skin-care-5.matches: skin care
Physico-chemical studies of micelle formation on sepia cartilage collagen solutions in acetate buffer and its interaction with ionic and nonionic micelles. Hydrodynamic and thermodynamic studies.

Mandal AB, Ramesh DV, Dhar SC.

Chemical and FT-NMR Laboratory, Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Madras, India.

Sepia cartilage collagen (pepsin-extracted) in acetate buffer (pH = 2.98) forms micelles at a particular concentration below which they do not normally form. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) of the collagen was determined in buffer as well as in SDS, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and Tween-80 micellar environments at different temperatures. Mutual interaction of collagen micelles with the ionic and nonionic micelles through the formation of the mixed micelle concept has also been found. The cmc of collagen decreased in the presence of SDS and Tween-80 micelles whereas it increased in the presence of CTAB micelles. This clearly suggests that the micelle formation of collagen is facilitated by the presence of SDS and Tween-80 and hindered by CTAB micelles. The various thermodynamic parameters were estimated from viscosity measurements and the transfer of collagen into the micelles of various surfactants and the reverse phenomenon was analyzed. This analysis has also been modelled conceptually as a different phase and the results have supported the above phenomenon. Our thermodynamic results are also able to predict the exact denaturation temperature as well as the structural order of water in the collagen in various environments. The hydrated volumes, Vh, of collagen in the above environments and intrinsic viscosity were also calculated. The low intrinsic viscosity, [eta], of collagen in an SDS environment compared to buffer and other surfactant environments suggested more workable systems in cosmetic and dermatological skin care preparations. The one and two-hydrogen-bonded models of this collagen in various environments have been analyzed. The calculated thermodynamic parameters varied with the concentration of collagen. The change of thermodynamic parameters from coil-coil to random-coil conformation upon denaturation of collagen were calculated from the amount of proline and hydroxyproline residues and compared with viscometric results. Thermodynamic results suggest that the stability of the collagen in the additive environments is in the following order: SDS greater than Tween-80 greater than buffer greater than CTAB.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3691510&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-1.matches: skin care
Terminology used by different health care providers to document skin ulcers: the blind men and the elephant.

Zeleznik J, Agard-Henriques B, Schnebel B, Smith DL.

Clinical Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA. zeleznikjo aol.com

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to describe the spectrum and preferences of terminology used by house staff and attending physicians in internal medicine, general surgery, surgical subspecialties, physical medicine and rehabilitation, staff nurses, clinical nurse specialists, and others when documenting a skin ulcer examination on admission or at consultation. DESIGN: This study was a retrospective review of a purposeful sample of 75 charts. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: Study subjects were physicians and nurses working in an urban teaching hospital. METHODS: Methods used were abstraction from the medical record of the frequency with which aspects of a skin ulcer examination were documented and qualitative analysis of the descriptive terminology. RESULTS: As consultants, clinical nurse specialists for skin care and plastic surgeons were the most complete in documenting location, size, and the tissue characteristics of skin ulcers. Ninety percent of house staff and staff nurses of the primary team documented the existence and location of the ulcer. Some characteristic of the tissue was described by staff nurses and house staff for 80% and 78% of the ulcers, respectively. Quantitative size was the least frequently documented component by both nurses and house staff for 60% and 33% of the ulcers, respectively. A total of 66 unique terms including 38 nonmedical, nonspecific, or ambiguous terms were found. CONCLUSIONS: Documentation of skin ulcers in the notes of physicians and nurses are incomplete and nonstandardized, and the terminology used does not allow an accurate retrospective conceptualization of the ulcer. The clinical implications are miscommunication between multidisciplinary teams, difficulty assessing healing rates, and inability to perform retrospective quality assurance reviews. Development of a standardized skin ulcer examination with a meaningful taxonomy of terms acceptable to physicians, nurses, and occupational and physical therapists is needed to teach interdisciplinary care of patients with skin ulcers.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14615762&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-1.matches: skin care
Stimulating effect of collagen-like peptide on the extracellular matrix of human skin: histological studies.

Perrin A, Bauza E, Dal Farra C, Domloge N.

Vincience Research Center, Sophia Antipolis, France.

