Lipoinjection and Multiple Internal Cuts for Congenital Constriction Bands: A New Treatment Approach

Background Traditional treatment for a congenital constriction band of the limb involves multiple Z-plasties and W-plasties. We propose an alternative surgical procedure for the treatment of congenital constriction bands that obviates the need for Z-plasties and eliminates the constriction band. Methods We present the case of a 36-year-old woman with a congenital constriction band of the leg. Using a minimally invasive approach, the skin segment that included the band was dissected from the deep tissues. Afterwards, multiple slices were performed on the internal surface of the fibrous ring. This and lipoinjection were used to reverse the depression that characterizes the ‘‘hourglass sign’’ and homogenize the skin surface. Results Results have remained stable in a follow-up period of 18 months. Conclusions This surgical alternative can be considered as an option for the treatment of congenital constriction bands. It is a safe, reproducible procedure that does not cause additional scars and has good functional and aesthetic results.Doyma M´exico S.A. Thisis an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Level of evidence V 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

Higher COVID-19 pneumonia risk associated with anti-IFN-α than with anti-IFN-ω auto-Abs in children

We found that 19 (10.4%) of 183 unvaccinated children hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia had autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing type I IFNs (IFN-alpha 2 in 10 patients: IFN-alpha 2 only in three, IFN-alpha 2 plus IFN-omega in five, and IFN-alpha 2, IFN-omega plus IFN-beta in two; IFN-omega only in nine patients). Seven children (3.8%) had Abs neutralizing at least 10 ng/ml of one IFN, whereas the other 12 (6.6%) had Abs neutralizing only 100 pg/ml. The auto-Abs neutralized both unglycosylated and glycosylated IFNs. We also detected auto-Abs neutralizing 100 pg/ml IFN-alpha 2 in 4 of 2,267 uninfected children (0.2%) and auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-omega in 45 children (2%). The odds ratios (ORs) for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia were, therefore, higher for auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-alpha 2 only (OR [95% CI] = 67.6 [5.7-9,196.6]) than for auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-. only (OR [95% CI] = 2.6 [1.2-5.3]). ORs were also higher for auto-Abs neutralizing high concentrations (OR [95% CI] = 12.9 [4.6-35.9]) than for those neutralizing low concentrations (OR [95% CI] = 5.5 [3.1-9.6]) of IFN-omega and/or IFN-alpha 2

Centrality evolution of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density over a broad pseudorapidity range in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76TeV

Peer reviewe

Volumetric lipoinjection of the fronto-orbital and temporal complex with adipose stem cells for the aesthetic restoration of sequelae of craniosynostosis

Background Non-syndromic craniosynostosis causes craniofacial asymmetry and may persist after cranioplasty. These postoperative asymmetries are primarily depressions. In some cases, patients may be subjected to pranks and harassment by their peers, affecting their psychosocial development. We propose lipoinjection enriched with adipose stem cells (ASCs) to treat the sequelae of craniosynostosis in the fronto-orbital and temporal complex in cranioplasty patients, with the goal of improving the appearance of the upper third of the face. Methods Twelve children (four boys and eight girls) between 4 and 8 years of age (mean age, 6 years) in the postoperative period after treatment for plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, and trigonocephaly were included, with a follow-up period of 1 to 18 months. Fat tissue was obtained from the lower abdomen, and ASCs were isolated using the Yoshimura technique. Lipoinjection was performed using several mini-approaches to ensure adequate distribution. Results Two different scales were used to evaluate the aesthetic outcomes. At 6 months, three plastic surgeons independent of the study classified the results using a Likert scale. The patients’ parents categorized the results using a visual analog scale at 6, 9, and 18 months. R esults were favorable on both scales, as the patients’ facial appearance improved and they reported increased happiness and self-esteem due to their remodeled facial appearance. Conclusions We suggest that lipoinjection enriched with ASCs is a good alternative for correcting asymmetry of the fronto-orbital and temporal contour in patients with sequelae of craniosynostosis. This treatment will help boost patients’ self-esteem starting at an early age

Mapping the Urban Environments of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> Using Drone Technology

Aedes aegypti is widely distributed worldwide and is the main vector mosquito for dengue, one of the most important infectious diseases in middle- and low-income countries. The landscape composition and vegetation cover determine appropriate environments for this mosquito to breed, and it is fundamental to define the most affordable methodology to understand these landscape variables in urban environments. The proposed methodology integrated drone technologies and traditional entomological surveillance to strengthen our knowledge about areas suitable for Ae. aegypti infestation. We included an analysis using the vegetation indexes, NDVI and NDVIRe, and their association with Ae. aegypti larvae and adults in houses from the El Vergel neighborhood Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico. We used drone technology to obtain high-resolution photos and performed multispectral orthomosaic constructions for the data of vegetation indexes with a kernel density analysis. A negative binomial regression was performed to determine the association between the numbers of Ae. aegypti larvae and adults with the kernel density based on NDVI and NDVIRe. Medium and high values of kernel density of NDVIRe (both p-value p-value Ae. aegypti larvae per house did not show an association with medium and high values of NDVIRe (both p-value > 0.05) and NDVI (both p-value > 0.05). The vegetation indexes, NDVI and NDVIRe, have potential as precise predictors of Ae. aegypti adult mosquito circulation in urban environments. Drone technology can be used to map and obtain landscape characteristics associated with mosquito abundance in urban environments

