New Regenerative and Anti-Aging Medicine Approach Based on Single-Stranded Alpha-1 Collagen for Neo-Collagenesis Induction: Clinical and Instrumental Experience of a New Injective Polycomponent Formulation for Dermal Regeneration.

This study explores the efficacy of a novel polycomponent formulation (KARISMA Rh Collagen® FACE, Taumedika Srl, Rome, Italy), containing 200 mg/mL of non-crosslinked high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (HMW-HA), 200 µg/mL of a human recombinant polypeptide of collagen-1 alpha chain, and 40 mg/mL of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a regenerative medicine for skin regeneration and rejuvenation. This formulation combines non-crosslinked high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, human recombinant polypeptide of collagen-1 alpha chain, and carboxymethyl cellulose to stimulate collagen type I production and enhance skin hydration. This study involved 100 subjects with varying skin conditions, divided into three groups based on skin aging, smoking history, and facial scarring, to evaluate the product's effectiveness in skin regeneration and aesthetic improvement. The methodology included two injections of Karisma (2 mL for each injection) one month apart, with evaluations conducted using FACE-Q questionnaires, the SGAIS Questionnaire, and Antera 3D skin scanner measurements at baseline, 30 days, and 60 days post-treatment. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in skin roughness and an improvement in skin quality across all the groups, with no correlation between the outcomes and the patient's age. The subjective assessments also indicated high satisfaction with the treatment's aesthetic results. The analyzed data allow us to conclude that the single-stranded collagen with hyaluronic acid and carboxymethyl-cellulose formulation is able to stimulate the skin's regenerative response, yielding significant results both in vitro and, through our study, also in vivo. This new polycomponent formulation effectively stimulates skin regeneration, improving skin quality and texture, with significant aesthetic benefits perceived by patients, and a low incidence of adverse events, marking a promising advancement in regenerative medicine.

The Role of Consumption of Molybdenum Biofortified Crops in Bone Homeostasis and Healthy Aging.

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease and public health issue in aging populations. Inadequate intake of micronutrients increases the risk of bone loss during an adult's lifespan and therefore of osteoporosis. The aim of the study was to analyze the effects of consumption of biofortified crops with the micronutrient molybdenum (Mo) on bone remodeling and metabolism in a population of adults and seniors. The trial enrolled 42 senior and 42 adult people randomly divided into three groups that consumed lettuce biofortified with molybdenum (Mo-biofortified group) or without biofortification (control group) or molybdenum in a tablet (Mo-tablet group) for 12 days. We chose an experimental period of 12 days because the bone remodeling marker levels are influenced in the short term. Therefore, a period of 12 days allows us to determine if there are changes in the indicators. Blood samples, obtained at time zero and at the end of the study, were compared within the groups adults and seniors for the markers of bone resorption, C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) and bone formation osteocalcin, along with the markers of bone metabolism, parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin, albumin-adjusted calcium, vitamin D, phosphate and potassium. Consumption of a Mo tablet did not affect bone metabolism in the study. Consumption of Mo-biofortified lettuce significantly reduced levels of CTX and PTH and increased vitamin D in adults and seniors while levels of osteocalcin, calcitonin, calcium, potassium and phosphate were not affected. The study opens up new considerations about the role of nutrition and supplementation in the prevention of chronic diseases in middle-aged and older adults. Consumption of Mo-biofortified lettuce positively impacts bone metabolism in middle-aged and older adults through reduced bone resorption and improved bone metabolism while supplementation of Mo tablets did not affect bone remodeling or metabolism. Therefore, Mo-biofortified lettuce may be used as a nutrition intervention to improve bone homeostasis and prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis in the elderly.

Boosting plant food polyphenol concentration by saline eustress as supplement strategies for the prevention of metabolic syndrome: an example of randomized interventional trial in the adult population.

