The objective of this study was to establish a new method for reconstruction of a tissue-engineered skin containing melanocytes by employing tissue engineering. The keratinocytes, melanocytes and dermal fibroblasts were isolated and purified from human foreskin biopsies. Then the cells were used to construct a tissue-engineered skin containing melanocytes. The localization of melanocytes in the tissue-engineered skin was detected by DOPA staining, S-100 immunohistochemical staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results showed that the melanocytes could be detected in the basal layer of the constructed skin and the melanocytes showed dendritic morphology. Moreover the constructed skins were used to repair the athymic mice skin defects. Animal experiment results indicated that the skin equivalents could successfully repair full thickness skin defects in athymic mice and generated black skins by 6weeks after grafting. Melanocytes located in the basal layer of the athymic mice skin could also be detected by using the S-100 immunohistochemical staining. Our established method is useful to repair the full-thickness skin defects.

We have investigated the mapping of several deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEAP) vessels in each patient, the effect of tissue expansion on the variation in the diameter of the DIEAP vessel, and the clinical effect of repair of hand scars by applying a dilated DIEAP flap. From 2000 to 2009, we did some research on this flap using a Doppler probe and computed tomographic (CT) angiography, and found that the inferior epigastric arteries are distributed between 4 cm above the umbilicus and 8 cm below the umbilicus. Most of the vessels are distributed in zones I, II, and III according to the Rand zonal approach. The arteries were rarely found in zone IV, and there was a relatively dense distribution of perforators in the nearby umbilical plane. Most of the biggest perforators were located in the peripheral umbilicus, and the mean (SD) diameter of perforator vessels was increased by 33% (8)% after expansion. The dilated DIEAP flap was used to treat 18 cases of hand scars. After the operation, 16 flaps survived; the two that did not, had slight blood flow defects in the distal portion of the flap, and the overall effects of the treatment were good. After the DIEAP flaps had been expanded for a long time, blood supply and the area of the flap are increased. The flap generated by this method is thin, has good resistance, and a nice appearance, and is therefor a better method for treating wounds of the hand and arm, and claw hand.

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Hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel is a new, jellylike transparent implant that consists of 95% water and 5% polyacrylamide, and it has been applied in many countries for many years as a sort of injectable implant. However, there are no data regarding human tissue reaction to hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel to date. Thirty-one patients who had undergone the injection of hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel for soft-tissue augmentation from September 1998 to November 2001 wanted to remove the implant. Hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections from each cyst of tissue sample were investigated and analyzed with light microscopy. The tissue slices of 12 patients who had received an injection of silicone from 1988 to 1994 were reviewed. The difference in histologic features was assessed. The inflammatory reaction of hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel was characterized by the presence of more foreign body giant cells. The cellular response ranged from moderate or marked (4 to 18 months) to mild (>18 months). The difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). Little lymphocyte infiltration was shown in all slices of hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel. There were clusters or diffuse lymphocyte infiltration on histologic observation of the liquid silicone. The difference was significant (P <0.001). In summary, hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel may evoke a human tissue inflammatory response similar to other foreign materials. Lumpy subcutaneous nodules, mastodynia, and difficult removal may limit its application in breast augmentation.

Background: Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive, psychoactive drug which can harm individual health and lead to great social problems. Various approaches have been adopted to address the problems arising from METH addiction, but relapse rates remain high. Recently, it has been found that comprehensive treatment combined with scientific and appropriate exercise interventions can improve the mental state and physical fitness of drug addicts and promote their physical and mental rehabilitation. Long-term, regular exercise improves the symptoms of METH withdrawal and reduces METH relapse. This study aimed to investigate the effects and regulated gene expression related to running exercise in METH-addicted mice.Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were used to construct a METH addiction model. We performed a running exercise intervention and used conditioned place preference (CPP) to measure the effects of the running intervention on the METH-addicted mice. We also performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and transcriptome analysis on the mice hippocampi, and the functions and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were significantly regulated by exercise intervention in the METH-addicted mice were analyzed and noted. Results:The results showed that days of CPP were shortened to 3 days in METH-addicted mice that underwent moderate exercise intervention, compared to 6 days in METH-addicted mice that went without exercise intervention. In addition, hippocampal transcriptome analysis revealed 12 DEGs significantly regulated by exercise intervention. By performing Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, it was revealed that the function of immune responses was significantly enriched in the METH-addicted mice undertaking exercise. The expression of 12 DEGs was verified by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), which showed that relative messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of DEGs was consistent with the RNA-seq results.Conclusions: A running intervention can promote the recovery of METH addiction in mice, and the 12 candidate DEGs from the mouse hippocampus can be used for further research on the regulatory mechanisms of exercise in METH-addicted mice.

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ObjectivesTraumatic orbital apex syndrome (TOAS) is an uncommon but severe ocular complication of craniomaxillofacial fracture. The optimal surgical strategy for TOAS has not been determined. To investigate the endoscopic anatomy of the orbital apex region, propose a protocol for simultaneous endoscopic endonasal decompression of the optic canal, superior orbital fissure, and proper orbital apex (EEDCFA) for TOAS and report its use in two patients.MethodsAn endoscopic endonasal approach was utilized to dissect the orbital apex region in two silicon-injected adult cadaveric heads. The details of the procedure used for decompression of the orbital apex were determined. The effects of this procedure were determined in two patients with TOAS who underwent simultaneous decompression of the optic canal, superior orbital fissure, and proper orbital apex.ResultsThe orbital apex consisted of three portions, the contents of the optic canal superomedially; the contents of the superior orbital fissure inferolaterally; and the converging portion, or proper orbital apex, anteriorly. From an endoscopic endonasal approach, the optic nerve, superior orbital fissure, and orbital apex convergence prominences were found to form a π-shaped configuration. This π-shaped configuration was indicative of the orbital apex and was an important landmark for decompression of the orbital apex. Endonasal decompression of the orbital apex in the two patients resulted in the satisfactory recovery of extraocular mobility, with no surgical complications.ConclusionsEEDCFA is feasible, effective, and safe for patients with TOAS caused by direct compression of displaced fracture segments. The π-shaped configuration is a valuable landmark for EEDCFA.

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