The use of aerosolized fibrin glue in face-lift surgery

The purpose of this study was to report the use of aerosolized fibrin glue in face-lift surgery. A prospective study was conducted of 48 patients undergoing face-lift surgery sequentially assigned into two groups. The first 24 patients underwent face lifts without glue and the next 24 patients with the use of aerosolized fibrin glue. One surgeon (J.P.F.) performed all the face lifts using the same technique. Drains were only used in those patients who did not receive fibrin glue. The amount of bruising and edema was compared in the two groups, as was the incidence of complications, such as hematomas. Operating time was also assessed in the two groups. The patients in whom glue was used had significantly less bruising and swelling (p < 0.0001), with a more rapid healing response. The risk of hematoma was also less with the use of glue (0 percent) than without glue (8.3 percent), but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.489). Another benefit was that drains were not needed when glue was used. Operating times were shorter by 13.3 minutes with the use of glue (p < 0.0001). Aerosolized fibrin glue has great promise in improving face-lift results, with excellent outcomes and fewer complications. The added cost of the glue is partially offset by an expedited patient recovery period without the need for drains.     

Glue, Verb and Text Metaphors in Biology

Metaphor influences the construction of biological models and theories and the analysis of its use can reveal important tools of thought. Some aspects of biological organisation are investigated through the analysis of metaphors associated with treating biosystems as a kind of text. In particular, the use of glue and verbs is considered. Some of the reasons why glue is important in the construction of hierarchies are pursued in the light of specific examples, and some of the conceptual links between glue in biology and other domains is discussed. Verbs are shown to be important in the construction of networks. Some of the relations between glue, verb and text are considered and the text metaphor is placed within a much broader context of ideas associated with form, relation and system. The paper concludes with comments on the nature of biological information and the need for extending or better understanding the verbal vocabulary.     

Potential microbiological hazards in the production of refined paper products for food applications

This study sought to investigate the significance of raw materials (starch-based glues, raw material papers) at different microbiologically critical stages in the manufacturing process of refined paper products. The study examined the occurrence of microorganisms in the process and in end-product samples. Microbiological surveys verified that the production and use of pasteurized starch-based glue was the most important factor threatening the process hygiene and product safety. Subsequently, the production and use of starch-based glue was changed, and a follow-up programme targeting the microbiological quality of glue was developed as part of a hygiene and safety management system. A total of 33 spore-forming bacterial and 15 enterobacterial isolates were ribotyped, and 22 and 10 different ribogroups (ribotypes), respectively, were generated. These isolates from starch-based glue, raw material paper and end products were atypical and, thus, in many cases physiological, chemotaxonomic (FAME) and molecular (partial 16S rDNA) results did not correspond. The most common spore-forming bacteria (55% of the isolates) were Paenibacillus sp. and within this genus several new species were also proposed. The most common enterobacteria (87%) were Enterobacter cloacae and Citrobacter freundii belonging to bacteria in hazard group 2, or species closely related to them. It was demonstrated that the same spore-forming bacteria (ribotypes) were present in both the glue samples and the end products (45% of isolates). All RiboPrint patterns were saved at the VTT identification library for future use.     

Moisture dynamics and fungal susceptibility of plywood

Engineered wood products are widely used in construction and transportation. Plywood has one of the best physical and mechanical properties for application under moist conditions in use class 3, i.e. exterior exposure without ground contact. Yet a profound knowledge of their moisture dynamics and fungal susceptibility is a prerequisite for proper use. In this paper the results of more than two years of continuous recording of the moisture content of different plywood types in exterior exposure is presented. Clear differences concerning moisture dynamics are apparent regarding wood species, glue type, and veneer thickness. X-ray tomography scans literally offer insight into the weathering state of the veneer layers and glue lines. Fungal susceptibility of the samples relates primarily to wood species and glue type. Furthermore, edge-sealing for fungal testing is necessary to represent in-service situations and yields distinct differences compared to non-sealed test results. There seems to be a relationship between the accumulated moisture content and layered structure of the plywood, but an unequivocal link with fungal decay is not straightforward.     