Introduction: Phenolic compounds in lettuce can increase by the application of positive stress (eustress) such as moderate saline stress. Phenolic compounds possess antioxidant capacity that is a key factor in the detoxification of excess reactive oxygen species. A double-blinded randomized interventional and placebo- controlled study design was carried out to compare the effect of daily dietary eustress lettuce ingestion in hepatic, lipid, bone, glucose, and iron metabolism. Methods: Forty-two healthy volunteers, 19 female and 23 male participants, were divided into two groups. Participants were randomized into a polyphenol-enriched treatment (PET) arm or control arm. Each arm consumed 100 g/day of control or eustress (polyphenols enriched treatment = PET) lettuce for 12 days. Primary study outcomes were serological analysis for assessing hepatic, lipid, bone, iron, and glucose markers at baseline and after 12 days. Secondary outcomes assessed body composition. Results: Salinity stress reduced plant yield but increased caffeic acid (+467%), chlorogenic acid (+320%), quercetin (+538%), and rutin (+1,095%) concentrations. The intake of PET lettuce reduced PTH, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol, alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) enzyme levels and increased vitamin D and phosphate levels, while iron and glucose metabolism were unaffected. Discussion: Supplementation with eustress lettuce by increasing polyphenols concentration ameliorates hepatic, lipid, and bone homeostasis. Body composition was not affected. Clinical trial registration: https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06002672, identifier: NCT06002672.

Impact on Glucose Homeostasis: Is Food Biofortified with Molybdenum a Workable Solution? A Two-Arm Study.

Diabetes is expected to increase up to 700 million people worldwide with type 2 diabetes being the most frequent. The use of nutritional interventions is one of the most natural approaches for managing the disease. Minerals are of paramount importance in order to preserve and obtain good health and among them molybdenum is an essential component. There are no studies about the consumption of biofortified food with molybdenum on glucose homeostasis but recent studies in humans suggest that molybdenum could exert hypoglycemic effects. The present study aims to assess if consumption of lettuce biofortified with molybdenum influences glucose homeostasis and whether the effects would be due to changes in gastrointestinal hormone levels and specifically Peptide YY (PYY), Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1), Glucagon-Like Peptide 2 (GLP-2), and Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide (GIP). A cohort of 24 people was supplemented with biofortified lettuce for 12 days. Blood and urine samples were obtained at baseline (T0) and after 12 days (T2) of supplementation. Blood was analyzed for glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, ß-cell function, and insulin sensitivity, PYY, GLP-1, GLP-2 and GIP. Urine samples were tested for molybdenum concentration. The results showed that consumption of lettuce biofortified with molybdenum for 12 days did not affect beta cell function but significantly reduced fasting glucose, insulin, insulin resistance and increased insulin sensitivity in healthy people. Consumption of biofortified lettuce did not show any modification in urine concentration of molybdenum among the groups. These data suggest that consumption of lettuce biofortified with molybdenum improves glucose homeostasis and PYY and GIP are involved in the action mechanism.

Biofortification: Effect of Iodine Fortified Food in the Healthy Population, Double-Arm Nutritional Study.

It is estimated that one-third of the world's population lives in areas where iodine (I) is scarce and its deficiency is responsible for many related disorders, such as goiter, reproductive failure, hearing loss, growth impairment, congenital I deficiency syndrome, and numerous kinds of brain injury. Mineral deficiencies can be overcome via dietary diversification and mineral supplementation. An alternative or even complementary way is represented by the intake of biofortified foods, which can tackle this lack of micronutrients. In this short-term double-arm nutritional intervention study, a cohort of ten people was supplemented with curly endive leaf biofortified with I and ten people with curly endive without biofortification (Intervention Study on Iodine Biofortification Vegetables (Nutri-I-Food - Full-Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov). The effects on whole-body homeostasis and specifically on I, glucose, lipid, and hepatic, iron metabolism was investigated. Blood samples were obtained at baseline and after 12 days of supplementation with curly endive and compared with controls. Hematochemical and urinary parameters were analyzed at baseline and after 12 days. The results showed that short-term I curly endive intervention did not affect the whole body homeostasis in healthy people and revealed an increase in I concentration in urine samples and an increase in vitamin D, calcium, and potassium concentration in blood samples only in the biofortified cohort respect to controls. This study suggests that short-term consumption of I curly endive crops is safe and could positively impact body health.

