Kinetic resolution of (J-ionone epoxide and some dialkyl sulphoxides is achieved in the solid state in the presence of an optically active host compound, and is confirmed to proceed via a combination process of enantioselective inclusion complexation and selective oxidation in the solid state; enantioselective complexation in the solid state is also observed for oximes.

Cutaneous ulcers are treated with dressing materials and/or ointments to keep the wound in an appropriately moist environment. However, chronic cutaneous ulcers commonly have bacterial colonization that can cause local infection in such an environment. Therefore, the dressing materials and/or ointments should have antibacterial potency to treat chronic ulcers. Acute cutaneous wounds, by contrast, heal rapidly without local infection. The aim of treating acute cutaneous wounds is therefore not only wound closure but also preventing scar contracture after wound healing. However, no dressing materials or ointments available at present are simultaneously effective for preventing infection in chronic ulcers and reducing wound contracture in acute ulcers. Silk-elastin is a recombinant protein polymer with repeating units of silk-like and elastin-like blocks. Silk-elastin solution can self-assemble from a liquid to a hydrogel. We preliminarily reported that silk-elastin hydrogels have the potential to accelerate wound healing in decubitus ulcers of diabetic mice, which are animal models of severe, intractable cutaneous ulcers. In the present study, we examined the effects of silk-elastin hydrogels in chronic and acute ulcer models in comparison with conventional products (carboxymethyl cellulose gel). Silk-elastin hydrogels resulted in significantly higher epithelialization rates than conventional hydrogels in both the chronic and acute ulcer models and significantly larger areas of granulation tissue in acute ulcer models. These results show that silk-elastin hydrogel is a promising material for promoting the healing of cutaneous wounds, including decubitus ulcers, chronic ulcers, and acute ulcers.

Silk-elastin is a recombinant protein polymer with repeating units of silk and elastin blocks. This novel wound healing promoting material has the ability to self-assemble from a liquid to a gel. We have already reported that an aqueous solution of silk-elastin has the potential to accelerate wound healing; however, there are several problems in applying silk-elastin in the clinical setting. To solve these problems, we developed a silk-elastin sponge that is easy to use in the clinical setting. In the present study, we examined whether the wound healing effect of the silk-elastin sponge is equal to the aqueous solution of silk-elastin in vivo. The granulation tissue formation promoting effect of the silk-elastin sponge was equal to that of the aqueous solution the silk-elastin, as after application to the wound surface, the sponge was absorbed and dissolved by the exudate. At body temperature the silk-elastin then formed temperature gel. The silk-elastin gel that was obtained contained abundant cytokines from the exudate. We believe that silk-elastin sponge can be applied to various wounds that are difficult to treat with the aqueous solution.

Background: Although traditional wound dressings such as collagen scaffolds promote granulation tissue formation, the efficacy of these dressings in chronic wounds is limited because of high susceptibility to bacterial growth. Biomaterials that can be applied to chronic wounds should have an anti-bacterial function. We previously reported that administering a silk-elastin solution that forms moisturizing hydrogels to wound surfaces of diabetic mice reduced bacterial growth and promoted granulation tissue formation compared with control or carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogels. We hypothesized that silk-elastin promotes wound healing in human chronic wounds by suppressing bacterial growth. Methods: An open-label, clinical case series was conducted with a prospective, single-arm design at Kyoto University Hospital in Kyoto, Japan. In this study, 6 patients with chronic skin ulcers of any origin (2 < ulcer area (cm2) < 25) on their lower extremities were included; patients with critical ischemia were excluded. Silk-elastin sponges were applied and covered with a polyurethane film without changing the dressing for 14 days. Inflammation triggered treatment discontinuation due to fear of infection. The primary study endpoint was adverse events, including inflammation and infection. Results: Poor hydrogel formation, possibly due to continuous exudation, was observed. No serious adverse events were noted. Two patients discontinued treatment on day 6 and day 7, respectively, due to inflammation, but they were not infected. The other 4 patients completed the 14-day silk-elastin sponge treatment without infection. Conclusion: Silk-elastin sponge is safe for chronic skin ulcers, and its ability to promote wound healing should be determined by confirmatory clinical trials.

Although primary surgery for cleft lip has improved over time, the degree of secondary cleft or nasal deformity reportedly varies from a minimum degree to a remarkable degree. Patients with cleft often worry about residual nose deformity, such as a displaced columella, a broad nasal floor, and a deviation of the alar base on the cleft side. Some of the factors that occur in association with secondary cleft or nasal deformity include a deviation of the anterior nasal spine, a deflected septum, a deficiency of the orbicularis muscle, and a lack of bone underlying the nose. Secondary cleft and nasal deformity can result from incomplete muscle repair at the primary cleft operation. Therefore, surgeons should manage patients individually and deal with various deformities by performing appropriate surgery on a case-by-case basis. In this report, we applied the simple method of single VY-plasty on the nasal floor to a patient with unilateral cleft to revise the alar base on the cleft side. We adopted this approach to achieve overcorrection on the cleft side during surgery, which helped maintain the appropriate position of the alar base and ultimately balanced the nose foramen at 13 months after the operation. It was also possible to complement the height of the nasal floor without a bone graft. We believe that this approach will prove useful for managing cases with a broad and low nasal floor, thereby enabling the reconstruction of a well-balanced nose.