Synergistic enhancement mediated sensitive SERS-based immunoassay of PSA using versatile PDMS@AgNPs@ZIF-67 biomimetic substrates.

Among various biomimetic polymer materials, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stands out as an ideal matrix for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) due to its unique intrinsic Raman signal and tenacity. In order to realize the precise detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), we proposed a sandwich-type SERS-active immunostructure composed of PDMS@silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs)@ZIF-67 biomimetic film as the immunosubstrate and gold nanorods (Au NRs) as immunoprobes. Due to the synergistic effect of electromagnetic enhancement facilitated by biomimetic surfaces and chemical enhancement achieved by ZIF-67, this structure enabled an ultrasensitive and selective detection of PSA across a broad range from 10-3 to 10-9 mg/mL. The achieved limit of detection was as low as 3.0 × 10-10 mg/mL. Particularly, the intrinsic Raman signal of PDMS matrix at 2905 cm-1 was employed as a potential internal standard (IS) in the detection, achieving a high coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.996. This multifunctional SERS substrate-mediated immunoassay holds vast potential for early diagnosis of prostate cancer, offering promising prospects for clinical applications.

Embedded Bioprinting of Tissue-like Structures Using κ-Carrageenan Sub-Microgel Medium.

Embedded three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting utilizing a granular hydrogel supporting bath has emerged as a critical technique for creating biomimetic scaffolds. However, engineering a suitable gel suspension medium that balances precise bioink deposition with cell viability and function presents multiple challenges, particularly in achieving the desired viscoelastic properties. Here, a novel κ-carrageenan gel supporting bath is fabricated through an easy-to-operate mechanical grinding process, producing homogeneous sub-microscale particles. These sub-microgels exhibit typical Bingham flow behavior with small yield stress and rapid shear-thinning properties, which facilitate the smooth deposition of bioinks. Moreover, the reversible gel-sol transition and self-healing capabilities of the κ-carrageenan microgel network ensure the structural integrity of printed constructs, enabling the creation of complex, multi-layered tissue structures with defined architectural features. Post-printing, the κ-carrageenan sub-microgels can be easily removed by a simple phosphate-buffered saline wash. Further bioprinting with cell-laden bioinks demonstrates that cells within the biomimetic constructs have a high viability of 92% and quickly extend pseudopodia, as well as maintain robust proliferation, indicating the potential of this bioprinting strategy for tissue and organ fabrication. In summary, this novel κ-carrageenan sub-microgel medium emerges as a promising avenue for embedded bioprinting of exceptional quality, bearing profound implications for the in vitro development of engineered tissues and organs.

Identification of novel protein biomarkers from the blood and urine for the early diagnosis of bladder cancer via proximity extension analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BC) is a very common urinary tract malignancy that has a high incidence and lethality. In this study, we identified BC biomarkers and described a new noninvasive detection method using serum and urine samples for the early detection of BC. METHODS: Serum and urine samples were retrospectively collected from patients with BC (n = 99) and healthy controls (HC) (n = 50), and the expression levels of 92 inflammation-related proteins were examined via the proximity extension analysis (PEA) technique. Differential protein expression was then evaluated by univariate analysis (p < 0.05). The expression of the selected potential marker was further verified in BC and adjacent tissues by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and single-cell sequencing. A model was constructed to differentiate BC from HC by LASSO regression and compared to the detection capability of FISH. RESULTS: The univariate analysis revealed significant differences in the expression levels of 40 proteins in the serum (p < 0.05) and 17 proteins in the urine (p < 0.05) between BC patients and HC. Six proteins (AREG, RET, WFDC2, FGFBP1, ESM-1, and PVRL4) were selected as potential BC biomarkers, and their expression was evaluated at the protein and transcriptome levels by IHC and single-cell sequencing, respectively. A diagnostic model (a signature) consisting of 14 protein markers (11 in serum and three in urine) was also established using LASSO regression to distinguish between BC patients and HC (area under the curve = 0.91, PPV = 0.91, sensitivity = 0.87, and specificity = 0.82). Our model showed better diagnostic efficacy than FISH, especially for early-stage, small, and low-grade BC. CONCLUSION: Using the PEA method, we identified a panel of potential protein markers in the serum and urine of BC patients. These proteins are associated with the development of BC. A total of 14 of these proteins can be used to detect early-stage, small, low-grade BC. Thus, these markers are promising for clinical translation to improve the prognosis of BC patients.

Slightly photo-crosslinked chitosan/silk fibroin hydrogel adhesives with hemostasis and anti-inflammation for pro-healing cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis.

Cyclophosphamide is commonly used in the treatment of various cancers and autoimmune diseases, while concurrently imposing substantial toxicity on the bladder, frequently manifesting hemorrhagic cystitis. Intravesical interventions, such as hyaluronic acid supplementation, present a therapeutic strategy to reinstate bladder barrier function and alleviate the effects of metabolic toxicants. However, it remains a great challenge to achieve efficient cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis (CHC) management with accelerated tissue repair owing to the low wet-adhesion, poor hemostasis, and acute inflammatory responses. To address these issues, a hemostatic and anti-inflammatory hydrogel adhesive of chitosan methylacryloyl/silk fibroin methylacryloyl (CHMA/SFMA) is developed for promoting the healing of CHC. The obtained hydrogels show a high adhesive strength of 26.21 N/m with porcine bladder, facilitating the rapid hemostasis within 15 s, and reinstate bladder barrier function. Moreover, this hydrogel adhesive promotes the proliferation and aggregation of SV-HUC-1 and regulates macrophage polarization. Implanting the hydrogels into CHC bladders of a SD rat model, they not only can be completely biodegraded in 14 days, but also effectively control hematuria and inflammation, and accelerate angiogenesis, thereby significantly promote the healing of bladder injury. Overall, CHMA/SFMA hydrogels exhibit rapid hemostasis for treating CHC and accelerate muscle tissue repair via angiogenesis and inflammation amelioration, which may provide a new path for managing severe hemorrhagic cystitis in the clinics.

Cation-crosslinkedκ-carrageenan sub-microgel medium for high-quality embedded bioprinting.

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting embedded within a microgel bath has emerged as a promising strategy for creating intricate biomimetic scaffolds. However, it remains a great challenge to construct tissue-scale structures with high resolution by using embedded 3D bioprinting due to the large particle size and polydispersity of the microgel medium, as well as its limited cytocompatibility. To address these issues, novel uniform sub-microgels of cell-friendly cationic-crosslinked kappa-carrageenan (κ-Car) are developed through an easy-to-operate mechanical grinding strategy. Theseκ-Car sub-microgels maintain a uniform submicron size of around 642 nm and display a rapid jamming-unjamming transition within 5 s, along with excellent shear-thinning and self-healing properties, which are critical for the high resolution and fidelity in the construction of tissue architecture via embedded 3D bioprinting. Utilizing this new sub-microgel medium, various intricate 3D tissue and organ structures, including the heart, lungs, trachea, branched vasculature, kidney, auricle, nose, and liver, are successfully fabricated with delicate fine structures and high shape fidelity. Moreover, the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated within the printed constructs exhibit remarkable viability exceeding 92.1% and robust growth. Thisκ-Car sub-microgel medium offers an innovative avenue for achieving high-quality embedded bioprinting, facilitating the fabrication of functional biological constructs with biomimetic structural organizations.

CircFam190a: a critical positive regulator of osteoclast differentiation via enhancement of the AKT1/HSP90ß complex.

The identification of key regulatory factors that control osteoclastogenesis is important. Accumulating evidence indicates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are discrete functional entities. However, the complexities of circRNA expression as well as the extent of their regulatory functions during osteoclastogenesis have yet to be revealed. Here, based on circular RNA sequencing data, we identified a circular RNA, circFam190a, as a critical regulator of osteoclast differentiation and function. During osteoclastogenesis, circFam190a is significantly upregulated. In vitro, circFam190a enhanced osteoclast formation and function. In vivo, overexpression of circFam190a induced significant bone loss, while knockdown of circFam190a prevented pathological bone loss in an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse osteoporosis model. Mechanistically, our data suggest that circFam90a enhances the binding of AKT1 and HSP90ß, promoting AKT1 stability. Altogether, our findings highlight the critical role of circFam190a as a positive regulator of osteoclastogenesis, and targeting circFam190a might be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating pathological bone loss.

