The usefulness of a free thinned deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap and measurement of the vascular pedicle length: A thin flap with a long pedicle.

Background: The thinned deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap branching from the main trunk to the superolateral direction may be useful because of its long vascular pedicle. DIEP flap is used as an axial-pattern adipose flap. The vascular pedicle length of the thinned DIEP flap was investigated using originally developed software.

Noninvasive, objective evaluation of lower extremity lymphedema severity using shear wave elastography: A preliminary study.

Background: Increased skin and subcutaneous tissue stiffness in patients with early-stage lymphedema has been reported. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of shear wave elastography (SWE) for evaluating lower extremity lymphedema (LEL).

Methods: For 10 lower extremities of normal controls and 72 limbs of patients with gynecological cancer whose lymphatic function was categorized into six stages based on the range of dermal backflow (DBF) observed in indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography, SWE was performed and shear wave velocity (SWV) of the dermis and three layers of subcutaneous tissue at the thigh and calf were recorded.

Where does subcutaneous lymph from the chest wall flow into after mastectomy?

Background: Changes of the lymph flow from the chest wall after mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or axillary lymph node dissection (Ax) has yet to be understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect of axillary surgery on lymphatic flow from the chest wall in patients who have undergone mastectomy, including those have undergone breast reconstruction and vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT).

Methods: Following mastectomy in 100 breasts, the directions of lymph flow from the chest wall was compared between the SLNB omission, SLNB, Ax, and Ax followed by VLNT groups using indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography in cross-sectional study.

Comparison of Vectra three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry measurement and tape measurement in the evaluation of perioperative volume change of the lower abdomen in association with lymphatic microsurgery.

Background: Although microsurgical treatment for lower extremity lymphedema (LEL) can improve lower abdominal morphology, methods to evaluate the volume change of the lower abdomen have yet to be established. This study aimed to determine the accuracy and reproducibility of three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry (3DSM) in measuring the volume change in the lower abdomen.

Methods: The perioperative volume changes in the lower abdomen were estimated using tape measurement (TM) and 3DSM in 26 patients with LEL.

Total Nasal Reconstruction with a Nonlaminated Vascularized Free Temporal Fascia as the Lining.

Various methods to generate the lining for a full-thickness nasal reconstruction have been reported. We used bilateral septal mucoperichondrial flaps, the distal portion of an expanded median forehead flap, and a nonlaminated vascularized free temporal fascia flap as a lining during total nasal reconstruction of a total full-thickness nasal defect in a 45-year-old woman with a nasal squamous cell carcinoma. In the first step of the two-stage surgery, a tissue expander was inserted into the forehead simultaneously with tumor resection.

Internal Mammary Vein Valves: A Histological Study.

It is widely accepted that the internal mammary vein (IMV) is valveless. However, few anatomical studies are available on the presence or absence of IMV valves. To test the hypothesis that the IMV is valveless, we performed microscopic histological examination of the IMV.

The beneficial effect of traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, Hochu-ekki-to (Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang), for patients with chronic wounds refractory to conventional therapies: A prospective, randomized trial.

Hochu-ekki-to (HET) is a traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine for the treatment of severe weakness, loss of appetite, and indigestion in elderly patients and for the prevention of opportunistic infections. The impact of HET on patients with chronic wounds refractory to conventional therapies was investigated in a prospective, randomized trial, including 18 patients divided into medication (7.5 g oral HET per day, n = 9) and control (n = 9) groups.

Disseminated zoster in an adult patient with extensive burns: a case report.

Background: Shingles (localized zoster) and disseminated zoster are caused by the reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus (VZV). Reactivation of VZV is related to impaired cell-mediated immunity. Extensive burns affecting a patient result in burn-related immunosuppression and cytokine storm.

Intraoperative Detection of Efferent Lymphatic Vessels Emerging from Lymph Node during Lymphatic Microsurgery.

Background:  Although the usefulness of efferent lymphaticovenular anastomosis (ELVA) in lymphatic microsurgery has been reported, the optimal method to distinguish efferent from afferent lymphatics is not yet established. We propose a novel technique to detect efferent lymphatics appropriate for anastomosis.

Methods:  In total, 62 groin lymph nodes (LNs) of 46 limbs were divided into four groups based on the findings of indocyanine green lymphography:  = 15 in normal, 15 in dermal backflow stage 0, 18 in stage I, and 14 in stage II groups.

Intraoperative objective evaluation of venous congestion in deep epigastric artery perforator flap breast reconstruction: A pilot study.

Background: In a deep epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction, the necessity of additional anastomosis of the superficial inferior epigastric vein (SIEV) should be determined intraoperatively. The purpose of this pilot study is to propose a method to detect venous congestion intraoperatively using the blood glucose measurement index (BGMI).

Methods: In 70 DIEP flaps of 67 patients for breast reconstruction, the ratio of blood glucose content in the flap to systemic blood glucose (BGMI) was measured immediately after wound closure.

Posttranslationally caused bioluminescence burst of the Escherichia coli luciferase reporter strain.

We continuously monitored bioluminescence from a wild-type reporter strain of Escherichia coli (lacp::luc+/WT), which carries the promoter of the lac operon (lacp) fused with the firefly luciferase gene (luc+). This strain showed a bioluminescence burst when shifted into the stationary growth phase. Bioluminescence profiles of other wild-type reporter strains (rpsPp::luc+ and argAp::luc+) and gene-deletion reporter strains (lacp::luc+/crp- and lacp::luc+/lacI-) indicate that transcriptional regulation is not responsible for generation of the burst.