Psychological Analysis of Non-surgical Rhinoplasty.

The aim of this study is to analyze the psychological outcomes for patients undergoing non-surgical correction of nasal defects using injections of cross-linked hyaluronic acid. We assessed changes in the subjective perception of nasal appearance after non-surgical rhinoplasty using the Rhinoplasty Outcomes Evaluation (ROE) questionnaire, which is validated and widely used in the literature. One hundred adult subjects without prior history of surgical or non-surgical rhinoplasty underwent non-surgical recontouring using the hyaluronic acid filler from December 2016 to December 2018. The points of inoculation have been standardized by the authors and are divided according to the aesthetic subunits of the nose. A final 74 patients (65 females and 9 males) completed a one-year follow-up and were included in the present study. The ROE questionnaire consists of six questions and assesses the way patients perceive the appearance of their nose and the way they think the people around them view the appearance of their nose. The results of each question were analyzed for each patient, comparing the preoperative results over a 12-month time-frame. Candidates for rhinoplasty, either medical or surgical, are among the most difficult to treat and, interestingly, there is substantial literature showing that among these patients, there is a higher rate of psychiatric disorders. Many of these patients seek aesthetic surgery and are often dissatisfied with the outcome of their surgery. The authors suggest that the use of ROE is not only a valid method of assessing patient satisfaction, but it could also be used as a tool to highlight some of the psychological characteristics of patients long before performing any treatment and could help identify potentially problematic patients.Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Evaluation of the Upper Limb Lymphatic System: A Prospective Lymphoscintigraphic Study in Melanoma Patients and Healthy Controls.

BACKGROUND: Current research on the upper limb lymphatic system mainly studies breast cancer patients with unilateral lymphedema. Without preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, the contralateral limb is used as a control, assuming that it is functionally intact. Few lymphoscintigraphic studies investigate patients before any axillary surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, through lymphoscintigraphy, the preoperative condition of the upper limb lymphatic system in melanoma patients and healthy controls. METHODS: Two groups were studied: the study group (16 patients with trunk/upper limb melanoma candidates for axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy) and the control group (10 healthy volunteers). All subjects underwent upper limb lymphoscintigraphy. Lymphoscintigraphic images were classified into three patterns based on the tracer appearance time in the axillary nodes. Type I, 20 minutes; type II, 60 minutes; and type III, 120 minutes. Statistical analysis was used to assess the relationship between lymphoscintigraphic patterns and clinical variables and to compare patterns of distribution. RESULTS: Lymphoscintigraphic patterns were asymmetric in 37.5 percent (study group) and 50 percent (control group). Type III was the most common pattern. There was no significant association between lymphoscintigraphic patterns and considered clinical variables. There was no significant difference in the lymphoscintigraphic pattern distribution of the two groups (p = 0.870). CONCLUSION: The authors' findings show wide differences and an often "slow" tracer appearance time in patients with intact lymphatic system, questioning the use of contralateral limb as control and transportation time greater than 30 minutes as criteria for identification of lymphatic alterations. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic, IV.

FLiGS Score: A New Method of Outcome Assessment for Lip Carcinoma-Treated Patients.

