			Home About us Contact

Original Site (original + site)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	75%

Selected Abstracts

Use of a Deep Polypropylene Suture during Earlobe Repair: A Method to Provide Permanent Reinforcement in the Prevention of Recurrent Earlobe Tract Elongation

DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 11 2005
Joseph F. Greco MD
Background. Cosmetic repair of elongated or lacerated earlobe tracts is a commonly encountered dermatologic procedure. For esthetic purposes, patients may choose to repierce the repaired lobe over the original site. Subsequent piercing within a scarred area potentially increases the risk of recurrent tract elongation secondary to the reduced tensile strength of the scar. Objective. To strengthen a damaged earlobe by incorporating a nonabsorbable, dermal polypropylene suture during earlobe repair. Methods. The technique is described within the text. Results. A deep polypropylene suture placed within a repaired earlobe tract provides a permanent barrier above which repiercing can be performed. Conclusion. Permanent reinforcement of the repaired earlobe serves to reduce the possibility of recurrent elongation of the earlobe tract. The technique is relevant when repeat piercing is desired over the original site. JOSEPH F. GRECO, MD, CHRISTINE S. STANKO, MD, AND STEVEN S. GREENBAUM, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS. [source]

Land under pressure: soil conservation concerns and opportunities for Ethiopia

LAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2003
B. G. J. S. Sonneveld
Abstract This paper evaluates the future impact of soil degradation on national food security and land occupation in Ethiopia. It applies a spatial optimization model that maximizes national agricultural revenues under alternative scenarios of soil conservation, land accessibility and technology. The constraints in the model determine whether people remain on their original site, migrate within their ethnically defined areas or are allowed a transregional migration. Key to this model is the combination of a water erosion model with a spatial yield function that gives an estimate of the agricultural yield in its geographical dependence of natural resources and population distribution. A comparison of simulated land productivity values with historical patterns shows that results are interpretable and yield more accurate outcomes than postulating straightforward reductions in yield or land area for each geographic entity. The results of the optimization model show that in absence of soil erosion control, the future agricultural production stagnates and results in distressing food shortages, while rural incomes drop dramatically below the poverty line. Soil conservation and migration support a slow growth, but do not suffice to meet the expected food demand. In a transregional migration scenario, the highly degraded areas are exchanged for less affected sites, whereas cultivation on already substantially degraded soils largely continues when resettlement is confined to the original ethnic,administrative entity. A shift to modern technology offers better prospects and moderates the migration, but soil conservation remains indispensable, especially in the long term. Finally, an accelerated growth of non-agricultural sectors further alleviates poverty in the countryside, contributing to higher income levels of the total population and, simultaneously, relieving the pressure on the land through rural,urban migration. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Severe allergic contact dermatitis induced by paraphenylenediamine in paint-on temporary ,tattoos'

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2000
Matheen Mohamed
SUMMARY Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is a black dye with well known sensitizing properties. Its increasing use as a skin paint to produce temporary ,tattoos' has led to recent reports of allergic contact dermatitis. Hitherto, such cases of allergic contact dermatitis due to PPD have been localized to the original site of application of the skin paint. We report two cases of severe allergic reactions to paint-on ,tattoos'. Both of these patients had no prior history of sensitivity to PPD, although case 2 had previously used permanent hair dyes. In both cases, the primary eruption at the ,tattoo' site was followed within days by a generalized eruption which ultimately required treatment with oral corticosteroids, because the initially prescribed topical corticosteroids proved ineffective. [source]

Involvement of E-cadherin, ,-catenin, Cdc42 and CXCR4 in the progression and prognosis of cutaneous melanoma

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2007
M.G. Tucci
Summary Background, A key event in cancer metastasis is the migration of tumour cells from their original location to a secondary site. The development of melanoma may be viewed as a consequence of the disruption of homeostatic mechanisms in the skin of the original site. Objectives, To investigate whether dysregulation of cell motility (Cdc42 expression), escaping the control of cell,cell and cell,matrix interactions (E-cadherin, ,-catenin expression), enhances melanoma progression, and whether chemokine receptors (CXCR4) mediate cell migration and activation during invasion and metastasis development. Methods, The immunohistochemical expression of Cdc42, E-cadherin, ,-catenin and CXCR4 was investigated in 30 patients with surgically treated nodular melanoma, 18 alive and disease free and 12 with a fatal outcome due to metastatic disease. Results, E-cadherin expression was significantly reduced (P < 0·05) and cytoplasmic ,-catenin was increased in the patients who had died compared with disease-free individuals, while membrane expression of ,-catenin was similar in the two groups. Patients with fatal outcome had increased Cdc42 (P < 0·01) and CXCR4 (P < 0·05). In this group a positive correlation was found between melanocytic Cdc42 expression and Breslow thickness (r = 0·598, P < 0·05) and between CXCR4 expression and Breslow thickness (r = 0·583, P < 0·05). Conclusions, Findings suggest that primary cutaneous melanoma with a high Breslow thickness is characterized by tumour cells with high motility and invasion ability, in line with the hypothesis that low E-cadherin levels and overexpression of Cdc42 and CXCR4 could be prognostic markers of poor outcome. [source]