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Subclinical mastitis can be common among freshly calved heifers (FCH), but the prevalence differs between herds, possibly due to variation in risk factors. The aims of this observational study were to identify differences in occurrence of intramammary infection (IMI) in FCH between herds with documented good or poorer first-parity udder health based on cow somatic cell count (CSCC) in early lactation, and to study herd differences in animal factors important for udder health, such as udder and hock skin lesions and animal cleanliness. Three groups of herds were included: those with high proportions of FCH with low CSCC (≤75,000 cells/mL) at the first 2 milk recordings after calving (LL), herds with high proportions of FCH with high CSCC (>100,000 cells/mL) at the first and low CSCC at the second recording (HL), and herds with high proportions of FCH with high CSCC at both recordings (HH). Thirty-nine herds (13 LL, 11 HL, 15 HH) were visited 3 times during a 12-mo period for observation of cleanliness and hock lesions, and sampling of udder and teat skin using swab cloths of milk-fed calves, early-pregnant heifers, and late-pregnant heifers. In 25 (9 LL, 9 HL, 7 HH) udder quarter samples from colostrum and milk on d 3 to 4 after calving were taken by the farmers from FCH during one year. The farmers also provided information on calving (individual or group), use of restraint and oxytocin at milking, and presence of teat and udder skin lesions. Bacterial growth in swab samples and quarter samples was investigated by culturing, and a selection of isolates was genotyped using whole-genome sequencing. Cleanliness, hock and udder skin lesions other than udder-thigh dermatitis, and growth of bacteria in swab samples did not differ between herd groups. It was more common that FCH from LL herds, compared with FCH in HH and HL herds, calved in a group of animals. Use of restraint at milking was more common in LL herds than in HH herds, whereas presence of udder-thigh dermatitis was lowest in LL herds. Specific infection was found in 14% of 5,593 quarter samples from 722 FCH. The most common IMI was Staphylococcus chromogenes. Growth of Staphylococcus simulans was more common in HH than in LL and HL herds. In colostrum samples, Staphylococcus haemolyticus was more common in HL and HH than in LL herds. The proportion of quarters with the same specific infection at both samplings was higher in HH than in LL herds and tended to be higher in HH than in HL herds. The proportion of quarters with Staph. chromogenes IMI at both samplings tended to differ between herd groups and was highest in HH herds. Whole-genome sequencing found the same sequence type of Staph. chromogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in both samples in almost all quarters with the same infection at both samplings. The differences in IMI between herd groups were in line with the higher somatic cell count in HH herds. The reasons for the predominance of Staph. chromogenes IMI in FCH need further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 2022 mpox (monkeypox) outbreak, 79,000 global cases have been reported. Yet, limited dermatologic data have been published regarding lesion morphology and progression. The objective of this study was to characterize skin lesion morphology, symptomatology, and outcomes of mpox infection over time. The American Academy of Dermatology/International League of Dermatological Societies Dermatology COVID-19, Mpox, and Emerging Infections Registry captured deidentified patient cases of mpox entered by health care professionals. From August 4 to November 13, 2022, 101 cases from 13 countries were entered, primarily by dermatologists (92%). Thirty-nine percent had fewer than 5 lesions. In 54% of cases, skin lesions were the first sign of infection. In the first 1-5 days of infection, papules (36%), vesicles (17%), and pustules (20%) predominated. By days 6-10, pustules (36%) were most common, followed by erosions/ulcers (27%) and crusts/scabs (24%). Crusts/scabs were the predominant morphology after day 11. Ten cases of morbilliform rash were reported. Scarring occurred in 13% of the cases. Registry-reported data cannot address incidence. There is a potential reporting bias from the predilection to report cases with greater clinical severity. These findings highlight differences in skin findings compared to historical outbreaks, notably the presence of skin lesions prior to systemic symptoms and low overall lesion counts. Scarring emerged as a major possible sequela. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Vision Transformers (ViTs) have emerged as a breakthrough in computer vision and image analysis. Still, their exceptional performance depends on the availability of large amounts of annotated training data and the availability of considerable computational resources. This naturally raises the risk of overfitting and limited generalization capability in settings with limited training data. Aiming to cope with this issue, we propose the Level-Set Transformer (TransLevelSet), a hybrid methodology that encompasses an additional term in the loss function used in the ViT learning process, which has been originally defined in the context of Level-Set (LS) deformable models. This loss term avails the spatial information obtained by the level-set energy terms for image segmentation and mitigates the dependency of ViTs on the amount of available data. Moreover, this level-set loss promotes smooth and topologically consistent demarcation of structures, taking advantage of the capacity of ViTs to capture complex spatial relationships and contextual information. The main contributions of this work include: a) a pioneering approach to the integration of ViTs with level-sets; and, b) the application of the proposed methodology on two case studies related to cancer, namely the malignant melanoma, and colon cancer. We evaluate TransLevelSet on three different publicly available benchmark datasets for medical image segmentation, that include dermoscopic and histopathological images. The results of the experiments demonstrate consistent gains in terms of generalization capability introduced by the LS terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays and global environmental factors, the number of patients with skin lesions is increasing. If left untreated, skin lesions may lead to skin cancer. However, limited access to specialized medical care remains a challenge in certain regions. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an efficient, accurate, and accessible tool to identify suspicious lesions. Although there are many classification models for skin lesions, there is still room for improvement in terms of accuracy. To enhance the accuracy of skin lesion classification, a novel system named SILP is proposed in this study. There are two modules in SILP: the LPM and the SIM. Additionally, we have changed the activation function from GELU to SiLU to improve both training time and accuracy. SILP, along with several other models, has been tested on two public skin lesion datasets. The results demonstrate that our proposed system outperforms the state-of-the-art skin lesion classification model, not only in terms of accuracy but also in various other evaluation metrics. • Two techniques augment data, enhancing diversity, size, and balancing. • The SILP model excels by integrating LPM and SIM into the Swin Transformer block. • Switched Swin Transformer activation from GELU to SiLU for stability and speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The skin, one of the most crucial organs of the human body, serves as a barrier between the body and the external environment. Early detection of skin diseases is imperative to reduce mortality rates, as some untreated conditions may progress to skin cancer. Segmentation and classification of lesions represent pivotal and interrelated endeavors within the realm of skin disease diagnosis. For this purpose, this paper presents a comprehensive diagnostic framework for segmentation and classification of skin lesions, which integrates a Legendre multiwavelet transform-based fusion XNet (LW-XNet) with an improved soft attention dense connection convolutional network (ISA-DenseNet). LW-XNet combines the strengths of XNet in fusing different frequency components of images, along with the strong feature representation capability of LW bases with various regularities for overall contextual information and detailed information of dermoscopy images. Furthermore, its encoder devises a LWT channel concatenate (LCC) block to subdivide the image into eight wavelet coefficient feature images and perform concatenated processing on them, enabling it to better differentiate and comprehend the intricate features within dermoscopy images. Finally, ISA-DenseNet is utilized for multi-class classification of the segmented images. Experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed framework over existing segmentation and classification methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainty quantification is a pivotal field that contributes to realizing reliable and robust systems. It becomes instrumental in fortifying safe decisions by providing complementary information, particularly within high-risk applications. existing studies have explored various methods that often operate under specific assumptions or necessitate substantial modifications to the network architecture to effectively account for uncertainties. The objective of this paper is to study Conformal Prediction, an emerging distribution-free uncertainty quantification technique, and provide a comprehensive understanding of the advantages and limitations inherent in various methods within the medical imaging field. In this study, we developed Conformal Prediction, Monte Carlo Dropout, and Evidential Deep Learning approaches to assess uncertainty quantification in deep neural networks. The effectiveness of these methods is evaluated using three public medical imaging datasets focused on detecting pigmented skin lesions and blood cell types. The experimental results demonstrate a significant enhancement in uncertainty quantification with the utilization of the Conformal Prediction method, surpassing the performance of the other two methods. Furthermore, the results present insights into the effectiveness of each uncertainty method in handling Out-of-Distribution samples from domain-shifted datasets. Our code is available at: github.com/jfayyad/ConformalDx. Our conclusion highlights a robust and consistent performance of conformal prediction across diverse testing conditions. This positions it as the preferred choice for decision-making in safety-critical applications. • Introducing Conformal Prediction for uncertainty quantification in classifying pigmented skin lesions. • Compare Conformal Prediction, Monte Carlo Dropout, and Evidential Deep Learning on three public datasets. • Analyze impact of Conformal Prediction parameter changes on uncertainty quantification. • Demonstrate Conformal Prediction's robustness across various conditions, including out-of-distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is