Cicatricial alopecia - a case report with a review of literature

Cicatricial alopecia encompasses a group of clinical entities that affect the hair unit leaving permanent destruction of the follicular ostia, skin atrophy and irreversible loss of hair follicles. Herein, a 43-year-old lady with erythematous follicular papules, resulting into atrophic scars with permanent loss of hairs, slowly progressing for more than 22 years, is presented. The patient has been consulted by numerous dermatologists and no exact histological diagnosis was verified. Upon proper clinico-pathological work-up, a diagnosis of lichen planopilaris was concluded and treatment with intralesionaly corticosteroids and oral hydroxychloroquine was introduced. The patient improved significantly during the 3-month follow-up. Scarring alopecia should always be evaluated clinically and by scalp biopsy to accurately analyze the change in the follicular architecture and type, distribution and extent of the inflammatory infiltrate. This complex diagnostic approach is crucial for the diagnosis and management of all cases of cicatricial alopecias

Life-threatening dermatoses in neonates and newborns

The differentiation of life-threatening dermatoses in newborn is of utmost importance. Infectious diseases, developmental defects and complicated genodermatoses are among the most important causes. Perinatal history, mother`s general state and epidemiologic data are the other important factors for the best verification and management. Herein, a thorough review of the most common life-threatening dermatoses in newborn, is presented.  A diagnostic algorithm and therapeutic clues are provided

Pilomatrix carcinoma in the presternal region. Very rare or very often misdiagnosed malignancy?

Pilomatrix carcinoma is a very rarely diagnosed malignancy. There are around 150 cases reported in the literature. In the very past this type of carcinoma was considered as a low-grade, non-metastasizing tumor. Nowadays with its high potential of recurrence and metastasizing the approach to this type of neoplasm should always be careful and multidisciplinary. The first line of therapy is wide surgical excision, followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. If there is observation of lymph node metastases they should be surgically or radiotherapeutically treated.  In the present case report, we present a 46-year-old patient with pilomatrix carcinoma in the presternal region

Disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis, Bowen's disease and basal cell carcinoma. Coincidence or rare double malignant transformation?

Disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis (DSAP) is a skin condition that consist of multiple annular, hyperkeratotic lesions. They are usually distributed bilaterally and mostly affect the extremities. DSAPs have a wider distribution than the porokeratosis of Mibelli and usually appears between the age of 40 and 50. Squamous cell carcinoma, Bowen’s disease, and basal cell carcinoma that arises in the classical type of porokeratosis of Mibelli is well-documented, but there are not many reported cases of Bowen’s disease and basal cell carcinoma arising in DSAP. We present a 77-year-old woman in whom the two– Bowen’s disease and Basal cell carcinoma develop in a histologically proven DSAP.

Idiopathic pyoderma gangrenosum or a systemic disease predictor?

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an auto inflammatory non-infectious neutrophilic dermatosis often presenting with pustules or nodules that progress to ulcers. PG has specific clinical features and non-characteristic histology findings. Some systemic diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, hematologic malignancy or autoimmune disease are commonly associated with PG. One of the most characteristic features of pyoderma gangrenosum is pathergy, which is the appearance of new lesions at sites of trauma, including surgical wounds.We present a 62-year-old male with a large ulceration on the left lower leg after a bee sting

Multiplication and Conservation of Threatened Medicinal Plant Arnica montana L. by in vitro Techniques

An efficient and reproducible in vitro protocol for mass production of the threatened medicinal plant Arnica montana L. (Asteraceae) was developed. The effectiveness of various combinations of plant growth regulators on A. montana clonal multiplication was assessed, using seedlings stems as initial explants. Among 12 tested nutrient media, the optimum one (MS supplemented with 1.0 mg/l BAP and 0.1 mg/l IAA) increased the organogenesis frequency up to 95% in the best origin, with mean number of shoots per explant 4.25 for 5 weeks. Sub-cultivations on this medium every 4 weeks led to increase of the propagation rate as in the fifth subculture the average number of shoots per explant reached 12.32+-0.82. Rooting of uniform in vitro shoots was 100% successful on half strength MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l IBA. The ex vitro adapted plants showed 90% survival, and were further acclimatized to two mountain ex situ collections. Plants looked healthy and true-to- type and began to bloom in the second or the third year. In addition, a successful protocol for slow-growth storage of in vitro A. montana cultures was elaborated, after testing 8 media with mannitol or sorbitol. The medium 1/2 MS containing 3% sorbitol and 2% sucrose was chosen as the best one, efficiently retarding the growth of the in vitro plantlets, thus allowing 6-month maintenance without sub-cultivation. The developed in vitro protocols could be of great value for commercial propagation and sustainable conservation of this threatened medicinal plant

