Estrogen receptors and the response to sex hormones in angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia.

Background: Angiolymphoid hyperplasia (ALH) with eosinophilia is a benign rare tumor, characterized by marked proliferation of endothelial cells. The tumors are associated with extensive infiltrate of lymphocytes, histiocytes, and eosinophils, and occur on the head and neck of young adults. A variety of treatments have been attempted with frequent recurrences.

Properties of topical sunscreen formulations. A review.

Sunscreens reduce the deleterious effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) by absorbing, reflecting, or scattering photons. Ultraviolet radiation includes UVB, which is primarily responsible for sunburn and skin cancers, as well as UVA, which has been implicated in photoaging. Topical photoprotective agents include physical and chemical sunscreens.

Biology of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Nonmelanoma skin cancer is the leading cause of cancer in the United States. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is second only to basal cell carcinoma in prevalence and its incidence is increasing. The biology of squamous cell carcinoma is reviewed under the broad areas of etiology, immunobiology, biochemistry, metastatic potential, and therapy, with emphasis on prevention, diagnosis, and management.

Recurrent and persistent diarrhoea in a rural Zimbabwean community: a prospective study.

Prospective surveillance of patterns of diarrhoeal disease was conducted in a cohort of 204 young children living in a rural community in Zimbabwe. Trained field assistants recorded morbidity data obtained by weekly recall of mothers. Diarrhoea was defined by a commonly used local word, and a diarrhoea-free gap of three or more days was taken to signify a new attack.

Commonly used suture materials in skin surgery.

The ideal suture is strong, handles easily and forms secure knots. It causes minimal tissue inflammation and does not promote infection. It stretches, accommodates wound edema and recoils to its original length with wound contraction.

Commonly used suturing techniques in skin surgery.

Proper suturing technique is essential for obtaining good cosmetic results and avoiding infection, scarring and poor wound healing. Techniques that must be mastered include good eversion of skin edges, avoiding suture marks, maintaining uniform tensile strength along the skin edges and precise approximation of skin edges. Vertical mattress sutures have the advantage of good wound eversion and closure of dead space.

Risk factors for high diarrhoea frequency: a study in rural Zimbabwe.

Diarrhoea morbidity data were collected prospectively over 22 months from a cohort of young children living in a deprived community in rural Zimbabwe. Despite the general high prevalence of diarrhoeal disease, there was considerable individual variability in attack rates. Risk factors associated with high diarrhoea frequency were therefore sought by a questionnaire study on feeding, environmental, educational and socio-economic factors.

The role of human papillomavirus in carcinoma.

Human papillomaviruses have long been identified as the cause of common warts and condylomata acuminata. Evidence is now accumulating that human papillomaviruses may be involved in not only benign, but also in malignant neoplasms. They might also be significant in the malignant transformation of cutaneous neoplasms.

Sunscreens. Update and review.

The awareness of sun-induced skin damage has increased in both the lay public and physician. Coincidentally, there has been progress in the development of new ultraviolet-(UV) radiation protecting sunscreens. In this review and update on sunscreens, sunscreen classification, UVB and UVA protection, sunscreen vehicle, and substantivity will be addressed.

Early growth faltering in rural Zimbabwean children.

Longitudinal data on weight and height were collected during the first 30 months of life from children living in a deprived rural community in Zimbabwe. All were breast-fed for up to a mean of 21 months; maize porridge being introduced from three months onwards. During the first 6 months, growth was similar to, or even exceeded, that of the NCHS reference population.

Clinical comparison of polyglactic acid (Vicryl) and polytrimethylene carbonate (Maxon) suture material.

Over a 1-year period, 584 repairs of surgical defects were completed using two different synthetic absorbable sutures, polyglactic acid (Vicryl) and polytrimethylene carbonate (Maxon). No difference in scar width or postoperative complications were found between the two sutures, but polytrimethylene carbonate (Maxon) demonstrated preferable handling and tying characteristics.

Syringoid eccrine carcinoma.

Eccrine carcinomas are locally aggressive and have an infiltrative growth pattern. They have a variable clinical appearance and a diversity of histologic findings that often make the diagnosis difficult. The histologic findings, together with immunoperoxidase and enzyme histochemical studies, usually allow differentiation between eccrine carcinomas, other cutaneous neoplasms, and visceral adenocarcinomas with skin metastases.

Stratospheric ozone depletion and its relationship to skin cancer.

Several articles have appeared in the literature regarding the impact of stratospheric ozone depletion on the prevalence of skin cancer due to increasing ultraviolet radiation. While it has been shown that UVB radiation is related to carcinogenesis of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, it has not definitively been shown that stratospheric ozone depletion is translating into increased penetrating ultraviolet radiation. Estimates of increasing skin cancer in the future are dependent on calculations of UVB increases drawn from data on ozone depletion.

Periorbital reconstruction.

Reconstructions of the lower lid, the upper lid, the medial canthus, the infraorbital area, and the eyebrow area are reviewed. Various flap procedures are described.

The presence of human papillomavirus type 16 in squamous cell carcinoma of the proximal finger and reconstruction with a bilobed transposition flap.

In a 71 year old white female a clinically diagnosed keratoacanthoma on the dorsum of the right third finger was removed using Mohs micrographic surgery and histologically diagnosed as a squamous cell carcinoma. It was shown by dot blot hybridization to have HPV type 16 DNA in the tumor. The wound was reconstructed with a bilobed transposition flap.

The reliability of frozen sections in the evaluation of surgical margins for melanoma.

As the width of surgical margins declines, histologic evaluation of the margins is needed to assess the completeness of excision of a malignant melanoma. We studied 221 specimens in 59 patients and compared the interpretations of frozen and paraffin sections from the same block. Frozen sections had a sensitivity of 100% in detecting melanoma when present and a specificity of 90%.

Systemic isotretinoin: effects on dermal wound healing in a rabbit ear model in vivo.

Clinical observations have suggested that wound healing may be altered in patients treated with systemic isotretinoin. In this study, we examined the effects of systemic isotretinoin on dermal wound healing and connective tissue metabolism in a rabbit ear model. Forty 6-mm punch-biopsy wounds were created in the ears of two control rabbits as well as two experimental animals fed isotretinoin, 4 mg/kg per day.

An evaluation of wound closure tapes.

Wound closure tapes are often used to decrease tension on wounds, to close wounds, and to reinforce wounds after suture removal. Seven different brands of wound closure tape, both with and without the additional application of the liquid adhesive Mastisol, were tested for their adhesion to the forearms of 8 volunteers when a 225-gram weight was applied. Steri-Strips with Mastisol had the longest time of adhesiveness, and the application of Mastisol markedly increased the adhesiveness of all 7 tapes evaluated.

Human papillomavirus type 16 DNA in periungual squamous cell carcinomas.

Ten squamous cell carcinomas (in situ or invasive) of the fingernail region were analyzed for the presence of DNA sequences homologous to human papillomavirus (HPV) by dot blot hybridization. In most patients, the lesions were verrucae of long-term duration that were refractory to conventional treatment methods. Eight of the lesions contained HPV DNA sequences, and in six of these the sequences were related to HPV 16 as deduced from low-stringency nucleic acid hybridization followed by low- and high-stringency washes.

Buried vertical mattress suture.

The buried vertical mattress suture combines the advantages of the vertical mattress suture and the buried intradermal suture. It provides prolonged wound support and eversion, while leaving no permanent suture marks on the skin.