Abdominoplasty with Scarpa Fascia Preservation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Scarpa fascia preservation has been proposed to minimize complications associated with conventional abdominoplasty, but its efficacy is unclear. The purpose of this article is to determine the influence of preserving scarpa fascia on reducing postabdominoplasty complications. METHODS: A comprehensive search of Medline Ovid, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane CENTRAL databases was conducted from the inception till June 2021. Eligible studies were prospective controlled studies investigating postoperative complications after scarpa fascia preservation following abdominoplasty. Stata 15.1 software was used for the meta-analysis. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included seven studies with 682 abdominoplasty patients. Abdominoplasty with scarpa fascia preservation could significantly reduce incidence of seroma (OR = - 1.34, 95% CI = - 2.09 - - 0.59, P < 0.05), length of hospital stay (SMD = - 1.65; 95% CI = - 3.50-0.20; P = 0.08), time to drain removal (SMD = - 3.64; 95% CI = - 5.76 - - 1.52; P < 0.05), and total drain output (SMD = - 401.60; 95% CI = - 593.75 - - 209.44; P < 0.05) compared with that of conventional abdominoplasty. However, it failed to achieve a statistically significant reduction in hematoma (OR=- 1.30, 95% CI = - 2.79-0.18, P = 0.08), infection (OR = - 1.03; 95% CI = - 2.17-0.12; P = 0.08), skin necrosis (OR = 0.63; 95% CI = - 1.20-2.45; P = 0.50), and wound dehiscence (OR = 0.28; 95% CI = - 0.28-0.83; P = 0.33). The seroma incidence rate was lower when a scalpel was utilized for dissection rather than electrocautery (3% (95% CI = 1-7%) versus 11% (95% CI = 5-18%)). CONCLUSIONS: Preservation of scarpa fascia during abdominoplasty might reduce the likelihood of postoperative seroma, length of hospital stay, time to drain removal, and total drain output. However, it did not significantly affect the incidence of hematoma, infection, skin necrosis, and wound dehiscence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Magnetic field sensor based on helical long-period fiber grating with a three-core optical fiber.

A high sensitivity optical fiber magnetic field sensor is proposed and implemented by using a helical long-period fiber grating (HLPFG) based on a three-core fiber (TCF) bonded to a U-shaped aluminum (Al) wire. An electrical current flowing through the Al wire in a perpendicular magnetic field can generate Ampere force, which changes the distance between the two arms of the U-shaped Al wire. Thus, when the intensity and direction of the magnetic field change, the bending curvature of TCF-HLPFG bonded to the U-shaped Al wire varies with the change of Ampere force, which is represented as the shift of resonant wavelength in the spectrum. The as-fabricated sensor can respond to the magnetic field direction and the intensity with a range from -15 mT to 15 mT, and the measured sensitivity is 456.5 pm/mT with Al wire electrical current 1A. The proposed sensor has the advantages of low cost, nondestructive measurement method and ease manufacture, and is expected to be applied to weak magnetic field measurements.

Modified Use of Costal Cartilage in Asians for the Correction of Nostril Asymmetry in Unilateral Secondary Cleft Lip Nasal Deformity.

