Do-It-Yourself Preoperative High-Resolution Ultrasound-Guided Flap Design of the Superficial Circumflex Iliac Artery Perforator Flap (SCIP)

The superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator (SCIP) flap is a well-documented, thin, free tissue flap with a minimal donor site morbidity, and has the potential to become the new method for resurfacing moderate-size skin defects. The aim of this study is to describe an easy, reliable, systematic, and standardized approach for preoperative SCIP flap design and perforator characterization, using color-coded duplex sonography (CCDS). A list of customized settings and a straightforward algorithm are presented, which are easily applied by an operator with minimal experience. Specific settings for SCIP flap perforator evaluation were investigated and tested on 12 patients. Deep and superficial superficial circumflex iliac artery (SCIA) branches, along with their corresponding perforators and cutaneous veins, were marked individually with a permanent marker and the anatomy was verified intraoperatively. From this, a simplified procedure for preoperative flap design of the SCIP flap was developed. Branches could be localized and evaluated in all patients. A preoperative structured procedure for ultrasonically guided flap design of the SCIP flap is described. A 100% correlation between the number and emergence points of the branches detected by preoperative CCDS mapping and the intraoperative anatomy was found

Data from: Compensatory mechanisms to climate change in the widely distributed species Silene vulgaris

1. The adaptation of plants to future climatic conditions is crucial for their survival. Not surprisingly, phenotypic responses to climate change have already been observed in many plant populations. These responses may be due to evolutionary adaptive changes or phenotypic plasticity. Especially plant species with a wide geographic range are either expected to show genetic differentiation in response to differing climate conditions or to have a high phenotypic plasticity. 2. We investigated phenotypic responses and plasticity as an estimate of the adaptive potential in the widespread species Silene vulgaris. In a greenhouse experiment, 25 European populations covering a geographic range from the Canary Islands to Sweden were exposed to three experimental precipitation and two temperature regimes mimicking a possible climate-change scenario for central Europe. We hypothesized that southern populations have a better performance under high temperature and drought conditions, as they are already adapted to a comparable environment. 3. We found that our treatments significantly influenced the plants, but did not reveal a latitudinal difference in response to climate treatments for most plant traits. Only flower number showed a stronger plasticity in northern European populations (e.g. Swedish populations) where numbers decreased more drastically with increased temperature and decreased precipitation treatment. 4. Synthesis. The significant treatment response in S. vulgaris, independent of population origin — except for the number of flowers produced — suggests a high degree of universal phenotypic plasticity in this widely distributed species. This reflects the likely adaptation strategy of the species and forms the basis for a successful survival strategy during upcoming climatic changes. However, as flower number, a strongly fitness related trait, did decrease in northern populations under a climate-change scenario, there might be limits to adaptation even in this widespread, plastic species

DataS1

The DataS1 file contains all raw data and analyses associated with the publication including mixed effect models of plant traits, calculations associated with plasticity index and climate data of population origin

Standard doses of Triamcinolone do not affect fibroblast cell migration of abdominoplasty patients in-vitro1

BACKGROUND:Recent studies have demonstrated that local application of corticosteroids reduces wound exudation following abdominoplasty and other reconstructive surgical procedures. On the other hand, corticosteroids might provoke wound healing disturbances due to their immunosuppressive effects. OBJECTIVE:The main objective of this study was to gain further information about the impact of the corticosteroid triamcinolone on cell migration in abdominoplasty patients. METHODS:An in-vitro scratch assay wound healing model was applied to observe cell migration of fibroblasts cultured with nutrient medium containing human seroma aspirate±triamcinolone. RESULTS:There were no significant differences regarding cell migration when fibroblasts were incubated with triamcinolone + seroma containing culture medium compared to seroma containing culture medium without triamcinolone. CONCLUSIONS:The performed in-vitro study suggests that triamcinolone does not decelerate fibroblast cell migration which is considered as a surrogate of wound healing