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This paper focuses on a new occurrence mechanism of the flow marks, which appear on the surface of injection-molded parts, through characterization of the part surface structure. Injection-molded parts involving long flow lengths can exhibit visible flow defects characterized by alternating glossy and dull bands on the polymer surface, which have approximately the same direction with the material flow front. These flow defects are considered to have strong negative effect on the appearance of the molded component and thus on the perceived quality. The reasons for the appearance of these stripes are not entirely clear. Defect flow marks (shiny areas) were cut from the molded part and analyzed using optical microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, laser Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) spectroscopy. Raman spectra detected differences between spectra of defect area and of the reference one. The EDX analysis revealed that the defect area contains slightly more quantity of talc (Mg and Si). This happened because of material flow morphology in the areas where the molded part presents ribs. The flow of melted resin through an enlargement (rib) results in a decrease in flow velocity, and consequently, a pressure rise will occur and it also involves a vortex development. Therefore, the shear stress in this area is higher than upstream and downstream ones, and it will cause a delay of the flow stream, a premature solidification of the melted resin and ribs flow marks occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory disease with an incompletely understood etiopathogenesis. With a significant impact on the quality of life of patients, AD has attracted the interest of many research studies aiming to investigate the complex cellular and molecular mechanisms and to identify new therapeutic pathways. Various studies have focused on psycho-immunology, emphasizing the involvement of stress, defined as a general response of the body to external or internal challenges to the AD pathology. Factors like lifestyle and leisure activities may change the behavior of immune cells in AD with a strong impact on the evolution of the disease. Moreover, the poor adherence of AD patient to standard treatment approach has led to the necessity to combine different therapies in the field of complementary and alternative medicine. Although there are still not enough data to conclude that adjuvant therapies are effective in a conventional sense, there are already promising results suggesting that alternative therapeutic strategies could be a main subject of further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automotive painted components confront an almost limitless variety of environments and environmental assaults. The appearance (color, gloss, and texture) of the surface significantly affects a customer's perception of product quality. During the paint application process however, and later during car operation, numerous kinds of failures and/or paint damages can occur. A defective part from a car in warranty period with paint blisters was brought for investigations. Samples from defective part were taken, and then they were examined using optical microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A section of the part away from the blisters was excised and used as a reference. The black coating was analyzed in the reference area, on the rim of the part away from the blisters and on top of the coating covering the blisters. The result of the spectral subtraction revealed that benzyl benzoate was used inside of the car. Benzyl benzoate is used in topical medications, insect repellents, perfumes and cosmetics. As a proof of benzyl benzoate utilization inside of the car, a paint attack with benzyl benzoate was performed. The test revealed that, the part's failure was similar to that seen in the returned part from the car in warranty period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies. Therefore, the major goal of cancer treatment is inhibition of tumor cell growth and of metastasis development. In order to choose the best management option for HNSCC patients, we need to identify reliable prognostic factors and to develop new molecular techniques in order to obtain a better understanding of therapy resistance. By acting as neurohormones, neurotransmitters, or neuromodulators, the neuroendocrine factors are able to signal the maintenance of physiological homeostasis or progression to malignant disease. Certain neuropeptides possess strong antitumor properties acting as tumor suppressors and immunomodulators, providing additional benefits for future potential therapeutic strategies. In light of the current understanding, cancer starts as a localized disease that can be effectively treated if discovered on proper time. Unfortunately, more than often cancer cells migrate to the surrounding tissues generating distant metastases, thus making the prognosis and survival in this stage much worse. As cellular migration is mandatory for tumor invasion and metastasis development, searching for alternate controllers of these processes, such as the neuroendocrine factors, it is an active tremendous task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal cell carcinoma is a slow growing non-melanoma skin cancer appearing as a non-healing, painless, and sometimes pruriginous sore, usually on sun-exposed areas. Although it rarely metastasizes, BCC diagnosis and treatment should not be delayed due to its local invasive potential. Currently, dermatoscopy is a well propagated and commonly employed tool in clinical practice, providing a fast and handy approach to clinical diagnosis, without the significant financial costs associated with other more sophisticated diagnostic means. Since the very first dermatoscopic descriptions of basal cell carcinoma, the list of dermatoscopic diagnostic