Acne Scars

Cell Transplant. 2009; 18(4): 477-86Fujimoto KL, Miki T, Liu LJ, Hashizume R, Strom SC, Wagner WR, Keller BB, Tobita KStem cells contained in the amniotic membrane may be useful for cellular repair of the damaged heart. Previously, we showed that amnion-derived cells (ADCs) express embryonic stem cell surface markers and pluripotent stem cell-specific transcription factor genes. These ADCs also possess the potential for mesoderm (cardiac) lineage differentiation. In the present study we investigated whether untreated naive ADC transplantation into the injured left ventricular (LV) myocardium is beneficial as a cell-based cardiac repair strategy in a rat model. ADCs were isolated from Lewis rat embryonic day 14 amniotic membranes. FACS analysis revealed that freshly isolated ADCs contained stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (SSEA-1), Oct-4-positive cells, and mesenchymal stromal cells, while hematopoietic stem cell marker positive cells were absent. Reverse transcription-PCR revealed that naive ADCs expressed cardiac and vascular specific genes. We injected freshly isolated ADCs (2 x 10(6) cells suspended in PBS, ADC group) into acutely infarcted LV myocardium produced by proximal left coronary ligation. PBS was injected in postinfarction controls (PBS group). Cardiac function was assessed at 2 and 6 weeks after injection. ADC treatment attenuated LV dilatation and sustained LV contractile function at 2 and 6 weeks in comparison to PBS controls (p < 0.05, ANOVA). LV peak systolic pressure and maximum dP/dt of ADC-treated heart were higher and LV end-diastolic pressure and negative dP/dt were lower than in PBS controls (p < 0.05). Histological assessment revealed that infarcted myocardium of the ADC-treated group had less fibrosis, thicker ventricular walls, and increased capillary density (p < 0.05). The fate of injected ADCs was confirmed using ADCs derived from EGFP(+) transgenic rats. Immunohistochemistry at 6 weeks revealed that EGFP(+) cells colocalized with von Willebrand factor, alpha-smooth muscle actin, or cardiac troponin-I. Our results suggest that naive ADCs are a potential cell source for cellular cardiomyoplasty.

J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2009 Jul-Aug; 16(4): 432-6Yang Q, Piao S, Wang G, Wang Y, Liu CSTUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of hysteroscopy in the treatment of caesarean section scar pregnancy. DESIGN: Retrospective review. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine patients with cesarean scar pregnancy. INTERVENTIONS: Between January 2006 and June 2008, 39 patients with caesarean section scar pregnancy underwent hysteroscopic removal of conceptive tissues in our department. Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The diagnosis was confirmed by serum human chorionic gonadotropic concentration and at ultrasonographic or magnetic resonance imaging. All patients underwent hysteroscopic removal of conceptive tissues under ultrasonographic guidance. Before surgery, 36 patients received 25mg of oral mifepristone, 25mg, twice a day for 3 days, and 3 patients received an injection of methotrexate salt, 50mg, and underwent preoperative bilateral uterine artery embolization. Results were reported as good in 37 patients; only 2 patients required additional surgery. CONCLUSION: Hysteroscopic removal of conceptive tissues implanted in a cesarean section scar seems to be a feasible and safe procedure that might be considered as a treatment option.

Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2009 Jul 21; Chrcanovic BR, Custódio AL, de Oliveira DRPURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to present an alternative method to the extraoral surgical approach to remove the elongated styloid process, the intraoral surgical approach, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. A literature review is also presented. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A casuistic of intraoral surgical approach to remove the elongated styloid process is presented in five patients. RESULTS: Four patients experienced postoperative moderate pain and trismus for 1 week. Bilateral surgery in one patient caused severe trismus, great discomfort, and moderate difficulty in breathing. All were followed up for 6 months and showed complete relief of the oral pharyngeal symptoms and complete improvement in functional ability. DISCUSSION: The advantages of the external approach are good visualization and reduced possibility of deep neck space infection. The disadvantages are an external scar, longer duration of surgery, and risk of injury to the facial nerve. The advantages of the intraoral approach are that the method is safe, simple, and less time consuming and an external scar is avoided. The disadvantages are possible infection of deep neck spaces, risk of injury to major vessels, and poor visualization. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoral resection of the styloid process is a safe treatment technique of Eagle's syndrome. It is not recommended the bilateral intervention at the same surgery, because of possible great discomfort at postoperative time.

Prog Neurobiol. 2009 Feb 4; Wang W, Bu B, Xie M, Zhang M, Yu Z, Tao DThe cell cycle is a delicately manipulated process essential for the development, differentiation, proliferation and death of cells. Inappropriate activation of cell cycle regulators is implicated in the pathophysiology of a wide range of central nervous system (CNS) diseases, including both acute damage and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. Cell cycle activation induces the dividing astrocytes and microglia to activate and proliferate in association with glial scar formation and inflammatory factor production, which play crucial roles in the development of pathology in CNS diseases. On the other hand, in terminally differentiated neurons, aberrant re-entry into the cell cycle triggers neuronal death instead of proliferation, which may be a common pathway shared by some acquired and neurodegenerative disorders, even though multiple pathways of the cell cycle machinery are involved in distinct neuronal demise in specific pathological circumstances. In this paper, we first provide a concise description of the roles of cell cycle in neural development. We then focus on how neural cell cycle dysregulation is related to CNS diseases. Neuronal apoptosis is often detected in acute injury to the CNS such as stroke and trauma, which are usually related to the blockade of the cell cycle at the G1-S phase. In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Niemann-Pick disease type C, however, some populations of neurons complete DNA synthesis but the cell cycle is arrested at the G2/M transition. This review summarizes advances in findings implicating cell cycle machinery in neuronal death in CNS diseases.