Treatment of Psoriasis Vulgaris with Calcipotriol Betamethasone Dipropionate Combination Followed by Calcipotriol and Assessment of the Adjuvant Basic Use of Urea-Based Emollients

A new combination product containing betamethasone dipropionate and calcipotriol (Dovobet® ointment) has been proven very effective and well tolerated in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Emollients are adjunctive modalities commonly used in psoriasis; however, their actual role in combination with topical drugs as well as well as their compatibility with these drugs have not been well elucidated. In 313 adult patients with psoriasis vulgaris, we studied the efficacy and tolerability of treatment with Dovobet® ointment combined with urea-based emollients (Excipial U®) for 4 weeks, followed by treatment with calcipotriol (Daivonex®) either alone (group A) or combined with urea-containing emollients (Excipial U®, group B) for 8 weeks. Clinical evaluations were performed at baseline, at 4 and 12 weeks, assessing the clinical score for erythema, scaling, infiltration and pruritus, graded on the basis of a 5-point scale. After the initial 4-week treatment, a significant improvement of all clinical parameters was observed (p<0.05). Overall, clinical results improved further during the maintenance treatment phase; significant changes (p<0.05) were observed in each group. Most patients considered treatment efficacy positively at both 4 weeks and 12 weeks. Interestingly, at the end of the study, a greater percentage of patients in group B than in group A judged the efficacy as excellent. Treatment was very well tolerated. Only two patients complained of mild and transient burning sensation during the first days of treatment. The results of this study confirm the great efficacy and tolerability of sequential treatment with Dovobet®, and Daivonex® in psoriasis vulgaris and show the enhanced acceptability of this treatment associated with urea-based emollients.

Experimental procedures comparing the activity of different Taq polymerases

Forensic investigations involve several scientific branches among which biological analyses are much more frequently requested as a consequence of their importance and great versatility towards most of the traces found on the crime scene. Biological analyses are lead in subsequent steps: extraction, amplification and STR typing of the specimens collected on the crime scene. All of these techniques have been modified from original protocols according to the kind of sample to process. A critical point in our analysis is trying to amplify small amounts of DNA extracted from decomposed tissues or objects, small biological traces have been left on, with high fidelity and account. That's why we have decided to settle on an experimental procedure aimed to find the best DNA polymerase according to our purposes. We have tested different Taq polymerases on the same known DNA sample at several dilutions and have compared quality and amount of amplified DNA in order to appreciate the amplifying capability of each enzyme. These data have been analyzed as a function of the technical properties of each engineered Taq polymerase and results are shown in details.