenesis in subcutaneous fat by modulating cilia on ASCs, which is accompanied by increased HSP70 and decreased NF-κB expression.

Eucalyptol induces osteoblast differentiation through ERK phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo.

Eucalyptol (EU) is monoterpene oxide that is the main component of the essential oil extracted from aromatic plants such as Eucalyptus globules. EU has therapeutic effects such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant in chronic diseases including inflammation disorder, respiratory disease, and diabetic disease. However, the effects of EU on osteoblast differentiation and bone diseases such as osteoporosis have not been studied.

FeS-incorporated 3D PCL scaffold improves new bone formation and neovascularization in a rat calvarial defect model.

199Three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds composed of various biomaterials, including metals, ceramics, and synthetic polymers, have been widely used to regenerate bone defects. However, these materials possess clear downsides, which prevent bone regeneration. Therefore, composite scaffolds have been developed to compensate these disadvantages and achieve synergetic effects.

Advances in the development of tubular structures using extrusion-based 3D cell-printing technology for vascular tissue regenerative applications.

Until recent, there are no ideal small diameter vascular grafts available on the market. Most of the commercialized vascular grafts are used for medium to large-sized blood vessels. As a solution, vascular tissue engineering has been introduced and shown promising outcomes.

Can pretreatment platelet-to-lymphocyte and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios predict long-term oncologic outcomes after preoperative chemoradiation followed by surgery for locally advanced rectal cancer?

Purpose: Systemic inflammation is associated with various malignancies, including colorectal cancer, as possible prognostic predictors. We aimed to evaluate the correlation of pretreatment the platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratio with long-term oncologic outcomes and pathologic complete response (pCR) in locally ad vanced rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by curative resection.

Methods: Between October 1996 and December 2015, 168 rectal cancer patients treated with preoperative CRT followed by surgery were enrolled.

Facile Preparation of β-Cyclodextrin-grafted Chitosan Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffolds as a Hydrophobic Drug Delivery Vehicle for Tissue Engineering Applications.

Despite advances in the bio-tissue engineering area, the technical basis to directly load hydrophobic drugs on chitosan (CTS) electrospun nanofibers (ENs) has not yet been fully established. In this study, we fabricated CTS ENs by using an electrospinning (ELSP) system, followed by surface modification using succinyl-beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) under mild conditions. The β-CD-modified CTS (βCTS) ENs had slightly increased hydrophobicity compared to pristine CTS ENs as well as decreased residual amine content on the surface.

Overcome the barriers of the skin: exosome therapy.

Exosomes are nano-sized cargos with a lipid bilayer structure carrying diverse biomolecules including lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. These small vesicles are secreted by most types of cells to communicate with each other. Since exosomes circulate through bodily fluids, they can transfer information not only to local cells but also to remote cells.

3D-printed gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)/silanated silica scaffold assisted by two-stage cooling system for hard tissue regeneration.

Among many biomaterials, gelatin methacrylate (GelMA), a photocurable protein, has been widely used in 3D bioprinting process owing to its excellent cellular responses, biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, GelMA still shows a low processability due to the severe temperature dependence of viscosity. To overcome this obstacle, we propose a two-stage temperature control system to effectively control the viscosity of GelMA.

Management of large and surrounding tissue infiltrative anal fistula cancer: Two case reports.

Introduction: Adenocarcinoma originating from chronic perianal fistulas is a rare disease. Due to the lack of evidence of this malignancy, no definitive diagnostic and treatment guidelines have been established. We present two cases of anal fistula cancer and discuss the diagnostic and treatment strategies.

Effect of laparoscopic surgery on the risk for surgical site infections in colorectal resection: results from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service Database.

Purpose: To compare the hospital length of stay (LOS), duration of antibiotic use, medical costs, and incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) between laparoscopic colorectal surgery (Lap-CRS) and open CRS (Open-CRS).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis assessment (7th assessment, 2015); the nationwide data were collected from patients who underwent CRS from September to November 2015 in low volume hospital to the tertiary hospital level in Korea.

Results: All 2,751 patients who underwent elective CRS were assessed.

Efficacy of a chitosan tampon in the loop electrosurgical excision procedure: A prospective randomized controlled study.

It has been reported that chitosan has a hemostatic effect and an antibiotic activity. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of using a chitosan tampon (Hemoblock-Tampon) in preventing hemorrhage and enhancing wound healing after the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP).This single-blind, prospective, randomized study included 62 consecutive patients who underwent LEEP for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Machine learning-based design strategy for 3D printable bioink: elastic modulus and yield stress determine printability.

