Constricted posterior fourchette deformities: Definition, classification and surgical treatment.

BACKGROUND: Labiaplasty is one of the top cosmetic procedures patients are seeking in the past two years. However, treatment of disease in posterior fourchette caused by various etiological factors was less investigated and neglected. METHODS: Three types of posterior fourchette deformity were proposed: (1) Redundant posterior fourchette, (2) Relaxed posterior fourchette, and (3) Constricted posterior fourchette. Local flap transfer technique was applied. Y-V-plasty and 5-Z-Flap-plasty were used to treat web type and tight type of the constricted posterior fourchette, respectively. Follow-ups were arranged on the Internet or at the outpatient clinic. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was utilized to evaluate sexual discomfort in the satisfaction questionnaires during follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients with constricted posterior fourchette deformity from May 2022 to May 2023 were reviewed in the study. Y-V-plasty could decrease VAS in patients with web-type deformity by 4.13 ± 1.46 (p＜0.001). 5-Z-Flap-plasty could decrease VAS in patients with tight-type deformity by 3.76 ± 1.53 (p＜0.05). Satisfaction rates of the web type and tight type were 93.1% (27/29) and 86.7% (13/15) respectively. Complications include two cases of hematoma, one case of persistent pain and two cases of dehiscence. CONCLUSION: Constricted posterior fourchette seriously affects the quality of life. Y-V-plasty and 5-Z-Flap-plasty can be utilized to treat the two subtypes of constricted posterior fourchette, which can effectively reduce the pain score of patients with high satisfaction and few long-term complications.

Comprehensive aesthetic corrections of gynecomastia using the reproducible safe and minimally invasive surgical strategy.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive access and fast recovery are trends of gynecomastia surgery. We placed great importance on liposuction and modified original pull-through technique. The purpose of this study was to present a refined surgical strategy for gynecomastia in grade I and II. METHODS: The refined strategy embraced enhanced liposuction to remove the intraglandular fat sufficiently, followed by open resection of gland using the pull-through and bottom-up technique with adjuvant liposuction in the end. Surgical data were recorded and satisfactory questionnaires with 5-point scales were administered during follow-up. RESULTS: Between January 2017 and May 2022, 165 patients underwent enhanced liposuction combined with the pull-through and bottom-up technique for gland excision. Age ranged from 12 to 56 years. The median length of surgery was 100 min. A median of 300 ml of fat was aspirated and a median of 20.8 g of gland was excised. Seventy-seven patients (46.7%) responded the questionnaires at least 6 months postoperatively, and the average overall satisfaction was 4.68 ± 0.52 points. Thirteen sides of breasts developed complications with a rate of 4.0%. CONCLUSION: Enhanced liposuction combined with pull-through and bottom-up technique proved effective to treat grade I and II gynecomastia with minimal scarring and high satisfaction. The refined strategy was simple and safe, and would obtain optimal outcomes even for inexperienced surgeons.

A Review on Pretreatment and Analysis Methods of Polyether Antibiotics in Complex Samples.

Polyether antibiotics (PAs) are the anti-coccidiosis drugs used for treating and preventing coccidiosis. Studies show the residues of these antibiotics in food cause adversities and threaten human health. PAs thus need robust, rugged, and accurate methods for their analysis. This review encompasses pretreatment and detection methods of PAs in diverse matrices since 2010. Both conventional and developed methods are part of the pretreatments, such as dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, solid-phase extraction, solid-phase microextraction, solvent front position extraction, QuEChERS (Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe), supercritical fluid extraction, and others. The analysis methods involve liquid chromatography coupled with detectors, sensors, etc. The pros and cons of various techniques for PAs have been discussed and future tendencies are proposed.

Progress of pretreatment and analytical methods for PAs are summarized.Comparisons between different mass analyzers are discussed in detail.Novel materials in microextraction methods are depicted.

Triclosan and related compounds in the environment: Recent updates on sources, fates, distribution, analytical extraction, analysis, and removal techniques.

