Infection and allergy incidence in ambulatory surgery patients using white petrolatum vs bacitracin ointment. A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the effect of white petrolatum vs bacitracin ointment on wound infection incidence, allergic contact dermatitis incidence, and healing characteristics.

Design: Randomized, double-blind, prospective trial comparing white petrolatum with bacitracin ointment in postprocedure wound care.

Setting: A general outpatient dermatology clinic and a tertiary referral advanced surgical procedure clinic at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC.

Proposal for a pathogenesis-based classification of tumoral calcinosis.

Background: Deposition of calcium in skin is currently categorized into a group of disorders referred to as calcinosis cutis. Divisions between types and subtypes within this confusing classification are predominantly based on morphologic differences in the calcification and serve to obscure pathogenesis. This is especially evident in a subtype of calcinosis cutis, known as tumoral calcinosis.

Keratin and keratinization.

A flood of new knowledge and discoveries in the basic science of keratins and keratinization has appeared in the past several years. This review summarizes this recent information with a focus on the epithelial keratin polypeptides, keratin intermediate filaments, keratohyaline granule proteins, cell envelope formation and cell envelope proteins, "soft" keratinization, true disorders of keratinization (i.e.

Voltage-dependent channels found in the membrane fraction of corn mitochondria.

Transmembrane channels have been found in the membrane fraction of corn (Zea mays W64AN) mitochondria that exhibit a remarkable resemblance to the voltage dependent anion-selective channels (VDAC) located in the outer membrane of animal (Rattus norvegicus), protist (Paramecium aurelia), and fungal (Neurospora crassa) mitochondria. The channels in corn were demonstrated to be essentially identical to VDAC channels in three characteristic properties: (a) single channel conductance magnitude, (b) weak anion selectivity, and (c) nature of voltage dependence. These findings led us to conclude that the channels present in corn mitochondria are VDAC channels.