Recent studies of our newly developed synthetic collagen-like hexapeptide have shown that it enhances cultured cell adhesion and differentiation and improves the morphology of ex vivo skin. Consequently, we were interested in further investigating the effects of the collagen-like peptide on the skin. We performed different immunostaining studies on ex vivo human skin samples treated with the collagen-like peptide at 1% in time course studies. Our research also included comparative studies with vitamin C (often used as a positive control for enhancing collagen synthesis). The results showed that application of the collagen-like peptide to the skin enhanced synthesis of many extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules and that this effect was observed very early in some ECM molecules such as laminin 5, collagen 111, and collagen IV The expression of the other molecules was increased after different times of application of the collagen-like peptide. Interestingly, comparative studies with vitamin C showed that the synthesis response of some ECM molecules such as laminin 5, collagen 111 and collagen IV was more rapid after the administration of the collagen-like peptide than through vitamin C administration. Our results also revealed that after a longer treatment period, both active ingredients stimulated ECM molecule synthesis to a similar degree, with the exception of some molecules that remained superiorafterpeptide administration, such as collagen IV and beta 1 integrin. These histological studies demonstrate the remarkable and rapid effect of the collagen-like peptide on stimulating ECM molecule synthesis and suggest wide application for the peptide in antiaging and photoaging skin care products.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15648442&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-5.matches: skin care
Preventive measures in the tertiary care of spinal cord injured people.

Bedbrook G, Beer NI, McLaren RK.

There are complications of spinal cord paralysis peculiar to the extended care period. These may be motor skeletal, neurogenic, visceral and psychogenic. If practised regularly, prevention can be very effective in reducing the disability in all groups. Limb oedema, joint contractures, myasthenia and pain can be materially reduced by regular activity, maintaining joint mobility and the use of recreational motor skeletal activities. Urinary tract infection and decubiti can be largely eliminated by careful attention to anti-bacterial suppression and better hygiene, both personal and at home. Decubiti can be eliminated by regular skin care and eliminating friction and pressure. Most episodes of such complications can be effectively prevented and treated by the expert home visiting nurse. Social complications and drug abuse are areas of increasing concern. These can be kept to a minimum by regular assessment and, most importantly, when diagnosed early by the home visiting professional.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=4000694&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-5.matches: skin care
The dysplastic nevus.

Elder DE.

Dysplastic nevi are distinctive cutaneous nevomelanocytic lesions that can be recognized clinically and histologically. They were first described as markers of risk for melanoma in members of hereditary melanoma-prone kindreds. Subsequently, they have been discovered in a significant fraction of patients with sporadic melanoma, and in apparently normal members of the community. It is likely that they constitute markers of risk for melanoma in these populations as well, but that the risk is much less than in members of melanoma-prone kindreds. Beyond their role as risk markers, there is evidence that dysplastic nevi may act as precursors of some melanomas. Thus, their recognition offers an opportunity for analysis of pathogenetic mechanisms in cutaneous melanoma. Most dysplastic nevi, however, are completely stable over long periods of observation. Since up to 5% or even more of the population may bear one or more of these common lesions on their skin, it is important that the profession does not create an epidemic of cancer-phobia by over-emphasizing the significance of a dysplastic nevus. Patients with dysplastic nevi should adopt sensible patterns of skin care.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=4047734&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-5.matches: skin care
Patient education techniques used at burn centers.

Kaplan SH.

Occupational therapists working in facilities with burn units were surveyed to obtain information on their use of education programs with burn patients. Respondents indicated that verbal instruction and written materials that focus on exercise, splint wearing, skin care, and scarring were used most often with patients and families. Almost all 75 respondents indicated that they felt responsible for providing this information to burn patients, and many replied that their patient education programs were generally effective, as determined by patient cooperation and participation in the rehabilitation process.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=4050948&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-5.matches: skin care
A five-year study of cosmetic reactions.

Adams RM, Maibach HI.

During 64 months (1977 to 1983), twelve dermatologists from various sections of the United States studied a total of 713 patients with cosmetic dermatitis out of an estimated total of 13,216 patients with contact dermatitis. The number of patients seen for all causes during this period was 281,100. An important finding was that half of the patients or physicians were unaware that a cosmetic was responsible for their dermatitis. Skin care products, hair preparations (including colors), and facial makeup were responsible for the majority of the reactions. The most important objective was identification of causative ingredients. Eighty-seven percent of the subjects had patch tests. Fragrance, preservatives (Quaternium-15, formaldehyde, imidazolidinyl urea, and parabens), p-phenylenediamine, and glyceryl monothioglycolate were the most frequently identified allergic sensitizers, in that order. In addition to the clinical data, the study permitted assessment of the frequency of cosmetic reactions, although the data may not be entirely representative of the country at large because of the special interests of the dermatologists involved.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=4078100&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine