Abdominoplasty Panniculus as a Source for Human Acellular Dermis: A Preliminary Report.

BACKGROUND: In extensive deep dermal burn injuries, split-thickness skin graft (STSG) has been the most preferred treatment option for resurfacing burn wounds. A thick split-thickness skin graft is ideal for preventing graft contracture but is associated with delayed donor healing and the lack of adequate donor skin. When applied with STSG, the dermal substitutes offer better-reconstructed skin than STSG alone. Human-derived acellular dermal matrix (HADM) obtained from cadaver skin is a dermal equivalent with good clinical outcomes. However, high cost and limited cadaver donor skin availability limit its clinical utility. Developing a low-cost preparation method and finding an alternate source of human donated skin can help reduce the cost. The objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of making HADM from abdominoplasty panniculus skin. METHODS: Skin samples were collected from the abdominoplasty panniculus of ten eligible donors with their informed consent. A combination of low-cost reagents-sodium chloride and hypotonic solution (water for injection) was used for decellularizing the skin. Characterization of the prepared Acellular Dermis Matrix prototype was done. RESULTS: The skin was deepidermized with one molar NaCl treatment at 37 °C for 24 h. The deepidermized dermis became acellular with hypotonic solution treatment at 4 °C for two weeks. The hematoxylin and eosin staining and cytotoxicity test confirmed the acellularity and non-cytotoxicity of the prepared HADM prototype. The HADM prototype also facilitated the formation of neo-epithelium in the 3D cell co-culture model. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that abdominoplasty panniculus can be a viable alternative for HADM preparation. Further characterization studies are required to prove the concept.

Multiple Copies of flhDC in Paraburkholderia unamae Regulate Flagellar Gene Expression, Motility, and Biofilm Formation.

FlhDC is a heterohexameric complex that acts as a master regulator of flagellar biosynthesis genes in numerous bacteria. Previous studies have identified a single flhDC operon encoding this complex. However, we found that two flhDC loci are present throughout Paraburkholderia, and two additional flhC copies are also present in Paraburkholderia unamae. Systematic deletion analysis in P. unamae of the different flhDC copies showed that one of the operons, flhDC1, plays the predominant role, with deletion of its genes resulting in a severe inhibition of motility and biofilm formation. Expression analysis using promoter-lacZ fusions and real-time quantitative PCR support the primary role of flhDC1 in flagellar gene regulation, with flhDC2 a secondary contributor. Phylogenetic analysis shows the presence of the flhDC1 and flhDC2 operons throughout Paraburkholderia. In contrast, Burkholderia and other bacteria only carry the copy syntenous with flhDC2. The variations in impact each copy of flhDC has on downstream processes indicate that regulation of FlhDC in P. unamae, and likely other Paraburkholderia species, is regulated at least in part by the presence of multiple copies of these genes. IMPORTANCE Motility is important in the colonization of plant roots by beneficial and pathogenic bacteria, with flagella playing essential roles in host cell adhesion, entrance, and biofilm formation. Flagellar biosynthesis is energetically expensive. Its complex regulation by the FlhDC master regulator is well studied in peritrichous flagella expressing enterics. We report the unique presence throughout Paraburkholderia of multiple copies of flhDC. In P. unamae, the flhDC1 copy showed higher expression and a greater effect on swim motility, flagellar development, and regulation of downstream genes, than the flhDC2 copy that is syntenous to flhDC in Escherichia coli and pathogenic Burkholderia spp. The flhDC genes have evolved differently in these plant-growth-promoting bacteria, giving an additional layer of complexity in gene regulation by FlhDC.

Effects of low-powered RF sweep between 0.01-20 GHz on female Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes: A collective behaviour analysis.

There are many products claiming to be an electronic solution towards repelling mosquitoes. Several reviews were published in debunking these claims. However, there is a lack of a systematic study on effects of electromagnetic (EM) or more specifically, radio frequency (RF) waves against mosquitoes due to the conclusions made in those years. Therefore, we attempt to establish a fundamental study on female Aedes Aegypti (Linnaeus) mosquitoes by quantifying the collective behavior of the mosquitoes against a continuous stream of low-powered RF signals via a broadband horn antenna using image processing methods. By examining the average lateral and vertical positions of the mosquitoes versus frequency and time, the data shows negligible consistency in the reactions of the mosquitoes toward the different frequencies ranging from 10 to 20,000.00 MHz, with a step of 10 MHz. This was done by examining 33 hours of spatiotemporal data, which was divided into three sessions. All three sessions showed totally different convolutions in the positions in arbitrary units based on the raster scan of the image processing output. Several frequencies apparently showed up to 0.2-70% shift in both lateral and vertical components along the spectrum, without repeatability for all three sessions. This study contributes to the following: A pilot study for establishing the collective effects of RF against mosquitoes, open-source use, and finally a low-cost and easily adaptable platform for the study of EM effects against any insects.

A case of sigmoid colon duplication in an adult woman.

Colonic duplication is a rare congenital anomaly that is often diagnosed in childhood, but may go unrecognised until adulthood. It often presents with chronic abdominal pain and constipation, and the preoperative diagnosis may be difficult. We present a case of sigmoid duplication in a 33-year-old Indonesian woman who presented with right-sided colicky abdominal pain and vomiting. Clinical examination was unremarkable and radiological investigations raised the possibility of a giant colon diverticulum. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy that revealed a tubular sigmoid duplication. A sigmoid colectomy with end-to-end anastomosis was performed. She was discharged a week later and remained well at 1 year follow-up. Colon duplications rarely present in adult life and the accurate diagnosis is often made at laparotomy.

Adult intussusception caused by a lipoma in the small bowel: report of a case.

Adult intussusception represents only about 5% of all intussusceptions and is usually caused by a malignant small bowel lesion acting as the apex of intussusception. We report an unusual case in a male patient of adult intussusception caused by a lipomatous lesion located in the terminal ileum, very close to the ileocecal valve, acting as the lead point. After repeated admissions to several hospitals for investigation of nonspecific abdominal symptoms, the possibility of intussusception was finally raised by a computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen. The patient underwent a limited right hemicolectomy, which achieved long-lasting cure of his symptoms. This case highlights the difficulties of diagnosing adult intussusception promptly, and the fact that it can also be caused by a benign lesion.