BACKGROUND: Weak alar cartilage and lack of soft tissue on the cleft side are considered to be the main critical factors leading to the asymmetry of bilateral nostrils. The costal cartilage can provide strong structural support and can be used to maintain long-term stability of nostril shape after surgical correction. With the advancement in rhinoplasty techniques, the application and understanding of costal cartilage in cleft lip nasal deformity is still on going. Herein, we present our technique of applying costal cartilage to provide nostril support and correct asymmetry in Asian patients with unilateral secondary cleft lip nasal deformity. METHODS: Ninety-seven patients who underwent nostril asymmetry correction from January 1, 2013, to October 31, 2018, were analyzed retrospectively. Modified integrative alar cartilage strut and diced nostril augmentation with costal cartilage were implemented to improve the collapsed and flat cleft-side nostril. The release and restoration of muscle and bone were also performed when required. Surgical outcomes were analyzed based on the comparison of nostril parameters, the shape and contour, and symmetry of bilateral nostrils after surgery. During postoperative follow-up, the patients' satisfactions with the corrective outcomes were also investigated. RESULTS: All patients received the corrective operations with complete survival of all implanted cartilages. The nostril width was narrower in postoperative group (P < 0.05). The nostril height and long axis angle were higher postoperatively (P < 0.05). After correction, the proportion of moderate type increased from 13.4% to 80.4%, whereas the proportion of horizontal type decreased from 86.6% to 17.5%. The symmetry score on the nostril parameters manifested the rate of high score (AS >3) in postoperative groups were 84.5%, 93.8%, and 87.6% for width, height, and angle of the long axis, respectively. They were higher compared with those of preoperative group (0%). More than 95% of the patients were satisfied with the overall aesthetic outcome of the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Through ameliorating its constructive technology and optimizing its filling form, the modified use of costal cartilage displayed excellent correction effects in the width, height, and long axis angle asymmetry of Asian patients' nostril. Precise and comprehensive rhinoplasty technique is the cornerstone for achieving satisfactory long-term aesthetic outcomes, especially in severe cases, such as secondary cleft lip nasal deformity.

Duplications involving the long range HMX1 enhancer are associated with human isolated bilateral concha-type microtia.

BACKGROUND: Microtia is a congenital anomaly of ear that ranges in severity from mild structural abnormalities to complete absence of the outer ears. Concha-type microtia is considered to be a mild form. The H6 family homeobox 1 transcription factor gene (HMX1) plays an important role in craniofacial structures development. Copy number variations (CNVs) of a downstream evolutionarily conserved enhancer region (ECR) of Hmx1 associated with ear and eye abnormalities have been reported in different animals, but not yet in human. To date, no genetic defects responsible for isolated human microtia has been reported except for mutations in HOXA2. Here we recruited five Chinese families with isolated bilateral concha-type microtia, and attempt to identify the underlying genetic causes. METHODS: Single Nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array was performed to map the disease locus and detect CNVs on a genome scale primarily in the largest family (F1). Whole genome sequencing was performed to screen all SNVs and CNVs in the candidate disease locus. Array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) was then performed to detect CNVs in the other four families, F2-F5. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to validate and determine the extent of identified CNVs containing HMX1-ECR region. Precise breakpoints in F1 and F2 were identified by gap-PCR and sanger sequencing. Dual-luciferase assays were used to detect the enhancer function. qPCR assays were also used to detect HMX1-ECR CNVs in 61 patients with other types mictrotia. RESULTS: Linkage and haplotype analysis in F1 mapped the disease locus to a 1.9 Mb interval on 4p16.1 containing HMX1 and its downstream ECR region. Whole genome sequencing detected no potential pathogenic SNVs in coding regions of HMX1 or other genes within the candidate disease locus, but it detected a 94.6 Kb duplication in an intergenic region between HMX1 and CPZ. aCGH and qPCRs also revealed co-segregated duplications in intergenic region downstream of HMX1 in the other four families. The 21.8 Kb minimal overlapping region encompassing the core sequences consensus with mouse ECR of Hmx1. Luciferase assays confirmed the enhancer function in human sequences, and proved that HOXA2 could increase its enhancer activity. No CNVs were detected in HMX1-ECR regions in 61 patients with other type of microtia. CONCLUSION: Duplications involving long range HMX1 enhancers are associated with human isolated bilateral concha-type microtia. We add to evidences in human that copy number variations in HMX1-ECR associates with ear malformations, as in other species. This study also provides an additional example of functional conserved non-coding elements (CNEs) in humans.

High-sensitivity gas pressure sensor based on a multimode interferometer using hollow-core tube lattice fiber.

