Publications by authors named "Karrer S"

Cutaneous (CLE) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are autoimmune diseases with a multifactorial pathogenesis. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is the most important trigger of CLE; however, the degree of photosensitivity varies between the clinical subtypes. The expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-important enzymes involved in skin turnover and homeostasis-is modulated by UVR.

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Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has antimicrobial properties and is also known to stimulate the immune system. These properties could be useful for the development of a novel therapeutic or preventive strategy against respiratory infections in the upper respiratory tract (URT) such as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) without inducing an immune overreaction. This study investigated the cellular responses of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) after exposure to CAP in a three-dimensional (3D) model of the URT.

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Actinic keratosis (AK) is characterized by a reddish or occasionally skin-toned rough patch on sun-damaged skin, and it is regarded as a precursor to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Photodynamic therapy (PDT), utilizing 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) along with red light, is a recognized treatment option for AK that is limited by the penetration depth of light and the distribution of the photosensitizer into the skin. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a partially ionized gas with permeability-enhancing and anti-cancer properties.

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Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) devices generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, have antimicrobial and antiviral properties, but also affect the molecular and cellular mechanisms of eukaryotic cells. The aim of this study is to investigate CAP treatment in the upper respiratory tract (URT) to reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (especially superinfections with multi-resistant pathogens) or viral infections (e.g.

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(1) Background: Rare skin cancers include epithelial, neuroendocrine, and hematopoietic neoplasias as well as cutaneous sarcomas. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and sunburns are important drivers for the incidence of certain cutaneous sarcomas; however, the pathogenetic role of UV light is less clear in rare skin cancers compared to keratinocyte cancer and melanoma. In this study, we compared the degree of actinic elastosis (AE) as a surrogate for lifetime UV exposure among selected rare skin cancers (atypical fibroxanthoma [AFX], pleomorphic dermal sarcoma [PDS], dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans [DFSP], Kaposi sarcoma [KS], Merkel cell carcinoma [MCC], and leiomyosarcoma [LMS]) while taking into account relevant clinical variables (age, sex, and body site).

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(1) Background: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and sunburns are associated with an increased incidence of acquired nevi and melanomas. However, the data are controversial as to whether chronic UV exposure or high intermittent UV exposure is the major carcinogenic factor in melanocytic tumors. In this study, we compared the degree of actinic elastosis (AE) as a surrogate for lifetime UV exposure in nevi and different clinical melanoma subtypes (i.

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Objective: This pilot study compared muscle activity during lateral reaching tasks between mobile and stable sitting using a novel therapy chair in people after stroke and healthy controls.

Design: Observational pilot study.

Setting: This study was conducted in a rehabilitation center for people after stroke and at the university's movement laboratory for healthy participants.

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Reaching movements are often used to assess selective trunk control in people with neurological conditions. Also, it is known that reaching performance after stroke is increased through training on a mobile seat compared to conventional physical therapy. However, the effect of a mobile seat on joint kinematics has not yet been investigated.

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Article Synopsis
  • Despite the rise of effective biologic treatments for skin diseases, UV therapy remains a key part of treatment guidelines due to its effectiveness and low side effects.
  • Phototherapy, including UVA and UVB usage with psoralen in PUVA therapy, is versatile and can treat various conditions like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and vitiligo.
  • The article explores how phototherapy works, its mechanisms, and its application in treating different skin diseases.
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A 16-year-old female patient with previously diagnosed acne vulgaris was transferred to our clinic in reduced general condition with rapidly progressive and extremely painful ulcerations. In the laboratory exam, inflammatory parameters were highly elevated, but she was normothermic. Based on the findings, we diagnosed multilocular pyoderma gangrenosum.

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Carcinoma erysipelatoides (CE) is a rare clinical manifestation of cutaneous metastasis, which mimics inflammatory conditions such as erysipelas. Depending on the site of the originating tumour, unusual manifestations involving different sites of the body may occur. We herein report a case of a 60-year-old female patient with metastatic endometrial carcinoma presenting as CE of the abdominal skin and the inguinal folds.

