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Klebsiella aerogenes is a nosocomial and pathogenic bacterium that causes opportunistic infections including most types of infections. After rhinoplasty, the inserted costochondral graft could be a good material for bacterial growth due to less vascularization and difficult-to-reach antibiotics. The unusual bacterial infection should be considered for preventing poor aesthetic results including graft or implant loss when the surgical site infection is uncontrolled despite proper treatment and administration in aesthetic rhinoplasty surgery. The use of appropriate antibiotics for drug sensitivity may be necessary with bacterial culture tests. In this case, an unusual K. aerogenes infection on the costochondral graft of the nose and related treatment course was reported.

Single-cell ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing (scRNA-seq) is an effective technique for estimating the cellular composition and transcriptional profiles of individual cells from fresh tissue. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) is necessary to perform this type of analysis in frozen or difficult-to-dissociate tissues, which cannot be subjected to scRNA-seq. This difference in the state of tissues leads to variation in cell-type distributions among each platform. To identify the characteristics of these methods and their differences, scRNA-seq and snRNA-seq were performed in parallel for colon and liver tissues. The two platforms revealed similar diversity but different proportions of cell types in matched tissues. The proportions of epithelial cells in the colon and hepatocytes in the liver were relatively high in snRNA-seq and that of immune cells was relatively high in scRNA-seq. This difference could be explained by variations in the expression scores of adhesion genes due to the disruption of the cytoplasmic contents during scRNA-seq. The enrichment of epithelial cells in the colon resulted in a discrepancy in the differentiation of epithelial cells. This enrichment was also well matched with the images of hematoxylin and eosin staining and the estimated distribution of cell types in bulk RNA sequencing. These results showed that snRNA-seq could be used to analyze tissues that cannot be subjected to scRNA-seq and provides more information in specific cell type analysis.

In this study, the authors report the experience of extended superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) face-lift with the vertical vector in Asian ethnicity and investigate the 3-dimensional change of facial contour. A total of 32 patients with Korean ethnicity underwent extended SMAS face-lift with vertical vector from 2015 to 2018. Patients with aging face were included for the study subjects, whereas those who were diagnosed with any craniofacial deformity were excluded. Using 3-dimensional photogrammetry, surface contour analysis was performed in the cheek region to calculate the mean, maximal, and minimal difference of surface projection and global root mean square error between the preoperative and 1-year postoperative period. The change of horizontal facial widths and jawline angle was evaluated. In contour analysis, the mean difference of surface contour was highest in anterior, followed by lateral cheek and lower face, sequentially. The maximal difference of surface contour was highest in anterior cheek, followed by lateral cheek and lower face, whereas the minimal difference of surface contour was lowest in lower face, followed by anterior cheek and lateral cheek, sequentially. No significant differences in the midfacial and lower facial distances were observed between the preoperative and postoperative periods. There was significant increase of jawline angle, from 20.78 to 23.14 degree of mean value ( P =0.001). In conclusion, the extended SMAS face-lift with vertical vector can be an optimal option for Asian subjects in terms of the midfacial volumetric shift, sharpening of jawline and avoidance of midfacial widening.

Methyl p-coumarate (methyl p-hydroxycinnamate) (MH) is a natural compound found in a variety of plants. In the present study, we evaluated the ameliorative effects of MH on airway inflammation in an experimental model of allergic asthma (AA). In this in vitro study, MH was found to exert anti-inflammatory activity on PMA-stimulated A549 airway epithelial cells by suppressing the secretion of IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and ICAM-1. In addition, MH exerted an inhibitory effect not only on NF-κB (p-NF-κB and p-IκB) and AP-1 (p-c-Fos and p-c-Jun) activation but also on A549 cell and EOL-1 cell (eosinophil cell lines) adhesion. In LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, MH had an inhibitory effect on TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and MCP-1. The results from in vivo study revealed that the increases in eosinophils/Th2 cytokines/MCP-1 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and IgE in the serum of OVA-induced mice with AA were effectively inhibited by MH administration. MH also exerted a reductive effect on the immune cell influx, mucus secretion, and iNOS/COX-2 expression in the lungs of mice with AA. The effects of MH were accompanied by the inactivation of NF-κB. Collectively, the findings of the present study indicated that MH attenuates airway inflammation in mice with AA, suggesting its potential as an adjuvant in asthma therapy.

