Rapid wound closure in extensively burned patients has remained one of the major unresolved issues of medicine. Integra® is the most widely established artificial skin, which is composed of a porous matrix of cross-linked bovine collagen and chondroitin 6-sulphate covered by a semi-permeable silicone layer. We present here a (immuno)histological study of a severely burned patient with a full-thickness burn treated with a tissue-engineered dermal template (Integra®) and split-thickness skin graft-based protocol. Immunohistochemical investigation of the artificial dermis revealed that immune cell infiltration reached its peak on day 10. Tissue immunophenotyping found an increase in CD3+ cells over the course of the study as well as CD4 and CD8 positivity on day 40, indicating remaining T-cell subpopulations. We observed weak/no infiltration of NK cells (CD56+). In conclusion, the use of bi-layer Integra® represents a feasible and safe procedure resulting in formation of non-irritating dermal substitutes.
Morphological (dry mass, DM; surface area, LA; leaf mass per area, LMA), anatomical (leaf thickness, L), phenological (leaf life span, LL), and physiological (net photosynthetic rate, PN) leaf traits of the evergreen species co-occurring in the Mediterranean maquis developing at Castelporziano (Rome) were tested. The correlation analysis indicated that LMA variation was tightly associated with LL variations: Cistus incanus and Arbutus unedo had a short LL (4±1, summer leaves, and 11±1 months, respectively) and low LMA (153±19 g m-2) values, Quercus ilex, Phillyrea latifolia, and Pistacia lentiscus high LMA (204±7 g m-2) and long LL (22±3 months), Erica arborea, Erica multiflora, and Rosmarinus officinalis a short LL (9±2 months) and an either high (213±29 g m-2, R. officinalis and E. multiflora) or low (115±17 g m-2, E. arborea) LMA. LMA values were significantly (p≤0.05) correlated with PN (r≥0.68). In the tested species, LMA increased in response to the decrease of the total rainfall during the leaf expansion period. LMA variation was due to the unequal variation of DM and LA in the considered species. LMA is thus a good indicator of evergreen maquis species capability to respond to climate change, in particular to total rainfall decrease in the Mediterranean basin. and L. Gratani, L. Varone.
Three new myxosporean species are described from Tetraodon fluviatilis (Osteichthyes: Tetraodontidae) imported from Southeast Asia to the Czech Republic. Zschokkella tetrafluvi sp. n. lives in the gall bladder. Di- or monosporic plasmodia produce ellipsoidal spores averaging 11.3 x 7.2 pm. Zschokkella pleomorpha sp. n. infects renal tubules and renal corpuscles; mono- to polysporic plasmodia produce spores averaging 15.7 x 7.1 pm. In the process of maturation, immature subspherical spores assume elongated shape. In both species, extremely curved suture line does not bisect poles of the spore. Ortholinea tetrafluvi sp. n. occurs as a rule in mixed infections with Z. pleomorpha sp. n. in the renal tubules. Mono- to polysporic plasmodia produce spores with a wide anterior and a narrow posterior end, averaging 8.3 x 7.8 pm. Both Z. pleomorpha sp. n. and O. tetrafluvi sp. n. have also limited number of stages located within the renal tubule epithelium, where they can complete sporogony. In one of the fish specimens, a myxosporean tentatively identified with Sinuolinea tetraodoni El-Matbou)i et Hoffmann, 1994 was found. A new genus is proposed for Ortholinea alata Kent et Moser, 1990 - Kentmoseria gen. n., and its diagnosis is presented.