A non-diaphragm fiber gas pressure sensor based on a multimode interferometer (MI) using a hollow-core tube lattice fiber (HC-TLF) as a gas cell is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The sensor is fabricated by fusion splicing a sandwich structure of a graded-index multimode fiber, HC-TLF, and lead-in/out single mode fiber. Several side-holes are drilled by using a femtosecond laser on the side wall of the HC-TLF to allow gas in and out of the fiber. The positions of side-hole in HC-TLF have been investigated during the experiments, which indicate that the highest gas pressure sensitivity existed as the side-hole located in the gap between adjacent cladding holes of the HC-TLF. The proposed structure exhibits a high sensitivity of 8.1 nm/MPa with the average gas fill time of 2.2 s. This sensor also has low temperature sensitivity and low temperature cross sensitivity of 12.3 pm/°C and 1.5 kPa/°C as the temperature rises to 400°C. In addition, the advantages of the gas pressure sensor, such as small size, rapid response, low temperature cross sensitivity, and simple fabrication process, make it suitable for high-pressure measurement in harsh conditions, e.g., downhole and ocean bottom.

Low short-wavelength loss fiber Bragg gratings inscribed in a small-core fiber by femtosecond laser point-by-point technology.

A femtosecond-laser-induced fiber Bragg grating (FBG) usually has a higher insertion loss at the shorter wavelength than at the reflection wavelength, i.e., so-called short-wavelength loss. High-quality FBGs are inscribed in different types of small-core single-mode fibers (SMFs) by the use of femtosecond laser point-by-point technology in order to investigate the effect of the fiber core diameter on the grating inscription efficiency and on the short-wavelength loss. A lower laser pulse energy is required to achieve the same grating reflectivity in a smaller-core fiber than in a large-core fiber. The short-wavelength loss of the small-core FBG is lower than that of the large-core FBG with the same reflectivity. Furthermore, a series of FBGs with a low short-wavelength loss are inscribed in a small-core SMF along the fiber axis to achieve so-called series-integrated FBGs (SI-FBGs). Finally, the effect of the input light direction on the reflection peak of the SI-FBGs is investigated to reduce the influence of the grating short-wavelength loss in the sensing and communication applications.

Bragg resonance in microfiber realized by two-photon polymerization.

A new method for microfiber Bragg gratings (µ-FBGs) fabrication by means of two-photon polymerization in photosensitive resin is reported. Such polymerized µ-FBGs were cured along with the surface of microfibers without any damage or distortion to the substrate. The laser intensity was optimized to improve the spectral properties of the polymerized gratings. The refractive index measurement was performed and the maximum sensitivity obtained is ~207 nm/RIU at the refractive index value of 1.440 with the fiber diameter being 1.7 µm. This work opens a new idea for optical structure integration and further optical functionality integration.

Femtosecond laser-inscribed fiber interface Mach-Zehnder interferometer for temperature-insensitive refractive index measurement.

A new fiber interface Mach-Zehnder interferometer has been fabricated, to the best of our knowledge, in coreless fiber by femtosecond laser-inscription for temperature-insensitive refractive index measurement. A straight waveguide was inscribed along the central axis of the coreless fiber as the reference arm, and the other curved waveguide (interface waveguide) was then inscribed bending toward the cladding interface to obtain a strong evanescent field sensitive to ambient refractive index. This fiber interface Mach-Zehnder interferometer exhibits a high refractive index (RI) sensitivity of ∼3000 nm/RIU at an RI value of 1.432. Moreover, with the significant advantages of high mechanical strength and temperature independence, such a fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer may find many potential applications in biochemical sensing.

Femtosecond laser microprinting of a polymer fiber Bragg grating for high-sensitivity temperature measurements.

We demonstrate the microprinting of a novel suspended polymer fiber Bragg grating for high-sensitivity temperature measurements. The proposed sensor was developed using a femtosecond laser-induced multiphoton polymerization technique. The grating was cured in a single-groove silica tube spliced between two single-mode fibers. Its transmission spectrum, mode field, and temperature response were thoroughly investigated. A sensitivity of -220 pm/°C was achieved over a temperature range of 24°C to 40°C, which is meaningful in biosensing applications. This all-in-fiber polymer Bragg grating exhibits high temperature sensitivity, excellent mechanical strength, and ultrahigh integration. As such, a temperature sensing element of this type would be a beneficial tool for biological measurements.

Label-free detection of bovine serum albumin based on an in-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometric biosensor.

