Effects of COVID-2019 on plastic surgery emergencies in Korea.

BACKGROUND: To fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries have implemented social distancing and lockdowns. We investigated the changes in the trauma patterns of emergency plastic surgeries in the midst of a pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records of all patients treated for emergency plastic surgeries was performed at our hospital in Seoul. We conducted the analysis between March 1 and June 30, 2020, and compared the data obtained with that of the same period in 2019. We also investigated changes in trauma patterns according to the social distancing level from July 2020 to February 2021. RESULTS: There was a total of 800 emergency plastic surgery patients from March to June 2020, which was less than the 981 in the corresponding period in 2019. The proportion of patients aged 7-17 years and ≥ 80 in 2020 showed a significant decrease. In 2020, patients presenting with facial trauma decreased and hand trauma, markedly laceration, increased significantly. In 2020, more injuries happened at home, whereas significantly fewer injuries happened on the streets. In 2020, slipping and sports injury decreased, whereas penetrating injury increased significantly. In the changes observed according to the social distancing level, there were significant differences in age classification, facial open wound, and the mechanism of injury. CONCLUSION: Social distancing has caused a change in emergency plastic surgeries. To ensure safe and appropriate treatment, strict epidemiologic workup and protective equipment are required.

Multi-modal treatment strategy for achieving an aesthetic lower face.

BACKGROUND: Most women consider an oval-shaped face to be youthful and beautiful. In recent years, demand has grown for surgical procedures with a shorter downtime and fewer complications. These minimally invasive procedures include botulinum toxin type A (BoNTA) injection, filler injection, suction-assisted liposuction (SAL), laser-assisted lipolysis (LAL), thread lifting, and fat grafting. This study aims to introduce an effective method for creating an aesthetically pleasing lower face using a combination of minimally invasive procedures. METHODS: From March 2017 to March 2019, 94 patients simultaneously underwent LAL, SAL, and thread lifting. Ancillary procedures such as BoNTA injections, hyaluronic acid filler injections, and removal of the buccal fat pad (BFP) were selectively performed according to the patient's condition. RESULTS: Patients rated their postoperative satisfaction as very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied. Approximately 83% of all respondents were satisfied with the results, whereas the remaining respondents had complaints regarding the outcomes. The most common reasons for dissatisfaction were a longer-than-expected recovery time and undercorrection, and the most severe complaint was skin depression as a result of overcorrection. CONCLUSIONS: Our method of simultaneously performing LAL, SAL, and thread lifting, while adding BoNTA, filler injections, and BFP removal as needed, was capable of producing consistent and reliable aesthetic outcomes for the lower face.

Lactococcus kimchii sp. nov., a new lactic acid bacterium isolated from kimchi.

A coccus strain designated S-13T was isolated from commercial baechu-kimchi in Korea. Comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain S-13T had the highest similarity to Lactococcus taiwanensis 0905C15T (97.9 %), Lactococcus lactis subsp. tructae L105T (97.6 %), Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris NCDO 607T (97.5 %), Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae NBRC 100931T (97.2 %), and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM 5805T (97.2 %). The detailed phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA, rpoB and recA genes indicated that S-13T was separated from the other species and subspecies in the genus Lactococcus. The DNA-DNA relatedness between S-13T and closely related type strains, such as L. taiwanensis 0905C15T, L. lactis subsp. tructae L105T, L. lactis subsp. cremoris NCDO 607T, L. lactis subsp. hordniae NBRC 100931T, and L. lactis subsp. lactis JCM 5805T was 25.6, 20.4, 25.1, 20.2 and 21.7 %, respectively. The major fatty acids were C16 : 0, cyclo-C19 : 0ω8c and C 14 : 0. The DNA G+C content of S-13T was 39.4 mol%. From the results of the phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic analysis, it was concluded that strain S-13T represents a novel species in the genus Lactococcus for which the name Lactococcus kimchii sp. nov. (=KCTC 21096T=NBRC 113348T) is proposed.

Microbial ecology of watery kimchi.

The biochemistry and microbial ecology of 2 similar types of watery (mul) kimchi, containing sliced and unsliced radish and vegetables (nabak and dongchimi, respectively), were investigated. Samples from kimchi were fermented at 4, 10, and 20 °C were analyzed by plating on differential and selective media, high-performance liquid chromatography, and high-throughput DNA sequencing of 16S rDNA. Nabak kimchi showed similar trends as dongchimi, with increasing lactic and acetic acids and decreasing pH for each temperature, but differences in microbiota were apparent. Interestingly, bacteria from the Proteobacterium phylum, including Enterobacteriaceae, decreased more rapidly during fermentation at 4 °C in nabak cabbage fermentations compared with dongchimi. Although changes for Proteobacterium and Enterobacteriaceae populations were similar during fermentation at 10 and 20 °C, the homolactic stage of fermentation did not develop for the 4 and 10 °C samples of both nabak and dongchimi during the experiment. These data show the differences in biochemistry and microbial ecology that can result from preparation method and fermentation conditions of the kimchi, which may impact safety (Enterobacteriaceae populations may include pathogenic bacteria) and quality (homolactic fermentation can be undesirable, if too much acid is produced) of the product. In addition, the data also illustrate the need for improved methods for identifying and differentiating closely related lactic acid bacteria species using high-throughput sequencing methods.

