Fire needle pretreatment with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy combined with low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of severe refractory nodulocystic acne.

BACKGROUND: Nodulocystic acne is a severe form of acne, which is commonly treated with oral isotretinoin, hormones, or antibiotics. However, drug therapy often has some side effects and poor compliance. Fire needle combined with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is a simple, effective, short-term treatment with few adverse reactions, which is expected to be an effective physiotherapy for nodulocystic acne. Moreover, the combination with isotretinoin can reduce the dosage of the drug, thereby reducing the side effects of isotretinoin. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of fire-needle pretreated ALA-PDT combined with low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of severe refractory nodulocystic acne. METHODS: This study reported 10 patients with refractory nodulocystic acne who received combined treatment. During the treatment period, all patients received a low dose of oral isotretinoin capsules daily. The acne lesions were pretreated with fire needle before ALA-PDT treatment. The number of acne lesions, including papules, pustules, and nodular cysts, was documented at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 to assess the therapeutic efficacy. Concurrently, adverse reactions such as pain, pruritus, and pigmentation changes were recorded and evaluated throughout the treatment course. RESULTS: After combined treatment, all patients achieved good therapeutic effects, with an overall effective rate of 90 % at week 12. After treatment, skin lesions such as nodules, and cysts subsided significantly. The combination therapy has no serious adverse effects and has a favorable safety profile. CONCLUSION: Fire needle pretreatment ALA-PDT combined with low-dose isotretinoin is effective and safe in the treatment of severe refractory nodular cystic acne, which is worthy of clinical promotion and research.

Dermatology Consultation in the Geriatrics Department of a Tertiary Hospital in China: A Retrospective Study of 178 Patients.

Objective: Dermatological consultation plays an important role in diagnosing and treating skin diseases in the Department of Geriatrics. The objective of this study is to provide an analysis of the factors leading geriatric inpatients to seek dermatological consultation, aiming to facilitate accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of skin diseases by healthcare professionals specializing in geriatrics and dermatology. Methods: The electronic health records of hospitalized patients in the Department of Geriatrics who applied for dermatological consultation at the Second Hospital of Shandong University from June 1, 2022, to June 1, 2023, were retrieved. Sex, age, number of consultations, reason for dermatology consultation, and final diagnosis by dermatologists were reviewed. Results: A total of 216 consultations of 178 patients (n=178, 95 men and 83 women) were collected in this study, of whom 153 (86.0%) required only one consultation, 19 (10.7%) required two consultations, and 4 (2.2%) required three consultations. The reasons for dermatology consultations were divided into three categories: the first was for the definitive diagnosis of a new skin condition that developed during the patient's hospitalization (n=165, 76.4%), the second was for the follow-up of the condition and adjustment of medication (n=40, 18.5%), and the third was for the evaluation of the patient's disease that existed before admission to the hospital (n=11, 5.1%). In 165 consultations, most of these diseases (n=131, 79.4%) can be diagnosed by patients' conscious symptoms and clinical manifestations. Some of them need to be diagnosed or differentially diagnosed with the help of supplementary examinations, such as microscopic examination of scabies or fungi, and pathological examination. Conclusion: This study summarized the reasons for dermatology consultations for geriatric inpatients and found that dermatitis/eczema and infectious diseases were the common types of diseases consulted. The findings of this study contribute to the enhanced comprehension and management of dermatological conditions in hospitalized patients by geriatricians, as well as facilitating more efficient diagnosis and treatment by dermatologists.

Ozonated Hydrotherapy Combined with LED Yellow Light Irradiation and Oral Minocycline Treatment for Mild to Moderate Papulopustular Rosacea: A Comparative Retrospective Study.

Objective and Design: The treatment of recurrent rosacea has always been a problem. Oral minocycline has been widely used in the treatment of rosacea. However, the efficacy and safety of ozonated hydrotherapy combined with LED yellow light irradiation and oral minocycline for mild to moderate papulopustular rosacea (PPR) has not been thoroughly studied. Methods: Patients with rosacea who met the criteria and had complete clinical statistic admitted to our hospital from April 2021 to September 2022 were retrospectively collected and divided into combined therapy group and oral only group. The patients in the two groups were treated with minocycline for 8 weeks. In addition, the patients in combined therapy group were treated with ozone hydrotherapy once a week, followed by LED yellow light irradiation for a total of 4 weeks. The Investigator' s global assessment (IGA) score was used to assess the condition. The efficacy was evaluated using the patients' subjective symptom scores. Skin lesion images and adverse reactions were recorded. The recurrence rate was observed after 24 weeks of follow-up. Results: A total of 39 patients included in the study. After 4 weeks of treatment, the effective rate was 90% in combined therapy group and 52.63% in oral only group (p<0.05). After 8 weeks of treatment, the total score of the patients' subjective symptom scores and the scores of itching and burning sensation in combined therapy group were lower than those in oral only group (p<0.05). After 24 weeks of follow-up, the recurrence rate of combined therapy group was 5%, and that of oral only group was 26.32%. The mild adverse reactions experienced by both groups disappeared during follow-up. Conclusion: This combination therapy has a significant, rapid and safe therapeutic effect, especially in relieving itching and burning sensations, and may reduce the recurrence rate.

