Efficacy of CO(2) laser for treatment of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, compared with combination of cryotherapy and intralesional meglumine antimoniate.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic in developing countries. Several types of treatments have been suggested, but none of them is completely effective and without side-effects. CO(2) laser has a specific thermolysis effect on infected tissues in CL. OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy and safety of CO(2) laser vs. combined cryotherapy and intralesional meglumine antimoniate (glucantime) in dry-type CL. METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized open trial study (Kerman, Iran) from November 2007 to August 2009. A total of 96 patients were randomly assigned to receive one session of CO(2) laser therapy and 95 patients on combined cryotherapy biweekly with intralesional meglumine antimoniate weekly until complete cure or up to 12 weeks, whichever is earlier. Clinical and laboratory cure, defined as complete re-epithelialization of 100%, complete flattening of induration and negative smear of lesions compared with baseline at weeks 2, 6, 12 and 16, and also at the time of complete cure (week 2, 6, 12 or 16). RESULTS: Of 191 participants, 80 patients with 95 lesions in group A and 80 patients with 95 lesions in group B completed the study. Complete cure was 93.7% (89/95 lesions) in group A and 78% (74/95 lesions) in group B. Complications were similar in the two groups and were limited to the ulcer sites. CONCLUSIONS: The CO(2) laser was more effective in treating dry-type cutaneous leishmaniasis than combined cryotherapy and intralesional glucantime and resulted in a shorter healing time (6 weeks vs. 12 weeks) with a single treatment session.

The study of adsorption characteristics Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions onto PHEMA and P(MMA-HEMA) surfaces from aqueous single solution.

The adsorption characteristics of Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions onto poly2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA) and copolymer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate with monomer methyl methacrylate P(MMA-HEMA) adsorbent surfaces from aqueous single solution were investigated with respect to the changes in the pH of solution, adsorbent composition (changes in the weight percentage of MMA copolymerized with HEMA monomer), contact time and the temperature in the individual aqueous solutions. The linear correlation coefficients of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were obtained. The results revealed that the Langmuir isotherm fitted the experimental results better than the Freundlich isotherm. Using the Langmuir model equation, the monolayer adsorption capacity of PHEMA surface was found to be 0.840 and 3.037 mg/g for Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions and adsorption capacity of (PMMA-HEMA) was found to be 31.153 and 31.447 mg/g for Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions, respectively. Changes in the standard Gibbs free energy (DeltaG(0)), standard enthalpy (DeltaH(0)) and standard entropy (DeltaS(0)) show that the adsorption of mentioned ions onto PHEMA and P(MMA-HEMA) are spontaneous and exothermic at 293-323 K.

Thermodynamic study of interaction of TSPP, CoTsPc, and FeTsPc with calf thymus DNA.

The interaction of two water soluble phthalocyanines, cobalt(II) 4,4 ,4 ,4 -tetrasulfo-phthalocyanine (CoTsPc) and iron(II) 4,4 ,4 ,4 -tetrasulfo-phthalocyanine (FeTsPc), and one water soluble porphyrin, tetra sodium meso-tetrakis(p-sulfophenyl)porphyrin (TSPP), with calf thymus DNA has been studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy at five different temperatures (20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 degrees C). The optical absorption spectra of these materials were analyzed to obtain binding constants and stoichiometries using SQUAD software. The results show that the best fitting corresponds to a 1 : 1 complex model between a base pair of DNA and these materials. All of the studied porphyrin and phthalocyanines showed strong electrolyte effect, and increasing NaCl concentration induced self-aggregation of these materials.