Ag NC and Ag NP/PorC Film-Based Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy-Type Immunoassay for Ultrasensitive Prostate-Specific Antigen Detection.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a spectral detection technology with high sensitivity and detectivity and can be used to detect the fingerprint information of the molecules with ultralow concentration. Herein, a kind of immunostructure constructed by Ag nanoparticle/porous carbon (Ag NP/PorC) films as the immunosubstrate and Ag NCs as the immunoprobes was presented for ultralow level prostate-specific antigen (PSA) detection. Experimentally, the Ag NP/PorC film was first prepared with a facile method by carbonizing the gelatin-AgNO3 film in air, and Ag NCs were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. Then, the Ag NP/PorC film was modified by PSA antibodies as the substrate, while Ag NCs were decorated by R6G and PSA antibodies for probes. The sandwiched SERS detection embodiment was constructed by the immunoreaction between the PSA and PSA antibody predecorated on the substrate and probes. Our results show that the proposed SERS-type immunoassay is highly sensitive and selective to a wide range of PSA concentrations from 10-5 to 10-12 g/mL. Thereafter, it was also implemented to detect the PSA level in human serum, and the results successfully reproduce the PSA levels as those measured by the chemiluminescence method with a recovery rate above 90%. All in all, this SERS-type immunoassay provides a promising method for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Examination of the transmission mechanism of energy prices influencing carbon prices: an analysis of mediating effects based on demand heterogeneity.

Carbon prices are important for promoting a low-carbon transformation of the economy. The fluctuation of energy prices affects carbon prices through supply and demand chains, thus affecting the achievement of emission reduction targets through carbon pricing tools. Based on daily time series data, a mediating effect model is constructed to study the impact of energy prices on carbon prices. We analyze how energy prices impact carbon prices using four different transmission paths and then test the resulting differences. The main findings are as follows. First, an increase in energy prices significantly negatively affects carbon prices through economic fluctuation, investment demand, speculative demand, and transaction demand. Second, energy price fluctuations mainly affect carbon emission prices through economic fluctuations. The impacts of the remaining transmission paths are in the order of speculative demand, investment demand, and transaction demand. This paper provides theoretical and practical support for reasonably responding to energy price fluctuations and forming effective carbon prices to address climate change.

Digital inclusive finance and consumption-based embodied carbon emissions: A dual perspective of consumption and industry upgrading.

Promoting the development of financial instruments can influence carbon emission reduction in the context of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. There are currently no theoretical mechanisms to explain whether and how digital inclusive finance, as a new type of financial service, influences residential consumption-based embodied carbon emissions. This study employs the mediation model, moderation model, and moderated mediation model to empirically evaluate the influence mechanism of digital inclusive finance on consumption-based embodied carbon emissions per capita in China from 2011 to 2019. The findings demonstrate that the development of digital inclusive finance increases residents' consumption-based embodied carbon emissions by upgrading consumption level and consumption structure, but that upgrading industrial structure does indeed have a significantly negative moderating effect in implications paths, causing consumption-based embodied carbon emissions to shift from positive to negative. This study, by focusing on the advancement of digital inclusive finance, offers policymakers suggestions for reducing consumption-based embodied carbon emissions from the standpoints of consumption upgrading and industrial structure upgrading, respectively.

Emerging and Versatile Platforms of Metal-Ion-Doped Carbon Dots for Biosensing, Bioimaging, and Disease Therapy.

Metal ions possess abundant electrons and unoccupied orbitals, as well as large atomic radii, whose doping into carbon dots (CDs) is a facile strategy to endow CDs with additional physicochemical characteristics. After being doped with metal ions, CDs reveal obvious changes in their optical, electronic, and magnetic properties by adjustments to their electron density distribution and the energy gaps, leading them to be promising and competitive candidates as labeling probes, imaging agents, catalysts, nanodrugs, and so on. In this review, we summarize the fabrication methods of metal-ion-doped CDs (M-CDs), and highlight their biological applications including biosensing, bioimaging, tumor therapy, and anti-microbial treatment. Finally, the challenging future perspectives of M-CDs are analyzed. We hope this review will provide inspiration for further development of M-CDs in various biological aspects, and help readers who are interested in M-CDs and their biological applications.