Triclosan (TCS) has been widely used in daily life because of its broad-spectrum antibacterial activities. The residue of TCS and related compounds in the environment is one of the critical environmental safety problems, and the pandemic of COVID-19 aggravates the accumulation of TCS and related compounds in the environment. Therefore, detecting TCS and related compound residues in the environment is of great significance to human health and environmental safety. The distribution of TCS and related compounds are slightly different worldwide, and the removal methods also have advantages and disadvantages. This paper summarized the research progress on the source, distribution, degradation, analytical extraction, detection, and removal techniques of TCS and related compounds in different environmental samples. The commonly used analytical extraction methods for TCS and related compounds include solid-phase extraction, liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase microextraction, liquid-phase microextraction, and so on. The determination methods include liquid chromatography coupled with different detectors, gas chromatography and related methods, sensors, electrochemical method, capillary electrophoresis. The removal techniques in various environmental samples mainly include biodegradation, advanced oxidation, and adsorption methods. Besides, both the pros and cons of different techniques have been compared and summarized, and the development and prospect of each technique have been given.

Melatonin in different food samples: Recent update on distribution, bioactivities, pretreatment and analysis techniques.

Melatonin (MLT) plays a significant role on maintaining the basic physiological functions and regulating various metabolic processes in plentiful organisms. Recent years have witnessed an increase in MLT's share in global market with its affluent functions. However, the worrisome quality issues and inappropriate or excessive application of MLT take place inevitably. In addition, its photosensitive properties, oxidation, complex substrate concentration and trace levels leave exact detection of MLT doubly difficult. Therefore, it is essential to exploit precise, sensitive and stable extraction and detection methods to resolve above questions. In this study, we reviewed the distribution and bioactivities of MLT and conducted a comprehensive overview of the developments of pretreatment and analysis methods for MLT in food samples since 2010. Commonly used pretreatment methods for MLT include not only traditional techniques, but also novel ones, such as solid-phase extraction, QuEChERS, microextraction by packed sorbent, solid phase microextraction, liquid phase microextraction, and so on. Analysis methods include liquid chromatography coupled with different detectors, GC methods, capillary electrophoresis, sensors, and so on. The advantages and disadvantages of different techniques have been compared and the development tendency was prospected.

Nicotine in Complex Samples: Recent Updates on the Pretreatment and Analysis Method.

Nicotine is a significant evaluation index of tobacco and its related products' quality, but nicotine overdose can pose serious health hazards and cause addiction and dependence, thus it can be seen that it is necessary to find suitable and efficient detection methods to precisely detect nicotine in diverse samples and complex matrices. In this review, an updated summary of the latest trends in pretreatment and analytical techniques for nicotine is provided. We reviewed various sample pretreatment methods, such as solid phase extraction, solid phase microextraction, liquid phase microextraction, QuEChERS, etc., and diverse nicotine assay methods including liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, electrochemical sensors, etc., focusing on the developments since 2015. Furthermore, the recent progress in the applications and applicability of these techniques as well as our prospects for future developments are discussed.HighlightsUpdated pretreatment and analysis methods of nicotine were systematically summarized.Microextraction and automation were main development trends of nicotine pretreatment.The introduction of novel materials added luster to nicotine pretreatment.The evolutions of ion source and mass analyzer were emphasized.

A Review on Recent Innovations of Pretreatment and Analysis Methods for Sulfonylurea Herbicides.

Sulfonylurea herbicides (SUHs) are widely used in agriculture because of their low dosage, low cost, and high selectivity. However, due to improper use and lack of effective management, their residues pose a threat to the human health through environment and food pollution. Therefore, there is a need for simple, quick, economical, and effective methods to analyze SUHs in plant-derived foods, crops, and environmental samples. The present article presents a comprehensive review of the pretreatment and analytical technologies used for SUHs in various sample matrices, focusing on the developments since 2010. The main pretreatment methods include liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction, QuEChERS, and different microextraction methods, whereas analytical methods mainly include liquid chromatography coupled with different detectors, capillary electrophoresis, among others. In addition, the present study also compared the advantages and disadvantages of the methods and the future development is prospected.

HIGHLIGHTProgress in pretreatment and analytical methods of sulfonylurea herbicides are summarized.Pros and cons of the pretreatment and determination methods have been given.Novel materials in solid-phase extraction and solid-phase microextraction are depicted.

Tetrodotoxin and Its Analogues in Food: Recent Updates on Sample Preparation and Analytical Methods Since 2012.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX), found in various organisms including pufferfish, is an extremely potent marine toxin responsible for numerous food poisoning accidents. Due to its serious toxicity and public health threat, detecting TTX and its analogues in diverse food matrices with a simple, fast, efficient method has become a worldwide concern. This review summarizes the advances in sample preparation and analytical methods for the determination of TTX and its analogues, focusing on the latest development over the past five years. Current state-of-the-art technologies, such as solid-phase microextraction, online technology, novel injection technology, two-dimensional liquid chromatography, high-resolution mass spectrometry, newly developed lateral flow immunochromatographic strips, immunosensors, dual-mode aptasensors, and nanomaterials-based approaches, are thoroughly discussed. The advantages and limitations of different techniques, critical comments, and future perspectives are also proposed. This review is expected to provide rewarding insights to the future development and broad application of pretreatment and detection methods for TTX and its analogues.