criteria has been updated and renewed numerous times. Dermatoscopy significantly augments basal cell carcinoma detection by its capability of discriminating it from other skin lesions and inflammatory skin conditions. Moreover, current evidence suggests that this noninvasive, real-time imaging technique is also valuable in tumor management, seeing that it provides additional information related to histopathological subtype, presence or lack of pigmentation, lateral tumor extension, and tumor response to non-surgical treatments. In this paper, we aim to summarize time-honored as well as current knowledge on the value of dermatoscopy in the diagnosis, classification, and treatment of basal cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic cutaneous inflammatory disease, intensely pruritic, presenting frequent relapses, all these characteristics making it difficult to treat. The disease has an important impact on the patients' quality of life. Due to chronic evolution, the treatment requires a long-term perspective. More than 10% of the population has atopic dermatitis, most of them at a very young age. As time passes, the symptoms may disappear or, in some cases, it can take a chronic course, with periods of exacerbation. The complete etiopathology of the atopic dermatitis is yet unknown, the etiology being multifactorial. Recent studies have shown the importance of the genetic components. The most common factors related to atopic dermatitis are: the socio-economic status, the number of family members, polution, soaps and detergents. Moreover, there is a strong correlation between the impairment of the skin barrier functions, the environmental factors and the genetics ones. The diagnosis is based on the presence of some well established major and minor criteria, but the key symptom is the chronic pruritus. The main differential diagnoses that should be taken into consideration are: seborrheic dermatitis, nummular eczema, irritant contact dermatitis.The therapeutic strategies are based on the severity of the disease, a large number of treatment options being available nowadays, topic (wet dressings, occlusive dressings, topical steroids, calcineurin inhibitors) and systemic (cyclosporin, steroids, azathioprine, intravenous immunoglobulin, histaminoglobin vaccine). The moisturizers play an essential role in the treatment strategy, alleviating the pruritus, preventing the relapses and allowing a lower dose of topical steroids to be used. In some cases, phototherapy can be associated. If left untreated, the lesions may persist for an indefinite period of time, but in some cases there are spontaneous remissions, especially during childhood. Some patients may develop asthma or any other type of allergy. Moreover, atopic dermatitis increases the risk of infection of the lesions, which can extend and complicate, sometimes threatening the patients' life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Austenitic stainless steels are the mostly used stainless steels in sheet metal forming and are subject of a large variety of applications including plate heat exchangers. During cold plastic deformation of heat exchanger plates, the martensitic transformation can take place. Martensite formation can be considered as a function of temperature, stress or strain. This paper is focused on the influence of martensite transformation on the corrosion resistance of AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel. Corrosion analysis showed that martensitic transformation which occurs due to cold forming process and under cyclic loading conditions had a substantially influence on the corrosion resistance of plate heat exchangers made by AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel. The role of molybdenum in the passive film formation has been considered and it was attributed to the ability of Mo to form insoluble chloride complexes at the base of pits. However, the protective film formed as a result of passivation or repassivation process was continuously broken due to continuously martensitic transformation as a result of cyclic working conditions of plate heat exchanger. The martensite volume expansion continuously broke the passive film and consequently new unprotected surfaces were exposed to chlorine-treated water, which was used as thermal agent for the plate heat exchanger. During working period, the heat exchanger plates are subjected to fluctuating stresses and strains that may result in cracks or fracture after a sufficient number of fluctuations. Fatigue fractures are caused by simultaneous action of cyclic stress, tensile stress and plastic strain. The martensite transformation as a result of applied cold plastic deformation process, changes not only the steel structure, but also its physical and chemical properties. The magnetic properties of stainless steel are very dependent on the elements added into the alloy. Having different corrosion potentials, it is easy for them to become the anode and the cathode, respectively, of a corrosion battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on bolts failure analysis of a compression press. 