often a lack of explanation when artificial intelligence (AI) is used to diagnose skin lesions, which makes the physician unable to interpret and validate the output; thus, diagnostic systems become significantly less safe. In this paper, we proposed a deep inherent learning method to classify seven types of skin lesions. The proposed deep inherent learning was validated using different explanation techniques. Explainable AI (X-AI) was used to explain decision-making processes at the local and global levels. In addition, we provide visual information to help physicians trust the proposed method. The challenging dataset, HAM10000, was used to evaluate the proposed method. Medical practitioners can better understand the mechanisms of black-box AI models using our simple, stage-based X-AI framework. They can trust the proposed method because the rationale for its decisions is explained. • A novel inherent learning technique with multiple convolution filters is proposed. • The proposed algorithm overcomes image shortages and degradation. • Different explanations prove the proposed model's capability to detect lesion areas in the skin accurately. • The proposed deep inherent learning method is less error-prone than shallow networks. • The proposed method's ability to classify skin lesions accurately is proven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Skin lesions and dysesthesia can suggest leprosy also in a non-endemic country. • Ziehl-Neelsen staining and molecular testing can confirm the diagnosis. • Leprosy is under diagnosed and undertreated especially in non-endemic areas. • Awareness is fundamental to prevent and eradicate this infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• For more accurate segmentation, after analysis DeepLabv3+ model is trained on selected hyperparameters such as 32 batch-size, 32 filters, 3 channels, 8 classes, 100 epochs, and Adam optimizer. • The vision-based transformer (ViT) model is proposed for SL classification because the transformer processes the information among the distinct locations of the image in the first layer due to self-attention. The model is trained from scratch using selected hyperparameters such as 0.0001 wt decay, 7 patch size, 0.001 learning-rate, 100 epochs, 64 projection dimensions, 4 head, 8 transformation layers, [56,28] Mlp-head-units. Skin cancer (SC) is a common disease caused due to ultraviolet radiation. Accurate SC detection is degraded due to some artifacts such as lesion variations in shape, size, color, texture, hairs, poor contrast, brightness, and irregular lesion boundaries. To solve these limitations, a deep learning-based technique is proposed that consists of segmentation and classification of SC. The DeepLabv3+ segmentation model is designed that consist of 9 convolutional neural network blocks. Each block comprises 19 convolution, 18 rectified linear units, and 18 batch normalization layers. The model is evaluated on ISIC-16, 17, 18, and PH2 datasets that provide accuracy of 98.90 %, 98.38 %, 99.45 %, and 100 %, respectively. Another Vision Transformer (ViT) model is developed for the classification of skin lesions (SL). The ViT model performs better than CNN because ViT works as a token while CNN works pixel to pixel. The ViT model consists of eight blocks, each with 17 normalization, 8 multi-head attention, 19 dense, and 19 dropout layers with a 7x7 patch size. The model is evaluated on PH2, ISIC-19, ISIC-20, and HAM10000 datasets that provided an accuracy of 100 %, 96.97 %, 97.73 %, and 100 % respectively. The results are better than existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical blistering warfare agent affecting multiple organs. SM is an ongoing chemical threat in addition to the accidental risk associated with World War I buried shells. As no specific treatments are available, only symptomatic therapies can be used. To test new medical countermeasures in standard laboratories, analogs such as 2-chloroethyl ethylsulfide (CEES) are currently used, although only a few studies compare its clinical effects with SM. In the present paper, skin lesions induced by SM and CEES are compared in terms of their macroscopic aspects, histology, and molecular biology to evaluate the pertinence of CEES as a SM analog. For this purpose, an in vivo model of CEES vapor exposure, similar to that of SM, is described in this paper. showed similar skin lesions with CEES and SM but with slight differences in the apparition delay and intensity of the lesions. Indeed, SM induced earlier, deeper, and stronger lesions. However, the same healing status was observed at the end of the study period (14 days). In conclusion, CEES appears a relevant analog of SM, leading to similar skin lesions. The CEES vapor exposure model therefore seems suitable for testing new medical countermeasures. • Analogs of sulfur mustard (SM) like CEES are commonly used in laboratories. • This paper presents a new skin exposure model to CEES vapors on mice. • Pathophysiological comparisons of CEES vs SM skin lesions are performed for 14 days. • The main differences observed relate to the latency and intensity of lesions. • CEES seems to be a good analog of SM to test countermeasures on skin lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and its early diagnosis significantly reduces patient morbidity and mortality. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a modern and non-invasive method of diagnosis that is becoming popular amongst clinical dermatologists. The frequent occurrence of artifacts in the images is one of the most challenging factors in making a diagnosis based on RCM. It impedes the diagnosis process for the dermatologist and makes its automation difficult. In this work, we employ artificial neural networks to propose a local quality assessment system. It allows for the detection of artifacts and non-informative component images both retrospectively or in real-time during the examination. In this research we address the quality assessment issue by proposing an artificial intelligence-based solution. 612 RCM mosaics were divided into small component images and manually classified in order to train the ResNeXt model in the quality verification context. A trained network was used to create an application that marks individual classes of the component images on the mosaic. We achieved the average classification precision of 0.98 both for the validation and test data sets. In addition, we present local quality assessment statistics of the 1540 cases of skin lesions to show which types of skin lesions most often present with artifacts in their RCM images. In this research we investigate the utility of the deep convolution neural networks for the local quality assessment of the RCM images. We propose an AI-based system that may be effectively used as real-time support for the dermatologist during a RCM examination and as a base for the automation of the diagnostic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have shown a dermatologist-level performance in the classification of skin lesions. We aimed to deliver a head-to-head comparison of a conventional image analyser (CIA), which depends on segmentation and weighting of handcrafted features, to a CNN trained by deep learning. Cross-sectional study using a real-world, prospectively acquired, dermoscopic dataset of 1981 skin lesions to compare the diagnostic performance of a market-approved CNN (Moleanalyzer-Pro™, developed in 2018) to a CIA (Moleanalyzer-3™/Dynamole™; developed in 2004, all FotoFinder Systems Inc, Germany). As a reference standard, we used histopathological diagnoses (n = 785) or, in non-excised benign lesions (n = 1196), expert consensus plus an uneventful follow-up by sequential digital dermoscopy for at least 2 years. A total of 281 malignant lesions and 1700 benign lesions from 435 patients (62.2% male, mean age: 52 years) were prospectively imaged. The CNN showed a sensitivity of 77.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: [72.4%–82.1%]), specificity of 95.3% (95% CI: [94.2%–96.2%]), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-area under the curve (AUC) of 0.945 (95% CI: [0.930–0.961]). In contrast, the CIA achieved a sensitivity of 53.4% (95% CI: [47.5%–59.1%]), specificity of 86.6% (95% CI: [84.9%–88.1%]) and ROC-AUC of 0.738 (95% CI: [0.701–0.774]). The data set included melanomas originally diagnosed by dynamic changes during sequential digital dermoscopy (52 of 201, 20.6%), which reduced the sensitivities of both classifiers. Pairwise comparisons of sensitivities, specificities, and ROC-AUCs indicated a clear outperformance by the CNN (all p < 0.001). The superior diagnostic performance of the CNN argues against a continued application of former CIAs as an aide to physicians' clinical management decisions. • We compared two market-approved computer-algorithms for skin cancer detection. • A conventional image analyser (CIA) was compared with a deep learning convolutional neural network (CNN). • The CNN significantly outperformed the CIA in sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is potent human carcinogen which affects millions of people across the globe. Arsenic induced pre-cancerous and cancerous skin lesions are hall marks of chronic arsenic toxicity. Even then, only 15%–20% of the population manifest arsenic-induced skin lesions but the rest do not, the reason for which in not very clear. Not only that, conjunctival irritations of the eyes, peripheral neuropathy and respiratory distress are the non-dermatological health effects which are often manifested in them in addition to the cancers of skin and other internal organs. In this work we have considered 233 arsenic exposed individuals with skin lesions and 205 arsenic exposed individuals without skin lesions from the highly arsenic affected Murshidabad district of West Bengal. We have compared arsenic exposure in the two groups through drinking water. Both the study groups have similar levels of arsenic exposure, drinking same arsenic laden water. Results show that higher amounts of arsenic were retained in the nails and hair of the skin lesion group compared to the no skin lesion group. Significant higher amounts of chromosomal aberration and micronucleus formation were found in the skin lesion group, than the no skin lesion group. Incidences of conjunctival irritations of the eyes, peripheral neuropathy and respiratory distress were much higher in the former group compared to the later. We, thus found that one group was more susceptible than the other, even with similar levels of arsenic exposure. We have tried to identify and discuss the probable reasons for this observation with reference to our previous works in the exposed population from West Bengal, India. • Arsenic exposure causes development of skin lesions in 15-20% of the individuals. • These individuals are more susceptible to arsenic toxicity than their peers. • Genetic, epigenetic immune systems in combination are found to be involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photographs of skin lesions taken with standard digital cameras (macroscopic images) have gained wide acceptance in dermatology. However, uneven