Search Results (304)

Low- and no-alcohol beers are gaining relevance in response to consumer demand for healthier fermented beverages, but incorporating fruit ingredients to enhance their functional value often compromises physicochemical stability. This study evaluated the effect of mango pulp (Mangifera indica “Kent”) addition, with and without pectinolytic enzyme treatment, on the physicochemical and functional properties of a reduced-alcohol beer produced with Saccharomyces cerevisiae SafBrew™ LA-01. Four treatments were developed: control beer (C1), beer with 15% mango pulp (C2), beer with 15% mango pulp and 0.15% pectinolytic enzyme (C3), and a control beer diluted to 85% used as a dilution control (C4). Total polyphenols, antioxidant capacity (ABTS, ORAC, and FRAP), alcohol content (HPLC), turbidity, and dietary fiber were determined in triplicate and analyzed by one-way Welch ANOVA (p < 0.05) with Tukey post hoc comparisons and Pearson correlation analysis. Mango pulp addition significantly increased dietary fiber and turbidity, whereas total polyphenols showed only a non-significant increasing trend (p = 0.052). The antioxidant response was method-dependent: ABTS and ORAC showed no significant differences among fruit-containing treatments, whereas FRAP increased significantly in the enzyme-treated sample, suggesting enhanced release. The intended alcohol-free target (≤0.5% v/v) was not achieved, as ethanol content ranged from 1.31 to 1.60% v/v; the product is therefore described as a reduced-alcohol beer. Full article

Background/Objectives: To compare mechanical behavior, shaping performance, and safety of an original reciprocating endodontic instrument (Reciproc^® Blue) with two visually similar replicas obtained from an online marketplace. Methods: The original Reciproc^® Blue and two replica (designated Replica 1 and Replica 2) instruments purchased from AliExpress were tested. Evaluations included torque resistance, bending resistance, cyclic fatigue resistance (all according to ISO 3630-1 standards, n = 10 per group per test), and an in vitro shaping procedure using artificial root canals in plastic blocks (5 canals per instrument, n = 10 instruments per group) were carried out. Preparation time, number of pecks, procedural errors (blockages, ledges, deformations), and instrument fractures were recorded. Surface characteristics of unused (n = 2) and used instruments (n = 2) were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Statistical analysis used one-way ANOVA, Welch ANOVA, or Kruskal–Wallis tests according to the distribution and variance pattern of each endpoint, followed by the corresponding post hoc test. Repeated use was analyzed with a linear mixed effects model and checked with a robust generalized estimating equation sensitivity analysis. Deformation-free and fracture-free event curves were compared with exploratory log rank tests. Results: The original instrument showed the highest Mf/D³ and Mt/D³ values. Overall group differences were significant for Mf/D³ (Welch p < 0.001) and Mt/D³ (Welch p = 0.001), with significant Games Howell contrasts between the original and Replica 2. Replicas showed longer cyclic fatigue life (Original 407.1 s, Replica 1 490.2 s, Replica 2 607.8 s; ANOVA p < 0.001). The original instrument had a lower average preparation time for each canal than both replicas (72.8 s vs. 95.8 s and 92.3 s; Kruskal–Wallis p < 0.001) and a lower average number of pecks (8.64 vs. 9.71 and 10.00; p = 0.008). Exploratory log rank comparisons also showed group differences in the deformation-free and fracture-free event curves (Holm adjusted p = 0.005 and p = 0.024, respectively). Both replicas failed to reach working length in 4 out of 10 cases each, with high rates of blockages (Replica 1: 7/10; Replica 2: 2/10), ledges (Replica 1 only), and deformations. The limited SEM subsample revealed severe wear of cutting edges in Replica 1. Conclusions: Both tested replicas exhibited significant deviations in mechanical behavior and markedly inferior shaping safety compared to the original Reciproc^® Blue instrument, despite superficial visual similarity. Therefore, dental practitioners should be aware that low-cost imitations may compromise clinical safety. Full article

