High kinetic inductance microwave resonators made by He-Beam assisted deposition of tungsten nanowires

We evaluate the performance of hybrid microwave resonators made by combining sputtered Nb thin films with Tungsten nanowires grown with a He-beam induced deposition technique. Depending on growth conditions, the nanowires have a typical width w [35 - 75] nm and thickness t [5 - 40] nm. We observe a high normal state resistance R [65 - 150] Ω / which together with a critical temperature T c [4 - 6] K ensures a high kinetic inductance making the resonator strongly nonlinear. Both lumped and coplanar waveguide resonators were fabricated and measured at low temperature exhibiting internal quality factors up to 3990 at 4.5 GHz in the few photon regime. Analyzing the wire length, temperature, and microwave power dependence, we extracted a kinetic inductance for the W nanowire of L K 15 pH / which is 250 times higher than the geometrical inductance, and a Kerr non-linearity as high as K W, He / 2 π = 200 ± 120 Hz / photon at 4.5 GHz. The nanowires made with the helium focused ion beam are thus versatile objects to engineer compact, high impedance, superconducting environments with a mask and resist free direct write process

Pedicled Anterolateral Thigh Flap for Abdominal Wall Reconstruction

Large full thickness abdominal wall defects following malignancies can be a reconstructive challenge. The purpose of this study was to analyze long-term outcomes and complications following abdominal wall reconstruction using composite antero-lateral thigh (ALT) flaps.\nThe study retrospectively investigated 16 consecutive patients who underwent abdominal wall reconstruction with autologous flap between May 2003 and March 2018. Volumetric flap analysis was used to assess flap atrophy over time, evaluating the role of denervation and reinnervation. The long-term outcome was assessed to compare the two groups (free vs. pedicled ALT flap reconstructions).\nAll flaps successfully covered the defects. We found a significant increase in flap resorption in free flaps when compared to pedicled ones. Abdominal bulging was seen in 3 out of 16 (19%) patients after more than 12 months follow-up, in close correlation with mesh absence.\nFree flaps were shown to be equally effective as their pedicled counterparts, without significant increase in complication rate.\nBACKGROUND/AIM\nPATIENTS AND METHODS\nRESULTS\nCONCLUSIO

Panethnic Differences in Blood Pressure in Europe: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: People of Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asians(SA) ethnic minorities living in Europe have higher risk of stroke than native Europeans(EU). Study objective is to provide an assessment of gender specific absolute differences in office systolic(SBP) and diastolic(DBP) blood pressure(BP) levels between SSA, SA, and EU. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies conducted in Europe that examined BP in non-selected adult SSA, SA and EU subjects. Medline, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from their inception through January 31st 2015, for relevant articles. Outcome measures were mean SBP and DBP differences between minorities and EU, using a random effects model and tested for heterogeneity. Twenty-one studies involving 9,070 SSA, 18,421 SA, and 130,380 EU were included. Compared with EU, SSA had higher values of both SBP (3.38 mmHg, 95% CI 1.28 to 5.48 mmHg; and 6.00 mmHg, 95% CI 2.22 to 9.78 in men and women respectively) and DBP (3.29 mmHg, 95% CI 1.80 to 4.78; 5.35 mmHg, 95% CI 3.04 to 7.66). SA had lower SBP than EU(-4.57 mmHg, 95% CI -6.20 to -2.93; -2.97 mmHg, 95% CI -5.45 to -0.49) but similar DBP values. Meta-analysis by subgroup showed that SA originating from countries where Islam is the main religion had lower SBP and DBP values than EU. In multivariate meta-regression analyses, SBP difference between minorities and EU populations, was influenced by panethnicity and diabetes prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: 1) The higher BP in SSA is maintained over decades, suggesting limited efficacy of prevention strategies in such group in Europe;2) The lower BP in Muslim populations suggests that yet untapped lifestyle and behavioral habits may reveal advantages towards the development of hypertension;3) The additive effect of diabetes, emphasizes the need of new strategies for the control of hypertension in groups at high prevalence of diabetes