Evolution of household carbon emissions and their drivers from both income and consumption perspectives in China during 2010-2017.

Household inputs and consumption play important roles in driving carbon emissions in China. However, existing studies have mainly studied consumption-based household carbon emissions in specific years to highlight consumption guidance and management, and little attention has been given to income-based accounting and policy-making focused on primary input behaviors and product allocation behaviors. In the quest for more coordinated and efficient mitigation strategies, we applied input-output analysis (IOA) combined with the biproportional scaling method (RAS) to obtain both income- and consumption-based annual accounting of rural and urban household carbon emissions from 2010 to 2017 and then used structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to determine key driving factors and sectors. Our results revealed that the proportions of income-based household emissions in gross emissions were higher than that of consumption-based household emissions. In terms of driving factors, per capita income/consumption contributed the largest increase in household emissions for most of the period, and population changes also showed a weak positive effect. However, intermediate input/output structure and carbon emission intensity were the main offsetting factors for household emissions. Compared with the consumption-based results, the income-based results can identify some new critical sectors that lead to household emission changes. Furthermore, the discrepant results for rural and urban household carbon emissions from both income and consumption perspectives suggest that differentiated measures of rural and urban households in key sectors are necessary. Finally, we propose industrial chain adjustment strategies and household input and consumption behavior recommendations in the context of urbanization.

[Mechanism of Xiaoluanwan(II) in treating mouse epididymitis through the regulation of NLRP3 inflammasome].

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of Xiaoluanwan(II) in treating lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced epididymitis and its impact on the NLRP3 inflammasome. METHODS: The murine epididymitis model was established through local injection of LPS. The study included a control group (n=5), a model group (n=5), a model group treated with Xiaoluanwan(II) (Ⅱ) (n=5), and a saline group treated with Xiaoluanwan(II) (n=5). After 14 consecutive days of oral administration of Xiaoluanwan(II) or physiological saline, pathological changes in the epididymal tissues, expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome and Caspase-1, as well as associated protein levels were examined. RESULTS: Compared to the model group, Xiaoluanwan(II) significantly alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration and lesions, as evidenced by a reduction in the protein expression levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1, Cleaved-Caspase-1, IL-1ß, IL-18, GSDMD, and p-p38 MAPK (P<0.05 or P<0.01), thereby mitigating the inflammatory response. CONCLUSION: Xiaoluanwan(II) alleviates epididymal inflammation and ameliorates mouse epididymal epithelial injury by modulating the NLRP3-mediated cell pyroptosis pathway.

[Analysis of 10 years' data of systematic male reproductive system ultrasonography in diagnosis of azoospermia etiology].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of systematic male reproductive system ultrasonography in the diagnosis of azoospermia etiology. METHODS: Retrospective analysis and classification statistics were conducted on the data of azoospermia cases who underwent systematic male reproductive system ultrasound examination at the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University from January 2013 to January 2023. RESULTS: A total of 375 cases were included in the group, of which 303 cases could be diagnosed by ultrasound, including 161 cases of obstructive causes, 110 cases of non obstructive causes, and 32 cases of mixed causes. Obstructive causes mainly include bilateral absence or underdevelopment of the seminal vesicles and vas deferens, non obstructive causes mainly include bilateral simple testicular dysplasia, and the most common combined causes are bilateral absence or underdevelopment of the seminal vesicles and vas deferens combined with bilateral testicular dysplasia. The main causes involved a single organ in 174 cases, with 82 cases, 43 cases, and 4 cases involving 2-4 organs, respectively. In addition, there are multiple accompanying ultrasound manifestations of non primary causes. CONCLUSION: Systematic ultrasound examination can comprehensively evaluate the male reproductive system, effectively diagnose the causes of most azoospermia, and provide valuable imaging evidence for clinical treatment.

Primary cilia: The central role in the electromagnetic field induced bone healing.

Primary cilia have emerged as the cellular "antenna" that can receive and transduce extracellular chemical/physical signals, thus playing an important role in regulating cellular activities. Although the electromagnetic field (EMF) is an effective treatment for bone fractures since 1978, however, the detailed mechanisms leading to such positive effects are still unclear. Primary cilia may play a central role in receiving EMF signals, translating physical signals into biochemical information, and initiating various signalingsignaling pathways to transduce signals into the nucleus. In this review, we elucidated the process of bone healing, the structure, and function of primary cilia, as well as the application and mechanism of EMF in treating fracture healing. To comprehensively understand the process of bone healing, we used bioinformatics to analyze the molecular change and associated the results with other studies. Moreover, this review summarizedsummarized some limitations in EMFs-related research and provides an outlook for ongoing studies. In conclusion, this review illustrated the primary cilia and related molecular mechanisms in the EMF-induced bone healing process, and it may shed light on future research.

Multimodal Analgesia for Accelerated Rehabilitation after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial on the Effect of the Co-Application of Local Infiltration Analgesia and Femoral Nerve Block Combined with Dexmedetomidine.

Background: Multimodal postoperative pain regimens are widely used following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, there are few studies on the rehabilitation of the co-application of local infiltration analgesia (LIA) and femoral nerve block (FNB) combined with dexmedetomidine (DEX) for patients undergoing TKA. This study aimed to investigate the effect of LIA plus FNB and co-application of perioperative DEX on TKA outcomes. Methods: 95 patients were randomized into two groups. Patients in group B (n = 48) received a single preoperative FNB and LIA. Patients in group A (n = 47) received FNB and LIA, as well as continuous intravenous injection of DEX starting from the induction of anesthesia to postoperative day 2. All patients were allowed patient-controlled analgesia postoperatively. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores, knee range of motion (ROM) degrees, narcotic consumption, length of hospital stay (LOS), complications, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) scores and Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) Scores were recorded. Results: In group A, the mean VAS scores at rest and during movement were lower, the amount of rescue analgesia was decreased, first time of ambulation was reduced, ROM was improved, MoCA-B Scores were increased, LOS was shorter, HSS scores were higher postoperatively compared with group B (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study indicated multimodal analgesia involving a single FNB and LIA combined with DEX accelerates rehabilitation for patients undergoing TKA.

DNA Nanoribbon for Efficient Anti-miRNA Peptide Nucleic Acid Delivery and Synergistic Enhancement of Cancer Cell Apoptosis.

Antisense peptide nucleic acid (asPNA), an effective antisense drug, has been employed as a gene therapy agent and a useful tool in molecular biology. Gaining control over the delivery of asPNA to target tissues has been a major hindrance to its wide application in clinical practice. A simple and efficient DNA nanoribbon (DNR)-based drug delivery process has been designed in this study that releases the asPNA agent to inhibit oncogenic microRNAs (miRNAs). Furthermore, we demonstrated how the AS1411 aptamer that binds nucleolin on the cell membranes works as a control mechanism capable of identifying target cancer cells and enhancing the enrichment capacity of DNR. With the biodegradability of DNR, we can efficiently initiate the release of asPNA into the cytoplasm, particularly targeting the intended miR-21 and synergistically increasing programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) expression to enhance cell apoptosis. We assume that this well-defined delivery mechanism will aid in designing antisense site-specific treatments for various diseases, including cancer.

Excessive sulfur oxidation in endoplasmic reticulum drives an inflammatory reaction of chondrocytes in aging mice.

Osteoarthritis, as a common joint disease among middle-aged and elderly people, has many problems, such as diverse pathogenesis, poor prognosis and high recurrence rate, which seriously affects patients' physical and mental health and reduces their quality of life. At present, the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis is not completely clear, and the treatment plan is mainly to relieve symptoms and ensure basic quality of life. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to explore the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Protein, as organic macromolecule which plays a major role in life activities, plays an important role in the development of disease. Through protein omics, this study found that with the increase of age, excessive sulfur oxidation occurred in endoplasmic reticulum of chondrocytes, which then drove the occurrence of inflammatory reaction, and provided a direction for the follow-up molecular targeted.

Single-cell sequencing technologies in bladder cancer research: Applications and challenges.