Recent Update on Pretreatment and Analysis Methods of Buprenorphine in Different Matrix.

Buprenorphine is one of the most commonly used pain-killing drugs due to its lengthy duration of action and high potency. However, excessive usage of buprenorphine can be harmful to one's health and prolonged use might result in addiction. Additionally, an increasing number of cases have been documented involving the illegal use of buprenorphine. Therefore, a variety of effective and reliable methods for pretreatment and determination of buprenorphine and its main metabolite norbuprenorphine have been established. This review aims to update the current state of pretreatment and detection techniques for buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine from January 2010 to March 2022. Pretreatment methods include several traditional extraction methods, solid-phase extraction, QuECHERS, various micro-extraction techniques, etc. while analytical methods include LC-MS, LC coupled with other detectors, GC-MS, capillary electrophoresis, electrochemical sensors, etc. The pros and cons of various techniques were compared and summarized, and the prospects were provided. HIGHLIGHTSProgress in pretreatment and detection methods for buprenorphine is demonstrated.Pros and cons of different pretreatment and analysis methods are compared.New materials (such as nanomaterials and magnetic materials) used in buprenorphine pretreatment are summarized.Newly emerged environmental-friendly methods are discussed.

Cocaine in Different Matrices: Recent Updates on Pretreatment and Detection Techniques.

Cocaine abuse has attracted increased attention in the recent past since it can cause addiction and great harm to the normal human body. Due to cocaine exists in various complex matrices, the detection of it in different matrices is helpful to prevent abuse. It is thus imperative to establish efficient and accurate methods for pretreatment and detection of cocaine in different samples. The present study provides a summary of the research progress of cocaine pretreatment methods (such as different microextraction methods, QuEChERS, and solid phase extraction based on novel extraction materials) and detection approaches (such as liquid chromatography coupled with different detectors, gas chromatography and related techniques, capillary electrophoresis and sensors). A comparison of the pros and cons of different pretreatment and detection methods is presented. The findings of this study will provide a reference for selection of the most suitable cocaine pretreatment and detection techniques.

Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and related compounds in the environment: Recent updates on pretreatment, analysis, and removal techniques.

Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (1,1-Dimethylhydrazine, UDMH) has been widely used as aerospace fuel in many countries. The launch of space vehicles can cause the release and leakage of UDMH into the environment, posing serious threats to ecology system and human population. Even worse, the health risks are also pertinent to its numerous classes of transformation products including N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), because most of them display carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. Recently, there has been an intense ongoing development of simple, fast, green, and effective techniques for determining and removing these hazardous substances. This review summarizes the latest research progress regarding the sources, fates, pretreatment, analysis, and removal techniques of UDMH and related products in the environment. Sample preparation methods mainly include pressurized liquid extraction, liquid-phase microextraction techniques, solid-phase extraction, headspace-solid-phase microextraction, and supercritical fluid extraction. Detection and identification methods mainly include high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), and sensors. Removal methods mainly include advanced oxidation processes, adsorption, biodegradation techniques. The advantages/disadvantages, applications, and trends of the proposed approaches are thoroughly discussed to provide a valuable reference for further studies.

Capsaicinoids in Food: An Update on Pretreatment and Analysis Methods since 2010.

Capsaicinoids, whose basic chemical structure is the vanilla amide of n-nonanoic acid, are responsible for chili pepper fruits' spicy flavor (pungency) and multiple pharmacological actions. Capsaicinoids are widely used to produce intense flavor food additives due to their sensory attributes of pungency, aroma, and color. To ensure strict quality control for capsaicinoids and maximize their positive effects, valid and sensitive pretreatment and determination methods are urgently needed. Consequently, this review provides a comprehensive summary of capsaicinoids' preparation and analytical technologies in food samples. Pretreatment techniques mainly include liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction, solid-phase microextraction, and dispersive solid-phase microextraction, among others. Detection methods include liquid chromatography coupled with different detectors, gas chromatography, electrochemical sensor methods, capillary electrophoresis, etc. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of various pretreatment and analytical methods are compared and discussed. Thus, the present paper has attempted to shed light on novel and traditionalpretreatment methods and determination approaches and provided proper comments about their new developments and applications.