Skin fluorescence as a clinical tool for non-invasive assessment of advanced glycation and long-term complications of diabetes

Glycation is important in the development of complications of diabetes mellitus and may have a central role in the well-described glycaemic memory effect in developing these complications. Skin fluorescence has emerged over the last decade as a non-invasive method for assessing accumulation of advanced glycation endproducts. Skin fluorescence is independently related to micro- and macrovascular complications in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus and is associated with mortality in type 2 diabetes. The relation between skin fluorescence and cardiovascular disease also extends to other conditions with increased tissue AGE levels, such as renal failure. Besides cardiovascular complications, skin fluorescence has been associated, more recently, with other prevalent conditions in diabetes, such as brain atrophy and depression. Furthermore, skin fluorescence is related to past long-term glycaemic control and clinical markers of cardiovascular disease. This review will discuss the technique of skin fluorescence, its validation as a marker of tissue AGE accumulation, and its use as a clinical tool for the prediction of long-term complications in diabetes mellitus

Surgical treatment of symmastia: A systematic review of techniques, outcomes and complications.

The term "symmastia" defines a confluence across the mid-sternal line of the breast mounds and subsequent loss of adhesion between sternum and pre-sternal skin. This condition can be congenital or, more frequently, iatrogenic. Despite the number of different treatments published in literature, no systematic review or surgical techniques classification has been attempted in literature. There is, therefore, a concrete need to elucidate surgical options and propose a treatment algorithm, improving surgical practice and patient's care. This systematic review aims to collect and evaluate the published evidence on surgical procedures to correct symmastia deformities (both congenital and acquired) in order to clearly overview possible treatments and outcomes related to this surgery, providing a surgical classification guide as well. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, PubMed database was queried for papers describing symmastia surgical treatment, along with operative indications, outcomes, and complications. In this review, 23 articles and 118 patients were finally included. Four main categories of treatment were identified: dermo-sternal adhesions, capsulorrhaphy, neopocket creation, and muscle repair. Symmastia correction was achieved and satisfactory in 108 of patients, despite varying techniques. Globally, recurrence was the most frequent complication, reported in the 8.5% of cases. Symmastia represent a difficult condition to treat and recurrence is a common problem. Because of the low number of patients involved in the studies, it is difficult to make conclusions as to the superiority of one technique over another. However, this review, collecting comprehensively for the first time the surgical knowledge over this topic, could guide the surgeon to choose the best surgical treatment based on nowadays evidence

Long-term evaluation of Nipple-Areolar complex changes in inferior versus superomedial pedicle reduction mammoplasty: A comparative study.

In breast reduction, traditionally the inferior pedicle (IFP) technique is considered the most performed by plastic surgeons. A growing interest for the superomedial pedicle (SMP) mammoplasty technique has been documented in literature and clinical practice. Sensory recovery of the nipple-areolar complex (NAC), final areolar shape and scarring may also have a significant impact on patient satisfaction. This study represents a retrospective multimodal analysis comparing NAC sensation and appearance outcomes in IFP and SMP wise pattern breast reductions with 2-year follow-up. From 2013 to 2017, all performed reduction mammoplasty were included and divided in two groups (IFP or SMP technique). Testing included pressure perception (Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments), NAC measurement (diameters ratio and circumference) and circumareolar scar hypertrophy assessment. Measurements were repeated at 2 weeks, 6 and 24 months postoperatively. amongst the 73 patients, 42 (58%) had SMP technique and 31 (42%) had IFP technique. Values at 6-months showed better sensory return in the SMP (p < 0.01**). NAC enlargement, showed no difference between groups. However, there was a statistically significant increase in both the SMP (p < 0.001***) and the IFP (p < 0.01**) groups when comparing the 2-week and 24-month follow-up visits measured ratios confirming a more oval appearance over time with both techniques. Scar hypertrophy showed statistically significant reduction in both the SMP (p < 0.001***) and the IFP (p < 0.01**) groups over time. This 2-year follow-up study showed little difference in outcomes between the two techniques, but some advantages in NAC sensory recovery with the SMP