A two-component pre-seeded dermal-epidermal scaffold

We have developed a bilayered dermal-epidermal scaffold for application in the treatment of full-thickness skin defects. The dermal component gels in situ and adapts to the lesion shape, delivering human dermal fibroblasts in a matrix of fibrin and cross-linked hyaluronic acid modified with a cell adhesion-promoting peptide. Fibroblasts were able to form a tridimensional matrix due to material features such as tailored mechanical properties, presence of protease-degradable elements and cell-binding ligands. The epidermal component is a robust membrane containing cross-linked hyaluronic acid and poly-l-lysine, on which keratinocytes were able to attach and to form a monolayer. Amine-aldehyde bonding at the interface between the two components allows the formation of a tightly bound composite scaffold. Both parts of the scaffold were designed to provide cell-type-specific cues to allow for cell proliferation and form a construct that mimics the skin environment.D.S.K. acknowledges funding from the Biotechnology Research Endowment from the Department of Anesthesiology at Boston Children's Hospital. I.P.M. acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for the grant BD/39396/2007 and the MIT-Portugal Program. D.G. acknowledges the Swiss National Science Foundation for a post-doctoral fellowship (PBGEP3-129111). B.P.T. acknowledges an NIR Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F32GM096546)

Recommended adult immunization schedule, United States, 2020

In October 2019, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to approve the Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule for Ages 19 Years or Older, United States, 2020. The 2020 adult immunization schedule, available at www.cdc.gov/vaccines /schedules/hcp/imz/adult.html, summarizes ACIP recommendations in 2 tables and accompanying notes (Figure). The full ACIP recommendations for each vaccine are available at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/index.html. The 2020 schedule has also been approved by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and by the American College of Physicians (www .acponline.org), American Academy of Family Physicians (www.aafp.org), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (www.acog.org), and American College of Nurse-Midwives (www.midwife.org)

Agents with Periodontal Regenerative Potential Regulate Cell-mediated Collagen Lattice Contraction in vitro

A variety of pharmaceutical agents has been proposed for use in periodontal therapy to inhibit loss of alveolar bone and to promote regeneration of tissues lost to disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of such agents on periodontal cell-mediated gel contraction, an in vitro process considered representative of wound contraction and remodeling in vivo. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured in a type I collagen lattice, and contraction was quantified by means of a computer-assisted video imaging system. Cell-gel combinations were prepared with cells both pre-exposed and non-exposed to agents; non-anchored cell-gels were then incubated with agents for various time periods. Agents tested included Demecolcine (an inhibitor of cytoskeletal contraction), growth factors (i.e., TGF-β1, PDGF, and IGF-1), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (indomethacin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and flurbiprofen). While Demecolcine inhibited gel contraction, TGF-β1 (1-20 ng/mL), PDGF (100 ng/mL), IGF-1 (1000 ng/mL), and [PDGF + IGF], all of which have been reported to enhance wound healing in vivo, promoted lattice contraction in this system. In contrast, NSAIDs inhibited cell-gel contraction. Ethanol, used to solubilize two specific NSAIDs, also inhibited cell proliferation and gel contractile ability, even at very low concentrations. These findings indicate that periodontal cells respond differently to various agents in vitro and may be adversely affected by alcohol. Furthermore, the results of this study suggest that the cell-lattice contraction system holds potential as a method for screening agents for positive or negative effects on cell activity.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67659/2/10.1177_00220345960750030701.pd

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ Interim Recommendation for Use of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, February 2021

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