Background. Immediate breast reconstruction following nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is widely used for its cosmetic benefits. Due to the lack of guidelines, the types of incisions in NSM vary and which method is superior remains a debate. In this study, we hypothesized that the periareolar incision has a higher risk of complications, such as nipple-areolar complex (NAC) necrosis, than other incisions. Methods. A retrospective chart review was conducted and divided into three groups: the periareolar, radial, and lateral incision groups. The reconstruction method and complications of NAC necrosis, wound dehiscence, seroma, hematoma, infection, and reconstruction failure were investigated. Results. A total of 103 patients (periareolar incision (33%, n = 34), radial incision (39.8%, n = 41), and lateral incision (27.2%, n = 28)) who underwent NSM and immediate breast reconstruction from 2018 to 2020 were included. The reconstruction methods were direct-to-implant, DIEP flap, LD flap, and PAP flap, and there was all of which had no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the reconstruction method ( p = 0.257 ). In terms of complications, there was no significant difference in NAC necrosis (29.4%, 19.5%, and 21.4%, in the periareolar, radial, and lateral groups, respectively; p = 0.578 ), wound dehiscence, seroma or hematoma, infection, and reconstruction failure. Conclusion. Breast reconstruction following NSM through periareolar incision does not increase the incidence of complications, including NAC necrosis. However, since only Asian patients with low BMI were included, if an appropriate patient group is selected for immediate reconstruction after NSM, reconstruction can be safely performed through the periareolar incision, and good cosmetic results can be obtained.

Introduction Furlow double-opposing Z-plasty (DOZ) lengthens the soft palate; however, this lengthening is achieved at the expense of increased mucosal flap tension. Thus, its use is limited in patients with severe tension applied on mucosal flap after DOZ. In this study, DOZ was combined with a buccal fat pad (BFP) flap to maximize palatal lengthening and muscle repositioning. Methods This study included patients who underwent surgical correction for velopharyngeal insufficiency between December 2016 and February 2019. Patients with more than moderate degree hypernasality following primary palatoplasty were included in the study. Patients younger than 4 years of age, those with a submucous cleft palate, or syndromic patients were excluded. Speech outcomes were investigated for those who underwent DOZ only (DOZ group, n = 17) and those in whom a BFP was used (BFP group, n = 15) pre- and postoperatively. The velopharyngeal gaps between the uvula and pharyngeal wall were measured before and immediately after surgery to estimate the palatal length. Results Most patients who received a BFP showed improvement in hypernasality. However, the hypernasality of the DOZ group was more severe than that of the BFP group (p = 0.023). The extent of palatal lengthening was 4.4 ± 1.7 mm and 7.5 ± 2.1 mm in the DOZ and BFP groups, respectively (p = 0.001). Conclusions BFPs reduced the tension of the DOZ mucosal flap and maximized palatal lengthening and muscle repositioning. They promoted velopharyngeal closure in patients with moderate and moderate-to-severe velopharyngeal insufficiency. Hence, our method improves the surgical outcomes of patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency after primary palatoplasty.

The implementation of the Nagoya Protocol highlighted the importance of identifying alternative herbal products that are as effective as traditional medicine. Dipsacus asperoides and Phlomis umbrosa, two species used in the Korean medicine ‘Sok-dan’, are used for the treatment of bone- and arthritis-related diseases, and they are often mixed or misused. To identify herbal resources with similar efficacy, we compared the effects of D. asperoides extract (DAE) and P. umbrosa extract (PUE) on osteoarthritis (OA) in a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA rat model. Weight-bearing distribution, serum cytokines, histopathological features, and the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) of knee joint tissues were examined in the OA rats treated with DAE and PUE (200 mg/kg) for 21 days. DAE and PUE restored weight-bearing distribution, inhibited the production of serum cytokines, and alleviated the histopathological features of the OA knee tissue. DAE or PUE treatment decreased OA-induced overexpression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-13 in the knee joint tissue. This study demonstrated the efficacy of both DAE and PUE in an MIA-induced OA model, providing a basis for the clinical use of these products in traditional Korean medicine.

Methyl p-hydroxycinnamate (MH), an esterified derivative of p-Coumaric acid exerts anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Based on these effects, the present study investigated the protective role of MH in a mouse model of LPS-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The results demonstrated that administration of LPS (5 mg/kg intranasally) markedly increased the neutrophil/macrophage numbers and levels of inflammatory molecules (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and reactive oxygen species) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice. On histological examination, the presence of inflammatory cells was observed in the lungs of mice administered LPS. LPS also notably upregulated the secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and protein content in BALF as well as expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the lungs of mice; it also caused activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and NF-κB signaling. However, MH treatment significantly suppressed LPS-induced upregulation of inflammatory cell recruitment, inflammatory molecule levels and p38MAPK/NF-κB activation, and also led to upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in the lungs of mice. In addition, the ability of MH to induce HO-1 expression was confirmed in RAW264.7 macrophages. Taken together, the findings of the present study indicated that MH may exert protective effects against airway inflammation in ARDS mice by inhibiting inflammatory cell recruitment and the production of inflammatory molecules.