Global attitudes in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 pandemic: ACIE Appy Study

Background: Surgical strategies are being adapted to face the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations on the management of acute appendicitis have been based on expert opinion, but very little evidence is available. This study addressed that dearth with a snapshot of worldwide approaches to appendicitis. Methods: The Association of Italian Surgeons in Europe designed an online survey to assess the current attitude of surgeons globally regarding the management of patients with acute appendicitis during the pandemic. Questions were divided into baseline information, hospital organization and screening, personal protective equipment, management and surgical approach, and patient presentation before versus during the pandemic. Results: Of 744 answers, 709 (from 66 countries) were complete and were included in the analysis. Most hospitals were treating both patients with and those without COVID. There was variation in screening indications and modality used, with chest X-ray plus molecular testing (PCR) being the commonest (19\ub78 per cent). Conservative management of complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis was used by 6\ub76 and 2\ub74 per cent respectively before, but 23\ub77 and 5\ub73 per cent, during the pandemic (both P < 0\ub7001). One-third changed their approach from laparoscopic to open surgery owing to the popular (but evidence-lacking) advice from expert groups during the initial phase of the pandemic. No agreement on how to filter surgical smoke plume during laparoscopy was identified. There was an overall reduction in the number of patients admitted with appendicitis and one-third felt that patients who did present had more severe appendicitis than they usually observe. Conclusion: Conservative management of mild appendicitis has been possible during the pandemic. The fact that some surgeons switched to open appendicectomy may reflect the poor guidelines that emanated in the early phase of SARS-CoV-2

Measurements of the groomed and ungroomed jet angularities in pp collisions at √s = 5.02 TeV

The jet angularities are a class of jet substructure observables which characterize the angular and momentum distribution of particles within jets. These observables are sensitive to momentum scales ranging from perturbative hard scatterings to nonperturbative fragmentation into final-state hadrons. We report measurements of several groomed and ungroomed jet angularities in pp collisions at s√=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector. Jets are reconstructed using charged particle tracks at midrapidity (|η|<0.9). The anti-kT algorithm is used with jet resolution parameters R=0.2 and R=0.4 for several transverse momentum pch jetT intervals in the 20−100 GeV/c range. Using the jet grooming algorithm Soft Drop, the sensitivity to softer, wide-angle processes, as well as the underlying event, can be reduced in a way which is well-controlled in theoretical calculations. We report the ungroomed jet angularities, λα, and groomed jet angularities, λα,g, to investigate the interplay between perturbative and nonperturbative effects at low jet momenta. Various angular exponent parameters α=1, 1.5, 2, and 3 are used to systematically vary the sensitivity of the observable to collinear and soft radiation. Results are compared to analytical predictions at next-to-leading-logarithmic accuracy, which provide a generally good description of the data in the perturbative regime but exhibit discrepancies in the nonperturbative regime. Moreover, these measurements serve as a baseline for future ones in heavy-ion collisions by providing new insight into the interplay between perturbative and nonperturbative effects in the angular and momentum substructure of jets. They supply crucial guidance on the selection of jet resolution parameter, jet transverse momentum, and angular scaling variable for jet quenching studies

Energy dependence of φ meson production at forward rapidity in pp collisions at the LHC

The production of ϕ mesons has been studied in pp collisions at LHC energies with the ALICE detector via the dimuon decay channel in the rapidity region 2.5<y<4. Measurements of the differential cross section d2σ/dydpT are presented as a function of the transverse momentum (pT) at the center-of-mass energies s√=5.02, 8 and 13 TeV and compared with the ALICE results at midrapidity. The differential cross sections at s√=5.02 and 13 TeV are also studied in several rapidity intervals as a function of pT, and as a function of rapidity in three pT intervals. A hardening of the pT-differential cross section with the collision energy is observed, while, for a given energy, pT spectra soften with increasing rapidity and, conversely, rapidity distributions get slightly narrower at increasing pT. The new results, complementing the published measurements at s√=2.76 and 7 TeV, allow one to establish the energy dependence of ϕ meson production and to compare the measured cross sections with phenomenological models. None of the considered models manages to describe the evolution of the cross section with pT and rapidity at all the energies