Anti-inflammatory effects of flap and lymph node transfer

Background: Transfer of healthy tissue is commonly used in the treatment of complicated wounds and in reconstruction of tissue defects. Recently, microvascular lymph node transfer (LN) has been used to improve the lymphatic function in lymphedema patients. To elucidate the biological effects of flap transfer (with and without lymph nodes), we have studied the postoperative production of proinflammatory, anti-inflammatory, prolymphangiogenic and antilymphangiogenic cytokines, and growth factors (interleukin 1 alpha [IL-1 alpha], IL-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha], IL-10, transforming growth factor beta 1 [TGF-beta 1], IL-4 and IL-13, and vascular endothelial growth factor C [VEGF-C] and VEGF-D) in postoperative wound exudate samples. Methods: Axillary wound exudate samples were analyzed from four patient groups: axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), microvascular breast reconstruction (BR), LN, and combined LN and BR (LN-BR). Results: The concentration of proinflammatory cytokines was low in all the flap transfer groups as opposed to the ALND group, which showed an extensive proinflammatory response. The level of anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic cytokine IL-10 was increased in the LN-BR group samples compared with the ALND and BR groups. In the LN and LN-BR groups, the cytokine profile showed an anti-inflammatory response. Conclusions: Transfer of healthy tissue hinders the proinflammatory response after surgery, which may explain the beneficial effects of flap transfer in various patient groups. In addition, flap transfer with lymph nodes seems to also promote an antifibrotic effect. The clinical effects of LN in lymphedema patients may be mediated by the increased production of prolymphangiogenic growth factor (VEGF-C) and antifibrotic cytokine (IL-10). (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Dynamic and isothermal reduction swelling behaviour of olivine and acid Iron ore pellets under simulated blast furnace shaft conditions

Abstract Pellet swelling has been widely studied, being simultaneous with reduction reactions and common in the operation of blast furnaces. A tube furnace equipped with a camera recording system was used here to study the dynamic and isothermal reduction swelling behaviour of olivine and acid pellets under simulated BF shaft conditions. The olivine pellets were magnetically separated into three fractions, containing low, medium and high amounts of magnetite in the core. The divalent iron (FeO) content of these fractions was 0.1 wt-%, 0.2 wt-% and 2.9 wt-%, respectively. Pellets with a large magnetite nucleus were observed to encompass numerous cracks, which was reflected in a poor LTD test value, while SiO₂-rich reference pellets with a different slag chemistry had more restrained swelling and cracking behaviour in dynamic reduction. Swelling in the olivine pellets was associated with cracking at the boundary between the original magnetite nucleus and the hematite shell. The dynamic reduction swelling test results showed lower reduction swelling indices (max 17% in volume) than under isothermal conditions (max 51% in volume), in which case the pellets were suddenly exposed to a strongly reducing atmosphere. It is thus suggested that the reduction swelling behaviour of iron ore pellets should preferably be studied dynamically under simulated blast furnace conditions in order to achieve a realistic understanding of their swelling behaviour in a blast furnace