A new species of Raorchestes (Anura, Rhacophoridae) from Yunnan Province, China.

A new bush frog species is described from Yunnan, China, based on phylogenetic analyses, species delimitation analyses, and morphological comparisons. Raorchesteshekouensissp. nov. is distinguished from all other congeners by a combination of 11 morphological characters. The new species brings the current number of Raorchestes species in China to ten, nine of which are distributed in Yunnan. Molecular analyses supported an unnamed lineage previously recorded as "Raorchestesgryllus" in northern Vietnam. Further studies including additional samples are necessary to clarify the species diversity and boundaries of Raorchestes in China and Indochina.

5-Aminolevulinic Acid Photodynamic Therapy Combined with Intralesional Triamcinolone and 5-Fluorouracil to Treat Acne Hypertrophic Scar.

Background: Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit. Improper treatment of acne can lead to skin lesions in some people. Acne hypertrophic scar is relatively rare, but it significantly affects the appearance and beauty, and usually has a great psychological and social impact on patients. Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) injection and triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) solution in the treatment of acne hypertrophic scars. Methods: This article included 13 outpatients with acne accompanied by acne hypertrophic scar who were treated from September 2018 to September 2022. All patients received ALA-PDT combined with intralesional injection of 5-FU and TAC. At first, patients received ALA-PDT once every two weeks. After the third ALA-PDT, 5-FU and TAC were mixed in a ratio of 3:7, and then immediately injected in the local scars. The effect was observed after 1 month. If the effect is not obvious, a further injection of 5-FU and TAC to the lesion is necessary. The patients were followed up for 6 months. The Vancouver Scars Scale (VSS) was used to evaluate the efficacy before and after treatment and photos of patients were collected. Results: After ALA-PDT combined with intralesional 5-FU and TAC, all patients achieved good clinical efficacy. 23.08% of patients received one local injection and 76.92% received two local injections. After treatment, the scar lesions were reduced and flattened, and the scars became soft. The total score of VSS after treatment was significantly lower than before, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The main adverse reactions were pain, erythema, and pigmentation, which can subside within 3 weeks. There was no recurrence after 6 months of follow-up. Conclusion: ALA-PDT combined with intralesional injection of 5-FU and TAC significantly affects acne hypertrophic scars, which is worthy of further in-depth and large-scale research.

Fire Needle Combined Topical Mupirocin for the Treatment of Simple Skin Abscesses in Pediatric Patients: A Case Series.

Background: Skin abscesses are a common skin condition usually caused by bacterial infections and their incidence is increasing in children. Its current management strategy is still mainly incision and drainage, sometimes with antibiotics. In pediatric patients, surgical incision and drainage of skin abscesses is challenging compared to in adults because of their specific age and psychological characteristics and high aesthetic requirements. Therefore, it is important to seek better treatment options. Patients and methods: We reported 17 cases of skin abscesses in pediatric patients aged 1 to 9 years. Ten cases had lesions on the face and neck and 7 cases on the trunk and limbs. They all received treatment based on fire needle combined with topical mupirocin. Results: The lesions of all 17 pediatric patients healed within 4 to 14 days, with a median time of 6 days, and all achieved satisfactory results with no scarring left behind. No adverse events were observed in all patients, and no recurrence occurred within 4 weeks. Conclusion: For skin abscesses in pediatric patients, early application of a combination therapy based on fire needle is convenient, aesthetic, economical, safe and clinically important as an alternative to incision and drainage, and deserves further clinical promotion.

A new species of Bush frog (Anura, Rhacophoridae, Raorchestes) from southeastern Yunnan, China.

In this study, based on morphological and molecular data, a new bush frog species is described from Yunnan, China. Eleven samples of Raorchestesmalipoensissp. nov. were collected from Malipo County, southeastern Yunnan. This species can be distinguished from other congeners by a combination of 13 morphological characters. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene indicate that these individuals form a monophyletic group, and genetic divergence between this clade and its closest relatives is higher than 3.1%, which is comparable to the divergence between recognized Raorchestes species. The discovery of this new species suggests that additional extensive surveys in the southeastern Yunnan would yield more amphibian lineages yet unknown to science.