background lighting caused by nonstandard image acquisition negatively impacts lesion segmentation and diagnosis. To address this, we propose an automated illumination equalization method based on a counter exponential transform (IECET). A modified residual network (ResNet) regressor is used to automate the selection of the operational parameter of the IECET. The regressor is designed by modifying the final fully-connected layer of the baseline ResNet-50 model. The modified fully-connected layer is coupled to a regression layer in the modified ResNet regressor. A prior knowledge base is created to train the modified ResNet regressor. For this, a set of corrupted images are generated by simulating uneven background illumination on pristine images. The knowledge base is created by including pairs of value components obtained from the HSV color space version of the corrupted macroscopic images and ideal operational parameter values that maximize the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) between the pristine images and the IECET outputs. We evaluated segmentation accuracies of the deep threshold prediction network (DTP-Net), DeepLabV3 +, fully convolutional network (FCN), and U-Net on the corrupted macroscopic images and output images of the IECET. The DTP-Net, DeepLabV3 +, FCN, and U-Net exhibited Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 0.71 ± 0.26, 0.85 ± 0.15, 0.75 ± 0.22, and 0.66 ± 0.28 on corrupted images and 0.81 ± 0.17, 0.87 ± 0.12, 0.79 ± 0.18, and 0.79 ± 0.15, on the outputs of the IECET. Increase in DSC proves the ability of the IECET to improve the performance of deep learning models used to segment skin lesions on macroscopic images. [Display omitted] • A new transform to equalize uneven background intensity on dermatological photographs. • Automated parameter selection aided with an image-to-scalar deep regressor. • No color artifacts and compromise in contrast. • Helps deep learning models to improve segmentation accuracy of skin lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The use of biological treatments may induce immune-related cutaneous adverse events. • Among the immune-related cutaneous adverse events observed with biological agents, psoriasis is the most often reported. • Early recognition of immune-related cutaneous adverse events is essential for physicians to manage their patients adequately. In recent years, identifying the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying autoimmune arthritides and systematic diseases has led to the use of biological drugs. The primary targets of those biological therapies are cytokines, B cells, and co-stimulation molecules. So far, these targeted therapies have shown good clinical improvement and an acceptable toxicity profile. However, by blocking components of an intact immune system, autoimmune phenomena and paradoxical inflammation have emerged, and among them many cutaneous immune-related adverse events (irAEs). In this article, we review the current state of knowledge on the clinical features and mechanisms of specific cutaneous irAEs observed during treatment with biological therapies. Among those, psoriatic skin lesions are the most commonly observed. Herein, we also report new cases of cutaneous irAEs recently seen in our clinic to help physicians treating inflammatory arthritides recognize cutaneous irAEs early and better manage patients receiving biologic therapies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a new case of cutaneous leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis in a horse in Florida, USA. A 10-year-old neutered male Quarter horse was presented with multifocal to coalescing, raised, ulcerated and oozing, non-healing wounds on both pinnae of several weeks' duration. After a few months, the lesions regressed spontaneously. Biopsies of the lesions were performed with microscopical findings of epidermal hyperplasia with multifocal ulceration and focally extensive, dermal pyogranulomatous inflammation with numerous intact and degenerate neutrophils being surrounded by epithelioid macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells, as well as rare eosinophils. Within the macrophages, and freely within the inflammatory infiltrate, were small (2–4 μm) round, basophilic protozoal organisms. Immunohistochemistry and colourimetric in-situ hybridization were positive for amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. The species L. martiniquensis was identified by polymerase chain reaction targeting the ITS-1 gene performed with extracts from formalin-fixed and paraffin wax-embedded samples of skin lesions. L. martiniquensis causes an ulcerative pyogranulomatous dermatitis in horses with spontaneous healing. This second autochthonous case in Florida, 5 years after the first case, suggests that this parasite may have become endemic in this state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé Introduction La vitamine B12 est une vitamine indispensable à l'organisme. Son déficit se traduit fréquemment par des signes hématologiques et neurologiques, rarement par des troubles cutanés à type d'hyperpigmentation. Nous rapportons le cas d'une fillette anorexique sous régime végétarien strict, présentant une hyperpigmentation ayant permis de révéler un déficit sévère en vitamine B12 précédant l'apparition des autres signes classiques. Observation Patiente âgée de 15 ans, indemne de toute pathologie, présentait une hyperpigmentation du visage, de la face dorsale des mains et pieds, des avant-bras et du cou avec une atteinte de la muqueuse buccale (une glossite, une perlèche et des érosions orales). Ces signes étaient associés à une anorexie et à un amaigrissement ainsi qu'à une faiblesse généralisée avec apathie. Les examens biologiques notamment hématologiques étaient sans anomalies. Le taux de la vitamine B12 était à 92 pg/mL(normes = 189–883 pg/mL) et celui de la vitamine B9 à 2,5 ng/mL (normes = 3,6–20,5 pg/mL). Un traitement à base d'acide folique et de la vitamine B12 avait permis d'obtenir une nette amélioration des lésions dermatologiques et de l'apathie après 25 jours de traitement. Le diagnostic retenu était donc celui d'une hyperpigmentation cutanée secondaire à une carence sévère en vitamine B12 du fait de sa disparition à la suite de la supplémentation par cette vitamine. Conclusion Notre observation est originale du fait que les lésions dermatologiques ont permis de révéler une carence sévère en vitamine B12, en l'absence des autres anomalies classiques. Elle devrait être ainsi évoquée chez l'enfant devant toute hyperpigmentation acquise d'étiologie inexpliquée. Son dépistage précoce et son traitement adéquat permettent d'éviter le développement d'une atteinte neurologique irréversible. Summary Introduction Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin in the body. Its deficit is frequently reflected by haematological and neurological signs, rarely by skin disorders such as hyperpigmentation. We report a case of an anorexic girl under strict vegetarian diet, with hyperpigmentation that revealed a severe vitamin B12 deficiency preceding the appearance of other classic signs. Case report Fifteen-year-old patient, free from any pathology. She had diffuse hyperpigmentation (of the face, dorsal surface of the hands and feet, forearms and neck) with involvement of the oral mucosa (glossitis, perleche and oral erosions). These signs were associated with anorexia and weight loss as well as generalized weakness with apathy. Biological examinations in particular hematological were without anomalies. The dosage of vitamins revealed a vitamin B12 level at 92 μg/mL (norms = 189–883 μg/mL) and that of vitamin B9 at 2.5 μg/mL (norms = 3.6–20.5 μg/mL). Treatment with folic acid and vitamin B12 resulted in a marked improvement in cutaneo-mucous lesions and apathy after 25 days of treatment. The diagnosis was therefore that of cutaneous hyperpigmentation secondary to severe vitamin B12 deficiency due to its disappearance as a result of supplementation with this vitamin. Conclusion Our observation is original in that the dermatological lesions have revealed a severe deficiency of vitamin B12, in the absence of other classical abnormalities. It should be so evoked in the child before any acquired hyperpigmentation of unexplained etiology. Early detection and adequate treatment prevent the development of irreversible neurological damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Lipoid proteinosis is a rare cause of voice problems. Hoarseness is often the first clinical manifestation of this disorder and can present years before any other symptom. Therefore, it is very important as an otorhinolaryngologist to be familiar with the main characteristics of this disease. We present a case report and a review of current literature to provide a concise overview of this frequently missed diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The Farrowing system had an effect on health parameters and the suckling behaviour of sows and piglets. • Sows in farrowing crates showed more locomotion problems and skin lesions of the udder. • Piglets in farrowing pens had less skin lesions of the face and of the carpus. • The suckling duration was longer in farrowing pens. • Sows with litters with a high level of facial lesions terminated suckling more frequently. Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of free-farrowing pens and farrowing crates on the health parameters and the suckling behaviour of sows and their piglets, which were housed in farrowing crates (FC; n = 127) and in free-farrowing pens (FP; n = 121). All sows were evaluated regarding their body condition, locomotion, skin lesions of the udder and developmental stages of shoulder ulcers one week ante partum and four weeks post-partum. The piglets were scored concerning skin lesions of the face and of the carpus in week one of lactation and in week four of lactation. The FC sows had a higher incidence of locomotion problems and skin lesions of the udder four weeks post-partum (p < 0.05). In addition, piglets of the FC sows showed more skin lesions of the face and had more skin lesions of the carpus in week one of lactation and in week four of lactation, respectively (p < 0.05). For all piglets of both housing systems skin lesions of the face decreased during lactation, whereas skin lesions of the carpus increased (p < 0.05). With regard to the suckling behaviour, video observations of twenty-four sows (FP: n = 12; FC: n = 12) and their litters on lactation day four were analysed concerning the suckling duration, suckling frequency and suckling termination. For each housing system, six sows with litters with a low level of facial lesions and six sows with litters with a high level of facial lesions were chosen to investigate the influence of the suckling behaviour on the facial lesions of the piglets. The suckling duration per suckling bout was longer in the FP systems than in the FC systems (FP: 6.81 min vs. FC: 5.95 min; p < 0.05). Moreover, sows with litters with a low level of facial lesions terminated suckling less frequently (p < 0.05). In conclusion, keeping sows in free-farrowing pens can have a positive effect on the sows' health by reducing the incidence of locomotion problems and skin lesions of the udder, as well as skin lesions of the face and skin lesions of the carpus of the piglets. Furthermore, the results show that the housing system has an influence on suckling duration and the incidence of skin lesions of the face of the piglets has an influence on sows' terminations of suckling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the effect of poly(dimethylsiloxane) on the mechanical properties of chitosan-alginate (CA) polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) with potential application as wound dressing biomaterials. For that purpose, different amounts of poly(dimethylsiloxane) were incorporated during the formulation of the PECs. Results showed that the highest tensile strength was observed when using 0.1 g of poly(dimethylsiloxane) per gram of PEC (CAS10). This formulation was also non-hemolytic, capable of inducing thrombus formation to potentially reduce bleeding, and additionally presented high stability when exposed to physiological fluids and/or conditions simulating patient bathing. To improve its wound healing capacity, this formulation was loaded with thymol and beta-carotene (anesthetic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds) by the supercritical carbon dioxide impregnation/deposition (SSI/D) method at 250 bar and 45 °C for 14 h and at two depressurization rates (5 and 10 bar/min). The PECs were also loaded by conventional impregnation in solution for comparison purposes. Higher bioactive loadings, of 1.8 ± 0.2 and 1.3 ± 0.03 μg per milligram of PEC for thymol and beta-carotene, respectively, were observed when using SSI/D and a higher depressurization rate (10 bar/min). These values do not correspond to the maximum loaded amount of each bioactive, which were strongly retained in the PEC structure due to favorable bioactive-polymer interactions, originating matrices that should present a more sustained release during in vivo applications. Highlights • PDMS, chitosan and alginate were combined to obtain wound dressings. • The effect of PDMS on the mechanical properties the dressings was analyzed. • The highest tensile strength was observed for 0.1 g of PDMS per gram of CA. • The formulation was non hemolytic and stable in physiological fluids. • Thymol and beta-carotene were incorporated to the dressings to improve bioactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin lesion segmentation and classification are two crucial and correlated tasks in computer-aided diagnosis of skin diseases. Jointly performing these two tasks can exploit their correlations to obtain performance gains, but it remains a challenging topic. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end multi-task learning convolutional neural network (MTL-CNN) for joint skin lesion segmentation and classification, and additionally introduce edge prediction as an auxiliary task. Overall, MTL-CNN includes a shared encoder, two parallel decoders for generating edge and segmentation masks, and a classification subnet. First, the shared encoder is used to extract features for three tasks (i.e., edge prediction, segmentation, and classification). Then, we propose two kinds of simple but efficient modules to exploit the benefits among these three tasks. Specifically, we design multiple edge information enhancement (EIE) modules between the encoder and the segmentation decoder, aiming at introducing the edge information from the edge decoder as strong cues to enhance the edge parts of the segmentation features. These enhanced segmentation features are sent to the segmentation decoder for better segmentation. Besides, we design multiple lesion area extraction (LAE) modules between the encoder and the classification subnet, which aim to utilize the segmentation results to filter out the distractions on the classification features. These filtered classification features are input to the classification subnet and progressively fused in a bottom-up manner for classification. A three-phase training strategy is employed to train MTL-CNN. Extensive experiments on three datasets demonstrate the superiority of MTL-CNN over state-of-the-art segmentation, classification, and other multi-task approaches. • Propose a multi-task network for joint skin lesion segmentation and classification. • The edge information enhancement module improves the edge parts for the segmentation task. • The lesion area extraction module removes the distractions for the classification task. • Achieving state-of-the-art multi-task performance on three skin lesion datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A herbal diet supplement implying a diet enriched with crude fiber, protein and chicory, was associated with less aggressive pig behavior in the post-weaning period. • Early piglet behavior was related with respective behavior pattern in the post-weaning period. • Correlations between breeding values for lesion scores (victim perspective) with video behavior pattern reflecting the actor perspective were only weak to moderate. • Video images can be used to monitor active pig behavior in the post-weaning period, but it is very challenging to include a large number of pigs due to the time consuming complexity. The aim of the present study was to study effects of feeding in terms of a herbal diet supplement (HD; basal diet plus a supplement with chicory herbs), of early piglet backtest scores and of relative breeding values for skin lesions (RBV-LS) on behavior pattern of weaned pigs during the post-weaning period. In this regard, we implemented a balanced research design, allowing a semi-randomized allocation of pigs in groups with a very similar number of observations for all sub-cells of diet x backtest score x RBV-LS class combinations. With regard to backtest scores, piglets were classified as high-resisting (HR), low-resisting (LR) or intermediate-resisting (IR). RBV-LS were estimated for the sires based on skin lesions from 993 offspring. The sires were categorized into 2 groups with RBV-LS > 100 (favorable genetic value indicating only a few or no lesions) or RBV-LS ≤ 100 (indicating a large number or severe lesions). Video images were analyzed one day after weaning and 5 weeks later, and considered 300 min per monitoring date for the 8 different possible behavior traits resting time (REST), body contact (BCON), initiating fights (IFIGHT), fighting (FIGHT), refusing of fights (RFIGHT), ear or tail biting (BITE), explorative behavior (EXPLORE) and remaining activities (RACT). Finally, 104 pigs with complete observations over the total video monitoring time at both recording dates, and with complete observations for the explanatory variables sire RBV-LS, backtest score and feeding group, were considered for ongoing association studies. The 104 pigs were crosses from matings of Piétrain boars with German Landrace or German Edelschwein sows. The 104 pigs were offspring of 9 different boars (sire lines). Effects of feeding, backtest score and RBV-LS class on video behaviors were inferred via mixed model analyses, implying 8 different runs for the 8 video behavior traits. Least squares means (lsmeans) significantly (P < 0.05) differed between HD and the control feeding group (CON) for FIGHT and BITE, with longer durations of aggressive behavior for CON pigs. Vice versa, lsmeans for REST indicating calm behavior were larger for the HD group. Pigs classified as HR piglets were more aggressive than the LR and IR contemporaries, with significantly higher lsmeans for FIGHT, BITE and EXPLORE. The pigs allocated to the sire RBV-LS > 100 group had significantly (P < 0.05) longer durations for REST and RFIGHT. Vice versa, pigs allocated to the sire RBV-LS ≤ 100 groups spent more with aggressive behavior in terms of BITE and FIGHT. Consequently, boar RBV-LS were favorably correlated with REST, IFIGHT and RACT. In conclusion, the early piglet backtest scores as well as breeding values from a victim perspective (lesion scores) can be used as indicator traits for selection against aggressiveness. Nevertheless, results from the present study are first indications and breeding value correlations are approximations in this regard, which should be validated in ongoing studies based on larger datasets via real genetic correlation estimates between actor and victim traits, and considering social interactions and interactions between all fixed effects simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socialisation is a process in which animals interact with unfamiliar conspecifics, that allows them to develop their social abilities. Socialisation has been proposed as a method in pig husbandry to increase piglets’ social skills and reduce conspecific aggression, which is a major welfare issue in pig husbandry. Socialisation, i.e. co-mingling, has been studied in research settings, with positive outcomes, but research under commercial conditions is lacking. The aim of this study was to obtain behavioural, stress coping and performance parameters of piglets socialised at different ages under intensive commercial conditions. Piglets were either not socialised (CON; n = 12 litters) or socialised at 7 d of age (M7; n = 20 litters) or 14 d of age (M14; n = 20 litters) by removing the separating barrier between two adjacent pens. At weaning (day 25), all piglets were regrouped with unfamiliar piglets from the same treatment. Behavioural observations (instantaneous scan sampling) took place after socialisation at day 7 and day 14, and at day 21. Skin lesions were counted pre- and post-mixing, including weaning. At the same time saliva was sampled to measure cortisol concentration. Weight was recorded weekly. Social behaviour did not differ between treatments at day 7 and 21, but at day 14 piglets from the socialised group (M7 and M14) showed a three-fold increase in play behaviour compared to the control group (CON). M7 and M14 did not differ in the amount of social behaviour but socialisation treatments showed more aggression than CON at day 14. During lactation, skin lesions increased after socialisation in M7 piglets whereas they did not in the M14 group. After weaning, skin lesions increased in the CON group but did not in the M7 and M14. Socialised piglets were lighter than the CON group during lactation, but treatments did not differ in their average daily gain (ADG) as socialised piglets had a smaller growth reduction after weaning. Salivary cortisol did not differ between treatments. The present study shows a positive effect of socialisation on social behaviour during lactation with only short lived aggression just after mixing and no impact for piglet’s growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixing unfamiliar pigs is common in modern production, resulting in intense aggression potentially leading to injury and stress. One solution is breeding against aggressiveness. However, in order to anticipate the consequences of such selection, we need to understand how individual aggressiveness is related to other behavior traits. Tests were used to assess three traits of importance to pig producers: interaction with humans, response to handling, and fearfulness. Test responses (human approach (HAT), handling, and novel object (NOT)) were compared with skin lesions for 257 grow-finish pigs, mixed at 10 wk of age. Skin lesions, a reliable proxy for aggressiveness, were counted pre-mixing, 24 h post-mixing, and 3 wk post-mixing. Lesions were recorded by body location (front, middle, rear). HAT was conducted at 14 wk of age in home pens by all-occurrence scans every 30 s for 9 min. Frequency and intensity (low/moderate or extreme force) of oronasal contact with observer was recorded. Activity and reactivity while entering, in, and leaving a weigh crate were recorded in the handling test (14 and 17 wk of age). NOT was conducted at 17 wk of age. Pigs were moved to an arena, given a 1 min acclimation period, then 5 min exposure to a novel object (basketball). Pigs were scored for latency to approach within 1 m, 0.5 m, and to touch the ball, and on number of times crossing the 1 m and 0.5 m lines, and touching the ball. Generalized linear mixed models compared behavior test variables and lesions. Test responses were compared using a Mantel test. Pigs with more 24 h post-mix front lesions took longer to cross the 1 m line ( P  = 0.049). Pigs with more 24 h post-mix rear lesions interacted intensely with observer ( P   =  0.026). Pigs with more 3 wk post-mix front lesions were less active in the weigh crate ( P  = 0.021) and took longer to touch the ball ( P  = 0.033). Pigs with more 3 wk post-mix middle lesions were faster to the 0.5 m line ( P  = 0.005), took longer to touch ( P  = 0.006), but touched it more ( P  = 0.049). There were no significant relationships between behavior tests, suggesting no consistency in responses across contexts. In conclusion, responses in HAT and NOT were related to 24 h post-mix lesions, while responses in NOT and handling test were related to 3 wk post-mix lesions suggesting that selecting for less aggressive pigs could have unintended consequences for other important behavior traits and that these relationships should be explored further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Inorganic arsenic (As) is methylated via one carbon metabolism (OCM) to mono- and dimethylated arsenicals (MMA and DMA), facilitating urinary excretion. Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcys), a marker of impaired OCM, is a risk factor for As-induced skin lesions, but the influences of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in OCM genes on Hcys, As metabolism and skin lesion risk is unclear. Objectives To (i) explore genetic sources of Hcys and the causal role of HHcys in As-induced skin lesion development using OCM genetic proxies for HHcys and (ii) identify OCM SNPs associated with urinary As metabolite proportions and/or skin lesion incidence. Methods We conducted a case-control study nested in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) in Bangladesh which 876 incident skin lesion cases were matched to controls on sex, age, and follow-up time. We measured serum Hcys, urinary As metabolites, and 26 SNPs in 13 OCM genes. Results Serum Hcys and urinary %DMA were independently associated with increased and decreased odds of skin lesions, respectively. The T allele of MTHFR 677 C ➔ T (rs1801133) was associated with HHcys, higher %MMA, and lower %DMA, but not with skin lesions. Interactions between SNPs and water As on skin lesion risk were suggestive for three variants: the G allele of MTRR rs1801394 and T allele of FOLR1 rs1540087 were associated with lower odds of skin lesions with lower As (≤50 μg/L), and the T allele of TYMS rs1001761 was associated with higher odds of skin lesions with higher As. Conclusions While HHcys and decreased %DMA were associated with increased risk for skin lesions, and MTHFR 677 C ➔ T was a strong predictor of HHcys, MTHFR 677 C ➔ T was not associated with skin lesion risk. Future studies should explore (i) non-OCM and non-genetic determinants of Hcys and (ii) if genetic findings are replicated in other As-exposed populations, mechanisms by which OCM SNPs may influence the dose-dependent effects of As on skin lesion risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Neutropenic patients developing acute disseminated candidiasis may present with skin lesions. Aims To evaluate the epidemiology of acute disseminated candidiasis with skin lesions in neutropenic patients, taking into consideration changes caused by different prophylactic strategies. Sources A systematic review of English-language articles found via PubMed (1963–2016) was performed. We asked the following questions: (a) What Candida species are more frequently involved in this syndrome? (b) Has antifungal prophylaxis changed the species causing skin lesions? (c) What are the typical patterns of skin lesions? (d) What is the frequency of skin lesions in neutropenic patients with candidaemia or acute disseminated candidiasis? (e) Has antifungal prophylaxis decreased the incidence of acute disseminated candidiasis with skin lesions? Content Among 183 studies, 33 were selected, reporting 100 cases of acute disseminated candidiasis with skin lesions in neutropenic patients. It occurred more frequently in the setting of induction therapy for de novo or relapsed acute leukaemia, and the most frequent Candida species were C. tropicalis (68%) and C. krusei (15%). Diffuse maculopapular lesions predominated in cases caused by C. tropicalis and nodular and papular lesions in cases caused by C. krusei. Prophylaxis with fluconazole was reported in six cases, C. krusei in five and C. ciferrii in one. The death rate was 45.4%. Implications Two patterns were recognized: disseminated maculopapular lesions caused by C. tropicalis in patients not receiving fluconazole prophylaxis, occurring in 39% to 44% of neutropenic patients with acute disseminated candidiasis, and nodular lesions caused by C. krusei in patients receiving fluconazole prophylaxis, occurring less frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma is widely known as one of the most dangerous cancers. Over the past few decades, technological improvements have made it possible to introduce more advanced diagnostic tools for melanoma. Unfortunately, even though better tools are available, diagnosis accuracy is still unsatisfactory. Hundreds of papers have been published containing ideas on how to improve melanoma diagnosis accuracy, including a range of imaging and image analysis techniques. Some of the best diagnosis results are obtained using multi-level SIAscope images, but even with this method there is still room for further improvement. In this paper, we propose the use of additional discriminative features such as box dimension and lacunarity calculated based on a multilevel image database. The goal of this paper is to show the usefulness of fractal methods used with multilevel images and binarization methods in skin cancer pattern recognition. The results were compared to an assessment of each feature of Hunter’s scoring method, which is commonly used as a diagnostic indicator by doctors. The results indicate the usefulness of the fractal characteristics of the geometric shapes of lesions or specific parts of them. Compared to other research, the presented results clearly indicate that fractal lesion characteristics can be used as one of the features taken into account in the diagnostic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiplex PCR can utilize limited clinical material and is more cost-effective and expected to be used for the detection of Treponema pallidum , herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV-1,2). We established a multiplex TP-HSV1-HSV2 Polymerase Chain Reaction (multiplex PCR) targeting the conserved regions of the PolA gene of TP and the UL42 gene of HSV1 and HSV2 to test skin lesions of 115 patients suspected of having TP and HSV1/2 infections. The laboratory sensitivities for all 3 pathogens were 300 copies/mL. The overall clinical sensitivity and specificity in secretion samples for TP were 91.7% and 100%, for HSV1 100% and 98%, and for HSV2 89.7% and 100%, respectively. The method appears superior in patients suspected of early TP infection but negative for nontreponemal antibody testing, and the method is also useful for the differential diagnosis of new skin lesions on genital, perianal, and oral sites of patients with a history of previous syphilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous poxvirus infections are common in several crocodilian species and are of importance in crocodile farming due to their potential impact on the tanned hide. To confirm poxvirus infection and understand the impact on saltwater crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) skin, fourteen animals from different age groups (five hatchlings, five yearlings and four grow-outs) were selected based on a criterion of ten poxvirus-like lesions per animal. One lesion on each animal was extruded for genetic analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Both methods confirmed poxvirus so the remainder of lesions were re-examined every six weeks over a 24 week study period. Each lesion went through four distinct phases: early active, active, expulsion and healing. To understand how these lesions impact on the final skin product, one crocodile from each age group was euthanised and the lesions examined. Using standard skin grading techniques (light-table), the early phase (early active – expulsion) lesions were all translucent and would lead to downgrading of the skin or, at worst, rendering them unsaleable. At the later stages of healing, the translucency reduces. Histological examination of the phases confirm that the basement membrane is not breached by the infection further indicating that poxvirus lesions, given enough time, will eventually have no detrimental effect on skin quality. This is obviously dependent upon no more lesions developing in the interim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to propose features that evaluate pictorial differences between melanocytic nevus (mole) and melanoma lesions by computer-based analysis of plain photography images and to design a cross-platform, tunable, decision support system to discriminate with high accuracy moles from melanomas in different publicly available image databases.Material and Methods: Digital plain photography images of verified mole and melanoma lesions were downloaded from (i) Edinburgh University Hospital, UK, (Dermofit, 330moles/70 melanomas, under signed agreement), from 5 different centers (Multicenter, 63moles/25 melanomas, publicly available), and from the Groningen University, Netherlands (Groningen, 100moles/70 melanomas, publicly available). Images were processed for outlining the lesion-border and isolating the lesion from the surrounding background. Fourteen features were generated from each lesion evaluating texture (4), structure (5), shape (4) and color (1). Features were subjected to statistical analysis for determining differences in pictorial properties between moles and melanomas. The Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) classifier, the exhaustive search features selection, the leave-one-out (LOO), and the external cross-validation (ECV) methods were used to design the PR-system for discriminating between moles and melanomas.Results: Statistical analysis revealed that melanomas as compared to moles were of lower intensity, of less homogenous surface, had more dark pixels with intensities spanning larger spectra of gray-values, contained more objects of different sizes and gray-levels, had more asymmetrical shapes and irregular outlines, had abrupt intensity transitions from lesion to background tissue, and had more distinct colors. The PR-system designed by the Dermofit images scored on the Dermofit images, using the ECV, 94.1%, 82.9%, 96.5% for overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, on the Multicenter Images 92.0%, 88%, 93.7% and on the Groningen Images 76.2%, 73.9%, 77.8% respectively.Conclusion: The PR-system as designed by the Dermofit image database could be fine-tuned to classify with good accuracy plain photography moles/melanomas images of other databases employing different image capturing equipment and protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The associations between arsenic exposure, arsenic methylation, and the prevalence of skin lesions and hypertension are investigated. The results indicate that the HS (hypertension and skin lesions) group and the S (skin lesions) group have higher urinary concentrations of iAs (inorganic arsenic), MMA (monomethylarsonic acid), DMA (dimethylarsinous acid) and%MMA, and lower SMI (secondary arsenic methylation index) compared to the H (hypertension) and N (without both hypertension and skin lesions) groups. The arsenic content in water which caused H may be lower than that which caused HS and S. In addition, the odds ratios suggest that higher urinary concentrations of iAs and MMA, %iAs, %MMA and PMI elevate the prevalence of only hypertension and skin lesions, and both hypertension and skin lesions. However, higher%DMA and SMI, and lower%MMA increase the prevalence of both hypertension and skin lesions compared to that of only skin lesions. It can be concluded that skin lesions subjects have higher prevalence of hypertension. Hypertension subjects may have higher prevalence of skin lesions. Lower%DMA and SMI, higher%iAs, %MMA and PMI enhance the prevalence of only hypertension and skin lesions, and both hypertension and skin lesions. Moreover, iAs and MMA may have higher toxicity and lead to both hypertension and skin lesions than to only hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to identify demographic and clinical factors predisposing to depressiveness during the course of psoriasis.Method: The study included 239 patients with psoriasis (15-76 years, 31.8% of women) and 123 healthy controls (17-74 years, 32.5% of women). Dependent variable in the analysis was Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score. Explanatory variables included: age, sex, marital status, education, occupational activity, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, history of smoking, average number of smoked cigarettes, skin lesions visible to others, comorbidities, including arterial hypertension and arthritis, number of previous hospitalizations and family history of psoriasis.Results: Psoriatics showed higher BDI scores than the controls, and significantly more often presented with depressiveness. Depressiveness correlated with psoriasis, older age, female sex, lack of higher education, occupational inactivity, higher BMI, visible skin lesions, comorbidities, including arterial hypertension and arthritis, greater number of previous hospitalizations and lack of family history of psoriasis. Multivariate analysis showed than independent predictors of any grade depressiveness were psoriasis (OR=2.26, 95%CI: 1.11-4.60, p=0.024), older age (OR=1.03, 95%CI: 1.01-1.05, p=0.005) and female sex (OR=2.73, 95%CI: 1.45-5.12, p=0.002).Limitations: Cross-sectional, non-prospective analysis. Selection bias.Conclusions: Patients with psoriasis, irrespective of its severity and related complications, are at increased risk of depressiveness. The risk of secondary depressiveness is particularly high in psoriatic women and older persons (or individuals diagnosed with psoriasis at younger age). Individuals from this group should be monitored for potential depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In boars, social relationships could influence pubertal development and feeding behaviour. The objectives of the present study were to determine the relationships between behaviour (agonistic, mounting and feeding behaviours), plasma sex steroids (oestradiol, testosterone) and fat androstenone. A total of 270 Pietrain x Large White boars, derived from four distinct genotypes were used. They were raised in groups of 11–12 pigs/pen. Animals were observed for about two times 10 h/day at the beginning or about 6 h at the end of fattening. Agonistic (fighting, hitting, biting, threatening, chasing) and sexual (mounting) behaviours were counted in early fattening shortly after a social mixing (for 177 of the 270 animals) and in late fattening after several weeks of social stability. Skin lesions were counted in the same periods and on carcasses. Data obtained from electronic feeders were used to determine the number and duration of meals, and the feed intake over 96-h periods in the middle and at the end of fattening. At the end of fattening, blood was sampled to measure oestradiol and testosterone. At slaughter, fat was collected to measure androstenone. Using the agonistic behaviours, a dominance index was calculated (DRrank). As expected, numbers of skin lesions and agonistic acts were higher in early fattening (P < 0.0001) whereas that of mounting acts was lower in early than in late fattening (P < 0.05). The feeding characteristics (r = 0.25 to 0.39) were significantly correlated between ages, whereas numbers of mountings (r = 0.18), of skin lesions (r = 0.05) and agonistic acts (r = −0.05) were not. The number of agonistic acts was significantly correlated with that of mountings only in early fattening (r = 0.38). At both ages, no difference between dominance groups was observed for feeding characteristics. This was probably related to low competition between boars for access to feed. Dominant boars had a higher concentration of androstenone in fat than subordinates (P < 0.05) but no difference was observed for plasma steroids. An active role of androstenone in controlling social behaviour but not reproductive function may explain this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin cancer accounts for most malignancies across the globe. Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common type of cancer among Caucasians, however, few data exist on its incidence. Because of a sheer volume of these tumors, NMSC is often not systematically registered. Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is by far the most common cancer diagnosed in westernized countries, and one of the few almost preventable cancers if detected and treated early as up to 90% of NMSC may be attributed to excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation. In the study was used a high-sensitivity and resolution camera in the diagnosis of skin lesions, placed on a robotic arm, to obtain long exposures of autofluorescent and fluorescent images. Then, the obtained images were superimposed to obtain a long exposure image that was subjected to digital analysis and color analysis. Due to the use of long image exposures, significantly better contrast parameters were obtained, thereby significantly greater differentiation of healthy and cancerous tissue margins. The obtained images were subjected to digital analysis, obtaining image parameters characteristic for individual types of histopathological skin changes examined. Based on the obtained images, spatial maps of individual image components were obtained, showing the potential for increasing the sensitivity and specificity of skin biopsy lesions. The use of a robotic arm allowed monitoring of the course of photodynamic therapy, which underwent the studied changes, obtaining significantly better results than when using traditional imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a common environmental pollutant, typically affecting the skin most severely. Recent studies have shown that arsenic's toxicity may be linked to N6-methyladenosine (m6A), an abundant and dynamic epigenetic RNA modification. However, it is not completely understood how m6A contributes to arsenite-induced skin lesions. Herein, it is shown that methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) plays a crucial role in the involvement of arsenite-induced skin lesions in an m6A-dependent manner. Using bioinformatic analysis and experimental approaches, we demonstrate that arsenite induces METTL3 upregulation, represses suppressors of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression in an m6A- YTH m6A RNA binding protein 2 (YTHDF2)-dependent manner, and leads to the aberrant activation of the Janus kinase (JAK)2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3) signaling pathway. We further found that the activated transcription factor STAT3 binds to the promoter regions of Krt1 and Krt10, promoting their transcription, which ultimately leads to arsenite-induced skin lesions. In conclusion, our study reveals the role of m6A in arsenite-induced skin lesions through the activation of the JAK2/STAT3/Krt signaling axis. The findings provide new insight into the potential molecular mechanisms underlying arsenic toxicity regulation through m6A modification. [Display omitted] • METTL3-mediated m6A methylation is involved in arsenite-induced HaCaT cell damage. • METTL3 may be involved in arsenicosis by regulating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. • Arsenite induces METTL3 inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation by SOCS3. • Arsenite disrupts SOCS3 protein levels in a METTL3-YTHDF2-dependent manner. • Arsenite participates in skin lesions by inducing METTL3 activation STAT3 with Krt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • l -citrulline and l -arginine supplementation accelerates skin wound healing. • l -citrulline and l -arginine supplementation reduced the wound area. • l -arginine or l -citrulline supplementation modulates oxidative status in skin wounds. • l -arginine or l -citrulline supplementation increased number of cells, blood vessels. We evaluated the healing of cutaneous wounds in male wild type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice (iNOS) after supplementation with l -citrulline (CIT) and l -arginine (ARG). Were divided three groups: water (control); CIT (0.4 mg/kg) or ARG (0.4 mg/kg). A circular wound (10 mm2) was made in the skin. The wound area was smaller and the contraction rate was higher with ARG and CIT in WT and KO. Levels of CIT and ARG, and eNOS, iNOS, nNOS isoenzymes were identified, in which KO did not present iNOS. The total number of cells, blood vessels and collagen fibers type I and III and the levels of metalloproteinase-10 and SOD, CAT and GST were higher in the treatment with ARG and CIT on day 7. Oxidative markers such as MDA and CP, decreased in mice treated with ARG or CIT. ARG and CIT accelerated healing and tissue repair at morphological, histological and biochemical levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Clinical screening of skin cancer using images is tedious and laborious task. • Thus, Computer-Aided-System (CAD) can assist to perform early cancer diagnosis. • This paper provides critical analysis of existing CAD systems for skin lesions. • The distinct research challenges for diagnosis of skin lesions are also elaborated. Skin cancer is amid the most frequent types of cancer, accounting for approximately 2 to 3 million cases being diagnosed each year worldwide. Abnormal cell development on the skin causes skin lesions and manual inspection of skin lesions is a difficult, challenging, instinctive, and tedious task. Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) techniques can assist doctors to enhance their investigation skills and reduce the time it takes to get a precise diagnosis. Furthermore, the lack of advanced, user-friendly CAD techniques has raised serious concerns about the noninvasive, precise, and rapid identification of diseases. CAD systems can help to make an early diagnosis of skin lesions to plan timely treatment schedules for the patients to increase their survival rates. However, due to the distinctive and complex properties of skin lesion images, examination of skin lesion images still poses significant difficulties. The motivation behind this study is to discuss several preprocessing, segmentation, and classification strategies for analyzing skin lesions to differentiate between cancerous and non-cancerous images. The primary goal is to provide an overview for naïve researchers to commence their research in this field. Moreover, this manuscript will also highlight open challenges and future recommendations which further calls the distinct researchers to begin their research in this domain. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 4-H 2 TMeP porphyrin is effective to inactivate MDR bacteria after aPDT. • aPDT using 4-H 2 TMeP porphyrin can inactivate Gram-positive and -negative bacteria in mono and in polycultures. • Gram-positive bacteria are inactivated by aPDT using 4-H 2 TMeP porphyrin faster than Gram-negative. • AFM analysis demonstrate different damages at the bacteria membranes after aPDT. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms have been frequently isolated from integumentary lesions of animals, and these lesions are usually infected by more than one pathogen. This study evaluated an in vitro antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) using two water-soluble tetra-cationic porphyrins (3 - H 2 TMeP and 4 - H 2 TMeP) against mono and polyculture of MDR bacteria isolated from dogs, cats, and horses. Ten isolates of MDR bacteria (two of each species: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens , and Staphylococcus pseudointermedius) were used to evaluate aPDT against the monoculture using a non-cytotoxic concentration of 3 - H 2 TMeP and 4-H 2 TMeP porphyrins (40 µM), with 30 min of light irradiation in Gram-positive and 90 min for Gram-negative bacteria. The aPDT using the 4 - H 2 TMeP porphyrin was also tested against five different polycultures (Coagulase positive Staphylococcus (CPS) and Pseudomonas sp.; E. coli and Proteus sp.; Pseudomonas sp. and Proteus sp.; CPS and E. coli ; and CPS and Proteus sp.) for 90 min. The efficacy of both treatments was evaluated by plating the solution exposed to light or kept in the dark and counting the colonies forming units after 24 h of incubation at 37 °C. Atomic force microscope analysis was used to map bacteria morphological changes and extract adhesion force parameters from the bacteria membranes. Only the 4 - H 2 TMeP porphyrin had antibacterial activity against MDR bacteria in monoculture, especially S. pseudointermedius and P. aeruginosa. In polyculture, the 4 - H 2 TMeP porphyrin reduced bacterial concentrations (p < 0.05) in the associations of E. coli and S. pseudointermedius, P. aeruginosa and S. pseudointermedius , and P. aeruginosa and P. mirabilis. These results showed that aPDT using 4 - H 2 TMeP is a good option for future associations of aPDT and other therapies or in vivo research. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long term consumption of arsenic contaminated water causes a number of dermatological and non-dermatological health problems and cancer. In a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) on Bangladesh population, a significant association of asingle nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the C10orf32 region (rs 9527; G > A) with urinary metabolites and arsenic induced skin lesions was reported. This study aims to evaluate the association of the C10orf32 G to A polymorphism (rs9527), concerned with As3MT read-through transcription, with the development of arsenic induced skin lesions in the arsenic exposed individuals of West Bengal, India. A total of 157 individuals with characteristic skin lesions (cases) and 158 individuals without any skin lesion (controls) were recruited for this study. The G > A polymorphism (rs9527) having at least one minor allele ‘A’ was found to be significantly higher in cases compared to controls, implying increased risk toward the development of skin lesions. The risk genotype was also found to be significantly associated with cytogenetic damage as measured by chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei formation in lymphocytes. Hence, it can be concluded that G > A change in the C10orf32 region plays an important role in arsenic induced toxicity and susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects a large percent of the world́s population. This long-lasting skin disease has been treated by different approaches according to its causative agent and severity. Nonetheless, the use of advanced biomaterials to treat AD is poorly explored. The present study assessed the protective effectiveness of biocomposites films based on chitosan (Cs), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and bovine bone powder (BBP) on AD-like skin lesions. These original biocomposites were fully characterized and in vivo biological assays concerning the AD treatment were performed using a mouse model induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). The dorsal skin and ear of Balb/c female mice were challenging cutaneously with DNCB. Our findings demonstrate BBP-based biocomposite attenuated and treated considerably the DNCB-induced skin lesions in an AD-like model. In this sense, this study suggests that this original biocomposite may be applied as an active biomaterial for AD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To our knowledge this is the first systemic review that provides an overview of the cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes (CPS) (i.e., clinical manifestations, pathomechanisms, and treatment modalities) occurring in stomach cancer. CPS are caused by substances produced by stomach cancer and may precede, coincide with, or follow the diagnosis of this malignancy. More than 20 possible CPS in association with stomach cancer have been identified. CPS mostly compromises the patient’s quality of life by skin impairment plus discomfort and are often associated with a dismal prognosis on survival. Studies of these CPS not only in stomach cancer have partially contributed to the understanding of pathomechanism and since CPS may be the presenting sign of an occult cancer, cognizance of their features and clinical implications are of considerable importance. Patients with these syndromes should have an appropriate work-up for a possibly occult malignancy with consecutive successful early treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternatives to surgical castration are needed, due to stress and pain caused by castration of male pigs. One alternative is production of entire male pigs. However, changed behaviour of entire males compared with castrated males might adversely affect the welfare of entire males and changes in management procedures and production system might be needed. Elements from the organic pig production system might be beneficial in this aspect. The aim of this article is to investigate the effect of grouping strategy including social mixing and group size on levels of mounting behaviour and skin lesions, hypothesising that procedures that disrupt the social stability (e.g. regrouping) will have a larger negative effect in small groups compared with large groups. Approximately 1600 organic entire male pigs of the breed (Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc were reared in parallel in five organic herds, distributed across four batches in a 2 × 2 factorial design in order to test the influence of social mixing (presence or absence of social mixing at relocation) and group size (15 and 30 animals). Animals were able to socialise with piglets from other litters during the lactation period, and were all mixed across litters at weaning. A second mixing occurred at insertion to fattening pens for pigs being regrouped. Counting of skin lesions (1348 or 1124 pigs) and registration of mounting behaviour (1434 or 1258 pigs) were done on two occasions during the experimental period. No interactive effects were found between social mixing and group size on either skin lesions or mounting frequency. Herd differences were found for both mounting frequency and number of skin lesions. No association between skin lesions and mounting were revealed. Social mixing and group size were shown as interacting effects with herds on mounting frequency (P<0.0001), but with no consistent pattern across all herds. In addition, no effect of social mixing was found on mean number of skin lesions, but more lesions were observed in large groups (P<0.036). This could indicate that keeping entire male pigs in groups of 30 animals as compared with smaller groups of 15 may marginally decrease the welfare of these animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Merkel Cell Carcinoma is an aggressively malignant, neuroendocrine-derived, cutaneous neoplasm that commonly affects sun-exposed areas of the elderly population. MCC typically presents as a rapidly enlarging, painless nodule that is red to purple in color and located on sun exposed areas such as the head, neck and arms. Although rare, cases of MCC on non-sun exposed skin have been documented and typically have a worse prognosis. Presentation of case We report an atypical case of Merkel Cell Carcinoma originating in a non-sun exposed area of the body with evidence of distant metastasis. A 76-year-old male presented with complaints of a firm lesion in his left gluteal fold. Discussion Clinical diagnosis of MCC is usually made from a combination of history and physical, skin and nodal examination, biopsy sample with H&E prep, and immunopanel. Treatment according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network ® (NCCN ® ) is directed by lymph node involvement and metastasis. Conclusion With initial unsuccessful treatment, his lesion was excised and pathological evaluation reported Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC). Despite further surgical excision and adjuvant chemotherapy, increased