Intervention:The patients applied either indigo naturalis ointment or vehicle ointment topically to each of 2 bilaterally symmetrical psoriatic plaque lesions for 12 weeks (depending on the date of enrollment in the study). Main Outcome Measures:The outcomes were assessed using the following criteria: the sum of ery-thema, scaling, and induration scores and the clearing percentage of the target plaque lesion assessed by 2 blinded observers.Results: Significant reductions in the sum of scaling, erythema, and induration scores (PϽ.001) (mean score, 6.3 after indigo naturalis treatment vs 12.8 in control subjects) and plaque area percentage (P Ͻ .001) (mean percentage, 38.5% after indigo naturalis treatment vs 90% in controls) were achieved with topical application of indigo naturalis ointment. Approximately 31 of 42 patients (74%) experienced clearance or near clearance of their psoriasis in the indigo ointment-treated lesion. Conclusion:Topical indigo naturalis ointment was a novel, safe, and effective therapy for plaque-type psoriasis.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of music therapy on women's physiologic measures, level of anxiety, and satisfaction during cesarean delivery. Sixty-four women who were planning to have a cesarean delivery were randomly divided into an experimental and a control group. The experimental group received routine care and music therapy, whereas the control group received routine care only. Our results indicated that compared to the control group the experimental group had significantly lower anxiety and a higher level of satisfaction regarding the cesarean experience. No significant differences were found between the two groups in any of the physiological indexes. This controlled study provides evidence that music therapy can reduce anxiety and create a more satisfying experience for women undergoing cesarean delivery.

Background: It has been reported in the Chinese literature that indigo naturalis exhibits potential antipsoriatic effects in systemic therapy. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topically applied indigo naturalis on treating plaque-type psoriasis and to analyze the histological change in skin tissues. Methods: Fourteen patients with chronic plaque psoriasis were enrolled. The patients were topically applied with either indigo naturalis ointment or vehicle ointment on contralateral skin lesions daily for 8 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated on the basis of the clinical scores, including induration, scaling, erythema and clearing percentage. At the end of treatment, skin punch biopsies were taken and prepared for the immunohistochemical analysis. Results: A significant reduction in clinical scores was achieved with topically applied indigo naturalis ointment. Analysis of biopsies showed a marked improvement of skin histology. The expressions of proliferating marker Ki-67 and inflammatory marker CD3 were decreased, but the differentiation marker such as filaggrin was increased in the epidermis after indigo naturalis ointment treatment. Conclusions: The results suggest that topical application of indigo naturalis ointment may be a novel, safe and effective therapy for psoriasis that is mediated, at least in part, by modulating the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes in epidermis, as well as by inhibiting the infiltration of T lymphocytes and therefore the subsequent inflammatory reactions in psoriatic lesions.

This promising 25-item CKD-SE instrument can be used for the early identification of patients with low DSE, thus allowing the development of interventions to help these patients attain an appropriate level of DSE.