Foraminifera from New York Harbor

12 p. : ill., map ; 24 cm.Includes bibliographical references

Topical vitamin A, or its derivatives, for treating and preventing napkin dermatitis in infants

Background Napkin dermatitis (nappy or diaper rash) is a non-specific term used to describe in flammatory eruptions (rashes) in the napkin area. Most infants develop napkin dermatitis at least once during their infancy. Topical vitamin A has been suggested as a treatment for napkin dermatitis

German evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of Psoriasis vulgaris (short version)

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common and chronic inflammatory skin disease which has the potential to significantly reduce the quality of life in severely affected patients. The incidence of psoriasis in Western industrialized countries ranges from 1.5 to 2%. Despite the large variety of treatment options available, patient surveys have revealed insufficient satisfaction with the efficacy of available treatments and a high rate of medication non-compliance. To optimize the treatment of psoriasis in Germany, the Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft and the Berufsverband Deutscher Dermatologen (BVDD) have initiated a project to develop evidence-based guidelines for the management of psoriasis. The guidelines focus on induction therapy in cases of mild, moderate, and severe plaque-type psoriasis in adults. The short version of the guidelines reported here consist of a series of therapeutic recommendations that are based on a systematic literature search and subsequent discussion with experts in the field; they have been approved by a team of dermatology experts. In addition to the therapeutic recommendations provided in this short version, the full version of the guidelines includes information on contraindications, adverse events, drug interactions, practicality, and costs as well as detailed information on how best to apply the treatments described (for full version, please see Nast et al., JDDG, Suppl 2:S1–S126, 2006; or http://www.psoriasis-leitlinie.de)

Efficacy of non-surgical treatments for androgenetic alopecia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Androgenetic alopecia, or male/female pattern baldness, is the most common type of progressive hair loss disorder. The aim of this study was to review recent advances in non‐surgical treatments for androgenetic alopecia and identify the most effective treatments. A network meta‐analysis (NMA) was conducted of the available literature of the six most common non‐surgical treatment options for treating androgenetic alopecia in both men and women; dutasteride 0.5 mg, finasteride 1 mg, low‐level laser therapy (LLLT), minoxidil 2%, minoxidil 5% and platelet‐rich plasma (PRP). Seventy‐eight studies met the inclusion criteria, and 22 studies had the data necessary for a network meta‐analysis. Relative effects show LLLT as the superior treatment. Relative effects show PRP, finasteride 1 mg (male), finasteride 1 mg (female), minoxidil 5%, minoxidil 2% and dutasteride (male) are approximately equivalent in mean change hair count following treatment. Minoxidil 5% and minoxidil 2% reported the most drug‐related adverse events (n = 45 and n = 23, respectively). The quality of evidence of minoxidil 2% vs. minoxidil 5% was high; minoxidil 5% vs. placebo was moderate; dutasteride (male) vs. placebo, finasteride (female) vs. placebo, minoxidil 2% vs. placebo and minoxidil 5% vs. LLLT was low; and finasteride (male) vs. placebo, LLLT vs. sham, PRP vs. placebo and finasteride vs. minoxidil 2% was very low. Results of this NMA indicate the emergence of novel, non‐hormonal therapies as effective treatments for hair loss; however, the quality of evidence is generally low. High‐quality randomized controlled trials and head‐to‐head trials are required to support these findings and aid in the development of more standardized protocols, particularly for PRP. Regardless, this analysis may aid physicians in clinical decision‐making and highlight the variety of non‐surgical hair restoration options for patients