8 bolts were used to attach the high speed cylinder cap to the upper ram cylinder of a hydraulic press used to produce forging parts. The bolts had been in service less than one year. Six (6) broken bolts out of eight (8) were submitted for failure analysis. One of the most common failure mechanism for bolts is fatigue. Fatigue cracks initiate and propagate in regions where the strain is most severe. Most fatigue cracks initiate and grow from structural defects. The manner through which the crack propagates through the material gives great insight into the mode of fracture. Incorrect placement of a component or incorrect assembly order can cause high residual stresses or failure to occur. Improper specifications or torque requirements can also cause premature bolts failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, with a poor therapeutic response and a significant impact on the patient's quality of life. The aim of this review-type article is to assess the role of bacterial infections in both the pathogenesis and evolution of the hidradenitis suppurativa, but also to evaluate the convenience of antibiotherapy in the management of the disease. Antibiotherapy plays an important role in its longterm management, mainly due to the anti-inflammatory action of the frequently recommended agents from the schemes of treatment. The therapy's initiation ought to be consistent with the antibiotic sensitivity profile of microorganisms isolated in the laboratory, personalized depending on the disease’s severity, history of antibiotic use, the risk of drug interactions and the patient's comorbidities. Moreover, the association of antibiotics with anti-TNF-α (tumour necrosis factor) biologic therapy represents a valid therapeutic alternative that can significantly enhance the quality of life, of great utility especially in severe disease stages. In order to elucidate the pathogenesis, we propose two main research directions. Firstly, the profile analysis of virulence of microorganisms and its correlation with the host response to bacterial insult. Secondly, the description of the bacterial biofilm communities, both architecturally and physiologically in-depth analyzes of inter-cellular communication mechanisms. These steps are necessary for the discovery of new therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are complex interconnections between the nervous system and the skin highlighted by the impact of stress and neuroendocrine factors on various dermatological conditions. We investigated the influence of stress on skin neurogenic inflammation induced by capsaicin. A total of 31 healthy subjects were randomized into two groups: subjects in the stress group underwent a stress-inducing protocol and those in the control group were exposed to indifferent conditions. Subsequently, topical capsaicin cream was administered on the non-dominant anterior forearm of each subject from the two groups. The assessment of the local inflammatory reaction induced by capsaicin was performed by thermography at 25 and 40 min post-application. In both groups the inflammatory reaction induced by capsaicin was evidenced at 25 min and was maintained at 40 min post-application. However, at 40 min post-application the hyperthermal area was larger in subjects from the stress group, suggesting that stress exposure is associated with an amplification of the mechanisms involved in capsaicin-induced skin neurogenic inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important function of the immune system is its ability to differentiate between healthy cells in the organism and "foreign" cells, allowing the latest to be attacked and the first ones to be conserved. The most important molecules in this process are considered to be checkpoint inhibitors. This review is focused on the association between cancer and inflammation, underlying the mechanisms of action of monoclonal antibodies that are targeting checkpoint inhibitors: ipilimumab against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and pembrolizumab and nivolumab against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), their indications for treatment, and side effects. Presence of antibodies against checkpoint inhibitors shows promising results in the clinical trials in patients with types of cancer difficult to treat until now such as melanoma, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and renal cell carcinoma, offering an increase in the overall survival rate, response rate, and progression-free rate. Resistance is now observed to emerge in patients treated with this therapy, showing the need for more studies in order to design a biomarker that will predict the type of response to immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acne vulgaris is one of the most common skin disorders encountered by the dermatologist, having a complex pathophysiology and with a potential negative psychosocial impact on the patients. Even though acne affects mostly adolescents, it can be also seen in adults or children. Prevention of acne vulgaris relies on the successful management of its modifiable risk factors. Nowadays, a large variety of therapeutic options (topical, systemic or phototherapy) are available, thus the treatment decision depends on the severity of the lesions. New therapeutic options for acne vulgaris are available, being able to target early steps in the pathogenesis of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a challenge for both the dermatologist and infectious diseases specialist, keeping in mind its complex pathogenesis and multifactorial etiology. The diagnosis is usually clinical by excluding an infection / neoplasia / thrombophilia / other inflammatory conditions. We present the case of a 63‑year‑old patient who was referred to our clinic with nodular, petechial and necrotic-ulcerative lesions, localized predominantly on the upper and lower limbs, which appeared 20 days before our examination. She had a significant medical history, having been diagnosed with insulindependent type 2 diabetes, recurrent urinary infections with Candida albicans and granuloma annulare on the upper limbs and a history of psoriasiform rash. Blood test results revealed an inflammatory syndrome, hyperglycemia and thrombocytopenia. Microbiological examination of the cutaneous lesions highlighted skin cell debris and sterile cultures. The histopathologic result was consistent with the diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum. Therefore, systemic therapy with glucocorticoids was initiated, associeted with daily wound dressings with hydrogen peroxide, boric acid, followed by silver nitrate dressings, with a favorable outcome. Early recognition of patients at risk of developing pyoderma gangrenosum