Bob Roehr is a medical writer based in Washinton, D.C.
Research sheds light on inflammatory mechanism of sunburn
September 1st 2012Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation damage to noncoding RNAs in keratinocytes initiates a cascade of events leading to the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a cytokine central to the inflammatory skin response commonly known as sunburn. The surprising discovery of this mechanism has potential implications for better understanding of prevention, carcinogenesis and phototherapy, researchers say.
Vismodegib effective against basal cell nevus syndrome
August 1st 2012The hedgehog inhibitor drug vismodegib (Erivedge, Genentech/Roche), approved in January to treat advanced and metastatic basal cell carcinoma, has demonstrated potent clinical activity when used in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome, according to a study published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Attenuating chemical signals in fibrotic process may reduce scarring in humans
July 1st 2012New research has identified the signaling pathway through which mechanical forces play a major role in the fibrotic process of wound healing and scarring. Modulating this pathway in mice significantly reduced scarring and may offer a therapeutic target to reduce scarring in humans, says Geoffrey C. Gurtner, M.D.
Dermatologists land at top of national list of most satisfied physicians
July 1st 2012Dermatologists have the highest level of job satisfaction of 25 medical specialties, according to a national survey conducted by Medscape titled Physician Compensation Report 2012. Dermatologists also are among the better compensated, particularly when their more-varied pattern of hours worked are taken into consideration.
Research advances may target varicose vein therapies
July 1st 2012A single intracellular molecule, activator protein-1 (AP-1), appears to initiate the signaling cascade for vascular remodeling that results in varicose veins. Assuming that these findings on the mechanisms of the disease in a mouse model translate into humans, they offer new targets for therapeutic intervention that go beyond current surgical options, a researcher says.
Virus a culprit? Merkel cell pathogen linked to up to a third of SCC tumors
November 1st 2009The Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), first identified in rare aggressive Merkel cell carcinoma in 2008, has now been isolated in up to a third of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), according to a new study published online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
Researching morphea: UV-A1 phototherapy recommended for darker-skinned patients
October 1st 2009World report - Darker-skinned patients with morphea and related diseases are as likely to benefit from ultraviolet (UV) light therapy as patients with lighter skin. Some clinicians had speculated that the increased level of melanin found in darker skin might impede UV-A1, but that does not appear to be the case.
Pet vectors: MRSA infections transmitted between humans, animals
September 1st 2009People and their pets are often said to take on the morphology and mannerisms of each other over time. Regardless of whether that is true, it's clear that they do come to share diseases, and, increasingly, that means methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA).
Guiding light: Gentle, noninvasive process steers cells, researchers find
August 1st 2009The brute force of lasers to kill targeted cells has become an important tool for dermatologists. Now, research presented at an optics conference in June may be opening the door to a gentle, new way to promote healing.
PSMs contribute to viciousness of CA-MRSA, study shows
January 1st 2008Much of the virulence of community-associated methicillin resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) is caused by phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) peptides, a family of proteins that had not previously been studied in the pathogen. The discovery, published in Nature Medicine, opens the door to a better understanding of the infection and potential new targets for intervention.
HPV Vaccination: Clinical Issues
October 1st 2006Gardasil (Merck) is made of virus-like particles - copies of the capsids or the outer shell of the virus; there is no DNA - therefore, it is impossible to become infected with HPV through vaccination. The vaccine stimulates an antibody response to that outer coating of the virus, and is 100 percent protective if administered prior to exposure to the four strains of HPV that it protects against.