The metabolism of membrane lipid participates in the occurrence of chilling injury in cold-stored banana fruit.

Banana fruit is highly vulnerable to chilling injury (CI) during cold storage, which results in quality deterioration and commodity reduction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the membrane lipid metabolism mechanism underlying low temperature-induced CI in banana fruit. Chilling temperature significantly induced CI symptoms in banana fruit, compared to control temperature (22 °C). Using physiological experiments and transcriptomic analyses, we found that chilling temperature (7 °C) increased CI index, malondialdehyde content, and cell membrane permeability. Additionally, chilling temperature upregulated the genes encoding membrane lipid-degrading enzymes, such as lipoxygenase (LOX), phospholipase D (PLD), phospholipase C (PLC), phospholipase A (PLA), and lipase, but downregulated the genes encoding fatty acid desaturase (FAD). Moreover, chilling temperature raised the activities of LOX, PLD, PLC, PLA, and lipase, inhibited FAD activity, lowered contents of unsaturated fatty acids (USFAs) (γ-linolenic acid and linoleic acid), phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylinositol, but retained higher contents of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (stearic acid and palmitic acid), free fatty acids, phosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidic acid, diacylglycerol, a lower USFAs index, and a lower ratio of USFAs to SFAs. Together, these results revealed that chilling temperature-induced chilling injury of bananas were caused by membrane integrity damage and were associated with the enzymatic and genetic manipulation of membrane lipid metabolism. These activities promoted the degradation of membrane phospholipids and USFAs in fresh bananas during cold storage.

Anterolateral thigh perforator flap: varying perforator anatomy.

The anterolateral thigh (ALT) perforator flap is based on the septocutaneous or musculocutaneous perforators from the lateral circumflex femoral vessels. Each perforator artery should be accompanied by 2 veins. Anomalies of the perforator anatomy in the subfascia and intramuscular layer are rarely reported. This study analyzed 6 anatomic perforator variations from subfascial to intramuscular level out of 1043 ALT perforator flaps performed from 2005 to 2007 in China Medical University Hospital in Taichung, Taiwan and from 2004 to 2007 in E-Da Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The perforator flaps included (1) 1 perforator artery and 4 accompanying veins, (2) 1 perforator artery and 1 accompanying vein, (3) 1 tortuous perforator artery and 1 accompanying vein, (4) 1 perforator artery with no accompanying vein, (5) 2 veins with no accompanying perforator artery, and (6) 1 vein only. These variations in perforator anatomy were believed to be the causes of total or partial flap failure after excluding all the other possibilities such as vessel kinking or perforator injury during intramuscular dissection. Further, the nearby anteromedial thigh or tensor fasciae lata flaps were considered alternative flaps in cases of unusual perforator anatomy. The contralateral ALT flap was also necessary in some cases. However, anatomic variations in perforators from subfascial to intramuscular layer must be considered if the flap is to be used safely and reliably.

Penile replantation, complication management, and technique refinement.

We describe a case of complete guillotine-type penile amputation at the proximal penile shaft. The blood flow was established 10 h after trauma. Circulation in the replanted penis was quite good but there was progressive prepuce necrosis after the hematoma. Cosmetic and urinary outcome was good 6 weeks later. The repair of deep dorsal penile vessels helps in corpus tissue healing and glans circulation. The blood supply from the corpus tissue is sufficient for the survival of the replanted penis even when the repaired dorsal vessels were occluded. Surgical pitfalls in replantation procedures and complication management are discussed.