Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune dermatosis of which the pathogenesis remains scarcely known. A wide variety of clinical studies have been proposed to investigate the immune mediators which have shown the most recurrency. However, such trials have produced controversial results. The aim of this review is to summarize the main factors involved in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, the latest findings regarding the cytokines involved and to evaluate the treatments based on the use of biological drugs in order to stop disease progression and achieve repigmentation. According to the results, the most recurrent studies dealt with inhibitors of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. It is possible that, given the great deal of cytokines involved in the lesion formation process of vitiligo, other biologics could be developed in the future to be used as adjuvants and/or to entirely replace the treatments that have proven to be unsatisfactory so far.

Among benign vascular tumors of infancy, hemangiomas are the commonest, affecting approximately 5–10% of one-year-old children. They are derived from a benign proliferation of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) in the mesoderm and may arise anywhere on the body around 1–2 weeks after birth. Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are characterized by an early proliferative phase in the first year followed by a spontaneous progressive regression within the following 5 years or longer. IH prevalence is estimated to be 5%–10% in one-year-old children and commonly affects female, Caucasian and low-birth weight infants. Although most of them spontaneously regress, approximately 10% requires treatment to prevent complications due to the site of occurrence such as bleeding, ulceration, cosmetically disfigurement, functional impairment, or life-threatening complications. For over 30 years, steroids have represented the first-line treatment for IHs, but recently topical or systemic β-blockers are increasingly being used and recognized as effective and safe. A search for “Cutaneous infantile hemangioma” [All Fields] AND “Treatment” [All Fields] was performed by using PubMed and EMBASE databases. Treatment of IHs with labeled drugs, such as oral propranolol, but also with off-label drugs, such as topical β-blockers, including topical timolol and carteolol, steroids, itraconazole or sirolimus, with a focus on formulations types and adverse events were described in our review. We also discussed the benefits of pulsed dye laser and the treatment of IHs with involvement of central nervous system, namely the PHACE and LUMBAR syndrome.

Canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling pathways are involved in cell differentiation and homeostasis, but also in tumorigenesis. In fact, an exaggerated activation of Wnt signaling may promote tumor growth and invasion. We summarize the most intriguing evidence about the role of Wnt signaling in cutaneous carcinogenesis, in particular in the pathogenesis of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Wnt signaling is involved in several ways in the development of skin tumors: it may modulate the inflammatory tumor microenvironment, synergize with Sonic Hedgehog pathway in the onset of basal cell carcinoma, and contribute to the progression from precancerous to malignant lesions and promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in squamous cell carcinoma. Targeting Wnt pathways may represent an additional efficient approach in the management of patients with NMSC.

EMG sensors for biomechanics research and portable applications need to be small, wireless and power efficient. This imposes several constraints on the design methodology of such sensors. There are many commercially available devices which are expensive and have proprietary communication protocols. It is difficult to synchronize them with other devices. Furthermore, using gel-based electrodes for signal acquisition increases setup time and running costs. Hence we present the design of a miniaturized, wireless, low-cost and non-invasive dry-electrode EMG sensor that was prototyped in our lab and dubbed the `WB-EMG' Sensor. We demonstrate its working being fitted with a gold plated copper core electrode. By mounting the sensor on the extensor carpiulnaris and recording data during some simple exercises, we were able to show that its envelope in the frequency domain was similar to the expected EMG Pattern.

Vitiligo is an autoimmune dermatosis frequently associated with other comorbidities, such as mental health disorders. It is unclear if vitiligo triggers mental disorders or if mental disorders trigger vitiligo, but each one affects and worsen the other, if present at the same time. Both mental health disorders and vitiligo present a multifactorial pathogenesis and often require prolonged periods of therapy, sometimes with poor results. Given the possible link of common pathogenetic factors and the need of integrated therapies, the aim of this review is to look at natural compounds as possible supplements for both conditions. The results yielded show a possible role of these supplements in ameliorating both conditions, thus helping these patients to achieve a better quality of life and reduce the need for prolonged therapies. The limitations regarding the relative lack of in vivo studies, and the increasing need to lighten the burden of these chronic diseases, suggests that it is mandatory to proceed with further trials.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a photochemotherapy based on local application of a photosensitive compound and subsequent exposure to a light source of adequate wavelength. It is a non-invasive therapeutic procedure widely used in oncodermatology for treatment of numerous skin cancers, but in the last years its use has been gradually extended to an increasing list of skin diseases of both infectious and inflammatory nature. Although PDT is proven as a safe and effective therapeutic option in adults, its use is not well standardized in the pediatric population. In this review, we will focus on clinical applications, mechanisms of action, protocols, and adverse events in children and adolescents. Most of pediatric experiences concerned treatment of skin cancers in Gorlin syndrome and xeroderma pigmentosum, acne vulgaris, and viral warts, but other applications emerged, such as cutaneous lymphoma and pseudo-lymphomas, necrobiosis lipoidica, hidradenitis suppurativa, dissecting cellulitis, leishmaniasis, angiofibromas, verrucous epidermal nevus, and linear porokeratosis. In these pediatric diseases, PDT appeared as an effective therapeutic alternative. The results on vitiligo were limited and not fully encouraging. Although highly versatile, PDT is not a therapy for all skin diseases, and a deeper knowledge of its mechanisms of action is required to better define its spectrum of action and safety in pediatric patients.