Caffeine Protects Keratinocytes from Infection and Behaves as an Antidermatophytic Agent.

Caffeine affords several beneficial effects on human health, acting as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, and analgesic. Caffeine is widely used in cosmetics, but its antimicrobial activity has been scarcely explored, namely against skin infection agents. Dermatophytes are the most common fungal agents of human infection, mainly of skin infections.

High Rate of Change of the Foot in Ecuadorian Children: The Need for Proper Shoe Design.

Background: Physiological changes in the foot may be influenced by external factors such as shoe types or demographic parameters, leading to podiatric conditions in adulthood. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in morphological measurements of the feet of boys and girls during childhood and adolescence.

Methods: A total of 1678 Ecuadorian children aged 8 to 17 years participated in the study.

Foot morphology as a predictor of hallux valgus development in children.

An excess of body weight can produce morphological changes in the feet of children. The aim of this study was to assess the morphological differences of the foot in children based on their body mass index and to determine the risk factors for the development of a hallux valgus in childhood and adolescence. One Thousand Six Hundred Seventy-Eight children (5-17 years) were classified as group with obesity, overweight, and normal weight.

Lateral wedge insoles and their use in ankle instability.

The aim of the present study is to assess the immediate effects of applying lateral wedge insoles of different heights (0.00, 0.3, 0.

Study of the Anatomical Association between Morton's Neuroma and the Space Inferior to the Deep Transverse Metatarsal Ligament Using Ultrasound.

Unlabelled: Morton's neuroma (MN) is a common condition in clinical practice. The compressive etiology is the most accepted, in which compression occurs in the tunnel formed by the adjacent metatarsals, the deep transverse metatarsal ligament (DTML) and the plantar skin. Ultrasound (US) is a reliable method of study.

Novel Ultrasound Anatomical Measurement of the Deep Transverse Metatarsal Ligament: An Intra-Rater Reliability and Inter-Rater Concordance Study.

Insufficient space below the Deep Transverse Metatarsal Ligament (DTML) could be an etiological factor for Morton’s Neuroma (MN). To date, there is a lack of studies measuring the space below the DTML. For this reason, this study assesses the intra- and inter-rater concordance and reproducibility of measurements of the space below the DTML between the third and the fourth metatarsal heads (M3 and M4) using ultrasound imaging to assess and verify the reliability and reproducibility of measurements of the space under the DTML.

Assessment of Visual Diagnosis by Podiatrists for HPV and Onychomycosis: The Need for Complementary Tests.

Onychomycosis and human papillomavirus (HPV) plantar warts are common in clinical practice. Clinical diagnosis is based on searching for pathognomonic signs and symptoms. However, due to misdiagnosis, podiatrists may unnecessarily prescribe antifungal treatments or burn lesions with chemical agents.

Preliminary Evidence of the Efficacy of Nitric Acid Treatment in Onychomycosis.

Unlabelled: Onychomycosis is the main cause of toenail disorders and is produced by a fungal infection. It is becoming more prevalent because of new lifestyles and immunosuppression statuses. The therapeutic approach to onychomycosis is under considerable study because of the lengthy treatments that require strong patient commitment, the limited efficacy of treatments, the inclusion of active substances that can be hepatotoxic and cause pharmacological interactions, and/or the questionable efficacy of treatments due to a lack of clinical trials.

Analysis of Fear Post COVID in First-Year Students after the Incorporation to the Classroom: Descriptive Study in University Students of Health Sciences.

Background: After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, social restriction measures were implemented, among them, the adaptation of university teaching to online modality until the end of the 2019-2020 school year in order to stop the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, the Spanish universities opted for face-to-face teaching. To that end, different special measures and adaptations were implemented in higher education facilities, aimed at minimizing the risk of infection and ensuring safe face-to-face learning.

Toe Support Pattern as a New Predictive Factor Associated with Falls in Older People with Psychiatric Disorders.

