A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 1% topical minoxidil solution in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in Japanese women.

Minoxidil is effective in inducing hair growth in patients with androgenetic alopecia by stimulating hair follicles to undergo transition from early to late anagen phase. However, there have been no controlled studies of topical minoxidil in Asian women. The objective of this trial was to investigate the efficacy of 1% topical minoxidil for androgenetic alopecia in Japanese female patients using a double-blind controlled method.

Gene transfer in human skin with different pseudotyped HIV-based vectors.

Pseudotyping lentiviral vector with other viral surface proteins could be applied for treating genetic anomalies in human skin. In this study, the modification of HIV vector tropism by pseudotyping with the envelope glycoprotein from vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), the Zaire Ebola (EboZ) virus, murine leukemia virus (MuLV), lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), Rabies or the rabies-related Mokola virus encoding LacZ as a reporter gene was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively in human skin xenografts. High transgene expression was detected in dermal fibroblasts transduced with VSV-G-, EboZ- or MuLV-pseudotyped HIV vector with tissue irregularities in the dermal compartments following repeated injections of EboZ- or LCMV-pseudotyped vectors.

Lipomembranous changes and calcification associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Lipomembranous changes are histological findings without specific clinical correlations, and are thought to be related to vascular impairment in fatty tissue. We describe a case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in which subcutaneous induration of the lower leg showed lipomembranous changes and calcification. This patient showed thrombophilia with thrombosis of the femoral and iliac veins, and cerebellar and myocardial infarction.

Successful treatment of vulvar lichen sclerosus in a child with low-concentration topical tacrolimus ointment.

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that has a predilection for the anogenital area. Topical corticosteroid is occasionally effective; however, continuous treatment is often required and recurrence after its stoppage is frequent. Herein, we report a case of vulvar lichen sclerosus in a 5-year-old girl, which was refractory to topical corticosteroids.

Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis with a high level of plasma noradrenaline.

Ingesting certain foods sometimes triggers anaphylaxis when followed by exercise (food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis, FDEIA). Specific food-induced mucocutaneous urticaria may also progress to anaphylaxis (oral allergy syndrome, OAS). A positive skin test and/or radioallergosorbent test (RAST) to the foods suggest involvement of immunoglobulin (Ig)E-anaphylaxis in both disorders.

[In vitro activities of antifungal drugs against clinical isolates of Trichophyton tonsurans].

To determine drug susceptibility of Trichophyton tonsurans endemic in Japan, in vitro MICs of antifungal drugs against a total of 10 clinical isolates of T. tonsurans collected from dermatophytosis patients were measured by the agar dilution method and the broth microdilution method. The agar dilution method was not appropriate as the growth of T.

[Clinical effects of olopatadine hydrochloride on pruritus in skin diseases].

Objective: The clinical effects of second generation antihistamines on pruritus caused by various skin diseases were examined by keeping a daily record of their effects.

Methods: Five mg of olopatadine hydrochloride (Allerock) was administered to the subjects twice daily. The severity of the pruritus and the scratch scars were scored before, and then 2 weeks and 4 weeks after, commencement of treatment.

Dietary iron deficiency decreases serum osteocalcin concentration and bone mineral density in rats.

We investigated the effects of dietary iron deficiency on bone metabolism by measuring markers of bone turnover in rats. Twelve 3-week-old male Wistar-strain rats were fed a control diet or an iron-deficient diet for 4 weeks. Dietary iron deficiency decreased hemoglobin concentration and increased heart weight.

The role of immune response to Staphylococcus aureus superantigens and disease severity in relation to the sensitivity to tacrolimus in atopic dermatitis.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus-producing superantigens (SAgs), such as staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) or toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), are frequently observed in atopic dermatitis (AD). However, little has been done to establish the association of immune responses to SAgs and the therapeutic response to immunosuppressive drugs in AD. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence and role of SAgs in the pathophysiology and immunosuppressive drug sensitivity in AD patients.

Time-kill assay of itraconazole against Malassezia species.

The in vitro pharmacodynamic activity of itraconazole against Malassezia was determined by time-kill methods. Itraconazole showed fungistatic activity at concentrations greater than 2x minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for each of the isolates of all nine Malassezia species associated with humans. A concentration exceeding 4x MIC decreased the growth to less than the inoculum amount (1 x 10(5) cells/ml).

Mixture of sugar and povidone--iodine stimulates wound healing by activating keratinocytes and fibroblast functions.

The topical application of a mixture of sugar and povidone--iodine (PI) has been reported to accelerate the healing of cutaneous wounds and ulcers by promoting re-epithelialization and granulation tissue formation as well as having an anti-microbial effect. To clarify the mechanisms accounting for the efficacy of a 70% sugar and 3% PI paste (U-PASTAtrade mark) (SP), various keratinocytes and fibroblasts functions, including proliferation, collagen synthesis, integrin expression, and cytokine and proteinase secretions in the presence of SP were investigated. Cultured human keratinocytes and fibroblasts were treated with various concentrations of SP, SU and PI.