Although three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology is rapidly developing, the design strategies for biocompatible 3D-printable bioinks remain a challenge. In this study, we developed a machine learning-based method to design 3D-printable bioink using a model system with naturally derived biomaterials. First, we demonstrated that atelocollagen (AC) has desirable physical properties for printing compared to native collagen (NC).

Diminished Expression of P-glycoprotein Using Focused Ultrasound Is Associated With JNK-Dependent Signaling Pathway in Cerebral Blood Vessels.

MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) combined with microbubbles (MBs) is a promising technology that can facilitate drug delivery through a temporarily disrupted blood-brain barrier (BBB) and induce the down-regulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression on the blood vessels. Despite the increasing evidence regarding the down-regulation of P-gp expression after MRgFUS BBB disruption (BBBD), its underlying molecular events remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the underlying mechanism of FUS BBBD-mediated P-gp down-regulation.

Full Thickness Skin Expansion in a Newly Developed Reactor and Evaluation of Auto-Grafting Efficiency of the Expanded Skin Using Yucatan Pig Model.

Background: Skin grafts are required in numerous clinical procedures, such as reconstruction after skin removal and correction of contracture or scarring after severe skin loss caused by burns, accidents, and trauma. The current standard for skin defect replacement procedures is the use of autologous skin grafts. However, donor-site tissue availability remains a major obstacle for the successful replacement of skin defects and often limits this option.

Synergistic Effects of Beta Tri-Calcium Phosphate and Porcine-Derived Decellularized Bone Extracellular Matrix in 3D-Printed Polycaprolactone Scaffold on Bone Regeneration.

Bone-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) is widely used in studies on bone regeneration because of its ability to provide a microenvironment of native bone tissue. However, a hydrogel, which is a main type of ECM application, is limited to use for bone graft substitutes due to relative lack of mechanical properties. The present study aims to fabricate a scaffold for guiding effective bone regeneration.

Controlled release of paclitaxel using a drug-eluting stent through modulation of the size of drug particles in vivo.

Drug-eluting stents (DESs) are generally used in percutaneous coronary intervention. Paclitaxel (PTX) is widely used in DESs to suppress neointima, which causes restenosis. However, the PTX release profile is slow owing to its hydrophobic properties, resulting in negative effects on re-endothelialization in vessels.

Rapid expansion and auto-grafting efficiency of porcine full skin expanded by a skin bioreactor .

Full skin auto-grafts are required for reconstruction of skin burns and trauma scars. However, currently available clinical approaches such as sheet skin graft, mesh skin grafts, artificial skin graft, and in vivo skin expansion have limitations due to their potential danger for secondary damage and scar formation at the donor site, and discomfort during skin expansion. We developed an advanced bioreactor system and evaluated its function in skin expansion using porcine full skin.

Porous zirconia/hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone reconstruction.

Objective: Highly porous apatite-based bioceramic scaffolds have been widely investigated as three-dimensional (3D) templates for cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation promoting the bone regeneration. Their fragility, however, limits their clinical application especially for a large bone defect.

Methods: To address the hypothesis that using a ZrO(2)/hydroxyapatite (HAp) composite might improve both the mechanical properties and cellular compatibility of the porous material, we fabricated ZrO(2)/HAp composite scaffolds with different ZrO(2)/HAp ratios, and evaluated their characteristics.

Zirconia-hydroxyapatite composite material with micro porous structure.

Objectives: Titanium plates and apatite blocks are commonly used for restoring large osseous defects in dental and orthopedic surgery. However, several cases of allergies against titanium have been recently reported. Also, sintered apatite block does not possess sufficient mechanical strength.

Chitooligosaccharides decreases plasma lipid levels in healthy men.

Chitosan, which is derived from chitin, has drawn much attention due to its low toxicity and potential use in medical and pharmaceutical applications. The biological activities of chitosan have been shown to depend on its molecular weight (MW) and degree of deacetylation. In this study, we investigated whether oral chitooligosaccharides, which are easily absorbed into the body, can reduce the plasma level of lipid in smokers and non-smokers because smoking is a high-risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

Crystallinity of anodic TiO2 nanotubes and bioactivity.

Anodic TiO2 nanotubes were produced on titanium at 20 V using 1 M Na2SO4 and 0.5 wt% NaF. Oxidation for 3 hours produced amorphous tubes of diameter 100 nm and thicknesses 2 microm.

Hydrogel-based biomimetic environment for in vitro modulation of branching morphogenesis.

The mechanical properties of the cellular microenvironment dramatically alter during tissue development and growth. Growing evidence suggests that physical microenvironments and mechanical stresses direct cell fate in developing tissue. However, how these physical cues affect the tissue morphogenesis remains a major unknown.