hyper metabolism was found in the left descending colon and left prostate of unknown etiology. There have been reports of metastasis of primary MCC to the small bowel mesentery; therefore new focal hyper metabolism cannot be delineated precisely as unrelated to MCC until biopsy and histochemical staining are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing interest in developing abattoir-based measures to assist in determining the welfare status of pigs. The primary aim of this study was to determine the most appropriate place on the slaughter line to conduct assessments of welfare-related lesions, namely apparent aggression-related skin lesions (hereafter referred to as ‘skin lesions’), loin bruising and apparent tail biting damage. The study also lent itself to an assessment of the prevalence of these lesions, and the extent to which they were linked with production variables. Finishing pigs processed at two abattoirs on the Island of Ireland (n=1950 in abattoir A, and n=1939 in abattoir B) were used. Data were collected over 6 days in each abattoir in July 2014. Lesion scoring took place at two points on the slaughter line: (1) at exsanguination (slaughter stage 1 (SS1)), and (2) following scalding and dehairing of carcasses (slaughter stage 2 (SS2)). At both points, each carcass was assigned a skin and tail lesion score ranging from 0 (lesion absent) to 3 or 4 (severe lesions), respectively. Loin bruising was recorded as present or absent. Differences in the percentage of pigs with observable lesions of each type were compared between SS1 and SS2 using McNemar/McNemar-Bowker tests. The associations between each lesion type, and both cold carcass weight and condemnations, were examined at batch level using Pearson’s correlations. Batch was defined as the group of animals with a particular farm identification code on a given day. The overall percentage of pigs with a visible skin lesion (i.e. score>0) decreased between SS1 and SS2 (P<0.001). However, the percentage of pigs with a severe skin lesion increased numerically from SS1 to SS2. The percentage of pigs with a visible tail lesion and with loin bruising also increased between SS1 and SS2 (P<0.001). There was a positive correlation between the percentage of carcasses that were partially condemned, and the percentage of pigs with skin lesions, tail lesions and loin bruising (P<0.05). In addition, as the batch-level frequency of each lesion type increased, average cold carcass weight decreased (P<0.001). These findings suggest that severe skin lesions, tail lesions and loin bruising are more visible on pig carcasses after they have been scalded and dehaired, and that this is when abattoir-based lesion scoring should take place. The high prevalence of all three lesion types, and the links with economically important production parameters, suggests that more research into identifying key risk factors is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The use of biocompatible materials based on naturally derived monomers plays a key role in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In this paper we describe the synthesis of a new low molecular weight copolymer, based on glycerol and l -tartaric acid, useful to develop biocompatible dermal patches with drug delivery properties. The copolymer's chemical composition was assessed by FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), 1 H NMR ( 1 H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), while its molecular weight distribution was estimated by SEC (size exclusion chromatography). Copolymer thermal properties were studied by TGA (thermogravimetric analysis). Biological evaluations by MTT assay and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) observations performed with murine fibroblasts and human keratinocytes (HaCaT) revealed a good compatibility of the proposed copolymer. Ciprofloxacin was selected as model drug and its release was evaluated by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography), showing that the new copolymer supplied promising results as drug delivery system for wound healing applications. Furthermore, investigations on Skin-Mesenchymal stem cells (S-MSCs) behaviour and gene expression showed that the copolymer and its combination with ciprofloxacin did not affect their stemness. In this regard, the fabrication of dermal patches with new, low cost materials for local treatment of skin infections represents an attractive strategy in order to bypass the worrying side effects of systemic antibiotic therapy. Overall, the performed physico-chemical characterization, drug release test and biological evaluations showed that this new copolymer could be a promising tool for the in situ delivery of bioactive molecules during skin lesions treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflectance Spectroscopy is a helpful device to evaluate the seriousness of hyperpigmentation and erythema in Local scleroderma lesions. This article highlight the design of one dimensional regular grating comprised of TiO 2 for the detection of skin lesions in localized scleroderma. The grating structure establishes the wavelength-dependent diffraction performance and it is required to theoretically recognize the optimum parameter for each application. The purpose of this study is to suggest a suitable grating with optimum parameters for assessing skin lesions. In order to analyze the best material and grating parameters for the detection of skin lesions, we simulated grating structure with different materials namely SiO 2 , SiN, Si 3 N 4 and TiO 2 by employing the appropriate factors, notably the Index of refraction, groove density and thickness. The numerical simulation is carried out with the help of COMSOL Multiphysics, and the finite element technique is used to model the reflection related properties of SiO 2 , SiN, Si 3 N 4 and TiO 2 based fixed gratings. The quantity of hemoglobin (erythema) and melanin (hyperpigmentation) is measured in terms of erythema index (EI) and also melanin index (MI). After optimizing geometric parameters, the designed grating achieved. an efficiency of 95.45%. The calculated reflectance, spectral resolution, efficiency, EI and MI of TiO 2 based gratings are much higher than the similar geometry made up of other similar materials. The strong reflectance of TiO 2 and its high efficiency of 95.45% in the wide range of 200–800 nm made the proposed structure very reliable for skin lesions detection. • Investigation of suitable grating for UV–VIS Spectrometer for assessment of Skin Lesions in Localized Scleroderma. • Electromagnetic waves frequency domain interface is used to model wave propagation in one grating unit cell and Floquet periodicity is used for simulation. • In the region of 200–800 nm Indium TiO2 based grating is suitable for reflecting type UV–VIS spectrometer grating that can be used for skin lesions detection. • The designed TiO2 based grating achieved a efficiency of 95.45% and can be a reliable prospect for skin lesions detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with skin diseases may have their quality of life affected. Many of them have chronic skin lesions or some form of complication during the healing process. Ozone therapy is a low-cost method with efficient results, including the easy application of ozonized oil to the skin. However, studies report divergent times for the ozonation process of vegetable oil. This work aims to characterize, using the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy technique, sunflower oil ozonized at different exposure times. Nine samples of oil were treated up to 90 min with ozone (maximum applied ozone dosage of 117.0 g L−1) and, together with the control sample, were analyzed by FT-IR and the spectra deconvoluted in relation to the main bands observed by the second derivative. Two spectral regions were investigated: 1800 – 800 cm−1 and 3050 – 2800 cm−1. The results indicated a statistically significant difference between the spectra, especially after 20 min of the ozonation process. A decrease in oil temperature was observed 30 min after the beginning of the ozonation process, with a decrease in the intensity of the –CH stretching band of the fragment –C C–H above 3000 cm−1, an increase of the intensity of the C–H stretching bands of the CH 3 groups, decrease of intensity of the stretching bands of –C C– chemical bond, and constant intensity of the –C O stretching band. [Display omitted] • Characterization by FT-IR spectroscopy of sunflower oil in the ozonation process over a period of 90 min. • The 3050 – 2800 cm-1 region of the spectrum follows the oil temperature variation observed in the ozonation process. • The treatment of ozonized vegetable oil is recommended above to 40 min (applied ozone dosage of 52.0 g L-1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no human data regarding the exposure, metabolism and potential health effects of arsenic (As) contamination in drinking water in the Central Anatolian region of Turkey. Residents in ten villages with drinking water of total As (T-As) level >50 μg L-1 and 10–50 μg L-1 were selected as an exposed group (n = 420) and <10 μg L-1 as an unexposed group (n = 185). Time-weighted average-As (TWA-As) intake was calculated from T-As analysis of drinking water samples. Concentrations of T-As in urine and hair samples, urinary As species [i.e., As(III), As(V), MMA(V) and DMA(V], and some micronutrients in serum samples of residents of the study area were determined. Primary and secondary methylation indices (PMI and SMI, respectively) were assessed from urinary As species concentrations and the presence of skin lesion was examined. TWA-As intake was found as 75 μg L-1 in the exposed group. Urinary and hair T-As and urinary As species concentrations were significantly higher in the exposed group (P < 0.05). The PMI and SMI values revealed that methylation capacities of the residents were efficient and that there was no saturation in As metabolism. No significant increase was observed in the frequency of skin lesions (hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, keratosis) of the exposed group (P > 0.05). Only frequency of keratosis either at the hand or foot was higher in individuals with hair As concentration >1 μg g-1 (P < 0.05). Individuals living in the study area were chronically exposed to low-to-moderate As due to geological contamination in drinking water. No significant increase was observed in the frequency of skin lesions. Because of the controversy surrounding the health risks of low-to-moderate As exposure, it is critical to initiate long-term follow-up studies on health effects in this region. [Display omitted] • Arsenic in urine, hair and arsenic species were significantly higher in the exposed group. • There was a chronic, low-to-moderate arsenic exposure of residents via drinking water. • Individuals had efficient methylation capacity as indicated by the PMI and SMI values. • No significant increase in the frequency of skin lesions was found in the exposed group. • This is the first report on arsenic exposure, metabolism and health implications in the Central Anatolia, Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]