The loading sensitivity of a self-sensing cementitious composite depends on the stress amplitude at which it is measured. That dependence is established, but its consequence for the protocol used to obtain the sensitivity has not been examined. Conventional protocols apply a few cycles at ascending amplitude levels, so the between-level component of cycle number is fixed by amplitude. The present study treats this as an identification problem: only the within-level repeated information can inform a cycle trend, and the data cannot identify a general cycle-history effect independently of amplitude. Three multi-walled carbon nanotube concrete cylinders of identical composition, one for each conditioning history, were investigated using a four-probe alternating-current method at 1 kHz under a three-level stepped-amplitude protocol in two loading variants, then loaded monotonically to failure. Across the six cyclic records, the correlation between cycle number and peak stress is r = 0.87 to 0.90, and 60% to 92% of the variance in loading sensitivity lies between amplitude levels rather than within them. With amplitude held fixed, within-level slopes are small and inconsistent in sign; however, three cycles per level cannot establish that a cycle effect is absent. Sensitivity magnitude falls between the middle and highest amplitude blocks in all six records, at 2.3 to 11.2 standard errors of the difference, three of which exceed their comparison-specific Welch critical value. At the lower amplitude step, the largest resolved difference is 0.673%/MPa in the continuous record of C1, whereas the partially saturated C2 records show no resolvable difference. Because amplitude and block order advance together under this protocol, these are differences among amplitude blocks and are not attributed to amplitude in isolation. The moisture-related pattern is an association across three individual specimens, not a replicated moisture effect. Monotonic loading provides a within-specimen extrapolation demonstration under the selected response family, not independent predictive validation. An experimental design with fixed-amplitude replication and a nominal precision calculation is specified. Full article

Background/Objectives: The restoration of structurally weakened roots remains a clinical challenge. This in vitro study evaluated the fracture resistance, failure pattern, and stress distribution of weakened bovine roots restored with two glass fiber post systems under different remaining root dentin thicknesses. Methods: Sixty bovine incisor roots were divided into six groups (n = 10): G1, 2 mm of remaining root dentin without a post; G2, 3 mm without a post; G3, 2 mm with an Exacto post; G4, 3 mm with an Exacto post; G5, 2 mm with a Splendor-SAP post; and G6, 3 mm with a Splendor-SAP post. Specimens underwent root canal treatment and standardized restoration, followed by 1,200,000 mechanical cycles at 88 N and 3.8 Hz and fracture testing at 45°. Finite element models were subjected to an 88 N oblique load. Fracture resistance was analyzed using Welch’s one-way ANOVA followed by Games–Howell post hoc comparisons, whereas failure patterns were analyzed using the Fisher–Freeman–Halton exact test. Results: Fracture resistance differed significantly among groups (p < 0.001). G1 (88.7 N) and G2 (95.6 N) showed the lowest and statistically similar values; G3 (670.9 N) and G5 (691.9 N) showed intermediate and statistically similar values; and G4 (786.2 N) and G6 (784.8 N) showed the highest and statistically similar values. Failure-pattern distribution was not significantly associated with the experimental groups (p = 0.582). Finite element analysis showed stress concentration predominantly in the cervical region of the root, with G5 showing the highest maximum principal stress in root dentin. Conclusions: Glass fiber posts substantially increased the fracture resistance of weakened roots. Among post-restored specimens, roots with 3 mm of remaining dentin showed higher fracture resistance than those with 2 mm, whereas no significant difference was observed between the Exacto and Splendor-SAP systems under the same remaining-dentin condition. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hybrid CAD/CAM materials combine ceramic and polymeric phases, so conditioning protocols developed for glass–ceramics may not transfer to them. Because wettability and near-surface mechanics are usually studied separately, this study measured both to test whether conditioning trades one for the other. Methods: Edelweiss C-Block, Lava Ultimate, Vita Enamic and Cerasmart 270 specimens were left untreated or treated with 9% hydrofluoric acid (HF) for 60 s, sandblasting (50 µm Al₂O₃, 1 bar) or silane. Static water contact angle (sessile drop; 90 readings per group) and hardness, elastic modulus and maximum penetration depth (nanoindentation at 30 mN, Oliver–Pharr; 17–25 valid indentations per group) were compared with controls using Welch’s t-tests with Holm correction. Results: Control contact angles (45.1–60.4°) fell to 6.3–18.1° after sandblasting and 8.8–32.5° after silanization; HF lowered them to 17.9–38.0° in three materials but raised Lava Ultimate’s from 48.4° to 58.1°. Sandblasting caused the largest mechanical losses in every material (hardness reduced by >90%, penetration depth up to 7.9-fold); HF reduced hardness by 58–98%. Silanization preserved 93–97% of control hardness in Lava Ultimate and Cerasmart 270 and gave Vita Enamic its lowest contact angle. Conclusions: Improved wettability and preserved near-surface mechanics were not mutually exclusive, and responses depended on microstructure. Bond strength was not measured, so these findings should guide, not replace, bonding studies. Full article

