Skin of color

INTRODUCTION: Laser and radiofrequency ablation are two thermal ablation methods currently widely used to treat lower limb venous insufficiency. However, very few studies have been conducted on the use of microwaves, a form of thermal ablation, for the treatment of small saphenous vein (SSV) insufficiency. This study aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of endovenous microwave ablation (EMA) for the treatment of SSV insufficiency. METHODS: The clinical data of 126 patients (126 lower limbs) with SSV insufficiency (SSV trunk reflux time ≥ 500 ms on lower limb color Doppler ultrasound) treated at the Surgery Department of The Sixth People's Hospital of Zhuji from January 2020 to June 2022 were analyzed retrospectively; 64 patients underwent EMA and 62 underwent endovenous laser ablation (EVLA)...

This paper revisits Fleeming Jenkin's anonymous review of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species, published in the North British Review in June 1867. This review is usually revered for its impact on Darwin's theory of descent with modification. Its classical interpretation states that Jenkin, a Professor of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, made a compelling case against natural selection based on the fact of "blending inheritance" and the "swamping" of advantageous variations. Those themes, however, are strikingly absent from Jenkin's text...

INTRODUCTION: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has proven effective in classifying skin cancers using dermoscopy images. In experimental settings, algorithms have outperformed expert dermatologists in classifying melanoma and keratinocyte cancers. However, clinical application is limited when algorithms are presented with 'untrained' or out-of-distribution lesion categories, often misclassifying benign lesions as malignant, or misclassifying malignant lesions as benign. Another limitation often raised is the lack of clinical context (e...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Parental guidance is essential for supporting parental involvement, maintaining the quality and safety of infant care, and limiting parental stress. The efficiency of a new tool to support parental empowerment - "Step by step with my baby" - was evaluated. The perception of this tool by parents and nurses was studied. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study conducted from September 2019 to December 2020 at a level-3 neonatal center...

The coleoid cephalopods (cuttlefish, octopus, and squid) are a group of soft-bodied mollusks that exhibit a wealth of complex behaviors, including dynamic camouflage, object mimicry, skin-based visual communication, and dynamic body patterns during sleep. Many of these behaviors are visually driven and engage the animals' color changing skin, a pixelated display that is directly controlled by neurons projecting from the brain. Thus, cephalopod skin provides a direct readout of neural activity in the brain. During camouflage, cephalopods recreate on their skin an approximation of what they see, providing a window into perceptual processes in the brain...

BACKGROUND: Traditional skin grafts for syndactyly often cause color mismatches and unsightly donor sites, whereas no-skin-graft methods leave noticeable dorsal hand scars. This study presents plantar full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) from the weight-bearing midline area for syndactyly repair, a novel approach not previously reported in the literature. METHODS: The study included three groups of patients with congenital syndactyly of the hand who underwent primary operations with plantar FTSG (n=70), groin FTSG (n=20), and no-skin-graft techniques (n=22)...

Melanin is the major pigment responsible for the coloring of mammalian skin, hair, and eyes to defend against ultraviolet radiation. However, excessive melanin production has resulted in numerous types of hyperpigmentation disorders. Tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein enzyme found in many organisms, including humans, that plays an important role in melanogenesis. Thus, controlling the enzyme activity of TYRP1 with tyrosinase inhibitors is a vital step in the treatment of hyperpigmentation problems in humans...

Vitiligo is characterized by skin depigmentation, which can lead to profound psychological effects and decreased quality of life, especially for those with skin of color. Individuals with vitiligo may utilize complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) due to limited treatment options with varying efficacy.An anonymous, multiple-choice, cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to participants with vitiligo in the United States through online forums. Data on disease characteristics, use of prescription medications, use of topical therapies, supplements, and diets, and perceptions of CAM were collected...

Temperature is one of the most important factors in the life histories of ectotherms, as body temperature has an undeniable effect on growth, activity, and reproduction. Lizards have a wide variety of strategies to acquire and maintain body temperature in an optimal range. The "Thermal Melanism Hypothesis" proposes that individuals with lower skin reflectance can heat up faster as a result of absorbing more solar radiation compared to lighter conspecifics. Therefore, having a darker coloration might be advantageous in cold habitats...

Dear Editor, Ticks carry many diseases, bacteria, and viruses and represent a very important healthcare issue both in Croatia and globally. Although most ticks are not infected with pathogens dangerous to humans, some ticks can transmit infectious diseases with significant morbidity and mortality. This is caused by the increasing incidence of many tick-borne diseases over a growing geographical area. Many factors influence which species of ticks are present in a given geographical area, as well as the density of their population and the risk of human exposure to infected ticks...

