Status of udder health performance indicators and implementation of on farm monitoring on German dairy cow farms: results from a large scale cross-sectional study.

Regional benchmarking data enables farmers to compare their animal health situation to that of other herds and identify areas with improvement potential. For the udder health status of German dairy cow farms, such data were incomplete. Therefore, the aim of this study was (1) to describe the incidence of clinical mastitis (CM), (2) to describe cell count based udder health indicators [annual mean test day average of the proportion of animals without indication of mastitis (aWIM), new infection risk during lactation (aNIR), and proportion of cows with low chance of cure (aLCC); heifer mastitis rate (HM)] and their seasonal variation, and (3) to evaluate the level of implementation of selected measures of mastitis monitoring.

Do automated text messages increase adherence to acne therapy? Results of a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Acne is a common skin condition often requiring complex therapeutic regimens. Patient nonadherence to prescribed medication regimens is a factor in treatment failure.

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine if daily automated text messages would result in increased adherence to recommended use of topical acne medication and consequently greater improvement in acne.

High cumulative dose exposure to voriconazole is associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in lung transplant recipients.

Background: Lung transplant recipients (LTR) have an increased risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) due to immunosuppressive therapy. Voriconazole, which is associated with phototoxic side effects in some patients, may be an additional risk factor for SCC in this population.

Methods: To test whether voriconazole is a risk factor for developing SCC in LTR, we evaluated cumulative exposure to voriconazole in 327 adults who underwent lung transplantation at one center between 1991 and 2010.

A prospective, randomized, split-face, controlled trial of salicylic acid peels in the treatment of melasma in Latin American women.

Background: Melasma, a common disorder of hyperpigmentation, is often resistant to therapy. Although salicylic acid peels have been reported to be useful for patients with recalcitrant melasma, controlled trials are lacking.

Objective: We sought to determine the efficacy of salicylic acid peels when added to hydroquinone in the treatment of melasma.

Intense pulsed light: what works, what's new, what's next.

Intense pulsed light technology has revolutionized the noninvasive treatment of a whole variety of cutaneous cosmetic problems. Today's machines are safer, more diverse, less painful, and readily available. Intense pulsed lights can be used to treat vascular and pigmented lesions and are used for facial rejuvenation and the removal of unwanted hair.

Biologicals in the treatment of psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that can cause substantial disability. The recognition of psoriasis as an immunologically mediated disease led to the development of agents that specifically target key steps in the pathological process. This review focuses on these biological agents, and presents results from phase II and III clinical trials together with the safety profile and approved indications for alefacept, efalizumab, etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab.