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Malignancy arising in porokeratoses is a well recognized but infrequently reported complication. Histological studies suggest that malignancy arises from the abnormal clone of keratinocytes which produce the cornoid lamella. We report two cases of squamous cell carcinoma arising in porokeratoses and postulate genetic, environmental and host factors as important in the evolution of their malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to correlate blood and skin findings with respect to analysis of immuno regulatory T cells in 18 patients with severe atopic dermatitis. Circulating T lymphocytes were characterised by flow cytometry, and in situ infiltrates of acute skin lesions identified by the immunoperoxidase technique. Analysis of peripheral blood T lymphocyte sub-sets failed to reveal any difference from normal controls. Skin infiltrates were strongly positive for Til -the pan T lymphocyte marker. The majority of these cells both in the dermis and epidermis were of the T4 helper-inducer sub-set, while a smaller proportion of cells were of the T8 suppressor- cytotoxic T cell sub-set. T-positive Langerhans cells were markedly increased in the dermis of affected skin, compared with normal skin. The finding of increased numbers of 'helper-inducer T lymphocytes' in association with increased numbers of Langerhans cells, which function as antigen presenting cells, suggests a strong immunological mechanism in disease pathogenesis, and may yield knowledge both with respect to origin of skin damage and elevation of IgE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bindii dermatitis is seen in children in late spring and early summer. The rash involves the knees and often affects the soles, elbows, forearms and palms. It resolves in winter. Recognition is important as the rash has been confused with other conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cases of severe and chronic dermatitis were surveyed by performing a series of immunological tests. The relationship of IgE levels and the number of positive immediate and delayed tests seems worthy of further study. It is apparent that the diagnosis of chronic dermatitis can no longer be made on purely clinical grounds, but requires the testing of aetiological and host factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs that an attempt was made to study the dynamics of the interaction between cytophilic antibodies and the macrophage surface. The experiments described in preceding papers of this series showed that antibodies cytophilic for macrophalage tend to be produced in parallel with the development of delayed-type hypersensitivity in both mice and guinea-pigs. In mice, there is some correlation between cytophilic antibody titres and the intensity of delayed reactions to antigen, but in guinea pigs there is very little correlation.

The article informs that marked physico-chemical heterogeneity has been found previously among mouse antibodies cytophilic for macrophases. The nature of the cellular receptor for cytophilic antibodies is unknown. One approach to its characterization is the examination of the effects of treatment with enzymes on the affinity of cells for cytophilic antibodies. It has been reported that rabbit spleen cells treated with proteolytic enzymes lost their capacity to take up rabbit cytophilic antibodies to human serum albumin. It seemed that similar experiments with macrophages might also yield useful information.

Lentigo maligna (Hutchinson's melanotic freckle) has an amelanotic variant that may not be as rare as the literature suggests. None of the published cases were suspected clinically. In Australia we should suspect any slowly expanding depigmented or pink lesion on exposed areas, especially if it develops a nodule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clofazimine was administered, over a period of six months, in a dose of 100 mgm per day, to nine patients with discoid lupus erythematosus. There was complete suppression or improvement in every patient but this took up to three months to become evident. The main side effect was a pleasing suntan colour of the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]