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(1) Background: Keratinocyte cancer (KC) is associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, data are controversial as to whether chronic UV exposure or high intermittent UV exposure are key drivers of carcinogenesis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Prolonged sun exposure of the skin causes photo-aging, which is associated with actinic elastosis, a condition characterized by the degeneration of elastin in the upper dermis, which is assessable via conventional histology.

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Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) describes a partially ionized gas carrying large amounts of reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS). Numerous studies reported strong antitumor activity of CAP, thus rendering it a promising approach for tumor therapy. Although several cellular mechanisms of its cytotoxicity were identified in recent years, the exact molecular effects and contributing signaling pathways are yet to be discovered.

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The aim of this study was to explore differences in trunk muscle activity on a stable and mobile seat for people after stroke and healthy participants. Trunk control exercises are known to have a beneficial effect on trunk control, balance, and mobility after stroke. The effect of such exercises could be enhanced by the use of a mobile seat to provide further training stimuli.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Polymorphous light eruption (PLE) is a skin condition triggered by UV-B radiation, linked to reduced Langerhans cell depletion and genetic factors, particularly in NOD-2 and TLR-5 genes.
  • - A study involving skin biopsies from 143 PLE patients and 104 healthy controls found that certain genetic variations, especially in the NOD-2 and TLR-5 genes, occurred more frequently in PLE patients compared to controls.
  • - The findings suggest that these genetic variations are not only common in PLE but also share similarities with severe acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD), indicating potential underlying immunological connections between these conditions.
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Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is classified as a neutrophilic dermatosis and presents clinically as painful ulcerations with undermined livid erythema at the margin. Treatment with immunosuppressive drugs is often protracted. The development of malignant tumors in pyoderma gangrenosum has not been reported in the literature.

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Background: Even though a plethora of systemic therapies have been proposed for necrobiotic xanthogranuloma (NXG), there is no systematic review on this topic in literature.

Objective: To review all existing literature on the systemic therapy of NXG in order to identify the most effective therapies.

Methods: All reported papers in the literature were screened for systemic treatments of NXG.

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: Global mobility is increasingly associated with the emergence of "unusual" infectious agents. At the beginning of 2019, a putative outbreak of occurred in a kindergarten in Regensburg, Germany, that was mainly attended by children with a migrant background. After thorough examination, the outbreak was classified as infection with violaceum.

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Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) has shown promising results in the treatment of various skin diseases. The therapeutic effect of CAP on localized scleroderma (LS), however, has not yet been evaluated. We investigated the effects of CAP on LS by comparing human normal fibroblasts (hNF), human TGF-β-activated fibroblasts (hAF), and human localized scleroderma-derived fibroblasts (hLSF) after direct CAP treatment, co-cultured with plasma-treated human epidermal keratinocytes (hEK) and with an experimental murine model of scleroderma.

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Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) is an ionized gas near room temperature. Its anti-tumor effect can be transmitted either by direct treatment or mediated by a plasma-treated solution (PTS), such as treated standard cell culture medium, which contains different amino acids, inorganic salts, vitamins and other substances. Despite extensive research, the active components in PTS and its molecular or cellular mechanisms are not yet fully understood.

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Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) reduces bacteria and interacts with tissues and cells, thus improving wound healing. The CAP-related induction of neutrophils was recently described in stained sections of wound tissue in mice. Consequently, this study aimed to examine the functionality of human polymorphonuclear cells (PMN)/granulocytes through either a plasma-treated solution (PTS) or the direct CAP treatment with different plasma modes and treatment durations.

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Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is partially ionized gas near room temperature with previously reported antitumor effects. Despite extensive research and growing interest in this technology, active components and molecular mechanisms of CAP are not fully understood to date. We used Raman spectroscopy and colorimetric assays to determine elevated nitrite and nitrate levels after treatment with a MiniFlatPlaster CAP device.

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Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a major life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The molecular mechanisms underlying cGVHD remain poorly understood, and targeted therapies for clinical use are not well established. Here, we examined the role of the canonical WNT pathway in sclerodermatous cGVHD (sclGVHD).

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