Effects of pulsed dye laser treatment in psoriasis: A nerve-wrecking process?

Pulsed dye laser (PDL) therapy can be effective in treating psoriasis, with a long duration of remission. Although PDL therapy, albeit on a modest scale, is being used for decades now, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the long-term remission of psoriasis remain poorly understood. The selective and rapid absorption of energy by the blood causes heating of the vascular wall and surrounding structures, like perivascular nerves.

Limitations of Dutch Growth Research Foundation Commercial Software Weight Velocity for Age Standard Deviation Score.

BACKGROUND The commercial software for hospitals, Weight Velocity for Age Standard Deviation Score (SDSWVA), claims to document the growth and development of children, although published details are unavailable. The statistics-derived parameter SDSWVA includes the weight velocity at age t, WV(t) (weight gained between t and (t-1.23) years, divided by 1.

Isolation, expansion and neural differentiation of stem cells from human plucked hair: a further step towards autologous nerve recovery.

Stem cells from the adult hair follicle bulge can differentiate into neurons and glia, which is advantageous for the development of an autologous cell-based therapy for neurological diseases. Consequently, bulge stem cells from plucked hair may increase opportunities for personalized neuroregenerative therapy. Hairs were plucked from the scalps of healthy donors, and the bulges were cultured without prior tissue treatment.

Functioning in lymphedema from the patients' perspective using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and health (ICF) as a reference.

Purpose: To identify and quantify meaningful concepts in lymphedema from the patients' perspectives using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Methods: Six focus group interviews in five different centers were organized, audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed.

Results: A total of 2681 relevant ICF linkings were performed with the focus group data, resulting in 130 different second-level categories.

Comparing endovenous laser ablation, foam sclerotherapy, and conventional surgery for great saphenous varicose veins.

Background: Many case series have been published on treatments of varicose veins, but comparative randomized controlled trials remain sparse.

Objective: To compare the anatomic success rate, frequency of major complications, and quality-of-life improvement of endovenous laser ablation (EVLA), ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS), and conventional surgery (CS), after 1-year follow-up.

Methods: A total of 240 consecutive patients with primary symptomatic great saphenous vein reflux were randomized to EVLA, UGFS, or CS, consisting of high ligation and short stripping.

Complications after treatment with polyalkylimide.

Background: Polyalkylimide is a nonresorbable, biocompatible polymeric filler that has been used for several years to treat soft tissue deficits. The literature has shown a minor complication rate. We noticed that complications typically appear several years after injection.

Minimally invasive techniques in the treatment of saphenous varicose veins.

Lower extremity venous insufficiency is common and increases with age. In addition to classical symptoms, it may result in skin changes and venous ulcers. Chronic venous insufficiency has a great impact on patients' health-related quality of life and is associated with considerable health care costs.

Discriminating basal cell carcinoma from perilesional skin using high wave-number Raman spectroscopy.

An expanding body of literature suggests Raman spectroscopy is a promising tool for skin cancer diagnosis and in-vivo tumor border demarcation. The development of an in-vivo diagnostic tool is, however, hampered by the fact that construction of fiber optic probes suitable for Raman spectroscopy in the so-called fingerprint region is complicated. In contrast, the use of the high wave-number region allows for fiber optic probes with a very simple design.

Waste of skin in elliptical excision biopsy of non-melanomatous skin cancer.

Our objective was to quantify the skin wasted during elliptical excision biopsy. This is defined as the difference between the excised elliptical area and the area of the original lesion. We used geometrical calculations of 26 excisional biopsy specimens from patients with non-melanomatous malignant tumours.

State-of-the-art treatment of chronic leg ulcers: A randomized controlled trial comparing vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C.) with modern wound dressings.

Background: Current treatment modalities for chronic leg ulcers are time consuming, expensive, and only moderately successful. Recent data suggest that creating a subatmospheric pressure by vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.

Incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection in men who have sex with men related to knowledge, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection: Dutch MSM-Cohort Study.

Background: This longitudinal study was conducted to investigate whether knowledge, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity of HIV infection and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are associated with the incidence of STDs and new HIV infections among men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: A 3-year cohort study was conducted among 190 HIV-negative MSM. Data were collected on the incidence of STDs and new HIV infections, as well as on knowledge and perceived susceptibility to and perceived severity of HIV infection and STDs.

Oral lichen planus and allergy to dental amalgam restorations.

Objectives: To determine contact allergies in patients with oral lichen planus and to monitor the effect of partial or complete replacement of amalgam fillings following a positive patch test reaction to ammoniated mercury, metallic mercury, or amalgam.

Design: In group A (20 patients), the oral lesions were confined to areas in close contact with amalgam fillings. In group B (20 patients), the lesions extended 1 cm beyond the area of contact with amalgam fillings.

The elastic properties of cancerous skin: Poisson's ratio and Young's modulus.

Background: The physical properties of cancerous skin tissue have rarely been measured in either fresh or frozen skin specimens. Of interest are the elastic properties associated with the skin's ability to deform, i.e.

Resurgence of lymphogranuloma venereum in Western Europe: an outbreak of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar l2 proctitis in The Netherlands among men who have sex with men.

Background: Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and is rare in the Western world. Recently, 3 men who have sex with men presented with LGV proctitis at the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. We investigated a possible outbreak in a sexual network of men who have sex with men (MSM).

Skin waste, vertex angle, and scar length in excisional biopsies: comparing five excision patterns--fusiform ellipse, fusiform circle, rhomboid, mosque, and S-shaped.

The common excision skin pattern is either a fusiform ellipse or another pattern with dissimilar length and width. The purpose of this study was to define the most advantageous skin pattern regarding skin waste, vertex angle, and scar length. Five skin excision patterns used traditionally for closure of round lesions were analyzed: fusiform ellipse, fusiform circle, rhomboid, mosque, and S-shaped.

Vasoconstrictive effect of topical applied corticosteroids measured by laser doppler imaging and reflectance spectroscopy.

Topical application of corticosteroids induces blanching of the skin, based on changes of the underlying microcirculation of the skin. Usually the intensity of blanching after topical application of corticosteroids is measured subjectively by a trained observer using a visual score. In order to obtain an objective determination of the blanching effect and to assess the underlying effect of the skin perfusion, it is necessary to use noninvasive bioengineering techniques.

Discriminating basal cell carcinoma from its surrounding tissue by Raman spectroscopy.

The objective of this in vitro study was to explore the applicability of Raman spectroscopy to distinguish basal cell carcinoma from its surrounding noncancerous tissue; therefore, identifying possibilities for the development of an in vivo diagnostic technique for tumor border demarcation. Raman spectra were obtained in a two-dimensional grid from unstained frozen sections of 15 basal cell carcinoma specimens. Pseudo-color Raman images were generated by multivariate statistical analysis and clustering analysis of spectra and compared with histopathology.

Basal cell carcinoma: treatment options and prognosis, a scientific approach to a common malignancy.

The incidence of basal cell carcinoma is rapidly increasing and a number of treatment modalities are available. Treatment of basal cell carcinoma includes both surgical and nonsurgical approaches, some of which are traditional, and others experimental. The treatment modality utilized is dependent on both the tumor type and the patient.