Near-UV radiation acts as a beneficial factor for physiological responses in cucumber plants.

Effects of near-UV radiation on the growth and physiological activity of cucumber plants were investigated morphologically, physiologically and biochemically using 3-week-old seedlings grown under polyvinyl chloride films featuring transmission either above 290 nm or above 400 nm in growth chambers. The hypocotyl length and leaf area of cucumber seedlings were reduced but the thickness of leaves was enhanced by near-UV radiation, due to increased upper/lower epidermis thickness, palisade parenchyma thickness and volume of palisade parenchyma cells. Photosynthetic and respiratory activities were also promoted by near-UV radiation, associated with general enhancement of physiological/biochemical responses.

Bottle gourd rootstock-grafting affects nitrogen metabolism in NaCl-stressed watermelon leaves and enhances short-term salt tolerance.

The plant growth, nitrogen absorption, and assimilation in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus [Thunb.] Mansf.) were investigated in self-grafted and grafted seedlings using the salt-tolerant bottle gourd rootstock Chaofeng Kangshengwang (Lagenaria siceraria Standl.

Effects of 24-epibrassinolide on the photosynthetic characteristics, antioxidant system, and chloroplast ultrastructure in Cucumis sativus L. under Ca(NO(3))(2) stress.

The effects of 0.1 μM 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) on plant growth (plant height, leaf area, fresh weight, and dry weight), chlorophyll content, photosynthetic characteristics, antioxidant enzymes, and chloroplast ultrastructure were investigated using cucumber seedlings (Cucumis sativus L. cv.

Proteomic study participating the enhancement of growth and salt tolerance of bottle gourd rootstock-grafted watermelon seedlings.

An insertion grafting technique to do research on salt tolerance was applied using watermelon (Citrullus lanatus [Thunb.] Mansf. cv.

Acetylcholine promotes the emergence and elongation of lateral roots of Raphanus sativus.

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) was grown on four layers of paper towel moistened with distilled water with and without acetylcholine (ACh) for five days in the dark after sowing. ACh at 1 nM promoted the growth (emergence and elongation) of lateral roots of radish plants, but had no effect on the stems and main roots.

Proteomic analysis of cucumber seedling roots subjected to salt stress.

To understand metabolic modifications in plants under salt stress, the physiological and biochemical responses of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Jinchun No.

Differences in the P1' substrate specificities of pepsin A and chymosin.

Porcine pepsin A and bovine chymosin are typical models of aspartic proteinases. The hydrolytic specificities of these proteinases, along with those of human pepsin A and monkey chymosin, were investigated with 29 peptide substrates that included various P1' variants of seven parent peptides. From these peptides, AFPLEF downward arrow FREL was preferred by pepsin A and chymosin, while its P1' variant, AFPLEF downward arrow EREL was preferred by bovine chymosin.

Effects of exogenous putrescine on gas-exchange characteristics and chlorophyll fluorescence of NaCl-stressed cucumber seedlings.

The effects of 10 mM putrescine (Put) treated by spraying on leaves on growth, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic gas-exchange characteristics, and chlorophyll fluorescence were investigated by growing cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L. cv. ChangChun mici) using hydroponics with or without 65 mM NaCl as a salt stress.

Self-incompatibility involved in the level of acetylcholine and cAMP.

Elongation of pollen tubes in pistils after self-pollination of Lilium longiflorum cv. Hinomoto exhibiting strong gametophytic self-incompatibility was promoted by cAMP and also promoted by some metabolic modulators, namely, activators (forskolin and cholera toxin) of adenylate cyclase and inhibitors (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and pertussis) of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. Moreover, the elongation was promoted by acetylcholine (ACh) and other choline derivatives, such as acetylthiocholine, L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine and chlorocholinechloride [CCC; (2-chloroethyl) trimethyl ammonium chloride].

Effect of aluminum on nitrate reductase and photosynthetic activities in Quercus serrata seedlings.

We investigated the physiological effect of rhizospheric aluminum (Al) on the activities of nitrate reductase and photosynthesis in Quercus serrata seedlings. The seedlings were cultured hydroponically in nutrient solution with or without 1 mM AlCl(3) (pH 4.0) for 14 days.

Regulation of self-incompatibility by acetylcholine and cAMP in Lilium longiflorum.

Elongation of pollen tubes in pistils of Lilium longiflorum cv. Hinomoto after self-incompatible pollination was here found to be promoted by acetylcholine (ACh) and other choline derivatives, such as acetylthiocholine, l-alpha-phosphatidylcholine and chlorocholinechloride [CCC; (2-chloroethyl) trimethyl ammonium chloride]. Moreover, the elongation was promoted by neostigmine, a potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE; acetylcholine-decomposing enzyme) (EC 3.

Response of antioxidative enzymes of Abies firma seedlings under chronic acid fog exposure and/or drought treatment.

To understand the oxidative stress conditions of momi fir (Abies firma Sieb. et Zucc.) seedlings under acid fog exposure and/or drought stress, we assayed the activities of antioxidative enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), in the seedlings.

Enhanced dihydroflavonol-4-reductase activity and NAD homeostasis leading to cell death tolerance in transgenic rice.

The maize Hm1 gene encoding the NADPH-dependent HC-toxin reductase is capable of detoxifying HC-toxin of fungus Cochliobolus carbonum. Here, we conducted the metabolic and biochemical analysis in transgenic rice plants overexpressing an HC-toxin reductase-like gene in rice (YK1 gene). Methods employing NADPH oxidation and capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry analysis confirmed that YK1 possessed dihydroflavonol-4-reductase activity in vitro and in vivo.