Background: Many widely used drugs—including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tetracyclines and thiazide diuretics—are labelled as photosensitising, yet their phototoxicity has been defined almost entirely by ultraviolet A (UVA) exposure. Whether this risk extends to the near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths of lasers commonly used in aesthetic medicine is unclear, and a history of such medication is often treated as a relative contraindication to laser procedures. Methods: A bibliometric analysis of 391 Scopus-indexed publications using VOSviewer was performed to quantitatively map the thematic structure of the retrieved literature. The bibliometric mapping was complemented by sequential refinement of the Scopus corpus and a focused assessment of the final records to determine whether studies directly addressing the predefined experimental question could be identified. We assessed whether 980 nm diode-laser irradiation of normal human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) induces phototoxicity in the presence of seven photosensitisers (ketoprofen, meloxicam, hydrochlorothiazide, doxycycline and diclofenac, with chlorpromazine and 8-methoxypsoralen as reference photosensitizers). Cells were irradiated through the closed culture-plate lid at two fluences (62.3 and 34.4 mJ/cm and viability was measured 0.5, 1 and 24 h later. Data were analysed by two-way ANOVA (compound × laser), pairwise Welch tests with Benjamini–Hochberg correction, and equivalence testing against an ISO 10993-5-based margin. Results: Viability remained between 82.7% and 109.6% of control under all conditions and never fell below the 70% cytotoxicity threshold. The compound × laser interaction was non-significant at every time point (p = 0.25–0.69), indicating no drug-specific phototoxicity, and no pairwise comparison remained significant after correction. A small, drug- and fluence-independent reduction of about six percentage points was observed but stayed well within the non-cytotoxic range and was equally present in drug-free controls. Conclusions: Under the specific 980 nm irradiation conditions tested, the photosensitising drugs did not increase phototoxicity in normal human dermal fibroblasts. These findings support a wavelength-specific view of drug photosafety: rigorous UVA-directed photoprotection remains essential, whereas the tested drugs did not increase phototoxicity under the specific in vitro 980 nm irradiation conditions evaluated in this study. Full article

Background/Objectives: Community-based activities supporting physical function and mental well-being are increasingly relevant in later life. This cross-sectional study compared mental well-being and physical outcomes among older women participating in senior dance only, senior dance plus additional regular physical activity, and physically inactive older groups; a younger inactive group provided exploratory age-related context. A secondary aim was to examine correlations with participation duration. Methods: Participants were 160 women: 66 in senior dance only (SD), 34 in senior dance plus additional regular physical activity (SD+PA), 30 physically inactive older women, and 30 physically inactive younger women aged 25–40 years. Mental well-being was assessed with the Hungarian four-response five-item Well-Being Index (WBI-5), together with seven physical outcomes. Welch’s ANOVA and prespecified Welch–Satterthwaite contrasts with Benjamini–Hochberg correction were used; duration analyses used partial Spearman correlations adjusted for weekly attendance and age. Results: Overall group differences were observed for all outcomes (all p ≤ 0.002). Seven outcomes remained significant in Contrast 1, which did not isolate a dance-specific association. No SD versus SD+PA difference remained significant after correction. Within SD, participation duration correlated with more favorable Timed Up and Go (r_s = −0.428), 30-Second Chair Stand (r_s = 0.425), and 2-Minute Step Test performance (r_s = 0.423; all q = 0.0013). The adjusted WBI-5 correlation did not remain significant after FDR correction (r_s = 0.271; q = 0.061). Conclusions: Participation duration was most consistently correlated with integrated functional performance. Prospective studies are required; causal effects cannot be inferred. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07170241. Full article

