The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the antimicrobial activities of monocytes for the intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAI). UV radiation augmented monocyte antimicrobial activity for MAI in a dose-dependent fashion. UVB doses of greater than or equal to 25 J/m2 resulted in a 50-100-fold reduction in MAI growth 7 d afte...

Cells from patients with the inherited disorder, Fanconi's anemia (FA), were analyzed for endonucleases which recognize DNA interstrand cross-links and monoadducts produced by psoralen plus UVA irradiation. Two chromatin-associated DNA endonuclease activities, defective in their ability to incise DNA-containing adducts produced by psoralen plus UVA light, have been identified and isolated in nu...

The role of the peritrophic envelope in the non-absorption of three allelochemicals ingested by generalist grasshoppers was examined. This study tested the hypothesis that the association of lipophilic and amphiphilic allelochemicals with lipid aggregates (mixed micelles) reduces their permeability through the peritrophic envelope, a process similar to extractive ultrafiltration. Each of three ...

A trioxysalen bath is a safe alternative to systemic 8-methoxypsoralen in long-term psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) treatment. The kinetics of its main side-effect, the strong phototoxicity, has not been thoroughly studied. This study determined the degree and persistence of phototoxicity after a single 10 min bath at a trioxysalen concentration of 0.33 mg/l. The buttock skin of 16 healthy v...

Leaf, fruit, stem, bark and root of Zanthoxylum americanum were investigated for antifungal activity with 11 strains of fungi representing diverse opportunistic and systemic pathogens, including Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus. All extracts demonstrated a broad spectrum of antifungal activity and inhibited at least eight fungal species in a disk diffusion ass...

BACKGROUND There are concerns that there is no uniform approach towards the management of vitiligo. Objectives To explore attitudes and strategies for the management of vitiligo among dermatologists. METHODS A self-administered questionnaire containing 22 questions was distributed to 160 dermatologists attending a national dermatology conference in 2007. RESULTS One hundred and twelve derma...

A set of universal oligonucleotide primers specific for the conserved regions of the eubacterial 16S rRNA gene was designed for use with the real-time PCR Applied Biosystems 7700 (TaqMan) system. During the development of this PCR, problems were noted with the use of this gene as an amplification target. Contamination of reagents with bacterial DNA was a major problem exacerbated by the highly ...

Cellular senescence is a phenotype that is likely linked with aging. Recent concepts view different forms of senescence as permanently maintained DNA damage responses partially characterized by the presence of senescence-associated DNA damage foci at dysfunctional telomeres. Irradiation of primary human dermal fibroblasts with the photosensitizer 8-methoxypsoralen and ultraviolet A radiation (P...

Vitiligo is a dreaded disease in India due to its social and cultural consequences. PUVA and PUVAsol are the main treatment modalities for vitiligo vulgaris. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of accidental PUVA burns eventuating in prurigo nodularis lesions to be reported in a female patient who was undergoing home PUVA therapy. The itch is so prominent and disabling that the...

Melanocytic nevi represent a widespread cutaneous finding. Nevertheless, the presence of mycosis fungoides and melanocytic nevi in the same location is an extremely rare event. We report the case of a patient affected by mycosis fungoides and treated with PUVA therapy, with complete remission of the disease. Eight years after therapy discontinuation, he presented epidermal scaling and an erythe...