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of subcorneal hematoma (SH) can be challenging because the clinical presentation of SH can resemble melanocytic lesions. Few studies have examined the characteristic dermoscopic features of SH, but a more detailed large-scale study is needed to overcome the diagnostic challenge of differentiating it from acral melanoma. OBJECTIVES: To describe the dermoscopic features of SH. METHODS: We evaluated the clinical and dermoscopic features of 50 SH lesions from 43 patients at the Pusan National University Hospitals (Busan and Yangsan)...

Periodic quantification of blood glucose levels is performed using painful, invasive methods. The proposed work presents the development of a noninvasive glucose-monitoring device with two sensors, i.e., finger and wrist bands. The sensor system was designed with a near-infrared (NIR) wavelength of 940 nm emitter and a 900-1700 nm detector. This study included 101 diabetic and non-diabetic volunteers. The obtained dataset was subjected to pre-processing, exploratory data analysis (EDA), data visualization, and integration methods...

BACKGROUND Over the past 30 years, painful reactions during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in tattooed individuals have been sporadically reported. These complications manifest as burning pain in tattooed skin areas, occasionally with swelling and redness, often leading to termination of the scanning. The exact cause is unclear, but iron oxide pigments in permanent make-up or elements in carbon black tattoos may play a role. Additionally, factors like tattoo age, design, and color may influence reactions...

The author describes how she has earnestly struggled to find her fit in providing mental health services to Hispanic/Latino clients and the Latino communities that she belongs to. She wonders, if no one belongs, then who stands up for historically marginalized Latino communities? Personal and systemic biases and arbitrary criteria for being enough to serve Latino patients hurt providers and clients alike. Her work reminds her of the need to charge against stereotyping and racism to meet patients' needs regardless of skin color or linguistic abilities...

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been strongly recommended as an excellent alternative treatment for Bowen's disease (BD). However, reported data on 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated PDT (ALA-PDT) with red light irradiation are limited and the long-term effectiveness remains to be determined, especially in dark-skinned populations. METHODS: Medical records of BD patients who received ALA-PDT with red light irradiation between February 2011 and June 2021 were reviewed and summarized...

OBJECTIVES: This manuscript aims to understand the association between self-rated health and ethnic-racial characteristics (i.e., skin color, self-ascription, and Indigenous language) in the context of the Mexican population. DESIGN: Logistic regression analyses, using the 2019 PRODER (N = 7187)-a representative survey at the national level. We centered the analysis on two measures of skin color: the interviewer assessment of color skin (that has been used in previous studies), and the ITA scale, a measure constructed from optical digital colorimeter readings (a novel method in ethnoraciality studies in Mexico, included in the PRODER survey)...

OBJECTIVE: There are clinical differences in healthy skin requirements and skin-aging features by race and ethnicity. However, individuals of color are underrepresented in dermatology-related medical information. We sought to gather information from women of color regarding their attitudes about the importance of the prevention of skin aging, available information, and perception of representation in skin-aging prevention information. METHODS: This study involved an observational, cross-sectional, online survey of women aged 18 to 70 years residing in the United States...

Passion fruit ( Passiflora spp.) is an important fruit tree in the family Passifloraceae. The color of the fruit skin, a significant agricultural trait, is determined by the content of anthocyanin in passion fruit. However, the regulatory mechanisms behind the accumulation of anthocyanin in different passion fruit skin colors remain unclear. In the study, we identified and characterized a R2R3-MYB transcription factor, PeMYB114 , which functions as a transcriptional activator in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Yeast one-hybrid system and dual-luciferase analysis showed that PeMYB114 could directly activate the expression of anthocyanin structural genes ( PeCHS and PeDFR )...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of antibiotic bone cement directly inducing skin regeneration technology in the repairing of wound in the lateral toe flap donor area. METHODS: Between June 2020 and February 2023, antibiotic bone cement directly inducing skin regeneration technology was used to repair lateral toe flap donor area in 10 patients with a total of 11 wounds, including 7 males and 3 females. The patients' age ranged from 21 to 63 years, with an average of 40...

IMPORTANCE: Hirsutism represents a significant concern for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with deleterious psychological effects warranting acknowledgment and a clear imperative to provide effective management. To our knowledge, this is the first review to exclusively examine the effectiveness of laser and light-based therapies in addressing hirsutism in women with PCOS. OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the existing literature regarding the effectiveness of laser and light hair reduction therapies, either as stand-alone treatments or in combination with systemic agents, in treating hirsutism for women with PCOS...