Comparative analysis of glue proteins in theDrosophila nasuta subgroup

The patterns of protein fractions from total salivary glands and from glue plugs were compared in seven members of the Drosophila nasuta subgroup by the use of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The glue protein patterns are member specific concerning the numbers and the electrophoretic mobilities of major and minor glue protein fractions. However, the major fractions of all subgroup members could be grouped into five SDS-PAGE domains according to the homologies of their electrophoretic mobilities, prominence of Coomassie blue staining, and PAS reaction. In all subgroup members, major fractions are involved in posttranslational modifications into larger protein molecules of the final glue. Quantitative estimations of the glue proteins in D. n. nasuta and D. n. albomicans reveal that they constitute between 55 and 60% of the total salivary gland proteins, whereas in D. melanogaster and in D. hydei the fraction is only 32 and 35%, respectively.     

Glue ear: the new dyslexia?

Several factors have led to the current epidemic of surgery for glue ear in children, including the widespread introduction of audiometry; greater recognition of the presence of fluid in the middle ear by general practitioners; the availability of more otolaryngologists; and technical advances such as the availability of antibiotics to treat postoperative infections and of flanged tympanostomy tubes (grommets). The need of surgeons to fill the vacuum caused by the decline in the number of adenotonsillectomies, and the fact that a diagnosis of glue ear legitimises the continued use of these operations, may also have contributed to the increase. Finally, glue ear may provide parents with a medical explanation of their children''s poor educational performance, as the term dyslexia did in the past. The high social and public costs of this operation demand a reappraisal of its increasing use.     

Properties and degradation of a new bioresorbable bone glue]

In trauma surgery gluing is an attractive method of bonding fractured bone, which is rapid and does not require the use of screws and plates. The purpose of this study was to analyze in vitro the properties of a new bioresorbable bone glue, and in vivo its structure and degradation. The newly developed bone glue is based on alkylenbis(oligolactoyl)methacrylates and employs a two-component initiator system. Starting components for synthesis are ethylene glycol, lactic acid and methacrylic acid. In vitro the solidified glue is degraded via hydrolysis of ester bonds. Degradation products are ethylene glycol, lactic acid and oligomeres of methacrylic acid. After the first week polymer pellets (MMA, HEMALA, ELAMA) showed a weight loss of 12%. From week 2-20 a linear weight loss of 1.5% per week, that is 40% after 20 weeks, was observed. The in vivo investigations of the ultrastructure of the glue revealed a transparent and homogeneous mass with large electron-tight vacuoles. Differences in structure and degradation were not observed. Degradation of glue by hydrolysis and phagocytosis, with good biocompatibility was demonstrated.     

Microflora in patients with complicated forms of acute cholecystitis treated by low-frequency ultrasonics and sulfacrylate glue

Investigation of microflora in patients with complicated acute cholecystitis treated with low frequency ultrasound in combination with sulfacrylate glue showed that Staphylococcus and Escherichia played the leading role in the complication etiology. Among the nonsporulating organisms bacteroides predominated. The combined use of low frequency ultrasound and sulfacrylate glue in treatment of complicated acute cholecystitis proved to be an efficient procedure providing more rapid sanation of the purulent inflammation foci.     

The use of fibrin glue in skin grafts and tissue-engineered skin replacements: a review.

Fibrin glue has been widely used as an adhesive in plastic and reconstructive surgery. This article reviews the advantages and disadvantages of its use with skin grafts and tissue-engineered skin substitutes. Fibrin glue has been shown to improve the percentage of skin graft take, especially when associated with difficult grafting sites or sites associated with unavoidable movement. Evidence also suggests improved hemostasis and a protective effect resulting in reduced bacterial infection. Fibrin, associated with fibronectin, has been shown to support keratinocyte and fibroblast growth both in vitro and in vivo, and may enhance cellular motility in the wound. When used as a delivery system for cultured keratinocytes and fibroblasts, fibrin glue may provide similar advantages to those proven with conventional skin grafts. Fibrin glue has also been shown to be a suitable delivery vehicle for exogenous growth factors that may in the future be used to accelerate wound healing.     