Corrigendum to "Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells Attenuate Adipose Inflammation in Obesity through Adipocyte Browning and Polarization of M2 Macrophages".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2019/1731540.].

A review of pretreatment and analysis of macrolides in food (Update Since 2010).

Macrolides are versatile broad-spectrum antibiotics whose activity stems from the presence of a macrolide ring. They are widely used in veterinary medicine to prevent and treat disease. However, because of their improper use and the absence of effective regulation, these compounds pose a threat to human health and the environment. Consequently, simple, quick, economical, and effective techniques are required to analyze macrolides in animal-derived foods, biological samples, and environmental samples. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the pretreatment and analytical methods used for macrolides in various sample matrices, focusing on the developments since 2010. Pretreatment methods mainly include liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction, matrix solid-phase dispersion, and microextraction methods. Detection and quantification methods mainly include liquid chromatography (coupled to mass spectrometry or other detectors), electrochemical methods, capillary electrophoresis, and immunoassays. Furthermore, a comparison between the pros and cons of these methods and prospects for future developments are also discussed.

Characterization of cGAS homologs in innate and adaptive mucosal immunities in zebrafish gives evolutionary insights into cGAS-STING pathway.

Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) is one of the most-characterized cytoplasmic DNA sensors in humans and other mammals. However, knowledge about cGAS homologs in nonmammalian species remains limited. In this study, we report the molecular and functional identification of two cGAS homologs, namely, DrcGASa and DrcGASb, from a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. DrcGASa and DrcGASb share the same overall conservative structural architectures and functional domains/residues to mammalian cGASs. Both homologs synthesized a 2'3'-cGAMP isomer but not a 3'3'-cGAMP isomer via oligomerization in response to DNA stimulation. Overexpression of DrcGASa/b in HEK293T cells and zebrafish embryos significantly activated NF-κB and IFN-I signaling pathways in a STING-dependent manner. Knockdown of DrcGASa or DrSTING impaired such activations, thereby reducing the host innate immunity against bacterial and viral infections. DrcGASa, but not DrcGASb, was involved in immunoglobulin Z-mediated mucosal immunity in gill-associated lymphoid tissue, suggesting differential functions between the two DrcGASs. This reaction was associated with the DrcGAS-DrSTING-IFNφ1 signaling axis in GALT's γδ T cells. Our findings provide experimental evidence that a modern cGAS-STING pathway that mainly participates in IFN-mediated immunity originated from teleost fish based on the functional constraint of cGAS and STING proteins during vertebrate evolution.

Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells Attenuate Adipose Inflammation in Obesity through Adipocyte Browning and Polarization of M2 Macrophages.

Obesity is a metabolic condition associated with multiple health problems such as endocrine and metabolic dysfunction and chronic inflammation in adipose tissues. In this study, the ADSCs could be stimulated to differentiate into brown adipocyte with rosiglitazone treatment based on the Oil-Red-O staining trial. Furthermore, the multilocular lipid droplets located in the center was increased in differentiated brown adipocytes, and brown fat-associated proteins, UCP1, PPAR-γ, and LPL were highly expressed in brown adipocytes differentiated from ADSCs. Additionally, the results of animal experiments showed that both weight and amount of VLDL and LDL were decreased in the serum of obese mice after transplantation of rosiglitazone-induced brown adipocytes, while the level of HDL increased. Moreover, the proteins associated with lipid metabolism, LPA and UCP1, were downregulated, and the inflammatory response was suppressed through inhibition of the ITGAM/NF-κB-mediated proinflammatory responses and polarization of M2 macrophages. Similarly, the amounts of proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß were decreased after rosiglitazone-induced brown adipocyte transplantation. On the contrary, anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was significantly increased in both groups of obese mice, with or without brown adipocyte transplantation. Therefore, the adipose-derived stromal cells with induced browning could promote lipid consumption and alternative polarization of M2 macrophages to attenuate adipose inflammation in obesity mouse models, which thus provides a potential therapy for obesity.

Sensitization of keloid fibroblasts by quercetin through the PI3K/Akt pathway is dependent on regulation of HIF-1α.

