Dead Sea therapy is one of the oldest forms of treatment for skin disease and some chronic inflammatory diseases like arthritis and psoriasis. Much of the research to date has attributed the clinical effects of Dead Sea therapy to its mineral composition; mostly to magnesium salts. Magnesium salts, such as magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts), have long been used as a spa product and as a therapeut...

Background: Cisplatin is an antineoplastic agent used to treat many malignancies; however, the main side effect of cisplatin is nephrotoxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydration therapy with and without magnesium on prevention of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 46 patients with malignancy who were candidate to rec...

BACKGROUND From birth, the functional properties of the neonatal epidermal barrier mature whereby the stratum corneum (SC) hydrates and the skin surface acidifies. The identification of a thinner infant SC compared with adults suggests underdeveloped mechanisms underlying differentiation and desquamation. OBJECTIVES To assess the functional properties of the neonatal SC from birth, in conjunc...

The highly amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel ENaC is well known to be involved in controlling whole body sodium homeostasis and lung liquid clearance. ENaC expression has also been detected in the skin of amphibians and mammals. Mice lacking ENaC expression lose rapidly weight associated with an epidermal barrier defect that develops following birth. This dehydration is accompanied ...

This article addresses the interplay between heat of hydration and physico-mechanical properties of calcium sulfate hemi-hydrate in the presence of retarding additives such as citric and malic acids and sodium citrate. The heat of hydration was measured using a semi-isothermal calorimeter. Results proved that citric and malic acids had superior impact on hydration and mechanical properties. Whi...

Urea is an endogenous metabolite, known to enhance stratum corneum hydration. Yet, topical urea anecdotally also improves permeability barrier function, and it appears to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Hence, we hypothesized that urea is not merely a passive metabolite, but a small-molecule regulator of epidermal structure and function. In 21 human volunteers, topical urea improved barrier fun...

O ur skin is the natural barrier that protects us from the environment. Some of the most important functions of the skin are blocking external pathogens and other substances from penetrating the body and preventing water loss. These functions are performed primarily by the epidermis by producing a protective, highly impermeable layer (stratum corneum) that permits survival under Earth condition...

Understanding the processes that underlie pollen release is a prime target for controlling fertility to enable selective breeding and the efficient production of hybrid crops. Pollen release requires anther opening, which involves changes in the biomechanical properties of the anther wall. In this research, we develop and use a mathematical model to understand how these biomechanical processes ...

Advances in treatment of skin wounds depend on demonstration of reduced morbidity or mortality either during or after hospitalization. Tissue engineering of skin grafts from cultured cells and biopolymers permits greater amounts of grafts from less donor tissue than conventional procedures. Autologous keratinocytes and fibroblasts isolated from epidermis and dermis of skin may be combined with ...