Linear morphea is the most common form of localized scleroderma in children. The pathogenesis of this disorder is unknown. We report a child with a 6-year history of linear morphea in whom intravenous administration of 5 MU aqueous penicillin G three times a day for 10 consecutive days caused reduction in the thickness of the corium as demonstrated by ultrasound measurements.

Child↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Transonychial water loss in healthy and diseased nails.

The objective of this study was to determine the transonychial water loss (TOWL) in both healthy and affected nails in different diseases and to compare it with the transepidermal water loss (TEWL). TOWL was measured by a new evaporimetric method: Plasticine was used to fix the protection cover of the evaporimeter probe to the nails. The TOWL behaved contrary to the TEWL. Affected nails in patients with atopic eczema (p <0.01), psoriasis (p<0.05) and onychomycosis (p<0.001) showed a significantly lower TOWL than did nails of healthy test subjects. The decrease in TOWL in diseased nails in comparison to healthy nails could be due to the formation of a stratum granulosum in atopic, psoriatic or fungus-affected nails, as this layer is normally absent in healthy nails.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mouse mammary tumor virus genes: regulation of expression by glucocorticoids and structural analysis with restriction endonucleases.

The production of mouse mammary tumor virus (MTV) is stimulated by treatment of mammary carcinoma cells with glucocorticoid hormones (e.g., dexamethasone). The reaction appears to be a primary and receptor-mediated phenomenon in which the rate of synthesis of MTV RNA is selectively increased; the maximally induced rate is reached within 15 min after addition of the hormone. Production of MTV RNA is also stimulated by dexamethasone in some but not all clonal isolates of nonmurine cells infected by the virus. Using restriction endonucleases, we have characterized both integrated and unintegrated viral DNA from clones of infected rat hepatoma (HTC) cells. We suggest that the site(s) in the rat cell genome into which MTV DNA integrates may be a determining factor for MTV RNA synthesis.

DNA Restriction Enzymes↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Release of serotonin from human platelets in vitro by radiographic contrast media.

Both ionic and nonionic, monomeric and dimeric contrast media were found to release serotonin from intact human platelets in vitro. The monomeric contrast media were compared at the concentration range of 25 mg I/ml. Iothalamate was the strongest and the statistically equal metrizamide iopamidol, and P-297 were the weakest releasers. Monomeric and dimeric contrast media were compared at concentration ranges of 50 and 100 mg I/ml. They ranked, in descending order of serotonin releasing potency: iodipamide, iothalamate, P-127, iopamidol, and a statistically indistinguishable group of the monoacid dimer P-286, the nonionic dimer ZK 74 435, and metrizamide. The capability of contrast media to release serotonin seems to be a composite result of their specific physical and molecular structural properties.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The use of ketotifen, a mast cell blocker, for treatment of oligo- and asthenozoospermia.

Treatment of idiopathic oligo- and asthenozoospermia by the mast cell blocker Ketotifen leads to a very moderate, but statistical significant improvement of sperm count and sperm motility. However, pregnancy rate was within the range of spontaneous conceptions. To evaluate the possible significance of this new treatment approach further research is mandatory to elucidate the relationship between mast cell proliferation and dysfunction of the blood-testis barrier.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relapsing severe Trichophyton rubrum infections in an immunocompromised host: evidence of onychomycosis as a source of reinfection based on lectin typing.

A 64-year-old patient developed recurrent (about 3-6 times a year) generalized skin lesions due to Trichophyton rubrum during long-term steroid treatment of lung fibrosis. Additionally, he suffered for years from onychomycosis of all toes. In the past, short-term internal treatment with griseofulvin and ketoconazole resulted in fast clearing of skin symptoms. Since 1991 relapses have been treated with itraconazole orally. In 1992 material was collected from diseased nails and toe and other skin lesions during three severe attacks of fungal infections and in addition once from toenails during a period without skin manifestations. Trichophyton rubrum was isolated from each sample. Lectin typing of the isolates using five lectins of plant origin resulted in identical lectin patterns for all isolates, thus localizing the toenails as the source of reinfection. The results indicate that lectin typing may play an important role in clinical and epidemiological analysis of dermatophytes.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Oral terbinafine in tinea capitis in children.