Micronucleus formation and DNA damage in buccal epithelial cells of Indian street boys addicted to gasp 'Golden glue'

Genotoxicity of glue sniffing/huffing and tobacco use has been examined in 302 street boys (median age 13 years) and 50 age-matched control school boys who were neither tobacco nor glue users. All the street boys were tobacco users. In addition, 155 were addicted to gasp an industrial adhesive popularly known as 'Golden glue'. Micronucleus (MN) frequency was determined as a measure of chromosomal breakage in exfoliated buccal epithelial cells (BECs) and DNA double strand breaks were quantitatively assessed by counting γ-H2AX foci using immunofluorescence microscopy. Micronucleated cell frequencies (MCFs) in BEC of glue non-addicted (only tobacco) and addicted (tobacco plus glue) street boys were 1.87 ± 1.06‰ and 4.04 ± 2.55‰ respectively, which were significantly higher than that of control (0.32 ± 0.11‰, p<0.0001). Similarly, the numbers γ-H2AX foci in nuclei of BEC were 2.3- and 5.2-times more than control in glue non-addicted and addicted street boys respectively (p<0.0001). Spearman's rank correlation revealed a strong positive association between years of glue addiction with MCFs and γ-H2AX foci numbers, and the association between glue addiction and chromosomal and DNA damage remained positive and significant after controlling income, spending on addiction and loss of appetite as potential confounders in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Thus, addiction to tobacco among the street children in India is associated with chromosomal and DNA damage in BECs and the severity of these changes is significantly increased by the habit of sniffing/huffing of industrial glue.     

Functional evaluation of the effectiveness of experimental reconstructive and plastic operations on the uterine horns

In the given experimental model, tubo-plastic surgery was done with the use of locally produced fibrin glue (Fk-1), and commercial product "Beriplast" (FRG). In the control group microsurgical technique was adopted in the uterine horn of rats. It was proved that Fibrin glue reduces the frequency of post operative adhesion formation in the area of anastomosis and the chance of pregnancy is increased in comparison to microsurgical techniques.     

Early postoperative efficacy of fibrin glue in face lifts: a prospective randomized trial

Fibrin glue is increasingly finding use in plastic surgery at the clinical and basic science level. The authors conducted a prospective, nonblinded, randomized, controlled trial in 30 patients undergoing face lifts to examine the efficacy of fibrin glue in reducing postoperative wound drainage, hematomas, and, in particular, the degree of ecchymosis and edema at 24 hours and at 8 days. Patients were their own controls and were randomized to have the glue on one side of their face only to compare the glued and unglued sides. The patients ranged in age from 42 to 72 years (mean age, 60 years). There was one major hematoma requiring surgical evacuation. In the remaining 29 patients, the mean drainage on the glued side was 26 ml, compared with 33.5 ml on the control, unglued side. This difference was statistically significant numerically (p = 0.037) but was not thought to be surgically significant. Comparing scores among grades of hematomas, ecchymosis, and edema, there were minimal differences between the glued and unglued sides. This study suggests that fibrin glue may not be as beneficial as previously thought in reducing ecchymosis and edema in the early postoperative period after face lifts, and its future role is discussed.     

纤维蛋白胶一药物缓释系统的研究进展

纤维蛋白胶作为一种生物蛋白制剂,除了应用于伤口止血、封闭组织缺损、防止组织粘连之外,也可以作为药物缓释载体。本文就纤维蛋白胶-药物缓释系统的研究及临床应用作以综述。     

Fibrin gel improved the spatial uniformity and phenotype of human chondrocytes seeded on collagen scaffolds