Quantitative analysis of cutaneous malassezia in atopic dermatitis patients using real-time PCR.

We quantified the cutaneous Malassezia in patients with atopic dermatitis using a real-time PCR assay. Seven to 12 times more Malassezia colonized the head and neck compared to the trunk or limbs, and the species M. globosa and M.

Moderate magnesium-restricted diet affects bone formation and bone resorption in rats.

This study investigated the effects of moderate magnesium (Mg)-restricted diet on bone formation and bone resorption in rats. Weanling Wistar strain rats were randomly divided into three dietary groups of 6 rats each and fed their respective diets; a control diet containing 0.05% Mg (C), a half Mg diet containing 0.

Comparison of proteinase, lipase and alpha-glucosidase activities from the clinical isolates of Candida species.

Proteinase, lipase and alpha-glucosidase activity in 81 clinically isolated Candida strains grown in nutrient-restricted media were comparatively measured, and the correlation between inducible enzyme activity and fungal growth was analyzed. Enzyme activity was assayed by colorimetric methods. Extracellular proteinase activity was significantly higher in Candida albicans, followed by C.

Rapid identification of Trichophyton tonsurans by specific PCR based on DNA sequences of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 region.

Background: Trichophyton tonsurans, a dermatophyte implicated in an international epidemic of tinea capitis, was also found to be responsible for infecting wrestling and Judo athletes nationwide in Japan since 2001.

Objective: A rapid and highly accurate means of identifying this pathogen has been required to control the infection. We have developed a T.

Effects of arachidonic acid analogs on FcepsilonRI-mediated activation of mast cells.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as arachidonic acid (AA) have been shown to modulate a number of inflammatory disorders. Mast cells play a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of inflammatory responses. However, the effects of PUFAs on mast cell functions have not been fully addressed.

An in vivo mouse model of human skin substitute containing spontaneously sorted melanocytes demonstrates physiological changes after UVB irradiation.

Human skin substitutes (HSS) have been developed for repairing burns and other acute or chronic wounds. But although the clinical utility of HSS is well known, scant attention has been paid to their cosmetic properties, especially with regard to color compatibility with the patient's complexion. In this study, we generated an HSS from mixed cell slurries containing keratinocytes and fibroblasts with and without melanocytes on the back of severe combined immunodeficient mice by means of a spontaneous cell-sorting technique.

[Molecular analysis of Malassezia species isolated from three cases of Akatsuki disease (pomade crust)].

Malassezia spp. which normally colonize on the skin surface, are known as being either the cause or an exacerbating factor in a variety of skin conditions, including pityriasis versicolor, folliculitis, seborrheic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis. We report here three cases of Akatsuki disease (pomade crust).

Quantification of hydroxyproline in small amounts of skin tissue using isocratic high performance liquid chromatography with NBD-F as fluorogenic reagent.

In order to determine the collagen content of small amounts of skin tissue, we developed a new, simple and highly sensitive method of measuring the quantity of hydroxyproline (Hyp) using isocratic high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorogenic agent, 7-fluoro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-F). The recovery rate of Hyp and reproducibility of the assay were high, and the test was sensitive enough to detect Hyp in less than 1 mg of skin tissue. This method is clinically useful for ensuring accurate diagnosis and for monitoring specific skin conditions using small human skin samples collected in biopsies.

CDK5 regulates cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion in human keratinocytes.

Background: CDK5 is a member of proline-directed serine/threonine kinases. Although its cDNA was originally cloned as a homologue to those for the other members of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) family, CDK5 has been shown to function differently from other CDKs. CDK5 is activated by non-cyclin partners, p35 and p39, and important during brain development by influencing adhesion, migration and differentiation of neurones.

Antifungal activities of tacrolimus and azole agents against the eleven currently accepted Malassezia species.

The lipophilic yeast Malassezia is an exacerbating factor in atopic dermatitis (AD) and colonizes the skin surface of patients with AD. With the goal of reducing the number of Malassezia cells, we investigated the antifungal activities of a therapeutic agent for AD, tacrolimus, and the azole agents itraconazole and ketoconazole against Malassezia species in vitro. We examined 125 strains of the 11 currently accepted Malassezia species by using the agar dilution method.

Topical application of ketoconazole stimulates hair growth in C3H/HeN mice.

Ketoconazole (KCZ) is an imidazole anti-fungal agent that is also effective in topical applications for treating seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Recently, topical use of 2% KCZ shampoo has been reported to have had a clinically therapeutic effect on androgenetic alopecia. The present study was conducted with the purpose of quantitatively examining the stimulatory effect of KCZ on hair growth in a mouse model.