Background: White Portland cement (PC) is compositionally related to mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and provides an experimental platform for evaluating targeted modification of calcium silicate materials. This study investigated the effects of graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) incorporation on surface microhardness, cellular metabolic activity and mineral-related characteristics of PC. Methods: White PC was modified with 1%, 2% or 3 wt.% GNP. Surface microhardness was assessed on independently prepared discs, with three indentations averaged to obtain one specimen-level value. Day-14 MTT metabolic activity of WPS9 human periradicular fibroblasts was evaluated using direct-contact (n = 4 per group), filtered-eluate (n = 6 per group) and insert-based assays (n = 3 per group, except MTA, n = 2). Endpoint pH, cell morphology and association, vimentin-associated fluorescence, surface deposits and X-ray diffraction (XRD) profiles were assessed descriptively. Results: Surface microhardness differed significantly among the formulations (Welch’s F(3,14.15) = 190.36, p < 0.001), increasing from 44.9 ± 4.9 HV for PC to 142.2 ± 33.0, 177.5 ± 43.4 and 299.3 ± 33.1 HV for 1%, 2% and 3% GNP-PC, respectively. All GNP-containing formulations had significantly greater hardness than PC, while 3% GNP-PC was significantly harder than the 1% and 2% formulations. No significant group differences in day-14 MTT metabolic activity were detected in the direct-contact or insert-based assays. In the filtered-eluate assay, all GNP-containing formulations produced significantly higher metabolic activity than PC eluate (p < 0.001). Endpoint pH values were 13 for PC and 1% GNP-PC and 8 for the 2% and 3% formulations. Representative microscopy showed fibroblast-like morphology, cell association with the tested surfaces and vimentin-associated fluorescence. Descriptive XRD analysis of one specimen per formulation showed numerical differences in calcium phosphate-related signals, with 3% GNP-PC having the highest apatite-family classification. Conclusions: Under the tested conditions, GNP incorporation significantly increased PC surface microhardness, while filtered eluates from GNP-containing formulations produced higher day-14 MTT metabolic activity than PC eluate. The remaining outcomes provided descriptive formulation-related observations, and no formulation consistently outperformed the others across all measures. Further replicated mechanical, physicochemical and cellular evaluation is warranted. Full article

Background/Objectives: Similar leaf chlorophyll in agrivoltaic tea fields may conceal molecular divergence. Methods: We reanalysed physiology, RNA sequencing and metabolomics from five field zones (three plant-level replicates each), prioritizing T2 versus T3. Missing plot maps and independent installation replicates limited inference to zone associations. Results: T2 and T3 had nearly identical mean total chlorophyll (0.50495 versus 0.50309 mg g⁻¹; Welch p = 0.920), whereas T2 had higher carotenoids, total sugars, alkaloids, phenols and flavonoids; all five differences had Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05 across 50 physiological tests. Relative to the open-sun control (CK), T2 and T3 had 7 and 6857 differentially expressed genes and 35 and 523 differential unique metabolite profiles, respectively. Omitting one sample from each of T2, T3 and CK yielded 27 combinations, all showing greater transcriptome and metabolome displacement in T3. After adjustment for the leading whole-omics component, exact within-zone permutation supported sample-pattern coupling for glycolysis and porphyrin metabolism (Benjamini–Hochberg FDR = 0.0288 for each). In comparison with four public tea datasets, T1 showed the strongest descriptive rank concordance; T3 showed little concordance. Conclusions: Similar chlorophyll means coexist with divergent molecular profiles. These observational results do not establish effects of photovoltaic hardware. Full article

Background/Objectives: Interoceptive awareness may support stress regulation in sport, but its association with objective physical performance remains unclear. This study examined relationships between self-reported interoceptive awareness, perceived stress, anxiety, sleep quality, and field-based performance in sport-science students. Methods: Eighty-five students (54 men, 31 women; 20.65 ± 2.43 years) completed the MAIA-2, PSS-10, STAI, and PSQI and performed handgrip, countermovement-jump, sit-and-reach, and bilateral Y-Balance tests. Analyses included Pearson correlations, Welch tests with false-discovery-rate correction, HC3-robust hierarchical regression, and exploratory age- and sex-adjusted bootstrap indirect-effect models. Results: The MAIA-2 composite was inversely associated with perceived stress (r = −0.461, 95% CI [−0.614, −0.275], p < 0.001) but showed no detectable association with physical performance (r = −0.003 to 0.136; all q ≥ 0.961); equivalence testing indicated that four of the five performance correlations were statistically equivalent to zero within a ±0.30 bound. Women reported higher stress and anxiety, whereas men showed greater handgrip strength and jump height. Individual-sport participants reported higher state anxiety than team-sport participants (g = −0.886, q = 0.004). Interoceptive awareness did not significantly increase explained variance in any performance model, and exploratory indirect-effect confidence intervals all included zero. Conclusions: Self-reported interoceptive awareness was related to perceived stress but was not detectably related to brief field-based performance in this sample. Longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to test temporal and causal mechanisms. Full article