Keloids are raised, red, hard and irregular tumors that are prone to extend beyond the wound borders. Surgical excision is not sufficient to eradicate a keloid. Adjuvant therapy with radiation is a recommended treatment that reportedly achieves improved efficacy. However, radiation does not only kill cells in the keloid tissue but also stimulates their resistance, and intractable cases can display continuous recurrence. Quercetin was initially extracted from natural products and is used as a dietary supplement. The role of quercetin as an oxidant scavenger has been highlighted in many studies and has drawn interest to the application of ionizing radiation (IR) sensitization. In this study, we first demonstrate that keloid fibroblasts acquire resistance after IR treatment, and this can be relieved by treatment with quercetin. Further, we showed that hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), a prognostic marker used in clinical practice after radiation therapy, was associated with stronger radioresistance in keloid fibroblasts, which was downregulated after quercetin treatment. The inhibition of HIF-1 expression by quercetin was found to be dependent on the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Quercetin has been reported to reduce the phosphorylation of Akt. Taken together, we revealed one mechanism underlying the suppression of radioresistance by quercetin, which involved the regulation of HIF-1α by the PI3K/Akt pathway. Our study provides a molecular basis for the application of quercetin in radiation sensitization in the treatment of keloids.

Coordination of Bactericidal and Iron Regulatory Functions of Hepcidin in Innate Antimicrobial Immunity in a Zebrafish Model.

Hepcidin acts as both an antimicrobial peptide and a hormonal regulator of iron homeostasis; however, the biological significance of this dual-function in immune reactions remains elusive. In this study, we provide experimental evidence regarding the coordination of this dual-function in the innate antimicrobial immunity using a zebrafish model. The transcription of hepcidin gene was significantly upregulated in liver by Aeromonas hydrophila (A.h) DNA stimulation, which was accompanied by an increase of hepcidin protein and a decrease of iron concentration in serum. Thus, an enhanced bactericidal activity against A.h and Escherichia coli and inhibitory effects on A.h growth and OmpA expression were observed in A.h cells, the latter of which made the bacterium more susceptible to complement attack. The enhanced bacteriostatic activities in serum following the stimulation were dramatically impaired by neutralizing hepcidin or restoring iron to the samples. Immuno-protection assay showed that zebrafish administrated with A.h DNA or designed CpG-ODNs had a significantly enhanced defence against A.h and Vibrio alginolyticus infections, which was also eliminated by the neutralization of hepcidin. Results indicate that the induction of hepcidin leads to the decrease of iron in circulation, which eventually limits iron availability to invading microorganisms, thus contributing to host defence.

Tracking the Evolution of Polymer Interface Films during the Process of Thermal Annealing at the Domain and Single Molecular Levels using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy.

Structural evolution of polymer (NTZ12) interface films during the process of annealing is revealed at the domain and single molecular levels using the statistical data measured from scanning tunneling microscopy images and through theoretical calculations. First, common features of the interface films are examined. Then, mean values of surface-occupied ratio, size and density of the domain are used to reveal the intrinsic derivation of the respective stages. Formation of new domains is triggered at 70 °C, but domain ripening is not activated. At 110 °C, the speed of formation of new domains is almost balanced by the consumption due to the ripening process. However, formation of new domains is reduced heavily at 150 °C but restarted at 190 °C. At the single molecular level, the ratio of the average length of linear to curved backbones is increased during annealing, whereas the ratios of the total length and the total number of linear to curved skeletons reaches a peak value at 150 °C. The two major conformations of curved backbones for all samples are 120° and 180° bending, but the ripening at 150 °C reduces 180° folding dramatically. Molecular dynamic simulations disclose the fast relaxing process of curved skeletons at high temperature.

Perinipple Broken Line Incision: a Novel Approach for Breast Augmentation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate reliability of the infra-nipple broken line incision for breast augmentation. METHODS: From January 2012 to January 2013, 15 patients underwent primary bilateral retromuscular breast augmentation with round textured silicone-gel implants and a novel infra-nipple broken line incision. Preoperatively, a semicircular incision was marked along the inferior base of the nipple. It was then extended bilaterally using two transverse right-angled geometric broken lines within the pigmented areolar skin. Follow-up was performed to evaluate the sensation of nipple-areolar complex, the scar, and the shape and texture of the breasts. RESULTS: The average follow-up was 6.7 months. Most of the patients complained of paresthesia of the nipple or breast skin, but transient decreased sensation improved within 3 months. No patients showed permanent sensory changes of the nipple areolar complex at a minimum follow-up of 4 months. The scars were imperceptible in all patients. CONCLUSION: We believe that for selected patients, the infra-nipple broken line incision is a practical and reliable method to achieve aesthetic result.