Social media impact factor: the top ten dermatology journals on Facebook and Twitter.

Academic journals are mainly rated according to their impact factors. However, considering the enormous worldwide impact of social media, journals and potential authors may want to take social media impact into account.

Using interpretative phenomenological analysis to probe the lived experiences of persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD).

BACKGROUND: Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD) is a chronic neuro-vestibular condition characterised by subjective dizziness, non-spinning vertigo, and postural imbalance. Symptoms are typically induced by situations of visuo-vestibular conflict and intense visual-motion. OBJECTIVE: Little research has focused on the lived experiences of people with PPPD. Therefore, our objective was to present an in-depth exploration of patient experiences and sense-making, and the effect of PPPD on psycho-social functioning. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 6 people with PPPD, who were recruited from an Audiovestibular department in Wales. We present a case-by-case Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) for each participant and present common themes. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed a range of superordinate and subordinate themes, individualised to each participant, but broadly described under the following headings: dismissal and non-belief, identity loss, dissociative experiences, poor psychological well-being and processes of sense-making. CONCLUSION: The qualitative experiences documented in this study will help clinicians and researchers to better understand the lived experiences of PPPD, how PPPD patients make sense of their symptoms, and the psycho-social impacts of the condition.

Collodion baby: an update with a focus on practical management.

Collodion baby is an uncommon clinical presentation of several genetic conditions, primarily disorders of cornification. The severely compromised epidermal barrier presents the greatest challenge during the newborn period and advances in neonatal care have significantly improved the prognosis. This review summarizes the clinical characteristics, complications, outcomes, and differential diagnosis of the collodion baby. A practical approach to management based on the literature and clinical experience is presented.

Sun damage in ultraviolet photographs correlates with phenotypic melanoma risk factors in 12-year-old children.

BACKGROUND: Ultraviolet (UV) photography has been used to motivate sun safety in behavioral interventions. The relationship between sun damage shown in UV photographs and melanoma risk has not been systematically investigated. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between severity of sun damage in UV photographs and phenotypic melanoma risk factors in children. METHODS: UV, standard visible and cross-polarized photographs were recorded for 585 children. Computer software quantified sun damage. Full-body nevus counts, skin color by colorimetry, facial freckling, hair and eye color were collected in skin examinations. Demographic data were collected in telephone interviews of parents. RESULTS: Among 12-year-old children, sun damage shown in UV photographs correlated with phenotypic melanoma risk factors. Sun damage was greatest for children who were non-Hispanic white and those who had red hair, blue eyes, increased facial freckling, light skin and greater number of nevi (all P values < .001). Results were similar for standard visible and cross-polarized photographs. Freckling was the strongest predictor of sun damage in visible and UV photographs. All other phenotypic melanoma risk factors were also predictors for the UV photographs. LIMITATIONS: Differences in software algorithms used to score the photographs could produce different results. CONCLUSION: UV photographs portray more sun damage in children with higher risk for melanoma based on phenotype. Therefore sun protection interventions targeting those with greater sun damage on UV photographs will target those at higher melanoma risk. This study establishes reference ranges dermatologists can use to assess sun damage in their pediatric patients.

Dermatology education and the Internet: traditional and cutting-edge resources.

BACKGROUND: The number and variety of dermatological medical resources available online has grown exponentially over the past decade. Internet-based resources allow for immediate and easy access to information for both medical education and reference purposes. Although clinicians continue to turn to the Internet for clinical information and still images, tech-savvy medical students are currently accessing a variety of exciting new resources, including discussion boards, wikis, streaming video, podcasts, journal clubs, online communities, and interactive diagnostic experiences to augment their medical education. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify traditional and cutting-edge online dermatology resources. METHODS: We present a sampling of the top dermatology Internet resources, as assessed by a group of medical students in our university dermatology research lab. These resources were ranked by using a matrix derived from the Silberg Criteria, which assessed authorship, attribution, disclosure, currency, and content. Results indicate comparable ranking and approval of cutting-edge resources as traditional online sources. The ranked resources in each category are provided with URLs for readers' use. CONCLUSIONS: These cutting-edge online dermatology resources represent excellent sources for continuing education for students and clinicians alike. Resources such as these likely represent the future of medical education, as they allow for self-directed and supplementary education as well as remote access.

The multiple Maillard reactions of ribose and deoxyribose sugars and sugar phosphates.