Biosorption of cationic basic dye and cadmium by the novel biosorbent Bacillus catenulatus JB-022 strain.

Biosorption of heavy metals and dyes is a promising technology that involves the removal of toxic metals from industrial wastes. The present study aims to screen the bacterial strains isolated from soils and polluted pond for their potential biosorption of both cationic dye and cadmium. Bacillus catenulatus JB-022 strain removed 58% and 66% of cationic basic blue 3 (BB3) and cadmium (Cd(II)) at the respective concentrations of 2000 mg/L and 150 mg/L. The biosorption equilibrium data were well fitted by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, and the kinetic studies indicated that the biosorption followed the pseudo-second-order model. The biosorption kinetics showed that the equilibrium was reached within 10 min and 5 min for BB3 and Cd(II), respectively. According to the Langmuir model, the maximum uptakes of BB3 and Cd(II) by the JB-022 biomass were estimated to be 139.74 and 64.28 mg/g, respectively. To confirm the surface morphology and functional groups, field emission scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses were carried out, and the results revealed that the biomass of JB-022 has carboxyl and phosphonate groups as potential surface functional groups capable of binding to cationic pollutants. In conclusion, B. catenulatus JB-022 is proposed as an excellent biosorbent with potentially important applications in removal of cationic pollutants from wastewaters.

Lime application for the efficient production of nutraceutical glucooligosaccharides from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-742 (ATCC13146).

We have previously demonstrated the production of glucooligosaccharides via a fermentation of sucrose with Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-742 using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to control the pH. Because NaOH is expensive, we sought to minimize the cost of our process by substituting hydrated lime and saccharate of lime (lime sucrate) in its place. The yield of glucooligosaccharides using either 5 % lime (41.4 ± 0.5 g/100 g) or 5 % lime sucrate (40.0 ± 1.4 g/100 g) were both similar to the NaOH control (42.4 ± 1.5 g/100 g). Based on this, it appears that the cost associated with pH control in our process can be reduced by a factor of approximately 2.4 using lime instead of NaOH. Because our chromatographic stage is based on a Ca(2+)-form resin to separate glucooligosaccharides, the use of lime not only negates the need for costly de-salting via ion-exchange (elimination of two ion-exchange sections) prior to separation, but also greatly reduces the resin regeneration cost.

Decursin attenuates hepatic fibrogenesis through interrupting TGF-beta-mediated NAD(P)H oxidase activation and Smad signaling in vivo and in vitro.

AIMS: We studied that a potent antifibrotic effect of decursin on in vivo liver damage model and the mechanism in inhibiting which transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1-induced human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation. MAIN METHODS: Liver injury was induced in vivo by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) with or without decursin for 4weeks in mice. Human hepatic stellate cell line, an immortalized human HSC line, was used in in vitro assay system. The effects of decursin on HSC activation were measured by analyzing the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen I in liver tissue and human HSCs. KEY FINDINGS: Decursin treatment significantly reduced the ratio of liver/body weight, α-SMA activation, and type I collagen overexpression in CCl4 treated mice liver. The elevated serum levels, including ALT, AST, and ALP, were also decreased by decursin treatment. Treatment of decursin markedly proved the generation of reactive oxygen species, NAD(P)H oxidase (NOX) protein (1, 2, and 4) upregulation, NOX activity, and superoxide anion production in HSCs by TGF-ß1. It also significantly reduced TGF-ß1-induced Smad 2/3 phosphorylation, nuclear translocation of Smad 4, and association of Smad 2/3-Smad 4 complex. Consistent with in vitro results, decursin treatment effectively blocked the levels of NOX protein, and Smad 2/3 phosphorylation in injured mice liver. SIGNIFICANCE: Decursin blocked CCl4-induced liver fibrosis and inhibited TGF-ß1-mediated HSC activation in vitro. These data demonstrated that decursin exhibited hepatoprotective effects on experimental fibrosis, potentially by inhibiting the TGF-ß1 induced NOX activation and Smad signaling.

Sugarcane bagasse oxidation using a combination of hypochlorite and peroxide.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)), superoxide (O(2)(-)), hydroxyl radicals (OH(*)), or hypochlorite ion (OCl(-)), can remove both hemicellulose and lignin from lignocellulose. Ox-B (US Patent 6,866,870), an ROS producing solution containing sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide, was investigated for its ability to oxidize sugarcane bagasse. Treatment with equivalent amounts of hypochlorite produced similar results. Ox-B differentiated from hypochlorite when low concentration treatments were used and they were followed by a caustic wash. Cellulases hydrolyzed 80-100% of the cellulose present after Ox-B/caustic treatment compared to 40% or less for NaOCl/caustic treatment. Ox-B treatment was temperature independent and complete within 3h. It was pH dependent, with best results obtained when the pH was controlled at 8. Although highly effective, in order for Ox-B to be industrially feasible for alcohol production, the chemical cost must decrease to justify its use.