Size Of Skin Lesions Research Articles

Clinical observation on the treatment of chloasma by Chinese herbs combined with acupuncture

To evaluate the clinical effect of Chinese herbs combined with acupuncture (CH-A) in treating chloasma. Sixty-one patients with chloasma were randomly assigned to two groups: 30 in the control group and 31 in the treated group. Both groups received conventional treatment with oral intake of vitamin C and E, and external application of quban powder. Besides, the treated group also received CH-A, with the therapeutic course for both groups as 3 months. The total effective rate in the treated group and the control group was 100.00% and 46.67% respectively, and the cure-effective rate was 74.19% and 13.33% respectively, all showing significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). The scores of size and color of skin lesion and that of symptoms decreased in both groups, but the decrease in the treated group was more obvious, showing significant difference compared with those before treatment and also compared with those in the control group after treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). A follow-up study in 1 year to 2 years and 4 months showed that the long-term effect in the treated group showed an increasing trend compared with the effect immediately after treatment, but it showed a decreasing trend in the control group, though with no any statistical significance (both P>0.05). On the basis of conventional treatment, combined use of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture in treating chloasma could markedly improve the accompanied symptoms, lighten the color and shrink the size of skin lesions.

Control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Skin Infections in Mice Is Mast Cell-Dependent

Mast cells (MCs) have recently been shown to be essential for the elicitation of efficient immune responses in murine sepsis. To explore whether MCs also contribute to the control of bacterial skin infections, we studied skin lesions induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) in genetically MC-deficient Kit(W)/Kit(W-v) mice, normal Kit(+/+) mice, and MC-reconstituted Kit(W)/Kit(W-v) mice. PA injections resulted in strikingly (>2-fold) larger skin lesions in Kit(W)/Kit(W-v) mice than in Kit(+/+) mice, which exhibited pronounced MC degranulation at infection sites. In addition, neutrophil recruitment following PA injections and bacterial clearance from sites of infection was significantly impaired in Kit(W)/Kit(W-v) mice compared with Kit(+/+) mice. Notably, the adoptive transfer of MCs to the skin of Kit(W)/Kit(W-v) mice before PA infection resulted in normal neutrophil accumulation as well as skin lesions comparable with those in Kit(+/+) mice in both bacterial burden and size. These findings demonstrate for the first time that activated MCs are crucial for the induction of protective innate immune responses to bacterial skin infections.

Association between anti-PGL-I IgM and clinical and demographic parameters in leprosy

To determine the risk factors and clinical significance of anti-PGL-I seropositivity. A large-scale sero-epidemiological study (COLEP) was carried out in northwest Bangladesh. Blood on filter paper from 1025 newly diagnosed patients was collected before treatment was started and tested with an anti-PGL-I ELISA; the relation between patient determinants and seropositivity was calculated using logistic regression. The median age was 30 years and the male:female ratio 1.9. Overall, 342 patients (33.4%) were seropositive. The following determinants showed a significant correlation with seropositivity (P < 0-05) in multivariate analysis: sex, age, disability grade, bacterial index and classification according to the World Health Organization (WHO) system. The number and extent of clinical signs correlated with seropositivity, except for the presence of satellite lesions. People with or without a BCG vaccination scar had a similar risk to be seropositive. Serology is a marker for a higher systemic bacterial load and may identify potential infectious sources among patients with few clinical signs. The size of skin lesions was positively correlated with seropositivity. We did not find different levels of seropositivity among patients with one or two skin lesions, neither did we find different levels among patients with or without satellite

Expression Microarray and Mouse Virulence Analysis of Four Conserved Two-Component Gene Regulatory Systems in Group A Streptococcus

Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a gram-positive human bacterial pathogen that causes diseases ranging from relatively mild epithelial cell surface infections to life-threatening invasive episodes. Much is known about the extracellular molecules that contribute to host-pathogen interactions, but in contrast, far less information is available about regulatory genes that control the expression of individual or multiple GAS virulence factors. The eight GAS genomes that have been sequenced have 12 conserved two-component gene regulatory systems (TCSs), but only 3 of these 12 have been studied in detail. Using an allelic replacement strategy with a nonpolar cassette, we inactivated the response regulator of four TCSs that have only weak homology with TCS genes of known or inferred function in other bacteria. The mutant strains were analyzed by expression microarray analysis at four time points and tested in two mouse infection models. Each TCS influenced expression (directly or indirectly) of 12 to 41% of all chromosomal genes, as assessed by growth in Todd-Hewitt broth and a custom Affymetrix GeneChip. None of the isogenic mutant strains was significantly altered for mouse virulence based on intraperitoneal inoculation. Similarly, compared to the wild-type strain, there was no significant difference in skin lesion size for three of the four mutants. In contrast, the DeltaM5005_Spy_0680 mutant strain produced significantly larger abscesses after subcutaneous inoculation into mice, consistent with a hypervirulence phenotype. The mutant strain had significantly higher in vitro expression of several proven and putative virulence genes, including scpA, encoding a peptidase that inactivates complement protein C5a. Together, the data provide new information about previously uncharacterized GAS TCSs.

