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The efficacy of NAFL in the treatment of striae distensae (SD) has been demonstrated. Nevertheless, the base for this improvement has not been clarified yet. The aim of this study is to describe in vivo variations occurring in the skin after the treatment, using reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). Ten patients asking for the treatment of SD were enrolled. Clinical and RCM images were acquired before the treatment, immediately after 1 and 6 months after the first treatment. One thousand five hundred forty-nanometer laser treatments were performed every 4 weeks for 6 sessions. Efficacy was estimated through the evaluation of pre- and post-treatment clinical pictures by two expert and independent physicians and with GAIS. Improvement of SD was observed in 80% of patients. Temporary erythema and edema were reported. RCM revealed the dissolution of collagen bundles and the appearance of new papillae, as compared to baseline. NAFL represents an effective and safe treatment modality for SD. We report herein in vivo variations occurring in SD after NAFL treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study of the transmission of Legionella bacteria from a whirpool using Serratia marcescens as a model. The aerosolization experiment has found that the spread of aerosolized microorganisms from a whirlpool is possible. Findings of the study suggest that Legionella bacteria suspended in air has a good survival rate and a low disease-causing dose. The study concludes that the airborne spread of bacteria from a whirlpool is possible if the concentration is ≥107 bacteria/l water.

Background and Objectives: Skin photoaging is related to extrinsic environmental exposures, mainly represented by ultraviolet radiation. One of the treatment options is laser resurfacing. As nutritional status is involved in cutaneous photodamage, we evaluated whether dietary patterns can also influence the response to facial resurfacing. Our prospective multicentric study involves three dermatologic centers specialized in laser therapy in northern Italy. The study aims to compare the outcome of a CO 2 ablative laser therapy between omnivore and vegan patients., Study Design/materials and Methods: Fifty-three omnivore and fifty-three vegan women undergoing ultrapulsed CO 2 resurfacing for photodamaged facial skin were enrolled in this study. Clinical improvement was evaluated 3 and 6 months after the treatment using the modified Dover score., Results: After laser treatment, vegans showed slower complete re-epithelialization (P < 0.001*) and disappearance of the erythema (P < 0.001*). After 3 and 6 months, vegans showed worse outcomes in terms of fine lines (P < 0.001* and P < 0.001*, respectively) and tactile roughness (P = 0.003* and ​​​​P = 0.002*, respectively) compared with omnivores, while they did not differ in mottled pigmentation., Conclusions: The present study suggests that diet influences the clinical outcome of fractioned CO 2 laser treatment. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background and Objectives: The efficacy of picosecond laser (PSL) in the treatment of striae distensae (SD) has been recently reported; otherwise, the base for this improvement has not been clarified yet. The aim of this study is to treat long-lasting SD with PLS and to describe their in vivo morphological variations after treatment using three-dimensional (3D) imaging and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM)., Study Design/materials and Methods: A total of 27 patients asking for treatment for SD were treated with four monthly sessions of PLS. Clinical improvement was estimated through a blinded evaluation performed by two independent dermatologists, Global Assessment Improvement Scale (GAIS), patients' satisfaction, 3D imaging, and RCM assessments at baseline and 6 months after the last laser session., Results: Although a clinical improvement of SD was observed in 81.4% of patients according to physicians' GAIS, only 66.6% of patients reported subjective improvement and satisfaction after treatment (P = 0.04). 3D imaging revealed a significant improvement in terms of skin texture (P < 0.001) and mean SD depth (P < 0.001). Otherwise, RCM highlighted collagen remodeling and the appearance of new dermal papillae in all the treated SD compared with baseline., Conclusions: The present study confirms that PLS represents a safe treatment option for SD; herein, we report morphological documentation of skin variations after PLS treatment. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The aging of facial structures depends on genetic, anatomic, chronologic, and environmental factors that affect the skin and underlying tissues. Microfocused ultrasound with visualization (MFU-V) has emerged as a safe and effective treatment for skin laxity. As the nutritional status may contribute to skin aging, it would be interesting to evaluate whether different dietary patterns can also influence the response to MFU-V treatment for skin laxity., Aims: The aim of this study is to compare the outcome of MFU-V therapy between omnivore and vegan patients., Methods: Twenty-seven vegan and twenty-seven omnivorous women who underwent MFU-V treatment for laxity of lower face and neck were enrolled. The clinical outcome was evaluated using the FLR (Facial Laxity Rating) scale after 3 and 6 months from treatment., Results: At baseline, no significant differences were found in terms of FLR scale in both treated sites. After 3 months, reduction in FLR scale was significantly lower for vegans both on face (P = .04) and neck (P = .004). At 6 months, vegan patients had a worse clinical outcome on lower face (P = .001) and neck (P < .001)., Conclusion: The present study suggests that a vegan diet may negatively influence the outcome of a MFU-V treatment., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Postsurgical skin healing can result in different scars types, ranging from a fine line to pathologic scars, in relation to patients' intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Although the role of nutrition in influencing skin healing is known, no previous studies investigated if the vegan diet may affect postsurgical wounds., Objective: The aim of this study was to compare surgical scars between omnivore and vegan patients., Methods and Materials: This is a prospective observational study. Twenty-one omnivore and 21 vegan patients who underwent surgical excision of a nonmelanoma skin cancer were enrolled. Postsurgical complications and scar quality were evaluated using the modified Scar Cosmesis Assessment and Rating (SCAR) scale., Results: Vegans showed a significantly lower mean serum iron level (p < .001) and vitamin B12 (p < .001). Wound diastasis was more frequent in vegans (p = .008). After 6 months, vegan patients had a higher modified SCAR score than omnivores (p < .001), showing the worst scar spread (p < .001), more frequent atrophic scars (p < .001), and worse overall impression (p < .001)., Conclusion: This study suggests that a vegan diet may negatively influence the outcome of surgical scars.

A poly(amidoamine) (PAA) copolymer with beta-cyclodextrin was obtained by polyaddition reaction of 6-deoxy-6-amino-beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD-NH(2)) and 2-methylpiperazine to 2,2-bis(acrylamido)acetic acid in aqueous medium. This beta-CD/PAA copolymer bears beta-CD units along the macromolecular chain, is water-soluble and non-cytotoxic. The complexing capacity of beta-CD/PAA was determined using an antiviral drug, Acyclovir, as a model of poorly water-soluble drug. Complex formation was confirmed by means of DSC and FTIR analyses. beta-CD/PAA can solubilize up to 11% w/w of Acyclovir notably increasing the aqueous solubility of the drug. The in vitro release studies showed the dependence of Acyclovir release rate on the solution pH. The antiviral activity of Acyclovir beta-CD/PAA complex was evaluated against herpes simplex virus type I in cell cultures. The Acyclovir beta-CD/PAA complex exhibited a higher antiviral activity than the free drug.

AGMA1, a prevailingly cationic amphoteric polyamidoamine obtained by polyaddition of (4-aminobutyl)guanidine (agmatine) to 2,2-bis(acrylamido)acetic acid, was studied as a potential DNA carrier and transfection promoter. Fluorescein-labeled AGMA1 was prepared by conjugation with fluorescein isothiocyanate and its cell uptake, blood permanence, and body distribution studied. In spite of its cationic character, AGMA1 is neither toxic nor hemolytic in the pH range 4.0-7.4, circulates for a long time in the blood without preferentially localizing in the liver, easily enters HT-29 cells, gives stable complexes with DNA, and is endowed with good transfection efficiency, suggesting the ability to transport in the cytoplasm a DNA payload without any measurable membranolytic activity. If compared with other transfection promoters, including polyamidoamines of different structures, AGMA1 is apparently endowed with a unique combination of desirable requirements for a nonviral DNA polymer carrier and warrants potential as a transfection agent in vivo.

In three male patients with lower respiratory disease, aged 51, 32 and 63 years, Legionnaires' disease was diagnosed by urinary antigen test and culture of the respiratory-tract fluid. In the second patient, the bronchoalveolar fluid also contained Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. All three patients recovered after treatment with azithromycin in the first, cefotaxime, vancomycin and levofloxacin in the second, and erythromycin and ciprofloxacin in the third, respectively. Legionella pneumophila pneumonia is clinically not clearly distinct from other pneumonias and has a high mortality rate when not treated with the proper antibiotics. For that reason, adequate and swift diagnosis is of great importance. The urinary antigen test meets both of these criteria. Still, it is advisable to use culture and serology as well if Legionnaires' disease is suspected in a patient, since the urinary antigen test has limitations. In addition, patient isolates are ofepidemiological importance for public health. By comparing available patient isolates with Legionella strains from water sources, it is possible to identify sources of infection. In 2002, based on this principle, a project was started in The Netherlands aimed at identifying sources of infection, thereby preventing outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease by swift elimination of the source. Since the start of the project, 29 sources have been identified. In the cases described above these were a sauna, a cooling tower and a caravan, respectively. In suspected cases, respiratory-tract fluid must be collected to make possible such a source investigation.