Bladder cancer is among the most common malignant tumors with highly heterogeneous molecular characteristics. Despite advancements of the available therapeutic options, several bladder cancer patients exhibit unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. The lack of specific biomarkers for effective targeted therapy or immunotherapy remains a major obstacle in treating bladder cancer. The rapid development of single-cell techniques is transforming our understanding of the intra-tumoral heterogeneity, thereby providing us with a powerful high-throughput sequencing tool that can reveal tumorigenesis, progression, and invasion in bladder tumors. In this review, we summarise and discuss how single-cell sequencing technologies have been applied in bladder cancer research, to advance our collective knowledge on the heterogeneity of bladder tumor cells, as well as to provide new insights into the complex ecosystem of the tumor microenvironment. The application of single-cell approaches also uncovers the therapeutic resistance mechanism in bladder cancer and facilitates the detection of urinary-exfoliated tumor cells. Moreover, benefiting from the powerful technical advantages of single-cell techniques, several key therapeutic targets and prognostic models of bladder cancer have been identified. It is hoped that this paper can provide novel insights into the precision medicine of bladder cancer.

Acidity-Activatable Nanoparticles with Glucose Oxidase-Enhanced Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Effect, and Macrophage-Related Immunomodulation for Synergistic Treatment of Biofilm Infection.

The pH-responsive theragnostics exhibit great potential for precision diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Herein, acidity-activatable nanoparticles of GB@P based on glucose oxidase (GO) and polyaniline are developed for treatment of biofilm infection. Catalyzed by GO, GB@P triggers the conversion of glucose into gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ), enabling an acidic microenvironment-activated simultaneously enhanced photothermal (PT) effect/amplified photoacoustic imaging (PAI). The synergistic effects of the enhanced PT efficacy of GB@P and H2 O2 accelerate biofilm eradication because the penetration of H2 O2 into biofilm improves the bacterial sensitivity to heat, and the enhanced PT effect destroys the expressions of extracellular DNA and genomic DNA, resulting in biofilm destruction and bacterial death. Importantly, GB@P facilitates the polarization of proinflammatory M1 macrophages that initiates macrophage-related immunity, which enhances the phagocytosis of macrophages and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, leading to a sustained bactericidal effect and biofilm eradication by the innate immunomodulatory effect. Accordingly, the nanoplatform of GB@P exhibits the synergistic effects on the biofilm eradication and bacterial residuals clearance through a combination of the enhanced PT effect with immunomodulation. This study provides a promising nanoplatform with enhanced PT efficacy and amplified PAI for diagnosis and treatment of biofilm infection.

Use of the O-Z Flap to Repair Scalp Defects After Cancer Tumor Resection.

BACKGROUND: Large benign and malignant tumors in the scalp cannot be sutured directly after resection. Instead, skin grafting or skin flap repair is the most commonly used techniques. Local tissue depression and lack of hair growth are some of the drawbacks associated with these techniques. The use of a modified local flap (the O-Z flap) may effectively overcome these issues. OBJECTIVE: To explore the application of O-Z flap in wound repair after excision of benign and malignant tumors of the scalp. METHODS: Between April 2016 and November 2017, the authors treated 6 patients with scalp tumors. They underwent round or oval radical tumor resection with negative margins. Tumor specimens were diagnosed by cryosection during operation. According to the wound defect size and location, surrounding scalp looseness, and hair distribution, 2 rotating flaps in opposite directions were formed on the left and right sides or front and back of the wound. Subsequently, the skin flaps were rotated in opposite directions to repair the wound. RESULTS: The scalp tumors comprised 2 cases of basal cell carcinoma, 2 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 1 case of hair sheath carcinoma, and 1 case of epidermoid cyst. After complete tumor resection, the wound defect area was between 3.0 cm × 3.5 cm and 5.0 cm × 6.0 cm. After operation, approximately 6% of the tip of the skin flap was necrotized. The wounds healed after 4 weeks of dressing treatment. All skin flaps survived in stage I and no complications occurred. All patients were followed up for 3 to 12 months; the scalps were in good condition and no tumor recurrence was found. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the O-Z flap to repair scalp wounds offers flexible design, good blood circulation, uniform tension, and good hair growth after operation; thus, this technique is suitable for wound repair following scalp tumor resection.