Significance of Infrared Thermal Imaging in Herpes Zoster Patients

Background: Herpetic disorders cause pain and skin lesion. So, asymmetric temperature of both sides of the involving dermatome has been reported in thermogram. This study examined the usefulness of infrared thermography for a predictor of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Methods: Patients with acute herpes zoster who underwent nerve block were randomly selected. Biographic data, including age, gender and times of onset of the skin lesions, development of PHN, combined diseases were recorded. Infrared thermography was performed and subjective pain severity, dysesthesia and allodynia, skin lesion size were assessed. Results: The temperature differences between the lesion site and the contralateral site at lateral and posterior were significantly correlated with lesion size (P

Inhibition of intracellular proliferation of Leishmania parasites in vitro and suppression of skin lesion development in BALB/c mice by a novel lipid A analog (ONO-4007).

A synthetic lipid A analog (ONO-4007) exhibits antileishmanial activity by activating Leishmania-infected macrophages in experimental leishmaniasis. In the present in vitro study, ONO-4007 at concentrations between 0.01 and 1.00 mg/mL markedly inhibited the proliferation of Leishmania major and L. amazonensis promastigotes. Ultrastructurally, L. major-infected macrophages showed degenerated intracellular amastigotes after exposure to ONO-4007. Leishmania-infected macrophages treated with ONO-4007 showed poorly developed parasitophorous vacuoles. High levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha were induced by ONO-4007 in Leishmania-infected macrophages. In this in vivo study, L. amazonensis-infected BALB/c mice were treated with a dose of 30 mg/kg of ONO-4007 by perilesional and peritoneal injections. The skin lesion size was assessed before treatment with ONO-4007 and at eight weeks after injection. The lesion size was significantly suppressed in mice perilesionally injected with ONO-4007 (P < 0.01) compared with the controls. The data from our present in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that ONO-4007 has an antileishmanial effect.

A novel surfactant nanoemulsion with broad-spectrum sporicidal activity against Bacillus species.

Two nontoxic, antimicrobial nanoemulsions, BCTP and BCTP 401, have been developed. These emulsions are composed of detergents and oils in 80% water. BCTP diluted up to 1:1000 inactivated>90% of Bacillus anthracis spores in 4 h and was also sporicidal against three other Bacillus species. This sporicidal activity is due to disruption of the spore coat after initiation of germination without complete outgrowth. BCTP 401 diluted 1:1000 had greater activity than BCTP against Bacillus spores and had an onset of action of <30 min. Mixing BCTP or BCTP 401 with Bacillus cereus prior to subcutaneous injection in mice reduced the resulting skin lesion by 99%. Wound irrigation with BCTP 1 h after spore inoculation yielded a 98% reduction in skin lesion size, and mortality was reduced 3-fold. These nanoemulsion formulas are stable, easily dispersed, nonirritant, and nontoxic compared with other available sporicidal agents.

Efficacy of the topical skin protectant in advanced development.

A topical skin protectant (TSP) (ICD 2289) is being developed to protect service members from exposure to chemical warfare agents (CWA). The TSP is designed for use on the skin at the overgarment closures and other vulnerable areas to enhance protection. The TSP, which is in phase II clinical studies, is a cream containing two chemically inert substances: perfluoroalkylpolyether and polytetrafluoroethylene. Animal data showed that the TSP was effective against percutaneous penetration of a blister agent, sulfur mustard (HD), by reducing the size of skin lesions and against T-2 mycotoxin by preventing the development of erythema and edema. The insect repellent N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) reduced the TSP protection against HD regardless of the order of application on rabbit skin prior to dosing of HD. The protection was sustained when DEET was removed with a dry gauze prior to TSP application. The TSP was also effective against percutaneous exposure of nerve agents-thickened (with 5% methyl methacrylamide) soman (TGD) and VX (O-ethyl-S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl]methylphosphonothioate )-by reducing the mortality rate and protecting the red blood cell acetylcholinesterase activity. The TSP was effective against VX when DEET was applied prior to TSP application. Because human efficacy studies using CWA cannot be conducted, the efficacy will be demonstrated by the level of protection against poison ivy (urushiol) contact dermatitis in humans.