and new targeted therapies should be key objectives in future studies which may lead to the understanding of the complex pathogenesis of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking into consideration that the immune system plays a very important role in the development of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, which have a high prevalence in immunosuppressed patients and after prolonged ultraviolet radiation, the interest in developing novel therapies, in particular targeting the inflammation in cancer, has increased in the past years. The latest data suggest that therapies such as imiquimod (IMQ), ingenol mebutate (IM), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), retinoids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been used with success in the topical treatment of some cancers. Herein, we review the topical treatment targeting the inflammation in skin cancer and the mechanisms involved in these processes. Currently, various associations have shown a superior success rate than monotherapy, such as systemic acitretin and topical IMQ, topical 5-FU with tretinoin cream, or IMQ with checkpoint inhibitor cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4. Novel therapies targeting Toll-like receptor-7 (TLR-7) with higher selectivity than IMQ are also of great interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple autoimmune syndrome is a rare condition, defined by the association of at least three autoimmune disorders in the same patient, and first described by Humbert and Dupond in 1988. Psoriasis, vitiligo, and oral lichen planus are all common dermatological disorders in the general population, and the coexistence of these three diseases in these exact clinical variants has never been reported in the literature before. Herein, we describe an unusual case of co-occurrence of psoriasis vulgaris, vitiligo, and oral lichen planus. A 67-year-old Romanian female patient with a history of both vitiligo and psoriasis presented with white, shiny striae, organized in a reticular pattern on the mucosa of the cheek and whitish homogeneous irregularities similar to leukoplakia involving the dorsal side of the tongue. Histology examination confirmed oral lichen planus. The rarity of this case is highlighted by the coexistence of psoriasis, vitiligo, and oral lichen planus in the absence of cutaneous lichen planus lesions, an association which may be a newly described variant of multiple autoimmune syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a neurotropic virus which causes two distinct syndromes: primary infection presenting as varicella, mainly occurring in children without previous exposure to VZV, and reactivation of the latent VZV in the dorsal root ganglia, causing herpes zoster in adults. Herpes zoster clinically presents as a unilateral, painful, vesicular eruption, usually distributed to one or two adjacent thoracic dermatomes. As it is rarely seen confined to the upper limbs, few reports of herpes zoster involving the ulnar nerve exist in the literature, the majority describing patients who present with segmental zoster paresis of the upper extremity. This paper reports the case of a 73-year-old woman with ulnar and posterior antebrachial cutaneous nerve zoster reactivation and no history of immunosuppressive disorders. Therefore, rare occurrences of herpes zoster, such as the involvement of cervical dermatomes, should also be considered when faced with the differential diagnosis of symptomatic skin rashes of the upper limb, especially in elderly or immunosuppressed patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Melanoma is a very aggressive and fatal malignant tumor. While curable if diagnosed in its early stages, advanced melanoma, despite the complex therapeutic approaches, is associated with one of the highest mortality rates. Hence, more and more studies have focused on mechanisms that may contribute to melanoma development and progression. Various studies suggest a role played by neuroendocrine factors which can act directly on tumor cells, modulating their proliferation and metastasis capability, or indirectly through immune or inflammatory processes that impact disease progression. However, there are still multiple areas to explore and numerous unknown features to uncover. A detailed exploration of the mechanisms by which neuroendocrine factors can influence the clinical course of the disease could open up new areas of biomedical research and may lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches in melanoma. Melanoma is one of the most aggressive skin cancers with a sharp rise in incidence in the last decades, especially in young people. Recognized as a significant public health issue, melanoma is studied with increasing interest as new discoveries in molecular signaling and receptor modulation unlock innovative treatment options. Stress exposure is recognized as an important component in the immune-inflammatory interplay that can alter the progression of melanoma by regulating the release of neuroendocrine factors. Various neurotransmitters, such as catecholamines, glutamate, serotonin, or cannabinoids have also been assessed in experimental studies for their involvement in the biology of melanoma. Alpha-MSH and other neurohormones, as well as neuropeptides including substance P, CGRP, enkephalin, beta-endorphin, and even cellular and molecular agents (mast cells and nitric oxide, respectively), have all been implicated as potential factors in the development, growth, invasion, and dissemination of melanoma in a variety of in vitro and in vivo studies. In this review, we provide an overview of current evidence regarding the intricate effects of neuroendocrine factors in melanoma, including data reported in recent clinical trials, exploring the mechanisms involved, signaling pathways, and the recorded range of effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]