We propose and experimentally verify an innovative label-free optical fiber biosensor based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer for bovine serum albumin (BSA) concentration detection. The proposed fiber biosensor utilized a micro-cavity within a single-mode fiber to induce Mach-Zehnder interference. A remarkable feature of this biosensor is that external media can directly interact with the fiber core signal through microfluidic channels connected to the micro-cavity and sensor surface. The device was fabricated by means of femtosecond laser micromachining and chemical etching. A fiber interferometer of this type exhibits an ultrahigh refractive index sensitivity of -10,055 nm/RIU and a detection limit of 3.5 × 10-5 RIU. Different concentrations of BSA with an infinitesimally small refractive index difference can be clearly differentiated in situ by the interferential spectra of the structure. Experiments demonstrated the biosensor exhibited a BSA solution concentration sensitivity of -38.9 nm/(mg/mL) and a detection limit of 2.57 × 10-4 mg/mL, respectively. Moreover, this biosensor is a sub-microliter dose and ultrasensitive at the low concentrations detected in BSA, which make it a promising for biochemical applications such as DNA hybridization, cancer screenings, medicine examination and environmental engineering, etc.

Fiber surface Bragg grating waveguide for refractive index measurements.

A fiber surface Bragg grating waveguide (BGW) fabricated in the surface of single-mode fiber by direct femtosecond laser inscription is demonstrated and successfully applied for refractive index (RI) measurements. Prior to laser inscription of the fiber surface BGW, an X-coupler is first inscribed across the fiber core to couple light from the core to the fiber surface. The light transmitted in the fiber surface BGW efficiently interacts with the surrounding medium due to a strong evanescent field, and obtains an acceptable RI sensitivity approaching ∼16 nm/RIU. The novel design efficiently couples the light guided in the core with the surrounding medium using a non-destructive, single-step micromachining process, and is expected to have potential applications in fiber biochemical sensing.

D-shaped fiber grating refractive index sensor induced by an ultrashort pulse laser.

The fabrication of fiber Bragg gratings was here demonstrated using ultrashort pulse laser point-by-point inscription. This is a very convenient means of creating fiber Bragg gratings with different grating periods and works by changing the translation speed of the fiber. The laser energy was first optimized in order to improve the spectral properties of the fiber gratings. Then, fiber Bragg gratings were formed into D-shaped fibers for use as refractive index sensors. A nonlinear relationship was observed between the Bragg wavelength and liquid refractive index, and a sensitivity of ∼30 nm/RIU was observed at 1.450. This shows that D-shaped fiber Bragg gratings might be used to develop promising biochemical sensors.

Role of verapamil in preventing and treating hypertrophic scars and keloids.

Keloid and hypertrophic scars are difficult to manage and remain a therapeutic challenge. Verapamil has shown a great potential in the management of keloid and hypertrophic scars. Comparing with conventional corticosteroid injections, verapamil could improve the appearance of keloid and hypertrophic scars, and is associated with a lower incidence of adverse effects. Is verapamil an effective alternative modality in the prevention and treatment of keloid and hypertrophic scars? The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of verapamil in preventing and treating keloid and hypertrophic scars. Searches were conducted in Medline, EMbase and Cochrane databases from 1974 to January 2015. The selection of articles was limited to human subjects. Five randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or cluster-randomised trials or controlled clinical trials (CCTs) comparing the efficacy of verapamil with conventional treatments were identified. The results showed that verapamil could improve keloid and hypertrophic scars, and was not significantly different from conventional corticosteroid injections. Few adverse effects were observed. However, this result should be considered carefully, as most of the included studies have a high risk of bias because of issues with randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, incomplete outcomes and selective reporting. In conclusion, verapamil could act as an effective alternative modality in the prevention and treatment of keloid and hypertrophic scars. More high-quality, multiple-centre, large-sample (RCTs) are required to define the role of verapamil in preventing and treating keloid and hypertrophic scars.

Simultaneous measurement of pressure and temperature by employing Fabry-Perot interferometer based on pendant polymer droplet.

