British Journal of Dermatology

SAIKIA, N. K.; MACCONNELL, L. E. S.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05088.xpmid: 4557734

Summary.— Three cases of Senear—Usher syndrome are reported. All 3 had immunological evidence of co‐existing pemphigus and lupus erythematosus. Two patients died of bronchial carcinoma. One surviving patient has probable metastatic neoplasia in the liver.

BLEUMINK, E.; DOEGLAS, H.M.G.; KLOKKE, A.H.; NATER, J. P.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05089.xpmid: 5043200

Summary.— A case of contact dermatitis to garlic is described. Patch tests with a piece of garlic bulb and extracts of garlic were positive. A tulip extract gave a positive reaction in this patient, but extracts of onion did not do so. The active substance proved to be readily soluble in water, alcohol and acetone. The allergenic material was found to be of low molecular weight, heat labile and present in the outer parts of the bulb.

ADAMS, ROWAN; HALES, C. L.; RAFFLE, E.J.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05090.xpmid: 5068041

Summary.— Transepidermal water loss from normal forearm skin was measured in 15 normal subjects before and after a standardized “skin insult” produced by friction with a detergent alone or with the detergent plus proteolytic enzyme. No statistically significant difference was discernible between the results obtained with the two solutions.

CHOPRA, D. P.; FLAXMAN, B. A.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05091.xpmid: 5043193

Summary.— Human epidermal cells were propagated in vitro, pulse labelled with tritiated thymidine, fixed at regular intervals thereafter and processed for radioautography. The percentage of labelled mitoses was plotted against time after pulse. From the interval between 2 successive peaks on the curve of labelled mitoses, the length of the cell cycle was found to be 59 hours. The growth fraction or percentage of cells actually involved in proliferation was calculated to be approximately 53.9%. The data are discussed with respect to published data on the human epidermal cell cycle in vivo and the methods by which the data were obtained.

HANEKE, E.; WOHLRAB, W.; PEKER, J.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05092.xpmid: 5043194

Summary.— Golden hamsters were injected subcutaneously with melanoma cells and treated with vincaleucoblastine (VLB) after growth of the tumour. The prolongation of survival time after surgical removal of the tumour was compared with that of a non‐operated, VLB‐treated control group. The survival time of the operated hamsters was significantly prolonged. Although they did not show signs of tumour recurrence, 3 operated animals died from the VLB treatment. Comparing the results of both chemotherapy and combined chemotherapeutic and surgical treatment with those of experiments without cytostatic therapy, the markedly unfavourable effect of VLB on hamsters with melanomata is apparent. We suppose the immunosuppressive side‐effect of VLB to be responsible for this negative result.

CARNEY, S. A.; HALL, M.; RICKETTS, C. R.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05093.xpmid: 5043195

Summary.— Storage of guinea‐pig ear skin at —196°C causes damage such that the ATP content of the skin falls very rapidly on thawing. The fall in ATP content on thawing can be arrested by placing the skin on serum medium at 37°C. Cryoprotective treatment before freezing and incubation after thawing on a strongly buffered Krebs/Ringer phosphate medium containing glucose and glycerol also minimizes ATP loss.The implications of these findings are discussed.

HADGRAFT, JONATHAN; HADGRAFT, J. W.; SARKANY, I.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05094.xpmid: 5043196

Summary.— The effect of glycerol on the rate of percutaneous absorption of methyl nicotinate from aqueous vehicles was investigated. The partition coefficients of methyl nicotinate between isopropyl myristate and aqueous solutions of glycerol were determined. The diffusivity of methyl nicotinate in various aqueous solutions of glycerol was also studied. It was shown that addition of glycerol in concentrations above 60% delayed the onset of erythema in human skin. The results suggest that this effect is related to the partition coefficient and diffusivity of methyl nicotinate in the aqueous vehicle. The osmotic effects of glycerol are negligible.

CUNLIFFE, W. J.; C'OTTERILL, J. A.; WILLIAMSON, B.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05095.xpmid: 4261368

Summary.— Skin surface lipid composition and sebum excretion rate were determined before and after one and 2 months of therapy in patients taking clindamycin for severe acne vulgaris. All patients showed marked clinical improvement. Clindamycin produced a significant reduction in skin surface free fatty acids and a significant reciprocal increase in skin surface triglycerides after one and 2 months of therapy. There was no significant change in the sebum excretion rate. These results support the hypothesis that free fatty acids are important in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris.

HUNTER, G. A.; FORBES, I. J.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05096.xpmid: 5043197

Summary.— Treatment with azathioprine has been used successfully in 5 cases of widespread PRP. Four cases cleared completely and in the other, after good improvement, treatment was abandoned on account of abdominal pains. Complete clearing may be slow, and treatment needs to be long continued. Two cases remain clear without treatment after 3 years and 2 years respectively. No serious side‐effects have been seen with the doses used.

NEWBOLD, P. C. H.; STOUGHTON, R. B.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb05097.xpmid: 5043198

Summary.— A case is presented which is not amenable to exact diagnosis. In the presence of active auto‐immune thyroiditis, this lady developed a florid phagedaenic ulcer without obvious aetiology. No pathogen could be isolated and the lesion does not fit into any neoplastic or pseudo‐neoplastic category. Her excellent response to conservative treatment favours a non‐malignant background, but even long term follow‐up will not resolve all doubts, as she has received a course of radiotherapy.