Evaluation of nail surface topography using a three-dimensional in vivo optical skin imaging system.

BACKGROUND: The analysis of nail surface topography is a subject of ever-increasing interest in dermatology, especially in cosmetic studies. However, there is no accurate and scientifically sound instrumental method that can identify and provide quantitative data on nail surface topography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The right index fingers of 78 healthy individuals were examined. The severity of nail roughness was rated by two independent dermatologists on a scale of 1 to 3. Using the phaseshift rapid in vivo measurement of the skin (PRIMOS) system, three-dimensional microtopography was performed, and the roughness parameter values were calculated and evaluated. The relationship between clinical nail roughness grade and nail roughness parameter values obtained utilizing PRIMOS was evaluated. RESULTS: A moderate correlation was found between the roughness parameter values and the clinical roughness grade. Our study showed that an overall relationship exists between the nail roughness parameter values obtained using PRIMOS and clinically observed nail surface changes. CONCLUSION: With further studies, PRIMOS could be a valuable tool for clinicians and researchers for conducting an accurate and objective patient assessment in daily practice and demonstrating effectiveness of different therapies for nail dystrophy or evaluating cosmetic effects of various topical treatments in future clinical trials.

Depressed scar after filler injection successfully treated with pneumatic needleless injector and radiofrequency device.

Fillers are known to be associated with a number of side effects, one of the most severe being skin necrosis. The most vulnerable areas are those that are supplied by a single arterial branch; for example, the glabellar and nasolabial folds are susceptible. In this study, we report good cosmetic outcomes were produced by utilizing the pneumatic needleless injector and radiofrequency device to treat depressed scars that occurred after necrosis following filler injection. Initially, applying light-emitting diode treatment and following through with the two devices appears to have synergistic effects for scar remodeling when dealing with treatment of depressed scars with irregular borders.

Significance of osteoporosis in facial bone density using computed tomography.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to compare the variations of bone density in the midfacial bones as measured by computed tomography (CT) scans between the osteoporosis and control groups and to evaluate the regions that facial trauma and iatrogenic problem often occur in the midface. METHODS: The 96 patients who underwent both osteomeatal unit CT scans and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at our hospital were included in this study retrospectively. Seven skeletal regions were chosen for evaluation: group A (orbital floor, nasal bone), group B (zygomaticomaxillary suture, zygomatic arch, zygomaticofrontal suture), and group C (anterior wall of the maxillary sinus, maxillary process). Forty-seven patients were in the osteoporosis group, and 49 patients were in the control group. On a PACS (picture archiving communication system), the region of interest was analyzed, and the Hounsfield units were measured. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the mean bone density of the midfacial bones between the osteoporosis group and the control group (P < 0.01). For both groups, each of comparison of the 7 skeletal regions was greater as group A < group B < group C in this order (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We can see the independent effects of osteoporosis on the midfacial bones using CT scans. Estimated Hounsfield unit through CT scan is able to explain osteoporosis, which may be useful in the clinical fields in the future.

Serum hepatocyte growth factor as a marker of tumor activity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has previously been reported to be elevated in the serum of patients with malignancy, including breast, colorectal and gastric cancers. Here, we evaluated the correlation between serum HGF and the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The mean serum HGF levels in 71 healthy control subjects, 78 patients with primary HNSCC, and eight patients with recurrent HNSCC were 0.538+/-0.163, 0.701+/-0.252, and 0.925+/-0.349ng/ml, respectively. The increase in the HGF level was significantly correlated with tumor stage progression. The HGF level had decreased to normal at 1 month after curative resection of the tumors. During follow-up for several months, the HGF level significantly increased in recurrent HNSCC patients, whereas there was no increase in nonrecurrent patients. Our data suggest that serum HGF is significantly corrected with tumor progression and may be a strong predictor of recurrence in HNSCC.

Expression of hepatocyte growth factor and c-Met in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) may play an important role in the progression of hypopharyngeal cancer. OBJECTIVE: HGF, a potent stimulator of hepatocyte growth, stimulates the motility, invasiveness, proliferation and morphogenesis of epithelium and may be involved in physiologic and pathologic processes such as embryogenesis, wound healing, organ regeneration, inflammation and tumor invasion. We therefore examined the role of HGF and c-Met in the invasion and metastasis of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical staining of 40 specimens each of normal mucosa and SCC of the hypopharynx with HGF and c-Met antibodies. For reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting, fresh normal and cancer tissue from the hypopharynx obtained from five patients were used. RESULTS: Positive rates of HGF and c-Met expression in hypopharyngeal SCC were 77.5% and 70%, respectively. HGF staining was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and pathologic stage (p < 0.05). c-Met staining was only significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05). Increased expression of c-Met mRNA (RT-PCR) and protein (Western blotting) was detected in hypopharyngeal cancer tissue.

The potential mechanism of the detrimental effect of defibrillation prior to cardiopulmonary resuscitation in prolonged cardiac arrest model.

Defibrillation is no longer universally recommended as initial intervention for the reversal of ventricular fibrillation (VF) after a prolonged and untreated cardiac arrest. We sought to examine this issue in an animal model where a prolonged untreated VF was induced. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential mechanism of the detrimental effect of defibrillation prior to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in prolonged cardiac arrest model. VF was electrically induced in 32 domestic male swine weighing 40±3 kg and remained untreated for 15 minutes. The animals were then randomly allocated to either the initial defibrillation group or the chest compression group. Mean aortic pressure, right atrial pressure and coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) were continuously measured during the performance. The dimensions of the left ventricle (LV) were assessed by echocardiographic methods. The CPP induced by CPR after defibrillation was significantly lower in the initial defibrillation group than in the chest compression group; 1 minute after defibrillation (9±3 mmHg vs. 14.8±7 mmHg (P<0.05)), and after 5 minutes 16±5 mmHg vs. 21.7±1 mmHg (P<0.05). The LV volumes were reduced from 18±2 mmHg to 14±1 mmHg after defibrillation (P<0.05). In brief, this study showed that the conducting defibrillation prior to chest compression may cause a contracture of the LV, resulting in lowering CPP, thus dropping the efficiency of chest compression in a prolonged cardiac arrest model.

A posterior petrous meningioma with recurrent vertigo.

Meningioma's account for around 15% of all primary brain tumors with some 10% of meningiomas arising in the posterior fossa. In rare cases, a meningioma can form around the endolymphatic sac. When formed in the posterior fossa, meningioma tumors can produce vague, non-specific vertiginous symptoms. Research has observed that a subset of these lesions could produce symptoms indistinguishable from those of Meniere's disease. Therefore, we described the clinical features of a case of posterior petrous meningioma with recurrent vertigo as well as the substantial resolution of symptoms after tumor removal via transmastoid approach.

A novel transdermal patch incorporating meloxicam: in vitro and in vivo characterization.

A monolithic drug-in-adhesive (MDIA) type patch containing meloxicam (MX) was designed with an acrylic adhesive, a solubility modulator increasing MX solubility, and enhancers. MDIA patches having one adhesive layer between the backing and the release liner give high productivity and improve patient compliance. The biggest problem to prepare MDIA patch including MX was poor solubility of MX. In this research, solubility modulators to increase solubility of MX and acrylic adhesives and skin permeation enhancers were investigated through solubility tests, in vitro skin permeation tests, and stability tests. Consequently, the composition of sodium methoxide (SM), an acrylic adhesive containing poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blocks (MAS683), polyoxyethylene cetylether (BC-2), and diisopropanolamine (DIPA) made it possible for MX to be contained in an adhesive layer at a concentration of as much as 15 wt% without MX crystal and with high skin permeation over 400 microG/cm(2). Finally, the patch formulation containing MX (MX-patch) selected through our in vitro study was characterized by in vivo using an animal study to acquire pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters and to confirm the anti-inflammatory efficacy of MX-patch. In the animal study, MX-patch was compared with a commercially available piroxicam patch (PX-patch). The amount of MX delivered from MX-patch to the skin surface was believed to be higher than the amount of MX diffused from the skin tissue to circulatory system because the plasma concentration of MX continuously increased up to 32 h, the end time of PK study, although the patch samples were detached at 24 h. PX-patch produced a C(max) at 8 h. MX-patch showed better significant efficacy than PX-patch in adjuvant arthritis model.

Development of water-insoluble chitosan patch scaffold to repair traumatic tympanic membrane perforations.

Perforated tympanic membranes (TM) and otitis media can be managed with a paper patch or tympanoplasty. However, a paper patch is not biocompatible and tympanoplasty requires complex aseptic surgical procedures. A novel biocompatible patch with a water-insoluble chitosan as the main component was prepared. Optimal mechanical characteristics of a water-insoluble chitosan patch scaffold (CPS) was approximately 40 microm in thickness, 7 MPa in tensile strength, and 107% in percent elongation, even though the characteristics varied significantly depending on the concentrations of chitosan and glycerol. SEM of the CPSs showed a very smooth surface as compared with that of the paper patches. These CPSs showed no cytotoxicity and had a stimulating effect on the proliferation of TM cells in in vitro study. In in vivo study, 4 (21.1%) and 17 (89.5%) TMs out of 19 adult rats with CPSs showed no perforations at 1 and 2 weeks, respectively. However, left control TMs showed healing of 0 (0%) at 1 week and 18 (94.7%) at 2 weeks. TEM findings of regenerated eardrums using CPSs showed thinner, smoother, and more compact tissues than spontaneously healed eardrums. A CPS was more effective than spontaneous healing to repair traumatic TM perforations.