We investigated a novel and ultracompact polymer-capped Fabry-Perot interferometer, which is based on a polymer capped on the endface of a single mode fiber (SMF). The proposed Fabry-Perot interferometer has advantages of easy fabrication, low cost, and high sensitivity. The variation of the Fabry-Perot cavity length can be easily controlled by using the motors of a normal arc fusion splicer. Moreover, the enhanced mechanical strength of the Fabry-Perot interferometer makes it suitable for high sensitivity pressure and temperature sensing in harsh environments. The proposed interferometer exhibits a wavelength shift of the interference fringes that corresponds to a temperature sensitivity of 249 pm/°C and a pressure sensitivity of 1130 pm/MPa, respectively, around the wavelength of 1560 nm.

Highly-sensitive gas pressure sensor using twin-core fiber based in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

A Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on a twin-core fiber was proposed and experimentally demonstrated for gas pressure measurements. The in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer was fabricated by splicing a short section of twin-core fiber between two single mode fibers. A micro-channel was created to form an interferometer arm by use of a femtosecond laser to drill through one core of the twin-core fiber. The other core of the fiber was remained as the reference arm. Such a Mach-Zehnder interferometer exhibited a high gas pressure sensitivity of -9.6 nm/MPa and a low temperature cross-sensitivity of 4.4 KPa/°C. Moreover, ultra-compact device size and all-fiber configuration make it very suitable for highly-sensitive gas pressure sensing in harsh environments.

Reconstruction of Corner of Mouth for Elder Facial Paralysis by Suspension Nasolabial Fold Dermal Tissue Flap: A Modified Method.

A modified method based on existing static facial sling techniques to reconstruct the corner of mouth for elder facial palsy was developed and reported. According to the anatomy and function of the zygomatic minor and zygomatic major, this technique uses nasolabial dermis as a whole to attach to the orbicularis oris to provide attachment to the whole area. Therefore, in our method, the function of the zygomaticus minor and zygomaticus major were reconstructed by attaching to the zygomatic arch periosteum through such slings. This procedure is effective in improving facial symmetry and obtaining inconspicuous scarring. We believe that our technique is a simple, effective and reliable option for elder facial paralysis.

[Progress in research of traditional Chinese medicine Citrus aurantium].

Citrus aurantium is one of the most common traditional Chinese medicines. In this paper, the chemical components, content determination and pharmacological actions of C. aurantium were summarized for the comprehensive utilization of its resources. Because of the complicated resources of C. aurantium, only one single component as index couldn't reflect the quality and effects and comprehensive evaluation which concluding multiple components should be established in the future quality control. In recent years, the pharmacological effects research of C. aurantium has made tremendous progress, and it is important to explore new drugs from the development and utilization of the active ingredient of C. aurantium. In recent years, the pharmacological effects research of C. aurantium has made tremendous progress, and it is important to explore new drugs from the development and utilization of the active ingredient of C. aurantium.

Simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature by employing fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

We demonstrated a novel fiber in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) with a large fringe visibility of up to 17 dB, which was fabricated by misaligned splicing a short section of thin core fiber between two sections of standard single-mode fiber. Such a MZI could be used to realize simultaneous measurement of tensile strain and temperature. Tensile strain was measured with an ultrahigh sensitivity of -0.023 dB/µÉ› via the intensity modulation of interference fringes, and temperature was measured with a high sensitivity of 51 pm/°C via the wavelength modulation of interference fringe. That is, the MZI-based sensor overcomes the cross-sensitivity problem between tensile strain and temperature by means of different demodulation methods. Moreover, this proposed sensor exhibits the advantages of low-cost, extremely simple structure, compact size (only about 10 mm), and good repeatability.

Ultrasensitive refractive index sensor based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer created in twin-core fiber.

We proposed and experimentally demonstrated a twin-core fiber (TCF)-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) to develop an ultrasensitive refractive index (RI) sensor. This fiber MZI was constructed by splicing a short section of TCF between two sections of single mode fibers. A microchannel was drilled through one core of the TCF by means of femtosecond laser micromachining to create one arm of the proposed interferometer, and the other core worked as the second arm. Such a fiber interferometer exhibits an ultrahigh RI sensitivity of -10981 nm/RIU and a low temperature cross-sensitivity of 3.96×10(-6) RIU/°C. Moreover, the ultra-compact device size and all-fiber configuration make it very suitable for highly sensitive RI sensing at precise location.