Transformation of Plantation Forestry Productivity for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation.

The protection of natural forests as the major land-based biotic sink of carbon is regarded as a priority for climate action, and zero deforestation is an accepted global imperative. Sustainable intensification of plantation forestry will be essential to meet escalating, shifting, and diversifying demand for forest products if logging pressure on natural forests is to be decreased. Substitution strategies involves enhanced offtake from plantation forestry into long life-cycle products, opening up new options for medium- to long-term carbon drawdown, downstream decarbonization, and fossil fuel displacement in the construction and chemicals sectors.

Histologic lichenoid features in oral dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: This study describes the occurrence of histopathologic characteristics of oral lichenoid mucositis in epithelial dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma.

Study Design: This retrospective review examined 352 histologic specimens of group 1 (mild to moderate dysplasia), group 2 (severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ), and group 3 (squamous cell carcinoma) for correlation between 5 histologic characteristics frequently found in oral lichen planus and grade, age, gender, and oral subsite.

Results: In this sample, 29% of all cases exhibited 3 or more lichenoid features.

Factors that influence perforator thrombosis and predict healing with perforator sclerotherapy for venous ulceration without axial reflux.

Objective: Refluxing perforators contribute to venous ulceration. We sought to describe patient characteristics and procedural factors that (1) impact rates of incompetent perforator vein (IPV) thrombosis with ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy (UGS) and (2) impact the healing of venous ulcers (CEAP 6) without axial reflux.

Methods: A retrospective review of UGS of IPV injections from January 2010 to November 2012 identified 73 treated venous ulcers in 62 patients.

The malignant transformation of oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions: a systematic review.

Background: Determining the potential for malignant transformation of oral lichen planus (OLP) is complicated by difficulties in diagnosis, differentiation from oral lichenoid lesions (OLLs) and the phenomenon of premalignant lesions' exhibiting lichenoid characteristics. The authors of this systematic review evaluated evidence regarding malignant transformation of OLP and characterized transformation prevalence, clinical characteristics of OLP lesions developing into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and time to transformation.

Types Of Studies Reviewed: The authors searched PubMed, Embase and Thomson Reuters Web of Science in a systematic approach.

Expanding the role of endovenous laser therapy: results in large diameter saphenous, small saphenous, and anterior accessory veins.

Background: Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) is an accepted form of axial vein ablation for symptomatic venous reflux but there is debate regarding its efficacy and complication rates in large veins (≥1 cm). In addition, its role in the treatment of small saphenous veins (SSVs) and anterior accessory veins (AAVs) has not been well characterized either.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing EVLT on the great saphenous vein (GSV), SSV, or AAV between August 2007 and May 2009 was conducted.

Inflow thrombosis does not adversely affect thrombolysis outcomes of symptomatic iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis.

Objective: The presence of popliteal or tibial vein clot is thought to adversely affect thrombolysis for iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT). We examined the effect of inflow thrombosis on functional and anatomic outcomes.

Methods: Data for 44 patients treated for symptomatic iliofemoral DVT between 2006 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed.

Clinical significance of cerebrovascular gas emboli during polidocanol endovenous ultra-low nitrogen microfoam ablation and correlation with magnetic resonance imaging in patients with right-to-left shunt.

Background: Foam generated by manual agitation of liquid sclerosant with air or gas is routinely utilized to treat refluxing veins. Although generally well tolerated, serious neurological events have been reported. The composition and properties of the foam, including bubble size and gaseous components, may contribute to the potential for microcirculatory obstruction and cerebral ischemia.

An antimicrobial peptide regulates tumor-associated macrophage trafficking via the chemokine receptor CCR2, a model for tumorigenesis.

Background: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute a significant part of infiltrating inflammatory cells that are frequently correlated with progression and poor prognosis of a variety of cancers. Tumor cell-produced human beta-defensin-3 (hBD-3) has been associated with TAM trafficking in oral cancer; however, its involvement in tumor-related inflammatory processes remains largely unknown.

Methodology: The relationship between hBD-3, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), TAMs, and CCR2 was examined using immunofluorescence microscopy in normal and oral carcinoma in situ biopsy specimens.

Expression of human beta-defensin-2 in intratumoral vascular endothelium and in endothelial cells induced by transforming growth factor beta.

Human beta-defensin-2 (hBD-2) is a small cationic peptide originally identified from psoriatic skin lesions as an antimicrobial agent of the innate immune system. The expression of hBD-2 is believed to be induced exclusively in epithelial cells by microbial components and certain proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta). In this study, we report, for the first time, that hBD-2 is expressed in vascular endothelial cells associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and Kaposi's sarcoma lesions, but not in that of normal stroma.

Overexpression of human beta-defensin-3 in oral dysplasia: potential role in macrophage trafficking.

Human beta-defensins (hBDs) are small, cationic antimicrobial peptides produced by oral and other mucosal epithelia. More recently, hBDs have been shown to regulate adaptive immunity. In this study, we provide new information about the potential role of hBD-3 in the progression of oral cancer.