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Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Apr 2021Patients often seek aesthetic correction of facial deficiencies (e.g., lines and folds) that are rarely the underlying cause of dissatisfaction with their appearance....
BACKGROUND
Patients often seek aesthetic correction of facial deficiencies (e.g., lines and folds) that are rarely the underlying cause of dissatisfaction with their appearance. Use of a more holistic approach focused on improving the emotional messages of the face (e.g., looking less sad) may improve patient satisfaction with treatment outcomes. The MD Codes™ system was developed to increase clinician success rates by reducing variability in the technical aspects of hyaluronic acid (HA) filler treatment and focusing on addressing unfavorable emotional attributes of the face.
METHODS
The MD Codes, or medical codes, represent specific anatomical subunits for injection of HA fillers. Each MD Code includes information regarding the target depth of injection, the proper delivery tool (needle or cannula) and delivery technique (e.g., aliquot, bolus, fanning), and the minimum product volume recommended to achieve visible, reproducible results (active number). During treatment planning, the appropriate MD Codes are selected using algorithms focused on lessening unfavorable facial attributes (a saggy, tired, sad, or angry look) and enhancing positive attributes (an attractive, younger, more contoured, or feminine [soft] or masculine look).
RESULTS
Three case studies are presented to illustrate how the MD Codes and their algorithms were used to address sagginess, tiredness, and sadness in two women and one man.
CONCLUSIONS
MD Codes provide a universal symbolic language for reducing variability in injection technique. The platform provides user-friendly algorithms to help clinicians increase patient satisfaction by going beyond treatment of lines and folds and to focus on reducing unfavorable facial attributes.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV
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 .
Topics: Cosmetic Techniques; Dermal Fillers; Esthetics; Female; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Male; Rejuvenation
PubMed: 32445044
DOI: 10.1007/s00266-020-01762-7 -
Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE Aug 2020Immunohistochemistry is a widely used technique to visualize specific tissue structures as well as protein expression and localization. Two alternative approaches are...
Immunohistochemistry is a widely used technique to visualize specific tissue structures as well as protein expression and localization. Two alternative approaches are widely used to handle the tissue sections during the staining procedure, one approach consists of mounting the sections directly on glass slides, while a second approach, the free-floating, allows for fixed sections to be maintained and stained while suspended in solution. Although slide-mounted and free-floating approaches may yield similar results, the free-floating technique allows for better antibody penetration and thus should be the method of choice when thicker sections are to be used for 3D reconstruction of the tissues, for example when the focus of the experiment is to gain information on dendritic and axonal projections in brain regions. In addition, since the sections are kept in solution, a single aliquot can easily accommodate 30 to 40 sections, handling of which is less laborious, particularly in large-scale biomedical studies. Here, we illustrate how to apply the free-floating method to fluorescent immunohistochemistry staining, with a major focus on brain sections. We will also discuss how the free-floating technique can easily be modified to fit the individual needs of researchers and adapted to other tissues as well as other histochemical-based stainings, such as hematoxylin and eosin and cresyl violet, as long as tissue samples are properly fixed, typically with paraformaldehyde or formalin.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Cryoultramicrotomy; Eosine Yellowish-(YS); Female; Fluorescence; Formaldehyde; Hematoxylin; Immunohistochemistry; Liver; Male; Mice; Polymers; Staining and Labeling
PubMed: 32925894
DOI: 10.3791/61622 -
Turk Patoloji Dergisi 2020Biobanks are units where high quality and long-term protection of biomaterials is maintained. This system, in which biological materials and data are systematically... (Review)
Review
Biobanks are units where high quality and long-term protection of biomaterials is maintained. This system, in which biological materials and data are systematically recorded and stored, is a unique resource for the study of the pathophysiology of disease, the development of diagnostic biomarkers, and working with human tissues for the potential discovery of targeted therapeutic agents. At this point, the pathology unit plays a unifying and complementary role between the clinical and core disciplines and offers optimal management of the patients' biomaterials for diagnostic and research projects. The aim of this article is to present general information with regard to a biobank constructed for the storage of tumor tissue and blood biospecimens. Ethical issues (informed consent, protection of confidentiality and privacy, and secondary use of biospecimens) and the information technology system (collection, systematic recording, backup and protection of clinical information) are important issues in biobanking. The selection of freezers to be used in storage (mechanical freezers, liquid-vapor nitrogen tanks), and if mechanical freezers are preferred the establishment of the relevant infrastructure and support team (such as additional power units for protection from power outages), the preservation of materials by aliquoting in different freezers, ensuring financing so as to afford the cost of the infrastructure, and implementation of all these dynamics while adhering to international guidelines are of the utmost importance.
Topics: Biological Specimen Banks; Humans; Pathology
PubMed: 32189322
DOI: 10.5146/tjpath.2020.01482 -
Lab on a Chip Feb 2021Infusion pumps have been widely used in clinical settings for the administration of medications and fluids. We present the digital droplet infusion (DDI) device, a...
Infusion pumps have been widely used in clinical settings for the administration of medications and fluids. We present the digital droplet infusion (DDI) device, a low-cost, high-precision digital infusion system, utilizing a microfluidic discretization unit to convert continuous flow into precisely delivered droplet aliquots and a valving unit to control the duration and frequency of flow discretization. The DDI device relies on a distinct capillarity-dominated process of coalescence and pinch-off of droplets for flow digitization, which is monitored by a pair of conductive electrodes located before and after the junction. The digital feedback-controlled flow rate can be employed to adjust a solenoid valve for refined infusion management. With this unique digital microfluidic approach, the DDI technology enables a simple yet powerful infusion system with an ultrahigh resolution of digital droplet transfer volume, as small as 57 nL, which is three orders of magnitude lower than that of clinical standard infusion pumps, as well as a wide range of digitally adjustable infusion rates ranging from 0.1 mL h to 10 mL h, in addition to an array of programmable infusion profiles and safety features. Its modular design enables fast assembly using only off-the-shelf and 3D-printed components. Overall, benefiting from its simple device architecture and excellent infusion performance, the DDI technology has great potential to become the next-generation clinical standard for drug delivery with its high precision and ultimate portability at a low cost.