A scaffold made of equine collagen type I based material has been assessed for its use in the preparation of tissue-engineered cartilage implants with human articular chondrocytes. Improvements of cell-seeding efficiency and specific gene expression were studied by combining solid scaffold with fibrin glue or human blood plasma. Following 3 weeks of static culture, mRNA expression levels of collagen type I, collagen type II, aggrecan and versican were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR and compared to those in native cartilage and monolayer cell cultures.Constructs prepared with fibrin glue or plasma showed higher cell seeding efficiencies than those prepared without gel. Chondrocytes seeded directly onto a collagen scaffold appeared fibroblastic in shape while those encapsulated in fibrin gel were spherical. The presence of fibrin glue positively influences on mRNA levels of collagen type II and aggrecan, while blood plasma enhanced only the level of collagen type II expression. Levels of collagen type I and versican decreased in presence of fibrin glue.In orthopaedics, the combination of solid collagen fleece with fibrin gel for implant preparation is seen to be preferred over solid material or even cells in a suspension, since fibrin gel improves seeding capacity of the scaffold, supports equal distribution of cells and stimulates higher chondrogenic phenotype expression.     

Salmon fibrin glue in rats: Antibody studies

Fibrin sealants and topical thrombin preparations are often used for haemostatic and sealing applications in clinical practice. Some of these preparations contain coagulation factors from bovine sources. To minimize the risk of infection and immunogenicity connected with mammalian blood products, proteins derived from the plasma of farmed Atlantic salmon have been considered as an alternative to these mammalian sources. The purpose of this study is to characterize the immunogenicity of salmon fibrin glue in an animal model focusing on crossreactivity of IgG antibodies to host endogenous counterparts. After two immunizations with salmon fibrin glue, rats developed antibodies of IgG and IgM type to both fibrin glue components. Weak crossreactivity to endogenous fibrinogen and thrombin was seen in a subset of rats after the second application of salmon proteins. Coagulation tests showed that salmon fibrin application has no effect on coagulation profiles in mammalian hosts, consistent with previous reports that found no evidence of significant crossreactivity with host proteins. These studies support the potential suitability of salmon fibrin glue for the development of preparations with clinical impact. Before human use can be considered, however, additional data about safety of this preparation in other animal models, including large animal studies, should be obtained.     

Characterization of a protein-based adhesive elastomer secreted by the Australian frog Notaden bennetti

When provoked, Notaden bennetti frogs secrete an exudate which rapidly forms a tacky elastic solid ("frog glue"). This protein-based material acts as a promiscuous pressure-sensitive adhesive that functions even in wet conditions. We conducted macroscopic tests in air to assess the tensile strength of moist glue (up to 78 +/- 8 kPa) and the shear strength of dry glue (1.7 +/- 0.3 MPa). We also performed nanomechanical measurements in water to determine the adhesion (1.9-7.2 nN or greater), resilience (43-56%), and elastic modulus (170-1035 kPa) of solid glue collected in different ways. Dry glue contains little carbohydrate and consists mainly of protein. The protein complement is rich in Gly (15.8 mol %), Pro (8.8 mol %), and Glu/Gln (14.1 mol %); it also contains some 4-hydroxyproline (4.6 mol %) but no 5-hydroxylysine or 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-Dopa). Denaturing gel electrophoresis of the glue reveals a characteristic pattern of proteins spanning 13-400 kDa. The largest protein (Nb-1R, apparent molecular mass 350-500 kDa) is also the most abundant, and this protein appears to be the key structural component. The solid glue can be dissolved in dilute acids; raising the ionic strength causes the glue components to self-assemble spontaneously into a solid which resembles the starting material. We describe scattering studies on dissolved and solid glue and provide microscopy images of glue surfaces and sections, revealing a porous interior that is consistent with the high water content (85-90 wt %) of moist glue. In addition to compositional similarities with other biological adhesives and well-known elastomeric proteins, the circular dichroism spectrum of dissolved glue is almost identical to that for soluble elastin and electron and scanning probe microscopy images invite comparison with silk fibroins. Covalent cross-linking does not seem to be necessary for the glue to set.     

