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Background: Primary cutaneous mucinoses (PCM) are rare diseases characterized by dermal or follicular mucin deposits. Objectives: A retrospective study characterizing PCM to compare dermal with follicular mucin to identify its potential origin on a single‐cell level. Material and Methods: Patients diagnosed with PCM between 2010 and 2020 at our department were included in this study. Biopsy specimens were stained using conventional mucin stains (Alcian blue, PAS) and MUC1 immunohistochemical staining. Multiplex fluorescence staining (MFS) was used to investigate which cells were associated with MUC1 expression in select cases. Results: Thirty‐one patients with PCM were included, 14 with follicular mucinosis (FM), 8 with reticular erythematous mucinosis, 2 with scleredema, 6 with pretibial myxedema and one patient with lichen myxedematosus. In all 31 specimens, mucin stained positive for Alcian blue and negative for PAS. In FM, mucin deposition was exclusively found in hair follicles and sebaceous glands. None of the other entities showed mucin deposits in follicular epithelial structures. Using MFS, all cases showed CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, tissue histiocytes, fibroblasts and pan‐cytokeratin+ cells. These cells expressed MUC1 at different intensities. MUC1 expression in tissue histiocytes, fibroblasts, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and follicular epithelial cells of FM was significantly higher than the same cell types in the dermal mucinoses (p < 0.001). CD8+ T cells were significantly more involved in expression of MUC1 than all other analysed cell types in FM. This finding was also significant in comparison with dermal mucinoses. Conclusion: Various cell types seem to contribute to mucin production in PCM. Using MFS, we showed that CD8+ T cells seem to be more involved in the production of mucin in FM than in dermal mucinoses, which could indicate that mucin in dermal and follicular epithelial mucinoses have different origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our case, the presence of painless skin lesions, the distribution and evolvement of the exanthema led us favour the diagnosis of cutaneous GvHD. Due to suspicion of acute cutaneous graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), systemic immunosuppressants were increased and prednisolone 1 mg/kg BW was administered. Grade IV cutaneous GvHD (= TEN-like) is a life-threatening disease of stem cell recipients leading to detachment of the epidermis. [Extracted from the article]

Eosinophil count, eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and interleukin 5 (IL-5) during the treatment course (c). Within 48 h, the patient experienced a marked decrease of pruritus and after 3 weeks she was completely free of symptoms, her blood eosinophil count was zero and ECP normalized (Figs 1c and 2c). Eosinophilic cationic protein is a cytotoxic granule protein and secreted by activated eosinophils.1 Accordingly, serum levels in our patients correlate with eosinophil count over the treatment course (Fig. [Extracted from the article]

Background Melasma treatment remains challenging despite various laser systems available, because of potential side-effects and high recurrence rates. Objective Non-ablative fractionated photothermolysis (FP) is a promising therapeutic method, long-time results comparing treated vs. non-treated site are lacking. Methods A total of 14 patients were treated with FP in a split-face mode with standardized adjustments in three sessions (weeks 0, 3-4, 6-8, follow-up: 26-28). At each consultation, improvement was evaluated by patients and physicians. Objective assessment was performed using digital photographs and the pigment imaging tool SIAscope®. Results Melasma improvement was registered in 83% and 75% of the cases 26-28 weeks after the first treatment based on two evaluations: by patient and by physician, respectively. Digital photography and SIAscope® revealed improvement in 54% and 85% after the first, 61% and 85% after the second, 41% and 58% after the third treatment, accordingly, mostly due to reduction of the outline sharpness. Patients with lighter skin complexions revealed significant improvement ranged from slight to moderate ( P = 0.03). Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation occurred in two cases with skin types III and IV. Conclusion Non-ablative FP can be considered as a valuable treatment option with short-term improvement in terms of mild reduction and softening the edges of melasma in patients with skin types I/II, if prior topical therapies failed. Treatment of patients with skin types III+ should be critically questioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the use of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) in rapid analysis of steelmaking slags. Samples of solidified slags were examined using a multi-element approach. Parameters affecting slag analysis were considered, including laser focusing and amount of laser shots. The study found that the accuracy of LIBS depended on several factors including element content and the environment of slags.

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with cutaneous findings, some being the result of drug hypersensitivity reactions such as maculopapular drug rashes (MDR). The aim of this study was to investigate whether COVID-19 may impact the development of the MDR., Methods: Blood and skin samples from COVID-19 patients (based on a positive nasopharyngeal PCR) suffering from MDR (COVID-MDR), healthy controls, non-COVID-19-related patients with drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and MDR were analyzed. We utilized imaging mass cytometry (IMC) to characterize the cellular infiltrate in skin biopsies. Furthermore, RNA sequencing transcriptome of skin biopsy samples and high-throughput multiplexed proteomic profiling of serum were performed., Results: IMC revealed by clustering analyses a more prominent, phenotypically shifted cytotoxic CD8 + T cell population and highly activated monocyte/macrophage (Mo/Mac) clusters in COVID-MDR. The RNA sequencing transcriptome demonstrated a more robust cytotoxic response in COVID-MDR skin. However, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was not detected in skin biopsies at the time point of MDR diagnosis. Serum proteomic profiling of COVID-MDR patients revealed upregulation of various inflammatory mediators (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, TNF, and IFN-γ), eosinophil and Mo/Mac -attracting chemokines (MCP-2, MCP-3, MCP-4 and CCL11). Proteomics analyses demonstrated a massive systemic cytokine storm in COVID-MDR compared with the relatively milder cytokine storm observed in DRESS, while MDR did not exhibit such features., Conclusion: A systemic cytokine storm may promote activation of Mo/Mac and cytotoxic CD8 + T cells in severe COVID-19 patients, which in turn may impact the development of MDR., (© 2021 The Authors. Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)