Thickness and Echogenicity of the Skin in Children as Assessed by 20-MHz Ultrasound

Seidenari, Stefania; Giusti, Giulia; Bertoni, Laura; Magnoni, Cristina; Pellacani, Giovanni

doi:10.1159/000018491

Cited by 106 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…The wide range of differences in thickness and vascularization of human skin at different body sites (20,27) is likely a determinant in the ability of mosquitoes to obtain a blood meal and to transmit sporozoites at the different sites. Nevertheless, human skin is generally less than 2 mm thick (20), thus making it possible for the mosquito proboscis to penetrate below the skin at most body sites; this is even more likely in children, who tend to have thinner skin (20).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, human skin is generally less than 2 mm thick (20), thus making it possible for the mosquito proboscis to penetrate below the skin at most body sites; this is even more likely in children, who tend to have thinner skin (20). Differences in mosquito delivery of sporozoites to subcutaneous tissues with different degrees of vascularization, e.g., muscle versus adipose tissue, could also play a role in the dynamics of sporozoite transmission.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Direct Microscopic Quantification of Dynamics of Plasmodium berghei Sporozoite Transmission from Mosquitoes to Mice

2007

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The number of malaria sporozoites delivered to a host by mosquitoes is thought to have a significant influence on the subsequent course of the infection in the mammalian host. We did studies with Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes with salivary gland infections of Plasmodium berghei sporozoites expressing a red fluorescent protein. After individual mosquitoes fed on an ear pinna or the ventral abdomen of a mouse, fluorescence microscopy was used to count numbers of sporozoites. Mosquitoes allowed to feed on the ear for periods of 3 versus 15 min deposited means of 281 versus 452 sporozoites, respectively, into the skin; this may have epidemiological implications because mosquitoes can feed for longer periods of time on sleeping hosts. Mosquitoes feeding on the ventral abdomen injected sporozoites not only into the skin but also into the underlying peritoneal musculature. Although mosquitoes injected fewer sporozoites into the abdominal tissues, more of these were reingested into the mosquito midgut, probably a consequence of easier access to blood intake from the abdominal area. The most consistent parameter of sporozoite transmission dynamics under all conditions of mosquito probing and feeding was the relatively slow release rate of sporozoites (ϳ1 to 2.5 per second) from the mosquito proboscis. The numbers of sporozoites introduced into the host by mosquitoes and the transmission efficiencies of sporozoite delivery are multifactorial phenomena that vary with length of probing time, skin site being fed upon, and numbers of sporozoites within the salivary glands. Malaria infection is initiated by anAnopheles stephensi mosquito injecting sporozoites into the skin of its mammalian host while probing for a blood meal (1,15,16,21,25,28). Continuation of the malaria infection depends upon these sporozoites leaving the skin via dermal blood vessels and then traveling to the liver and developing into exoerythrocytic forms (EEF). The relatively large number of studies attempting to quantify the dynamics of this process attests to the importance with which it has been viewed by malariologists; the history and rationale for such attempts have been reviewed previously (6,24,26). The approaches used have included assessment of numbers of sporozoites released by mosquitoes into liquid media (reviewed in reference 6) or onto glass slides (12), counting of EEF after mosquito feeding on rodent hosts (26), and determination of sporozoite 18S rRNA (16) or ␤-galactosidase expressed by transgenic sporozoites (8) within the skin of a mouse after sporozoite introduction by mosquitoes.Each of these approaches has had both advantages and limitations. We believe that the most biologically appropriate approach requires direct feeding of infected mosquitoes on a living host and that the most accurate and precise means of quantification is direct microscopic observation and counting of injected sporozoites. Aside from the unequivocal nature of direct counts of morphologically recognizable sporozoites, this method allows correlation of specifi...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct Microscopic Quantification of Dynamics of Plasmodium berghei Sporozoite Transmission from Mosquitoes to Mice

2007

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“…Regarding this continuous state of development, the skin of children exhibits a pronounced susceptibility to various external and environmental factors, including inadequate skin care, water hardness or infant swimming practices [12,13]. This can lead to a perturbation of the fragile skin barrier homeostasis, resulting in a dry skin condition [9,13,14,15]. Previous studies investigating infants with healthy skin have suggested the use of emollients to increase SCH and thus support skin barrier maturation [16,17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Children with Dry Skin and Atopic Predisposition: Daily Use of Emollients in a Participant-Blinded, Randomized, Prospective Trial

