Benign Cutaneous Disease Among Polish Renal Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Organ transplant recipients are an at-risk group for skin cancers and benign cutaneous diseases. Immunosuppression type, dosage, and treatment length dictates the frequency of benign lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred twenty-three consecutive adult renal transplant recipients (RTRs) were enrolled and screened for benign skin lesions. During examination, swabs, skin scrapings, and nail clippings were collected from any suspected areas infection and any cutaneous lesions marked for quality and quantity on a special questionnaire. The aim was to examine the prevalence of benign cutaneous disease and risk factors. RESULTS: Fungal infections were the most common infections found (60%), most commonly in the oral cavity (40.8%). Viral warts occurred in 18.4%, being significantly more common in those transplanted over 5 years (P = .002). Hypertrichosis was the most common pilosebaceous disorder found (P ≤ .001). Other iatrogenic cutaneous effects included purpura (50.2%), xerosis (41.2%), and gingival hyperplasia (28.2%), the latter strongly associated with cyclosporine (P = .0005). Seborrhoeic warts (23.8%) were most common in patients older than 50 years (P < .001). One-third of subjects had skin tags (31%). DISCUSSION: This is the largest study of the prevalence and type of non-malignant cutaneous diseases in Polish RTRs. We see increasing numbers of patients with long-term side effects from immunosuppressive therapy, and treatment, gender, age, and time since transplantation should be considered with new skin lesions in everyday practice with RTRs. CONCLUSIONS: The study group had a high prevalence of benign cutaneous diseases and these should not be overlooked as they can cause aesthetic problems and reduced quality of life.

Effect of Octenisept antiseptic on bioburden of neoplastic ulcers in patients with advanced cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of octenidine dihydrochloride (Octenisept, Schülke & Mayr) on the clinical condition and bacterial flora in neoplastic ulcers. METHOD: Twenty-one patients with advanced cancer and neoplastic ulcers were included in the study. Octenisept-moistened gauze dressings were applied to the ulcers three times daily. The clinical and bacteriological status of the wounds were assessed at baseline and after three weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Thirty-three bacterial strains were cultured at baseline. After three weeks of treatment, the tests were repeated on 16 patients. Clinical observations confirmed an improvement in the clinical condition of the ulcers, characterised by a reduction in necrosis, exudate levels, erythema and oedema. According to the bacteriological assessment, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Proteus mirabilis were eradicated from the wounds. Enterococcus faecalis persisted in two patients, Escherichia coli in one patient and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in another patient. CONCLUSION: Octenispet was an effective antimicrobial: Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis were eradicated in all ulcers. After three weeks of treatment, none of the ulcers developed an infection and there was an improvement in their clinical condition.

Hydrogen-induced defects in austenite and ferrite of a duplex steel.

The influence of hydrogen on the microstructure of two types of austeno-ferritic duplex stainless steel (Cr26-Ni6 model steel and Cr22-Ni5-Mo3 commercial steel), each of them after two thermo-mechanical treatments, was investigated. The aim of this study was to reveal microstructural changes appearing during the hydrogen charging and particularly to clarify the occurrence of phase transformations induced by hydrogen. The specific microstructural changes in the ferrite (alpha) and austenite (gamma) of both types of steel were observed. A strong increase of dislocation density was noticed in the alpha phase. In the case of model steel, longer hydrogen charging times led to significant ferrite grain refinement. In the commercial steel, the strips and twin plates appeared in the ferrite after hydrogenation. The appearance of stacking faults was revealed in the gamma phase. The martensite laths appeared in austenite after longer hydrogenation times. It seems that the microstructural changes gave rise to the formation of microcracks in the alpha and gamma phases as well as on the alpha/gamma interphase boundaries.

Kinetic and molecular properties of Bacillus subtilis IBTC-3 subtilisin.

Bacillus subtilis IBTC-3 subtilisin was purified by gel filtration on Sephadex G 75 and affinity chromatography on bacitracin-CNBr-Sepharose 4B and characterized. Its molecular mass of 27 kDa was determined by SDS-PAGE, and isoelectric pH of 8.4 by chromatofocusing. FT-Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy studies revealed fragments with alpha-helix and irregular secondary structures within the polypeptide chain. The beta-sheet conformation was observed only in second-derivatives of FT-RS and FT-IR spectra, in the range of the amide II, III, and I bands. Tyr residues were shown to be hydrogen bonded and CSCH(3) groups adopted two conformations (P(H)-T and P(C)-G conformers). Kinetic properties of B. subtilis IBTC-3 subtilisin in hydrolysis of ethyl esters of amino acid derivatives were compared with that of alkaline peptidase from Bacillus alcalophilus PB92. The first enzyme displayed the highest affinity for NAc-Phe-OEt, both in hydrolysis (K(m) of 0.22 mM) and in synthesis (K(m) of 0.85 mM), whereas PB92 peptidase preferred Tyr derivatives (NAc-Tyr-OEt, K(m) of 0.043 and 0.75 mM, respectively). In contrast to the latter enzyme, B. subtilis IBTC-3 subtilisin catalyzed hydrolysis and synthesis of Bz-Arg-OEt.