Ribose 5-phosphate (R5P) undergoes the Maillard reaction with amines at significantly higher rates than most other sugars and sugar phosphates. The presence of an intramolecular phosphate group, which catalyzes the early stages of the Maillard reaction, provides the opportunity for the R5P molecule to undergo novel reaction paths creating unique Maillard products. The initial set of reactions leading to an Amadori product (phosphorylated) and to an alpha-dicarbonyl phosphate compound follows a typical Maillard reaction sequence, but an observed phosphate hydrolysis accompanying the reaction adds to the complexity of the products formed. The reaction rate for the loss of R5P is partially dependent on the pK(a) of the amine but also is correlated to the protonation of an early intermediate of the reaction sequence. In the presence of oxygen, a carboxymethyl group conjugated to the amine is a major product of the reaction of R5P with N-acetyllysine while little of this product is generated in the absence of oxygen. Despite lacking a critical hydroxyl group necessary for the Maillard reaction, 2-deoxyribose 5-phosphate (dR5P) still generates an Amadori-like product (with a carbonyl on the C-3 carbon) and undergoes phosphate cleavage. Two highly UV-absorbing products of dR5P were amine derivatives of 5-methylene-2-pyrrolone and 2-formylpyrrole. The reaction of dR5P with certain amines generates a set of products that exhibit an interesting absorbance at 340nm and a high fluorescence.

Introduction: US dermatologic health care needs assessment.

The health care needs assessment (HCNA) addressed in this issue of Dermatologic Clinics is designed to aid practitioners and policy makers by providing current, evidence-based research that can be used to guide United States' dermatologic care. The topics covered in this skin disease HCNA include those that are considered common dermatology care needs in society and those severe enough to create a burden on the medical system. Disease discussions address epidemiology, costs to society and patients, prevention, treatment, gaps in management, and future recommendations.

Conclusions and recommendations: United States dermatologic health care need assessment.

This United States skin disease health care needs assessment (HCNA) focuses on the most common and severe skin conditions. The purpose of this article is to highlight these skin conditions in a concise manner for efficient use by policy makers. Brief summaries of each article in this issue of Dermatologic Clinics are provided along with recommendations for better addressing dermatologic care needs.

Topical antimicrobial treatment of acne vulgaris: an evidence-based review.

Topical antimicrobial treatment is indicated for mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Our literature review includes searches of Ovid, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the databases of the Cochrane Library. A detailed search strategy is included. All searches were limited to controlled trials and systematic reviews. No year limits were applied to the searches, but we focused on trials, guidelines, and reviews published since 2004, the year that the last review of topical antimicrobials was published in this journal. Several controlled trials demonstrate that benzoyl peroxide, topical antibiotics, and topical retinoids used in combination provide the greatest efficacy and safety profile for the treatment of mild to moderate acne, but there are few trials directly comparing different combinations of these topical therapies with one another. Additionally, robust studies comparing cost and efficacy of generic combinations of the above agents with proprietary fixed-dose combination therapies that may increase compliance are also lacking. Although they have not been extensively studied, alternative agents including dapsone, salicylic acid, azelaic acid, and zinc are safe and efficacious when combined with traditional therapies.

Dermatologists wearing white coats on practice websites: current trends.

Physicians wearing white coats are perceived as having more authority, being more friendly and being more attractive than those not wearing white coats, and patients report that they prefer their dermatologist to wear a white coat. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of dermatologists wearing white coats on practice websites. We searched Google for dermatology practice websites in six states representing distinct geographic regions in the United States. The first one hundred search results were evaluated, and photographs of dermatologists on these websites were examined for the presence or absence of white coats. Most (77%) of dermatologists did not wear white coats. The highest prevalence was in the eastern states of Massachusetts and South Carolina, with 29% and 39%, respectively. Colorado had the lowest rate at 13%. Rates were essentially equal when segmented by gender. Although patients report that they prefer their dermatologist to wear a white coat, dermatologists often do not wear a white coat on their practice websites.

Online videos to promote sun safety: results of a contest.

Seventy-percent of Americans search health information online, half of whom access medical content on social media websites. In spite of this broad usage, the medical community underutilizes social media to distribute preventive health information. This project aimed to highlight the promise of social media for delivering skin cancer prevention messaging by hosting and quantifying the impact of an online video contest. In 2010 and 2011, we solicited video submissions and searched existing YouTube videos. Three finalists were selected and ranked. Winners were announced at national dermatology meetings and publicized via a contest website. Afterwards, YouTube view counts were monitored. No increase in video viewing frequency was observed following the 2010 or 2011 contest. This contest successfully identified exemplary online sun safety videos; however, increased viewership remains to be seen. Social media offers a promising outlet for preventive health messaging. Future efforts must explore strategies for enhancing viewership of online content.

Outpatient Follow-up and Secondary Prevention for Melanoma Patients.

Health care providers and their patients jointly participate in melanoma prevention, surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment. This paper reviews screening and follow-up strategies for patients who have been diagnosed with melanoma, based on current available evidence, and focuses on methods to assess disease recurrence and second primary occurrence. Secondary prevention, including the roles of behavioral modification and chemoprevention are also reviewed. The role of follow-up dermatologist consultation, with focused physical examinations complemented by dermatoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, and/or full-body mapping is discussed. Furthermore, we address the inclusion of routine imaging and laboratory assessment as components of follow-up and monitoring of advanced stage melanoma. The role of physicians in addressing the psychosocial stresses associated with a diagnosis of melanoma is reviewed.