In Vitro Effects of Strontium on Proliferation and Osteoinduction of Human Preadipocytes.

Development of tools to be used for in vivo bone tissue regeneration focuses on cellular models and differentiation processes. In searching for all the optimal sources, adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs or preadipocytes) are able to differentiate into osteoblasts with analogous characteristics to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, producing alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen, osteocalcin, and calcified nodules, mainly composed of hydroxyapatite (HA). The possibility to influence bone differentiation of stem cells encompasses local and systemic methods, including the use of drugs administered systemically. Among the latter, strontium ranelate (SR) represents an interesting compound, acting as an uncoupling factor that stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone resorption. The aim of our study was to evaluate the in vitro effects of a wide range of strontium (Sr2+) concentrations on proliferation, ALP activity, and mineralization of a novel finite clonal hADSCs cell line, named PA20-h5. Sr2+ promoted PA20-h5 cell proliferation while inducing the increase of ALP activity and gene expression as well as HA production during in vitro osteoinduction. These findings indicate a role for Sr2+ in supporting bone regeneration during the process of skeletal repair in general, and, more specifically, when cell therapies are applied

A multi-element psychosocial intervention for early psychosis (GET UP PIANO TRIAL) conducted in a catchment area of 10 million inhabitants: study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial

Multi-element interventions for first-episode psychosis (FEP) are promising, but have mostly been conducted in non-epidemiologically representative samples, thereby raising the risk of underestimating the complexities involved in treating FEP in 'real-world' services

Arts and aesthetics of male chest

In the 2006 World Cup final, Italy were losing against France 1-0. In a moment of agitation, Zinedine Zidane, hero of the French national team, reacted to a verbal provocation from the Italian defender Materazzi by giving him a headbutt right in the chest. A furious gesture, the violation of the inviolable. The chest of man. The chest of the sportsman, the warrior, the hero; the chest of God. The point that symbolizes strength and protects the heart. Strength, beauty, and prowess have been concentrated at this point ever since ancient times

A Safer Way to Harvest a Superthin Perforator Flap

SUMMARY: The updated knowledge of perforasome anatomy and the evolution of microsurgical techniques have enabled surgeons to safely harvest a thin flap. Recently, the anterolateral thigh perforator flap, the current workhorse in soft-tissue reconstruction, has started to be designed and harvested on the superficial fascia, which divides the deep from the superficial fat. This allows elevation of a very thin flap tailored to the defect. Faithful to the ultrathin concept, in an attempt to make flap dissection simpler and safer, the authors describe a revisited harvesting technique of superthin anterolateral thigh perforator flap. This study presents the outlined technique performed in 16 patients with complex soft-tissue defects after trauma or tumor ablation. All of them underwent primary reconstruction using superthin anterolateral thigh perforator free flaps by superficial fascia elevation harvested according to the described surgical procedure. Complications and functional outcomes were assessed. The authors' series of anterolateral thigh perforator superthin flaps demonstrated an overall 100 percent survival rate. Of 16 anterolateral thigh perforators, 12 (75 percent) had no complications and four (25 percent) had minor complications. No major complications such as total flap loss requiring additional salvage surgery were reported. In no case was secondary debulking performed. The superthin anterolateral thigh perforator flap harvested with the described approach was used successfully in microsurgical reconstruction, providing an excellent outer skin cover tailored to the defect. The dissection procedure was safe, quick, simple, and free of major complications. With minimal donor- and recipient-site morbidity, it provided great aesthetic results, avoiding secondary operations. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV