Case report: Successful treatment of acute generalized pustular psoriasis with multiple comorbidities with oral tacrolimus.

Acute generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a serious illness. Despite various treatment methods, there is still lack of effective treatment plans for refractory cases with multiple comorbidities. This case report presents a 67-year-old woman with acute GPP, stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD), type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, in whom skin symptom disappearance and kidney function improvement were observed after the use of oral tacrolimus as the sole therapy. This is the first report on the application of tacrolimus in the treatment of acute GPP, especially refractory acute GPP. The successful treatment indicates that there are shared immune pathways between acute GPP and CKD, and the pathways can be interdicted by tacrolimus. Further studies are needed to optimize the therapy to maximize efficacy and minimize toxicity.

Trends in photodynamic therapy for dermatology in recent 20 years: A scientometric review based on CiteSpace.

OBJECTIVE: Analyze the research state and development trend of photodynamic therapy for dermatology using visual knowledge graphs derived from the Web of Science Core Collection database. METHODS: The Web of Science Core Collection database was utilized as the search data source for the bibliometric analysis, and the associated articles published between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2022, were obtained using the search terms "photodynamic therapy" and "dermatology". CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and additional tools were utilized for bibliometric analysis, and visual knowledge graphs were created. RESULTS: Eight hundred and thirty two articles were retrieved in total, and 747 were included following de-duplication and transformation. The country with the greatest number of publications is the United States; the primary research institution was University of Copenhagen; and the references with the highest centrality were primarily concerned with the selection of photosensitizers; High frequency keywords primarily comprised 5 aminolevulinic acid and basal cell carcinoma; and the clustering graph revealed that all keywords fell into 11 categories. CONCLUSION: In numerous areas of dermatology, photodynamic treatment is commonly employed. Current research focuses on nonneoplastic skin diseases and the choice of photosensitizers. Nonetheless, its specific mechanism and other applications merit further investigation.

Fire needle combined with photodynamic therapy for cutaneous infectious granulomatosis caused by mycobacterium chelonae: A case report.

Mycobacterium chelonae is a non-tuberculous mycobacteria, which can cause skin infectious granuloma through cosmetic injection. This disease's treatment requires a combination of sensitive antibiotics and a lengthy treatment cycle. Photodynamic therapy is still effective for patients who are unwilling to take antibiotics orally. In this case, we successfully used fire needle combined with photodynamic therapy to treat skin infectious granulomatosis caused by Mycobacterium chelonei, and achieved satisfactory results. We used fire needle to pretreat cysts and nodules, which improved the diffusion and absorption of locally applied photosensitizers and enhanced the efficacy of photodynamic therapy. However, additional clinical research is necessary to determine the efficacy and safety of fire needle combined with photodynamic therapy for cutaneous infectious granulomatosis.

Compound glycyrrhizin tablets combined with the 308 nm excimer laser in the treatment of vitiligo: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although the 308 nm excimer laser is commonly used to cure vitiligo, its clinical efficacy is limited. Experts have found that the efficacy of compound glycyrrhizin tablets combined with the 308 nm excimer laser in the treatment of vitiligo is significantly enhanced, but the specific research methods and clinical data must be clarified. OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical efficacy of compound glycyrrhizin tablets combined with the 308 nm excimer laser in the treatment of vitiligo. METHODS: Until August 2022, studies were searched in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and the Wan Fang Database. We also searched for clinical RCTs involving compound glycyrrhizin tablets combined with the 308 nm excimer laser for the treatment of vitiligo. The meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook's recommendations. Two reviewers regulated the study selection, data extraction, and assessment of bias risk, and consulted a third reviewer as necessary. For the meta-analysis, Review Manager 5.4 was utilized. RESULTS: Finally, 9 articles and 1052 patients were included. A systematic review compared the efficacy of compound glycyrrhizin tablets combined with the 308 nm excimer laser to that of the 308 nm excimer laser alone: OR = 3.33, p < 0.00001, 95% confidence interval [2.25, 4.92]. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of vitiligo, compound glycyrrhizin tablets combined with the 308 nm excimer laser are more effective than the 308 nm excimer laser alone, and there are no serious adverse reactions. It is a safe and efficient way of treatment.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials of fire needle combined with ALA-PDT for the treatment of moderate-to- severe acne.

BACKGROUND: Moderate-to-severe acne affects people's health and quality of life. As first-line therapeutic medications, isotretinoin and antibiotics are used to treat moderate-to-severe acne, but outcomes can be improved. The combination of fire needle and ALA-PDT may be one option. This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness in the treatment of moderate-to-severe acne by the combination with fire needle and ALA-PDT. METHODS: By July 2022, search PubMed, the Chinese Biomedical Literature dababase, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Web of Science Datebase, Embase Datebase,VIP Database and WanFang Database. To gather RCTs of the combination of fire needle and ALA-PDT for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acne. A meta-analysis was performed according to the Handbook guidelines of Cochrane. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias evaluation were all governed by two reviewers, with the help of a third reviewer if necessary. The meta-analysis was carried out with Review Manager Software 5.4. RESULTS: There were a total of 9 RCTs with 862 participants. Clinical efficacy was recorded in nine trials, GAGS score was published in three studies, adverse events were documented in five studies, and the recurrence rate was reported in two studies. Treatment lasted between four and twelve weeks. Combination therapy outperformed monotherapy in terms of clinical efficacy (OR:3.73; 95% CI:2.51, 5.53; p < 0.00001). Additional subgroup analysis revealed that the combination therapy outperformed ALA-PDT alone in terms of clinical effect (OR: 3.20; 95% CI: 2.05, 4.99; p < 0.00001). Additionally, combination therapy outperformed fire needle alone in terms of clinical efficacy (OR:5.66; 95% CI: 2.66, 12.08; p < 0.00001). Studies have also indicated that combination therapy has a stronger benefit in lowering the GAGS score (MD:-3.35; 95% CI:-4.62, -2.09; p < 0.00001). Additionally, there was no discernible difference in the occurrence of adverse events between the combined treatments and monotherapy (OR:1.43; 95% CI: 0.76, 2.69; p = 0.26), and the combined treatment was able to control the recurrence rate (OR:0.18; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.45; P = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of fire needle combined with ALA-PDT in the treatment of moderate-to-severe acne appears superior to that of ALA-PDT or fire needle alone. However, the conclusions of this study must be interpreted carefully due to the high risk and ambiguity of bias of the included trials.

Tanshinone Capsules Combined With Prednisone for Facial Seborrheic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Background: Facial seborrheic dermatitis (FSD), also called facial seborrheic eczema, is a common disease affecting both male and female patients worldwide. Tanshinone is the main bioactive component extracted from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which is widely used in treating skin inflammatory diseases. It is necessary to evaluate the clinical evidence for tanshinone capsule treatment of FSD. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of tanshinone capsules combined with prednisone in the treatment of facial seborrheic dermatitis and to provide evidence for clinical practice. Methods: Studies were searched in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and WanFang Database before October 2021. We also searched for randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT) of tanshinone capsules combined with prednisone on facial seborrheic dermatitis. The meta-analysis was conducted according to the guidelines of the Cochrane Handbook. Two reviewers regulated the research selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment, respectively, and a third reviewer was used for consulting when necessary. Review Manager Software 5.3 was used for meta-analysis. Results: A total of 10 RCTs with 916 participants were included. Nine studies reported total effectiveness, five studies reported symptom score, seven studies reported adverse events, and four studies reported recurrence rate. The duration of treatment was 4 to 8 weeks. Combination therapy showed better clinical effects compared to the prednisone (OR: 5.82; 95% CI: 3.53, 9.59; p < 0.00001). Combination therapy could repair skin lesions (MD: -0.40; 95% CI: -0.51, -0.30; p < 0.00001), reduce skin erythema (MD: -0.58, 95% CI: -0.67, -0.49; p < 0.00001), relieve skin itch (MD: -0.70; 95% CI -0.77, -0.63; p < 0.00001), and desquamation score (MD: -0.64; 95% CI: -0.71, -0.56; p < 0.00001). Furthermore, combination therapy could reduce adverse events (OR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.26, 0.84; p = 0.01) and control recurrence rate (OR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.36; p < 0.00001). Conclusions: Compared with prednisone, tanshinone capsules combined with prednisone may be effective in the treatment of facial seborrheic dermatitis. However, due to the high risk and ambiguity of bias in the included trials, the conclusion of this study must be interpreted carefully.

Preemptive analgesia using selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors alleviates postoperative pain in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: A protocol for PRISMA guided meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The postoperative pain associated with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is severe for most patients. The analgesic efficacy and safety of preoperative use of selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors for patients undergoing TKA are unclear. OBJECTIVES: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether the use of selective COX-2 inhibitors before TKA decreases the postoperative pain intensity. METHODS: Data sources: The PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials databases from inception to January 2020. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which the intervention treatment was preoperative selective COX-2 vs placebo in patients undergoing TKA and that had at least one of the quantitative outcomes mentioned in the following section of this paper were included. Letters, review articles, case reports, editorials, animal experimental studies, and retrospective studies were excluded. INTERVENTIONS: All RCTs in which the intervention treatment was preoperative selective COX-2 vs placebo in patients undergoing TKA. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: The quality of the RCTs was quantified using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale. RevMan 5.3 software was used for the meta-analysis. RESULTS: Six RCTs that had enrolled a total of 574 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The visual analog scale pain score at rest was significantly different between the experimental group and control group at 24 hours (P < .05) and 72 hours (P < .05) postoperatively. The experimental group exhibited a significant visual analog scale pain score during flexion at 24 hours postoperatively (P < .05), and it was not different at 72 hours postoperatively (P = .08). There was a significant difference in opioid consumption (P < .05), but there was no difference in the operation time (P = .24) or postoperative nausea/vomiting (P = .64) between the groups. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of preoperative administration of selective COX-2 inhibitors to reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption after TKA is validated. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202090101.

Enzymatic hydroxylation of L-pipecolic acid by L-proline cis-4-hydroxylases and isomers separation.

OBJECTIVES: Establish a complete and efficient method for the preparation of cis-5-hydroxy-L-pipecolic acids (cis-5HPA), including biotransformation and isomers separation and purification. RESULTS: For non-heme Fe(II)/α-KG-dependent dioxygenases, α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) has great influence on the stability of Fe(II) ions, which is also the basic of the hydroxylation reaction to the substrate. L-pipecolic acids (L-Pip) was converted to cis-5HPA by whole-cell catalysis in water, which can reduce the loss of Fe(II) ions. 120 mM L-Pip can be transformed to 93% via cell and Fe(II) ions continuous supplementation under the reaction system optimization (the molar ratio of ascorbic acid/FeSO4·7H2O and α-KG/L-Pip were 8:1 and 1:1, respectively). After the catalytic reaction, the amino protection strategy was adopted to improve the resolution of isomer products on silica gel chromatography, and the amino protected cis-5HPA was obtained with a yield of 86.7%. CONCLUSIONS: We established a method which is promising to be used for cis-5HPA largescale preparation. It also provides a suitable reference for this type of enzyme-catalyzed reaction and the hydroxy pipecolic acid isomers separation.

Compression of Myofascial Trigger Points With a Foam Roller or Ball for Exercise-induced Anterior Knee Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of compression of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) with a foam roller or ball, combined with static stretching of knee muscles, on exercise-induced, anterior knee pain in fitness runners. DESIGN: The research team designed a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: The study took place in the Department of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center of the School of Kinesiology at Shanghai University of Sport in Shanghai, China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 80 participants, 28 males and 52 females with an average age of 37.2 ± 2.9 years, were recruited at the center. INTERVENTION: The participants were randomly assigned to one of 4 groups, with 20 participants in each group: (1) the MG+SG group, which received compression with a foam roller or ball (MG) and static stretching (SG); (2) the MG group, which received compression only; (3) the SG group static, which received static stretching only; or (4) the control group (CG), which attended a 30-min class about nutrition or exercise once a month and received no intervention. For the MG intervention, participants' MTrPs were compressed with a foam roller or ball for 30 minutes once every 5 days for 2 months. After each compression, the MG+SG group received static stretching immediately. OUTCOME MEASURES: A visual analog scale (VAS) and a participant's range of motion (ROM) of the knee were assessed at baseline, after 4 weeks of the intervention, immediately postintervention, and at a follow-up at 8 weeks postintervention. The effectiveness of the treatment in the different groups was also compared. RESULTS: Immediately postintervention, 18 participants (90%) in MG+SG group, 12 (60%) in MG group, and 8 (40%) in the SG group were pain free. Compared with those at baseline, the VAS scores of the MG+SG group significantly improved between baseline and postintervention and were unchanged at the eight-week follow-up. In all groups, the VAS scores and ROMs of the knee increased, but only the MG+SG group's values increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Compression of MTrPs with a foam roller or ball, combined with static stretching, was more effective than either the compression only or static stretching only.

[Three-pairs/six-lines of labial frenulums and thumb and forefinger's deformity: a case report].

A case of 13-year-old female with three-pairs/six-lines of labial frenulums and thumb and forefinger's deformity was reported. The frenulums of inferior lip were bigger than frenulum of superior lip. There was no family history and her mother didn't ill with infectious disease and injury in gestation.

Image transfer in arrays of glass spheres.

Image transfer in linear and curvilinear arrays of glass spheres was studied experimentally and discussed analytically. Glass spheres of 5 and 1 mmphi were used. The image pattern was successfully transferred through the sphere array but was highly deformed because of aberrations of the spheres' lenses. However, we suppressed the aberrations significantly by filling the spaces between the spheres with dielectric liquid and covering both ends of the tube that contained the sphere arrays with flat plates.

Characterization of a mixed sphere and film waveguide at the 1-microm scale by 0.67-microm laser light propagation.

A mixed sphere array and film (MSF) waveguide [a mixed system with a polystyrene microsphere array and a poly(methyl methacrytate) thin film waveguide] was fabricated and characterized at a wavelength of 0.67 microm. The attenuation coefficients of the isolated linear thin-film waveguide and the isolated linear microsphere array were measured to be 0.54 dB/microm and 0.98 dB/sphere, respectively. In the MSF waveguide the attenuation coefficients of the thin-film waveguide and the polystyrene microsphere array were 0.61 dB/microm and 1.17 dB/sphere, respectively. A curvilinear MSF waveguide was also fabricated and characterized. Evanescent wave interaction between the thin-film waveguide and the microsphere array was expected.