Tinea capitis is a disease that frequently affects children. In most cases systemic antimycotic treatment is necessary Griseofulvin is still the drug of choice, but requires prolonged periods of treatment (several months). To estimate the efficiency and tolerability of terbinafine for treatment of tinea capitis in children, four patients (aged 3-9 years) with tinea capitis proven by culture were treated with terbinafine at a dose of 125 mg a day for different periods (4-10 weeks). Isolates were subjected to minimal inhibitory concentration testing against terbinafine and griseofulvin. In all four cases terbinafine treatment resulted in complete remission. The clinical response was accompanied by negative culture results on follow-up. Terbinafine was well tolerated in each case. Determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration confirmed the excellent in vitro activity of terbinafine against dermatophytes. Controlled studies involving a larger number of children are necessary to answer questions concerning dose and duration of terbinafine treatment as well as the frequency and severity of drug-related side-effects.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of dermatophytes--comparison of the agar macrodilution and broth microdilution tests.

Fifty dermatophyte strains, recently obtained from clinical material, belonging to 4 different species were examined for their susceptibility to 5 systemic or topical antimycotic agents using both an agar macrodilution and a broth microdilution test. Antimycotics compared were griseofulvin, itraconazole, sertaconazole, terbinafine and ciclopiroxolamine. A comparison of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) clearly showed differences between the two test methods applied. For all 5 antimycotics, MIC data were three- to seventy-fold lower in the microdilution test system. These differences, depending on the test method, have to be taken into account when comparing MIC data in the literature or when relating the in vitro data to the tissue concentrations determined in vivo.

Antifungal Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Oral provocation tests with food additives in atopic eczema.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Environmental risk factors for respiratory and skin atopy: results from epidemiological studies in former East and West Germany.

The fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 offered the unique opportunity to compare populations of a similar genetic and geographic background which had been living under quite different environmental exposure conditions for over 40 years. Since 1990 comparative epidemiological studies were performed between various regions in former East and West Germany with yearly questionnaires and 3 years' physical, dermatological, allergological and exposure examination in a total of about 30,000 preschool children. There were striking differences between the various German regions with higher prevalence rates of respiratory atopy (hay fever, asthma) and atopic sensitization (prick test, RAST) in West Germany, while atopic eczema was significantly higher in East Germany (17.5 vs. 11.4% in West Germany). Total serum IgE levels were markedly higher in children in the east of Germany, similarly to the prevalence of parasitic infestation (questionnaire data as well as positive ascaris RAST). In multivariate logistic regression analysis the following factors were significantly associated with atopic eczema: animal contact (odds ratio, OR 2.9), animal furs in the bedroom (OR 2.2), use of gas without ventilation (OR 1.7) and living near road with heavy traffic (OR 1.7). Furthermore, socioeconomic factors measured as parental educational status (university vs. elementary school) were significantly associated (OR 2.3) with atopy. Respiratory tract infections and irritant responses decreased together with decreasing SO2 and suspended particulate air pollution in East Germany from 1991 to 1997. It is concluded that environmental factors from the physical, chemical, biological, and psychological environment (characteristic of a 'modern' or 'western' society) do influence the development of atopic sensitization and disease.

Allergens↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Timothy grass (Phleum pratense L.) pollen as allergen carriers and initiators of an allergic response.

Contrary to indoor allergen exposure (e.g. house dust mite), there is no reliable quantitative association between pollen exposure and symptoms of allergic diseases. Therefore we studied localization and release of major allergens from timothy grass (Phleum pratense L.) pollen using different methods and pollen grain sources. Localization of major allergens Phl p 5 and Phl p 1 was visualized by field emission scanning electron microscopy after anhydrous fixation and immunogold silver staining in a three-dimensional reconstruction; Phl p 5 was found in the cytoplasm and on the exine, Phl p 1 in the intine. No allergens were found inside the starch granules. Allergen liberation from pollen grains was studied in vitro under physiological conditions (30 min, 37 degrees C) at pH 6. 0, 7.4 and 9.0. Besides total protein measurements in the supernatant, major allergens were determined by immunoblot, Phl p 5 was quantitated by ELISA. There were striking differences in total protein and major allergen release between freshly collected and commercially available grass pollen grains as well as among freshly collected pollen between rural meadows and areas near high-traffic roads. There was a significantly different release of total protein being lowest in supernatants from commercially available pollen grains (rural/traffic vs. commercial, p<0.001), and of Phl p 5 major allergen (rural>traffic>commercial, p<0.005). Therefore, allergen bioavailability seems to be an important parameter in order to establish reliable dose-response relationships for the outdoor allergen response. Pollen grains incubated in aqueous protein-free buffer solution were also found to secrete significant amounts of eicosanoids namely prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4. Pollen grains thus do not act only as allergen carriers but also might have important implications on early events as initiators of allergy.

Allergens↗