Experimental use of fibrin glue to induce site-directed osteogenesis from cultured periosteal cells

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a combination of fibrin glue and cultured periosteal cells will result in new bone formation at heterotopic sites in nude mice. Growing cells and developing matrices surrounding periosteal explants from the diaphyses of radii of newborn calves were minced and mixed with fibrin glue in a syringe. The cell/matrix-fibrin glue admixture was then injected into the subcutaneous space on the dorsum of athymic nude mice. After 12 weeks of implantation, gross morphology and histologic investigations showed newly formed bone structures in all cell/matrix-fibrin glue admixtures, but none in fibrin glue injected alone and used as control samples. Osteopontin, a protein important in bone development, was identified by a Western blot assay of the cell/matrix-fibrin glue composite. This study supports the feasibility of initiating site-directed formation of bone structures at heterotopic tissue sites by means of injection of cultured periosteal cells and matrix in a fibrin glue carrier.     

Blood lead levels in glue sniffers

The aim of this study was to investigate blood levels of lead (Pb) among adolescents with glue sniffing in Turkey. Blood Pb levels were measured in 30 adolescent glue sniffers by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and compared with those of the 30 healthy adolescents. The Pb contents of various glue preparations marketed in Turkey and used by the abusers were also measured. Blood Pb levels were significantly higher in the study group when compared to the control group. Pb was detected at considerably high levels in the contents of all the various glue preparations most commonly used by the cases in the study group. The increased blood Pb levels in glue sniffers may be related to the high lead contents of glues marketed in Turkey. The blood Pb levels and signs of Pb toxicity should be investigated in examination of glue sniffers.     

Gumfooted lines in black widow cobwebs and the mechanical properties of spider capture silk

Orb-weaving spiders produce webs using two types of silk that have radically different mechanical properties. The dragline silk used to construct the supporting frame and radii of the web is stiff and as strong as steel, while the capture spiral is much weaker but more than ten times as extensible. This remarkable divergence in mechanical properties has been attributed to the aqueous glue that coats the capture spiral, which is thought to decrease capture spiral stiffness and increase its extensibility. However, discerning the effect of the aqueous glue on fiber performance is complicated because dragline silk and the capture spiral are assembled from different proteins, which may also affect mechanical performance. Here, we use the sticky gumfooted lines of black widow cobwebs to test the effect of the addition of aqueous glue on the mechanical properties of dragline silk. We also surveyed orb-webs spun by a broad range of species for bundles of looped silk. Such bundles, termed windlasses, have been thought to increase capture spiral extensibility by "paying out" additional lengths of silk. Our results suggest that neither plasticization of silk by aqueous glue nor excess silk in windlasses can by themselves account for the remarkable extensibility of orb-weaver capture silk compared to other spider silks. This argues that the unique amino acid motifs of the flagelliform fibroins that constitute the core of the capture spiral play an essential role in capture silk's extreme extensibility.     

Complete Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatolithiasis-Associated Cholangiocarcinoma and Successful Management of Post-ablation Bronchobiliary Fistula

This report documented the use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of hepatolithiasis-associated cholangiocarcinoma and cyanoacrylate glue in the management of post-ablation bronchobiliary fistula. A 47-year-old Chinese woman with 20 years history of extrahepatic and intrahepatic cholangiolithiasis and multiple hepatic segmentectomy, developed hepatolithiasis-associated cholangiocarcinoma. The tumor was successfully treated with RFA but patient developed bronchobiliary fistula. Cyanoacrylate glue was used for occluding the bronchobiliary fistula. CT scan at 3 months showed complete restoration of physiological separation between the biliary and bronchial system. Repeat CT scan showed complete tumor ablation with no signs of tumor recurrence 10 months after RFA. In conclusion, RFA may be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with hepatolithiasis-associated cholangiocarcinoma who are poor candidates for surgical resection. Protection of the integrity of the bile duct and diaphragm during RFA can minimize postoperative complications. In case of development of post-ablation bronchobiliary fistula, cyanoacrylate glue can be used to occlude the fistula, before surgical resection is considered.