BACKGROUND: Lip cancer and its treatment have considerable functional and cosmetic effects with resultant nutritional and physical detriments. As we continue to investigate new treatment regimens, we are simultaneously required to assess postoperative outcomes to design interventions that lessen the adverse impact of this disease process. We wish to introduce Functional Lip Glasgow Scale (FLiGS) score as a new method of outcome assessment to measure the effect of lip cancer and its treatment on patients' daily functioning. METHODS: Fifty patients affected by lip squamous cell carcinoma were recruited between 2009 and 2013. Patients were asked to fill the FLiGS questionnaire before surgery, 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery. The subscores were used to calculate a total FLiGS score of global oral disability. Statistical analysis was performed to test validity and reliability. RESULTS: FLiGS scores improved significantly from preoperative to 12 months postoperative values (P = 0.000). Statistical evidence of validity was provided through r s (Spearman correlation coefficient) that resulted >0.30 for all surveys and for which P < 0.001. FLiGS score reliability was shown through examination of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. CONCLUSIONS: FLiGS score is a simple way of assessing functional impairment related to lip cancer before and after surgery; it is sensitive, valid, reliable, and clinically relevant: it provides useful information to orient the physician in the postoperative management and in the rehabilitation program.

Lower extremity soft tissue defect reconstruction with the serratus anterior flap.

Reconstruction of limb-threatening lower extremity defects presents unique challenges. The selected method must provide adequate coverage of exposed bone, joints, and tendons while maximizing function of the limb. The traditional workhorse flaps, the free latissimus dorsi and rectus abdominis flaps, have been associated with donor site morbidity and bulkiness that can impair rehabilitation. We report a case series (n = 18) in which the free serratus anterior muscle flap and split thickness skin graft (STSG) was used for lower limb soft tissue coverage. Injuries were due to diabetes (9/18), trauma (7/18), and chronic venous stasis (2/18). A 94% flap survival rate was observed and all but one patient was ambulatory. No donor site morbidity was reported. Our series demonstrates that serratus anterior is an advantageous, reliable free flap with minimal donor site morbidity.

Unsupervised recognition of retinal vascular junction points.

Landmark points in retinal images can be used to create a graph representation to understand and to diagnose not only different pathologies of the eye, but also a variety of more general diseases. Aim of this paper is the description of a non-supervised methodology to distinguish between bifurcations and crossings of the retinal vessels, which can be used in differentiating between arteries and veins. A thinned representation of the binarized image, is used to identify pixels with three or more neighbors. Junction points are classified into bifurcations or crossovers according to their geometrical and topological properties. The proposed approach is successfully compared with the state-of-the-art methods with the benchmarks DRIVE and STARE. The recall, precision and F-score average detection values are 91.5%, 88.8% and 89.8% respectively.

Freestyle-like V-Y flaps of the eyebrow: a new outlook and indication of an historical technique.

The eyebrow region is of utmost importance for facial movement, symmetry, and the overall cosmetic appearance of the face. Trauma or tumor resection often leave scars that may dislocate the eyebrow producing an alteration both in static symmetry of the face and in the dynamic expressivity. The authors present a technique for eyebrow's defects repair using the remaining eyebrow advancement by means of a "freestyle-like" V-Y flap. In the past two years a total of eight consecutive patients underwent excision of skin lesions in the superciliary region and immediate reconstruction with this technique. On histology, six patients were affected from basal cell carcinomas, one from squamous cell carcinoma, and one from congenital intradermal melanocytic nevus. The pedicle of the flap included perforators from the supratrochlear, supraorbital, or superficial temporalis artery. Advancement of the entire aesthetic subunit that includes the eyebrow using a V-Y perforator flap was performed successfully in all cases achieving full, tension-free closure of defects up to 3.0 cm. "Freestyle-like" V-Y flaps should be considered as a first-line choice for partial defects of the eyebrow. The greater mobility compared to random subcutaneous flaps allows to reconstruct large defects providing an excellent cosmetic result.

Hyaluronic acid filler injections for tear-trough deformity: injection technique and high-frequency ultrasound follow-up evaluation.

UNLABELLED: This study aimed to describe the technique used by the authors in treating tear-trough deformity and to illustrate the effectiveness of high-frequency diagnostic ultrasound in the assessment of dermal filler longevity. In this consecutive interventional nonrandomized case series, 22 patients (18 women and 4 men) were evaluated. They ranged in age from 29 to 65 years (mean, 46.59 years ± 10.0 years). The patients were given multiple hyaluronic acid injections in the tear-trough area between 2009 and 2011. The injected areas then were evaluated with sonographic scans during the follow-up period. All the patients were examined preoperatively, 7 days after injection, then after 1, 6, and 12 months, and finally once a year. Pre- and postoperative photographs using standard positioning and lighting were taken as well as high-frequency ultrasound scans using a 15-MHz scanner with an axial resolution of 15 mm. The injection technique consisted of three to five injections perpendicular to the skin. These were administered just under the orbital rim, creating three column-shaped hyaluronic acid deposits deep in the orbicularis oculi muscle, from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm below the orbital rim. Approximately 0.1 ml-0.3 ml was injected at a time. This technique creates a deep scaffolding that can fill the orbital hollow. The amount of filler used in each area ranged from 0.1 ml to 0.3 ml (mean, 0.267 ml ± 0.128 ml), whereas the mean filler quantity in each eyelid was 0.45 ml ± 0.14 ml. During the follow-up visit 1 week after the treatment, 21 patients (90 %) required a second series of injections either in the exact same areas or right next to the injected area to obtain a smoother appearance of the skin surface. During the sonographer examination, it was always possible to identify and measure the filler at the site of the injection. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Variations in central corneal thickness during the menstrual cycle in women.

PURPOSE: We report changes in the central corneal thickness during various phases of the menstrual cycle. METHODS: We recruited 16 healthy women of reproductive age and measured the central corneal thickness at 3 points in their menstrual cycle, beginning on days 1 to 3 and again at ovulation and at the end of the cycle (days 27-32). Ovulation was determined with a test that determines the peak of luteinizing hormone in the urine. RESULTS: We found that the central cornea was thinnest at the beginning of the cycle (mean = 536 microm). Corneal thickness increased at ovulation (mean = 549 microm) and at the end of the cycle (mean = 559 microm). The difference in corneal thickness was statistically significant at ovulation (P = 0.003) and the end of cycle (P = 0.001) compared with values at the beginning of the cycle. CONCLUSION: The central corneal thickness changes during the menstrual cycle; the cornea is thinnest at the beginning of the cycle and thickest at the end. These changes could be secondary to hormonal influences; estrogen receptors can be found in human corneas, suggesting that estrogen may have a role in corneal physiology.

Optical coherence tomographic findings in bietti's crystalline tapetoretinal dystrophy.

PURPOSE: To report the optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of Bietti crystalline tapetoretinal dystrophy. DESIGN: Observational case report. METHODS: A subject with Bietti crystalline tapetoretinal dystrophy was evaluated with ophthalmoscopy, fluorescein angiography, and OCT (Stratus). RESULTS: OCT showed thinning and hyporeflectivity of the outer nuclear layer in the macula due to photoreceptor degeneration. The retinal areas showing atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium displayed greater penetration of the optical beam into the choroid and visualization of residual choroidal vessels. The hyperreflective band normally seen under the neurosensory retina was extremely wide when atrophy of the entire retinal pigment epithelium/choriocapillaris complex was found. Above this band, and within the neurosensory retina, some hyperreflective dot-like lesions were seen that could be related to crystals. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of Bietti crystalline tapetoretinal dystrophy, OCT shows changes secondary to fundus atrophy and more specific changes that can be related to the presence of crystals, thereby making OCT particularly useful for demonstrating macular atrophic abnormalities.

Changes in colour discrimination during the menstrual cycle.

A group of normal women of reproductive age were recruited to investigate colour discrimination during the various phases of the menstrual cycle. Colour vision was tested with the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue arrangement test, and the test was administered at 3 time points: the beginning of the cycle, ovulation, and the end of the cycle. We found that colour discrimination was better at ovulation than at the other 2 time points. It is possible that psychological as well as hormonal factors could contribute to improved colour vision performance at ovulation.