Schario

Lünnemann²,

Stroux³

et al. 2014

Skin Pharmacol Physiol

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Background: Dry skin reflects a skin barrier defect which can lead to atopic dermatitis. Little is known about the distinct effects of emollient use in children with dry skin and atopic predisposition. Objectives: We investigated the effects of daily application of pressed ice plant juice (PIPJ)-based emollients and petrolatum-based emollients. Methods: Children aged 2-6 years with dry skin and atopic predisposition were randomized into 2 groups: group 1 received emollients containing PIPJ and natural lipids, while group 2 received petrolatum-based emollients. Skin condition and biophysical properties of the skin barrier were assessed at inclusion and weeks 4, 12 and 16. Results: Skin condition improved significantly in all children. Comparing the groups, children treated with emollients containing PIPJ showed significantly higher stratum corneum hydration values and significantly lower transepidermal water loss values at week 16 on the forearm and forehead. A significant decrease in skin pH was noted in group 2 on the forearm and forehead; group 1 showed a stable course. Conclusion: Early intervention with emollients in children with dry skin condition and atopic predisposition may improve their skin condition during daily emollient application. PIPJ-based formulations may be helpful to maintain skin barrier integrity.

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“…However, from studies in humans it is known that dermal echogenicity patterns changes with age [23], and the amount of subcutaneous fat as well as the skin can have an effect on echogenicity patterns of parenchymatous organs due to different ultrasound attenuation as shown for the pancreas [24]. Since animals scanned in this study differed by age (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Use of B-mode Ultrasound and Grey-Scale Analysis to Study Uterine Echogenicity in the Pig

Kauffold

Bussche²,

Failing

et al. 2010

Journal of Reproduction and Development

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Abstract. This study was conducted to determine uterine echogenicity by grey-scale analysis (GSA) and transcutaneous ultrasonography in pregnant sows (P-sows; n=16) and gilts (P-gilts; n=13) vs. cyclic gilts (C-gilts; n=9) between days 8 and 16 post ovulation (po) with the aims of testing for feasibility of uterine GSA and of gathering reference data. Estruses and ovulations were hormonally synchronized and the animals artificially inseminated. Ovulation was monitored by ultrasound. The equipment used was a HS 2000 ultrasound unit and a 5 MHz linear probe. Unit settings were standardized for all GSA scanning sessions and the animals crated during scanning. For GSA, cross-sections of the uterine horns were imaged, entirely defined as regions of interest, and pixel analyses done. A total of 342 scanning sessions were performed, 341 GSA accomplished, and 1-13 cross-sections analyzed per session. Comparison of coefficients of variation suggests that analysis of two cross-sections per session is sufficient for a reliable GSA per animal. P-sows and P-gilts were similar in their echogenicity course, but differed from C-gilts. Most noticeable, echogenicity declined in pregnant animals on day 12 po, while it increased in cyclic gilts. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that GSA using transcutaneous ultrasound is a feasible procedure for the determination of uterine echogenicity in the pig, and that pregnant and cyclic pigs differ in the uterine echogenicity, particularly during the time when maternal recognition of pregnancy occurs. Key words: Female pig, Grey-scale analysis, Pregnancy, Ultrasonography, Uterus (J. Reprod. Dev. 56: [444][445][446][447][448] 2010) chogenicity is a valuable parameter in order to define the appearance of a tissue or organ by using B-mode ultrasound. Echogenicity is either described based on a score system, and is rather subjective depending on the assessment of the operator. Alternatively, grey-scale analysis (GSA) is used, which is based on computer-supported pixel quantification and is thus a more objective procedure. In large animal species, GSA has mostly been used to define echogenicity patterns of reproductive tissues such as of testes and accessory glands in growing bulls and rams [1,2], as well as of ovarian structures in mares [3], cows and heifers [4,5], and ewes [6,7]. Also, GSA has been employed for studying endometrial echogenicity in pregnant vs. non-pregnant cows [8][9][10] and the European roe deer [11], and has been advocated as an appropriate procedure for the delineation of uterine diseases in mares [12]. B-mode ultrasound is widely used in pigs too, and is predominantly dedicated to examine genital organs which include the ovaries as well as the pregnant and non-pregnant uterus [13]. While differences in echotexture patterns have been described for the porcine uterus depending on the stage of estrous cycle as well as for the healthy vs. diseased uterus, uterine echogenicity using GSA has never been studied except once in a very preliminarily study on a subset of cyc...

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Thickness and Echogenicity of the Skin in Children as Assessed by 20-MHz Ultrasound

Cited by 106 publications

References 9 publications

Direct Microscopic Quantification of Dynamics of Plasmodium berghei Sporozoite Transmission from Mosquitoes to Mice

Direct Microscopic Quantification of Dynamics of Plasmodium berghei Sporozoite Transmission from Mosquitoes to Mice

Children with Dry Skin and Atopic Predisposition: Daily Use of Emollients in a Participant-Blinded, Randomized, Prospective Trial

Use of B-mode Ultrasound and Grey-Scale Analysis to Study Uterine Echogenicity in the Pig

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