Topics: Electrodes; Infusion Pumps; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques
PubMed: 33185236
DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00896f -
Seminars in Plastic Surgery Feb 2020The hands are one of the most visible parts of the body, and prominent dorsal veins and extensor tendons are the most readily recognized signs of the aging process. Fat... (Review)
Review
The hands are one of the most visible parts of the body, and prominent dorsal veins and extensor tendons are the most readily recognized signs of the aging process. Fat grafting has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective method of hand rejuvenation by restoration of subcutaneous fat. Despite some variability in the technical approach, fat grafting techniques are consistent in their use of low-pressure injection with standard cannula sizes, small aliquots of graft, and a total volume of graft greater than or equal to 15 mL per hand. While distribution of the fat is an area of debate and a topic of active research, published studies have shown high patient satisfaction rates, suggesting that perhaps the restoration of volume alone is paramount. In this article, we will review the applications of fat grafting to the hand, focusing primarily on its role in hand rejuvenation.
PubMed: 32071579
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1700960 -
ELife Nov 2021A group leader decided that his lab would share the fluorescent dyes they create, for free and without authorship requirements. Nearly 12,000 aliquots later, he reveals...
A group leader decided that his lab would share the fluorescent dyes they create, for free and without authorship requirements. Nearly 12,000 aliquots later, he reveals what has happened since.
Topics: Coloring Agents; Laboratories; Laboratory Personnel
PubMed: 34739373
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.74981 -
Journal of Extracellular Biology Sep 2023Multi-analyte liquid biopsies represent an emerging opportunity for non-invasive cancer assessment. We developed ONCE (One Aliquot for Circulating Elements), an approach...
Integrating extracellular vesicle and circulating cell-free DNA analysis using a single plasma aliquot improves the detection of HER2 positivity in breast cancer patients.
Multi-analyte liquid biopsies represent an emerging opportunity for non-invasive cancer assessment. We developed ONCE (One Aliquot for Circulating Elements), an approach for the isolation of extracellular vesicles (EV) and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from a single aliquot of blood. We assessed ONCE performance to classify HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer (BrCa) patients by combining EV-associated RNA (EV-RNA) and cfDNA signals on = 64 healthy donors (HD) and non-metastatic BrCa patients. Specifically, we isolated EV-enriched samples by a charge-based (CB) method and investigated EV-RNA and cfDNA by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and by digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). Sequencing of cfDNA and EV-RNA from HER2- and HER2+ patients demonstrated concordance with in situ molecular analyses of matched tissues. Combined analysis of the two circulating analytes by ddPCR showed increased sensitivity in ERBB2/HER2 detection compared to single nucleic acid components. Multi-analyte liquid biopsy prediction performance was comparable to tissue-based sequencing results from TCGA. Also, imaging flow cytometry analysis revealed HER2 protein on the surface of EV isolated from the HER2+ BrCa plasma, thus corroborating the potential relevance of studying EV as companion analyte to cfDNA. This data confirms the relevance of combining cfDNA and EV-RNA for HER2 cancer assessment and supports ONCE as a valuable tool for multi-analytes liquid biopsies' clinical implementation.
PubMed: 38046436
DOI: 10.1002/jex2.108 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Mar 2023Small perforations are often managed with cyanoacrylate glue - bandage contact lens (BCL). An additional layer with substances like sterile drape often enhances the...
Small perforations are often managed with cyanoacrylate glue - bandage contact lens (BCL). An additional layer with substances like sterile drape often enhances the strength of the glue. Herein, we describe a novel method of using anterior lens capsule as biological drape to secure perforation. The anterior capsule was secured from femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) and placed over the perforation after folding it twice. The area was dried and a small aliquot of cyanoacrylate glue was applied over it. The BCL was applied over it after the glue was dry. In our series of five patients, none of them needed repeat surgery and all cases healed by three months without vascularization. It is a unique technique to secure small corneal perforations.
Topics: Humans; Anterior Capsule of the Lens; Cataract Extraction; Corneal Perforation; Cyanoacrylates; Neovascularization, Pathologic
PubMed: 36872729
DOI: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_2629_22 -
Communications Biology Mar 2022Uterine lumen fluid (ULF) is central to successful pregnancy establishment and maintenance, and impacts offspring wellbeing into adulthood. The current dogma is that ULF...
Uterine lumen fluid (ULF) is central to successful pregnancy establishment and maintenance, and impacts offspring wellbeing into adulthood. The current dogma is that ULF composition is primarily governed by endometrial glandular epithelial cell secretions and influenced by progesterone. To investigate the hypothesis that ULF is metabolically semi-autonomous, ULF was obtained from cyclic heifers, and aliquots incubated for various durations prior to analysis by untargeted semi-quantitative metabolomic profiling. Metabolite flux was observed in these ULF isolates, supporting the idea that the biochemical makeup of ULF is semi-autonomously dynamic due to enzyme activities. Subsequent integrative analyses of these, and existing, data predict the specific reactions underpinning this phenomenon. These findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms leading to pregnancy establishment, with implications for improving fertility and pregnancy outcomes in domestic animals as well as women.
Topics: Adult; Animals; Body Fluids; Cattle; Female; Fertility; Humans; Pregnancy; Progesterone; Uterine Diseases; Uterus
PubMed: 35233029
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03134-0