Combined patterns of social support and coping style and correlations with adjustment to cancer were investigated in early-stage melanoma patients. The authors studied 358 consecutive patients attending regular follow-up who answered standardized instruments that assess social support, coping behavior, and tumor-related distress. Regression analyses identified high active and low depressive coping behavior as stronger predictors for perceived support than sociodemographic and clinical variables. Cluster analyses yielded four coping-support patterns. High social support, combined either with active coping or with stoicism, was associated with good adjustment, whereas low perceived support in the subjects living alone or in the patients exhibiting depressive coping behavior was associated with poor adjustment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Variegate porphyria with coexistent decrease in porphobilinogen deaminase activity.

Variegate porphyria is a rare disease caused by a deficiency of protoporphyrinogen oxidase. In most cases, the clinical findings are a combination of systemic symptoms similar to those occurring in acute intermittent porphyria and cutaneous lesions indistinguishable from those of porphyria cutanea tarda. We report on a 24-year-old woman with variegate porphyria who, after intake of lynestrenol, developed typical cutaneous lesions but no viscero-neurological symptoms. The diagnosis was based on the characteristic urinary coproporphyrin and faecal protoporphyrin excretion patterns, and the specific peak of plasma fluorescence at 626 nm in spectrofluorometry. Biochemical analysis revealed that most of the family members, though free of clinical symptoms, excrete porphyrin metabolites in urine and stool similar to variegate porphyria, accompanied by a significant decrease of porphobilinogen deaminase activity of a range which is ordinarily found in patients with acute intermittent porphyria only (approximately 50%). These data first led to the assumption of two separate and independently inherited genetic defects, similar to the dual porphyria of Chester. Molecular analysis, however, revealed only a missense mutation of the protoporphyrinogen oxidase gene, but not of the porphobilinogen deaminase gene. Thus, in the family presented, porphobilinogen deaminase deficiency is likely to be a phenomenon secondary to the genetic defect of protoporphyrinogen oxidase.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Squamous cell carcinoma in junctional and dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.

We report here on three patients suffering from recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa and one suffering from generalized atrophic benign epidermolysis bullosa, all of whom developed cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Our observations and a review of the literature suggest that squamous cell carcinoma in generalized atrophic benign epidermolysis bullosa is very infrequent and has a better outcome compared to skin cancer in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. These differences could be explained by the distinct pathophysiology and clinical course of each of these variants of epidermolysis bullosa. In contrast to UV-induced skin cancer, the tumours in epidermolysis bullosa develop on distal extremities at sites of chronic wound healing. The cases reported here underline the exceptional importance of early histopathological assessment of suspicious skin lesions in patients with epidermolysis bullosa.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reduction in phosalone residue levels during industrial dehydration of apples.

Dehydrated fruits and vegetables, which may well be used in baby foods, must be of excellent bacteriological quality with an absence of contamination. In order to define the effects of the industrial dehydration process, according to the 'Hatmacker' drying method, on an organophosphorus pesticide, we have studied phosalone in Golden Delicious apples as an example. The technological process undertaken leads to a reduction in phosalone levels on the apples of more than 80%, whatever the initial dose between 0 and 4.29 micrograms/kg. Washing brings about a reduction of 30-50%, probably by the dissolution of the phosalone in the water. The cooking and especially the filtration of the puréed apple mechanically eliminates, without notable deterioration, 40-70% of the phosalone. However, drying, which takes place at the end of the process, does not lead to significant variations in phosalone levels. Consequently, the reduction in phosalone residue levels in dehydrated apple products manufactured by this process provides the consumer with a greater degree of security with respect to this contaminant. In addition, we have presented several possibilities to add to the quality of dehydrated products.

Desiccation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sorbic acid-amine function interactions.

Sorbic acid has a system of conjugated double bonds which makes it able to undergo nucleophilic addition reactions with certain functions. The interactions between sorbic acid and amine functions present in the endogenous constituents of food were quantified. The formation of new products was demonstrated and the underlying mechanisms studied using ethyl sorbate and various amines. HPLC, GC, GC-SM and NMR analyses of the reaction mixtures enabled the products to be isolated and identified. The addition reactions led, at 20 degrees C, to linear monoadducts and, at 50 degrees C and 80 degrees C, to cyclic derivatives resulting from double addition.

Amines↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cutaneous tuberculosis.

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Humans↗