Impact of Selenium Addition to Animal Feeds on Human Selenium Status in Serbia

Research conducted during the 1980s demonstrated Se deficiency in humans. Increased inclusion of selenium in animal feeds started from the year 2000 onwards. The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of selenium inclusion in animal feeds on human selenium status and dietary habits of the Serbian population related to food of animal origin. Plasma selenium concentration in healthy adult volunteers, including residents of one of the regions with the lowest (Eastern Serbia, n = 60) and of one of the regions with the highest Se serum levels reported in the past (Belgrade, n = 82), was determined by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. Multivariate analysis was employed to determine the correlation between Se plasma levels and dietary intake data derived from food frequency questionnaires and laboratory tests. The mean plasma Se level of the participants was 84.3 +/- 15.9 g/L (range: 47.3-132.1 g/L), while 46% of participants had plasma Se levels lower than 80 g/L. Frequency of meat, egg, and fish consumption was significantly correlated with plasma selenium level (r = 0.437, p = 0.000). Selenium addition to animal feed in the quantity of 0.14 mg/kg contributed to the improvement of human plasma selenium levels by approximately 30 mu g/L

Burning mouth syndrome and squamous cell carcinoma: Coincidence or a new disease association

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is described as a burning feeling or sensation in the mouth in the absence of specific oral mucosa lesions. Patients with BМS often complain of paraesthesia (tingling sensation in the mouth), xerostomia (dry mouth sensation), changes in sense of taste and smell. In the past two decades, significant research of this condition has been conducted. Psychological, systemic and local factors probably play a role in the pathogenesis of BMS. We present a case of an 82-year-old female with burning sensation in the mouth and a coexisting growing lesion on her lower lip

Phenolic acid profiles of endemic species Verbascum anisophyllum and Verbascum davidoffii

The profiles of methanol extractable and methanol insoluble bound phenolic acids of two species: Verbascum anisophyllum Murb (Balkan endemic) and Verbascum davidoffii Murb. (Bulgarian endemic) were determined. Free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content of studied extracts and fractions were evaluated by DPPH antioxidant method and Folin–Ciocalteu reagent, respectively. Phenolic acid profiles were analyzed by GC/MS. Sixteen phenolic acids and their derivatives were detected. Ferulic acid was the major individual phenolic acid presented in all extracts and fractions. Hydroxycinnamic, vanillic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids were also abundant in the studied phenolic acid profiles. The presence of gentisic, syringic, isoferulic, dihydroferulic, eudesmic, 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acids were reported for the first time to Verbascum species. The greatest variety of phenolic acids was found in the fractions containing methanol insoluble bound hydrolysable phenolic acids. The highest free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content were established for methanol extractable alkaline hydrolysable fractions. Phenolic acid profiles and free radical scavenging activity of both species were similar although V. davidoffii contained few more components. The present study is the first report on the phenolic acid profiles and free radical scavenging activity of V. anisophyllum and V. davidoffii as well as the first detailed study of the phenolic acid profiles of the Verbacum species

Load control speed screw conveyer

<p>The flight paths of two blue bottle flies (<i>Calliphora vomitoria</i>) sampled from high-speed video (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0151099#pone.0151099.s002" target="_blank">S1 Movie</a>): A) at the rate of the visual system of a human (40 frames/s) and B) at the rate of a pied flycatcher (120 frames/s) at a light intensity of approximately 500 cdm^-2. The flycatcher refreshes visual input almost three times faster, resulting in a much more detailed view of the flight paths of the flies.</p