Successful Treatment in a Child with Refractory Periungual Warts by Local Hyperthermia: A Case Report.

Periungual wart is a kind of verruca vulgaris that occurs alongside or underlying the nails, which is challenging to treat and prone to recurrence, seriously affecting the quality of patients' life. We report a 6-year-old boy with periungual warts who had experienced various treatments with no improvement and even worsening. Therefore, we tried to treat the patient with local hyperthermia which uses a patented device that has an infrared emission source. The heat generated by infrared rays acts on the local skin surface. The mechanism of this therapy may be to establish a specific immune response against human papillomavirus-infected tissues, thereby facilitating the clearance of human papillomavirus at irradiated and non-irradiated sites. Local hyperthermia has the advantages of non-contact, safety, noninvasive, less pain, and so on. After 5 treatments, the irradiated periungual warts completely cleared after 2 weeks. The unirradiated sites were almost cured after 7 weeks. This case suggests that local thermotherapy has shown great advantages in the treatment of these refractory periungual warts and offers a new and effective therapy in patients with periungual warts.

A cryptic species of the Amolopsricketti species group (Anura, Ranidae) from China-Vietnam border regions.

It was supposed that the current records of Amolopsricketti might be a species complex composed of multiple species. In this study, on the basis of wide sampling, we found that the records of A.ricketti from Yunnan, China, and northern Vietnam actually represent a cryptic species based on morphological and molecular evidence. Amolopsshihaitaoi sp. nov. can be distinguished from other members of the A.ricketti species group by its moderate body size (SVL 35.5‒37.3 mm in males and 39.2‒45.7 mm in females); white spines on the temporal region, loreal region, snout, and lips in breeding males but absent in females; overlapping heels; tibiotarsal articulation reaching tip of snout; indistinct longitudinal glandular folds on the skin of the shoulders; presence of supernumerary tubercles below the base of fingers II‒IV, distinct pineal body; presence of vomerine teeth; and absence of vocal sacs. Phylogenetic analysis supports that the new species is sister to Amolopsyatseni and the populations from Jingxi, Guangxi and Lào Cai, Vietnam previously reported as A.yatesni also belong to it. Additionally, our results indicate that more cryptic species may exist within the A.ricketti species group, implying that more studies are needed to achieve a complete understanding of the species diversity of this group.

A new cryptic species in the Thelodermarhododiscus complex (Anura, Rhacophoridae) from China-Vietnam border regions.

We describe a new species of Theloderma from southern Yunnan, China and northern Vietnam based on morphological and molecular evidence. Thelodermahekouense sp. nov., which had been recorded as T.rhododiscus, is the sister to T.rhododiscus. The new species differs genetically from T.rhododiscus by 4.2% and 10.7% in 16S rRNA and COI genes, respectively, and it can be morphologically distinguished from T.rhododiscus by having more densely spaced white warts on the dorsal surface, red subarticular tubercles, red metacarpal tubercles, a red metatarsal tubercle, and black dorsal and ventral surfaces in preservative. Currently the new species is only known from the China-Vietnam border regions of Yunnan and Ha Giang, while T.rhododiscus has a wide distributional range in China including Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, Fujian, Jiangxi, and presumably Guizhou and eastern Yunnan. Including the new species, there are currently 10 Theloderma species in China and seven Theloderma species in Yunnan, where more species will probably be found.

A modified suture technique for the treatment of patients with pernicious placenta previa and placenta accreta spectrum: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Pernicious placenta previa complicated by placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) often leads to hysterectomy or even maternal death due to massive bleeding. In recent years, the application of balloons has received increasing attention. It is easier to use and has reasonably good effect. However, for some patients, especially those who still have some placental residue, there might still be active bleeding. To solve this problem, we propose a method of pressure sutures around the balloon to provide a better hemostasis effect. METHODS: An observational study was conducted on patients with pernicious placenta previa and PAS at the Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Beijing, China, between January 2018 and January 2021. During surgery, an intrauterine balloon was used to compress the hemorrhage site, and two or more absorbable sutures were placed around the uterus to apply strong pressure on the balloon. This method is an updated modification of the Lu-suture which uses a Foley catheter balloon and only one suture. The main improvements include choosing different kinds of balloons depending on various conditions and the addition of a suture below the balloon to provide much stronger pressure and prevent the balloon slipping out through the dilated cervix. RESULTS: A total of 10 women underwent the procedure. The mean estimated intraoperative blood loss was 1,190±548 mL. Post-surgery, the blood loss was less than 200 mL in all patients. The mean blood transfusion [packed red blood cells (pRBC)] required was 2.2±2.6 units. The mean hemostatic time was 8.1±3.4 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: The modified suture technique provided an easy, cheap, and efficient surgical choice for patients with pernicious placenta previa and PAS.

Multifunctional Oligonucleotide-Functionalized Conjugated Oligomer Nanoparticles for Targeted Cancer Cell Imaging and Therapy.

A novel and multifunctional oligonucleotide-functionalized conjugated oligomer nanoparticle (CON) is developed for effective cancer cell imaging and therapy by integration of fluorescence imaging, target recognition, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and chemotherapy. The CON itself possesses the high fluorescence emission efficiency for imaging and can generate reactive oxygen species for PDT. Due to its excellent biocompatibility, easy functional modification, and efficient drug loading and release ability, oligonucleotides enable the CON to be functionalized in many forms. For the target recognition, the CONs are functionalized with oligonucleotides labeled with folate molecules, which can specifically bind the CONs to the tumor cells overexpressing folate receptors. Moreover, the designed oligonucleotide on the CON hybridizes with its complementary sequence to form double-stranded DNA, which enables a sequence-specific loading with doxorubicin for chemotherapy. For different situations, the therapy of chemotherapy and PDT can be used solely or combinatorially. Therefore, this study provides a facile strategy for the multifunctional modification of CONs with oligonucleotides and opens a new avenue for targeted cell imaging and tumor treatment.

Conjugated Polymers Act Synergistically with Antibiotics to Combat Bacterial Drug Resistance.

The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria severely challenges the antimicrobial agents and antibacterial strategy. Here, we demonstrate a novel, simple, and highly efficient combination therapy strategy by direct combinations of cationic conjugated polymers (CCPs) with polypeptide antibiotics against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria based on a synergistic antibacterial effect. The combination therapy method enhances the antibacterial efficacy with a significantly reduced antibiotic dosage. Also, the highly efficient and synergistic killing of drug-resistant bacteria is realized. Using combinations of CCPs and antibiotics to show increased antibacterial activity, this strategy will provide a much wider scope of the discovery of efficient antibacterial systems than that of antibiotic-antibiotic combinations. The proposed combination therapy method provides a universal and powerful platform for the treatment of pathogens, in particular, the drug-resistant bacteria, and also opens a new way for the development of efficient antibacterial systems.

Institutional experience using interstitial brachytherapy for the treatment of primary and recurrent pelvic malignancies.

PURPOSE: The study assessed the outcomes of patients at a single institution with locally advanced primary and recurrent pelvic malignancies treated with interstitial high-dose-rate (HDR) or low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy (BT), using a modified Syed-Neblett template. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 1996 and 2010, 60 patients with primary or recurrent pelvic malignancies were treated with interstitial BT. Thirty three patients had primary malignancies with 6.1% being stage I, 33.3% stage II, 45.5% stage III, and 15.2% stage IV; the remaining 27 patients were recurrent malignancies. Fifty four patients received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) as part of their treatment course. The median EBRT, BT, and EBRT + BT doses were 45 Gy, 20 Gy, and 65 Gy, respectively. Thirty eight patients received concurrent chemotherapy with EBRT. Complete response (CR) was defined by absence of clinical and radiographic disease on first follow-up. Toxicity was graded as per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 37 months (4-234 months) and initial CR was achieved in 91%. For primary cancers at diagnosis, 5-year local control (LC), 5-year progression-free survival (PFS), 5-year overall survival (OS) were 65%, 64%, and 42% respectively. For recurrent cancers at diagnosis, 5-year LC, 5-year PFS, and 5-year OS were 80%, 51%, and 37%, respectively. There was a significant difference in both OS and PFS among different tumor sites (p < 0.05), with vaginal cancers having the best 5-year OS (55%) and PFS (84%). There was a total of 1 acute toxicity ≥ grade 3, 6 late grade 3 toxicities, and late grade 4 toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Our series suggests that interstitial BT using a modified Syed-Neblett template is a safe and effective treatment for primary or recurrent pelvic malignancies. This technique allowed effective LC and 97% of patients had preservation of both bladder and rectal function.

An ultrasensitive detection of 17ß-estradiol using a gold nanoparticle-based fluorescence immunoassay.