Background: Maintaining autonomy is one of the principal objectives for seniors and people with psychiatric disorders. Podiatric medical care can help them maintain autonomy. This work aimed to characterize and quantify the support of the toes in a psychiatric population by analyzing the influence of psychotropic medications and toe and foot support parameters on the prevalence of falls.

Diagnostic techniques in HPV infections and the need to implement them in plantar lesions: A systematic review.

Introduction: Human papillomavirus has been reported as the etiological cause of most cervical cancers and other potentially malignant lesions. It also affects other areas, producing benign tumors on the skin. Plantar warts are a common problem found in clinical practice and share signs and symptoms with other dermatological conditions.

Identification of Fungi Involved in Onychomycosis in Patients of a Spanish Rural Area.

Onychomycosis is one of the most frequent reasons for visiting podiatrist clinics. Complementary tests and the accurate identification of the infectious agents are key issues for a successful treatment of onychomycosis. This is particularly important when lifestyle, age and immunodepressed patients increase the prevalence of non-dermatophyte fungal infection.

Solubilization in vitro of tea tree oil and first results of antifungal effect in onychomycosis.

Introduction: Onychomycosis is the main cause of nail alteration. Hepatotoxicity, interference and low adherence to pharmacological treatment are associated. Therefore, our objective was to assess the in vitro effectiveness of tea tree essential oil (less harmful) against main causative agents of these infections.

Environmental Factors as a Cause of Differences in the Feet of Ecuadorian Children and Its Relation to Their Footwear.

The objective of this study was to analyze the differences in foot measurements of Ecuadorian children according to their geographical location of residence, taking into account climatic differences (1). A total of 1662 children (2) participated in the study. Three groups were established: coast, mountains and amazonia.

Solubilization in vitro of tea tree oil and first results of antifungal effect in onychomycosis.

Introduction: Onychomycosis is the main cause of nail alteration. Hepatotoxicity, interference and low adherence to pharmacological treatment are associated. Therefore, our objective was to assess the in vitro effectiveness of tea tree essential oil (less harmful) against main causative agents of these infections.

Do Rescuers' Physiological Responses and Anxiety Influence Quality Resuscitation under Extreme Temperatures?

Teaching and training cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) through simulation is a priority in Health Sciences degrees. Although CPR is taught as a simulation, it can still be stressful for the trainees since it resembles a real-life circumstance. The aim of this study was to assess the physiological effects and anxiety levels of health sciences undergraduates when faced with CPR process in different temperatures (room temperature, extremely cold, or extremely warm).

The bacteriostatic effect of controlled-flux electrolyzed acidic solution on healthy hallucal skin.

Background: There are various treatment protocols to manage the increased bacterial load in plantar ulcers. Recently, Controlled-Flux Electrolyzed Acidic Solution (CFEAS), with a pH less than 3, has appeared to be an effective option since its antimicrobial effect could help in the healing of those ulcers. In order to evaluate its potential in this sense, the aim of the present study was to compare bacterial growth on healthy hallucal skin using two types of bandaging (control and Controlled-Flux Electrolysed Acidic Solution).

Importance of Footwear for Preventing Xerosis and Hyperkeratosis in Older People with Psychiatric Disorders Living in an Institution.

Few studies have focused on the relation between the use and characteristics of footwear and the presence of foot lesions in people with psychiatric disorders. This work analyzes the influence of different footwear habits on the presence of deformities and ungueal and dermal pathologies of the foot of institutionalized people with psychiatric disorders compared to people without these disorders. A transversal and observational study was conducted on 107 participants, divided into two groups who have used different types of shoes throughout their lives.

Using a polymerase chain reaction as a complementary test to improve the detection of dermatophyte fungus in nails.

Background: Dermatomycoses are a group of pathologic abnormalities frequently seen in clinical practice, and their prevalence has increased in recent decades. Diagnostic confirmation of mycotic infection in nails is essential because there are several pathologic conditions with similar clinical manifestations. The classical method for confirming the presence of fungus in nail is microbiological culture and the identification of morphological structures by microscopy.