Background/Objectives: Mandibular cortical morphology has been associated with vertical facial patterns, but differences in standardized radiomorphometric indices remain unclear. This study compared five mandibular indices among vertical skeletal patterns using CBCT-derived panoramic reconstructions. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 181 adults classified as hypodivergent (n = 42), normodivergent (n = 67), or hyperdivergent (n = 72) according to the sella–nasion-to-mandibular-plane angle. Mental (MI), panoramic mandibular (PMI), gonial (GI), antegonial (AI), and mandibular cortical (MCI) indices were assessed by a blinded dentomaxillofacial radiologist, and bilateral measurements were averaged. Continuous indices were compared using ANOVA or Welch ANOVA and ANCOVA adjusted for age and sex, and the MCI using the chi-square test and logistic regression. p values across the five indices were corrected using the Holm method. Results: No index differed significantly among the groups after correction for multiple comparisons. The MI showed the most notable nominal between-group difference (hypodivergent, 3.92 ± 0.73 mm; normodivergent, 3.73 ± 0.60 mm; hyperdivergent, 3.61 ± 0.68 mm). After adjustment for age and sex, the MI was 0.35 mm greater in hypodivergent than in hyperdivergent subjects (95% CI, 0.04–0.66), but the overall group effect did not remain significant after correction (p = 0.024; Holm p = 0.118). The unadjusted association between the MCI and vertical skeletal pattern (p = 0.035) did not remain significant after correction (Holm p = 0.174) or after adjustment. The PMI, GI, and AI showed no differences. Conclusions: After correction for multiple comparisons, vertical skeletal pattern was not significantly associated with any of the five radiomorphometric indices. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study evaluated the effects of endodontic irrigation protocols on the apparent elastic modulus and post-treatment total endogenous matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity of mineralized radicular dentin. Methods: Radicular dentin beams obtained from 60 extracted single-rooted teeth were allocated to six groups: distilled water, 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), 7% maleic acid (MA), 1% phytic acid (IP6), and 5% IP6. Apparent elastic modulus was determined before and after immersion using three-point bending, while total MMP activity was quantified using a generic colorimetric assay. Data were analyzed using two-way mixed ANOVA, Welch’s ANOVA with Tamhane’s T2 post hoc test, and Spearman’s correlation (α = 0.05). Results: A significant irrigation protocol × time interaction was observed for apparent elastic modulus (p < 0.001), with the greatest reductions following 7% MA and 5% IP6 treatment. Relative total MMP activity differed significantly among the irrigation protocols [Welch’s F(5, 23.05) = 36.285, p < 0.001] and was highest following 7% MA and 5% IP6 treatment. No statistically significant difference in relative total MMP activity was detected between the 1% IP6 and 17% EDTA protocols (p = 0.086). ΔEM% and relative total MMP activity were negatively correlated in the pooled analysis (r_s = −0.679, p < 0.001); however, this association was no longer statistically significant after adjustment for irrigation protocol (partial r_s = −0.146, p = 0.288). Conclusions: Protocol-dependent responses were observed. Low-concentration IP6 warrants further investigation as a potential EDTA alternative, although equivalence and clinical substitutability remain unestablished. Full article

Background/Objectives: Oral leukoplakia (OL) is a common oral potentially malignant disorder, but prediction of malignant progression remains challenging. This study investigated miR-21-5p and miR-21-3p expression in healthy oral mucosa, OL with epithelial dysplasia, and early oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), together with clinicopathological associations. Methods: Sixty participants were divided into three groups: exposure-free healthy controls (n = 20), histopathologically confirmed OL with epithelial dysplasia (n = 20), and early OSCC (pT1–2N0M0; n = 20). Expression was quantified by RT-qPCR and evaluated using exploratory correlation, regression, Welch’s ANOVA, and Games–Howell comparisons. Results: miR-21-5p differed significantly among groups (p < 0.001). Expression was lower in OL than in healthy controls and early OSCC (both p < 0.001), whereas early OSCC and controls did not differ (p = 0.997). miR-21-5p was inversely associated with dysplasia grade (Spearman’s ρ = −0.54, p = 0.013; unstandardized regression coefficient B = −0.646, p = 0.017). miR-21-3p was numerically higher in early OSCC, but its overall group difference was not significant (p = 0.051). Conclusions: The two mature miR-21 strands showed distinct, non-linear expression patterns across the three groups. These findings are preliminary and hypothesis-generating; the cross-sectional design does not establish predictive or prognostic value, and validation in larger longitudinal cohorts is required. The unexpected miR-21-5p pattern remains unexplained and requires independent validation. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health and social care systems and may have altered population-level patterns in cognitive health among older adults. Using aggregated U.S. surveillance data from the CDC Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Data Portal, we examined four subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and memory-loss indicators across pre-pandemic (2015–2019), COVID-19 (2020–2021), and post-period (2022) windows. From 284,142 surveillance records, 11,444 annual aggregated estimates corresponding to the four prespecified indicators were retained for the final analysis. Period differences were assessed using Welch’s t-test and the Mann–Whitney U test, complemented by profile-matched analyses, effect sizes, and multiplicity adjustment. Five regression and machine-learning approaches were benchmarked using conventional random-split and time-aware validation. Period differences were generally small, with negligible standardized effect sizes. Q30 showed the clearest temporal variation, including a decrease in 2020 that should not be interpreted as improved cognitive health because the estimates may also reflect reporting, participation, and compositional changes. Temporal validation revealed heterogeneous and generally reduced out-of-period generalization, with model rankings varying across indicators and evaluation periods. Performance deterioration is interpreted as temporal instability, not as confirmatory evidence of a pandemic effect. These findings highlight the importance of time-aware validation and periodic model reassessment when machine-learning methods are applied to aggregated public-health surveillance data. Full article

Background/Objectives: Reconstruction of elongated soft-tissue defects requires flaps that provide sufficient longitudinal reach without excessive width or donor-site morbidity. We describe a modified latissimus dorsi (LD) flap in which a narrow, longitudinally oriented muscle cuff is incorporated along the long axis of the skin paddle to act as a vascular carrier, and evaluate its clinical feasibility and reliability. Methods: This retrospective case series included consecutive patients who underwent soft-tissue reconstruction with an LD flap incorporating a longitudinal muscle component beneath an elongated skin paddle at a single tertiary center between March 2020 and August 2025. The same longitudinal muscle-cuff concept was applied across a spectrum of muscle harvest: most flaps were muscle-sparing LD (msLD; limited longitudinal muscle segment with preservation of the horizontal thoracodorsal nerve branch), while a wider cuff requiring sacrifice of both nerve branches resulted when the cuff extended proximal to the thoracodorsal bifurcation and was designated musculocutaneous LD (mcLD). Outcomes included flap survival, partial skin-paddle necrosis, operative time, donor-site closure method, and donor-site morbidity. In an exploratory subgroup analysis, the cohort was divided at a skin-paddle length-to-width ratio of 2.5 and compared using Welch’s t-test and Fisher’s exact test. Results: Twenty-five flaps were analyzed (21 msLD, 84.0%; 4 mcLD, 16.0%). The mean patient age was 54.0 ± 19.9 years, and scar contracture was the most common etiology (56.0%), with the lower leg the most common defect site (44.0%). The mean skin-paddle dimensions were 26.8 ± 3.2 × 11.4 ± 1.8 cm (mean area, 305.3 ± 63.8 cm²), and the mean operative time was 154.8 ± 49.7 minutes. No total flap loss occurred, and partial necrosis of limited extent developed in two patients (8.0%). Primary donor-site closure was achieved in 14 patients (56.0%). Because long-axis length was comparable between groups, the ≥2.5 group had a narrower skin paddle (10.0 ± 0.4 vs. 12.9 ± 1.5 cm) and smaller flap area (273.5 ± 43.7 vs. 339.7 ± 65.6 cm²) as an arithmetic consequence of the group definition; primary donor-site closure was more frequent in this group (76.9% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.047, unadjusted), and partial necrosis did not differ (7.7% vs. 8.3%, p = 1.00). No clinically significant donor-site functional complaints were documented in the medical records over a mean follow-up of 15.0 ± 8.8 months, and the mean QuickDASH score was 2.82 ± 3.10 (range, 0–11.36), although the questionnaire was administered postoperatively only and no objective strength or range-of-motion testing was performed. Conclusions: Harvest of long, relatively narrow LD skin paddles using a longitudinally oriented muscle cuff was feasible and was associated with favorable flap survival in this series, with no total flap loss and a low rate of limited partial necrosis. Because the design retains most of the muscle and, in the msLD configuration, its horizontal motor innervation while avoiding extensive intramuscular perforator dissection, it may represent a practical option for elongated soft-tissue defects; the absence of a control group and of objective perfusion or shoulder-function assessment precludes conclusions about mechanism or superiority. Full article