A novel ultrasensitive amplification immunoassay for the determination of 17ß-estradiol (E2) is reported based on the nanoparticle signal amplification platform. It involves two types of particles: magnetic microparticles (MMPs) functionalized with an anti-E2 antibody produced in rabbit as a capture probe; double-codified gold nanoparticles (DC-AuNPs) modified with both goat anti-rabbit antibody and SH-dsDNA-biotin as a signal amplifier; and avidin-FITC was added to link to the SH-dsDNA-biotin as a tracer. The competitive reaction of the anti-E2 antibody immobilized on magnetic microparticles with estradiol in the sample solution and with the goat anti-rabbit antibody on double-codified gold nanoparticles results in a complex involving the DC-AuNPs and MMPs. Under optimized conditions, the linear range of E2 is from 1.0 × 10(-5) to 1.0 ng mL(-1), and the detection limit of the assay could reach up to 6.37 × 10(-6) ng mL(-1). It was applied to determine E2 in human urine, with mean percent recoveries in the range of 96.5%-107.4%, and relative standard deviations were below 8.1%.

Determination of diethylstilbestrol based on biotin-streptavidin-amplified time-resolved fluoro-immunoassay.

A rapid and sensitive time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) based on the biotin-streptavidin amplification system was developed for the determination of diethylstilbestrol (DES). Europium-labelled streptavidin derivatives combined with europium and anhydride of diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid were used to label streptavidin; biotin was coupled with goat anti-rabbit IgG to form a biotin-goat anti-rabbit IgG bridge between streptavidin-europium and the anti-DES antibody in the immunoassay. The DES assay was carried out by measuring the fluorescence of Eu(3+) -SA at 615 nm. The presented method produced a wide linear range, 0.001-1000.0 ng/mL, and a detection limit up to 0.81 pg/mL for DES. The method was applied to determine DES in serum samples, with recoveries of 97.4-107.8% and RSD 1.32-4.04%. The assay results by the present method showed that biotin-streptavidin amplified TR-FIA for DES detection; it may offer high sensitivity and promising alternative special methods in biological samples.

Determination of 17beta-oestradiol by fluorescence immunoassay with streptavidin-conjugated quantum dots as label.

A sensitive and selective method for the determination of 17beta-oestradiol by fluorescence immunoassay (FIA) was established on the basis of quantum dots (QDs) as label. The complex of biotin-labelled anti-rabbit IgG and strepavidin conjugated by quantum dots (QD-SA) was regarded as a probe in this system and the strepavidin-biotin system as signal amplification system. After optimising the conditions of the immunoreaction, such as the concentration of the reagent and the pH of the buffer solution, the linear range and the limit of detection of 17beta-oestradiol were 0.01-10,000ngml(-1) and 0.00542ngml(-1), respectively. This method was applied to determine oestradiol in water samples, with the percent recoveries in the range of 86-113%.

1,5-Bis-[1-(2-hy-droxy-phen-yl)ethyl-idene]carbonohydrazide dimethyl-formamide monosolvate.

In the title compound, C(17)H(18)N(4)O(3)·C(3)H(7)NO, the main disubstituted urea and solvate mol-ecules are linked by pairs of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. In the main mol-ecules, the benzene rings form a dihedral angle of 15.59 (13)° a;nd two intra-molecular O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds influence the mol-ecular conformation. In the crystal structure, weak inter-molecular C-H⋯O inter-actions link the hydrogen-bonded pairs into chains along the b axis. The chains associate via C-H⋯π inter-actions.

1-[1-(4-Chloro-phen-yl)ethyl-idene]carbono-hydrazide.

The mol-ecular skeleton of the title mol-ecule, C(9)H(11)ClN(4)O, is essentially planar, the dihedral angle between the ring and the and N/N/C plane being 6.7 (3)°. In the crystal, inter-molecular N-H⋯O and N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the mol-ecules into ribbons propagated along [010].

Flow injection chemiluminescence immunoassay for 17beta-estradiol using an immunoaffinity column.

A new flow injection chemiluminescent immunoassay was developed for the detection of 17beta-estradiol (E2). The method uses p-iodophenol (PIP) as enhancer and is based on a solid-phase immunoassay format in which an E(2)-OVA immobilized immunoaffinity column inserted in the flow system is used to trap unbound horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled anti-E2 antibody after an off-line incubation of E2 with HRP-labeled anti-E2 antibody. The trapped enzyme conjugate was detected by injecting substrates to produce an enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) response. The linear range for E2 was 10.0-1,000.0 ng mL(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.996 and a detection limit of 3.0 ng mL(-1). The sampling and chemiluminescence detection time for one sample was 400 s after a pre-incubation procedure of 30 min. Serum samples detected by this method were in good agreement with the results obtained by EIA with E2-biotin.